The Analysis skill wasn’t working.
To be precise, it wasn’t reacting to Gleipnir.
‘Because it’s not a weapon? No, Analysis doesn’t discriminate like that. Weaving is like that in the first place.’
Then what was it?
Had the Gods done something to this too? To prevent Frondier from replicating Gleipnir?
‘That’s ridiculous. If that were possible, they could just do that to all weapons.’
And if there was a way to prevent it from being registered in the Workshop, the Weaving skill would become worthless in that instant. It would have become a skill that the Gods didn’t need to be wary of.
‘I’m mistaken about something. Maybe the reason I feel the familiarity of Gleipnir lies here…’
Frondier thought for a moment. Soon, he asked Selena.
“Selena. You’ve heard of Gleipnir, right?”
“Yes? Yes, I have. Although it’s only passed down as a story in mythology.”
“What kind of object do you know Gleipnir to be? Do you know what material it’s made of?”
Selena tilted her head at his question.
As if she was recalling what she had learned, her eyes turned diagonally.
“Hmm, I heard it was made from the beard of a woman, the roots of mountains and stones, the sound of a fox and a cat’s footsteps, the breath of a fish, the tendons of a bear strong enough to be used as a bowstring, and the spit of a bird. It’s said to have been made by gathering things that don’t exist in this world. Of course, it’s a story from mythology, so I only saw it as entertainment.”
Frondier nodded. It was similar to the knowledge he had.
The materials used to create Gleipnir were absurd.
‘There’s no way they actually made it with a woman’s beard or a fish’s breath. But I need to know why it’s passed down that way.’
The materials mentioned in the legends were imaginary. It was something humans embellished to worship mythology. The important thing was that Gleipnir was said to be made by gathering things that didn’t exist in this world.
Something that didn’t exist in this world,
Something that wasn’t registered in Frondier’s Workshop,
Something similar to Obsidian.
“…Don’t tell me this is.”
Frondier took a closer look at Gleipnir.
Highly concentrated Mana. He carefully examined the Mana that made him wonder if this was what would happen if he boiled Helheim’s Mana for a long time. He used all his senses to scrutinize every nook and cranny.
And faintly, he smelled the scent of Obsidian within Gleipnir.
“…I got it.”
Frondier said.
“This isn’t an object.”
“Yes?”
“Gleipnir isn’t an object or an artifact, it’s just…”
Frondier grabbed Gleipnir.
“This is just Mana.”
“…Mana?”
“Mana?”
Selena and Belphegor asked simultaneously.
[What are you talking about?]
Even Fenrir spoke as if he didn’t understand.
“Perhaps, they combined the Mana of all nine worlds and wove it into a single thread. That’s why it became such incredibly compressed Mana.”
The Obsidian that Frondier used was versatile enough to be used for both offense and defense on its own.
He didn’t know how many other worlds’ Mana had such characteristics. But it would be enough to amplify the power of Obsidian.
Gathering even a small amount of nine of those and turning them into a single Mana…
Even though it was weaving from Mana, it was still Mana, so it wasn’t an object.
That’s why it wasn’t registered in the Workshop,
and it was made by gathering the Mana of other worlds that didn’t exist in this world.
[You’re saying I’m tied up with Mana right now?]
Fenrir’s expression hardened. He thought it was a Divine item, but to think he was unable to move because of mere Mana?
Kuoooo─!
Fenrir, enraged, moved to break free from the thread, but he couldn’t budge. There was no way it would come loose now.
“It’s only natural. It’s the Mana of nine worlds, so no one can untie it.”
Even with the Obsidian that Frondier possessed, only a handful of people could untie it if he was completely suppressed. There was no one at the student level, and among the pros, maybe Eden, and above that, all Zodiacs.
Even with just Obsidian, the number was reduced to a handful, but this was the combined Mana of nine worlds?
[Then what difference does it make? Nothing changes, does it?]
Fenrir said in annoyance. Explaining the reason why it couldn’t be untied was only going to anger Fenrir more. He wasn’t interested in such things.
“No, it’s different.”
But Frondier said.
This wasn’t an object, it was Mana.
The moment he realized that, a possibility had already opened up for Frondier.
“…Wait, wait a minute, Frondier-nim!”
And Selena realized it too.
“No way, it’s too dangerous!”
“What are you talking about?”
Belphegor asked from the side.
“He’s trying to absorb it into his body! Frondier-nim is!”
“Into his body? Ah, like Obsidian.”
Belphegor nodded as if he understood.
Frondier, who had absorbed the entire fragment of Helheim he encountered in Yeranhas.
Helheim’s Mana, which could suffocate and kill an ordinary person with just a few handfuls. He had taken it into his entire body, and his necklace contained a lake-sized amount of it.
Selena was also one of the people who had seen Helheim’s Mana up close.
A human shouldn’t touch that liquid. She knew that very well.
But to think that there was nine times that amount of Mana gathered here…
However, Belphegor spoke with an intrigued look and a smile.
“That’s interesting, isn’t it? Why don’t you try it?”
“Belphegor!”
“He was fine even after swallowing Obsidian with a human body. But now he’s a devil. He can handle it.”
Belphegor said with his narrow eyes.
Of course, it was a lie.
To be precise, there was no guarantee that Frondier could handle it.
A devil’s body was somewhat stronger than a human’s. That was certain.
But how helpful was that ‘somewhat’?
“Fenrir.”
Frondier said.
“If you’re released,”
[Don’t tell me you’re going to order me around,]
“I’ll let you do whatever you want, how about that?”
Fenrir’s eyes widened at Frondier’s words.
Soon, the wolf’s eyes were filled with intense spirit.
[Indeed. Very well.]
Fenrir had a strong grudge against the Gods, and it was obvious what he would do the moment he was released.
There was no reason for Frondier to stop him.
“Hey, Frondier.”
Belphegor said at that moment.
“You know this will be treason, right?”
“…”
“The Gods will now completely try to kill you, and so will the Seven Deadly Sins. Moreover, this world is already the Gods’ stage. Their power won’t weaken anymore. Absorbing that Mana is already dangerous, but the moment you do, you become a clear target for the Gods.”
Frondier laughed at his words.
“I’ve never been afraid of such things.”
“—Heh.”
As if satisfied with that one sentence, Belphegor took a half step back.
If Frondier could really absorb that Mana, he would be a disaster like no other for the Gods.
He had witnessed Ragnarok in the past. He also knew of its failure.
Ragnarok.
There was a prophecy about that day of demise.
‘…When Ragnarok comes, “everything will be released.” That’s what the prophecy said.’
That was why, in the past, humanity had waited for all those who would help them to be released. They believed in that prophecy.
However, contrary to humanity’s expectations, the prophecy was not fulfilled. Moreover, with Olympus joining the fray, Ragnarok ended in failure.
‘But what if that prophecy, instead of waiting for them to be released…’
What if it meant making them be released?
Thump, thump.
Belphegor smiled with unprecedented euphoria, watching Frondier’s back.
It wasn’t that the restraints were released because Ragnarok was coming,
but that Ragnarok was coming because the restraints were released.
This time, for sure.
‘It’s the time of prophecy.’
Right after Belphegor’s thought.
Frondier reached out to Gleipnir.
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