IBHJ Chapter 759

Two days flew by. On this particular night, as Hel's divinity reached its peak, she set her plan in motion. All of Asgard was on high alert, with every Bounded Field activated and the Valkyrie Network fully operational. At this moment, not even a fly could infiltrate Asgard - assuming any flies still existed in this world.

Hel, dressed in a black formal gown, arrived at the high platform in Asgard with a group of Valkyries surrounding her like stars around the moon. Her terrifying mana radiated from her, as bright as a full moon in the night sky, making her clearly visible to the people below.

"Spring Goddess!"

"Spring Goddess!"

"Hel, the Great Goddess of Life!" the people chanted.

They eagerly anticipated the new and wonderful world Hel would bring them. They had grown tired of the icy, lifeless landscape that had beaten them down for so long, both physically and mentally. They craved a change, a world full of life and promise. With the choice between winter and spring now before them, who would choose to remain in the cold, barren wasteland? Everyone yearned for a better life, a chance to thrive. Given the choice between wealth and poverty, who would choose to be poor?

Amidst the cheers of the crowd, Hel slowly rose from the platform, hanging in the sky like a bright moon, illuminating the dark night. The sight was truly magnificent, with the moon and stars high above, the snowy night in the icy sky, and the people cheering below.

Buzz buzz!

As Hel floated like a radiant moon, the brass pipes on the ground hummed in response, glowing with a golden light. The scorching heat melted a layer of snow instantly as it was injected into the ground.

...

This place was once the temple of Hodr, the god of darkness. When Svadilfari built Asgard, he intentionally left a few entrances to the underground passages here. One led to Valhalla, while the other led to Hodr's Temple. The former was heavily guarded, so Shirou opted for the latter.

Svadilfari had hidden the entrances to the underground passages so well that perhaps even Hodr himself was unaware of them back then. If it hadn't been for Adam's help, Shirou would never have known about the entrance hidden here.

As he approached Hodr's statue, the one Svadilfari had built, he realized the entrance was located directly beneath it. Just as he was about to activate the switch to move the statue, he heard a sudden "click" - the sound of the temple's massive door opening. His heart skipped a beat.

"You're here, A-46?" The familiar voice was unmistakable. It was, without a doubt, Eric Bloodaxe.

Shirou peeked out from behind the statue and confirmed that it was indeed Eric Bloodaxe. He couldn't help but wonder what Eric wanted. With someone else present, activating the switch was out of the question.

"Everyone has gone to see the ceremony, but you came to this secluded place. You still say you have no interest in me, A-46? No, my dear Gunnhild." Eric Bloodaxe gazed at him with an obsessive look in his eyes, causing Shirou to raise his eyebrows and take a step back.

Eric Bloodaxe couldn't help but notice how much "A-46" resembled his wife, Gunnhild. The way she carried herself and her golden hair that shone like the sun were so alike.

As the king of Norway, Eric Bloodaxe had an extremely tragic and regretful past, which revolved around his wife, Gunnhild. Around the 10th century AD, he was driven from his throne, and Gunnhild fled with him. He swore to reclaim the throne and restore his wife's honor. However, in the end, he died in battle at Stainmore in Westmorland.

There was no way around it. Those despicable Englishmen used the three-sided encirclement tactic left by the Eternal King, leaving him with no choice but to focus on escaping rather than fighting to the death.

Truth be told, he had seen this coming when he led the Vikings to invade Britain. Ever since the 6th-century Eternal Kingdom, a force unrivaled in its time, and the Hunnic Empire on the European continent, two giants, fell together, the continent and the islands had been thrown into chaos. Several powers emerged from the ashes, including the Vikings, represented by Eric Bloodaxe. The Viking raiders were infamous throughout Europe, but they struggled to gain a foothold in the British Isles. Even though Eternal Kingdom had crumbled, some of its techniques and tactics had survived the test of time. Among them, the most famous was the three-sided encirclement tactic.

Legend has it that this tactic was the brainchild of the Eternal King, later perfected by the King of Knights and King Galahad into a psychological strategy that discouraged the ambushed army from fighting to the death. The tactic gradually wore down the enemy, minimizing casualties while maximizing results. It was a surefire path to certain doom. And it was this very tactic that led to Eric's demise. In the aftermath, his wife and five sons were left to wander aimlessly, immersed in recollections of their life with him. Ultimately, she and her five sons perished during their endless wandering. This was Eric Bloodaxe's deepest regret.

The moment he laid eyes on her, he was struck by the uncanny resemblance between the golden-haired Valkyrie and his late wife. It was as if Gunnhild had been reincarnated. How could Eric Bloodaxe not be affected? Naturally, he felt compelled to pursue the Valkyrie, but she never reciprocated his burning passion. However, that didn't matter now, because she was alone. In days of old, the Vikings had a tradition: any woman they captured could be claimed as their own.

This tradition came from their geography and living conditions, just like how ancient Asian men had to go through a coming-of-age ceremony. It was a barbaric tradition, but it had its roots in the region. And so, he came...

"Don't be afraid, Gunnhild..." Eric Bloodaxe said softly as he walked towards A-46.

She seemed frightened and slowly backed away until her slender, graceful body was pressed against the wall. Eric closed the distance, placing his hands on the wall, his tall frame completely enveloping A-46.

She must be terrified, right? But it didn't matter. Vikings admired bravery, and he was sure she'd admire him soon enough. But then, to his surprise, A-46 smiled and reached out, gently caressing his face with her hand. The gentle touch felt like a spring breeze, making his heart flutter. But the next moment, everything changed.

"I think you're the one who should be afraid."

A clear, male voice suddenly came out of A-46's mouth.

Eric Bloodaxe froze in shock, his eyes widening in disbelief. "What the hell?"

Before he could react, she covered his mouth with her hand. With a sudden searing sound that filled the air, a blinding flash of light burst out from his chest, accompanied by an intense, all-consuming pain that flooded his entire chest cavity. He felt his strength rapidly draining away, leaving him terrified.

He wanted to call for help, but Shirou's hand held his mouth tightly, preventing any sound from escaping his lips. Eric struggled like a drowning man; his muscles straining and his body thrashing in a desperate attempt to break free from the iron grip that held him captive. But it was all in vain; he couldn't break free, no matter how hard he fought.

Slowly, with a sense of dread rising in his chest, he lowered his head, his eyes widening in shock as he took in the sight before him. The blonde, busty beauty who had captivated him moments ago had transformed into a handsome black-haired youth in pale silver armor.

Damn it! He finally realized an invader had infiltrated Asgard! Worst of all, this invader had played with his pure emotions!

Eric was furious but helpless. Shirou had pierced his heart and Saint Graph in one move, and he was about to disappear.

Who was this guy? He couldn't believe he'd been seduced and killed by a man! He wasn't gay! If Gunnhild found out, she'd definitely chop off little Eric!

As if reading his thoughts, Shirou said coldly, "Remember, the one who killed you is the Eternal King! If you dare look at me with those disgusting eyes again, next time, your death won't be so simple, you mongrel!"

Eternal King! Erik was stunned. This... This was the Eternal King, whose lingering wisdom had allowed the English to kill him! I, I actually fell at the hands of such a sage? Then there are no regrets. Erik Bloodaxe sighed and then completely disappeared.