Scathach's Fever Temple?

The scattered sparks now have an additional path, and their journey is no longer aimless.

Rovi led Skadi into a populated area.

My first visit to a town in Northern Europe revealed an architectural style completely different from that of Greece and Mesopotamia.

Seemingly continuing the bold and courageous spirit of the Scandinavians, the buildings on the Scandinavian Peninsula, whether residential houses, markets, arenas, or temples, are all built to be exceptionally tall. Even the most ordinary cattle and horse pastures are much more spacious than usual.

This is only natural, just as the legend of ' the Primordial Giant Ymir created the world' has been passed down on this land. The worship of gigantism is a characteristic shared by both gods and humans.

Perhaps it is for this reason that Odin chose to cut off a fragment of the former Harvest Star Vanguard and use it to cultivate the World Tree that supports the Nine Realms?

After all, the Harvest Star Vanguard that invaded the Earth back then was known as the 'Giant God,' and its manifested form was enormous...

Rovi led the now-unfettered Pegasus, walking slowly along the bustling street.

Winter has passed and spring has arrived; the wind and snow have gradually subsided, and the brief but warm sunshine has finally come to this land.

Skadi, however, lay lazily on the horse's back, her hands under her chin, her cheeks slightly puffed out, and her legs crossed and dangling in the air.

The girl's face was full of languor. The Snow Mountain Goddess was the goddess of winter, and the arrival of spring was not a good thing for her. It was like a 'beast' that had left its own territory, always feeling uneasy and unable to muster any strength.

"Aren't we there yet..." Skadi asked, swaying slightly.

"Where to?" Rovi paused, glancing sideways at the hyena that Fafnir had transformed into, wagging its tail and howling.

The young man in armor and the girl in gorgeous clothes looked like a fairy tale tale of a prince and knight eloping. They attracted a lot of attention along the way, but Skadi was the center of attention, and Rovi, who had once been the leader of a country, completely ignored the spectacle.

"Inns, temples...anywhere is fine," Skadi muttered. "I'm tired, I want to sleep."

Rovi raised an eyebrow. "A hotel?"

"Ah... don't get me wrong, I really want to sleep." Skadi yawned.

"I didn't misunderstand anything," Rovi Wei replied. "It seems you really are tired."

"Hmm... I actually spend this time of year mostly asleep." It's only natural that the goddess of winter slumbers in spring. "Don't disturb me..."

But don't leave me either.

Rovi glanced sideways at Skadi, whose hand was gently tugging at the hem of her cloak.

Is it due to fear?

She feared the gods would strike her again...

The goddess of the snow mountain seems to be getting more and more used to exposing her vulnerable side in front of Rovi.

And she really looked exhausted; she didn't even have the energy to joke around with Rovi even slightly...

"Then let's go!" Rovi tugged at the reins and said, "Let's go rest at the temple of the Snow Mountain Goddess."

He wouldn't go looking for trouble by going to a hotel or inn...

Skadi responded softly.

However, the exhausted Snow Mountain Goddess was unaware that Rovi was currently multitasking.

The wind brought him even more news.

On this land, a sect called ' Ymir ' is using his name to wreak havoc and take the opportunity to expand its own power.

Rovi knew this, but he didn't stop it. He simply listened quietly to the calls from all directions and took this opportunity to... expand his own 'spark' in reverse.

Some people chased after a fleeing dragon to the edge of a deep valley, only to be stopped by an old missionary who told them about the so-called subordinate relationship between Ymir and the Wild Hunt.

Later, he was denounced and exterminated by the person who obtained the fire.

Some people boarded a Mercedes on the sea, only to see a giant storm sweeping across the land, engulfing everything in its path. Countless souls chased after the giant's figure, eventually converging into a terrifying vortex of air currents.

Heroes roam the world, the Wild Hunt's legions are scattered across the land, gathering strength; Jormungandr on the world's edge Jörmungandr; and in Niflheim, World Tree, the city's inhabitants have already sensed the approach of twilight.

'The curtain of Mythological Twilight seems to have been lifted, and all things look on in terror.'

In a way... it was indeed terrifying.

