Author: Yume Neiji

I stepped down from the rainbow bridge, Bifröst, onto the snow-covered plain. The sky was still dark, not yet touched by dawn.

The sun had already risen over the royal capital, but perhaps sunrise came later this far north. Or maybe Ymir’s invasion—the one that had stained the heavens with eternal twilight—was affecting even this distant land.

There was still no sign of the sun here.

A knife-like wind cut across the tundra, slipping through the gaps in my cloak and armor.

“Is everyone here?”

I looked back over my shoulder. A sea of white breath drifted through the air like steam.

“Mm.”

“Right here.”

Voices answered from the crowd.

Nearly a hundred adventurers had joined us as reinforcements for the battle against Ymir. Mia-san shivered, her red hair trembling as she wrapped her arms around herself.

“It’s freezing! This is way worse than winter in the capital!”

Felix-san nodded in agreement.

“If the gods hadn’t strengthened us with their magic, we’d be too cold to fight at all. As expected of an uncharted frozen wilderness.”

Within the Kingdom of Asgard, there were still regions that even adventurers had never successfully explored. The tundra stretching across the far north was one of them. Ymir and the others had abducted Lu and were waiting for us somewhere within this desolate expanse.

I pointed toward a hill in the distance.

“Let’s advance to the top of that ridge. Stay low, just in case.”

The adventurers’ expressions were tense.

Everyone could feel it—the presence of some overwhelmingly powerful monster lurking nearby.

Eventually, we reached the top of the hill. Through the swirling veil of snow, a vast palace slowly emerged from the white haze.

“…The Frost Palace.”

That was what Odin had called Ymir and the others’ stronghold.

At its center stood a massive structure resembling a temple. A grand staircase descended from its entrance all the way to the snowy plain below. At the foot of the stairs, rows of enormous stone pillars stretched straight toward us, as though inviting visitors into the palace.

There were monsters guarding the temple, too. On the right side of the grand staircase stood the gigantic wolf Fenrir. On the left was the enormous serpent, the World Serpent, Jörmungandr. Giant soldiers, orcs, and the flame demon hound Garm stood before them, forming a defensive line.

And yet, something about the scene felt strange.

There was a path open directly through the middle. Not a single monster stood in front of the grand staircase, leaving a clear route straight toward the palace.

“…That’s a hell of a place.”

I agreed with Mia-san’s muttered comment.

Even though the temple in the distance had to be three or four hundred meters away, it was so enormous that it looked far larger than the span of my outstretched hands. The adventurers didn’t say a word, but I could tell they were just as overwhelmed.

Perhaps countless monsters had gathered here once upon a time. Monsters as massive as Surtr, the Flamebone Giant, perhaps.

I called out to everyone.

“Let’s go.”

Keeping an eye out for traps, we descended the hill and moved forward. We passed through a collapsed section of the walls—probably where the old gate had once stood—and entered the area lined with rows of stone pillars.

About a hundred meters from the monsters, I stopped.

I drew a deep breath, filling my lungs with the freezing air.

“Ymir! We’re here!”

I shouted.

Then I raised the Heart of Frost and Flame high, showing it to the assembled monsters.

“This contains the power you’ve been seeking! The heart Ymir has been searching for—the Power of Creation—it’s all right here!”

The army didn’t move. My voice simply faded into the silence.

“If you want it, then fight us for it!”

I tightened my grip around the heart.

“But if you refuse to come out—I’ll destroy this heart!”

We were wounded, but so were our enemies.

That much was clear from both Odin’s assessment through the Water Mirror and my detection with Wild Heart. Fenrir’s magical power had weakened. So had that of the World Serpent, Jörmungandr.

But Ymir had consumed an enormous amount of magical energy in the Celestial Realm—the glowing orb that had been created for the purpose of Creation. She had eaten nearly half of it.

Even for Ymir, it would take time to convert all that energy into her own power. And that meant that, if we gave her enough time, not only would her wounds heal, she would become even stronger.

Time is on Ymir’s side. Which is why I had to play a little game of leverage.

I raised the Heart of Frost and Flame that Lu had left behind for us. It was the very item our enemy had spent a thousand years searching for. I intend to use it to draw them out into a decisive battle.

“You kidnapped Lu and Freyja, and now you’re waiting for your wounds to heal and your power to build back up!”

I held the heart high.

“But if you drag this out, we’ll destroy this heart without hesitation!”

I shouted with all my strength.

“The Power of Creation—you’ll never get your hands on it!”

It was a gamble.

If Ymir no longer cared about the Power of Creation and only wanted to focus on killing the gods, then our entire plan would fall apart. He could simply remain deep inside the palace and wait for us to come to him.

But there is still hope.

If Ymir really wanted to buy time, he could have fled anywhere in the world. Instead, he had stayed here in one place, almost as if he is waiting for us. That meant there is something he wanted us to bring to him.

The air trembled.

A strange premonition, one that seemed to shake my very soul, quickly spread across the entire world.

—OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOH!

A tremendous war cry rang out from the palace.

Fenrir answered with a howl, while the World Serpent, Jörmungandr, let out a low hiss toward the sky. The army roared as well.

It was a chorus of monsters.

My skin prickled. For the first time, it truly sank in just what we were doing.

We were challenging creatures straight out of mythology—without the gods at our side.

And then there came Ymir’s voice. If anything, he sounded even more powerful than before…

Clang.

Armor rattled behind me.

Someone had started trembling.

I placed a hand on the short sword at my waist and took a deep breath.

I fixed my gaze ahead. And then I noticed a shadow approaching.

“That person….”

Against the dawn sky, golden hair fluttered in the wind.

It was Freyr.

The god of betrayal was still wearing the tattered remains of his clothes. All that was left was a shirt and a pair of leather-reinforced trousers. With his outfit reduced to such simplicity, the hilt of the sword at his waist stood out all the more.

Freyr clapped his hands.

“An excellent speech.”

With a faint smile, he extended one hand and pointed toward the temple.

