What is the Current State of the Scandinavian Lostbelt?
Surtr's power had descended upon the land, threatening to reduce the world to lifeless ash. To prevent this, Scáthach-Skadi used her ice and snow to suppress Surtr's flames.
After accomplishing this, the remaining power she had left was only enough to protect roughly ten thousand people.
Ten thousand…
That number was pitifully small.
For the human race, it was a tragically insufficient figure. Yet, Skadi had maintained this number generation after generation, even if it meant resorting to cruel methods. The fact that humanity hadn't gone extinct at all was, in itself, a miracle.
The mighty gods had already perished. That the weak humans could still endure—wasn't that already a blessing?
To demand more from Scáthach-Skadi would be ungrateful. But if he had the ability to change things, then he had to act.
Surtr's power destroyed everything—but could it be harnessed instead?
Only a field investigation would tell.
With this thought in mind, Li Mo left the village. If his idea proved feasible, if Surtr's power could indeed be repurposed, then the fate of the Scandinavian Lostbelt would change dramatically—and his standing with Scáthach-Skadi would rise accordingly.
Even if it turned out impossible, studying Surtr's flames would still be valuable. Sooner or later, he would have to face Surtr directly. In the meantime, he needed to find a way to kill the Flame Giant.
Once again braving the blizzard, Li Mo ignored the biting cold and turned his focus inward.
*Can you kill Surtr?*
The answer was: *I don't know.*
Surtr was the calamity that brought about Ragnarök, the fire giant capable of slaying gods. He, on the other hand, had only five tails—not even a complete **Beast**. His **"Pseudo-Immortality"** ensured he wouldn't die, and his **"False Simulated Astral Chart: Mystery Foundation"** allowed him to manifest his worldview in any world, wielding various magecrafts.
But there was no denying it—his abilities were lopsided. The solution lay in technique, and that was the tricky part.
**"Blasting Rod"** and **"Spiritual Tripping"**, two spells derived from Aleister Crowley's thaumaturgy, left Li Mo scratching his head every time he thought about them. He had pondered them countless times, sighing in frustration just as often.
On the surface, the principles seemed simple. The former amplified the latter exponentially, while the latter forced the target's body to match the image in the caster's mind. But… it was like the old joke about fitting an elephant into a fridge in three steps.
—Simple, yet utterly absurd.
The first spell at least had some logical structure; with enough time, he could probably figure it out. But the second was pure Aleister-brand nonsense.
*I'll have to ask him about it when I return to Academy City.*
As for Surtr… Li Mo couldn't help but recall his time in Teyvat, where he had also faced overwhelming odds. Back then, his solution had been the **"Saint Graph"** spell.
**"Saint Graph"** had been pure improvisation. Thankfully, Teyvat's world didn't have many systems for borrowing power, so he had managed to draw from Raiden Ei's shared origin to complete the **"Saint Graph: Raiden Shogun"** construct.
But now, a new problem arose.
Against Surtr, who would he imitate? Scáthach-Skadi? The Queen didn't have the strength for it.
Suddenly, Li Mo heard the cry of a bird. He looked up and saw a raven soaring across the sky.
"So, the one I should mimic… is **Odin**?" He murmured. "Then, Great Father, would you lend me your power?"
The Odin of this Lostbelt might already be dead, but that didn't mean the Odin of the **Fate/Grand Order** worldline was gone. If Li Mo remembered correctly, Odin would appear in later Lostbelts.
Odin, the Allfather of Norse mythology, was undeniably powerful. Thanks to modern media, his name and legends had spread far and wide in human consciousness.
But speaking of Odin also brought to mind **Othinus**, the Magic God from *A Certain Magical Index*. In that world, many divine phases were modeled after Magic Gods—and Othinus was Odin's prototype.
Thinking of Othinus reminded Li Mo of how she had regained her status as a Magic God. Could he replicate her methods to construct a **"Saint Graph: Odin"**?
As he walked, Li Mo pondered and realized it was possible.
Thanks to his **"False Simulated Astral Chart: Mystery Foundation"**, he could establish a tenuous connection. The only concern was whether Odin would refuse.
Raiden Ei had been hesitant but ultimately allowed the link because she didn't fully understand what was happening. But the gods of the **Type-Moon** world—wouldn't they have ways to sever mystical connections?
Still, Li Mo couldn't think of a reason for Odin to refuse. *Come on, this is against Surtr. Why would he say no?*
The bigger worry was his own Spirit Origin—he couldn't afford to let his identity as an **Infant Beast** be exposed.
*So, hiding it is.*
*Hiding… is that the theme now?* The thought amused him.
With these complicated reflections, Li Mo finally arrived at the Fire Mountains.
This was the one place Scáthach-Skadi's power couldn't reach—her shame, a testament to her helplessness.
The flames burned endlessly, their heat making him frown slightly. But as a transcendent being, he felt no fear—only surprise.
Surtr's flames were no ordinary fire. Just being near them, Li Mo could sense the overwhelming **"concept of destruction"** they carried.
Ever since acquiring the **"False Simulated Astral Chart"**, his sensitivity to mystical phenomena had sharpened.
After a brief analysis, he concluded: Surtr's flames weren't something that could be easily harnessed.
—*If it were that simple, would Scáthach-Skadi have endured this sorrowful stalemate for thousands of years?*
"But… can I do it?"
His offensive power might be lacking, but in terms of **authority**, he was unexpectedly formidable. If he used his own body as a filter, he could theoretically convert these flames for his own use.
No matter what mysteries Surtr's flames contained, once inside him, they would be absorbed and assimilated by the **"False Simulated Astral Chart: Mystery Foundation"**. Even if they embodied annihilation, how could they oppose an entire universe's worldview?
*Still, this requires careful planning.*
Relying on his **"Pseudo-Immortality"**, Li Mo severed a small flicker of flame and, using a secret technique learned from Vitch, absorbed it into his body before leaving.
With a sample secured, there was no reason to linger.
His next destination was a nearby village—he needed to find a pair of lambs, one male and one female. For the foreseeable future, his focus would remain on Village No. 101.
He had to maintain the image of someone who sought no conflict.
That would be crucial for what came next.