The Snow Mountain Goddess resides within the temple of the mortal world, in a hall decorated with silver-white ornaments. Rovi watches the figure before him, who has just fallen but instantly leaps up again.

"Oh my, we finally meet!" Skadi still looked the same as before, but both her expression and her attire had undergone a complete transformation.

Her loose purple hair was unadorned, and her lithe body, outlined and wrapped in a dark purple bodysuit, appeared agile and graceful. The long spear she held emitted a dark red glow in the room, and her upturned lips carried a faint smile.

Although it is the same body, there is no doubt that the 'person' in front of me is not the pure and innocent Snow Mountain Goddess.

Instead...

"The Queen of Shadow Country, Scathach?" Another being of the same origin as Skadi, a transcendent being who is 'non-god' from a region adjacent to Northern Europe.

Looking at the sharp spear pointed at him, Rovi said, "Are you provoking me?"

"It's not a provocation, it's just... a friendly spar!"

Upon hearing this, Scathach retreated instead of advancing, her legs moving in a silent, rippling motion. "King of the Wild Hunt, I am very curious about your martial arts!"

"I patiently waited for this girl to fall into a deep sleep before taking over this goddess's body to spend some time with you, isn't that rare?"

"Could this be considered... a secret rendezvous?" Skadi tilted the spear tip slightly, no longer aiming at Rovi, and used her other hand to brush a strand of hair from her forehead. Her delicate face and thin lips curved into a smile, a blend of heroic spirit and charm.

If Skadi, despite her efforts to appear mature, could not conceal her girlish nature, then the figure before Rovi exuded the aura of a mature older sister in every move she made.

"I've never seen anyone bring a gun on a secret rendezvous." An ordinary young boy might panic in the face of such a situation, but Rovi wouldn't.

He will only take the initiative—

His outstretched hand instantly touched Scathach's chin. He lifted her delicate face, which possessed both heroic spirit and charm, and smiled, "Or perhaps, you truly admire me?"

"I truly admire you, so much so that I wish I could challenge you to a duel!" Scathach's smile grew even more triumphant.

The atmosphere seemed ambiguous, but in reality, they were only at odds with each other.

Having traversed long journeys and experienced countless battles, they were confident that their minds would not easily waver.

In that instant, a flash of light appeared, and a dark 'crack' appeared behind Scathach, like a pair of eyes opening.

Scathach took a step back, concealing herself as if she had disappeared into the water.

"I wonder if you've considered visiting Shadow Country, perhaps in a while?"

Are you interested?

When it is available.

The Queen of the Shadow Country, named Scathach, is a very special person to Rovi.

Because just like himself, this queen of the Shadow Country also sought death.

Of course, Scathach does not possess the same power engraved on the Throne of Heroes as him. However, as an transcendent being, Scathach has transcended the boundaries of death, but she has not completely transcended the entire world. Therefore, she can only be trapped in the space between the world and the outside world, feeling the passage of time in the long passage of time.

Over time, one will naturally lose interest in the death of the idiot.

Therefore, she longed to be killed, and thus constantly nurtured all sorts of powerful heroes, hoping to die at the hands of the heroes she had cultivated.

However, that was the Scathach of later times. The current Scathach was born only a thousand years ago, and the rich and wonderful Mythic Age has not diminished her desire to live.

The current Scathach is just a martial arts fanatic.

He's a battle maniac who gets excited whenever he sees a prey!

Rovi knew that she had invited him into the Shadow Country, but it was actually for the purpose of 'sparring'.

Scathach wanted to test her own power, and so did she.

She doesn't want to die yet.

But Rovi had wanted to die for a long time!

With a thought, Rovi stepped forward and passed through the Gate of the Magic Mirror. Light and shadow flowed in his vision, and in an instant he appeared in a deep valley. As far as the eye could see, apart from rocks, there were only silent, towering black shadows.

This is the ' Shadow Country '.

The realm in Celtic Mythology that resembles the underworld is actually a 'reflection' of the present world, an interface located on the outer side of the world.

There was no wind, yet the hem of her dress fluttered. Scathach stood upright, her delicate body, encased in a dark purple bodysuit, slightly tense, and the long spear she raised gleamed faintly for a moment.

