In truth, Loki's Frost Giant power was far from weak. It even surpassed all the power he had gained as an Asgardian, whether through divine might or magic. After all, even though the Frost Giants had a long growth cycle, a thousand years was more than enough for a Frost Giant to reach full maturity. What's more, Loki's bloodline wasn't ordinary—he was Frost Giant royalty, a natural-born king. Odin's proclamation that Loki was destined for kingship wasn't just words; Loki truly had the qualifications to become the King of the Frost Giants.
Of course, Loki was fully aware that even after embracing his Frost Giant power and adopting this eerie new appearance, there was still a significant gap between him and both Thor and Hela.
Defeating Hela on his own was simply impossible. But that didn't stop Loki from using his power to support Thor and disrupt Hela, potentially turning the tide of battle.
Having lived with Thor for over a thousand years, Loki understood his brother's combat style intimately. Even though Thor's abilities and fighting style had undergone significant changes, Loki quickly adapted to his approach and began coordinating his attacks.
Hum! The biting cold of Frost Giant power spread across the floor of the palace hall, creeping toward Hela. Loki timed his assault perfectly, targeting the moment when Hela was attacking Thor, leaving her unable to react to the encroaching frost.
Naturally, just as Loki knew Thor well, Thor understood Loki equally well. When Thor saw Loki's new form, he instantly realized that his brother had accepted his Frost Giant heritage and was ready to use that power to avenge their mother, Frigga.
Crack! Crack! As the frost reached her legs, Hela frowned. The ice sought to encase her, but with a surge of power, she shattered it instantly.
While Loki's attack failed to harm Hela, it did create a brief distraction. Thor capitalized on this momentary lapse, launching his counterattack without hesitation.
Boom! With a deafening roar, Mjolnir reassembled in Thor's hands, its fragments infused with the terrifying power of Rune Lightning. The hammer struck Hela squarely, sending her flying and smashing her through the palace walls.
Hela had tried to block Thor's attack, but her brief distraction dealing with Loki's frost left her a fraction too slow. Unable to fully counter Thor's blow, she was thrown back in a rare moment of vulnerability.
Thor, however, paid no mind to the destruction of the palace. Unlike Odin, who had meticulously controlled his power to avoid damaging even a blade of grass, Thor had no such luxury. Even with Loki's assistance, Thor had to give it his all to stand a chance against Hela. There was no room for restraint.
As soon as Hela was sent flying, Thor followed her with a flash of movement. He couldn't afford to let her recover—he needed to press the attack and finish her off while she was vulnerable.
Meanwhile, as Thor and Hela exited the battlefield, Loki hesitated briefly. He glanced at Odin, who was still holding back Kul with his divine power, a trace of uncertainty flashing in his eyes. Despite his hesitation, Loki extended his hand, sending a wave of frost toward Kul.
Hum! But compared to Hela, the gap between Loki and Kul was even greater. Loki's frost, which had at least managed to encase Hela briefly, dissipated into nothingness as it neared Kul. It was as if the frost had never existed. This happened even without Odin actively intervening to block Loki's power.
"Go help your brother, my son…" Odin said softly, a look of approval in his eyes. "Don't mourn for your mother and me. We will reunite in the Hall of Heroes. Your task now is to protect Asgard, to rebuild it… Tell Thor that my power is insufficient to kill Kul. If he can, he must reserve some strength to deal with Kul after I am gone."
"I will weaken Kul as much as possible," Odin continued. "I believe in Thor. He will find a way to finish what I could not."
"You can't kill Kul?" Loki's eyes widened in shock. The Odin before him, unleashing his full divine power without the constraints of a mortal body, was a sight Loki had never seen before.
In Loki's memories, Odin had certainly been a figure of majesty and strength, but that was in his youth. For centuries, Odin had been an aging figure, his power diminished, and his imposing presence only evident during rare moments of anger.
Now, seeing this side of Odin, Loki was taken aback. If even Odin in this state couldn't kill Kul, was Thor truly capable of handling him? Even if Kul was severely weakened, wouldn't he still be a threat on par with Odin? What if Kul had some hidden means of regaining his strength?
"Trust your brother, Loki, and trust yourself. The future of Asgard will be brighter in your hands… perhaps even beyond Ragnarok," Odin said, his voice filled with hope and encouragement.
