IBHJ Chapter 766

Shirou didn't waste any time. With Skadi on his back, he quickly fled into the distance. After a short while, he found a cave where the snow had melted and gently set her down.

He walked to the entrance of the cave and placed his hand on the cold, rocky wall. From there, he could see Asgard in the distance. Once a majestic floating island suspended above the continent, a fortress of snow, it now looked like a huge green ball, connected to the land by a network of vines.

Turning around, he made his way back into the cave and knelt beside Skadi, who lay motionless on the ground.

"Hey, are you okay?"

Skadi's beautiful eyes met his for a moment before she spoke. "Yes, I'm fine. I was just thinking about the great war that happened so long ago."

"Ragnarok?"

Skadi shook her head. "No, this world is different from your Pan-Human History. It hasn't experienced Ragnarok, but it has faced destruction just as devastating."

She took a slow, deep breath, her eyes heavy with fatigue. "This world has been on the brink of collapse ever since Odin defeated the White Titan that invaded more than 14,000 years ago. The gods accepted this fate, but 2,000 years ago, a mysterious black ring appeared in the sky. Through that black ring, the gods realized there was another world out there. Desperate to find a way to save their own world, they gathered their strength and left, setting out for this other world in search of answers. But they never returned."

The Frost Giants, who had also learned about the existence of another world, saw it as an opportunity to save themselves. They coerced the Fire Giants into joining forces and launching an attack on both Midgard and Asgard. In the fierce battle that followed, the Valkyries who were left to protect this world in the absence of the gods were completely annihilated.

With no one left to stop them, the giants occupied Asgard and made their way to Yggdrasil, the very origin of the world that Odin had sealed away. The giants broke the seal and used Yggdrasil's branches to create a path to the other world.

"So, when they say the gods disappeared, they actually mean the gods went to another world?" Shirou asked. He was finally piecing together the truth of the matter. As for the White Titan that had appeared 14,000 years ago, it must have been Altera - Velber 02, the very being that had destroyed the Age of Gods in the Pan-Human History.

It seems that 14,000 years ago, at this Connection Point, Odin managed to strike down Altera. However, the destruction caused by Altera left a far greater impact on this world compared to what had happened in the Pan Human History. Then, over 2,000 years ago, the Council visited this world and created the black ring. It was through this black ring that the gods realized there was another world out there. Determined to save their own world, the gods gathered their strength and divinity, achieving the miracle of the Second Magic. They used the black ring to cross parallel worlds, arriving in this other world, never to return. This is the truth behind the disappearance of the gods.

After the gods disappeared, the Frost Giants also discovered the existence of the other world. Realizing that their own world was doomed, they decided to cooperate with the Fire Giants to attack Asgard, hoping to secure a future for their race in the other world.

In this war, the Giants managed to break Yggdrasil free from its seal. Yggdrasil then created a path for the Frost Giants to invade the world where Odin and the gods had gone.

"Every living thing in this world was born from Yggdrasil's flesh and blood. Its only goal is to take back what belongs to it, to reclaim all the lives that were once a part of it. Two thousand years ago, when it first appeared, the fairies, dwarves, and magical beasts all lost their lives and disappeared from this world. And now, with my limbs crippled, I..."

Fortunately, the person she had run into wasn't some creepy opportunist, but Shirou. He listened to her words and frowned, asking, "So, Yggdrasil..."

"I sealed it away two thousand years ago, but now it's broken free again. Of course, its goal is to take back the flesh and blood it left behind. If it manages to reclaim all of it, it can go back to the way it was before Odin cut it down, and then use the black ring to travel to that other world."

"What's this other world you're talking about?"

Skadi's stunning eyes met his, her red lips parting slightly as she spoke, "Your people in Chaldea call this world a Connection Point. So, what do you think that other world is?"

He laughed. "Are you implying that Odin and the Giants came and invaded our Pan-Human History?"

"I can't say for sure. But you came through the black ring, so it must connect to your world somehow," Skadi said.

"Look, I don't want to get into all that right now. But what I do want to know is, why did you force me into your dream? Were you asking for my help?"

"Forcing you into my dream?" Skadi felt a bit puzzled and frowned, but then she composed herself and replied calmly, "I know you're not fond of me, Eternal King. But there's no need to make such accusations. I never forced you or made you enter my dream, and I certainly wouldn't ask for help from someone through their dreams."

"If you don't believe me, then forget it. I don't enjoy arguing, so I won't argue with you. I'm going to sleep now." Skadi closed her eyes.

Shirou raised his eyebrows. "You're going to sleep so defenseless right in front of me? Don't forget, there's a grudge between us, and the Black Grail is still inside your body."

"Falling into your hands is no different than falling into Hel's. At this point, I'm just a prisoner. Whatever you plan to do to me, go right ahead. The Black Grail is under my control. If you want it, you'll have to cut open my chest with a knife."

Shirou: "..."

"Is there anything else? If not, I'm going to sleep."

As Skadi closed her eyes, Shirou sighed and turned around. He scratched the back of his right hand. Come to think of it, the back of his right hand had been especially itchy since earlier, and he couldn't figure out why.

Could it be some kind of fungal infection? But can a Servant's body even get infected by fungus? With this thought, he took off his right gauntlet and glanced down. His eyes suddenly narrowed. This was...!

On the back of his right hand, there was a blood-red Command Spell. Two strokes of the Command Spell had already been used, leaving only faint scarlet traces, with just one stroke of the blood-red Command Spell remaining.

Shirou's eyes abruptly constricted into pinpoints, and his breath caught in his throat because this Command Spell was identical to the one he had seen on another version of himself in that bizzare dream! It was the exact same Command Spell that had driven his dream self insane!

...

"Calm down! Please calm down, Father!" Hel shouted at Yggdrasil while swiftly dodging its attacks, desperately trying to appease it.

But her efforts not only failed to soothe Yggdrasil but also provoked even more frenzied attacks from the enraged World Tree. There was no doubt that Yggdrasil craved the three wheels within her body and would stop at nothing to obtain them. It no longer cared about Hel's survival.

Hel's heart suddenly jolted, and the sudden, immense pain caused her eyes to narrow into pinpoints as she plummeted from the sky.

She had been summoned by Yggdrasil, and without a doubt, when Yggdrasil had called upon her, it had tampered with her, placing a curse on her Saint Graph. In fact, Hel was well aware of this, which is why she had tried her best to conceal her true thoughts from Yggdrasil. Yes, it hadn't discovered her rebellious thoughts, but it had broken free from the seal and was determined to take away her three wheels.

But something wasn't right. The situation shouldn't have played out like this! Hel screamed in her heart. Based on her calculations, Yggdrasil was going to manifest in reality, but it shouldn't have happened this quickly!