Survival in the game world begins with Biochemical 2

Chapter 882 The Kratos Decision
The Fimbul winter still rages across the Midgard.

The cruel cold had long since frozen the entire Lake of Nine Realms, and the relentless snow had turned the entire kingdom into a pure white expanse.

As Block had previously stated, Fimbulwinter would be the last winter to end all winters.

However, at this moment, amidst the swirling snow, a group of several people were climbing the snow-covered mountain path.

The figures, two large and two small, were completely obscured by an invisible barrier. Upon closer inspection, it became clear that even the seemingly overwhelming snow could not reach them. They were stopped and dissolved several meters away by an invisible barrier.

Among those figures were Li You and Kratos and his son, while the last short figure was wrapped in a thick leather coat, completely obscuring his face.

Surprisingly, this person seems to be the one who led the way.

The group walked a little further when the hooded man raised his head, checked his bearings, and revealed his snow-white chin, which he could no longer conceal. He spoke in a clear, crisp voice:

"It's right in front."

The group then continued forward in the direction he indicated.

……

Half a day ago.

Between realms, in Sindri's little hut.

Li You sat in his room, seemingly resting with his eyes closed, but in reality he was communicating with his companions in other realms.

Just then, the sounds of Kratos and Atreus arguing came from outside the door again.

Li You couldn't help but open his eyes.

Needless to say, the focus of the argument between Kratos and his son was still the same old conflict: Atreus wanted to participate in Ragnarok, while Kratos didn't want him to go to the battlefield.

Nearly a month has passed since Li You and his group returned from Svartalfheim, but the father and son here still haven't reached a conclusion in their argument.

Helpless, Li You got up and left the room.

Kratos and Atreus were arguing in the study at the far end of the hall.

It's an argument, not a quarrel. The father and son are not as loving and filial as in the original game. In fact, they both understand each other's thoughts, but they both stick to their own views. Neither side is willing to give in, which is the root cause of why they can't reach a conclusion.

This was actually a matter between father and son, and Li You originally didn't intend to get involved. Just as he said before, he wouldn't drag Kratos into the fray just to fit the original plot or increase their chances of winning—although Freya really wanted Kratos's help.

However, while Kratos didn't want to participate, Atreus wanted to face his destiny. Unlike in the original game where he initially just wanted to prove himself, this time his reasons were much more legitimate.

But Kratos still disagreed. The reasons for that are not hard to imagine.

Li You didn't intend to interfere with the father and son's decision, but it was one thing that they couldn't reach a conclusion, but the key issue was that not long ago, Atreus first approached him for help, and then Kratos also asked Li You during a hunt, hoping that he could help persuade Atreus. This put Li You in a difficult position.

No, you two have a disagreement, so why are you both asking me to be your mediator?

Clearly, this is a side effect of Li You's past "glorious deeds".

Although he felt somewhat helpless about the father and son's request, Li You thought that if he could help them resolve their differences, it would be a good thing.

If Kratos is ultimately persuaded by Atreus to join the war, then they will have a heavyweight figure on their side who can decide the outcome. Even if Atreus is persuaded in the end, at least everyone will have some peace and quiet.

Therefore, Li You did not refuse and agreed to both the father and son, saying, "I have something to show you, please wait a few days."

Although the father and son were somewhat puzzled, they naturally had no objections, and then things went peacefully for two days.

But now it's the third day since then, and the father and son started arguing again.

Fortunately, this time, Li You finally got the "things" he had prepared sorted out.

That's why he pushed open the door and came out at this moment. When Kratos and his son saw him, they stopped arguing, and Li You smiled and said, "The timing is perfect. I just received the news that we can set off to see 'that thing' I mentioned before."

The father and son exchanged a glance and nodded. The three of them then arrived in Midgard.

Here they met their fourth and final teammate of the trip.

“…Angelberda!?”

Atreus froze, stunned, as he saw the familiar figure, wrapped in a heavy hood, waiting for them on the shores of the Nine Realms in Midgard.

"Long time no see, Loki."

Angleberda smiled at Atreus, seemingly finding his reaction quite amusing.

……

After a brief explanation, Atreus understood that Angorboda was there because Li You had invited him.

Previously, after agreeing to help Kratos and his son mediate, Li You once again sought out the omnipotent Tyr Amon and asked for his help again, this time to find the way to Jotunheim.

It's worth mentioning that Kratos and his son did indeed travel to Jotunheim via the Temple of Tyr before, and Li You also went there briefly before returning immediately.

However, that was a special case. Although the Kingdom Tower of Jotunheim had returned to the shores of the Lake of Nine since then, the arrival of Fimbulwinter and the various omens of Ragnarok appeared one after another. Odin also sealed the teleportation channels between the kingdoms, so the Temple of Tyr could no longer serve as a transit station for traveling between kingdoms.

Li You and his companions were able to travel around thanks to the upgraded version of the World Tree Key that the brothers Brok and Sindri had created, but its convenience was ultimately no match for Odin's crow teleportation and the Rainbow Bridge.

In short, the Temple of Tyr can no longer be used for teleportation, which means that the last passage to Jotunheim is blocked. Therefore, even if Li You and his companions have teleportation runes, they will not be able to reach Jotunheim.

