Turning back time for a moment, just before Axel began driving off.

Vulcanus, who had discovered Fenrir's desperate attempts at protecting two measly humans, grinned fiercely. Adding to his battered appearance, his visage was enough to bring nightmares to those who saw it.

[What's wrong, bitch?! Protect them if you can…!]

"GRRRR…!"

Fenrir, in her wolf form, could only growl in chagrin.

Just as Vulcanus wanted, she was forced to move between him and Axel, placing herself in danger to protect the two. Although, thanks to her higher stats—speed in particular—she managed to avoid incurring any damage until now.

But this came with a caveat… her stamina.

Deflecting all attacks from Vulcanus was no easy feat. Each time she did so, she expended a sizeable chunk of her energy and stamina, causing her to grow exhausted quickly.

It was fortunate that Axel was quick on the uptake and tried to distance themselves immediately. If they had stayed put for even a minute more, Fenrir feared she might have lost instead.

[Enough playing around…] Just as she was starting to feel the burden ease up, Vulcanus decided to up the gear. [Now… show me how you'll block this!]

He stretched his hand forward, as if grasping at empty air.

Then, slowly, a red dot formed in the middle of his palm—a lick of flame that gradually gained size. One that exuded a dreadful presence, enough to make Fenrir shiver at the sight of it.

'This is…!'

Of course, she didn't fail to recognize what it was.

Flames that raged for eternity—wielded by the King of Fire Giants, Surtr—prophesied to destroy the World Tree in the legends.

[Take this on if you can! Flames of Ragnarok!]

At Vulcanus's words, the ball of flame, no larger than his palm, was sent off faster than a bullet.

The space it passed through warped from the extreme heat, causing the scenery to dance chaotically.

Seeing this, Fenrir didn't hesitate. She jumped between the ball of flame and Axel's Humvee, facing the incoming small sun. Of course, she knew she couldn't strike it directly. Just touching the flames was enough to burn "anything" into ashes.

Even the World Tree Yggdrasil was powerless against this monstrous flame!

The flame approached, its heat evaporating the ice that covered Fenrir for protection.

Her expression twisted with worry as her mind raced, searching for a way out of the situation—one where, at the very least, Axel and Nina could survive.

'You leave me with no choice…!'

At the last moment, she decided to gamble.

Fenrir roared to the sky, standing her ground as she faced the incoming attack. The Flames of Ragnarok didn't fizzle out either, heading straight toward her without the slightest deviation.

Just as the flames closed in, Fenrir opened her maw wide.

And then…

"RAGH!"

She took a "bite" of the cruel flames.

The small sun vanished, and the freezing air returned. Only the two giant beings stood there, face to face, their expressions starkly contrasting.

[What…?!]

Vulcanus couldn't believe what he saw.

Fenrir had literally "swallowed" the Flames of Ragnarok—the attack into which he had poured most of his mana and energy!

[You should've burned after doing that!] Vulcanus cried, terrified. [How… how are you still alive?!]

But to his outburst…

"…."

Fenrir simply stood still, glaring at the giant, unperturbed—or at least, she tried to appear that way.

'That was close…!' She panicked deep inside.

'I barely had enough energy to cancel out the Flames of Ragnarok I swallowed. If I were short even a little, I would've died—and Master would've followed…!'

Of course, this only worked because of her special constitution. Fenrir, the demon wolf who devoured the gods. All "concepts" she devoured were reduced to nothing.

As for herself, Fenrir had already accepted death once, so she wasn't afraid of dying.

However, failing to protect Axel—her new Master—was a future she feared far more than her own death. Dying without ensuring her Master's safety was nothing but failure.

If it were after Axel escaped to safety, she wouldn't mind dying then… though she would make sure to drag Vulcanus along with her, at the very least!

Within the span of their exchange, Axel had already gained several kilometers of distance. They had exited the frozen field and were accelerating even further, going faster and faster—escaping Vulcanus's range.

With that much distance between them, it was safe enough for Fenrir to counterattack.

'I still have ten percent of my energy left, and Vulcanus is definitely spent already. This is my chance!'

Fenrir jumped forward, vanishing for a brief instant before reappearing in front of Vulcanus. This time, it wasn't an attack at his blind spot, but a frontal charge.

[You…!]

The fire giant was stunned.

He quickly raised both arms to guard; however, Fenrir didn't swing her claws. Instead, her maw opened wide and snapped shut.

"RAUGH!"

She took one hearty bite.

[A-AHHHH! M-MY ARMS…!]

The flame giant screamed as he realized he had "lost" both hands. Normally, it was an injury that could be regenerated. However, Fenrir's "Devour" wasn't mere damage—it erased the concept from existence itself.

In short, after devouring Vulcanus's arms, that part of his body was lost forever. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't regenerate them again.

Panicked and wracked with pain that transcended the physical, Vulcanus kicked his leg forward, cladding it in flames—far weaker than the Flames of Ragnarok, but dangerous nonetheless.

"RAUGH!"

Once again, Fenrir simply bit off the leg, flames and all.

Vulcanus lost another limb, unable to fight back at all.

[N-No way…]

Fear swallowed his senses.

If he did nothing, his death was certain.

'I don't want to die…!' Vulcanus cried in his mind.

That fear—and the silent prayer in his heart—fortunately brought him a miracle.

Just as Fenrir was about to bite off Vulcanus's head and end the fight…

"What are you doing, Vulcanus?"

A small humanoid figure appeared mid-air, floating between Fenrir and the Fire Giant's face. Though he was no larger than a normal human, Fenrir felt primordial fear.

She immediately pulled back, whimpering as she glared at the intruder.

A figure clad in gentle flames, with fiery red hair. His upper body was bare, while he wore a baggy pair of training pants below—mysteriously untouched by the flames he emitted.

Unlike Vulcanus, who resembled any other naked giant, this one felt more… civilized.

Yet despite his seemingly "weak" appearance, Fenrir instinctively sensed danger.

'This guy… is dozens of times stronger than I am right now!'

She felt that if she hadn't retreated immediately, she might have died on the spot without even knowing what struck her.

"I came after detecting someone using my Flames of Ragnarok, and…" The man muttered, glaring at the battered giant. "What is this? You're completely beaten up. Who did this to you?"

Given a moment to gather his thoughts, the giant finally realized who stood before him.

[N-No way…]

He growled in a low, fearful voice. Despite having lost most of his limbs, his body moved, and he fell prostrate on the ground, bowing as respectfully as he could.

[L-Lord Surtr! You came…!]

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