Muspelheim lived up to its name as the Land of Fire. Scorching lava was everywhere, and the smell of sulfur constantly hung in the air.
Red magma flowed between gray-black rocks, while thick yellow smoke drifted across the sky. The excessive heat left no room for vegetation, and ordinary life could hardly survive in such a hostile environment.
But temperatures like these could do Thor no harm. He strolled through the hellish landscape of Muspelheim, carefully searching for traces of Surtur or his offspring.
Harsh as Muspelheim's environment was, that did not mean it was completely devoid of life. Otherwise, what would Surtur, its ruler, have to rule over? According to Asgard's records, Muspelheim had its own society and army.
So far, however, Thor had encountered only wild beasts, not a single intelligent creature.
And because of the harsh environment, the creatures that could survive here were not only tenacious but exceptionally ferocious, causing Thor no small amount of trouble during his search.
"What a rotten, miserable place."
Thor kicked a large, flame-covered lizard into a river of lava and grumbled irritably.
He had been wandering around Muspelheim for over ten days without seeing a single person. He was even beginning to wonder whether he was looking in the wrong place. Perhaps the Fire Giant who had appeared in his dreams was not from Muspelheim at all.
Just as Thor began to consider giving up, a group of humanoid creatures suddenly appeared before him. They looked as though they had been molded from charcoal, with all sorts of strange horns growing from their heads. Their bodies were pitch-black, but sparks of fire glimmered in their eyes and through the cracks in their skin.
"Aaargh!"
The Charcoal Men let out strange roars and charged at Thor, one after another.
Their numbers,