The Grim Reaper in the Mist (Two Updates) / An Older Sister-Type's Caretaker (Three Updates)

Hexi judged through her senses that Anixid was still alive and kicking and fighting with the southern city-state, so she was safe for the time being and there was no problem.

In a sense, this war was a test set by Queen Kaisa for Anixid to unify the native civilization and take over the Merlot Heavenly Court.

Hexi didn't want to break the rules, so he spent his days idly protecting this little girl.

Moreover, according to Kevin's previous intelligence, this Southern Queen seems to be hiding many secrets, and may have some significant connection with the Super God Academy.

Having witnessed the rebellion of the Apocalypse King Liang Bing, Hexi's trust in Anixid has reached rock bottom.

Now that we've finally encountered a native nobleman who seems to have a grudge against Anixid, it would be a waste not to make good use of him.

Rather than eagerly heading south to be used as a pawn, they'd be better off taking the opportunity to find out more about Anixid.

Of course, acts like saving lives aren't exactly sacred, but they're both willing to do them if it's within their reach.

"You are certainly not from the North..."

Sejuani's eyes narrowed slightly, her voice hoarse yet calm and deep.

Upon hearing this, Kevin paused for a moment in surprise, then nodded with a smile. He was about to explain when Sejuani raised her hand to stop him.

The man's fake smile faded slightly, and a different meaning appeared in his eyes.

Indeed, to become the Grand Duke of the North in a patriarchal era dominated by cold weapons and harsh conditions, Sejuani's mind was definitely not just about muscles.

Moreover, she already guessed that her next words would mostly be a prepared draft with little truth in them.

Delicate skin, different styles of clothing, different eating habits...

Coupled with their complete ignorance of the Howling Abyss, this is enough to prove the earlier, vague suspicions.

But the Grand Duke of the North only mentioned it casually before bypassing the issue of Kevin and Hexi's identities and starting to talk about the specific information about the Howling Abyss.

"Legend has it that tens of thousands of years ago, a fierce war between angels and demons took place in Freyja, and this place is located at the heart of it."

"At that time, the earth cracked open, forming the Howling Abyss, where the rain of blood and the falling bones were mostly buried, transforming into Ghost and abundant magical tides."

Therefore, monsters that emerge from the abyss are extremely dangerous...

"Add to that the unpredictable surges in magical energy and blizzards, and the human villages and cities of the North are being destroyed one by one..."

"Humanity has repeatedly sent warriors into the Howling Abyss, hoping to contain the blizzards and magical tides, but all attempts have failed in the early stages..."

"But everything miraculously calmed down when three sisters from destroyed villages risked their lives to enter there, and the North has been at peace ever since."

Sejuani paused, then turned and took out a thick family tree made of animal hide from the bedroom, unfolding it to show the two of them, her tone somewhat solemn.

"Serilda, Avarosa, and Lissandra, these are the legendary three sisters from ancient times..."

"They are called legendary because they were blessed and thus founded a great kingdom in the North, Winter Fortress being their legacy..."

Kevin and Hexi looked at the three names at the top of the family tree and their eyes showed a hint of solemnity.

"So?"

Sejuani nodded slightly, pointed to herself, and looked meaningfully to the south.

"That's right, we are descendants of the legendary three sisters, and I have inherited the bravery and skill of my Serilda, Serilda..."

"And that Queen of the South inherited Avarosa's wisdom..."

"As for the Frost Guard near Howling Abyss, they underwent Lissandra's magical baptism..."

"Therefore, all Three Northern Tribes possess a distinctive Ice Bloodline..."

At that moment, Kevin's deep question echoed in Hexi's mind.

"Would you angels bestow such a blessing? Ice Bloodline, could it be a demon?"

The Heavenly Foundation King narrowed his eyes, his expression grave.

"The Merlot Heavenly Court has never interfered with the early stages of racial evolution. This kind of blessing, which alters the talent for energy manipulation at the genetic level, is forbidden..."

"Besides, do you think those Ghost could do that?"

Kevin nodded silently, his brow furrowed.

