Episode 140: Hrungnir’s Memories (1)
[Three words make a sentence of one truth.
Shinier, Raider, Eye.]
Jaehyun frowned at the three words Mimir spat out.
‘There is too little information. What the hell do they mean?’
Mimir said three words meant one true sentence.
true sentence.
After lightly rolling the words on the tip of his tongue, Jaehyun was lost in thought.
However, conclusions were not easily drawn.
Jaehyun sighed and folded his arms involuntarily.
After a while. Mimir broke the silence and added.
[It’s good to think about it, but I haven’t given you all the hints yet. One last thing to tell you.
question the system. Only those who have doubted and doubted and reached the end.]
It was after Mimir hung up for a while.
[I can reach the truth.]
It was a difficult word to understand.
So far, Jaehyun has passed through two trials that are not too difficult.
But now, as far as this problem goes, I thought it wouldn’t be that easy.
[Then, I will look forward to the day we meet again. Hella, you suffer too.]
Chunk!
With Mimir’s final greeting, the iron door at the back opened.
A situation where two tests have been cleared and only the last one remains.
However, Jaehyun’s heart was not at ease.
“under.”
After letting out an involuntary sigh, I chewed over Mimir’s words again.
“Brighter, radar, eyes.”
A little while ago, Mimir gave the following three words as a hint about the truth.
‘I don’t understand why he bothered to explain the words in English.’
After all, he is a giant of wisdom. Every action has meaning.
three words. one sentence.
It was frustrating, but as of now, there was little to know.
However, one thing is certain.
“It’s probably just that all three words refer to me.”
Radar, eyes.
At least two words clearly refer to reappearance.
The reason is simple.
Jaehyun’s current job is a radar, and as for eyes, he has 《Odin’s Lost Eye》.
‘Shining’ will also differ depending on interpretation, but I think it means the dull life of Jaehyun before returning and the life that has changed now. Jaehyun was vaguely guessing.
This must also be Mimir’s intention.
“You don’t have to think too hard yet. For now, clearing the second trial and stopping Heimdall is the priority.”
When Jaehyun muttered softly, Hella also agreed.
“I think so. Let’s think about what Mimir’s words mean.”
Mimir said that Hela would not know what the three words he had told her meant either. In a way, it was natural.
Hell wouldn’t have been able to share all of his memories when he created his double body, and there will inevitably be memories that are naturally missing.
With the magic of transferring memories, there is always a risk.
“Then let’s go.”
After Jaehyun put Hella on his shoulders, he walked towards the road behind him.
finally last. The third gateway was waiting for reappearance.
‘After this ordeal is over, I will finally face Heimdall.’
Although it is said to be only 30% of the power, the reproduction is after the return. You will face God for the first time.
Destiny as the antagonist of the prophecy. The Æsir Throne and the Anti-Æsir faction.
It was time to weigh the scales of destiny again.
* * *
The last gateway to reach through the narrow road was the entrance to the first ruins.
The giant Smir stands tall in the dark cavity as if it were natural.
The giant’s eyes suddenly opened, and heavy voices were heard.
“Adversary. You have passed all the trials and now you have only one left.”
“yes. what… … somehow.”
Jaehyun nodded his head appropriately.
Smir was straight away.
“The master of the final ordeal is Na Smir. Also, the third trial won’t be too difficult. No, it would be right to see it as too easy.”
It was an unexpected story.
I never thought the word ‘easy’ would come out of that naive giant’s mouth.
Jaehyun tilted his head, trying to figure out his intentions.
‘What is the last ordeal? No, isn’t it normal for the exams to get harder the further you go?’
If it’s a general test, it’s normal that the difficulty goes up as you go back.
Besides, didn’t Smir say that? The second ordeal is that it is dangerous to dare to challenge without reaching the level of S-class.
Together.
Why does Smir say this ordeal will be the easiest?
Jaehyun couldn’t understand it right away, but he didn’t ask for an explanation.
It was because Smir had been amplifying right away.
“I will explain the final exam.”
“I was waiting.”
Jaehyun straightened his back and focused on the giant’s voice.
Smir went straight to the point without dragging.
“Adversary. From now on, you will see the past memories of a certain giant.”
“The giant… … memory?”
When Jaehyun narrowed his eyes, Smir nodded.
“Yes. The first apocalypse 10,000 years ago.
These are the memories of my father during Ragnarok.”
Jaehyun’s pupils constricted.
It couldn’t have been a more mind-blowing story.
You’re giving me a chance to see Hrungnir’s memories for myself?
Jaehyun quickly developed an idea.
‘After regression. So far I’ve been driven by the gods to death, but I’ve never been told what happened during Ragnarok.
The last test will be a good opportunity to quench that thirst.’
Smir was on.
“Adversary. From now on, you must return to the memory of Hrungnir, my father and the great giant, and answer my question.
If you finish all of these, I will consider you to have cleared the second ordeal.”
Jaehyun pondered over Smir’s words for a while before adding.
“Do you have the answer you want?”
This was an important issue.
What if Smir’s final exam is a question that requires a specific answer?
Jaehyun inevitably had to find the answers Hrungnir and Smir wanted.
However, Smir’s reaction was quite different from what he was worried about.
“Not like that. Just by answering, the second ordeal is all over.
Whatever answer you come up with, that’s not my realm to evaluate. Find your own answer. That is the trial of the giant, the final gateway.”
It seemed that he knew his intentions, albeit vaguely.
Hrungnir, the designer of the Great Ruins. He wants to find the answer himself.
By showing past memories, how Jaehyun will move forward.
Confirming this seemed to be the intent of the final test.
‘Mimir said that too.’
A little while ago, Jaehyun asked Mimir.
Why did the anti-Aesir forces give them a choice instead of forcibly using them?
