The leading Frost Giant immediately spotted Thor sprinting toward the battlefield at full speed.
The God of Thunder's name had resounded throughout the Nine Realms for more than a thousand years. Naturally, that included Jotunheim, which had been quietly lying in wait for the perfect opportunity.
Their king, Laufey, had already told them that Thor was now nothing more than a tiger whose fangs had been pulled, stripped of all his former power and menace. Even so, the sight of that familiar face instinctively put them on guard.
"What are you afraid of? He's just an ordinary man without his divine power. I can handle him by myself."
One Frost Giant nonchalantly hoisted a massive hammer over his shoulder, stepped past the others, and moved to the front. Their leader, however, stopped him.
Glancing at the bodies of their fallen brethren scattered across the floor, he warned cautiously, "Don't underestimate him. He may be reckless, but he is still Odin's son."
"We attack together!"
"Charge!"
At the command, dozens of blue-skinned giants nearly ten feet tall raised their weapons and charged Thor in formation.
As they swung their assorted weapons, bitter winds swept across the bridge. Feeling the tremendous momentum bearing down on him, Thor's heart skipped a beat.
He glanced at Fenris, who stood nearby with his eyes closed, seemingly preoccupied with something. Gritting his teeth, Thor charged straight toward the powerful enemies who had once been helpless before him.
Boom!
The instant Thor's long blade collided with the enemy leader's weapon, an overwhelming force surged through it.
It felt as though he had struck a block of ice frozen solid for ten thousand years. The impact numbed both of his arms and tore the weapon from his grasp. Thor and his blade were sent flying in opposite directions.
"Ugh!"
Agonizing pain tore through Thor's internal organs. He opened his mouth and spat out a large mouthful of blood.
His body staggered backward for dozens of yards before he barely managed to regain his footing. Even then, he forced himself to remain standing.
"So the rumors were true. He really has lost all his power."
"Well, look at you, little princess. Where's that tiny hammer of yours? Why aren't you using it? Go on, take it out and give it a spin!"
"Hahahaha!"
Seeing the once-invincible God of Thunder reduced to such a pitiful state, the elite Frost Giant warriors were momentarily stunned. Once they realized Laufey had been completely right, they burst into unrestrained laughter.
Thor's expression darkened further. He staggered over to retrieve the blade that had been knocked away, then anxiously looked toward Fenris once again.
"Fenris!"
"Found them!"
The next moment, Thor saw Fenris abruptly open his eyes, unmistakable delight flashing within them.
Thor froze. "Found what?"
"Loki and Gungnir."
Fenris vanished in a blur and reappeared in front of Thor. Tilting his head slightly, he lowered his voice.
"Loki is inside the palace nearby. Judging by his location, he should be in the throne room."
Fenris pointed in one direction. Thor followed his finger and nodded with certainty.
"That is indeed my father's throne room."
Thor paused before immediately understanding what Fenris meant.
Gungnir was one of Asgard's greatest weapons. As long as they had it, Asgard still had hope.
Furthermore, the Casket of Ancient Winters had remained in Loki's possession all this time. It wasn't merely a sacred relic of Jotunheim. In the hands of Laufey, King of the Frost Giants, it could unleash enough power for him to contend with Odin himself.
Aside from stopping the Frost Giants currently ravaging Asgard, their most urgent priority was preventing Laufey from finding it.
Otherwise, Laufey at full strength, supported by an army of Frost Giants empowered by the Casket of Ancient Winters, would be incomparable to what they were displaying now. When that happened, the pressure facing Asgard would become far greater.
"Then there's no mistake."
Fenris drew a deep breath and nodded.
"Unfortunately, Loki doesn't appear to be in good condition. Several other powerful presences are lingering near him."
"Thor, at this point, our only option is to force our way through."
Fenris's gaze swept past the dozens of elite warriors slowly advancing toward them, crossed the long Bifrost bridge, and settled upon Asgard's vast city.
Countless Frost Giants still stood between them and their destination. If they wanted to reach Loki while also relieving the tremendous pressure on Asgard's soldiers, then fighting their way directly through the enemy was their best option.
It would accomplish both objectives at once.
The moment Fenris left the Bifrost, Asgard had finally shed its mysterious veil before him.
When he released the immensely powerful life-sensing abilities unique to a Titan beast, nearly all of Asgard appeared within his perception in a matter of seconds, with the exception of several deliberately shielded regions.
That was one of the reasons he had seemed distracted earlier.
Laufey's strength couldn't be underestimated. Although he was no longer as powerful as he had been thousands of years ago, he was still a formidable warrior who had once fought Odin on nearly equal terms. A single careless mistake against someone like him could have disastrous consequences.
"Fight straight through them?"
Thor had assumed Fenris's long contemplation would produce some brilliant strategy capable of reversing Asgard's desperate situation. Instead, Fenris's answer was astonishingly crude.
"Fenris, you're joking, right?"
Thor looked into the distance, and his face instantly paled.
Frost Giants filled the city in every direction. With Thor now no stronger than an ordinary human, charging straight through them was unthinkable. Even at the peak of his power, he would never have dared to recklessly force his way through such an army.
"Thor, my wisdom tells me that no matter the circumstances, an intricate and meticulously designed plan is never as effective as my own fists."
Fenris gave Thor a meaningful look. After a brief pause, he said, "Trust me."
Thor swallowed hard.
He looked doubtfully at the inexplicably confident Fenris, his skepticism almost overflowing from his eyes.
Thor knew Fenris was powerful. He had personally experienced Fenris's speed and knew the Frost Giants could never restrain him. So why would Fenris risk using such an extreme strategy?
"Because I intend to stop Laufey from obtaining the Casket of Ancient Winters and minimize Asgard's casualties as much as possible."
As though seeing through Thor's confusion, Fenris smiled.
"I want both. That's what I promised the Allfather."
"Keep up!"
Without caring what Thor was thinking, Fenris abruptly turned toward the Frost Giants closing in on them.
The elite warriors stared at the slender, seemingly insignificant human who had suddenly appeared in front of Thor. They couldn't sense even the slightest trace of power from him.
"Where did this little creature come from?"
The next moment, however, their smiles instantly froze.
A tremendous roar thundered through the air as a colossal shadow suddenly engulfed them.
They raised their heads in unison. At the sight of the enormous monster that had suddenly appeared before them, their eyes nearly bulged out of their sockets.
Boom!
A gigantic claw slammed down.
The Frost Giants' bodies shattered like brittle ice, splattering blue blood across the ground.
(End of Chapter)
[Get +30 Extra Chapters On — P@tr3on "Zaelum"]
[Every 300 Power Stones = 1 Bonus Chapter Drop]
[Thanks for Reading!]