Laufey looked toward the sudden increase in Hela's strength and knew Odin must have given her a backup plan.
"If I stay longer, then Odin or his brother might appear. Let Malekith distract her, and I can just slip away from this place."
He then started to signal his loyal soldiers. Seeing their king's gesture, they knew it was a retreat plan.
Just as Laufey was formulating his plan, Sigurd saw it but still did not try to intervene.
"What to do with Laufey? If I kill him, then future battles for the younger generation will be less challenging, but if left alive, he might try to take revenge."
Sigurd was in a dilemma. Then he looked toward Hela.
"She doesn't realize one of her targets is planning to escape."
Just as he was thinking, he received a message from Heimdall.
"Lord, the battle in Midgard has started."
At the same time, on the battlefield…
Malekith shrieked, slamming his palm into the permafrost. A forest of black, obsidian spikes erupted from the ground, racing toward Hela. She didn't dodge. With a casual flick of the Sigurd blade, she sheared the spikes at their base. The blade didn't just cut; it erased the magic holding the stone together, turning the obsidian into harmless dust.
"You play with pebbles," Hela sneered, her voice carrying over the roar of the Asgardian war-horns.
Malekith lunged, his speed a blur of shadow. He aimed for the gap in her collarbone. Hela parried—not with her sword, but with her forearm, her necro-armor absorbing the impact. She countered with a brutal headbutt that cracked Malekith's porcelain-white mask.
As Malekith realized that this battle might be lost, he looked toward Laufey, but seeing his retreating posture, he knew this might be his end.
Hela also realized that Laufey was trying to escape, so she didn't waste her time. She launched her final attack toward Malekith, this time aiming for his head.
Malekith wanted to counterattack the blade, but before he could even cast a spell, the blade severed his head.
Hela didn't even look toward Malekith's dead body but started to dash toward Laufey.
"Laufey, this time you won't get a chance to escape."
Hearing Hela's loud voice, Laufey realized that his chance to escape would be slim if he didn't act. Then he suddenly thought of a weapon.
He took out the Casket of Ancient Winters and looked toward Hela.
"I wanted to use this weapon on Midgard, but we misjudged you. This time, I will release this ancient winter in Jotunheim. Let's see if you can survive."
Hela looked toward the Casket of Ancient Winters and knew that if it was used, she might not die, but her army would be destroyed, which she did not want. So she released the full power contained in the blade.
Laufey looked toward the divine energy attack coming toward him and did not hesitate to release the Casket. At the same time, he cast a spell. But just as the power of the Casket of Ancient Winters and the divine energy were about to destroy everything in Jotunheim, the forces slowed down as if someone had interfered.
Sigurd, who had been enjoying watching Hela kill the enemy who had escaped him in a past battle, was suddenly pulled from his memories when he felt the Casket of Ancient Winters being activated and the divine power in the blade unleashed at full force.
"Damn it, this bastard. I wanted him to live, but his desire to die is greater than his will to live."
Sigurd appeared between the blade and the Casket of Ancient Winters. With a flick of his hand, he wrapped the Casket in a spatial barrier, while the blade flew automatically into his hand.
Then he looked toward Laufey, who had cast a spell linked to some void. Although he did not want to kill him, this time he decided to give him a punishment he would remember.
So he slashed the blade toward Laufey's leg.
Laufey, who had been certain he would kill the entire Asgardian army, was shocked to see the person who appeared between him and Hela. He was surprised to see the Casket of Ancient Winters suppressed so easily, but before his magic could teleport him away, he saw a massive energy surge coming toward him. He tried to defend himself, but the energy broke his body like a kite, and he disappeared from the place.
Sigurd looked at Laufey's disappearance but did not dwell on it. Instead, he looked toward Hela.
"Hela, you have done a great job killing the enemy."
But Hela did not look pleased. "Uncle."
Sigurd walked toward her, then turned toward the frost giants who were still fighting while their king had run away.
"Listen up, frost giants! Your cowardly king ran away, leaving you to die in battle. Either drop your weapons in ten seconds, or everyone will be slaughtered."
Hearing the words, the frost giants looked toward the voice and searched for their king. Seeing no sign of Laufey, they did not know what to do.
Hela looked at the situation, then stepped forward and spoke.
"Drop your weapons now, or you won't get another chance."
Hearing her words, the frost giants began to drop their weapons. At the same time, Sigurd looked toward the direction where Malekith had been beheaded, but the body was gone. A few dark elves were also missing.
"These bugs. Now these bastards will try to find a way to revive Malekith again." Sigurd shook his head, then looked toward the frost giants as they began to surrender.
Hela walked toward Sigurd.
"Uncle, shouldn't you be in Asgard?"
Sigurd looked at her tense face, then reached out and patted her shoulder.
"Don't worry. Everything is under control."
Then he looked toward Sigrun.
"Clean the battlefield and try to get information from the prisoners about their hiding places. Search thoroughly."
Just as he was about to leave, Hela spoke.
"Uncle, I also want to join the battle where my father is fighting."