In Britain, the Noble Phantasm: Divine Key

From the moment he entered the Land of Shadows, he activated the [Primal Rune: Track] rune, partly to track Scáthach's location and partly to make contact with her.

A magician of Scáthach's caliber could not possibly be unaware that someone was following her. Furthermore, Anan's choice of the unique Primal Rune made her instantly certain of the newcomer's identity.

Then, naturally, Anann and Scáthach successfully established a connection through the primordial runes.

All of this happened during the time Loki was devouring the other four main gods. So the reason Scáthach stood by and did nothing was partly because she didn't really care, and partly because she was establishing contact with Anahn.

When Yanan learned about the situation, he was relieved and thought there shouldn't be any problems. However, to his surprise, Loki had somehow captured Cú Chulainn and used him as a hostage.

He quickly consulted with Scáthach, and they decided that Scáthach would stall for time until Anaen arrived, so that they could rescue Cú Chulainn.

"So, you were just acting all along?" After hearing Yanan's explanation, Cú Chulainn stiffly turned his head to look at Scáthach.

The Queen of the Land of Shadows said calmly, "That's right."

"...I don't know why, but I suddenly feel a strange sense of heartache." Cú Chulainn scratched his head and sighed dejectedly. "I thought my master really valued me that much. Honestly, I was just moved for nothing."

"I'm just a twisted and corrupt woman. Feelings are too much of a luxury for me," Scáthach said calmly. "Besides, I don't think there's any need to save disciples who were captured because they were less skilled."

"Hehe, but you still promised Yanan to save me, didn't you? As expected, Master is still the same as ever, cold on the outside but warm on the inside. What did Yanan say again? Oh right, a sharp tongue but a soft heart." Cú Chulainn said smugly.

Although he didn't know what tofu was, he understood the meaning of the sentence clearly after Yanan's explanation.

Scáthach stood with her arms crossed, saying nothing, while Yanan wore an awkward yet polite smile.

What he didn't tell Cú Chulainn was that Scáthach wasn't lying; she genuinely intended to give up on him at that moment.

If it weren't for Yanan's earnest persuasion and repeated assurances, Cú Chulainn's ashes would have been scattered somewhere long ago.

"It's better not to shatter his illusions..." Yanan thought to himself.

"But now that Master is sealed away, what should we do with that guy?"

Cú Chulainn looked at the dissipating dust in the distance and scratched his head: "That guy has basically recovered to his peak condition now, and he's the chief god of the Norse pantheon. Without the suppression of the Death Realm, can we really defeat him?"

"Otherwise, do you think I persuaded my mother to take such a huge risk to save you? It's just a main god, leave it to me." A confident smile appeared on Yanan's face. With the Jizo Soul, Feather Dust, Black Abyss White Flower, Star of Eden, Oath of Judah, and Xuanyuan Sword on his body, killing a main god was a piece of cake for him.

Just as he took a step forward, he suddenly heard Scáthach's voice in his ear.

"I'll handle that guy."

He turned to Scáthach, puzzled, and asked, "But Mother, didn't we say before that I would take care of him?"

“I’ve changed my mind now.” Scáthach’s face was icy. “How dare they utter such blasphemous words to me! If I don’t punish them personally, what face do I have to call myself the Queen of the Land of Shadows!”

Yanan's lips twitched slightly as he said, "But Mother, you are now..."

“It’s alright.” Scáthach took a step forward, turned to look at Yanan, and smiled at her beautiful face. “Just give me that gun.”

"That gun?" Yanan paused for a moment, then seemed to suddenly remember something, and quickly opened the imaginary space, taking out a withered spear shaped like a tree branch.

The gun bore a line of runes: "[Those who seek eternal silence say: What has departed will ultimately perish.]"

This is what Nidhogg gave him back in the Norse kingdom, the weapon of Odin, the king of the gods—[The Great God's Declaration: Gungnir].

At the time, Anahn didn't understand who the "[the eternal one who seeks eternal silence]" mentioned in the text was, but now he realizes that it is none other than his mother, Scáthach!

The moment Gungnir fell into Scáthach's hand, it instantly shone with an incredibly bright and dazzling light. The withered branches fell off one by one and transformed in the blink of an eye into a silver-white spear engraved with divine runes, exuding an ancient and vast aura.

Loki flew out of the pit, saw the spear in Scáthach's hand, his pupils suddenly contracted, and he exclaimed, "Gungnir!"

"Loki, pay the price for your betrayal and blasphemy!"

The moment Scáthach threw Gungnir, the entire Dead Realm seemed to freeze; time, space... everything was pierced into utter nothingness by that spear.

This is the ultimate strike, surpassing the limits of the "gun," transcending the realm of gods, and reaching an unknowable realm!

"No--!!"

Gungnir's powerful spear instantly engulfed Loki's figure, annihilating him into nothingness in the blink of an eye.

Chapter 52 Mother and Son

With Loki's fall, the seal placed on Scáthach was instantly lifted, and she regained control of the Dead Realm.

“Well… now that things here are settled, I’ll be leaving…” Yanan chuckled dryly, taking a few steps back almost imperceptibly, when a spear was instantly pressed against his throat.

“What’s the rush, Anahn? It’s been so long since we last met. Don’t you want to have a proper chat with your mother?” Scáthach squinted slightly, her smile gentle and warm. “Especially… about when you escaped from the Deathly Realm while I wasn’t looking.”

Gudong~

Anan swallowed hard, large beads of cold sweat dripping from his forehead, and quickly looked to Cú Chulainn for help.

Cú Chulainn instantly understood Yanan's gaze. Always prioritizing loyalty, he naturally wouldn't abandon his junior brother. He immediately stepped forward: "Um, Master, I think Yanan's actions back then were understandable. You should..."