"I understand." Though Loki still didn't fully grasp why Odin had so much confidence in Thor, he knew there was a vast gulf in power between him and his brother.
This gap wasn't something Loki could bridge with cunning or trickery. He had come to accept that Thor was indeed better suited to be King of Asgard, at least in terms of raw strength.
With that, Loki chose to trust Odin's judgment. As his voice faded, Loki's figure shimmered and disappeared. In truth, his real body had left the hall long ago, rushing toward the battlefield where Thor and Hela were clashing. What remained was only an illusion—a projection capable of continuing the conversation with Odin and hearing his parting advice.
Boom! Boom!
In the Asgardian skies, the battle between Thor and Hela raged on. Heimdall, having foreseen the conflict, had already led the citizens of Asgard, the Warriors Three, and even the Dwarven King Eitri to safety in a hidden refuge, leaving the battlefield devoid of bystanders.
Despite the intensity of the battle, Asgard itself had not suffered significant damage. It wasn't that Thor and Hela lacked destructive power, but rather that Asgard had already been ravaged during past battles, particularly the one involving Robert, Clark, and Diana.
Years later, the realm still hadn't fully recovered. Its once pristine, idyllic beauty—a paradise among the Nine Realms—was now but a memory.
This, in a way, freed Thor from worry. Whatever damage he and Hela inflicted on the battered realm wouldn't make things much worse. Asgard was already a shadow of its former self, its ruins needing to be rebuilt from the ground up once Thor became king.
Still, the thought weighed heavily on Thor. He had already experienced the difficulty of establishing New Asgard on Earth and knew how much effort and sacrifice it would take to rebuild Asgard. The memories of his failure to lead New Asgard haunted him, leaving him unsure if he was truly fit to lead.
Bang!
Thor's momentary lapse in focus cost him dearly. Hela struck him with one of her Death Swords, sending him flying. A deep gash ran across his chest, seeping with deathly energy that corroded his body.
"To fight me and still dare to be distracted? Do you know how many arrogant fools like you I've killed before?" Hela sneered as she followed up her attack without mercy. Twin Death Swords gleamed in her hands as countless more floated around her, ready to strike.
Hela was now fighting at full strength. If Asgard were still populated with its people, her rampage would have killed countless innocents, their deaths feeding her power and making her even stronger.
But this wasn't the Asgard she remembered. Its population was already decimated, and the survivors had been evacuated to safety. While Hela could still destroy Asgard's land and structures, there were no lives to claim, no deathly energy to absorb, and no way to grow stronger in battle.
Clang!
Thor, struggling to recover, fragmented Mjolnir once more. The larger shards intercepted Hela's twin Death Swords, while the smaller pieces clashed against the swarm of floating blades.
At the same time, the rune lightning within Thor worked to expel the deathly energy from his wounds, slowly healing him. This process, however, drained his energy, adding to the toll of the battle.
"Damn it! How could you be so careless?" Loki cursed as he arrived on the battlefield and saw Thor's condition.
Back in the palace, Thor had managed to hold his own against Hela. With Loki's help, they had even sent her flying. Yet now Thor was badly injured, as if Loki's assistance had only made things worse.
But Loki had no time for complaints. Hela was far stronger than any foe they had faced before. Whether it was their journey to the Frost Giant or Fire Giant realms, those threats paled in comparison to this battle.
Back then, even with Odin's declining strength, his presence had given them a sense of security. And if worse came to worst, the Bifrost was always an option for escape. Now, there was no such luxury. Hela was not only powerful, but their battle was taking place in Asgard itself. With Odin occupied suppressing Kul, there would be no rescue. The pressure was suffocating.
Hum!
Loki sprang into action, vanishing from sight. Frost energy surged from all directions, blanketing the battlefield.
Though his attacks seemed indiscriminate, the frost avoided Thor entirely. Instead, it enhanced his rune lightning with an icy edge, slightly increasing his power. When
the frost reached Hela, it left a thin layer of ice on her body—not enough to harm her, but enough to slow her movements.
Even a minor slowdown was significant in a battle of this caliber. For Thor, it was the perfect opportunity to exploit openings and press the attack.
Though Loki's strength was limited, his intervention was undeniably effective. His support tipped the scales, allowing him to influence the outcome of a battle between two near-Heavenly Father-level deities—a feat nothing short of extraordinary.
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