The Fire Giant Surtur never in a million years imagined that he would one day die at the hands of a little girl like Hela.
In the past, he had lost to Odin, and that was acceptable. After all, in terms of strength, Odin was indeed considered the first among the Nine Realms.
In those days, neither Laufey of the Frost Giants with the Casket of Ancient Winters, nor he, with the Eternal Flame ignited, were a match for Odin. Although he was resentful, deep down he held a certain amount of fear for Odin. Otherwise, he wouldn't have decided to emerge only now.
But what was this? Hela? She was Odin's daughter, a little girl a whole generation below him! When he and Odin fought their great battle, Hela was still an infant in swaddling clothes!
"Why..."
"Why..."
Under Hela's mental command, a desolate death energy surged through Surtur's chest. The chaotic energy flow broke through Surtur's inherent defense system, bit by bit, and tore his heart to shreds.
Surtur was enraged, and also intensely jealous. In the last moments of his life, his jealousy could even be said to have surpassed his anger.
Why were Odin's children so strong? Why couldn't his own children even last a second against Odin? They were all beings from the Nine Realms, all nourished by the resources of the World Tree. So why? Why did the Asgardians' natural talent always dominate the Nine Realms? Odin was like this then, and now Hela was the same. In fact, Hela was even worse; she had killed him, a Fire Giant King on par with Odin.
And then he remembered the news he had gathered earlier: Odin's two other sons had also killed Laufey, the king of the Frost Giants in Jotunheim.
Surtur was filled with resentment. If you were to truly count, their giant race was the first to appear in the Nine Realms. The Asgardians were latecomers.
"Because I am the King of Asgard."
The expression on Hela's face was cold as she delivered the final blow, snuffing out Surtur's last shred of life. His massive head rolled to the ground. The Eternal Flame, as if guided by something, was quickly drawn back to his headless body by Hela's magic, where it burned brightly.
Fate? She never believed in fate. She only believed in herself.
The Fire Giant destined to destroy Asgard and bring about Ragnarok had been slain by Queen Hela, who had broken her destiny. Under her leadership, the history of Asgard was about to take a turn toward an unknown future.
Hela didn't know what that new future would look like, but she was certain it would be great. It would be fantastic.
"What are you looking at me for?"
Leaning against the ruins of the palace, Lothar asked, his arms crossed over his chest. He felt that the way Hela had been looking at him was a bit strange.
"I was wondering when you'd get rid of that annoying personality of yours." Her soft black hair fell back over her shoulders. Having exited her "fighting mode," Hela landed next to Lothar. After a quick glance at the man who could infuriate her to death, her eyes fell upon Thor, who was still being held by The Other.
"You... you saved Asgard?"
Thor, who had witnessed Hela's entire battle, didn't know how to feel about Hela, the older sister he had never met or known before.
"I am the Queen of Asgard. It is my duty." Hela shook her head, her face filled with disappointment. Disappointment in Thor. "How could Odin choose you as his heir? He really has gone senile."
"Shut up!"
"He's your father! The man next to you just killed him—"
"You're the one who needs to shut up!" Seeing Thor become agitated at the mention of Odin, Hela grabbed him by the throat and slammed him against a broken pillar next to Lothar!
Bang!
Dust flew everywhere!
Lothar gave a bored smirk; he had no interest in Hela's messy family drama.
"Don't you dare mention my blood relation to Odin again. I know better than you what my relationship with him truly was. Don't stand on your moral high ground and talk to me about fathers and daughters. You have no idea what I sacrificed for Odin and for Asgard! The resources you've enjoyed since birth, every single inch of land your feet have ever touched—I, and my army, bought them all with our blood and our lives! Not you! You are nothing but a free-loader!"
The resentment that had been festering in Hela's heart for over a thousand years finally found an outlet. Her furious shouts and accusations left Thor speechless, unable to talk back.
"I gave everything for Asgard, but Odin erased every trace of me from its history. Every! Single! Trace! No one remembers me! The army doesn't remember me, the people don't remember me, and there is no record of me in the official history of Asgard! My existence was completely erased by Odin, and all because he wanted to sign that worthless peace treaty!"
The angry roar was so intense that Thor could clearly see the veins bulging on Hela's cheeks.
"Peace? What a joke! Before I began conquering for him, the most bloodthirsty, most war-mongering person in all the Nine Realms was Odin himself!"
The hatred accumulated over a millennium erupted, leaving Thor, who was facing Hela directly, completely speechless.
"So don't bring up Odin in front of me. He doesn't deserve it."
Hela, who hadn't vented like this since breaking her seal, closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "Now, tell me, who took Frigga?"
"..."
Three minutes later, a useless Thor was tossed aside by Hela like a ragdoll.
"Done talking?"
A bored Lothar smirked.
"Someone from the Sorcerer Supreme Ancient One."
After her outburst, Hela's mood was clearly much lighter.
"The Sorcerer Supreme Ancient One?" Lothar frowned at the name. Come to think of it, his father, Thanos, went to confront the Ancient One and hadn't returned to the Black Quadrant since. Even though his fight with Odin was over, and Odin was dead...
"Are you going to get Frigga back?"
"She is a person of Asgard. The Ancient One's reach is far too long."
Hela's killing intent was clear. To go all the way to her palace dungeons to take Frigga was an act that undeniably enraged Hela. It was a challenge to her authority as Queen.
"Where is the Ancient One?"
"What, are you coming too?" Hela was a little surprised. "I'm more than—"
"It has nothing to do with you. I want to see the Ancient One." Lothar's words cut off Hela's moment of self-satisfaction.
"..."
Silently, the sleek-looking Lothar ship entered the war-torn Asgard through a secret passage on the Rainbow Bridge. The worried Woz stood by the window, tiptoeing on his short legs, waving to Lothar below. A wide, honest grin was plastered on his adorable face. "Your Highness Lothar!"
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This fanfic has been fully translated!