Chapter 403 Rainbow Sword

With flowing black hair, a sleek black-and-green combat suit, and heavy dark circles under her eyes, she looked like a "time management master" who hadn’t slept in an eternity. This woman, radiating an ominous aura, was Odin’s firstborn, the Goddess of Death—Hela!

Jason scrutinized her figure and beauty with mild curiosity, then curled his lip. Hela stepped out of the death dimension and onto Asgardian soil. She looked around, took a deep breath, and wore a triumphant smile. After a thousand years of imprisonment, she had finally returned to Asgard, the source of her power.

However, the scene before her differed from her expectations. Who was this bastard? And what was with the fleet behind him?

"So, he’s dead then?" Hela asked, looking at Jason.

"You mean Odin? Seems so. I just saw him turn into a bunch of gold glitter and vanish into the air," Jason replied flatly, telling the truth.

Hela curled her lip in regret. "Hmph. Such a pity. I quite wanted to see him die with my own eyes. But darling, that wasn’t ’gold glitter.’ That was the divine power within Odin’s body."

"What did you call me?" Jason’s brow furrowed.

"What’s wrong? Has no woman ever called you that before?" Hela’s voice was lazy and seductive as she approached with a sultry, feline stride.

"Alright, hang on a second..." Jason reached out to stop her, his gaze clear and unimpressed. "I didn’t waste all this effort coming to Asgard just to be hit on by an old hag who’s thousands of years old."

"Old hag?" Hela stopped, her eyes narrowing dangerously. "You have such a foul mouth."

"Can’t help it. Born this way," Jason said seriously. "Listen, Odin is dead, and Asgard is empty. This trip has been a total waste for me. But I don’t want to spend another year or two on a ship just to get home. So, tell me how to use that Bifrost over there."

Hela glanced at it, then turned back to him. "Perhaps. But first, tell me: who are you? And what are you doing in Asgard?"

Jason sighed. "Nothing special. Just looking for something. But Odin didn’t want to give it up and shipped the whole population away."

"Wow..." Hela smiled. "To make Odin and those idiots of Asgard flee in terror... just who are you? And what were you looking for?"

Jason grew impatient. "Look, who I am and what I’m looking for is none of your business. Can you fix that Bifrost or not? They took the key with them."

Jason’s continuous provocations caused Hela’s face to darken. "Darling, you might have some skill, but you really should watch your attitude." She flicked her hand, and a sharp blade appeared in her grip. "Now... kneel! Submit before your Queen."

"Gods, this family is obsessed with cosplay. You’re all out of your damn minds!" Jason scratched his head in exasperation, a purple light flashing in his pupils.

Instantly, purple cracks spread across Hela’s entire body.

"This is..." Her expression changed violently. Before she could finish her sentence, she was completely annihilated into dust.

"Shit!" Looking at the empty space where Hela had been, Jason suddenly remembered his promise to Valkyrie to leave Hela for her to handle.

Just then, Valkyrie descended from the ship, walking toward the spot where Hela had vanished with a complex expression. "Sorry, I..."

"It’s fine. It was just talk anyway." Valkyrie reached out toward the air and shook her head. "Hela is the Goddess of Death. Even if you gave me the chance to hack her into pieces with Dragonfang, she still wouldn’t die."

"What? There are people you can’t kill?" Jason asked, puzzled.

"Well... how do I explain this?" Valkyrie thought for a moment. "Think of it this way: the power within the Infinity Stones were granted by the universe during the Big Bang. These ancient gods can also obtain other Cosmic power through birth or sheer effort."

Jason understood immediately. "Hela’s power is Death. So she can control her own life and demise."

Valkyrie nodded. "Exactly! Unless you strip the Cosmic power from within Hela, there is no way to truly kill her."

Jason asked, "Then my Power Stone just now...?"

Valkyrie replied, "It just forcibly sent her back to the Realm of Death. If she wants to... look."

Jason turned around. A dark green portal of death opened once more. As Valkyrie predicted, Hela stepped out of the portal completely unharmed.

"Truly surprising. To think that within a mere mortal frame, there hides the power of an infinity stone," Hela said, looking at Jason with a grim expression. There was no trace of mockery left on her face.

