The atmosphere throughout the Nine Realms suddenly became oppressive.
The moment Jörmungandr broke its seal, every deity with sufficient strength sensed that terrifying aura. Even beings hiding in the deepest corners of the universe opened their eyes in surprise.
"It's finally begun..."
Far away in Helheim, a beautiful woman seated upon a throne slowly opened her eyes. Half of her face was incomparably beautiful, while the other half resembled a corpse.
Hel.
She gazed toward Asgard with a complicated expression.
"So Father has awakened as well..."
Although Loki was her father, Hel possessed little affection for him. Likewise, Jörmungandr was her younger brother. The siblings rarely interacted, but blood remained blood.
Hel had no intention of participating.
Neither Odin nor Jörmungandr was someone she wished to provoke.
At the same time...
Inside Asgard's royal palace.
"The gears of fate are turning once again... Jörmungandr."
Sitting upon the throne of the Allfather, Odin slowly opened his single eye.
Golden divine light burst forth.
The World Tree's branches trembled gently.
He already knew.
The seal... had been broken.
Silence filled the magnificent hall.
Only after a long while did Odin slowly stand.
"So... Ragnarok has truly arrived."
Unlike everyone else, Odin knew more secrets.
The World Tree had shown him countless futures.
Every future contained one constant.
Thor.
Would die beneath Jörmungandr's venom.
No matter how many times Odin attempted to alter destiny...
No matter how much preparation he made...
The result never changed.
This was destiny.
A destiny written by the Norns themselves.
"...Unless..."
Odin remembered a certain blonde girl whose existence even Fate could not calculate.
Artoria Pendragon.
She was an anomaly.
Someone who should not exist in this universe.
Because of her appearance...
Even the branches of Yggdrasil had become chaotic.
For the first time...
The future was uncertain.
"Your Majesty."
Heimdall walked into the hall.
"The Rainbow Bridge has detected abnormal dimensional fluctuations."
"I know."
Odin interrupted calmly.
"Heimdall."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
"If necessary..."
Odin paused.
"Bring Artoria to Asgard."
Heimdall was slightly startled.
The Allfather...
Was asking an outsider for assistance?
This had never happened before.
But seeing Odin's solemn expression, Heimdall immediately understood the seriousness of the matter.
"I understand."
Outside the palace.
Thor was enthusiastically sparring with the Warriors Three.
Mjölnir flew through the sky, creating bursts of thunder.
"Hahaha! Again!"
Boom!
A mountain several kilometers away exploded from Thor's strike.
Sif helplessly rubbed her forehead.
"Thor, could you be a little gentler?"
"Gentler?"
Thor laughed loudly.
"Against enemies, strength is everything!"
Just then—
Boom!!
The entire sky suddenly darkened.
The sunlight disappeared.
The air became suffocating.
Thor slowly stopped smiling.
His instincts screamed.
Danger.
A danger unlike anything he had ever experienced.
Even Mjölnir trembled slightly.
Thor slowly raised his head.
His pupils shrank violently.
"...What... is that?"
Far beyond the Rainbow Bridge...
A colossal black serpent was rapidly approaching.
Its body stretched endlessly through space.
Simply moving caused dimensional cracks to spread.
Countless stars seemed insignificant beside it.
The Midgard Serpent.
Jörmungandr.
"It came..."
Odin silently walked onto the palace balcony.
His expression remained calm.
Yet the hand gripping Gungnir tightened unconsciously.
Even he...
Could not guarantee victory.
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