"Hmm?" Scáthach turned her head slightly, her crimson eyes devoid of any emotion, her icy voice like frost frozen for a thousand years. "What did you just say?"

[How terrifying!]

Cú Chulainn felt a chill run down his spine, suddenly having the illusion that the divine spear would pierce his head at any moment.

No... or maybe it wasn't my imagination... A stiff smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. "Well... um, I mean, this battle made me realize that I still have a lot of shortcomings, so I'm going to train now!"

Before he finished speaking, he turned around without hesitation and fled from this place of trouble at the fastest speed he had ever traveled, disappearing in the blink of an eye.

Damn it! I knew I shouldn't have saved you! Anan felt a surge of grief and anger, and cursed Cú Chulainn mercilessly.

“The troublesome fellow is finally gone. Now it’s just the two of us, Anahn,” Scáthach said with a smile.

[here we go again!]

Yanan shuddered, his body suddenly stiffening, his legs seemingly rooted to the ground, unable to move at all.

This wasn't because Scáthach had placed any restrictions on him. In fact, with his current strength, even if he couldn't defeat Scáthach in the Land of Shadows, escaping wouldn't be a problem.

However, another, more mysterious and powerful force captivated his mind, rendering him utterly incapable of resisting.

This is the legendary—[the maternal authority]!

This is a power he has been exposed to since childhood, and he is unconsciously influenced by it every time he is alone with Scáthach.

He originally thought that after so many years, he had gotten rid of the influence of this force, but now it seems that nothing has changed at all!

“Here we go again.” Scáthach sighed softly. “You’re always so nervous when we’re alone together, Anahn. Are you really that afraid of me?”

Yanan's eyes darted around as he said, "No...actually, I didn't want it to be like this either..."

Thump~

A fragrant breeze wafted over, and before Yanan could react, his head was covered by a soft, full bosom.

Scáthach looked at Anahn, whose head was buried in her chest, and said with a slight blush, "Would you be able to relax a little if I did that?"

Relax... my foot!

My heart was pounding in my chest!

Yanan quickly pushed Scáthach away, panting heavily.

"Um, don't you like this method?" Scáthach's face showed a slight embarrassment. After thinking for a moment, she sat down on the boulder where Cú Chulainn had been lying, patting her long, straight, beautiful legs. "Then, how about this instead?"

Please forgive me for refusing!

Although Yanan wanted to say that, seeing the faint hope in Scáthach's eyes, he finally sighed.

He stepped forward, lay on his side with his back to Scáthach, his head resting on her full, delicate thighs, his body slightly arched.

"Huh? Why are you lying like that? Isn't it better to just look at me?" Scáthach asked, puzzled.

"No...no need...I feel fine as is, it's very comfortable..."

“I see…” Scáthach was silent for a moment, then suddenly said, “Anan, do you think I’m a terrible mother?”

"Huh? Why do you say that?" Yanan turned his head in confusion, but saw two magnificent mountain peaks and quickly turned his head back.

“If it weren’t for that…” Scáthach gently stroked Anaen’s black hair, a complex look appearing in her eyes, “Why were you so easily swayed by others, insisting on leaving this place no matter what?”

Huh? Bewitched? Have I been bewitched? Yanan blinked in confusion.

"I admit that I've been keeping this from you all this time, never mentioning the outside world to you. I understand your anger and resentment towards my actions, but please believe me, I did all this truly for your own good..."

No, I already knew what it was like outside... Yanan thought to himself.

Scáthach looked at the black hair twirling between her fingers, her gaze slightly complicated: "You... should know your true origins now, right?"

Yanan was silent for a moment, then softly hummed in agreement.

"Do you know that the Age of Gods is disappearing?"

"......Know."

“Since that’s the case, then I’ll be frank.” Scáthach sighed softly. “You are a Briton, and with the gradual disappearance of the Age of Gods, Britons will eventually face destruction. If you continue to stay outside, sooner or later you will also be purged by the Counter Force. Moreover, you also carry Nidhogg’s power, and the Counter Force will definitely keep a close eye on you.”

This is what Scáthach has always been worried about, and it's also why she never mentions the outside world to Yanan.

The Queen of the Land of Shadows knew very well how wonderful the outside world was compared to this dead zone.

But that's precisely why she didn't want Anan to know these things.

Humans are born with the talent for "comparison." A former billionaire who goes bankrupt and becomes a homeless person on the street will inevitably compare his current life with his previous life.

When he sleeps on a hard park bench, he recalls the soft Simmons mattress he once had; when he has to rummage through the trash for food, he remembers the pan-fried foie gras he once hired a Michelin three-star chef to prepare for him; when he shivers in the cold wind, he remembers the handmade fur coats that once filled his entire wardrobe.

This huge gap can put immense psychological pressure on a person, and as time goes on, this pressure will only become heavier until it finally crushes them completely.

But if he has never experienced the life of a billionaire, then even if the life of a homeless person is very hard, he will at most complain a few times, but will not bear the pressure caused by this disparity.

And that's what Scáthach was thinking.

One can endure darkness as long as one has never seen the light.

Chapter 53 My Mother is Going Out

Yanan actually understood Scáthach's thoughts very well.

The destruction of Britain was inevitable; it was an inevitable trend in the course of history.

The “curse” of the Halion family shows that the Britons were already considered part of the Age of Gods, meaning they were destined to be eliminated.

However, this is nothing to Yanan. With the divine keys on his body, even the restraining force can't do anything to him.

"Don't worry, Mother, even if that day really comes, I will be safe and sound."

“Anan, this is no joke. The power of the Counter Force is far more terrifying than you can imagine.” Scáthach frowned slightly. As the queen of the Land of Shadows, she knew very well how powerful the Counter Force was. In fact, it could be said that almost no being belonging to this planet could defeat the Counter Force.