Among the third party's faction, there were actually quite a few individuals.
For example, Brynhildr, who had sealed herself in the Hall of Flames. After the massive disturbance of Surtr's descent, she forcibly broke free from her self-imposed seal. And then, there was Sitonai in the castle dungeon.
She seemed to have been forgotten there. Especially after Li Mo changed his workshop, this feeling became even more pronounced.
—In truth, sometimes Sitonai wondered: was she really a prisoner? A prisoner without any shackles? What kind of prisoner was that?
As long as she didn't leave the castle or the dungeon, Sitonai could come and go as she pleased. However, she knew all her actions were under the surveillance of Scathach-Skadi. Would leaving the castle alert the other?
Then she simply wouldn't leave.
Sitonai didn't believe leaving the castle would allow her to save the world.
Moreover, between her and that Skadi, there was still a connection.
"Oh dear, I forgot about Freyja. My apologies."
The moment Sitonai stepped onto the open-air platform, she heard Skadi's voice. She spoke up, "Is Her Majesty in such a cheerful mood? That flame giant over there looks very powerful."
She had come up because of Surtr. Scanning her surroundings, she spoke again, "Huh? Where's Li Mo?"
"Him? He's in the process of *becoming a god*."
"Becoming a god?" Sitonai asked, puzzled. "Why would a mage become a god?"
Ophelia also looked over at this moment; it was the first time she had heard this statement as well.
*Becoming* a god?
What an exaggeration, what an arrogant claim.
Since the Age of Gods ended, the traces of gods had vanished from the earth. He wanted to become a god? How could he possibly...
Ophelia suddenly thought of the key point.
This was a Lostbelt.
True, actual gods were right beside her. This was a place where the Age of Gods had not yet vanished.
All the clues pieced together in her mind. Ophelia exclaimed in surprise, "Is he going to become Odin?"
"Yes, that child is going to become Odin," Skadi said gently, clearly in a good mood.
The seven-colored rainbow spanned above the castle. As the Flame Giant ceased its attack, the Bifrost no longer helped Li Mo block the assault. However, all the energy transported by the Bifrost was concentrated on Li Mo's side.
This was the child's request. He needed the Bifrost to absorb one of Surtr's attacks and convert it into energy. So, Skadi did just that.
The Bifrost was very resilient; it remained intact after enduring Surtr's attack. Its function as a replacement for the Fantasy Tree still operated.
Surtr understood this as well. The Lostbelt needed stability. What it wanted was for the world to be destroyed by the flames of the end, not for the world to be destroyed by being rejected by Human Order.
Therefore, it never attacked the Bifrost. This Flame Giant King also understood that Scathach-Skadi was not worthy to be his enemy. His true enemy was, and only was, that mage who had devoured the Fantasy Tree.
No, in his view, that was Odin.
"Become Odin? What kind of nonsense is this?" Sitonai said in astonishment. Then she pressed, "Why become a god?"
"Indeed, why become a god? That child didn't tell me. Freyja, as a mother, am I being very irresponsible like this?" Skadi said.
Considering herself the Mother of the Norse, she felt Li Mo was also her child. Even if, afterward, her relationship with this child would change.
So what?
Sitonai and Ophelia looked at each other. One was a Servant from Proper Human History, the other a Crypter from the Lostbelt. The two should have been enemies. Yet at this moment, both were perplexed by the same question.
What was Li Mo, that mysterious mage, doing? And *how* was he doing it?
"Since you're both so concerned, I'll reveal the situation over there," Skadi tapped her staff. A light screen appeared from the void, showing not Li Mo, but...
The other stood there. The Bifrost continuously transported energy, injecting it into his body. That was an immense amount of energy, yet his expression remained unchanged.
Li Mo accepted the energy from the Bifrost. The heatwave generated the moment Surtr attacked was undoubtedly massive. How could an angry strike hold back its power?
Thus, the massive energy was sufficient.
—Originally, in Li Mo's plan, he intended to rely on the Bifrost to convert the flames Surtr had once spilled upon the earth into "energy." But later calculations revealed that even with 100% conversion efficiency, it wouldn't reach the peak Li Mo required.
However, with Surtr's attack added, the result was completely different. The peak he needed was sufficient.
The forging ritual began.
"Energy," delivered by the Bifrost, complete.
"Furnace," his body's Saint Graph and cosmology adjusted to optimum.
"Material," the Fantasy Tree, prepared.
"Blueprint," already in his mind.
Surtr was still hundreds of meters away. He couldn't stop it.
And so, it began.
His body became the furnace. Immense energy was drawn inside, forging the material.
The Fantasy Tree's form underwent change.
The mystery belonging to the Fantasy Tree was preserved. New mystery was being forged into it. The abstract Fantasy Tree was being transformed step by step. Inside his body, unseen by anyone, Li Mo could feel the weapon taking shape.
Knowledge from another world, materials from this world. The mysteries of two worlds combined, forged under the support of a unique cosmology, were taking form.
"Spear."
It was complete.
Li Mo, without any special constitution, didn't need to worry about a percentage chance of failure. What he needed to do now was to draw out the "Spear."
He retrieved a crown from his inventory.
It was merely an ordinary crown, containing no magic power whatsoever.
But...
It was a symbol.
It was the crown forged from the most beautiful things selected from the nine realms that made up the Norse world before the Sword of Flame scorched them, and from droplets of shining light—a crown gifted to the bride of the gods.
The bride of the gods—Scathach-Skadi.
She was the daughter of the Giant King Thiazi. Because of Loki, her father died, so she, as a giant, came fully armed to the gods. The gods, seeking her forgiveness, promised she could freely choose a husband from among them.
In myth, after a failed marriage, she seemed to marry again.
Some say she married Ullr again.
Some say the one she married again was Odin.
Mystery is something that transforms "approximately equal to" into "equal to." It doesn't require definite reality, only vague, elusive legends, to borrow power.
The crown, named "The Gods' Lingering Love," was an object held by Scathach-Skadi. She gifted this object to her "husband."
Skadi's husband—this identity was locked onto Odin.
Thus, the one who wears the crown is "Odin"!
The ravens perched on his shoulders—those were Huginn and Muninn.
The Ice Goddess, Skadi's husband.
The "Spear" that never misses when thrown.
"Only the final step remains."
Surtr was not far away. Its massive form was already close at hand.
"Sainthood Transformation · Odin" lacked only the final step.
Legend says that beneath the roots of the World Tree lies a well containing all "wisdom," guarded by someone named Mimir. Odin went there and exchanged his right eye for wisdom.
Right, the one eye is still missing.
No need to hang upside down. Just the one eye is needed. And the "Spear" is still inside his body.
So, what needs to be done requires no further explanation.
To draw out the "Spear."