She said, "Are you ready, Your Lord Rovi?"

Skadi knows the same information, so Scathach naturally knows Rovi's name.

With a clang, the Storm Spear materialized in his palm, its cold surface covering his face. His cloak billowed, and Rovi gripped the spear handle tightly, raising it slightly.

He said, "Don't let me down, Queen of the Shadow Country, Scathach!"

"Ah, you actually know my identity?" Scathach was somewhat surprised.

"Just like the Wisdom of the Magic Mirror that you possess, isn't it normal for me to possess similar power?" Rovi lied.

Scathach, however, wholeheartedly agreed, "Given your deep cunning, it's not surprising that you possess such abilities."

"Scheming? You might as well just call me cunning."

"Isn't that right? Otherwise, why would that little girl have such a good impression of you?"

"You're really weird for calling your other self 'little girl'."

"I can't compare to you, who is clearly a god but always pretends to be a mortal."

"..."

They were supposed to be fighting, but inexplicably started a verbal exchange called "Hanfeng".

But both sides also knew that this was not just a dialogue, but a test of each other.

Scathach already had a basic understanding of how strong Rovi was.

In terms of raw power, Rovi, who could rival the strongest god in Norse mythology, was undoubtedly superior to himself.

Therefore, no amount of caution is too much.

As for Rovi, he was also eager to know just how strong this Queen of the Shadow Country, who had only been born a thousand years ago, really was.

Does it exist on a scale similar to that of later generations, where spirits can be arbitrarily descended, created, and altered to possess the strength of their ' Spirit Origin '?

As the words fell, spears clashed in the blink of an eye. Scathach gently turned her dark purple Gae Bolg Piercing Blade, and after it expanded, she deftly shifted the tip an inch, bypassing the obstruction, and thrust it straight at Rovi.

The tip of the gun gleamed, and the aura of magic and concept converged upon it.

The concepts of "guaranteed hit" and "guaranteed kill" have emerged.

That was a replica of Odin's Great God's Declaration, an effect of a mysteriously condensed Noble Phantasm called the ' Gáe Bolg Alternative '.

With every move she makes, she delivers a deadly strike. It has to be said that compared to Skadi, Scathach has matured far, far more.

She knew very well that a so-called "secret weapon" had to be actually unleashed to be considered a true "secret weapon."

The moves are meant to be executed.

It's unusable. It's just a useless move.

So Rovi raised his foot, without using his hands, but kicked the tip of the spear with his leg, and the air currents gathered like a hammer as it rippled.

It slammed into the spear of death with a thud.

StrikeAir, unleashed with the momentum.

Just like encountering Thor's Mjolnir, the notion that Scathach's spear would always hit was shattered.

After the first strike, the airflow at the tip of the spear converged into a single point, then pierced forward with a powerful thrust—transforming the smash into a spike!

She wielded a Scathach pistol, took a step back, and narrowly avoided the attack, her long, dark purple hair being cut off several inches.

The Shadow Country, as deep and secluded as a valley, had only been there for a single glance, yet the Queen of the Shadow Country couldn't help but tense up and gasp for breath.

"Is this the only option?" Rovi... was somewhat disappointed.

Is that too far-fetched?

After all, Scathach is just starting out.

Even though he had already reached the level of Area Lord God, the scenery he was in was still far too far away from where Rovi was.

Then there's no need to continue this battle.

Even if Scathach were given another thousand years, she still wouldn't be able to kill herself.

They couldn't break through their own defenses.

"The end... huh?" The words fell but stopped abruptly. Rovi looked at Scathach in front of him, her agile figure retreating, but he did not feel discouraged. Instead, he became even more excited.

She raised the Death Thorn Spear in her hand, and a dazzling dark purple light appeared, spreading out in invisible ripples. The ground trembled slightly, and the light drew more Death Thorn Spears that were stuck in this dark realm to converge above her head.

Like a storm, like a torrent, or even more like a magnificent 'palace' standing atop a towering mountain.

Although different, they similarly gave Rovi a strange sense of illusion.

That is...

"Ereshkigal's Fever Temple!?"