Surtr, the last Giant King. His flames rose from Muspelheim, burning across all nine realms, destroying all of Norse mythology.
He destroyed everything indiscriminately. Humans, gods. Sky, earth, trees, flowers... everything was reduced to ashes. He was the world-ender, the absolute destroyer.
He was the enemy of the gods.
In the long passage of time, Skadi had long forgotten this name. Yes, Surtr's physical body was the sun in the sky, sealed within the cage created by the Great God. That seal was so strong, an unbreakable cage from the inside.
But now, has it escaped?
Almost instinctively, Skadi wanted to mobilize her power to capture "Sigurd," to observe whether Surtr's will was hidden within him. If so, Skadi would deem him an enemy.
In Scathach-Skadi's eyes, there were only two kinds of life: those who were her beloved "children," and those who were enemies to be destroyed. Facing Servants summoned from Proper Human History, she provisionally categorized them as her "children" since they did not engage in indiscriminate destruction upon arrival. That's why Napoleon was still active on the land of the Scandinavian Lostbelt.
But Surtr... he was definitely not a "child."
He was an enemy, one that must be eliminated. The reason this world became like this was because of his existence.
Scathach-Skadi exerted her power. In this Lostbelt, all ice and snow were manifestations of her power. This meant that acting within the Lostbelt was equivalent to dancing in the palm of her hand.
Power surged, and a blizzard raged outside; the world's environment grew harsh. She raised her hand, preparing to summon the Valkyries to arrest "Sigurd."
"Why are you stopping me? Could it be that this is false information?"
"Your Majesty, my loyalty to you is absolute. I only mean to say that, from observation, the current 'Sigurd' actually restrains Surtr."
"Oh?"
"Although I don't know how little Ophelia managed it. I can confirm that Sigurd's Saint Graph binds Surtr's will, preventing Surtr from acting as he pleases."
Skadi calmed down, and the blizzard outside subsided. The two in the palace maintained the previous atmosphere.
She fell into thought, then said, "Then you should know that the sun of this world is Surtr's physical body."
Li Mo nodded. "Yes, of course I know. The energy of this world's sun and the flames on the ground share the same origin. How could I not notice?"
"When did you find out?"
"Probably a few months ago. Back then, 'Sigurd' made me very curious. A Saint Graph from Proper Human History, yet carrying the aura of the Lostbelt. Disharmony equals secrets, and secrets make people want to investigate."
Li Mo stated the logical chain.
During that period, he was engrossed in research, mainly perfecting theoretical studies. Knowing that Sigurd was Surtr was entirely due to the knowledge he brought with him.
But Skadi didn't know that.
She said, "What are your thoughts?"
"I want to kill Surtr."
"Hmm?"
An expression of surprise appeared on Scathach-Skadi's face.
Then, she said in astonishment, "You want to kill Surtr? Am I hearing correctly?"
Something unexpected had happened.
Surtr, who was he?
He was the primordial Fire Giant, the Giant King who resided in Muspelheim, the being who caused Ragnarok in this world to be so brutal. He was the enemy of gods, the world-ender.
Fenrir, Loki, and even the Great God died because of him.
Kill him? Is it possible?
Scathach-Skadi's gaze turned cold. She said, "Li Mo, I hope you can provide a reasonable explanation. If you let Surtr escape from the seal and cannot kill him, then death will be the least of our worries."
Then, Skadi began to recount the past.
"The difference between the Scandinavian Lostbelt and Proper Human History lies in the Ragnarok of 3,000 years ago. In that end of the world, Surtr went out of control.
The primordial Fire Giant, he was the aspect of destruction hidden within the primordial giant (Ymir), a limited 'sun' extending towards the future, a termination device designed to end the Norse Age of Gods.
But, he betrayed fate. Merely ending the Norse Age of Gods could not satisfy him. The true 'sun'—the end of the planet—was what he desired.
Thus...
He devoured Fenrir, the divine wolf of ice. Probably due to underestimation, Surtr, having devoured the true sun, defeated, tore apart, and consumed him. His power grew even stronger. He killed Loki, killed gods, killed the Giant Kings.
Using the void left by the disappearance of the true sun, he connected his origin—Muspelheim—to the sky, attempting to use its physical descent to bring about the twilight of the gods and the world. He wanted to completely destroy the nine realms forming the Norse world, even burn the entire planet.
That was the Great Conflagration that terrified the gods.
The surviving Great God and the other gods resisted, but they failed. Or rather, it was mutual destruction. The gods were completely slain. Muspelheim was sealed by the final Runes cast by the Great God, becoming the false sun.
In the end, only I, having inherited the Great God's power and fused with the 'woman of fate (Scáthach)' through the Great God's hand, survived as the sole god."
She did not recount what happened afterward because the person before her knew very well.
Back then, the world was burning with Surtr's flames. Her power became ice and snow, restraining those violent flames. She created masks, used the superior authority inherited from her father, Skaði, to control giants, established villages to protect humans. Using three Valkyries as prototypes, she created hundreds of mass-produced Valkyries.
And so, 3,000 years passed.
"Knowing all this, do you still want to kill Surtr?"
"Your Majesty. I understand that he was an opponent even the Great God could not defeat. It's normal for you, who inherited only a part of the Great God's power, to think Surtr cannot be defeated. But in my eyes, in human eyes, Surtr is not undefeatable."
Li Mo said.
In the original story, Napoleon's all-or-nothing strike showed the light of possibility. Ophelia used her Mystic Eyes aided by a Command Spell, followed by the final blow from Sigurd and others. If they could achieve it, couldn't he?
"There's no turning back from this."
"I have a very high chance of success."
"You want to forge the Fantasy Tree into the 'Spear of the Chief God' to kill Surtr."
"Yes."
Skadi saw it now. The other party had planned this long ago. Perhaps from the moment he entered this Lostbelt, he began preparations.
She asked again, "How do you know you can defeat Surtr? Do you know how powerful he is? He is not the Surtr of Proper Human History. He devoured Fenrir; he is the symbol of destruction."
"Of course I know. I have seen it."
As he spoke, Li Mo's eyes turned golden.
They were not the eyes of a normal human. Skadi could even further determine they were not Mystic Eyes.
At this moment, his aura leaked out. Skadi could feel it—he was no longer human.
Skadi inquired, "Why... why do you carry the aura of the Great God? Could it be your purpose is..."
"The me of now might not be able to kill Surtr. But the me who becomes a god will be enough to kill him."
"This is my purpose, respected Lady Skadi."
"I will become a god."
Li Mo calmly declared.
His golden pupils were filled with indifference.