The Powerful Hela, a Feeble Counterattack

"Soldiers, attack!!"

The pre-battle mobilization had long since ended. Facing Hela's charge, Thor let out an angry roar.

Rumble!!

"Kill!!"

Amid flashing lightning and rolling thunder, battle cries shook the heavens.

Leading the charge, Thor swung Mjolnir and aimed a blow at Hela's forehead. But the instant she sidestepped and prepared to counterattack, he suddenly twisted his wrist, sweeping Mjolnir sideways and changing its trajectory toward the Night Sky Sword in her hand.

The old Asgardian generals had told him how terrifying Hela was. Leaving aside the exquisite swordsmanship that had once made the entire Nine Realms tremble, her use of divine power surpassed everyone else's.

He relied on Mjolnir to command lightning; it was essentially an amplifier for divine power. Hela was the same.

Letting her keep hold of her weapon was far too dangerous, no matter how he looked at it.

Yet his seemingly certain feint failed to connect.

Hela's eyes held arrogance and utter certainty. Facing Mjolnir sweeping in from her right, she swiftly turned her sword tip counterclockwise, loosened and clenched her fingers, shifting the Night Sky Sword from a forward grip to a reverse grip. Then she pushed off hard with her long legs and shot forward like a cannonball.

Clang!!

Sparks flew as they crossed paths.

Thor spat blood and was sent flying backward.

"W-Way too fast!"

His eyes were filled with shock. It would have been one thing if his carefully planned surprise attack had missed, but she had even come up with a counterattack so quickly?

Combat instincts at that level could not be developed without surviving countless battles.

And the strike had been crushingly powerful, with no sign that it had been improvised!

If he had not brought several life-saving treasures from the Treasure Room before coming here, that sword would