Helheim

With a shout, the surrounding environment changed drastically in an instant. The previously dark space turned into a world of ice and frost, and the fierce cold wind fell on the three of them like knives. Bai Mo was now a soul, so he was very passive in the face of such a method.

That wasn't all. A gigantic snake emerged from the frozen world. Its entire body was emerald green, its eyes were icy cold, and its massive tail, like an anchor, bound the three of them tightly.

The biting wind lashed at Ortlinde and Sigurd like a slow, agonizing blade. Bai Mo suffered the most, but he had already experienced this kind of soul-crushing pain in the Mesopotamia Underworld.

All his previous training paid off at this moment. Bai Mo moved like lightning, grabbing Ortlinde and Sigurd. Only he could still move amidst the excruciating pain of his soul being slowly sliced apart, but that was all.

His research on the Primordial Spirit has not yet reached the Ultimate level. This world's research on the soul can be said to be outstanding, even capable of creating beings like Heroic Spirit.

From the distant, icy world, a roar echoed through the heavens and earth. Bai Mo saw it: countless souls walked around them, emaciated and trembling.

The sound of rushing river filled their ears; they were currently on a bridge.

"This is... Helheim?"

"Yes, this is the Gjallarbrú. We have to get away quickly, or we'll fall straight into the Underworld if this guy drags us across!"

Helheim, the Underworld in Northern Europe mythology, is ruled by Hela, the queen of the Underworld. If they had physical bodies, it would be fine, but at this moment, all three were in a soul state!

Bai Mo's eyes sharpened. He took a deep breath and quietly released his senses. Instantly, a faint sense of familiarity emanated from the Underworld.

At that moment, the giant serpent, as if possessed, coiled around the three of them and Brynhildr's frozen soul, recklessly crawling towards the distance.

The tempering allowed Bai Mo to move, but it couldn't allow him to wrestle with this strange giant snake. His soul was already incomplete, and now he felt even more powerless.

He encountered the greatest crisis since arriving here. If he were to fall into Helheim like this, the three of them, who had no physical bodies, would likely become lambs to the slaughter.

Rather, it already is.

Ortlinde struggled with all her might to break free, while Sigurd gripped the scales, attempting to harm the giant serpent. However, the serpent's soul strength was unimaginably high; no matter what they did, it was utterly futile, and they could only watch themselves being dragged little by little into the realm of the dead.

As the giant serpent crawled forward, it turned its head, its vertical pupils fixed on the three. A sinister laugh escaped its lips; it actually spoke in human language, mocking the group:

"Hehehe, pathetic people, you're just like little mice now. How about this, let's play a game. I can let one of you go, but you have to choose."

The giant snake seemed to be watching its toy, as if observing an animal performance about to begin. Its speed remained undiminished as it continued to swim forward.

Ortlinde was frantic with worry, while Sigurd's face was grim, as if he were deep in thought. But in any case, they were being dragged little by little toward the other side of the Gjallarbrú.

The Valkyrie, who once soared through the sky, has now lost her wings; the warrior who slew the dragon is now powerless. Only the biting wind blows, and the wandering souls around them seem to urge them on.

Why resist? This is the end of life. Death is like this: a sudden visit, so unexpected. You never know when life will come to an end.

Ortlinde glanced back at Sigurd, and the two exchanged a quick look. Sigurd nodded, Sigurd turned her gaze to the last Bai Mo.

Looking into their eyes, Bai Mo said coldly, "Based on my experience, you can never trust a snake. Hold on a little longer."

"Hehe, don't be like that, I'm a person of my word. Hold on, do you have enough time?"

The giant snake chuckled, seemingly quite interested in everything that was happening. Ortlinde took a deep breath, ceasing her resistance to the snake's dragging, and said to Bai Mo:

"Saving my sister was our choice from the start, Bai Mo. You shouldn't have come here in the first place." Ortlinde moved her throat, wanting to say something, but ultimately swallowed it back. At this moment, any more words would only add to the sorrow.

She only said goodbye.

Thank you so much for your help along the way.

Bai Mo fell silent, a growing anxiety stirring within him. A change, imperceptible to everyone else, slowly emerged; gradually, he sensed it: the river beneath his feet, the drifting snowflakes.