“Allow me to show you the way.”

I raised an arm, stopping the adventurers who were about to move forward.

“Show us the way?”

“I’ll lead Rion alone to Ymir.”

Freyr’s smile never faltered as he glanced toward Mia-san and the others.

Mia-san gripped her chain axe and snorted.

“Sounds an awful lot like a duel.”

“That is what Ymir desires. He likely doesn’t want either monsters or adventurers interfering when he takes possession of the heart.”

“Even so…”

Mia-san turned around.

The adventurers behind her were staring coldly at Freyr, not a single one lowering their guard.

Felix-san stepped forward.

“Even if you tell us not to interfere, we will. There’s no way we’re going to let Rion fight Ymir alone.”

“Your opponents are the monster army. Once you’ve broken through their ranks, you can go and help Rion.”

A ripple of unease passed through my heart.

I made my decision.

“All right.”

“Rion—”

“It could be a trap, but if they want the heart, then their request itself isn’t particularly suspicious. Besides…”

I remembered the war cry from moments ago.

“Confusing us and buying time could be exactly what they’re trying to accomplish.”

Felix-san’s eyes widened as he realized what I meant.

I slipped the Heart of Frost and Flame back into my pouch and let my cloak billow behind me.

“Let’s go. Lead the way.”

I parted from the others and headed across the snowy plain.

We crossed the stone pavement dusted with a thin layer of snow and approached the monster army.

Fenrir stood to the right of the grand staircase. The World Serpent, Jörmungandr, stood to the left. Low growls rumbled from the monsters gathered around them.

As I began climbing the stairs, both the giant wolf and the enormous serpent lowered their heads deeply. As if responding to them, the heart inside my pouch gave a heavy thump.

Perhaps the army was paying its respects to the heart of their leader.

As I climbed the stairs, I called out to Freyr.

“Freyr. Where is Lu?”

Using the gods’ power, I searched the surrounding area.

There were countless red lights—the monsters—below us. And deep within the temple, there was one presence that was abnormally powerful.

Then I sensed something else.

The faint breathing of a human.

It was weak, and I couldn’t pinpoint its exact location, but it was probably Lu.

“As expected of you.”

Freyr spoke as he continued climbing the stairs.

“If you’d stubbornly refused to come to the temple, I would have had no choice but to use Luisia as leverage.”

“…And now?”

“You can rest easy.”

Freyr was standing about five steps above me.

He stopped there and held out a golden necklace.

“My sister’s divine artifact—the necklace Brísingamen. For now, I’m borrowing its magical power to restrain Luisia.”

Freyr looked far up the grand staircase.

Three pillars as massive as ancient trees stood in a row. Behind the shadow of the pillar on the far right, I thought I could just barely make out a faint green glow.

“To release her, you’ll need this necklace. And when you and the monsters clash, Luisia will need to protect herself from the tremendous backlash of that battle. Having a divine artifact with her should give her some reassurance.”

Freyr slipped the necklace away and drew his sword.

A cold gleam shimmered along the blade.

“Rion, we once managed to avert the end of the world. But do you know what I think is truly cruel?”

I didn’t answer.

I lowered my stance and drew my short sword.

“It’s never ending.”

Freyr continued.

He raised his sword straight toward the sky, and with his face lowered, I couldn’t see his expression.

“Was I right? Or was I wrong about everything? What was different between you and me—between you, and Luisia? I want to settle all of it here. Once and for all.”

He brought his sword up to shoulder height and pointed the tip directly at me.

He was the original wielder of the Swordsman skill. The god from whom countless swordsmen and their skills had descended must have struggled with these questions for an incredibly long time. His unwavering stance and piercing gaze seemed to contain all the doubts he’d carried until now.

“…I’ll deliver the heart to Ymir myself. If you win, take the necklace with you.”

Freyr smiled.

His clothes and body were battered and torn, yet somehow, he looked more at peace than I had ever seen him.

“Become the ending I’ve been searching for.”

Freyr lunged.

I summoned the blessings of the goddess—and of everyone who had entrusted me with their power.

Skill『Sun’s Divine Protection』was used. 【Golden Flame】⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅Improves physical ability. Further effect for a limited time. [+] Effect increased by the goddess’s magic.

This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeneijiworks.com

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Ymir and the others had taken Lu to a place far to the north of the royal capital—a vast, unexplored tundra. I am pretty sure that is the “base in the north” Freyr had mentioned before, back at the Ruins of the Blood-Red Sunset.

After kidnapping Lu, Ymir and the others were waiting for me to bring the Heart of Frost and Flame to them. We returned to the Temple of Odis once through the rainbow bridge, Bifröst. I wanted to see how things were going on the ground and, if possible, find some reinforcements to send against Ymir and the others.

From what we had seen from the Celestial Realm, the temple had been on the verge of falling under Ymir’s assault. But according to Mia-san and the others, the situation had actually eased later on. Maybe it was because Ymir and the others had disappeared, causing the monsters’ advance to lose its momentum.

Sure enough, when we emerged from the rainbow, there wasn’t a single monster left around the temple. I suppose the tide had turned during the roughly hour we spent fighting in the Celestial Realm. There was a huge amount of white ash covering the ground, as though snow had fallen.

This… must have been the monsters’ ashes.

The monsters had been ordered by the Primordial Titan to charge all the way to the temple at once. They had surged forward with such ferocity that they simply ignored their wounds. But that strength had come at a price. They had been forced to squeeze every last ounce of power from their bodies. Whether it happened when Ymir moved to the Celestial Realm, or sometime even earlier, the monsters had eventually burned through their lives completely. And all that remained of them was ash.

“Rion-san!”

The moment we stepped into the temple courtyard, someone called out to me.

Pauline-sama stood at the entrance to the Great Tower, her eyes wide with surprise. She is still wearing her priestly robes, and several chunks of ice clung to her clothes and staff. She must have been maintaining the seal underground this whole time.