If Ghost cannot do it, then unless the one who bestowed the blessing upon the legendary three sisters was neither an angel nor a demon...

Chapter 975, Section 1019 (Second Grim Reaper)

"Speaking of which, according to historical records, after the three ancestors died in the war, they left behind strict ancestral precepts..."

"The Three Northern Tribes must guard the vicinity of the Howling Abyss and kill any monsters that emerge from it..."

"This is the mission we were given from birth..."

Sejuani closed the family tree, pondered with her eyes closed, and casually placed it on the table.

Defend the Howling Abyss? Slay monsters? The blessing of the legendary three sisters... something seems a little eerie.

Kevin tapped rhythmically on the table with his right hand, his expression inscrutable.

"Then may I ask, why is Queen Anixid in the southern kingdoms?"

Seeing that her friend was deep in thought, Hexi didn't want to disturb him, so she couldn't help but bring up the question that she was more concerned about.

"Queen? Heh..."

"She's a coward who can't live in the North. To survive, she led her people inland, abandoning the mission entrusted to us by our ancestors!"

Sejuani clearly had a lot of opinions about Anixid, and couldn't help but show disdain and dissatisfaction whenever the name of this ancient relative was mentioned.

Subsequently, after further questioning by Kevin and Hexi, Sejuani recounted without reservation the specific process of the Anixid family's migration.

More than a decade ago, the Howling Abyss suddenly unleashed its fury for unknown reasons. Prolonged blizzards and magical tides caused crop failures, and Beast were infected and turned into Magical Beast, making hunting increasingly difficult.

A great famine and a beast tide followed, causing heavy casualties among the three Frost Tribes, with few children surviving past the age of ten.

Meanwhile, the Anixid clan, whose main occupation was farming, suffered a sharp decline in population, and their settlements were overrun by rampant Magical Beast.

In order to survive, this group of people chose to abandon the bravery in their blood and migrate to the warmer and more comfortable southern border.

Around that time, Anixid also mingled with the crowd and parted ways with her former friend, Sejuani.

Kevin, who had pieced together these hidden pieces of information from an outsider's perspective, couldn't help but marvel.

For Sejuani, Affliction is her strength, hunger can be an encouragement, and frost is an ally that eliminates the weak.

She ultimately passed the test of nature and led her tribe to defeat the surrounding covetous enemies, establishing Winter Fortress.

This woman is domineering, stubborn, and extremely resilient, making her well-suited to survive in the harsh environment of the North.

In her dog-eat-dog worldview, Anixid, who fled her homeland and chose to play war games with the southern kingdoms, was undoubtedly a despicable traitor.

Without a doubt, Sejuani is more suited to being a warlord in a chaotic world; she possesses unparalleled martial prowess but struggles to win people's hearts.

On the contrary, Anixid, who knew how to advance and retreat, was able to rise again in the Southern Territory and become the ruler of many states, even after suffering a temporary setback.

However, Hexi, who was standing next to her, was more concerned about something else.

Anixid seems to possess some kind of Ice Bloodline, and she is intricately connected to the secrets of the Super God Academy and the Howling Abyss.

Sure enough, the successor chosen by Keisha was very problematic.

"The demonic tide has appeared, and the Frost Guard stationed along the Howling Abyss haven't made any contact yet; something must have happened..."

"Not only that, two of my scouts I just sent out died on their way back, and they've returned to report..."

"Ghost have appeared near the Demon Swamp leading to the abyss, and a tall tower seems to have been built in the mist."

Sejuani explained the general situation in detail, then her gaze turned serious.

"I've said everything I needed to say. What are your plans? Are you still leaving?"

Kevin and Hexi stood up together and smiled at each other.

At noon, a small squad of Frostclaw Cavalry, numbering several dozen, quietly arrived at the edge of the Demon Swamp.

Because it was a long-awaited sunny day, the fog near the swamp gradually thinned as the sun reached its zenith.

Three experienced scouts led the way, while the accompanying troops followed at a leisurely pace, keeping a distance.

