Hela.
That was a form of super-evolution that even Jormungandr could only imagine.
(Setting from "Dragon King 1": Dragon kings have four stages — juvenile, subadult, adult, super-evolved.)
Although dragon kings were exalted as first-generation beings, they weren't always in peak strength or form.
A dragon king who had only just awakened was very weak — just like her and Norton's current human forms, which were equivalent to juveniles.
That was also why Jormungandr felt Norton's displayed power level was unreasonable.
Her brother, Fenrir, although as simple-minded as a human child, had at least managed to hatch into a subadult (his front half was around 30–40 meters long, while his rear half was fused into rocky bone).
Only upon reaching the adult stage could one match the level described in human mythologies. As for the super-evolved form, Hela…
Jormungandr had only dreamed about it.
Now Norton was saying that by learning this magic she could take a different path and push her power toward Hela?Truthfully, she didn't dare hope for so much — but at least it meant she didn't have to kill her kin to gain power. That alone was worth trying.
"…One last question. Why choose me as your partner?"
Norton didn't hesitate even slightly. "To fight against the black supreme one who will return in the end, we have no choice. Any path with hope, we must try."
"Norton, you should know that's not what I want to hear. Why me? If you'd chosen to work with Odin instead back then, your plan would have gone even more smoothly."
"No. I never considered him. To become a victor, he would even kill his own brother — but I would never harm Constantine. That alone shows we are not of one path. Even if we joined forces, we'd eventually part ways."
Norton's words were carried on the cool night breeze. Jormungandr understood the unspoken meaning between the lines.
Because she was the same.
Jormungandr couldn't bring herself to let her foolish brother Fenrir be sacrificed.
"…I have no more questions. Let's form the blood pact."
A faintly heavy sigh echoed in both dragon kings' hearts at once.
To protect themselves and their only family, no matter what, they had to fight.
————
"So you're saying… Odin took your mother's soul?"
The next day at midday, Emiya was still out with Nono. Old Tang had come back drunk very late the night before and was now snoring thunderously in the suite. So the other two simply decided to go out again like yesterday.
This southeastern city was near the sea, and now in the hot season, the humid sea breeze made the air feel oppressively damp.
Walking through the streets felt like being in a sweltering sauna, while the blazing sun overhead steamed more moisture into the air.
Nono wore a lemon-yellow wide-brimmed sunhat, big sunglasses on her nose, her long red hair flowing over a pure white puff-sleeve fitted blouse, and her loose wide-legged jeans swayed gracefully with her legs.
Emiya didn't wear a hat but did wear sunglasses to shield himself from the fierce sunlight. His own red hair slowly absorbed heat under the clear sky. Walking beside Nono, the two looked like a brother and sister out for a stroll.
As they walked, Nono opened a twin-stick popsicle she'd just bought, broke off one stick, handed it to Emiya, and licked her own a few times before answering his question:"My impression of my mother — I mean Frigg Zero's birth mother — was that she died of a parasite disease. She was a middle-aged woman who only spoke an Indian dialect—"
"You know, the Chen family's 'mothers' were surrogate women from all over. She traveled all the way from India to the Chen estate already gravely ill."
"I remember the 'me' back then begged that man — Chen's father — to arrange full treatment for her, but in the end she still died of brain cyst infection."
The brim of her hat cast a shadow over her face, hiding her expression. Then she glanced around, leaned closer to Emiya, and placed a small hand on his shoulder, whispering in his ear:
"Later, I realized my memories didn't add up. I remembered that my mother never had that experience, and she didn't die of sickness. Instead, that god — like a pitch-black shadow — pulled out her soul. She ended up like a vegetable and died."
"There was no parasite disease, no treatment. She had actually died long ago."
'Odin took her soul…'
Emiya recalled seeing Odin's army of the dead that day in the estate — likely created through some kind of spirit descent technique. It all made sense now — Odin had been collecting souls all along for his experiments.
Taking Nono's mother's soul was probably not an isolated case. That behavior likely continued for a long time on a large scale.
"But you never mentioned this to Wa-zhu before. Why only bring it up now?"
"Yeah. I hadn't noticed anything wrong before. Maybe the Chen family's brainwashing is wearing off now… or maybe, ever since I came to this city, my memories of that god have been growing clearer."
After saying that, Nono suddenly realized how intimate this pose might look to passersby. She quickly withdrew her hand and lowered her head as if nothing had happened, licking her popsicle.
"This city, huh…"
Maybe this city still held traces of Odin… and some of his people might still be lurking here.
Nono's words reminded Emiya to be more vigilant about the risks this city might hide.
Strengthening his vision like a hawk, he scanned the area.
An old man with a white beard walked by with his young grandson holding a colorful pinwheel; a few casually dressed young office workers gossiped about their boss; busy street vendors hawked their wares, their voices merging into a wave of sound.
Only one girl in a white baseball cap with a ponytail slipped out of his view for a moment — hidden by the crowd as she haggled over a trinket at a stall like a seasoned housewife.
"Come on."
Emiya suddenly grabbed Nono's hand and pulled her into a quiet side alley, then out to a less crowded street.
At the same moment, the white-cap girl angrily put down the trinket. "Fine, I won't buy it. Cheap knockoff anyway!"
Then she turned and ran off toward another shop.
That girl was none other than Jormungandr…
Or rather, she was currently acting under her human identity: Xia Mi — much like Norton retained his "Old Tang" persona. The difference was that Old Tang had already developed into an independent personality.
'So that's the one Norton called his friend — this Emiya Shirou? His eyes are like damn searchlights!'
'And that girl beside him… she has Odin's mark. So she's the medium Norton plans to use?'
Xia Mi was sure she hadn't exposed herself while tailing them, but Emiya's sharp instincts still caught on somehow.
She had already agreed to work with Norton, but to be honest, the Holy Grail War was a massive project. Xia Mi's current skill level wasn't enough to contribute to the development of the system — it was better to lay a foundation in magic first.
Her only role for now was to figure out how to snatch Odin's spirits.
But the problem was — she hadn't even found Odin's hidden Nibelungen in this city yet. And without an invitation or a key mark, entering such a space was nearly impossible.
So Norton rather exasperatedly gave her some guidance… which basically boiled down to: just follow Emiya Shirou and Nono.
If Odin's minions moved while preparing his revival, Emiya and Nono would surely be the most obvious targets.
And with Nono carrying Odin's mark, she might well lead them right into the Nibelungen.
Suddenly, Xia Mi's eyes narrowed. Several casually strolling young men and women suddenly stopped browsing and started hurrying after Emiya.
'Ah great, so it was you clowns who tipped him off!'
The King of Tracking and Tail, Xia Mi, realized she'd taken the blame for nothing — these people were the real reason Emiya noticed something was wrong.
Angrily, she rolled up her sleeves, slipped back into the crowd like a master of stealth, and vanished.
As the suspicious group was about to disappear into the shadows of an alley, Xia Mi sprang off the wall like a wuxia expert, flashing ahead in a streak of white.
Crash — she landed in front of them, blocking their path.
"You people… following an innocent young couple in broad daylight — don't you have any shame? Any conscience? You're a disgrace!"
"..." Everyone froze, dumbfounded by the sudden scolding from the sky.
Xia Mi let loose a torrent of righteous indignation, shaking her tiny pink fists. "I, your big sis, have always hated despicable stalkers like you. Enough talk — take this!"
In the next second, she became a martial arts master. Her fist, faster than a hybrid's reflexes, smashed forward in their vision.
The first man in line was sent flying, blood gushing from his face, his nose bent sideways like a jar of sauce had spilled all over him!
(End of Chapter)
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