Pauline-sama looked up at the rainbow stretching from the courtyard into the sky. Then her eyes moved between me, Mia-san, and Felix-san as we emerged from the rainbow.

“…So many things have happened that I can hardly begin to comprehend. But first, let us be grateful that you all returned safely.”

The princess approached us, then suddenly furrowed her brow.

“Where is Luisia? Isn’t she with you?”

“Ymir kidnapped her.”

Pauline-sama’s expression stiffened.

She took a step toward me, almost as though desperately clinging to the hope that I would deny it.

“…Ymir has regained the Power of Creation? T-then… there is no longer any way to stop the monsters…”

“No.”

I shook my head.

“Right at the very end, Lu created an item that sealed away the Power of Creation.”

Every time I put it into words, my chest ached. I wanted to rescue her as soon as possible… but I couldn’t afford to rush things now.

The area around the temple was still noisy. The cries of monsters could be heard from beyond the walls. The situation was no longer desperate, but that didn’t change the fact that the temple was still surrounded by monsters.

I wanted reinforcements, too. But that would depend on how things were going at the Temple of Odis.

“Please, take a look at this.”

I reached into my pouch and pulled out a chunk of ice roughly the size of two fists. When I removed the cloth covering it, a heart could be seen beating inside the ice.

Pauline-sama recoiled in shock.

“…What is that?”

“Ymir’s heart. I’m not sure how to explain it, but… I think this is the original form of the Power of Creation.”

As though responding to my words, the heart gave a deep, heavy thump.

Pauline-sama took a deep breath before fixing her green eyes on me.

“I’m sorry, but you’ve skipped over far too much. Could you explain everything to me in detail?”

I told Pauline-sama what had happened in the Celestial Realm.

When she learned that the gods had been wounded so badly that they could no longer fight, the princess drew a sharp breath.

“Then… you’re going to rescue Luisia without the gods’ assistance?”

“Only adventurers will be fighting.”

I placed a hand against my chest.

“But it seems Ymir and the others were seriously wounded in the Celestial Realm. If we give them time, their injuries will heal, and we’ll be at an even greater disadvantage.”

I added one more thing.

My mind returned to the moment in the Celestial Realm when all the adventurers had made their resolve together. A colored light—red, purple, and other hues corresponding to the gods’ magical power—had appeared within each adventurer’s chest.

The meaning became clear almost immediately afterward.

“The gods can’t fight directly anymore. But apparently, they’ll be able to lend a small portion of their power to each adventurer who takes part in the battle.”

It might be similar to the first “Oath” Solana and I had made. Deepening our bond with a god and receiving their strength in return. The battles that had taken place on the surface and in the Celestial Realm had only strengthened the bonds between the adventurers and the gods.

Pauline-sama asked in surprise,

“Did you receive multiple blessings, like Rion-san?”

Mia-san shook her head, her red hair swaying.

“No. The blessings didn’t show up on our ‘Status’ like that. Having multiple skills is something only Rion can do, after all.”

“It’s probably closer to a temporary enhancement, like the Golden Flame.”

As she spoke, she drew her chain axe. Pale blue lightning crackled across its surface.

Felix-san took over. He leaned on his staff, one hand holding the small coronet on his forehead in place.

“In other words, the gods have divided up the magical power they have left and bestowed it upon the adventurers who will be storming the enemy’s stronghold.”

Pauline-sama was speechless for a while.

If someone suddenly dumped all of this on me, I probably would have felt the same way. It seemed like the decisive battle had only just taken place on the surface, and then Odin had kidnapped Lu, moving the battlefield to the Celestial Realm.

And now, after all that, Ymir had kidnapped Lu as well.

I couldn’t help feeling overwhelmed.

I looked toward the western sky.

That was the direction of the royal capital.

It wasn’t so long ago that I could have imagined spending my entire life in that city. Yet over the past few months, I’d traveled to a mining town, a city by a lake, the Celestial Realm, and now this frozen tundra at the very edge of the world.

It felt like I’d covered enough ground for an entire lifetime in just a few months.

Pauline-sama shrugged and gave a wry smile.

“…So, warriors blessed with the power of the gods. It’s straight out of mythology huh.”

She wasn’t wrong. The gods really did exist, after all. In that sense, then this truly was a page from a myth.

And if so… where would we be going next?

I could only hope that the northern tundra would be the end of our story.

“Pauline-sama.”

I shook my head, pulling myself back to reality.

Then I turned to the princess with a request.

“I know things must be difficult here on the surface as well. But we need reinforcements to pursue Ymir and the others from the Celestial Realm.”

“Understood. I’ll see what I can spare from the temple’s warriors, but… how many people do you need?”

“About fifty.”

I gave her the number. There was a reason I knew exactly how many we needed.

“The gods’ magical power is limited. It seems fifty is about the maximum number of people they can bestow their power upon.”

“I understand.”

Pauline-sama nodded.

“I’ll immediately gather warriors and our most skilled adventurers and have them report to the rainbow bridge, Bifröst, in the courtyard. So this is the decisive battle, then. Only this time… we’ll be the ones attacking.”

Mia-san, Felix-san, and I exchanged glances.

With that, we had everything we needed to launch our assault on Ymir and the others.

We also contacted the adventurers in the Celestial Realm. Through Bifröst, we exchanged weapons and armor, while those who had been wounded were treated in the cathedral.

With the help of Safi and the dwarves, we even had the damaged equipment reforged with magical runes.

When Safi heard about Lu and Solana, tears streamed down her face. Even so, she cheerfully declared, “Leave it to me!” and swung her tiny hammer with all her might.

We waited for the reinforcements to assemble before making our way toward Bifröst. Our destination was the northern land where Ymir and the others were waiting for us.

◆◆◆

After Rion and the others departed to face Ymir and her forces, only the gods remained in the Celestial Realm. An almost unnaturally peaceful breeze swept across the land, gently brushing against the gods who had been left behind.

Thor’s massive body, Heimdall, Loki in their black robes, Uru in his hunting garb, Sigris clad in blue armor, and even Solana in her white dress—all of them remained with their heads bowed, leaning against the rubble and fallen trees.

