Chapter 90 Odin and the World Tree (12)
Amidst a tragic howl that seemed capable of shattering the entire space, the sharp sword that had pierced Fenrir's mouth for a thousand years finally snapped, he spat it out along with a massive amount of blood.
[Damn it! Damn it! I.. I..]
How does the feeling of freedom taste?
Wood gently stroked Fenrir's large head.
Having caught his breath, Fenrir nodded gently, looking at the Cursed Rope that was still burning intensely around his neck.
Cain, how much longer do I have to wait?
That question..
Cain smiled subtly and winked at Odin.
What's your price?
—Hey!
[Cain!]
You're actually considering betraying us at a time like this!
Hela, Jormungand, Wood questioned Cain in unison.
Cain shrugged indifferently, "I don't feel like I'm doing anything wrong."
Yes, you have made the right choice.
Odin—or rather, some sort of monster that had already synchronized its spirit with Cthulhu Lifeform—opened his mouth and said with a smile, "With your status as a Human Progenitor, once you join us, you will surely become a dominant force of the new era. What a wonderful thing this is."
It is indeed very beautiful.
Cain smiled and nodded, looking at Wood: "Dear, will you make a promise to me just to make me stay?"
No—
Hey! You answered so quickly, was there no room for thought at all?
Cain muttered in dissatisfaction.
Wood said solemnly, "Your next actions will affect the fate of Earth and the fate of Humans, I cannot and am unable to give a promise."
Alright.
Cain slowly rose.
Realizing something was wrong, Jormungand coiled his body.
[Stay here! You are not allowed to go over there!]
“As the Midgard Serpent, you are destined to be unable to stop me.”
Cain smiled indifferently, his body passing through Jormungand's massive serpentine form as if it were not physical, he even paused intentionally as he passed by Wood: "Dear, I truly like you. If you were to ask me to stay or make a promise to me, I would certainly stop and cooperate with you."
But I won't, because I cannot give you what you want.
Wood replied sincerely.
Yes, you are an honest man.
Having said that, Cain walked toward Odin.
Hela tried to block his path, but when his arm touched Cain's body—the latter turned into a faint mist.
Don't forget, I am the Progenitor of Bloodline, possessing all the imagination and traits of Vampires from folklore.
“..”
Hela silently tightened his grip on the Bone Hand.
Odin opened his arms to welcome Cain's return to the team.
That's wonderful, you're finally back in our party!
If he could have accepted me, perhaps I would have.. but unfortunately, he refused..
Cain smiled sadly and turned around—
Odin, order Tyr to let them go!
What?
Odin froze.
I said—let them go immediately.
But this place—
I am in charge here! You useless piece of trash whose intelligence was stripped away by a Cthulhu Lifeform two hundred years ago! You and your True Body hidden in Valhalla don't understand the way Humans think at all!
“You.. you.. you..”
Or—
Cain suddenly raised his hand, a terrifying dark cloud instantly appeared in the high sky.
Leviathan!
Leviathan, possessing a hard conical shell and existing somewhere between folklore and dimensional delusion, descended upon Asgard with countless cruel chains!
As he appeared, space emitted a painful sound of being crushed and shattered, the Cthulhu Lifeforms gathered here even underwent a brief disintegration under the unprecedentedly intense pressure!
Th-this.. this is..
This is the true thought of Earth.
Cain said leisurely, these words were spoken both to the Asgard Gods such as Odin, who had proactively integrated into Cthulhu Life, to Wood's group, who were busy soothing Fenrir after his long-awaited escape while simultaneously contemplating how to escape themselves.
Humans do not need non-human life from the Outer Universe to decide their future; humans have the right to decide their own Fate! Whether it is a beautiful future or a future of Destruction, it is a future we choose for ourselves!
—Do you even know what you're saying!
Odin was furious, the light of lightning erupted from his eyes.
“I know exactly what I am saying, I am well aware of how dangerous this decision is for me, but I will not regret it, because—within me lies both the corruption and evil of humans, as well as the beauty and hope of humans! I am the Progenitor of Bloodline of humans, I am humanity itself! I will not allow Cthulhu Lifeforms to breed recklessly on Earth until they devour the entire Earth!”
Cain announced proudly, the hovering Leviathan also released almost all of his chains.
Under the influence of the power of Cain and Leviathan, the eternally clear skies of Asgard fell into darkness, a blood-red moon rose above Cain's head.
(This—this is—)
Witnessing this scene, Wood let out a silent scream!
This was the landscape he had seen in his Dream, that bloody and grotesque Dream—
I am no good thing; I am obsessed with emptiness and pleasure, finding the highest joy in life through the debauchery and bloodlust of my Followers. But I also love this world, I love this Earth—and most importantly, I cannot lose my control over the Earth. If my Consciousness merges with Cthulhu Lifeform, I will no longer be myself! Then what would be the point of my existence?
So what you want is—
Odin's face gradually contorted.
Yes, I want absolute control! If I can become the controlling Consciousness of the Cthulhu Lifeform, I certainly wouldn't mind merging with the Cthulhu Lifeform, but—can I become the controlling party? Will you allow me to become the controlling Consciousness?
“..”
“Since merging with Cthulhu Lifeform cannot give me what I want, then I have no choice but to—Loki, no, Wood, at the moment the attack erupts, a massive rift will appear in space! Quickly, take your children and leave! Don't worry about me! I am the collective imagination created by Humans in the Current Era; as long as I refuse to merge, even if I am completely devoured by Cthulhu Lifeform, I cannot be killed!"
Cain announced with full confidence, while the hovering monster known as Leviathan emitted a rumbling sound of mechanical axles.
The ground began to shake violently.
The Asgard Gods, led by Odin, could not endure the cataclysm brought by Cain, one after another—
Kill you!
We must kill—
—Ah!
Leviathan released cruel chains, thrusting them toward the Asgard Gods.
The Asgard Gods refused to retreat in defeat, brandishing their divine artifacts as they engaged in a bloody struggle against the Monster that possessed the power of world destruction.
Cain stood suspended in the air beneath Leviathan, a blood-red crescent moon hanging above his head, as he smiled and reminded Wood and the others, "The passage is open, don't waste my time!"
“—Thank you.”
Wood said with a hint of shame, "I originally thought you would become my enemy."
I originally intended to become your enemy, but Cthulhu Lifeform could not offer me the price I wanted, so I had no choice but to execute Plan B.
Whatever the reason you decided to help us, I—I must thank you!
Stop wasting time! Get out of here, now!
Cain urged them on impatiently.
Wood nodded, under the protective coils of Jormungand, he rushed toward the spatial rift forced open by Leviathan under Cain's control, carrying the still-bleeding Fenrir and the cold-faced Hela.
Do not let them escape!
They are the key to the success of the Ark Project!
Stop them! At any cost, you must—
Ah!
Before the roars of Odin and the other Norse Gods had even subsided, their bodies fell straight to the ground like birds hitting an electric fence.
Cain smiled and emphasized, "I said I would help them leave!"
Then we shall first sever your power—
Odin was beyond furious.
Inside Valhalla, the Valkyries and the Heroic Spirits of all generations rushed toward Tyr like a tide—they had long since assimilated with Cthulhu Lifeforms, their bodies possessing a semi-fluid texture; even when struck by Leviathan's chains, they merely shattered into countless pieces of transparent jelly before rapidly reassembling into human forms upon hitting the ground.
What a bunch of disgusting things!
"What a disgusting bunch of things!" Cain cursed.