"Haha, fine."
Heisenberg was genuinely amused by Surtur's sudden spinelessness.
Ever since becoming a Kryptonian, and growing stronger and stronger, Heisenberg had gradually come to realize something. When you're weak, the entire world radiates malice toward you, and the warmth in your life shines only from a mere handful of people. But once you're powerful enough... everywhere you look, there is nothing but kindness and warmth.
Looking at Surtur, whose face was now brimming with warmth, Heisenberg waved him over, beckoning him closer.
At the same time, Heisenberg offered a simple explanation.
"After Odin died, I became the God-King of the Nine Realms. It's only natural that I should come see you, the prophesied executor of Ragnarok. But rest assured, I'm not here to cause you trouble. I've run into a bit of trouble myself, and I came here to ask for your help!"
With that, Heisenberg strolled over to the seat Surtur had prepared for him and sat down lightly.
Meanwhile, Surtur trotted all the way over, and with a hint of confusion and unease, asked:
"So you have replaced Odin as God-King. I suppose I should call you 'Your Majesty' as well. So, what trouble has Your Majesty encountered?"
As he spoke, Surtur sat down cross-legged on the ground, and while seating himself, gestured at their surroundings.
"Though I would very much like to help, to be honest, just look at my world. Aside from those stupid little fire demons and that unruly dragon, I have nothing left."
"Heh, don't worry, that's not what I'm after!"
Heisenberg laughed and shook his head. At the same time, he beckoned with his right hand. Before Surtur could even react, the giant sword that had been his lifelong companion shot straight into Heisenberg's grasp.
"Odin condemned you to eternal imprisonment and took your Eternal Flame from you. So I shall take your Twilight Sword, and in return, give you your freedom!"
Heisenberg hefted the Twilight Sword in his hand as he spoke.
"You won't be satisfied with this demand, but you should understand that what I'm about to do to you is still far better than what Odin ever did. Leave this dark underground world, and you can seek out other suitable materials and take your time forging a new weapon. But even if your weapon remains by your side, without my permission, you still have no way of breaking out of Odin's seal!"
Heisenberg suddenly thrust the longsword into the ground.
"Think it over carefully, Fire Giant. Your weapon, or your freedom!"
With those words, Heisenberg looked at Surtur and silently waited for his reply.
At that moment, Surtur ground his teeth uneasily, his large hands instinctively scrabbling at the ground beside his thighs.
He was angry, utterly furious, but he had to suppress his rage.
If there was anything more agonizing than imprisonment, it was the loneliness of his soul drifting endlessly through alien dimensions after death! Even if he could be resurrected through the Eternal Flame, the Eternal Flame was in Asgard. Who could guarantee that after he died, he would definitely have the chance to reappear within those flames?
Amid his fury, an immense longing surfaced in Surtur's burning eyes.
Freedom!
What a heavy word, always so close yet forever out of reach!
But now, with just a certain price paid, he could... be free!
At that thought, Surtur forcefully swallowed a mouthful of lava, and at the same time, his hand reached for the hilt of the Twilight Sword.
Clang!!!
He pulled the longsword from the ground and resolutely stood opposite Heisenberg!
The lava on the Twilight Sword dripped continuously, and the blade trembled slightly.
But now Surtur felt no fear. All that remained was the thrill of challenging a mighty enemy, ready to face death with no regrets.
"Your Majesty Heisenberg!"
He spoke slowly, softly.
"To offer me a promise of freedom before the ancient prophecy of Ragnarok—you are far more magnanimous than Odin! However, I cannot agree to your proposal! Not because I am reluctant to part with my sword. Give me a hundred thousand years, and even ordinary soil could be forged into a Twilight Sword. But I have only one question...!"
Surtur suddenly raised the longsword high and brought it slashing down toward Heisenberg with all his might.
Yet oddly, despite using his full power, the world around them was completely unaffected!
Heisenberg could not even hear the whoosh of the swinging blade, nor the thunderous stomp of Surtur's giant feet against the ground!
In the next instant, the Twilight Blade descended rapidly, and suddenly heaven and earth held only Surtur's final words, ringing out loud and clear beside Heisenberg's ear as the blade swept down toward an unconquerable foe.
"Why is it that I am always the one who must pay the price?!?!"
Boom!!!
The longsword slammed diagonally into Heisenberg's neck, yet the razor-sharp blade still failed to damage even a single hair on his skin. Even his perfectly ordinary coat was not singed in the slightest.
Before Surtur could pull back the sword and continue his assault, Heisenberg abruptly blew a puff of air at the blade resting against his shoulder.
A fierce chill instantly snuffed out the sword's scorching lava, turning its originally crimson body into a pitch-black block of metal.
Immediately after, Heisenberg shrugged his shoulder, throwing off the longsword as he shot forward.
He charged directly in front of Surtur and casually threw a single punch, smashing it into Surtur's chest.
Surtur was sent flying backward in an instant, but before he had traveled even half a meter, Heisenberg casually scooped the Twilight Blade into his hand with a simple grab!
Then Heisenberg's eyes flared, and his heat vision scorched straight onto the chains binding Surtur.
The chains engraved with Asgardian runes snapped in the blink of an eye, and freed from his shackles, Surtur spiraled backward for dozens of kilometers!