Odin’s colossal castle had collapsed as well, while the once-beautiful Water Mirror lay half-buried beneath the ruins. The scene looked as though everything had been destroyed and the gods themselves had perished.

But then Loki was the first to open his eyes.

“They’re gone.”

The wind swept past, sending Loki’s black hair fluttering.

“Fufu. We’ve done everything we could. We protected them from the blast of magical energy, and we gave them every last bit of power we had left. Which means the gods are now completely and utterly useless, aren’t they?”

Loki laughed.

Heimdall’s shoulders shook with a chuckle.

“Indeed. There’s nothing left for us to do now. We’ll just have to entrust everything to Rion and the others.”

Heimdall gazed up at the blue sky. His body was covered in wounds, but there was a peaceful expression on his face.

“…You saw the look on Rion and the others’ faces when they said they were going to fight Ymir. Once Ymir is gone and everything is finally over, perhaps humanity won’t need the gods anymore.”

Heimdall narrowed his eyes with a smile.

None of the other gods disagreed. The relationship between gods and humans had been changing. It was something the gods had all been feeling for a long time.

The gods above. Humanity below.

That hierarchy had existed implicitly since the Age of Myth. And yet now, the fate of the world was being decided by the efforts of humans led by a single boy. The gods who had guided humanity since the Age of Myth—or, to put it less kindly, ruled over them—could do nothing but watch.

Uru, the god of the hunt, finally spoke.

“I wonder what Odin thinks about all this.”

Loki answered.

“He’s certainly come to acknowledge humanity more than he ever did in his original plan.”

The chief god had disappeared. Perhaps Odin still had some thoughts about the abandoned Creation of the World.

But Loki could sense that Odin himself had changed.

“That we were able to empower humans with our own magic is proof enough. The skills Odin bestowed upon humanity even contain an effect that prevents interference from the other gods. It was precisely because he acknowledged that humanity had a chance of winning that we were able to strengthen the adventurers.”

“Even so,” Loki rumbled.

“We can’t afford to let our guard down yet. Especially not until Ymir is defeated. Otherwise, none of this will mean anything.”

One by one, the gods nodded.

The Water Mirror lay half-buried beneath the rubble. In response to the gods’ wishes, its surface began to reflect what was happening on the ground.

Rion and the others descended from the rainbow bridge, Bifröst, and stepped onto the snowy plain. The sky was still dim, and the moon bathed the land in silver.

With the boy at their head, nearly a hundred adventurers marched toward the temple visible in the distance.

Thor, the god of thunder, folded his thick arms across his chest.

“But we’ve got no choice but to believe in them now. The outcome of this battle—and the fate of the world—belongs to humanity.”

Thor had a habit of occasionally saying things that cut straight to the heart of the matter.

Once the battle was over, the relationship between gods and humans would probably change again.

It had to.

“They’re strong.”

Strong gods.

And humans who had grown strong.

Loki silently agreed with the Thunder God.

Perhaps the gods remaining involved with humanity forever would ultimately be good for neither side.

“…I, however…”

Solana alone wasn’t watching the Water Mirror.

She stared intently at her own knees, her delicate lips pressed into a tight line.

“…Even so, I’m frustrated. I swore that I would always be with Rion.”

“Hehe. Is that so?”

Loki deliberately tried to laugh it off, but then something occurred to him.

Before the final battle, the gods had bestowed their magic upon the humans best suited to wield it.

Thor’s power went to those skilled in close-quarters combat.

Loki’s went to those proficient in magic.

Sigris’s went to those gifted in healing.

But Solana had poured nearly all of her remaining magic into a single person: Rion.

Like Luisia, the boy with the horn possessed a body naturally suited to harboring magical power. As a result, he had absorbed a tremendous amount of it this time as well.

But…

“You swore? Not a human swearing an oath to a god, but a goddess swearing one to a human?”

“Y-Yes.”

“When?”

“T-that was… well…”

Solana faltered, her eyes darting from side to side.

Her cheeks rapidly turned crimson.

Loki understood. He didn’t dare say it aloud. It had definitely happened during a date.

He muttered under his breath,

“…Doing all this for the sake of one boy. That’s an awfully human way of thinking for a god.”

Loki had noticed that Solana, more than any of the other gods, had been changing.

She was becoming increasingly human. At first, she hadn’t even known what food was. And now she was going on dates with Rion.

And yet—

“The fate of the world is being entrusted not to the gods, but to humanity. And on top of that, the goddess herself is thinking like a human…?”

To make matters even stranger, the chief god’s presence had once again vanished.

Loki rested his left palm against his chin and nervously bit the tip of one finger, his drooping eyes narrowing even further.

“Just where is this mythology of ours going to end up?”

Loki turned his gaze back toward the Water Mirror.

The final battle that would determine everything was about to begin on the snowy plain.

—OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOH!

Ymir’s voice, like the howling of the wind itself, echoed from the temple across the snowfield at the break of dawn.

This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeneijiworks.com

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Warmth and cold enveloped her at the same time as Luisia slowly opened her eyes. Exhaustion weighed heavily on her body, making it difficult even to lift her eyelids. The comforting warmth surrounding her seemed determined to lull her back into unconsciousness.

Yet something cold brushed against her fingertips. And that alone was enough to clear her mind. As though forcing open an enormous stone door, she slowly pried her eyes apart.

A world of pure white greeted her.

A vast snowfield. Snow stretched as far as the eye could see, blanketing the earth all the way to the distant horizon. Here and there, black rock formations and wind-carved hills broke through the endless white.

Instinctively, Luisia pulled the collar of her priestess robes tighter around herself.

It should be freezing, but strangely… she barely felt the cold. Only the hard, icy ground beneath her fingertips reminded her where she was.

Then she noticed it.

A soft emerald radiance enveloped her entire body.

“…Freyja-sama?”

A voice answered from deep within her heart.