"That power..." Hela frowned, analyzing. "It should be the Power Stone."

"You’ve seen it?" Jason asked.

"Seen it... heh." Hela sneered. "You underestimate Odin and Asgard far too much. He was once wildly ambitious, conquering far and wide. At one point, he possessed five Infinity Stones. If he hadn’t grown senile in his old age, the entire universe would be part of Asgard’s map today."

"Alright, stop living in the past glory. Look at what’s in front of you. Asgard is a soft target for anyone to squeeze. Neither Odin nor you can stop me," Jason said dismissively.

"If it weren’t for Odin..." Hela’s anger flared, then she suppressed it. "Forget it. Let’s talk business."

"What business?"

"You have the Power Stone. I have the power that rewrites life and death. Why don’t we join forces and rule this universe together?" Hela proposed.

Jason laughed. "Are you saying you want to be my subordinate?"

Hela’s face twitched in rage. "Darling, don’t be so arrogant! There are plenty of enemies in the universe who can cause you trouble. Pushing me, the Goddess of Death, to the opposing side won’t benefit you one bit."

"Rewriting life and death is indeed a powerful power. However... I’m not used to standing on equal footing with anyone," Jason said with a smile. "Besides, I have a bad habit: I can’t stand seeing good things slip away. Since I didn’t get the Space Stone this trip, taking your power of Death seems like a decent consolation prize."

The moment he finished speaking, energy erupted from Jason’s body, radiating a brilliant golden light. Hela, fueled by rage, was about to launch an attack, but the moment she saw the golden light, her eyes turned hollow and lost their focus.

"You’ve controlled her?" Valkyrie drew Dragonfang.

"Yeah, but only temporarily. The infinity stone inside her is just a fragmented version. The Mind Stone can’t completely puppet her either—it can only hold her for a moment."

Jason strode forward and placed his palm on Hela’s forehead. "However, once I absorb the power of Death into myself, the Goddess of Death becomes nothing more than a Goddess of Corpses."

Closing his eyes, Jason focused his will. The power of Death within Hela rapidly detached and flowed into Jason’s body, like a pond being drained by a high-powered pump. Jason possessed four infinity stones; his actual drainage rate was far more terrifying than any pump. In just a few moments, Hela’s porcelain skin turned a deathly, bloodless pale.

Jason grinned and gave her forehead a light tap. Hela stumbled back several steps before collapsing onto the ground, her expression stiff and her gaze blank.

"You... you actually drained it..." Hela was in total shock. Even as a millennia-old, she had never heard of anyone who could suck a cosmic power out of someone else.

"Did you think I was stupid? Without these life-saving tricks, I wouldn’t have the guts to trespass on Asgard," Jason said, shaking his head with a smirk. Without the power of Death, Hela was just a normal god. She could be wounded, she could bleed, and she could die.

"She’s all yours." Jason patted Valkyrie on the shoulder.

"Thanks!" Valkyrie stepped forward, glaring at Hela.

"Don’t push yourself. If you need help, just say the word." Jason stood aside, giving the two women their space.

"And who are you?" Hela demanded. She had seen earlier that Valkyrie was just a normal person, so she hadn’t given her a second glance.

Valkyrie unsheathed Dragonfang and revealed the tattoo on her arm. "Remember me now?"

Seeing the tattoo, the realization hit Hela. "You... a Valkyrie! Heh, I remember now. You’re that little wretch who slipped through my fingers. I didn’t kill you back then, and yet instead of being grateful, you’ve held a grudge until now."

Valkyrie snarled. "A monster like you knows nothing of mercy. The only reason I survived was because my elder sister, who loved me like a sibling, used her own body to shield me from your sword. She threw me to the ground and let me hide among the piles of the dead. For a thousand years, I’ve used alcohol to numb myself. But the more I try to forget, the more it’s etched into my soul. Hela, you vile old hag! It’s time to pay the blood debt!"

"Hmph..." Hela let out a cold snort, slowly picking herself up from the ground. "I wondered how that darling over there could breach Asgard so easily. Turns out we had a traitor in our midst."