However, it is clear that under these circumstances, if anyone could open the road to Jotunheim, there is no one else but Tyr.

And the omnipotent Tyr did not disappoint. In just two days, he opened the passage to Jotunheim using a method that even Li You could not quite understand.

Although it was just a narrow passage that could only allow one person to pass at a time, and the passage was very unstable and prone to accidents, it was still sufficient.

Li You crossed the passage on his own; with his current abilities, this little risk couldn't stop him.

After arriving in Jotunheim for the second time, Li You found the Iron Forest, which was the resting place of the giants that Atreus had previously visited in his dream.

Here, Li You met Angel Boda.

When she saw Li You appear, Angelberda was also very surprised, but she was also very smart and immediately realized Li You's identity: "It's you, right? The collector from the faraway land that Loki mentioned."

Li You was curious as to why she knew him: "Have you seen me in the prophecy?"

But Angelberda gave a completely different answer: "No, you never appeared in any prophecy, yet you intervened and changed everyone's fate. That's why, when you, someone who shouldn't have come to the Iron Forest, appeared before me, I was able to guess your identity."

Li You understood.

The rest was simple. Angelberda knew Li You meant no harm, and after hearing his purpose, he quickly agreed.

Although according to the prophecy, she shouldn't have left Jotunheim at this time, the unexpected variable of Li You had already come knocking, so she stopped worrying about the accuracy of the prophecy.

Of course, this is also related to the fact that Angelberda is now younger and has a more unconventional personality.

As giants, leaving Jotunheim wasn't as difficult as outsiders trying to enter. Therefore, Li You arranged to meet her in Midgard today.

—That is, now.

It was late at night, and snow was falling heavily, but Li You held up the Shield of Aegis, keeping all the wind and snow out.

Along the way, Atreus explained the situation to Kratos. What he had previously concealed was the matter of Angorboda and the Iron Forest, but now that Angorboda himself had left Jotunheim and come to Midgard, and had appeared before everyone, it was clear that he could tell his father the secrets he had kept hidden in the past.

After hearing Atreus's story, Kratos was somewhat surprised that there were other giants, but he was also happy for his son.

He did want to ask Angelberda about Fei, but Angelberda told him beforehand that she had never seen Fei in person.

Since that was the case, Kratos naturally stopped talking and let the two children talk to each other in private.

He could tell that the two teenagers had a good relationship.

Li You was watching Atreus and Angorboda talk, and he gave Angorboda a second look.

He wasn't thinking about anything else; he was still basking in the astonishment he felt when he first saw the giant.

Because, although Angelberda was wrapped in a thick cloak and hood, the lower half of his face and a small part of his hands and feet that were exposed were fair and flawless.

Li You had seen her full face in Jotunheim. She had neatly braided black hair, a fair oval face with light-colored eyes and a high nose, red lips and white teeth, and a lovely smile. She didn't look like a Nimei at all.
Li You was a little confused at the time. How come this person appeared with a whitewashed appearance? Or had his worldview changed?
He almost thought he had the wrong person, but subsequent conversations and interactions proved that this was indeed Angelberda.

So Li You didn't think too much about it. In any case, even if it was a bleached version, it was still much better than the original Norse girl in the game. Atreus and Angorboda were only talking about their experiences during this period, with Atreus doing most of the talking and Angorboda listening.

After Atreus finished sharing his story, he suddenly remembered something: "By the way, Angleberda, what are you doing in Midgard? Where exactly does Li You want to take us?"

Upon hearing this, Angelberda glanced at Li You before saying to Atreus, "Don't worry, we'll be there soon... over there."

The group was currently located on a mountain peak near the original Asgardian Tower. They had already passed through a long cave and walked a long way through wind and snow before finally approaching their destination.

At the end of the mountain path ahead, there is a light-colored rock with faint traces of human carving, but these have been worn away by wind and frost and are now difficult to discern.

Angelberda reached out and gently touched the rock, then turned around and said, "This is it."

She slightly activated her magic, and the surface of the rock quickly dissolved, revealing a small cave hidden behind it.

In the very center of the cave stood a wooden easel that everyone present was very familiar with—the triptych used by the giants to record prophecies.

"This is……?"

Seeing this, Kratos and his son Atreus were both puzzled. They didn't understand why a triptych was hidden in this place, nor did they understand why Li You and Angleboda had brought them here.

However, Atreus reacted faster, quickly realizing something: "Could it be..."

Without giving an explanation, Atreus immediately stepped forward and reached out to pull open the triptych.

What then unfolded before the father and son was, as expected, their own adventure.

However, this is not entirely accurate, because this triptych begins with the time when Fie left Jotunheim, tells the story of Kratos and his son's adventures, and ends with Fie's cremation.

So strictly speaking, this is actually a triptych that records Faye's life.

Kratos and his son were both stunned.

“…My triptych in Jotunheim was destroyed by my mother. She didn’t want us to know our fate?” Atreus murmured, as if remembering something.

Kratos, having been with Fee for decades, understood her thoughts better: "She... wanted us to go our own way."