『—You’ve awakened, I see.』

Luisia gave a small nod.

There was no sign of her brother. Nor of any of her companions. She stood utterly alone, gazing across the endless expanse of snow.

Looking around more carefully, she realized this place wasn’t merely a frozen wasteland. She is inside part of a colossal temple. A broad staircase stretched straight ahead, descending toward the snowy plain.

Judging by the height, she was standing roughly three stories above the ground. Behind her, enormous pillars, as thick as ancient trees, supported the towering ceiling. Farther inside, Ymir rested against the wall. Beside him lay a gigantic wolf. And nearby, a woman dressed in black robes leaned silently against a pillar, her eyes closed.

『—Ymir has taken you captive.』

Freyja’s quiet voice explained the situation.

Oddly enough… Luisia wasn’t shaken.

She simply thought, “I figured as much.”

Then… From somewhere to her left, came the sound of footsteps crunching over snow and stone.

“You’ve finally woken up.”

Luisia turned toward the voice.

A familiar young man stood there.

His blond hair was matted and disheveled. Countless wounds marred his face, and his once-fine garments hung from him in tatters. There was barely a trace left of the beautiful god she remembered.

“…Freyr-san?”

He didn’t answer her question.

Instead, he walked over and stood beside her.

“This place lies far to the north of where you were.”

“…The north?”

Luisia searched her memory. North of the Kingdom of Asgard lay an unexplored tundra, a frozen wilderness no one had ever crossed.

The snowy landscape around them was dim. Dawn had not yet broken. The full moon bathed the endless snowfields in pale silver light, making the white expanse glow all the brighter. The sun should already have risen over the royal capital. But apparently sunrise came at different times depending on where you were.

Her father, Rutger, had once explained it to her.

At certain times of the year, the farther north you traveled, the later the sun would rise. At other times… the opposite was true.

“If this place truly lay far beyond the capital… then dawn had yet to reach it.” She thought.

“…You’re remarkably calm.”

Freyr spoke without warning. The corner of his mouth twisted into a provocative smile.

“Aren’t you afraid? This…”

He swept his right hand across the frozen landscape.

“…is the place Ymir and the other giants once called home during the Age of Myth.”

“Long ago, the Kingdom of the Gods stood where the royal capital now lies. During that same age… there was also a kingdom here. The kingdom of the titans… and the monsters.”

“…A kingdom of giants and monsters huh…”

Strangely… Luisia found herself unnaturally calm.

If their stronghold had always been hidden in these far northern reaches, it made perfect sense why no one had ever found the monsters’ main force. After breaking the seal on the dungeons, Ymir must have gathered his army somewhere near this place.

Luisia looked up at Freyr.

“My brother… He’s alive, isn’t he?”

“He should be.”

A quiet sigh of relief escaped her lips.

“…I see.”

In those final moments within the Celestial Realm, Luisia had come to understand the Power of Creation more deeply than ever before. Drawing upon Freyja’s memories and divine power… she had imagined—and recreated—the Heart of Frost and Flame, a relic known even to very few among the gods.

She herself had been captured. But the thing the enemy truly sought… the Power of Creation…and Ymir’s heart… should still be in her brother’s hands.

“…Oniichan.”

She could feel Freyja’s presence quietly stirring within her heart. Freyr narrowed his eyes and stepped closer. He bent down, reaching as though to place a hand on Luisia’s shoulder…

But after a brief hesitation, he lowered his arm instead.

Gathering her courage, Luisia finally asked,

“…Are you still going to fight?”

Freyr’s eyes widened.

The faint smile on his face stiffened.

“…Yes.”

“I-”

Luisia lowered her eyes.

“Freyja-sama…doesn’t want you to fight anymore.”

“What are you talking about?”

Freyr straightened, his expression hardening.

“You’ve already absorbed a considerable portion of Freyja’s power. Even if the gods were to win now…Freyja could never return to being a goddess.”

“…What will happen to her?”

“…She would become part of you.”

His answer was immediate.

“The relationship between you and Freyja is fundamentally one-sided. You are the dominant one. For a time, you’ll still be able to hear her voice…to sense her thoughts. But eventually… even those will disappear.”

Once again, Luisia realized just how terrifying the skill Miko truly was.

Freyja had willingly entered the body of a human, fully aware of the danger. She had done it for humanity’s sake. She is the benefactor of all mankind.

“But…”

A shadowed smile crossed Freyr’s face.

“If Ymir devours your skill…you’ll become an empty shell. When that happens… your mind will vanish. And Freyja will survive within your body.”

A sudden chill pierced Luisia to the bone.

She shivered.

“Then…why hasn’t he done it already?”

“You should thank the gods.”

Freyr’s voice remained calm.

“My sister intends to protect you. If Ymir devours your skill… Freyja will perish along with it.”

“Could that really be possible?” Luisia wondered. “Even while being gradually absorbed… Could Freyja-sama truly continue protecting her heart?”

“…The manipulation of the mind belongs to the domain of Seiðr.”

Freyr looked out over the frozen wilderness.

“It was…the specialty of my sister and me.”

Freyr shook his head, a lonely look crossing his face.

“…For Ymir, in his current state, selectively devouring only the Miko skill without destroying Freyja in the process… is beyond his ability. He must first reclaim his strength through his heart.”

Luisia took a slow, deep breath.

Perhaps because Freyja’s thoughts continued to flow into her own, her mind was unusually clear, cool as fresh snowmelt.

“…Besides… if you kill me, my brother might destroy Ymir’s heart.”

Frey clicked his tongue.

“So you understand.”

The situation hung in a delicate balance.

Ymir’s side held Luisia… and Freyja.

Meanwhile, Rion and the others possessed the Heart of Frost and Flame—the very thing Ymir desired above all else.

Each side held something precious to the other. Neither could make the first move. There was, however, one crucial difference. Ymir had already devoured part of the Power of Creation that had floated above the Mirror Lake.

