Strax continued watching the images appearing inside the cracked crystal, but his expression showed neither fear nor surprise. The structures forming within that incomplete reproduction were easy to interpret: reinforced wings, plates resistant to heat, muscles prepared to withstand sudden changes in temperature, and a core capable of alternating between opposite extremes. The network had analyzed his attacks, his defenses, and the way he used White Fire and Black Ice. It was trying to build a predator specialized in hunting him.
The mistake, however, lay precisely in the confidence placed in that analysis.
The thing beneath the desert knew the powers Strax had shown during a few battles. It did not know everything he could do and, most importantly, it did not understand how he made decisions.
Frieren was still examining the crystal when Strax approached Monica and pointed toward the center of the map.
"We are not returning to Asgard."