Valkyrie spat. "Don’t talk to me about Asgard! Odin stood by and watched your slaughter; he was an accomplice to that tragedy. From that moment on, I haven’t had a shred of respect for that throne."

"Fair enough." Hela flipped her hand, summoning a sword. "But let your little lover fight instead. With your amateur skills, you won’t leave a scratch on me."

"Hahaha!" Valkyrie laughed loudly. "Provocation won’t work on me. As long as I can take your head, I wouldn’t mind if he tied your hands and feet together."

"Hmph! Even the last Valkyrie has fallen so low," Hela sneered.

"I gave up that title long ago." Valkyrie settled into a combat stance, the tip of her blade aimed at Hela’s heart. "Die!"

With a roar, she swung her sword at Hela. Hela tapped her foot lightly, her movements blurring as she dodged backward. Hmm... her swordsmanship is the same old Asgardian style—nothing special. But her movement speed is impressive; she’s about half as fast as I am.

Hela analyzed Valkyrie’s strength while dodging with ease. Once she confirmed Valkyrie wasn’t a threat, she began to look for an opening to break the deadlock. From the situation on the ground, a reconciliation was impossible. The Valkyrie was determined to kill her, and the man would clearly enjoy watching it. A direct fight was out—she needed leverage.

Seeing how much attention the man paid to the Valkyrie, Hela guessed their relationship was deep. If she could capture the Valkyrie as a hostage, she might have a chance to live. Hela made up her mind: seize Valkyrie to blackmail Jason.

She retreated step after step, moving to a distance where Jason wouldn’t be able to intervene in time. Then, she deliberately left an opening, baiting Valkyrie into a reckless attack. Valkyrie fell for it. Seeing Hela’s footwork falter, she lunged with all her might, aiming her blade at Hela’s abdomen.

Hmph. Too little combat experience. Hela was triumphant. She gathered her strength, preparing to dodge, disarm, and counter-kill the moment the blade touched her.

Unfortunately, while Valkyrie’s experience wasn’t enough to see through Hela’s scheme, Jason—a battle-hardened veteran—saw it perfectly. Just as Hela was about to launch her counter, Jason’s pupils turned purple, and a shred of power stone energy attached itself to Valkyrie’s Dragonfang.

The silver sword erupted with a purple glow. Hela felt as if she were suddenly bound by invisible chains, unable to move a muscle.

SHINK!

Dragonfang pierced easily through Hela’s abdomen.

"You..." Hela’s eyes were bloodshot as she glared at the distant Jason. Before she could finish her sentence, her body began to crack like porcelain, long thin fissures glowing with purple light.

Valkyrie violently pulled the sword out, watching as Hela collapsed to her knees in agony.

"Thanks!"

"You’re welcome!"

Valkyrie knew Jason had intervened for a reason—likely because that old hag was up to no good. "Now, feel the same pain I felt all those years ago." Valkyrie pressed the tip of her blade against Hela’s face.

"Don’t... don’t kill me!" Hela clutched her wound, pleading with Jason.

"Give me a reason first," Jason said, arms crossed, his voice indifferent.

"You want to go home early, don’t you? I can tell you how to use the Bifrost..." To save her life, Hela was willing to turn traitor herself.

"Don’t even dream about it!" Valkyrie interrupted with a cold laugh. "I know how to use the Bifrost too!"

"..." Hela glared at Valkyrie with pure hatred. That goddamn traitor! I should have slaughtered every last one of those Valkyries back then!

"Without the Rainbow Sword, knowing how to use it is useless!" Hela shouted, trying to cling to life.

Watching her desperate struggle to avoid death, a wave of hollow sadness washed over Valkyrie. It turned out even the cold-blooded Goddess of Death feared her end. But Valkyrie carried a blood debt, and she showed no mercy.

She raised Dragonfang high, her voice cold as she delivered the final verdict.

"Heimdall took the Rainbow Sword! The only way to use the Bifrost now is to go to Nidavellir and have Eitri the Dwarf King forge a new one."

With that, she brought Dragonfang down with all her strength!

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