The amount had been enormous. Moreover, that power had already begun taking physical form. Even for Ymir, it would take time to completely absorb it and make it his own.

But… once he finished doing so… once the Power of Creation truly became his, no one would likely be able to defeat him. In that sense… time itself was on Ymir’s side.

“Even now, Luisia… you still possess a considerable amount of magical power.”

“That’s the only reason Ymir hasn’t devoured you yet.”

Freyr’s gaze drifted into the distance.

“He believes your brother may come here carrying the Heart of Frost and Flame. To rescue you… and to defeat him.”

He fell silent.

The unspoken words were obvious.

“But if your brother never comes…”

Luisia answered before he could finish.

“He’ll come.”

She smiled with quiet certainty.

“My brother… he’ll absolutely come for me.”

Freyr lowered his eyes.

Once again, he reached out as though to place a hand on her shoulder… only to stop himself and pull it back.

Stop running.”

Luisia stood and gently took his hand. Then she pressed it against her own shoulder.

“If you’re her brother… then talk to Freyja-sama.”

Freyr jerked his hand away.

“…I can’t.”

A sharp pain pierced Luisia’s chest, as though a needle had been driven into her heart.

“Whose feelings are these? Mine…? Or Freyja-sama’s…?”

Then she heard it—

Freyja’s desperate cry echoing within her heart.

『—Brother!』

Luisia raised her voice.

“Why?”

“Because there’s no turning back. Once it’s all over, there will be plenty of time—tell my sister that.”

Freyr turned on his heel and walked towards the back of the temple.

Ahead of him was an altar, with candlesticks burning a dark red flame. Ymir’s massive back was faintly illuminated by the light and the moonlight streaming in.

◆◆◆

Freyr walked deeper into the temple.

At the altar dedicated to the primordial giant, Ymir sat with her back to him.

Two monsters stood to his left and right. Fenrir lay on the right, his wounded body slumped. To his left was Jor, the Serpentbone.

Jörmungandr, the World Serpent, had returned to her female form and leaned against the wall. Everyone, including Freyr, was wounded. The cold wind stung their wounds. The temple, after 1000 years, was eroded and decaying in places, and snow and wind blew in.

Ymir spoke.

“Humans are coming here.”

A low voice continued.

“The heart is moving. It’s heading here. It will be here soon.”

On Ymir’s back, his fine garments, now tattered like cloth, fluttered like a cape.

“We’ll meet it.”

Ymir bared his fangs and clunked them together in mid-air.

A crack about 10 meters wide ran through the air. The primordial titan tore through space. Inside the rift that opened up vertically, an army of monsters gleamed with countless eyes.

Fenrir, the wolfbone, and Jor, the serpentbone, both let out cries of joy.

Only Freyr lowered his chin, his heart cold.

The image of Luisia, who believed in her brother, crossed his mind repeatedly. From his pocket, he took out his sister’s necklace—the necklace of the divine artifact Brisingamen. It had been given to him along with a message while she was asleep in her seal.

Freyr clutched the necklace tightly. The sacred artifacts I had inherited, the scene before my eyes, and the feelings in my heart—everything felt terribly cold.

This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeneijiworks.com

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“—No!”

I raised my voice, refusing to yield.

The old god looked down at me with his cold gray eyes.

I reached into my pouch and drew out the Heart of Frost and Flame. As I unwrapped the cloth, the heart encased in crystal-clear ice was revealed.

A murmur spread through the gathered adventurers.

Thump.

The frozen heart beat once.

“…Lu entrusted this heart to me.”

I held it up for everyone to see.

“And after that explosion… Ymir and his forces have to be badly weakened.”

I drew a breath.

“Which means… this time, we can take the offensive!”

I tightened my grip on the frozen heart.

“If this power is something Ymir absolutely has to reclaim, then we’ll tell him this! If he refuses to face us… then we’ll destroy this heart!”

The Heart of Frost and Flame. It was the one thing Ymir desired above all else. Long before the Age of Myth—back when there had been nothing but the endless Void—the power of ice and the power of fire had collided.

From that clash, the Primordial Titan, Ymir, had been born. And according to the legends… this heart, containing both frost and flame, had been the very first part of him to exist. Odin had said as much.

Before the gods stole it away…

Before they took the Power of Creation from him… that power had originally dwelled within this very heart. Perhaps the first and greatest skill—Creation—had gradually built Ymir’s body outward from that heart. First, it created the torso to surround it. Then his arms. His legs. His head. His entire colossal form.

…Of course, that was only my own speculation.

But it explained why Ymir wanted this heart so desperately. Even with all the power he possessed now, his body was still incomplete. He had yet to reclaim the heart that once held his greatest power.

Whether the titan’s present body contained only a substitute heart or no heart at all… I couldn’t know. Ymir had always grown stronger by devouring skills. If this world had truly been created from the power and magic stolen from him, then perhaps, to Ymir, consuming things wasn’t merely a way to gain strength. Perhaps every meal was simply another piece of what had once been taken from him… returned to its rightful place.

Only now did I begin to understand the words the resurrected giant had shouted.

“—I will reclaim the world once more!”

To that monster, it wasn’t conquest. It was recovery. The Power of Creation had shaped Ymir into existence. It might even be called his parent.

And this world… perhaps it was nothing more than a younger sibling, born without his consent. The Primordial Titan wasn’t becoming stronger. He was becoming “whole” again. For Ymir, this conflict could end only when everything had been restored to the way it once was.

Gods.

Humans.

All of them wiped away…

Until nothing remained except Ymir drifting alone through the endless void, just as he had in the beginning.

That is Ymir’s idea of “the End”.

“…Hey.”

A voice snapped me back to reality.

It was Mia-san. Tilting her head, her crimson hair swayed gently.

“Mia-san…”

It felt as though I’d been lost in thought for an eternity.

“Take it easy. We still don’t fully understand what happened here. This ‘Creation’ thing… that heart… what exactly was going on?”

I shook my head.

She was right.