The violent shockwave roused the nearby unconscious dragon, Regin, who blearily opened his eyes.
But just as he managed to make sense of what was happening, he saw the flying Surtur slam straight into the ground and split open an entire subterranean canyon!
At that, Regin was instantly, completely awake.
His enormous Adam's apple quivered on his dragon's neck for a long moment before he managed a difficult gulp of lava.
"Don't see me, don't see me!"
He prayed incessantly in his heart, stealthily lowering his head.
The very next second, he acted as if he had never woken up at all, plunging right back into unconsciousness.
Once the dust settled, Heisenberg crossed the rift and, using his bio-field, spoke to the gravely injured Surtur in the distance.
"That punch was your punishment for raising your sword against me twice. As for the broken seal, that is my compensation for your longsword. I wanted your sword—this was not a request, but a demand. I granted you freedom—not a trade, but a gift. So, enjoy your freedom, and enjoy my gift, Surtur!"
With those words, Heisenberg turned around and slipped the Twilight Sword into his pocket.
Not far from him, Regin nervously sensed Heisenberg's presence.
"Don't notice me, don't notice me..."
Just as Regin was praying ceaselessly, a large hand gently patted his faintly trembling eyelid.
Heisenberg chuckled in exasperation. Was this dragon dreaming? Why was he shivering even while unconscious? And occasionally, his four little legs would twitch—so adorably cute!
The moment Heisenberg patted him, Regin instantly leaped up with a start.
He was genuinely terrified. His dragon life was far too miserable.
Born in the Nine Realms for barely any time at all, he'd been locked up before he even had a chance to cause trouble. Just when he'd finally gotten used to life in captivity, he'd ended up with a cellmate who never stopped complaining about Odin! And now, a god even stronger than Odin had personally come to deal with him...
Facing the relatively tiny Heisenberg, Regin's massive body was practically convulsing.
For a God-King like you to come deal with me personally—what did I, Regin, ever do to deserve this?!
Seeing Regin trembling nonstop, Heisenberg understood the dragon's state.
So after a moment of thought, he roared at Regin.
"Roar (Don't be afraid)!!!"
"Rrrrr (What)?"
Regin froze. This god before him was actually a scholar, too? He even knew the dragon language?
So Regin, his face full of grievance, flattened himself to the ground, and facing Heisenberg, he continuously...
"Roar-rrr-rrr-rawr-rrrrr~~~"
(Spare me, big boss! I've never done anything! I'd only just been born and slept for just three thousand years before the Aesir caught me! As a dragon, I never even got to raise my own offspring! I'm so pitiful!!!)
Getting worked up, Regin twisted his twenty-meter-tall, hundred-thirty-meter-long body and rolled around on the ground twice.
"Rrr-rrrawr-rrr~!!"
(Believe me, big boss!)
"Roar (Get up)!"
Heisenberg nodded in amusement and annoyance, while beckoning Regin with a wave.
Regin immediately got to his feet. First, he shook the dust and lava off his body, then stepped forward on his four claws, bounding lightly over to Heisenberg. He didn't even dare make too much noise.
Once Regin came before him and lowered his enormous head to the ground, Heisenberg nodded with satisfaction.
"Not bad!"
As he spoke, Heisenberg floated upward and swiftly landed on Regin's back.
Regin reflexively shrank his neck. He truly did not want to be ridden!
But before he could voice his discontent, Heisenberg patted his thick neck and infused a portion of brilliant solar divine power into Regin's body.
Boom!!!
With just that bit of divine power, the flames on Regin blazed fiercely, and even his body grew noticeably larger!
The exhilarated Regin exhaled a ferocious breath of fire. That exhalation blasted out like a nuclear bomb, instantly obliterating all matter within a five-kilometer radius!
Feeling the unparalleled heat in his throat, and then sensing the continuous, incredibly warm power flowing from his neck—
Regin's resistance melted away completely...!
He turned his head, looked at Heisenberg sitting steadily on his back, and nodded his head heavily.
Then, with a thrust of all four claws, the entire dragon shot into the air and instantly plunged into the immensely thick layer of earth above.
But at that moment, Heisenberg couldn't help shaking his head; Regin's speed was far too slow!
So Heisenberg controlled his force field, enveloping both himself and Regin within it.
In the next instant, Regin, moving at a speed thousands of times faster than before, blasted out from beneath Muspelheim in the blink of an eye and saw the fire world's ever-burning sky.
Across that vast sky, Regin's absolutely wretched wail echoed loudly.
"Rrrr-rrrawr-rrrawr!!!" (Overspeed!!!)
Dizzy from the sudden burst of speed, Regin swayed miserably in circles, shaking his enormous head over and over.
Only after two full seconds did he barely recover.
But before he could carry out his plan to suggest slowing down to his new master, he felt Heisenberg pat his neck.
Heisenberg pointed his right hand forward and gave a soft command.
"Dragon Flame!!!"
The moment the words were spoken, Regin's throat instinctively swelled, and a breath far exceeding the previous one erupted from his mouth.
Across the boundless lava continent of Muspelheim, a cataclysmic upheaval surged forth like raging tidal waves.
Seeing this, Heisenberg chuckled lightly and patted Regin's large head again.
"Well done. From now on, your name is no longer Regin—you'll be called Drogon!"
"Rrrr??!"
/-\
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