IBHJ Chapter 769

Odin noticed their reactions and tried to ease their concerns. "There's no need to be so alarmed. It's also the reason I appeared here," he explained. "You'll inevitably encounter them sooner or later. But before that, what you need to be more wary of right now aren't those Beasts, but the giants that will rush into this world!"

Scathach's brow furrowed. "Giants? That's impossible. They should've died out ages ago, and even the Nordic Gods couldn't stop Ragnarok from happening."

"You're right, that's how it played out in this world's history," Odin said. "I was killed by Fenrir, Surtr led the fire giants on a rampage with Lævateinn, and Loki brought his three children and the frost giants from every corner of the world, bringing about Ragnarok. But that's not how it went down in my world."

"I may still have my divinity, but my world's fate was different, yet just as inevitable," Odin said. "I'm not the same as the me from Pan-Human History. I came to this world to find a way to save my own from the brink of destruction. But to survive, the giants from my world will also break through the dimensional barriers and come to this Pan-Human History. If you want answers, head to Iceland. There are traces of Lemuria there."

As he finished speaking, Odin's body started to fade, becoming more ethereal by the second.

"Wait, Odin!" Shirou called out, realizing he hadn't fully understood what Odin was saying. Why hadn't Odin gone back to his own world? If he came from another world where frost giants still existed, shouldn't they focus on defeating them there first before coming here? If that was the case, why didn't Odin return to protect his world?

But most importantly, since Odin had pretended to be Mother of Mifune and contacted Shirou, did he know who was behind all this? Shirou needed a clear answer. It had been driving him nearly insane. The Command Spell on the back of his hand and that bizarre nightmare... he had to know for certain whether Odin was responsible for everything.

But Odin ignored Shirou, his figure vanishing without a trace. Instead of getting any real answers, Shirou was left with even more confusion and doubts swirling in his mind.

In the end, Shirou and his teacher decided to follow the lead Odin had given them and head to Iceland to investigate.

Iceland, an island known for its stunning landscapes, has been the location for many classic films. It's also where Odin hinted at the location of Lemuria before he vanished. Lemuria, the legendary lost continent, was their only lead. Shirou and his teacher arrived in Iceland, determined to follow Odin's clue. But after scouring the island from top to bottom, they came up empty-handed.

It wasn't really a surprise, though. Over 1,500 years had passed since the Eternal King brought an end to the Age of Gods. Any hints or traces that might have existed must have vanished along with him, erased by time as the world moved into the modern era.

Feeling frustrated and deceived by Odin, they were about to give up when they stumbled upon a strange cave near the Hekla volcano. After a bit of poking around, they realized this was no ordinary cave. Instead of leading underground, it seemed to be a portal to another dimension.

Scathach stared at the cave with a solemn expression, calling it a "hole in the dimensional barrier." In the web novels he used to read, these kinds of holes were often referred to as "dimensional gates." But the mysterious atmosphere surrounding this place was unlike anything he'd encountered in those online stories.

Curious, he turned to his teacher and asked, "What exactly is a hole in the dimensional barrier?"

She replied, "Imagine the world is like a sheet of paper, with a front side and a reverse side. The boundary between these two worlds is known as the dimensional barrier."

"Ah I see. So people from one side can't cross over to the other."

"Normally, that's correct. People from the reverse side can't enter the front side, and vice versa. However, there are exceptions," she explained.

His curiosity grew. "Exceptions? Like what?"

She continued, "Only those with special abilities can ignore the world's boundaries and move freely between the two sides. If anyone could cross over, the order of the worlds would descend into chaos. Invasions between worlds would become a real possibility, and the balance would be disrupted."

He nodded, "I see. The dimensional barrier is crucial in maintaining the order and separation of the two worlds."

"Exactly. It's essential that the barrier remains intact to prevent any potential chaos or conflicts between the two sides."

As they stood there, the realization hit him: Odin might have been telling the truth all along. His words, which had seemed so dubious before, now carried the weight of reality. But what was his endgame? Why had he chosen to share this information with them?

Odin was from another world, one on the brink of destruction. Shirou and Scathach couldn't fully grasp the emotions driving him or the plans he had in motion to save his world, but they at least now understood the gravity of the situation.

Just as they were processing this revelation, someone emerged from the hole. She radiated power, clearly the leader of the frost giants. Despite her resemblance to his teacher, she was different from her. He could sense it. This woman leading the giants was as cold and inhuman as the frost giants who saw humans as mere food. She possessed the perspective of a god and the raw cruelty of the frost giants.

With a single glance, he could tell that this powerful woman and the frost giant had entered their world ahead of the others, establishing a foothold for the coming invasion. Their conflicting positions made the next step inevitable: Shirou and his teacher found themselves locked in a fierce battle with the frost giants.

Despite Scathach and this woman looking the same as though they were sisters, their opposing stances led to a terrifying clash in Iceland, triggering a raging blizzard. Their powers were evenly matched, but with Shirou's support, his teacher managed to emerge victorious, striking down the enemy.

However, the woman's final attack left Scathach gravely wounded, sending her into a coma. While Shirou had barely been affected by the attack, his teacher's entire body was in critical condition. If left untreated, her life would be in serious jeopardy. Even though this wasn't her main body, the thought of his teacher experiencing the sensation of death, of letting her die... it was something he couldn't bear.

Even though Scathach always put up a strong front, he had to admit that the idea of even her Servant body dying was too much for him to handle. He couldn't stand the thought of his teacher sitting alone at the gate, staring wistfully at the moon, consumed by loneliness. Because if he was being honest with himself, he had feelings for his teacher. It wasn't about her stunning appearance; it was her personality that drew him in. He cherished every moment she spoke to him, admired her majestic demeanor, and appreciated her soft yet firm side. Her smile ignited a comforting warmth in his chest, and even when she scolded him, he found himself loving her all the more.

Maybe, at the core of it all, he was just terrified of losing her. When he first learned about the Eternal King, a sense of dread had washed over him. So, with every ounce of his being, he pleaded, "Teacher, please... don't die."