I couldn’t stay buried in my own thoughts. Mia-san and Felix-san deserved to know everything that had happened in the Celestial Realm. I just had to explain it exactly as it was.

But before I could speak…

The adventurers began talking among themselves.

The gods had brought about thirty of the realm’s finest adventurers to the Celestial Realm. Their voices overlapped as they tried to make sense of everything that had just unfolded.

“What is this place anyway?”

“So Ymir escaped?”

“Does that mean… the battle’s over?”

“Calm down. There’s no way it’s that simple.”

Just as I thought. For most of the adventurers, this was the first time they had heard any of it. The truth about Lu’s Power of Creation. The real reason Ymir was hunting my sister. We had kept all of that hidden from the people on the surface.

Mia-san speaking up had been her way of telling me the same thing.

Everyone needed an explanation.

“I’ll explain!”

Holding the Heart of Frost and Flame, I climbed onto a pile of rubble that rose above the others.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Odin give a slight nod.

I raised the block of ice high above my head.

Bathed in the sunlight pouring from the blue sky and the radiant glow of the towering Bifrost, the frozen crystal glittered brilliantly.

“This… is what Ymir, the lord of the monsters, has been searching for.”

Every adventurer’s gaze fixed on the block of ice.

“It’s his heart.”

As if responding to my words… the heart pulsed within its icy prison.

Thump. Thump.

A powerful… unnatural beat.

A wave of murmurs spread through the gathered adventurers. Even the gods lying wounded on the ground slowly opened their eyes.

In the silence that followed, I heard Felix-san murmur,

“…A heart? That thing… belongs to Ymir?”

“Yes.”

“Are you certain?”

I answered with a firm nod.

“This heart contains a very special power. And Ymir targeted my little sister because he wanted to reclaim it… and become even stronger.”

Confused looks spread across the faces of the adventurers.

Naturally. To them, there was no connection between this heart…and Lu.

“I’ll explain everything. About this heart… and about the Power of Creation.”

For the first time, I told the adventurers who had come to the Celestial Realm the truth we had kept hidden. I told them about the power sleeping within my little sister—the ability to create physical objects from pure magical energy.

I explained how she had used that power to recreate the Heart of Frost and Flame…and how Ymir had abducted her because of it.

When I finished speaking, a heavy silence settled over the crowd.

Several adventurers let out long, weary breaths.

“…That’s one hell of a story.”

The one who finally broke the silence was Lloyd-san, the warrior who wielded the stone warhammer. He was someone I’d fought alongside back in Flocia.

From where she rested on the ground, Solana spoke.

“…Everything he has said is true.”

The goddess was leaning weakly against a mound of rubble.

She looked as though she could barely keep her eyes open.

Yet her voice remained clear… steady. Filled with quiet dignity.

“Luisia possesses a power unlike any other. It was because Ymir sought her that he abandoned the temple and came to the Celestial Realm. That fact alone is proof enough that Rion has spoken the truth.”

At the goddess’s words, the adventurers slowly looked around the Celestial Realm once more.

Keeping Lu’s power a secret had been necessary. It was the only way to protect her. If the truth had become public, people might have begun fighting over the power she possessed.

I didn’t regret that decision.

But… it was my wish that had drawn so many people into this battle.

They deserved an apology.

“…I’m sorry. We couldn’t tell everyone the truth while we were still on the surface.”

During the fighting below, we had only revealed that the monsters were after the Frost Orb hidden beneath the temple. As long as everyone defended the temple, they would, in turn, be protecting Lu, who had been taking shelter inside.

But the Frost Orb had never been the reason Ymir came to the Celestial Realm. Without revealing the existence of my sister…there was no way to explain why he had suddenly abandoned the surface.

“…I see.”

Lloyd-san stroked his chin thoughtfully.

One by one, the adventurers turned their attention back to me.

I raised the Heart of Frost and Flame a little higher.

“…Ymir will come for this.”

The frozen heart pulsed in my hands.

“He’ll challenge us again.”

A ripple of murmurs spread through the crowd. The uneasy whispers quickly swelled into restless voices.

“My sister was carrying this power within her… and Ymir abducted her. He still doesn’t know she no longer possesses it.”

I paused.

“If that’s the case… then we already know what his next move will be.”

I steadied myself. Lu had fallen into the enemy’s hands. But we now held the one thing Ymir desired above all else. It was a game of leverage. A negotiation.

Odin planted the butt of his spear against the ground.

“Watch.”

The Chief God extended his left hand toward the Mirror Lake. Its surface was so vast that its edges disappeared into the distance. Now, however, it was marred by jagged chunks of fallen masonry, its once-crystal waters stained a muddy brown.

“My ravens have found Ymir on the surface.”

As Odin spoke, the lake began to glow.

On one of the few patches of water left unobstructed by rubble, an image appeared.

“ROOOOOOOAAARRR!!”

The deafening roar shook the air. It was Ymir.

The scene showed a snowbound, dimly lit land. Inside a massive stone structure, the titan—standing well over two meters tall—let out another furious bellow. Nearby stood Freyr, holding Lu securely in his left arm. The god of betrayal had drawn his sword, placing himself between Ymir and the girl…

As though protecting either Lu… or Freyja herself.

Then… Ymir’s enormous eye slowly rolled toward us. He was looking straight at us through the Mirror Lake.

—Odin… Gods…!

—Bring me the heart that was inside the girl!

Wiping the blood from his mouth, Ymir growled.

—I’ll trade you… for the girl.

The image vanished.

The Mirror Lake’s glow faded, leaving behind nothing but its muddy, lifeless surface.

Odin kept his gray eyes fixed on the water.

“…It seems neither Ymir, nor Freyr, nor the monsters under their command escaped unscathed.”

His voice remained calm.

“Their wounds are severe.”

He continued,

“Ymir may have devoured part of the power used for creation, but that power had already begun taking physical form. Just as we could no longer use it to strengthen the gods… neither can that titan immediately use it to heal himself or increase his strength.”

I quietly organized everything we knew.

