Chapter 73: The Mirror Node of Asgard

[Ding! Chest opened. Congratulations, you have obtained the Roar of the Twelve Palaces (Sacred Fire Edition)!]

In an instant, Feng Zhe received all the knowledge of this secret technique. His face showed a hint of surprise as if he had gained a new understanding of the altar’s space.

It was well known that the Roar of the Twelve Palaces was the ultimate technique formed by the combined might of all twelve Gold Saints, a move considered the strongest among humankind. Its power was so immense that it surpassed the limits of the human body, and every time it was used, the user’s physical form would collapse. One could say this technique was more akin to a move meant for mutual destruction.

However, the version of the Roar of the Twelve Palaces (Sacred Fire Edition) obtained from the mirror node chest was not the traditional fusion of the twelve saints’ spirits. Instead, it was forged from the unique Sacred Fire of the Twelve Palaces.

The Altar Cloth itself was special, able to contain even more Sacred Fire than usual. The Sacred Fire of the Twelve Palaces was now in Feng Zhe’s possession, and with it, he had awakened his Seventh Sense, becoming a Gold Saint.

Due to the inherent limitations of the Sacred Fire and the microcosm, this Sacred Fire Edition of the Roar of the Twelve Palaces was somewhat inferior to the original—a simplified version, so to speak. Even so, it was still far more powerful than the usual ultimate moves wielded by ordinary Gold Saints.

[Next mirror node: a clash of gods. Total faith energy: 50,000. Does the host wish to enter?]

“Only 50,000?”

This mirror node’s total faith was clearly less than that of the Crimson Youth and even less than the Goddess of Discord, yet there were many gods involved this time. Not to mention Doluba, the leader of Asgard, but also Loki, the God Warrior lurking in the shadows—a formidable deity in his own right.

At that moment, another prompt sounded.

[Ding! Special notice: This time, the mirror node is role-playing. The host will enter the body of Priest Freyr and, by aiding Athena, will obtain faith energy.]

[The host must complete three tasks: First, help Hyoga break free from the control of the Demon Fist; second, force Doluba, the leader of Asgard, to abdicate and install Priestess Hilda as ruler of the Norse lands; third, expose the true identity of God Warrior Loki and defeat him.]

Feng Zhe was taken aback. He hadn’t expected this mirror node to be a role-playing scenario, nor did it require significant changes to the original plot. Only Loki, he thought, might prove troublesome.

Recalling the plot of this movie in his mind, the story was set before Queen Hilda’s ascension. The North was ruled by Doluba, who sought to dominate the world, only to be ultimately defeated by a single arrow from Seiya.

Priest Freyr hailed from a family of priests. He had two younger sisters: Hilda herself and the Norse maiden Freya. Freyr was considered Odin’s most devout follower.

In the end, Freyr sacrificed his life to rescue Saori, who had been strung up like a dried fish, unwittingly foiling Doluba’s schemes. In the Sanctuary, he was seen as a hero, but to the people of the North, he was nothing short of a traitor.

When Feng Zhe opened his eyes again, he found himself in a palace that resembled a celestial shrine. He was dressed in the attire of a Norse noble: golden hair, tall and handsome—a true paragon of Norse aristocracy.

“Not bad at all!”

Feng Zhe was quite satisfied with his appearance. As he admired himself in the mirror, a graceful young maiden entered the room.

Smiling, Feng Zhe greeted her, “Freya, shouldn’t you be serving Odin in Valhalla? What brings you to the palace?”

As a priestess serving Odin, Freya usually remained in the Valhalla temple. Feng Zhe, now playing Freyr, was stationed at the palace as a priest, holding both divine office and certain privileges.

“Brother, the Sanctuary envoy went missing on Norse soil a few days ago. Sister Hilda suspects it’s the work of Doluba. Now that Athena herself has come from the Sanctuary, I fear trouble may be brewing.”

Apart from himself, the only other priest with authority in Valhalla was Hilda, whose strength was no less than his own.

“I’ve already sent people to investigate the missing envoy. Come, let’s greet Athena of the Sanctuary together.”

As Feng Zhe and Freya walked onward, he could clearly sense the hostile gazes of the God Warriors around them—as if they were looking at someone they despised. Evidently, the palace was under Doluba’s complete control.

Pushing open the grand golden doors, they found Miss Saori, who had failed to find Hyoga and was now the target of Doluba’s mockery.

“If Hyoga cannot be found, we won’t trouble you further,” said Saori. Though displeased with Doluba, she showed no sign of it, remaining gracious as she prepared to leave.

At that moment, Feng Zhe entered and said, “Allow me to escort you, Miss Saori. My carriage awaits.”

With his striking looks and tender gaze, Saori felt a strange sense of familiarity, as if she were meeting an old friend. Though it was their first encounter, she could not shake off the feeling and immediately asked, “You are…?”

“I am Freyr, priest in service of Odin. It’s an honor to meet you, Athena of the Sanctuary.”

That same familiar look in his eyes left Saori with the illusion that she had met him before.

Shun, always sensitive, whispered to Seiya, “He feels a lot like Alex…”

Seiya, looking rather aloof, replied, “Maybe it’s just the priestly aura. They all seem the same.”

With Shun’s reminder, Saori suddenly realized how similar this man was to Alex of the Altar—the resemblance was uncanny, save for the difference in appearance. Were it not for that, she might have thought they were the same person.

At this point, Doluba, the leader of Asgard, let out a chuckle and said, “So Freya is here too. How is your sister Hilda?”

Freya curtsied and replied, “Chief, my sister is well. She prays daily for the land of the North.”

Doluba’s eyes were full of disdain as he said, “If prayers worked, the people of the North wouldn’t suffer so much cold and hardship. We, who have never seen the sun, are not easily understood by people from the Sanctuary like you!”

He glanced at Saori, who replied calmly, “Peace and prosperity on earth depend as much on the efforts of the North. This is, after all, the will of Odin.”

“Tch!” Doluba’s scorn deepened. He muttered, “Another one just like Hilda.”

Doluba saw Saori and Hilda as kindred spirits—hardly worthy adversaries, and thus, utterly uninteresting.

Losing interest, Saori soon left with Seiya and the others.

Along the way, several God Warriors, with ill intent, tried to challenge Seiya and his friends, but Feng Zhe intervened each time.

Only one God Warrior, clad in golden armor with his face hidden behind a helmet, blocked Shiryu’s path.

Shiryu eyed him curiously, sensing an intense aura of hatred, and grew wary.

Feng Zhe said nothing, simply guiding Saori away from the palace.

It seemed that a great battle was about to erupt.