Marvel Magic Case Files

Chapter 723 The Last Time (First Update)

"Although this may very well go against my daughter's wishes, I don't mind Salomon using a little force. Your disciple is too shy, too chivalrous, but in the face of such a major event in the Nine Realms, chivalrous methods can be temporarily set aside." The Sorcerer Supreme rolled his eyes, ignoring the words of the Queen of Asgard.

Just minutes earlier, Frigga had been so astonished by the battle between Salomon and Hela while watching the Water Mirror that she cried out in disbelief, uttering foolish pronouncements like "Let's talk this out!" and "A couple fighting is bad for politics!" This caused the Sorcerer Supreme's blood pressure to rise—while Frigga's idea was indeed perfect, it was the least likely of all possibilities. Even if Hela were to set aside her hatred now and conceive Salomon's child, establishing a shared rule between Midgard and Asgard, Ragnarok wouldn't suddenly disappear.

As a Vanir god possessing many secrets unknown even to Odin, Frigga naturally knew of the multiverse's existence. However, compared to other bleak futures, Frigga preferred to gamble on a possibility. Now, the Queen of Asgard had no objection to the Sorcerer Supreme and Salomon's high-stakes gamble, and even with a slim chance, Frigga was willing to place the bet. In any case, whether she gambled or not, Asgard would lose all its resources after Ragnarok, making a desperate gamble not an insurmountable choice. Salomon and Hela, still fighting amidst the remains of numerous Asgardian martyrs, were unaware of Queen Frigga's plans, and the Supreme Being had no intention of using this possibility to stop the battle.

Hela became increasingly frustrated as the fight progressed.

Salomon's attacks were cunning; often, a single opening he created was the prelude to setting a trap. This was particularly problematic for Hela, who was unaccustomed to delicate swordplay and accustomed to wide-open, sweeping battlefield combat. She had to quickly gather her thoughts, determining whether she had fallen into Salomon's mental trap, whether she had discovered the sorcerer's mindset, and whether her next counterattack was a deliberate maneuver or the best course of action. Even though the sorcerer's swordsmanship was undoubtedly somewhat inexperienced compared to her millennia of combat experience, she was unable to deliver a decisive, fatal blow.

The rough rock face was covered with even more scars.

As the Goddess of Death grew increasingly agitated, she no longer cared whether she would damage the remains of her former comrades. Salomon, on the other hand, showed far greater respect for the dead. He would often turn away just as Hela was about to attack the remains of the fallen warriors, to prevent her from completely destroying the already tattered armor and bones, causing fragments of Asgardian armor to clang and clatter against his winged helmet. Hela was not using a longsword; she now wielded a massive black axe-halberd, the lower half of which had sharp, curved blades that could be used to hook shields, while the spikes at the tip of the axe-halberd could be used for thrusting.

She did cause Salomon some trouble when she first used the weapon, but the situation reversed again after the sorcerer slammed down her shield and beckoned Pegasus, who was watching the show, to drop the holy lance from the air. The sorcerer parried the axe with the holy lance, then severed the weapon's handle with her holy sword; the sound of the weapon shattering sent chills down Hela's spine.

If she hadn't blocked the holy spear with her sword in time, the ruthless Salomon might have already cut her in half at the waist. This enraged her, and she decided to teach this mortal a lesson.

Pegasus yawned. Standing atop the highest peak of this snowless planet, it looked down listlessly. It glimpsed the golden light emanating from below growing increasingly intense, until it pierced through the thick, icy clouds. Pegasus knew this meant the battle was intensifying, and its master was beginning to unleash its true power.

If it weren't for the intense sounds of weapons clashing below, it would have thought it was attending a dressage party.

Aside from tossing the holy lance from its back down from the clouds, it did nothing else, for its master had no intention of riding it into battle. The clanging of weapons echoed through the canyon, the rock walls trembling with each resounding boom, and a strange, tingling sensation rose from its hooves to its teeth. Pegasus couldn't help but rub its teeth, determined to ignore its trembling belly—ever since Athena had given it to Salomon, Pegasus's weight had skyrocketed. Fruit, spirits, and the finest meats had all entered its belly. Though this was far from healthy, Pegasus figured mortal veterinarians knew nothing of celestial horses, and a little fat was no problem at all.

The battle had been going on for a whole day, and Pegasus wondered when it would ever end.

Salomon removed the two holy marks because Hela had begun to resort to any means necessary and had descended into madness. This was not only to bridge the physical gap between Asgardians and humans, but also to save herself in this brutal and bloody sword fight.

Ever since the massive axe-halberd was severed by the holy sword, she had never relinquished "Night Sky." The wound inflicted by the black sword sent chills down Salomon's spine; he felt his body temperature steadily dropping, and his armor's life support system warned him that the wound's temperature was decreasing. The inflammatory response was slow to materialize; his muscles and skin continued to necrotize. No matter how many antibiotics the life support system injected, or how many antibacterial agents and alchemical potions were sprayed on the wound, the wound inflicted by "Night Sky" was constantly battling against his own healing abilities, preventing it from healing.

In contrast, Hela was already familiar with her characteristics as an immortal.

Her attacks, now restored, grew faster and more ruthless, targeting the gaps in Salomon's armor. Previously, Salomon, out of respect, hadn't held back, resulting in a brutal battle; even Hela's immortality had taken a toll. Now, she didn't seek victory, but Salomon's life. Knowing he couldn't reason with an enraged woman, the arcane mage understood what to do, though he hadn't stooped to casting spells during a sword duel.

"If it weren't for Odin..." Hela's face, already pale from blood loss, turned ashen. Her thin, pale body, stained with blood from years of lack of sunlight, ripped through her muscular frame, and dried blood clots rained down onto the rocks as she moved. Salomon, facing her with his sword, was in no better shape. "Night Sky," a crucial weapon for the Goddess of Death, comparable to Mjolnir in battle, was impenetrable to ordinary Uru metal armor. She knew that if she regained her power, this mortal before her would likely be no match for her.

If Salomon knew what she was thinking, he would have already reminded Hela to include the Stigmata and his primary profession in the calculation formula. He wasn't a warrior; being a knight was actually a side job for him. His main profession was that of an arcane mage. Throughout the entire process, Hela had never seen many of his arcane spells, only some insignificant minor spells, which the Goddess of Death naturally ignored.

Aside from the [Stealth Step] that allows him to teleport short distances instantly, he has used this spell to gain an advantage more than once.

"Do you have any way to reconcile them?" Frigga asked, pointing to the silver mirror. This made the Sorcerer Supreme suspect that the Queen was feigning ignorance, trying to force him to use more methods. "To be honest, I don't have any love potions on me right now," Frigga finally confessed under the Sorcerer Supreme's gaze. "I think Kamar-Taj has such a thing. We'll find a way to throw the love potion into the River Styx in Helheim, so that when they both feel they need to rest and have a drink, they'll drink it! That way, the whole plan will be complete!"

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(End of this chapter)