Chapter 65 : Worst Warrior (4)

The golden flames devoured the space, growing in size and intensity.

As the flames consumed everything, a hellish inferno of scorching heat was revealed.

At its center, she stood alone.

The blazing heat and the flames that filled the ground all revolved around her, creating a world of their own.

Hyde frowned.

The moment the flames overtook the space, the mirrors shattered under the unbearable heat.

Even the control he held over the space was completely seized.

Though he tried to use his magic to find an escape route, none was visible.

In other words, Hyde was trapped within this world of flames.

A place with no escape.

A hell made for sinners.

Muspelheim.

This flaming barrier was another world, a hell created by her to face the worst enemies of her life.

In the past, during the Winter War, she had faced countless defeats.

While the Wendigo had been a formidable foe, there was one far worse—its master.

The one who commanded the Wendigo: the Winter King.

He was not called the Winter King simply because he controlled snowstorms and commanded Wendigos.

His nearly omnipotent authority was the power to reverse probabilities.

This cursed ability allowed him to alter any future, no matter how improbable, to align with his will.

The apocalyptic winter was his creation, born of this power.

When Wolfgang realized this, she felt her will begin to falter.

How could anyone hope to defeat a creature capable of rewriting the future to its liking?

Was it even possible to win?

How could a mere human oppose such an omnipotent monster?

Initially, that’s what she believed.

But as the battles raged on, Wolfgang began to notice inconsistencies.

If he could rewrite the future however he wanted…

Then why had this war dragged on for so long?

Why not simply rewrite the future to end it immediately?

This doubt led Wolfgang to question the limitations of the Winter King’s authority.

It seemed nearly omnipotent, but perhaps it wasn’t truly all-powerful.

There had to be some restrictions.

From this realization, Muspelheim was born.

A hellish inferno created to counter the favorable rules of the Winter King’s world.

It was a stage designed entirely for her advantage.

In this flaming world, the flames reacted to the will of their master.

Sensing a threat, the flames moved to eliminate it.

In less than a second, a fiery storm erupted.

Even without direct contact, the sheer heat of the flames could melt a person instantly.

The storm surged toward Hyde with merciless speed.

The only reason Hyde’s body hadn’t already disintegrated was his use of magic to shield himself.

But if he were caught in the fiery storm, no magic would save him; he would vanish without a trace.

“A hero must never give up, even in the end.”

Hyde had already lost his sacred sword.

One arm was gone, and his life was reduced to a ticking clock.

Yet, he did not stop moving.

Watching him, Wolfgang felt a strange sense of familiarity.

The refusal to give up, even in the most hopeless situations.

Ironically, it was the same quality that had allowed her to survive against the Winter King.

“If the power to reverse probabilities works by flipping positive and negative outcomes…”

“Then as long as even one person refuses to give up, the opposing probability still exists.”

“That’s why, even the Winter King couldn’t fully end this war.”

During the Winter War, the Vendetta Corps, led by Wolfgang, was considered almost equal in strength to the Winter King’s apocalyptic forces.

The biggest factor tipping the scales was the Winter King himself.

As long as the Winter King was alive, the apocalyptic winter would not end.

Thus, Wolfgang had to find a way to defeat him, no matter the cost.

Muspelheim was the barrier she created for that purpose.

It was designed to isolate the Winter King from the apocalyptic winter he created.

By doing so, she could fight him in a more favorable battlefield.

Now, Wolfgang used Muspelheim without hesitation against Hyde.

Fortunately for Hyde, the storm’s speed was slower than expected.

He managed to evade it while buying time.

At least, that’s what he thought until he stumbled.

It wasn’t a mere mistake.

It was only then that Hyde noticed his legs had melted in the heat.

In such a short time, she had concentrated the heat to melt his legs.

“From the moment I stepped into this barrier, my defeat was inevitable.”

With that final acknowledgment, the fiery storm consumed Hyde.

When the storm subsided, not even a trace of him remained.

Wolfgang clicked her tongue as she observed the aftermath.

“Thankfully, it seems he didn’t have a trump card.”

Muspelheim, the hellish inferno she created, was an extension of her will.

Fighting her within it was akin to opposing the creator of a world.

Had Hyde retained his sacred sword or fought at full strength from the start, he might have lasted longer.

But the outcome would not have changed.

No matter how hard he fought, he would have met the same end.

The flames of Muspelheim spread beyond the barrier, engulfing the Nameless Hall.

Without its master, the hall crumbled into ashes under the relentless fire.

Remarkably, Wolfgang emerged unscathed.

By the time the flames had subsided, she had already replaced her eyepatch.

The golden flames faded, but Wolfgang staggered from the strain.

Releasing the seal had been taxing enough, but resealing the power drained her even further.

Her trembling hands reached for a cigarette.

Lighting it, she took a deep breath.

“At least one problem is resolved.”

She briefly considered if she had used too much power but quickly dismissed the thought.

Her opponent had been a legendary hero.

Even if the battle had seemed easy, not using her full strength would have been a fatal mistake.

“Never let your guard down. Even if your opponent is a rabbit, a tiger hunts with its full strength.”

Ironically, the first person to notice Wolfgang’s victory was not one of her subordinates.

It was an unexpected individual—Jeanne, confined to her room.

Lying in bed, Jeanne had been slowly overcoming her fear of Wolfgang.

But suddenly, an overwhelming pain struck her chest.

“Aaaaahhh!”

“What’s wrong, Jeanne?!”

“Gaaahhh…!”

Unable to endure the pain, Jeanne collapsed, foaming at the mouth.

Fortunately, Jaiha heard her screams and rushed in to help.

Without him, she might have suffered alone for hours.

Holding her hand, Jaiha reassured her until she calmed down.

“What happened? Why are you like this?!”

“She’s done it.”

“What do you mean?”

“She defeated one of the heroes… that wretched monster.”

Jeanne’s voice trembled as she clung to Jaiha.

The pain she felt in her chest paled compared to the realization that shattered her resolve.

Despite the nobles defecting and her fear of Wolfgang, Jeanne had relied on one belief.

The existence of the sleeping heroes in the kingdom.

But now, one of those connections had been severed.

Jeanne panicked as the reality set in.

The hero, once thought invincible, was not.