Chapter 76: Deep Within Hilda's Heart

"Saori!" Seiya shouted, watching as a massive tentacle wrapped itself around her, lifting her whole body into the air. Seiya, Shiryu, Shun, Hyoga, and even Ikki all struggled in vain against the tentacles' grip, unable to break free.

On the other side, Hilda too was swept up into the air by the tentacles, while Fengzhe’s light-speed punches landed on their rubbery surface as though striking a sponge, leaving them utterly unaffected.

Dolbar burst into laughter. "The tentacles of the Kraken of the North Sea possess the greatest strength in this world. No one can escape their grasp, not even Saints."

As Dolbar cackled, a tentacle suddenly coiled tightly around him. With a startled cry, he shouted, "Loki!"

Loki cast him a contemptuous glance. "You thought you could act from the shadows, but you’re truly useless."

No sooner had he spoken than the tentacle constricted Dolbar even more, crushing his purple armor to fragments. Then, on the ground below, a gaping maw lined with teeth opened, an abyssal pit that seemed bottomless.

"No! You can’t do this to me!" Dolbar screamed as the tentacle flung him into the chasm. His wailing faded as he perished from the world.

"Trash belongs where trash should go," Loki spat, then turned his gaze to Fengzhe, who kept teleporting, always a step ahead of the tentacles no matter how many reached for him.

At that moment, all the previous priests whose souls had been drained toppled into the massive pit in the ground.

Suddenly, Saori cried out in midair as a tentacle prepared to cast her into the abyss. In that instant, a golden cloth appeared on Seiya. He donned the Sagittarius Gold Cloth in the blink of an eye and, with a single arrow, shattered the tentacle binding Saori.

Seiya caught Saori in his arms at the perfect moment, looking every bit the hero.

Elsewhere, a mysterious sacred flame appeared in Fengzhe’s hands, and the tentacles recoiled in fear from its fire. In no time, he managed to rescue Hilda.

"What is that…" Saori, sharp-eyed, noticed the sacred flame in Fengzhe’s hand, bewilderment flooding her face.

Fengzhe stopped hiding his power and shouted loudly. From the sky, the Altar Cloth descended once more, shining with boundless radiance. With a clear chime, the Altar Cloth donned itself onto Fengzhe. Yet this time, it was not Alex, but a pure-blooded Norse—Freyr, the priest of Odin.

"That Cloth…!" Saori was stunned, her face overwhelmed with disbelief.

Seiya shouted too, "Isn’t that Alex’s Cloth?!"

Fengzhe’s eyes were resolute, especially as he gazed at the one behind the tentacles—the god called Loki.

He shouted, "Sacrifice! Sacred Flame!"

A blazing fire like the sun itself roared forth, its peerless heat incinerating any tentacle it touched, turning them instantly to vapor. The sacred fire struck Loki directly.

Loki was seized by terror, and what terrified him most was that the flames could not be extinguished, no matter how he struggled.

He screamed in horror, "The Flame of Olympus! No!"

The sacred fire burned Loki to death, and with his demise, the palace of Asgard collapsed. The great hall came crashing down, stones thundering to the earth.

"Quick, we must go!" Fengzhe shouted, and Seiya and the others nodded. Each took hold of another and together they escaped the ruins.

…

"Where is Alex?" As soon as Saori landed, she turned to Freyr, seeking the origin of the Cloth he wore, desperate to know where it came from.

Even Hilda gazed at the Cloth upon Freyr with puzzled eyes.

Fengzhe smiled. "He is training far away. When Athena is in danger again, he will appear."

The news that Alex was still alive brought a smile to Saori’s face. Seiya and the others were incredulous, repeatedly confirming it, and when Freyr affirmed it, they all broke into smiles.

Feigning mystery, Fengzhe pointed toward an unknown direction with the Altar Cloth, telling them that was the place where Alex was training.

"Since the incident with Abel, the Sun God, this news is invaluable to Sanctuary. Thank you, Freyr," Saori said.

Even Saori now regarded Freyr as Alex’s disciple, and Fengzhe did nothing to correct her misconception, letting the misunderstanding stand.

Afterward, with Saori as witness, Hilda was crowned ruler of the North, and soon she was surrounded by her loyal followers, including Siegfried.

Later, Queen Hilda met with Fengzhe alone.

"You are not Freyr, but a Saint of Sanctuary, aren’t you?" As expected, such things could be hidden from Saori, but not from Hilda, her sister.

"Yes. Thank you for keeping my secret," Fengzhe replied, ceasing his pretense but not confirming her suspicion outright. Unnecessary trouble is best avoided.

Hilda did not ask where Freyr’s soul was, but instead said, "From the beginning, your purpose has always been to help Athena. I can see that."

"And you never exposed me, instead you cooperated. Isn’t that so?" Fengzhe countered. Hilda gazed into the distant stars, sighing. "In this world, Asgard is simply too weak."

Deep inside, Hilda longed for sunlight—Loki’s words were, in truth, her own hidden desires. The Nibelung Ring had merely amplified them. In essence, she was not all that different from Dolbar, just better at hiding it.

Fengzhe was startled by this sudden insight, but soon understood. Hilda had not failed to try; her powerful cosmos had even summoned the legendary God Warriors of the Big Dipper, who were even stronger than Dolbar’s own God Warriors.

Yet, despite all this, they still could not defeat the Saints of Sanctuary, not even a few Bronze Saints.

So, rather than let the Norse forces perish entirely, it was better to save what remained, to preserve some strength. That was why, after Seiya struck her down, Hilda seemed to awaken as if from a dream.

Everyone thought the Nibelung Ring had been destroyed, but in truth, it was all an illusion.

Had Hilda known that a few words could let Fengzhe see through her, she surely would not have spoken them.

Fengzhe sighed and then said, "On this land of the North, legend tells of seven special God Warriors, named for the stars of the Big Dipper. Together, they protect this land."

Hilda started in surprise. "You know where these God Warriors are?"

Fengzhe shook his head gently. "Their whereabouts are recorded in the annals of Valhalla. I hope you can use their power wisely. The people of the North cannot endure another war of the gods."

With that, before Hilda could reply, Fengzhe vanished.