Mimir’s answer was simple.
[Because I didn’t want to leave the fate of the world to someone who couldn’t stand up for themselves.]
It seemed to be a characteristic of giants.
He only believes in those he acknowledges, and if he acknowledges them, he gives up everything.
Jaehyun thought for a moment, then nodded.
“All right. Please.”
“okay. I hope you find your own answer.”
With a satisfied face, Smir swept his beard once and released his magic power.
Tsutsutsutsutsu!
At the same time, the floor vibrates and the pillars all around begin to shake.
softly… … !
“What, what?”
When Jaehyun shouted with a puzzled face, Smir replied with a calm expression.
“I guess I’ll have to do some repair work. I haven’t used it in 10,000 years… …
Oh, you better be careful. It’s dangerous if you get swept away.”
With Smir’s words, a huge mirror rose from the floor.
After a while.
All the dust that had risen was cleared, and the full face of the mirror was revealed.
A mirror with antique ornaments carved along the outer edge, like a water surface, possessing magical power.
Smir pointed to the mirror and said.
“This is the mirror of Urd, the first of the three goddesses of fate. It is an artifact that shows the recorded past.”
“Urd.”
The first of the three goddesses of fate,
One of the three Norn sisters who created the Nornir system along with Mimir and Loki.
‘According to Norse mythology, Urud is a goddess in charge of the past.
That mirror is probably an artifact to show the past.’
Jaehyun thought about it and shook his head.
Smir was in a solemn tone.
“Stand in front of the mirror and prove that you are the antagonist of the prophecy. All it takes is a drop of blood.”
Jaehyun stood in front of the mirror as Smir told him to.
―Active skill 《Formation of magic tools》 is activated.
―You have succeeded in crafting a low-level mana blade.
Made a light wound on his hand with the mana blade created through his skill.
I held a drop of blood that swelled up against the mirror and waited for a while.
―Confirm the user’s information.
―Security code is working. Please wait… … .
– The antagonist of the prophecy. Confirmed.
A familiar system sound that can be heard as in Mimir.
The Nornir system resonates, and the voice continues again.
―There is a memory prepared for the opponents of the prophecy.
―Would you like to read it?
“okay.”
Jaehyun answered without hesitation.
Soon, the mirror starts to vibrate, and soon a creepy voice is heard from inside.
[past… … The harsh truth of… … this place… … to… … .]
at the same time. The mirror was stained blood-red, and pitch-black darkness poured out. The darkness that fell like a curtain flickered my vision.
Jaehyun sighed and clenched his fists.
‘This is the end.’
Jaehyun made up his mind and calmed down his breathing.
After a while.
All the darkness that engulfed Jaehyun is lifted.
-The owner of the Great Ruins. Play Hrungnir’s first memory.
-caution! Your presence in memory is not recognized.
―Interaction is not possible.
“This place… … how?”
Jaehyun muttered as he looked around the brightly lit surroundings.
In an endlessly wide space, pure white snow and ice surround the surroundings.
The cold air that was cold enough to choke the breath made the tip of Jaehyun’s nose freeze.
Hella, who was sitting on her shoulder, said calmly.
“This is Jotunheim. It is the land of giants.”
* * *
Jǫtunheimr.
Also called Utgard, the place that surrounds Asgard, the realm of the gods.
It is a world of giants, and is said to be located outside the borders of Midgard.
A world located in highlands where it is said that the cold season lasts endlessly throughout the four seasons.
Jaehyun had a chance to come across a story about this in a myth he read as a child.
… … Well, at the time, it was something that I heard with one ear and let it go.
After a while. The snow-covered landscape all disappeared, and the place surrounding the two changed.
very big house. Jaehyun tilted his head.
“By the way, it was said to be the first memory, and suddenly it was transported to a very large house.”
As he said, the place he arrived at was a very large cabin.
It is almost three times the size of a normal house. Judging by the extraordinary size, it seemed to be the home of a giant.
“I feel like a little man from Gulliver’s Travels.”
“It’s probably a giant’s house.”
As Jaehyun muttered, Hella immediately answered. After giving her a nod, she looks around the house. Suddenly, someone’s conversation was heard.
A voice heard through the door.
Jaehyun squeezed through the crack in the door and focused on the conversation he heard.
The voices were that of a youthful boy and one that of a profound man. It was two in total.
The first thing I heard was the voice of a middle-aged man.
“Smir. What do you think a true monarch is?”
“A true monarch?”
The young boy’s voice belonged to someone Jaehyun knew well.
‘Smir. Maybe it’s childhood. Then, naturally, the giant sitting in front was Hrungnir. He must be the designer of the Great Ruins.’
Hrungnir was two heads taller than Smir and sported a proudly long beard.
The boy, Smir, listens to his father and seems to be contemplating what answer to give.
After a while. After thinking about it, Smir opened his mouth with difficulty.
“hmm… … After all, isn’t strength the most important thing?”
“haha. That, of course, is a virtue that must be possessed. But I mean.”
Hrungnir tangled Smir’s hair at will.
“A good monarch is one who cares for and cares for others as much as himself. A person who admits his own shortcomings without being weeded out by foolish power. Such a monarch is the law to be admired and called a worthy saint.
I hope you become a giant like that.”
At Hrungnir’s words, Smir lowered his head with a gloomy expression.
“… … But I’m not a great giant like my father. Weak, scared… … Thor’s hammer is also scary.
What is it worth to me… … I do not know.”
“Smir.”
Hrungnir called to his son in a warm voice.
As Smir raised his head, Hrungnir added with a smile.
“Don’t try to judge your worth so easily.
It is only you who determines your worth.”
The words of Hrungnir, who sat down carelessly and warmly.
Hearing this, Jaehyun’s eyes narrowed.
‘Wait a minute, that must be… … ?’
