Dining Area-
Thena and Gilgamesh were enjoying their meals when Charles arrived.
Gilgamesh said with a smile, "Charles, your chef is amazing!"
He gave Charles a big thumbs-up as he spoke.
Hearing the compliment, Charles sat down across from him and replied with a grin, "If you like it, you're welcome to stay as long as you want. With my chef's skills, you won't have the same dish twice in a month."
Gilgamesh chuckled, "Then it's settled."
He then added apologetically, "Sorry for the trouble this time."
Charles waved it off, "It's no big deal. I share part of the responsibility. I had intended to come over and strengthen Thena's seal, but I kept getting tied up with other matters and couldn't make it in time."
Thena quickly interjected, "It's not your fault; it's my problem."
Seeing the conversation turning toward apologies, Charles shifted the topic.
"Thena, Gilgamesh, I actually have something I need your help with."
Thena immediately said, "No problem."
Gilgamesh nodded as well but asked, "What exactly is it?"
Seeing their willingness, Charles explained, "Do you know about Odin's eldest daughter, Hela?"
Gilgamesh looked surprised, "Odin has an eldest daughter?"
"I've only met Odin and his son Thor. We once helped them fight the Frost Giants on Earth, but I've never heard of Odin having a daughter."
Thena also shook her head, "I've never heard of Hela either."
It seemed that even though the Earth-based Eternals had eternal lifespans, their knowledge of events beyond Earth was limited.
Charles began recounting the story of Hela:
"Hela is Odin's eldest daughter and was once Asgard's chief warlord. After Odin conquered the Nine Realms, he sought peace and wanted to retire from conquest. But Hela disagreed; she wanted to continue expanding their empire across the universe.
"This led to a conflict between them, and ultimately, Odin sealed her away, imprisoning her in Helheim.
"I've been entrusted by Odin to ensure that when Hela's seal inevitably breaks, she no longer holds hostility toward Asgard.
"I've already met her once and managed to persuade her for the time being."
As Charles mentioned "persuading" Hela, Gilgamesh thought to himself, 'Are you sure it was persuasion and not brute force?'
Charles continued, "But I doubt she's truly convinced. I need you two to meet with her and have a proper discussion."
Thena blinked and asked playfully, "A discussion through combat?"
Charles nodded, "Yes. Hela doesn't respect anyone weaker than herself. To reason with her, you have to defeat her first."
Gilgamesh nodded in agreement, "When do we head to Helheim?"
Charles thought for a moment before replying, "In a couple of days. Take this time to rest and recover. I'll make sure your accommodations are arranged."
Thena and Gilgamesh nodded in unison, "Let us know when we're ready to leave."
…
Two days passed in the blink of an eye.
The Hidden Mist personnel, having completed their treatment, returned to their base.
Charles, Thena, and Gilgamesh gathered on a spacious, empty lawn.
Gilgamesh looked around at the open field, puzzled, "Charles, where's the ship?"
Then, as if a thought struck him, he exclaimed, "Wait, is Asgard planning to use the Bifrost to send us there?"
Charles shook his head with a slight smile, "No need for such trouble."
He raised his right hand, and the Infinity Gauntlet appeared, its blue Space Stone glowing faintly. In an instant, a shimmering space portal opened before them.
Gilgamesh stared in shock, "The Space Stone!"
Thena's gaze fell on the gauntlet, noting the two Infinity Stones embedded in it, "Charles, you can actually wield the power of two Infinity Stones?"
It was clear they recognized the significance of the Infinity Stones. For most beings, controlling even one was a monumental feat, yet Charles had two at his command.
Charles smiled at their reactions, "No need to focus on such details. Let's move on."
Thena and Gilgamesh exchanged glances, thinking, 'How can we not focus on such a big detail?'
Gilgamesh, who had already struggled against Charles's speed and Hiraishin technique, now realized that with the Space Stone, his chances of keeping up were even slimmer.
Moreover, Charles seemed to have no weaknesses—whether in defense, flight, regeneration, or reflexes. The only unknown was how much his raw strength had improved.
As these thoughts flickered through his mind, Gilgamesh followed Charles through the space portal.
…
On the other side-
The three emerged in Helheim, though not directly in Hela's presence. Instead, they arrived at a barren, desolate landscape outside her place of imprisonment.
Thena surveyed the bleak surroundings, curious, "So this is the fabled Helheim? It's so desolate."
As an Eternal, her thousands of years on Earth had kept her grounded to its lands, and this new environment was entirely unfamiliar.
Charles nodded, "Yes, this is Helheim, one of the Nine Realms."
Gilgamesh scanned the area but saw no signs of life, "Where is Hela's prison?"
Charles replied, "It's still some distance away. I'll take you there."
With that, he placed his hands on Thena and Gilgamesh's shoulders.
"Hiraishin!"
A glow from Odin's token briefly illuminated them, and they teleported directly to the site of Hela's imprisonment.
…
Hela, standing within her prison, turned sharply to see the three of them appear. Her expression darkened.
"Charles, what brings you here this time?"
Her eyes flicked to Thena and Gilgamesh, her demeanor cautious.
Since Charles had brought them here, their power must be considerable, and they were clearly not part of the forces he had previously revealed.
Charles replied casually, "I brought two friends to spar with you."
"Hmph!"
Hela let out a cold snort, her tone disdainful.
'So, this is another show of force, isn't it?'