Hel, the Realm of the Dead.
This place was cold and silent, devoid of sunlight. Only a faint, pale moonlight filtered down from the sky.
Strange, towering rock formations rose everywhere, and as far as the eye could see, the world was shrouded in thin, drifting mist.
Two figures suddenly appeared in this desolate land.
"Damn, why is it so cold here?!"
Thor shuddered the moment he arrived.
Even in Jotunheim, the realm of ice, Thor had never truly felt cold.
"This cold acts directly on the soul. It's normal," Lucas replied calmly.
This was the land of the dead—there was no trace of living aura here.
When the two of them appeared, their presence was like blazing torches in the darkness, instantly drawing the attention of the "inhabitants" of this world.
Roar—
An invisible howl echoed through the air. Not far away, twisted, semi-transparent figures began to emerge.
If one were to look from above, they would see countless distorted spirit forms densely packed within several kilometers of Lucas and Thor.
And their numbers were still increasing, surging forward like moths drawn to flame.
"Thor, clear the area with a few bolts of lightning," Lucas said casually.
He had no interest in wasting time on these things.
Thor nodded immediately. Not caring in the slightest about being treated like a tool, he raised Mjolnir and roared toward the sky:
"Lightning, answer me!!"
Dark clouds gathered instantly. Thunder rolled across the sky.
Lightning—supremely destructive—was the bane of evil spirits in any world.
As soon as it appeared, the spirit forms panicked.
When thick bolts of lightning crashed down, the spirits scattered and fled in terror.
"Oh~ the scent of Asgard."
A cold female voice suddenly echoed through the air. A figure wreathed in green light appeared before them.
"Odin's aura… you are his offspring?"
Hela emerged, her clothes tattered, hair wild and unkempt like a beggar's. Her gaze immediately locked onto Thor.
When she noticed Mjolnir in his hand, her lips curled into a grin.
"As I thought. You are Odin's child—my little brother."
"I am Thor, son of Odin!"
Thor snorted proudly.
"Hahaha~"
Hela covered her mouth as she laughed. "What an adorable little thing. But I'm curious—why are you here?"
"Odin wouldn't send a brat who hasn't even grown his hair yet to cause trouble for me, would he?"
Lucas raised an eyebrow.
"Three thousand years old," Lucas said calmly, "where I come from, that's so old you're practically a fossil."
"You're not Asgardian," Hela frowned. "Who are you?"
Lucas ignored her and instead looked at Thor.
"Go on. Didn't you say you were unconvinced? Step up."
"But I'll give you one piece of advice—don't underestimate her. At the very least, she was once Mjolnir's wielder."
Thor nodded firmly and stepped forward.
"Hela, Father has suffered for years because of you. Today, I've come to reclaim justice on his behalf!"
"?"
Hela froze for a moment, then burst into wild laughter.
"That old bastard deserves his suffering! He sealed me here for all these years—who understands my pain?!"
"He must be close to dying, so he sent you two down here to deal with me, hahahaha!"
"I knew it. He's always been that ruthless!"
Thor frowned. "Father was too merciful back then. He should've killed you!"
Hela shook her head with a mocking sigh.
"My dear little brother, you're still far too naïve. He didn't kill me because he thought he might still need me someday. Do you understand?"
"You'll never comprehend Odin's wisdom. You're nothing more than a toy dancing in his palm."
On that point, Lucas actually agreed.
A god-king who conquered the Nine Realms and ruled countless lives—thinking of him as kind or benevolent was simply foolish.
But Thor didn't see it that way.
"I won't allow you to insult my father!"
He roared and charged forward, swinging Mjolnir.
Hela sighed helplessly. "You really don't resemble him at all."
As Thor brought the hammer down, Hela casually reached out with one hand and caught Mjolnir by its handle.
"Didn't that man just warn you?" she said coldly.
"I was once Mjolnir's master."
Her fingers tightened. With a single motion, she ripped the hammer from Thor's grasp.
Then she swung it backhandedly, sending Thor flying.
"Pathetic," Hela sneered.
"You're over a thousand years old, yet you haven't even awakened your origin power?"
"At your age, I was already serving as that old man's vanguard—conquering the Nine Realms for Asgard!"
Thor staggered to his feet, staring at Mjolnir trembling in Hela's hand. Veins bulged on his forehead.
How many times had this happened now?
Back on Midgard, people grabbed his hammer like it was nothing.
And now again—ignored, suppressed, humiliated.
Why?!
Why was it always like this?!
Returning to the palace, being restrained at every turn, defeated again and again—
Thor finally snapped.
His already unstable state of mind completely collapsed under the influence of Hel.
He stomped the ground. Lightning surged around him as something deep within began to loosen.
Wrapped in thunder, he charged at Hela once more—faster than before.
"Even your mind is fragile," Hela scoffed.
"Has Asgard truly regressed this much?"
She struck him with an uppercut, sending him into the air.
Grabbing his leg, she smashed him back down, creating a deep crater in the ground.
With a sharp pull, she dragged him back toward her and slammed Mjolnir into his chest.
Thor's body folded like a cooked shrimp before crashing down again.
Boom!
Dust billowed as Thor was smashed straight into the earth.
Hela crouched, grabbing him by the collar.
"Did the old man never tell you how strong I am?"
"Or did he send you down here on purpose—to let me vent my anger?"
"Look at you. You haven't even awakened your true power. As one of Asgard's gods—don't you feel ashamed?"
Watching from the sidelines, Lucas clenched his fist internally.
'Yes. That's it. Even harsher. Tear him down properly.'
Spit—
Thor spat out blood and sneered.
"All I know is—you're a vicious, heartless woman!"
"Wahahaha!"
Hela burst into manic laughter. Then her gaze sharpened.
"Is that what Odin says about me?"
"You probably have no idea what he's really done."
"My mother wasn't that Vanir woman Frigga. My mother was killed by Odin himself!"
"The lives he's taken—entire worlds couldn't contain them."
"Your precious father," Hela said coldly,
"is the true monster—merciless, bloodthirsty, and utterly devoid of compassion!"
_____
T/N:
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