Chapter 794: 783

Title: Torture

Hela seemed to have made a statement while renovating her palace whenever she did and it was— I'm dark. Not physically, of course. But her taste. Even the personal room had furniture made of dark birches and aesthetically, they looked great but the choice of only having black blankets and forest green sheets seemed too much in Nik's eyes.

"I really thought you'd enjoy with your recent conquest... mmmgh, right there, sigh, that's the spot," a soft voice whimpered as Nik looked down. Lying on his lap was Pure, no, now Tuhina. She had a smartphone in her hands while Nik stroked her hair, something she requested the moment she was summoned into the real world.

Unlike other spirits known to Nik, probably including Ray's Hissy and Kitty, only Tuhina was someone who had a 'physical' form. Even Pavakā, Virya, Lilith, Asmodeus, and Sky did not have a physical form yet. He could touch and see them but he was supernatural in definition himself. Pure, on the other hand, had a soul despite being a spirit and equipped with the set of spirit bones left by Ye Ziyun's mother, Tuhina had her own physique.

"You do resemble Ziyun..." Nik smiled as Tuhina closed her phone, "Technically, Ziyun is my sister, isn't she? The egg was laid by her mother," she made a sound point as Nik nodded, "Technically, yeah."

"Well, now that I can show myself, I should meet her! Hehe, the things I can teach her~!" Tuhina giggled while Nik continued to stroke her head. As she had stated a few moments ago, he would rather spend time with Tuhina after being with her for so much time and not really knowing her until now than to tame Hela.

"Can you now tell me what's the meaning of all these challenges?" Nik inquired.

"How should I put it... you have urges, right?" Tuhina smiled, "Spirits bound to a host have urges, too. When I was born inside you... my first instinct was to check your worth. I think it's the same for every spirit bound to a host. Even the Sage agreed to it."

"I almost forgot you used to call Sky, sage."

"I still call her that," Tuhina cracked a smile.

"But... by now, did you feel the changes?" Tuhina adjusted her head slightly and inquired.

"Yeah, my understanding of water and ice seems a little better. I mean, the pace in understanding them."

"Well, ironically, that's the only unique thing I can offer. Sage said that... a person being able to wield so many powers is strange so, the addition of spirit is a boon but, you can do almost everything I can except my realm of insight into the Ice is Great-Grandmaster."

Nik nodded in understanding. If he considered this situation comparable to a... well, someone whose only affinity is fire and he can now call an ice spirit, then, of course, this would be considered a major boost.

'But... your condition meant being a grandmaster in the concept of ice,' Nik pursed his lips.

"So? Do you have any special forms? Or this is your real body?" Nik inquired.

"Of course, not. I'm a phoenix!" Light suddenly congealed over Pure as she appeared on Nik's lap in the form of a feathered being.

Arm-sized, blue-feathered... parrot.

"Yeah..." Nik's lips twitched.

"From where I come, this is supposed to be the most dignified form of phoenixes!" Tuhina chirped as she flapped her wings, "Of course, I have a primordial form but I'm not showing it until you pass the second test!" She slowly started to disappear.

"Wait, I thought we were going to..." Nik whined. He wanted some of that heavenly piece but Tuhina chirped loudly, "After second test! I'm not giving up my v-card so easily!"

"Well, your loss," Nik scoffed as he sighed.

'This is a new spiritual level of cockblocking... good thing I didn't sort Hela out yet...'

Nik snickered as he picked his smartphone and store it in the Dream Core.

Stretching his arms, Nik walked out of the room with a refreshed expression. He promised everyone that he would return within hours and now it's time to...

'Well, time to rule Hell!'

---

"What were you doing?"

"I bet he was touching himself! No judgment here, Spider does that all the time, too!"

Nik had a bleak expression as Spider and Poole sat on the armrest of the wide throne. "You two are like the ministers of a king bound to lead him to disasters after disasters until he is fully humiliated. Of course, I'm no king with a Goodwill!"