"So, you've made your choice?"

Ortlinde and Sigurd nodded, and then Bai Mo felt the snake tail coiling around him begin to loosen. Ortlinde glanced back one last time before turning away.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Bai Mo. Please also convey my apologies to my Master."

Sigurd lowered his head and said that just as he was about to loosen his grip, flames began to burst forth from the giant snake's body. Then, its entire body grew larger and bound Bai Mo once again.

"You treacherous bastard!"

Ortlinde could no longer maintain her previous peaceful demeanor, while the giant serpent chuckled:

"Hahaha, you idiots! If I saw you cursing and swearing in your desperate struggle for survival, maybe I'd consider it. But your pathetic anger right now is quite amusing."

"Has the goddess of the Underworld abandoned even her so-called promises?"

"Heh, it seems you really know nothing. Hela? She's been dead for who knows how long."

The giant serpent laughed heartily. The group had already been dragged more than halfway across, and the other end of the Gjallarbrú was now right on the other side. Ortlinde's eyes narrowed, and she desperately tried to break free, heading towards Bai Mo's direction.

The giant snake was incredibly fast; its head had already crossed the bridgehead, and Ortlinde's hand was only a hair's breadth away from Bai Mo.

"Bai Mo, give me your hand... there might still be a way."

Bai Mo, however, remained calm. He did not reach out to Ortlinde, but turned to the giant snake and asked:

"Ortlinde, I can't just abandon you all and talk about responsibility. The fact that you set foot on this land means I have to take on that responsibility."

Bai Mo spoke to Ortlinde, then turned his gaze to the giant snake.

"It seems you've won. But can you tell me who you fell for? Who devised this scheme? Is Loki not dead?"

"Hmm~ I really want to answer you, but unfortunately, due to the contract, I can't tell you anything about the Lord. So, you'd better just stay ignorant."

With a clatter, the three were transported to Helheim. Ortlinde's eyes trembled, Sigurd silently gathered his strength, preparing for a final stand. But what difference was there between a soul entering the Underworld and meat on a chopping board?

"It's over. Now, let me torture you all properly!"

The giant serpent coiled itself up and crossed the Gjallarbrú, a place of eternal nothingness where any soul that entered would never escape the control of the Lord of the Underworld. To the serpent, at this moment, it was only natural for it to be the butcher, tormenting and tearing apart these fish.

"Yes, it's time to end this."

Facing the giant serpent burning with immense power, Bai Mo spoke coldly.

"Ha, you're always so calm, so boring. Fine, I'll deal with you first!"

Ortlinde wanted to get to Bai Mo's side, but the immense pressure of the Underworld prevented her from moving. The giant snake transformed into a bolt of lightning and pounced straight at Bai Mo!

The sharp fangs seemed poised to annihilate his broken soul at any moment. Bai Mo stood motionless, had he given up? Or was he simply unable to move if he changed his mind?

He slowly raised his head and uttered a single word to the giant snake.

"Roll!"

With a deafening bang, the giant snake was blasted away like a cannonball, its massive body spinning several times on the ground. Ortlinde and Sigurd stared in disbelief at the battered figure standing tall in the snowstorm.

Bai Mo waved his hand, and the oppressive pressure from the Underworld on them vanished instantly.

"How is this possible? You shouldn't be able to activate Magnetic Field Power; you don't even have a body!"

The giant snake crawled out of the rocks, its eyes filled with disbelief.

"Look closely, this isn't Magnetic Field Power."

Bai Mo revealed a smile, raised his hand and made a grasping motion. The cold wind of the Underworld transformed into a giant hand, locking it in its vital spot.

"The Authority of the Underworld? How is that possible? Hela already..."

"It is indeed not Hela's authority." Bai Mo's hand gradually tightened, the cold wind avoided them, and their souls all fearfully swerved away.

A friend of mine once said, "No matter where you are, the Underworld is all the same." Now it seems that's true.

At this moment, Bai Mo was controlling the Issei the Authority of the Underworld that the Tezcatlipoca had granted him that day. During the time he was on the bridge, he activated the authority and established a connection with this Helheim Underworld. Even if it was only Issei, in this Underworld, unless there was a higher authority, it would be impossible to establish a connection.

Otherwise, he would have control over all life and death here.