303

The Fall of Balder

Forseti wielded the Ice Excalibur and Rivendell's Sword, engaging in a fierce battle with the Giant Frost Demon while scanning his surroundings.

Despite the Frost Giant's immense size, the Holy Light's restraint rendered him ineffective against Forseti.

While dealing with the giant, Forseti remained vigilant for other demons. Spotting a group of lesser demons nearby, he swiftly moved to intercept them, determined to eliminate every threat.

"Charge!" roared the Frost Giant.

Though inherently callous and unsympathetic, he didn't wish to see his comrades perish in vain.

Moreover, he had realized that these low-level demons posed no match against Forseti, not only meeting death in vain but also inadvertently empowering him with their mana.

"Sir?" The lesser demons were taken aback, slow to react.

Before they could comprehend the situation, Forseti had already descended upon them, his sword cleaving through their ranks.

"Scream—" The sound of agony echoed as over a dozen lesser demons fell, their life force replenishing Forseti's mana reserves.

With his mana replenished, Forseti summoned the Sword of Judgement and Sword of Justice, unleashing another wave of Holy Light upon the Frost Giant.

Barely clinging to consciousness, the Frost Giant prepared to retaliate when he noticed movement out of the corner of his eye—several lesser demons closing in.

He shuddered, glancing at Forseti before retreating cautiously.

The devastating effect of the Holy Light left no room for mercy, shattering the demon's soul completely.

This had an unintended consequence: Mangog, the embodiment of accumulated resentment, could not draw power from the demons' deaths.

When those opposed to Odin and Asgard perished, their hatred would fuel Mangog, making him stronger.

However, the demons slain by Forseti under the Holy Light's judgment lacked the lingering resentment that fed Mangog.

Forseti continued his relentless assault, and Mangog began to sense that something was amiss, even as he battled Odin.

Soon, Mangog pinpointed Forseti amidst his release of Holy Light magic.

At the sight of the radiant Holy Light, Mangog felt an immediate sense of threat.

The Holy Light's essence of justice and purity stood in stark contrast to Mangog's embodiment of rage and malice. To Mangog, Holy Light was an archenemy.

He quickly deduced that the reason he couldn't draw power from the fallen demons was this blinding Holy Light.

With this realization, Mangog changed tactics, swiftly diverting his attention. Like a meteor, he hurtled towards Forseti.

Odin was closing in.

"Ah!" A sudden cry startled Odin, his expression darkening instantly.

It was Balder, grievously wounded, facing Ulic once more. In a swift exchange, Ulic's axe rent Balder's chest, blood spraying forth.

"Farewell, Balder!" Ulic sneered, applying more pressure with his axe, nearly cleaving Balder in two.

Though Balder's light flickered, it eventually faded, his eyes reflecting regret and defiance before he collapsed...

Odin, momentarily forgetting Mangog, wielded Gungnir, the Eternal Spear, its iridescent brilliance crackling with power.

**Boom!** Ulic crashed into the ground, creating a massive crater.

Odin raised Gungnir again, summoning a more spectacular cascade of rainbow-colored lightning that surged like a dragon, striking the crater once more.

Meanwhile, Forseti pursued the Frost Giant, his senses alert. Suddenly, a surge of danger jolted him. Ignoring the taunting cry of his foe, Forseti conjured flames beneath his feet, evading just in time.

**Boom!** Mangog crashed down where Forseti had stood a moment earlier, causing the earth to quake.

Realizing he had missed, Mangog prepared to strike again.

"His life belongs to me!" At that critical moment, a voice rang out.

It was Laufey, his gaze cold as he focused on the ice blade in Forseti's hand.

Mangog, composed of primal rage, recognized no authority except that of chaos. He ignored Laufey's command, claws glowing faintly as they gathered energy, aimed directly at Forseti.

Seeing this, Laufey gritted his teeth, visibly angered by Mangog's disobedience.

Hastily wielding the Frost Winter Coffin, Laufey harnessed its icy blue light, directing it towards Forseti.

The nearby Frost Giant, witnessing Laufey's action, bolted in fear.

Though tense, Forseti stood his ground, showing no intention of fleeing.

In an instant, Mangog and Laufey unleashed their attacks almost simultaneously—two beams of light, one dark crimson and the other ice blue, converging on Forseti.

**Holy Shield!**

Unable to withstand the combined onslaught of Mangog and Laufey, Forseti summoned a rune-imbued shield of Holy Light through spell fragment, enveloping himself in its protective aura.

**Boom!**

The deafening roar reverberated as the surrounding terrain was obliterated. Every creature within range—demons, trolls, and Asgardian soldiers alike—met their end.

Though the nearby Frost Giant Demon had managed to evade to some extent, he too felt the shockwave, encasing himself in ice in a futile attempt to shield against the devastation.

"Balder!" Odin lifted Balder's lifeless body, his grief-stricken cry echoing through the air, unanswered.

In that moment, the thunderous explosion near Forseti caught Odin's attention, filling him with dread.

Odin was overwhelmed with immense regret, trembling with remorse.

He realized he should have prioritized saving Forseti over the fallen Balder... Surveying the ravaged landscape of Asgard and the countless fallen warriors, Odin's regret deepened.

How grievously had he erred! The thought echoed relentlessly in Odin's mind, tolling like a resounding bell.

Ullr was missing, Balder was dead, and countless Asgardian warriors lay slain... Was this truly Ragnarok? The twilight of Asgard?

Laufey glared at Mangog, his expression grim. "I said his life was mine."

"Hmph." Mangog snorted derisively, further irking Laufey.

At that moment, Odin arrived on his eight-legged Pegasus, his voice fraught with urgency. "Mangog, Laufey, let us settle this with death!"

"You fight, I'm not interested in battling to the death here," Laufey replied coolly, activating the Tesseract to open a portal.

"Odin, I will claim Midgard first. May you survive until I conquer Midgard."

With those words, Laufey led a contingent of Frost Giants through the portal.

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