Nik had attained the art of listening to those around him and focusing on his tasks with complete concentration. In reality, he didn't mind Tuhina's manner of cockblock. It's not like he was going to force her. In fact, he only forcefully conquered women who simply had malicious intentions for him. It wasn't even conquering in Nik's eyes, but purification. After all, a corrupted being would vehemently oppose purification until it is bathed in 'white.'

'According to the general law of Earth, it's illegal. Morally, it's questionable... But personally, I like it,' Nik thought to himself.

*Clink*

The gates were pushed open by Hela, the door guard as she glared at the girls passing through her and sitting on their seats.

"Do we really have to talk in the throne room? Personally, I would much rather see us around a table. Feels more formal," Jennifer sighed. She wasn't in her tanktop and resistant trousers. Instead, she wore a loose red dress which marked the extremes of her curves and made her color pop out.

"When in Rome," Nik shrugged, not even needing to complete the quote. Instead, he looked towards Hela and smiled, "Since those three sisters clearly favor my existence, I want you to—"

"Wait, I want to say something," Loki suddenly smiled.

"You know, it's rude to cut off a king's sentence. Just putting it out there," Nik smiled and shook his head.

"I'll accept any punishment to clear my name, O' mighty ruler," Loki winked while kneeling slightly and pulling the hems of her green vest apart.

"Then continue."

"I don't really think it's in our best interest to continuously poke at the Sisters of Norn," Loki went straight to the point as Sera frowned.

"What do you mean?"

"The only thing these three beings fear is the change in destiny. They do not care which path is chosen to reach a certain endpoint, but they do care when the endpoint shifts itself. Clearly, your act of enslaving Hela touched poke their toes and still they did not move against you. They might fear you, or appreciate you. Or else, they would not have left that green-colored note.

So, instead of abolishing the curse placed by the sisters of Norn and endangering us since we might get caught in their retribution, we might as well change the method of torturing these souls. Even if Asgard knows of our presence, they won't instantly lead charge an attack. My... mother can be fairly stubborn and if she did this to avenge Angela here, then the best way I can think of is to let Angela be the one to convince mother. Until then... just changing the method of torture should suffice."

"How dare you?!" Sera slowly stood up while her eyes flashed with anger.

"He's not wrong," Nik spoke up.

'I didn't account for other weaknesses,' Nik narrowed his gaze.

"Nik, those are my people!" Angela frowned, a little unsettled at how he was treating the request that indirectly came from her side but instead of rebuking, Nik smiled towards Hela.

"Will you tell me what really constitutes to the treatment in the afterlife?"

"Aside from strange curses like the one on the individuals birthed of Heven, the others are pretty much dependent on self-realization."

Hela didn't wish to impart this secret but she still had to speak up.

"Any action, objectively, is not evil or moral. Our actions, as simple as breathing, marks the demise of countless microorganisms so, in reality, it is the sinner's insight that results in the varying treatments in the afterlife. That is also the reason that mortals with extreme mental disorders gain the greatest time in Hel for more often than not, they always think of themselves as the right one and truly believe in this lie. Others might say that they are moral but deep down, everybody feels guilt and regret. So, the most ordinary ones go through a few ordeals and live peacefully."

"I see... and does Hel pose any other responsibility?" Nik inquired.

"None aside from the collection of soul," Hela replied.

"What about the Valkyrie you were talking about?"

"She would return shortly."

"Where is she right now?" Nik inquired with a narrowed gaze.

"Not... in Helheim. She returned to Asgard to have an audience with the All-Father."

"Heh," Nik chuckled, "No need to transfer the souls of Angels and Anchorites from their position. Instead, play Justin Beaver's songs on a loop. They'll face their new hell soon enough and even if that isn't enough, we'll tackle whatever Asgard or the Norn's sends towards us. If I'm not wrong, only Jennifer would be enough to destroy the most."

Nik shrugged while Loki tilted her head with an o-shape over her lips.

"Really? His song?" Janet frowned while Poole shivered.