"Puff!"

The swamp frog, its scarlet tongue flicking out from the grass, was cleanly and swiftly pinned to the ground by a flash of silver light, its camouflage gradually losing its effectiveness.

"Thank you... thank you, Dragon Slayer..."

The scout on the left, who had narrowly escaped death, hurriedly thanked Kevin behind him.

The man smiled politely, rode forward, bent down, and pulled out the beautifully designed and exaggeratedly long 11th Holy Relic.

To slay a dragon, a regular rapier doesn't fit the violent aesthetics of a physical form. Only a ferocious weapon like this could theoretically cut through the dragon's scales and muscles and pierce its vitals.

Furthermore, the 11th Holy Relic's inherent attributes of "Holy Sword Array" and "Divine Healing" are both very useful.

Therefore, it was retained as a standard weapon for dragon-slaying heroes, which was very convenient.

"First, stay alert and lead the way. If this happens again, you'll be punished when we get back!"

Sejuani, deeply dissatisfied with her subordinates' performance, frowned and snorted coldly, her words revealing her ruthless discipline of the army.

For the rest of the journey, the three scouts kept their eyes wide open, afraid of missing even the slightest detail. Fortunately, they escaped unscathed, and the main force followed them into the heart of the Devil's Swamp.

After carefully avoiding a swamp, the three scouts leading the way raised their hands to signal the main force to proceed quickly.

However, Kevin, Hexi, Sejuani all simultaneously narrowed their eyes and looked to their left front.

"Who's there! Show yourself!"

Sejuani shouted coldly. As she saw the leaves rustling, a dark figure fled towards the center of the Devil's Swamp. She immediately snatched the lance from the guard and threw it out.

Suddenly, a whooshing sound rang out, followed by a crisp sound of bones shattering from ahead.

The Grand Duke of the North immediately roused the demon boars and gave chase alone, with his troops following closely behind, and the scouts in front also having to catch up with the main force.

Tsk, the departure of the head coach has indeed led to the relocation of the main force.

Sigh, with her impulsive and easily angered personality, the only way she could survive in the North is through sheer ability.

Hexi and Kevin exchanged a glance and shook their heads helplessly. The two god-kings, who had commanded large-scale legion battles and planetary wars, were obviously much more rational and mature.

At that moment, Sejuani, having caught up with the spy, approached the struggling black figure pinned to the ground and pulled her lance from his shoulder blade.

But the moment she raised it, she was shocked to see that there was no blood on the tip of the spear, only a few specks of stark white bone powder.

Immediately, rustling sounds rang out from all around, and black figures leaped out of the forest, their eyes flashing red—empty sockets.

Although they were clad in armor, inside they were skeletons.

When Sejuani looked up, the silhouette of the towering castle, shrouded in mist and fog, exuded a chilling and sinister aura.

At the same time, the black-armored skeleton soldiers parted from both sides like a tide, and a graceful figure walked slowly towards them.

"Boom!"

With a deafening roar, Sejuani was thrown into the air, crashing into several ancient trees and breaking them in the process.

Immediately, the black figure followed with lightning speed, a strange longsword appearing in its hand, piercing through the air towards Sejuani's right hand, which was gripping the Frost Flail.

"Stop!"

The sudden shout from ahead miraculously stopped the strange longsword at a distance of three inches from Sejuani's wrist.

What are you doing here?

Kevin rode forward, checked again and again, his expression somewhat surprised.

Why can't I be here?

The black figure opposite him dispelled his strange longsword, put one hand on his hip, rubbed his fingers together habitually, and asked with a soft hum.

This universe is really too small; you can run into acquaintances everywhere you go... Kevin couldn't help but feel a little sentimental.

That's right, the person in front of you is none other than Hela, the Goddess of Death who has been banished from Earth!

Chapter 976, Section 1020: The Mature Woman's Keeper (Third Update)

In the castle, modeled after the Asagin Golden Palace, Hela, brought out a tin teapot and silver cups, pouring each of the three people at the table a cup of invigorating plant extract.