In the hazy world, dark clouds obscured the radiance of the sun.
Thunder, fierce winds, torrential rain, and the deafening roars of the monster intertwined, raging hurricanes wreaking havoc on the turbulent sea, forming giant waterspouts that connected the ocean and sky.
And on the surface of the gloomy sea, the giant serpent, its body as endless as a mountain range, thrashed about in fury, rolling its colossal form in the ocean. With each movement, it whipped up countless towering waves, every action seeming to make the earth shake and mountains crumble, inspiring terror and dread…
Amidst the surging waves and storms, on the few remaining dragon-headed warships, the runes carved into the hulls all emitted dazzling white light, desperately trying to protect the ships and allow them to escape danger.
But facing the vast, seemingly endless behemoth before them, its body as magnificent as a mountain range, and the apocalyptic scene triggered by the giant beast's wrath, even these indomitable Norse warriors couldn't help but show a hint of fear on their faces.
They did not fear death. However, this did not mean they enjoyed dying meaninglessly.
In the face of a natural disaster, even the bravest and most reckless warriors would not consider themselves cowardly for choosing to flee from an earthquake or tsunami.
And at this moment…
Calamity had already descended upon them.
"Flee…"
One Norse warrior in armor involuntarily uttered a word.
But no one had moved yet. They were still hesitating, unsure if they should gloriously head to Odin's Valhalla, or choose to return to the mortal world and live out their humble lives as ordinary men.
And then…
"ROAR!!!!!!!!!"
The resounding, thunderous roar spread across the great sea.
The enraged giant beast that had utterly destroyed the lead dragon-headed ship raised its head to the sky and howled, as if venting its anger and discontent.
That thunderclap-like boom made the entire ocean tremble, the turbulent sea surface undulating restlessly, as if in awe and fear of the wrath of the world-encircling serpent.
"Crack! Boom!!!"
In an instant, even more intense gales and torrents furiously lashed at them, carrying the momentum of wind and thunder. The huge raindrops were so fierce that exposed faces and hands instantly bruised.
"Quick… run!"
Without any further hesitation, the Norse warriors shouted urgently. The warriors manning the oars exerted all their strength, desperately trying to row and escape from this surging, perilous sea.
The giant serpent, however, showed no intention of pursuing them. In its eyes, they were nothing more than a group of insignificant ants, not worth chasing and killing.
It casually stretched its body, intending to dive back into the depths of the ocean, heedless that the huge waves it stirred up were a catastrophe and nightmare in the eyes of countless living beings.
Not far from the Nightmare Serpent…
On the turbulent sea surface, corpses could be seen everywhere, rising and falling with the waves.
Amidst the numerous floating bodies, there was a tiny figure arduously clinging to the edge of a remnant wooden plank, trying to climb on top of it.
"Cough… cough cough…"
Soaked from head to toe, her helmet lost at some point, wet golden hair disheveled, slender fair fingers tightly gripping a longbow.
When Lina finally managed to climb atop the wooden plank, she immediately collapsed weakly upon it, unable to move for a long time.
On her back, a deep, bloody gash dyed the tattered leather armor completely red.
Besides this, there were wounds and injuries of various sizes all over her body.
Battered and broken.
At this moment, that was the perfect description for Lina.
When she struggled to stand up with the support of her longbow, lifting her head to survey her surroundings…
Gazing blankly at the countless corpses floating beside her, some familiar, some unfamiliar, with no lack of her brothers among them, her pupils were filled with confusion.
Looking further into the distance, in the wind and rain, lightning dragons danced, hurricanes raged, the world dim and dark.
That immense giant serpent, as majestic as endless mountain ranges, and those tiny dragon-headed ships fleeing in panic under the serpent's wrath…
Like an insurmountable high wall, they seemed to silently mock the powerlessness of humans, ridiculing their insignificance… and tininess.
Her body swayed unsteadily.
Staring at that colossal, unfathomably huge creature that inspired despair and helplessness, her lips trembled slightly.
"Why…"
She whispered almost inaudibly.
Despair.
Nothing but despair. That was not an enemy humans could contend against!
It was a nightmare!
A calamity!
The world-encircling giant serpent - Jormungandr…
"ROAR!!!!"
The thunderous roar reverberating through the world stirred up countless storms on the sea, as if the boundless ocean also revered and feared this son of Loki.
At the same time, tears silently slid down Lina's cheeks.
"Drip…"
Those were tears of self-loathing for her powerlessness and weakness…
But the next moment, she gently wiped away the tears from the corners of her eyes, replaced by the stubbornness and hatred in her pupils.
The longbow in her hand had already been damaged in the earlier torrential deluge, even the bowstring snapped. However, this was not an obstacle for her.
"Snap!"
Drawing the small knife she carried on her, she forcefully cut off a few strands of her long hair. With nimble hands, she quickly wove them together and strung them on the longbow.
"Shh…"
Gritting her teeth, she tightened the bowstring. The bowstring made from her hair strained to secure the longbow in place as tears continuously flowed out.
"Karl…"
She silently chanted, as if reciting his name could give her endless courage.
Whenever she was tired, crying, feeling sad… she would think of that gentle boy who smiled at her, making her feel happy.
A little immature, a little clumsy, always teased by her.
But she just liked him that way, liked that warm feeling like the sun.
Liked that boy who would lose his smile and become dejected upon hearing she had someone she liked.
Liked that boy who would get nervous and flustered knowing someone else proposed to her.
And she liked even more that boy who, soaked in rain, clumsily proposed to her in front of everyone, his face showing wild joy when she nodded and accepted.
But…
That person was gone now.
Tears continuously streamed down her cheeks.
"Karl…"
Drawing the last arrow from her back, she nocked it on the longbow and slowly pulled.
"Creak…"
With her movement, the longbow emitted a faint creak.
Her eyes firmly fixed on the giant serpent before her, stirring up countless storms on the sea.
At that moment, as if sensing something, the giant serpent turned its head.
"Rumble…"
That gigantic head, as huge as a mountain, lifted up loftily like a deity, silently looking down on her tiny figure.
Its vertical, cold pupils gazed at her, seeming to show disdain.
"You…"
Speaking through gritted teeth, she had already drawn her longbow to the limit.
"RUMBLE!!!!!!"
Under her gaze, the giant serpent's head had already charged towards her, carrying countless deafening, fierce winds and waves, as if the sky was collapsing and the earth splitting apart in an instant.
"Monster!"
The hateful voice spread across the great sea. At the same time, the giant serpent's mouth, already wide open like a bottomless abyss, tried to devour everything.
The bowstring in her hand loosened, a streak of light suddenly shot out, flying towards the abyss. Before that terrifying abyss that could swallow the world, that stubborn figure holding the bow appeared infinitely frail.
"ROAR!!!!"
Amidst the deafening howl, under the gaze of the slender figure, the bottomless abyss before her abruptly closed, devouring everything before her. Then, the giant serpent, its body as vast as mountain ranges, once again dove into the deep sea…
A long time later, everything vanished.
On the vast blue sea, the wind was gentle and the waves calm, the sky as bright as always. Only the wooden debris floating on the sea seemed to be silently narrating something.