"Oh... God..." Spider mumbled.

"Yes?" Nik inquired shamelessly.

---

Brilliant golden gates opened up to the throne of Asgard. The news of Odin's recovery had led to one of the largest banquets of all times. It was already known that the King would have to rest often to maintain his health and to prevent an old injury from flaring but not anymore!

He had recovered and the All-Father would lead Asgard to a new glory alongside his newly appointed healers, his new ministers of the court!

It had merely been the second day after Odin's complete recovery but the sheer excitement throughout the realm couldn't be imagined. Even Odin's last Valkyrie returned to witness this miracle with her own eyes.

She wore her golden locks into twin braids that hung in front of her instead of her behind. Body covered with the finest and resilient Asgardian fabric, deep blue in color, and over this tight fit was armor belted and buckled where it should be. From shoulder pads, to arm guards, long leg armor that reached her calves, and a body armor starting from the base of her thighs, buckling around her crotch. A longsword hung above her caped back and a headgear similar to Loki and various other female warriors of Asgard that framed the side of her face with the top part resembling a pair of tiny wings.

"Brunnhilde," in front of her, the All-Father gently yet firmly struck the base of his spear as the woman knelt on one knee and her right fist thumping against her armored breasts.

"Forgive my return from Helheim, your Majesty. I couldn't bear to spend yet another second without expressing my joy at your recovery."

She stated calmly.

While Brunnhilde had her head lowered, Odin glanced towards the being that proved much more resilient and dangerous than he thought. The silver-haired 'demoness.'

"The recovery of my soul is indeed a pleasant surprise. How goes the reconstruction of the path of souls in Niffleheim?"

"Your majesty... before I left, I sensed an unusual force. Most possibly, Niffleheim, and... Helheim is being contacted with outer forces. Or other realms. I wish to investigate this matter."

Odin furrowed his brows gently.

With the recent news of Loki's location and... her probable association with a being similar to the other two inside his court, he had a gut feeling that the recent changes in Hel were related to the prideful wench who simply didn't know the line between mischief and sin.

"You will do nothing of such nature, Shield Maiden," Odin stated clearly. Although he felt hesitation only when facing these two beside him, his strength already halved by the pretty boy when it comes to fighting them and not to mention the existence of two gods... and a giant green man beside him, he couldn't risk his people falling in someone else's control.

Brunnhilde, if Odin's gut was correct, was risking as such.

"As you command, your Majesty," Brunnhilde did not pursue the matter and stood up. She glanced towards the son of the Mad Titan and the young 'girl' while stating her gratification.

"I have heard of the Mad Titan. He hunts planets that he once sired his children in and extinguishes half of the intelligent life. Should he pursue you, my, nay, our swords will be next to you in battle."

Brunnhilde stomped her foot and thumped her chest in a form of salute and then looked towards Ray, "May the Sisters bless you both with fruitful fates!"

'No, may they be blessed by curses of the mightiest rot!' Odin growled internally when—

'Now, now, I don't like to live inside men and command them, but shut up!'

Mephisto's cackle echoed within Odin.

'One wrong step, and your precious son would be the first to bite the dust and next your realm! Believe me when I say it but a lascivious Ghost Rider and Hulk are simply disasters for Asgardian Men!'

The corner of Odin's eyes twitched as he didn't speak much at all while Brunnhilde took her leave.

"Nik's here... and if I recall correctly, the Goddess of Niffleheim is sexy..." Brian smiled and looked towards Ray.

"So?" Ray scoffed with a grin, "If I'm taking this long with Odin, and probably similar time with other gods then Nik really can't he having a smooth ride, right?"

"Who knows? When it comes to whoring, you both are better than me," Brian shrugged.

"Whoring... is a strong word," Ray's lips twitched.

"No, it isn't. Thot, now that's a strong word. Or Used Slut... or something even more derogatory. Whoring means you both are professional in your field," Brian smiled.

"Whatever," Ray rolled his eyes.