Lu had been taken by Ymir. But the Power of Creation is here, with us. The enemy, meanwhile, was still grievously wounded.

This is our chance. And with every moment that passed… with every wound that healed… that chance would grow smaller.

A strained groan broke the silence.

Thor, still sitting with his back against a broken pillar, slowly forced one eye open.

“…Whenever we’re hurting this bad… the enemy does too.”

A faint grin tugged at the corner of his mouth.

“That means we’ve still got a shot.”

I nodded.

Lowering my gaze, I looked at the Heart of Frost and Flame resting in my hands.

“If Ymir wants this heart back… then he has no choice. He’ll have to face us.”

But…

I looked across the Celestial Realm. Calling it devastated would have been an understatement.

Solana.

Heimdall.

Thor.

Loki.

Uru.

Sigris.

Every one of the gods was battered beyond recognition. Even speaking seemed to cost them tremendous effort. The gods could no longer fight. I couldn’t sense even the faintest possibility of using Alarm. My eyes turned to the one god who alone had escaped without serious injury.

“Odin… what about you?”

“I cannot fight.”

His answer came without hesitation.

“At best, I can raise barriers of ice—barriers even you have already broken—or interfere with light. That is all the strength I have left. My power is consumed by maintaining the seals… and sustaining the skills entrusted to mankind.”

Mia-san clicked her tongue.

“You’re not much use, are you?”

…He heard that, Mia-san.

Odin’s expression never changed. But somehow… He looked just a little dejected.

“Then that leaves…”

The key would have to be the adventurers.

But… how many of them still had the will to fight?

I tightened my grip on the frozen heart.

Even so… I had to ask. These were the adventurers who had followed us all the way to the Celestial Realm. Even if we could gather reinforcements later… if they didn’t take the first step, no one else would.

I raised my voice so everyone could hear.

“…This may be our only chance. Our only chance to defeat that titan…the monster that attacked the royal capital. The monster that has threatened every one of us.”

Once more, I bowed deeply before them.

“I’m sorry. But please…Will you lend me your strength? Help us defeat the monsters…and save my little sister.”

My words echoed through the vast expanse…

And then faded into silence.

The adventurers simply looked at me.

Lloyd-san, with his stone warhammer. The adventurers from Flocia. Those from the royal capital. The knights. No one spoke.

The seconds stretched endlessly.

Then someone quietly murmured,

“…No.”

My heart tightened.

“Asking us like that’s not going to work.”

“Right.”

The cold crept into my hands. The strength slowly drained from my legs.

“We’re adventurers. So if you want us to do something… then make it a request.”

A request.

Such a simple word. Yet it settled into my heart with surprising weight.

I looked up at them.

Lloyd-san was smiling.

“If it’s a request from the hero, Rion… I’ll gladly accept it.”

For a moment…

I could only stare.

I’d been so worried. So afraid. I’d already resigned myself to going after Lu alone if I had to.

“So all we have to do is kill some monsters, right?”

“Hah! Finally, something straightforward.”

“Now ‘this’ is an adventurer’s job.”

Grinning, the adventurers exchanged cheerful remarks. Even Odin looked genuinely surprised.

“…You believe me?”

Mia-san climbed onto the pile of rubble beside me.

Smack!

She slapped me hard on the back. Before I could react, she pulled me into a rough hug and vigorously ruffled my hair.

“M-Mia-san!?”

“Quit making that pathetic face.”

For some reason… she wiped at the corner of her eye with her sleeve.

“Why…? Why is everyone…?”

“Isn’t it obvious?”

“…Huh?”

“You seriously don’t get it?”

She gave me another firm pat on the shoulder.

“You’re the one who’s the most beat-up out of all of us. You’ve fought this hard… and you’re still saying you’re not a hero?”

She laughed through a wavering smile.

“So stand tall. You’ve earned it.”

Felix-san’s already narrow eyes curved into an even gentler smile.

He climbed atop the rubble beside us and struck the butt of his staff against the stone.

Clang.

“Adventurers!”

His voice rang across the ruined Celestial Realm.

“The final battle of the End Times is hereby a request! The Raven Warrior will personally guarantee the reward! So…. who among you will march into the final battle alongside our hero?”

“““Ooooh!”””

“You can count on me!”

“Damn right!”

“Count me in too!”

Cheers erupted from every direction. A wave of triumphant voices rolled across the battlefield. Then laughter broke out.

Loud.

Unrestrained.

Heimdall was laughing. The battered gods lying scattered across the ruins all shook with quiet amusement despite their wounds.

The only one left standing speechless… was Odin.

“Do you see now, Chief God?”

Solana smiled warmly.

“This… is their answer. The answer of this world.”

I could hardly believe it.

Just moments ago, we had stood on the edge of despair. The gods—the greatest source of our strength—had fallen. And yet now…

Everyone was filled with hope.

Ready to march toward one final battle.

“…I almost lost.”

Solana’s voice echoed softly within my mind.

Still lying on the ground, she turned her golden eyes toward me.

『 It’s true… you’re not undefeated. You’re not invincible.But… because you’re kind, you make everyone around you stronger.』

Nearby, the adventurers had already begun noisily negotiating for better rewards with Felix-san, the ever-stoic commander of the Raven Warriors.

As I watched them, I noticed something.

Soft lights had appeared within their chests.

Some glowed crimson. Others violet. Brown. Blue. The radiance looked strangely familiar. It was just like the light that had filled my own heart whenever the bond between a god and me had grown stronger.

Odin slowly shook his head.

My eyes followed the Chief God as he turned away from the Mirror Lake. He addressed the goddess waiting silently in the distance, cloaked from head to toe in black.

“Norn.”

“Lower the Bifrost. Our destination is the farthest reaches of the frozen north… the titan’s stronghold. The place once known as the Palace of Frost.”

The Chief God slowly closed his gray eyes.

His hood hid most of his expression.

But… for just a fleeting moment… I thought I saw the faintest smile touch his lips.

This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeneijiworks.com

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