Devouring World Dragon

Chapter 71 Hela's Rejection

“Hah…hah…”

In the jungle, a blurry figure was bent over from exhaustion, leaning against a tree and panting heavily.

In his ears, he could faintly hear the thunderous footsteps of the giants driven by the gods, stomping across the mountains and fields as they searched for his whereabouts. These obedient giants, though powerful, were clearly not very intelligent. Just moments before, a tree giant had passed by him, completely unaware that his target was hiding in the grass less than half an arm's length away.

However, even if these giants were dull-witted, hiding for seven days and seven nights without sleep would be enough to exhaust Loki.

Before my eyes, countless images of the future are flashing, and most of these uncertain futures foreshadow a tragic ending...

"Tethered to a rock? Hah... Geofein, was this your doing?"

He clutched his throbbing head while muttering a cold laugh to himself.

In his premonition, he already understood that he would probably be bound to a stone, just like the curse that Geofein had placed upon him.

Although Geofein does not have the power to determine the future, she is very good at interfering with the future through curses, which is why the gods are quite wary of her and unwilling to offend her.

Since drinking from the Well of Wisdom, Loki has gained the ability to see visions of the future. Various uncertain future scenarios often suddenly appear before him, and these futures are often uncertain and can be changed.

It's like if Loki woke up drunk and foresaw that he might be caught and beaten by Thor for breaking one of Thor's treasures, he could easily foresee this and avoid touching the treasure. Both futures exist simultaneously, and it's up to Loki to choose.

However, among countless uncertain futures, there is only one future that is so clear and certain that there are no other possibilities...

The destruction of the gods.

Odin, the king of the gods, knew this future, so he became taciturn; Frigg, the queen of the gods, was a Norn, and she also knew this future through her precognitive abilities, so she was equally worried.

The wise giant also knew this future, but he did nothing and simply waited calmly for his death; the three sisters of fate also knew this future, but their birth itself meant that their uncertain fate had already been determined and could not be changed, which is why the three sisters of fate were born to maintain the operation of fate.

Unaware of their impending doom, the gods and giants continued their battle, oblivious to the impending end of the world.

But Loki was not willing to give up.

He wouldn't so easily succumb to fate.

Loki once tried to use his precognitive abilities to change this future. He foresaw that his three unruly children would overthrow the World Tree, and for this reason, he acquiesced to Odin's treatment of his three children in an attempt to avoid Ragnarok.

However, fate was far more wondrous than he had imagined.

Because he tacitly approved of Odin's treatment of his three children, the wolf became wild and untamed, ambitious and intent on devouring the gods; the serpent, unable to bear its hunger, swallowed the sun and was sealed in the sea by the gods; Hela resented the gods for banishing her to the desolate world of death, and her hatred remained unquenched.

He had wondered what would have happened if he hadn't approved of Odin's approach and instead chosen to discipline the three siblings himself.
But probably... it wouldn't be of any use.

Fate is so cruel; he tried so hard to avoid fate, but in the end he had to actively bring it to fruition.

He could not accept that his children would be sealed away forever, and was forced to argue with Odin. Odin, who had already decided that these three monsters would be a scourge to the universe, would never agree with his idea.

In the underwater palace, his mockery and his audacity were perhaps his final showdown with Odin...

Are you so afraid of fate? You don't even dare to confront it head-on once?

Faced with his silent mockery, Odin did not answer him directly, but he already understood Odin's choice...

He leaned against the tree, tilted his head back, and breathed heavily. Evading the pursuit of the gods was no easy task, and casting spells also consumed a lot of his energy. Seven days and seven nights of running away had exhausted his strength.

He knew he probably couldn't escape.

In those future visions, an indescribably large net suddenly descended from the sky and captured him; at this moment, the gods had already discovered his location.

But now, he was completely powerless to resist.

However, as he looked up at the vast net descending upon him, a strange mockery flickered in his dim eyes, and he murmured something.

"Ha... Odin... you really are a coward..."

Immediately, the falling net completely enveloped the already exhausted god of fire and evil.

……

As the net loosened, a powerful foot suddenly kicked him in the back. Loki, momentarily losing his balance, fell to the ground in a sorry state, splashing dirty water all over the former god.

Then, the large foot stomped heavily on his back, preventing him from standing up. "Loki, it's time for you to get your just desserts."

The familiar voice of Thor entered his ears, but it was no longer as upright as before; instead, it carried a chilling undertone.

Loki understood that Thor hated him to the core.

Unable to stand, he could only lie on the ground, barely managing to lift his head to look around. In this underground cave, all the gods had arrived, forming a circle around Loki, watching him helplessly as Thor trampled him to the ground.

They all came to witness the death of this evil god.

Loki raised his head and slowly looked around, only to be met with the disgust and hostility of the gods.

Looking at those deities, he couldn't help but laugh...

"Hehe...hohohoho...hahahahahaha..."

The laughter carried a hint of desolation and self-mockery.

Now that things have come to this, what is it that I still want to see?
Did he really think that some deity might have any pity for him?
In the eyes of these gods, he was nothing more than an evil god trampled into the mud...

At that moment, the chilling voice rang out again from behind.

"You'll get your head smashed by me... Loki."

With the sound of a heavy object being dragged, Loki felt a growing heaviness on his body. Without turning his head, Loki knew that Thor was raising his hammer, Mjolnir, high, ready to smash his head.

However, Loki did not resist; he simply lay calmly in the mud, awaiting his fate.

Perhaps death will allow him to escape this weary world...

At least, he wasn't tied to a stone as he saw it. Although it was an uncertain future, it was still a small act of resistance against fate.

But after a long while, Loki was met with Thor's astonished voice from behind.

"how come……"

Immediately, a female voice rang out.

“I’ve already said it, Hela will not accept Loki’s soul into the Underworld.”

Loki looked up at the sound, only to see the goddess Geofein standing among the gods, looking at him with a frown.

“Hela won’t let her father enter the Underworld as a dead man. Loki won’t die unless Hela approves. Let’s tie him up and keep him in this underground cave forever.”

Hel, the realm of Hel, is the final resting place of all living beings. Even gods, after death, can only be under Hel's jurisdiction. With Hel's power, any soul she does not wish to accept can indeed remain immortal.

However, the living have their own order, and the dead have their own rules. Hela's forceful refusal to accept Loki's soul to ensure Loki's survival will likely come at a considerable price.

"This guy... is getting more and more outrageous."

Among the gods, one god was angered.

As Hela gained deeper and deeper control over Hel, she became increasingly defiant towards the rule of the Aesir gods. She had previously refused to return the soul of Baldr, the god of light, and now she was refusing to accept Loki's soul into Hel.

All these signs were enough to make these gods angry at Hela.

Is it Hela?

Meanwhile, Loki thought to himself, then chuckled to himself.

"It seems I'm destined to remain bound to the stone... This fulfills Geofein's curse."

Among the gods, Odin, the king of the gods, watched him silently, and no one could guess what the king of the gods was thinking.

Then, he suddenly spoke.

"Helmod, go and bring Loki's two children—Nalver and Vali."

(End of this chapter)