Angelberda added, "She is an enemy of her own people, an enemy of our people... all to protect you."

For a moment, Kratos and Atreus were both filled with mixed emotions.

Li You watched quietly from the side without saying a word.

He was actually quite clear about one thing: the reason Kratos was unwilling to let Atreus go to the battlefield was not entirely because of his past experiences in Greece, but also because of his inner conflict.

Before leaving, Fei didn't tell him anything, only that he should protect their child.

But after that, Kratos and Atreus embarked on a journey, and the truths they discovered about the past were all so chilling.

Including Fei, whose past she had never mentioned was gradually unearthed by the father and son.

But they knew too little, so much so that, in their hazy understanding, all the evidence that surfaced before them seemed to point to one possibility—that Fie might be using Kratos and his son to fight the Aesir in order to avenge her people.

This speculation is not without merit. Not to mention the parties involved, such conspiracy theories also had a market among players outside the game when the fifth installment was not yet released.

Kratos himself naturally trusted his wife completely, but he couldn't help but worry that his wife's actions might have fallen into the eyes of other people with precognitive abilities and then been used by them as well.
If that's the case, involving Atreus in the Ragnarok war would be extremely risky, as no one knows what the true prophecy will look like.

But at this moment, that worry finally dissipated.

Kratos looked at the triptych left by his wife, a faint glimmer of light flowing in his eyes.

Only then did Li You finally speak: "It's not just this painting. There's another one on the back of this painting."

Kratos and Atreus were both stunned. Then, Kratos didn't have time to ask any more questions. He strode to the back and flipped the easel over.

It was indeed another triptych, and the main subject was none other than Kratos.

From his arrival in Northern Europe with the Blade of Chaos, to his encounter with Fie, the birth of Atreus, the adventures of the father and son, and even his conflict with Thor, all of these are condensed into the first two paintings.

The last panel of the triptych features a completely different design.

In the center of the painting, Kratos stands on a high platform, carrying the Leviathan Axe, his entire body enveloped in golden light, radiating a strong sense of divinity.

Around the high platform, countless inhabitants of the Nine Realms from various races were sincerely worshipping him.

In the future depicted by Fie, Kratos becomes a god revered by all in the Nine Realms.

At that moment, Kratos's hands trembled uncontrollably.

He placed his hand on the canvas, his lips moved as if he were sobbing slightly, but no sound came out.

The impact of the painting left by his wife on him was something that others simply could not understand.

Atreus also saw the picture and almost cried out, but a pair of hands covered his mouth from behind to prevent him from disturbing Kratos.

Atreus turned around and saw Li You.

Li You pulled Atreus back to the cave entrance and stood with Angorboda, giving Kratos enough space.

Of those present, only he, who was familiar with the history of the God of War series, could roughly understand Kratos's feelings.

After a while, a soft creaking sound came from behind the triptych, and Kratos closed the easel and came out.

He had regained his usual expression, nodded to Li You, and said, "I want to have a good talk with Atreus."

Li You naturally understood, exchanged a glance with Angel Boda, and walked out together, leaving Kratos and his son to talk quietly on the side.

By this time, the sky outside was beginning to brighten, the night was about to end, and the wind and snow had lessened considerably.

Angelberda looked at Li You standing at the edge of the mountain path and asked curiously, "I still don't understand how you can be completely unaffected by prophecies, yet know everything about everything?"

"That triptych from earlier, even I didn't know there was something behind it, how did you...?"

Li You simply smiled and said, "Because I did my homework before coming to the Nine Realms."

Angelberda looked incredulous. Of course, she couldn't believe that doing some research beforehand would allow her to know all the most secret things about the Nine Realms so clearly.
Odin might as well just hang himself from the World Tree and not come down.

However, it was clear that Li You had no intention of explaining further. Although Angelberda was curious, he didn't ask any more questions.

Giants are good at uncovering secrets, but they are also good at keeping secrets. She will not pry into the secrets of others.

The two waited a while longer, until the night was almost completely over and dawn was breaking, when Kratos and Atreus finally emerged from the cave.

"Thank you, Li You, Angel Boda."

Kratos's expression was serious, but he didn't exude any sense of oppression. He seemed to have shed some long-standing burden, and even his spirit and energy were different.

He looked at Li You and said solemnly, "We have decided to join the coalition against Odin."

Upon hearing this, Li You smiled sincerely: "Welcome!"

He reached out his hand to Kratos, and Kratos responded in the same way. Their hands clasped together again, and they each grabbed the other's arm.

This wasn't a test or a confrontation, but rather an affirmation as a partner.

Since Kratos has said so, it is only natural that Atreus would also be involved.

Both father and son decided to face their fate and the future head-on, and to share any risks that might arise.

Even for Li You, this was the best possible outcome.

He didn't force either the father or the son; he simply showed them the triptych that they were supposed to see only at the end, helping them resolve their doubts ahead of time.

The decision to participate in Ragnarok was made jointly by the father and son, without being influenced or interfered with by anyone else.

So at this moment, Li You nodded to the two of them: "In that case, let's go back."

"Preparations for Ragnarok are basically complete."

(End of this chapter)