Chapter 448: Star, Jotunheim (8)

Chapter 448: Star, Jotunheim (8)

‘In some ways... this place is like me,’ Jin Prezia thought, riding his Undead Wyvern to follow Chang-Sun.

This barren world was similar to the Changgwi Cave. Much like him, its inhabitants had no choice but to blindly wait for their salvation here. Perhaps it was because <Jotunheim> reminded him of the Prezia Family being left in anguish, but it had been bugging him ever since he had entered the Dungeon.

‘My ice attribute might be intensifying this emotion too.’

Jin would definitely take Chang-Sun’s side if a fight were to break out between Chang-Sun and Bergelmir, but a small part of him hoped that the two would get along.

‘We’re here.’

As soon as he reached the ‘Lonely Fortress,’ from which he could sense Chang-Sun’s energy, he signaled his people to get ready to glide down.

Paah!

Before the Undead Wyverns could fold their wings, Jin quickly looked up, suddenly sensing a presence above them. His expression crumpled up. 「... What?」

A list of runes appeared in the sky. They transformed into a magic circle and then into a huge dimension teleportation gate.

Rumble...!

A strong earthquake erupted as the gate slowly opened up. Something seemed to be preparing to come out from inside it.

[An unknown being is descending!]

* * *

『If this is fate... I’ll... accept it,』 Bergelmir said.

Chang-Sun nodded. From interrogation to Authority extortion, he could have used a vast array of methods had Bergelmir refused to cooperate. If even none of them worked, Chang-Sun would have just used his [Gnostic Eye] to pick up clues from around <Jotunheim>. Bergelmir’s cooperation changed many aspects of his plan, however. For one, it made it easier for him to learn about <Jotunheim>, saving him quite a lot of time.

‘It wasn’t easy learning the <Niflheim> Giants’ abilities too.’

However, legitimacy was the most important thing that Chang-Sun could get from Bergelmir. By duly ascending the throne of <Jotunheim>, it would be easier to get the Frost Giants’ support once they had woken up. That could also be why one word from Bergelmir’s remark kept bothering him.

―Fate.

Chang-Sun sincerely hated the word. If everything about life was fixed, then there would have been no reason for people to have free will or make any effort. He had to break away from his countless restrictions to get to where he was right now, which was why he didn’t believe in fate. This non-belief was the reason he could keep fighting Ubbo-Sathla in the first place.

Chang-Sun had come across <Niflheim>, <Muspelheim>, and <Jotunheim> Giants. The ideals of Bestla’s descendants, even Odin of <Asgard>, seemed to be a little different from his.

Sinmara’s three faces, which could see the past, present, and future, allowed her to predict the fate of <Muspelheim>. J?rmungandr had occasionally mentioned being unable to decide which path of fate he should guide <Niflheim> to, and Odin had said that he was bitter about the fall of <Asgard>, but since it was inevitable, he would just have to rebuild it. Now, Bergelmir claimed that this was the fate that Bestla had decided for him.

They all believed that their <Extinction> and salvation were set in stone.

‘... Even Bel-Marduk wasn’t any different.’

Chang-Sun found it unpleasant. If people were only going to conform to everything, what in the world could they do on their own? He couldn’t understand them.

‘I wish I could destroy all those images in their minds.’

No, he would destroy them. At the very least, he would make his <Society> stop conforming to fate.

The flames of Bergelmir’s life were dying out. 『I’m guessing... you need [Fimbulvetr]...』

“I do. Do you know how to build it?”

『Of course... It’s really... not that complicated...』

“What do you mean?” Chang-Sun asked. He couldn’t help but wonder why Bergelmir had never succeeded in restoring it if it was so easy.

『Withdraw... the coldness covering the ‘Iron Forest’...』 Bergelmir answered.

Chang-Sun’s eyes widened, finally realizing the identity of [Fimbulvetr].

[Congratulations! You have found a Hidden Piece!]

[You have learned the secret of the fallen plane <Jotunheim>. ‘Fimbulvetr,’ the Frost Giants’ long-respected relic, contains all of <Jotunheim>’s coldness and snowy winds.]

[However, the relic shattered when the last king of <Jotunheim> was defeated in battle by his subordinate. Its fragments scattered all over the plane, engulfing the world with death, snow, and raging winds.]

[Even at this moment, ‘Fimbulvetr,’ in its unrefined form, continues to guide the ‘Iron Forest’ deeper into death, bringing nothing but despair to the Frost Giants, who have turned into Anomalies.]

Considering [Laevateinn] both contrasted and corresponded with [Fimbulvetr], Chang-Sun had a feeling that [Laevateinn] could guide [Fimbulvetr], and it seemed his guess was right. Holding [Laevateinn] in a reverse grip, he searched for the epicenter. Reaching the center of the hall. he stabbed the sword into the ground.

Thuud!

The faint tremors subsided.

Ratttle―!

With the sounds of pulleys turning, a hole opened up on the floor. Bergelmir’s corpse disintegrated into particles that danced around the hall as a staircase leading down was revealed.

Without hesitation, Chang-Sun climbed down.

‘This is...’

After walking in complete darkness for who knew how long, he finally reached a large curving hallway. Despite how dark it was, he could see its entirety, including the drawings on its walls, without any issues. It looked like it hadn’t been managed for a long time.

‘Are those holy symbols?’

The drawings seemed to depict honoring a Celestial’s legacy. Chang-Sun initially thought they were about Bergelmir or the other <Jotunheim> kings, but the drawings weren’t just of the Frost Giants. Many were of <Muspelheim>’s Fire Giants and <Niflheim>’s Monster Celestials.

‘They’re... about Bestla.’

Since the drawings looked new, Chang-Sun instinctively realized that these were records left by Bergelmir and the other Frost Giants in Bestla’s honor.

‘They wanted her accomplishments to keep being passed down long after they were all gone.’

The drawings showed Bestla ruling the world, taking the lead on every battlefield, and defeating anyone who stood in her path. Her enemies watched her with terror while her people revered her.

Chang-Sun unknowingly became immersed in the drawings.

[You have found verses of ‘Bestla’s Poem’!]

<... because of ■, ■s feared her da■■ after day.>

.

.

<Hence, ■s from all over the universe rallied together and ■e to ■■ with their weapons. Bestla decl■■ ■■ to punish those ungrat■ beings for forgetting the grace she had bestowed to them.>

.

.

<Be■ ■■s ■■■, ■■■■ ■■ ■■■ ■■ ■ ■■■.......>

.

.

Moving like living creatures, the drawings shone radiantly and slowly separated themselves from the walls. Turning into runes, they danced around Chang-Sun and gradually descended toward him. New verses were carved into his body and soul, adding to the ones that Chang-Sun had engraved on him using [False Belief] a long time ago.

[You have acquired a total of 21 verses of ‘Bestla’s Poem’!]

[Your understanding of the poem has increased.]

[Your new <Myth> is synchronizing with your original <Myths>!]

...

At the end of the hallway, just before he was done absorbing all the drawings, he reached an enormous metal gate with a gigantic holy symbol drawn on it. Words were also written in runes around the gate’s edges.

<Bestla’s ■le>

Chang-Sun’s eyes gleamed. ‘Bestla’s Temple.’

Staring at the small keyhole in the center of the metal gate, he slowly pulled out his necklace.

Clink―!

[Peter’s Key], the golden key that Chang-Sun had obtained from ‘Bestla’s Tomb,’ was gleaming.