That familiar voice pierced into Thor's heart like the first light of dawn!
The gloom and despair on his face were instantly swept away. He shouted with uncontrollable excitement:
"Uncle Luo!"
Russell, who appeared through the Bifrost, heard the lively voice and knew the other party was fine. Still, he frowned slightly at being called by that old nickname.
After giving a brief nod, he turned to look at the man sealed by Odin—his brother.
The man had gray hair, dark eyes, and an aura of eerie wickedness that couldn't be dispelled.
But there was no fear on the snake's face, as if he had long anticipated this moment.
A sinister smile spread across his lips.
"You really killed them."
Russell raised an eyebrow, mildly surprised.
"If you knew they couldn't stop me, why let them die in vain?"
The snake's shoulders shook.
"Die? Of course they were going to die!"
"Heh… heh… HAHAHAHAHA!!"
He burst into maniacal laughter.
The previously clear sky suddenly turned gray, and fierce winds howled through the air!
The snake's hair rapidly turned black. The deep lines on his face faded away, his once thin and hunched frame straightened, and his body swelled with muscle like sculpted steel.
In mere seconds, he transformed from an old man into a strong, middle-aged warrior. An overwhelming surge of divine energy erupted from him!
Thor's expression changed drastically—as if a giant serpent now coiled through his entire field of vision, its cold, piercing gaze drilling directly into his heart.
He froze, gripped by fear, unable to even breathe.
Until—
A warm hand gently rested on his shoulder.
In that moment, the illusion shattered. Thor gasped for air as if coming back to life.
"…Thank you…"
Thor looked gratefully at Russell, still panting heavily.
This enemy… was the prophecy wrong?
Just the release of divine power alone had nearly shattered his will!
How could he possibly defeat someone like this?
Thankfully… this man stood by his side.
At that moment, Daisy was kneeling on the ground, staring up at the scene with an almost fanatical expression on her face.
The snake now looked at Russell, pride written all over his face.
He didn't attack immediately. Instead, he seemed eager to gloat, and spoke arrogantly:
"Did you really think I'd be unprepared after breaking free from the seal?"
"Your little outburst with my niece on the beach—do you honestly believe I didn't notice it?"
"The Soul-Eater Hammer wasn't my first move. It was the Soul Stealer!"
"My first plan was to steal Jane's fate, lure Thor in, and attempt to shatter destiny itself!"
"But I wasn't sure if the Soul Stealer could defeat Thor. After all, he is Odin's son. He shouldn't be that useless."
Thor didn't feel the slightest joy at the backhanded compliment—his face went pale.
Daisy stole Jane's fate? That meant… it wasn't Jane who betrayed him. She had been used from the very beginning.
His hands trembled uncontrollably. Sparks crackled and leapt between his fingers.
The snake looked at the mentally collapsing Thor and smiled with cruel satisfaction.
And next—
He would make the rest of the gods fall, too.
"So, I prepared a second insurance plan!"
The Serpent looked at Russell, who remained calm, and said coldly:
"After I sensed that the Soul Eater had been killed by you, I made a new decision!"
"Instead of harvesting fear from ordinary humans, I decided to change my approach—I'll collect the fear of the Worthy!"
"Though they were blessed with divine power, I implanted mental suggestions deep within their hearts... your image burned into their minds!"
"And when you're about to kill them, the panic they feel will defy logic. It will give birth to unimaginable, pure fear!"
"These powers may only allow me to return to my peak for a brief time... but even temporary power is enough to bring ruin."
He raised his hand, clenched his fingers into a fist, and declared with confidence:
"As long as you are killed, this world is doomed!"
After saying that, he stood still, waiting eagerly to see fear, rage, or regret on Russell's face.
But he was disappointed.
Russell's expression didn't change. His eyes remained calm, almost indifferent, as if he hadn't even heard the threat. There wasn't a trace of fear.
It didn't make sense.
The Serpent narrowed his eyes, then suddenly sneered as a thought struck him:
"What's wrong? Given up already?"
"But it's too late. Once you stepped onto the Super Bifrost, your fate was sealed. Your life has already begun its countdown!"
As his voice faded, he finally saw a shift in Russell's expression.
RE...
Russell lowered his gaze, a strange expression forming on his face.
"Escape... what a ridiculous word."
He slowly lifted his head. Something flickered in his eyes as the corners of his mouth curled into a faint smirk.
"Don't you get it, Cul?"
"Whether your plan works or fails... whether your power is temporary or eternal... I don't care."
The Serpent—Cul—frowned slightly.
"Why not?"
Russell grinned wide, revealing two rows of white teeth, his smile tinged with madness.
"Because I'm invincible alone."
Boom!!
The air exploded.
In an instant, Russell and the Serpent vanished, only for a deafening roar to echo from afar.
Thor looked up!
He saw the Serpent pinned against the mountainside—his head forced down by Russell's hand!
From a distance, Daisy (the Soul Thief) witnessed the scene as well.
Shock first flashed across her face, then gave way to disbelief.
How... how was this possible?
That was Cul, the All-Father restored to his former power!
He was supposed to be unbeatable!
At that moment, lightning burst forth as Thor, wrapped in thunder, struck Daisy with Mjolnir and grinned viciously:
"Looks like I couldn't hold back after all. You'll die alongside Jane!"
The next second, the two clashed violently!
Boom!!
The entire mountain erupted as rubble flew in every direction!
Hovering in the sky, the Serpent's hair and beard whipped wildly in the wind. A clear, red handprint was marked across his face!
He was utterly humiliated!
His face flushed with rage, and he roared like a storm:
"Damn you! Damn you!"
"How dare you insult me! I'll rip your soul from your body and burn it in purgatory for a million years!"
Furious, divine power erupted from him, forming silver-gray armor across his body. The scepter in his hand transformed into a massive battle axe as he hurled himself toward the ground like a falling star!
A strange humming noise echoed out!
It wasn't the sound of air being torn—but space itself trembling under the weight of the blow!
Russell looked up toward the heavens, arms wide open.
Thunder, flame, and light surged back into his body.
He had no intention of dodging.
As all the divine power returned to him, it wrapped around his body, merging with him in a violent fusion!
In an instant, winter became bone, flames became flesh, thunder became armor, and death crystallized into spikes!
A monstrous, divine fist—forged entirely from raw power—collapsed the very fabric of space as it rocketed toward the Serpent!
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