The journey doesn't stop here…
► 5 chapters/ two days await you on Patreon — only 1 chapter/day is posted here.
► We're already at Chapter 155
► Supporting means more content, faster releases, and direct impact on the world's evolution.
Join the inner circle & read ahead:
▶ patreon.com/HACKDWORLD ◀
___________
The two turned their heads and saw a strange-looking old man walking slowly from the shadows.
The image of this old man was indeed quite bizarre. His entire body shimmered with a golden hue, as if sculpted entirely from pure gold. He was bare-chested and barefoot, with thin limbs, half-bald white hair, and deeply wrinkled skin that emphasized his ancient appearance. Despite his age, he wore a pleasant smile, giving off the impression of a kind and harmless grandfather at first glance.
The most striking feature, however, was the gem embedded in his forehead — an azure blue crystal glowing faintly with energy, as though it contained mysterious and ancient powers pulsing beneath its surface.
At that moment, the golden old man was dragging the fire-bathing beast that had escaped earlier. The beast struggled violently, roaring in resistance, but suddenly collapsed as if overcome by some invisible force, its massive body now limp in the elder's grasp.
Seeing the fire-bathing beast subdued so easily by this stranger, Luo Wei and Hela both tensed up. Their expressions revealed shock and unease. The beast had eluded Heimdall himself, yet here it lay motionless in the hands of a frail-looking old man.
"Who are you?" Hela asked sharply.
"It doesn't matter who I am. Very few remember me," the golden old man replied, not answering directly.
He casually lifted the unconscious beast in his arms and shook it slightly. "If you want this creature, answer a question for me."
"What question?" Hela asked warily.
The golden old man's tone grew colder. "Is there a relic called the Monument of Life and Time in Kur's treasure vault?"
At the mention of this, Luo Wei's mind raced back to the troll's earlier mention of a robbery involving Ulrich's treasure house. It seemed likely this golden figure was connected.
Hela's brows furrowed slightly. She too had pieced together the implication. "I'm sorry, we don't know," she replied flatly.
"Oh, is that so?" The old man narrowed his eyes. "You're Odin's daughter, aren't you? How could you not know?"
"Maybe Kur's daughter knows more." Hela maintained her composure and gave no ground.
The golden elder nodded slightly. "Very well… then Odin can trade for it."
The moment the words left his lips, he vanished, appearing before Hela in a flash. His speed was astonishing, and before she could react, his hand closed around her throat.
Blinding Light!
Luo Wei immediately cast a spell, a brilliant light surging forth and striking the old man's eyes. At the same time, he activated his Light Shield to protect them.
But the old man merely blinked a few times, his vision unaffected. He chuckled. "Interesting… I haven't seen this kind of magic in millions of years. Pity you're wasting it."
With a flicker of movement, the elder spun and struck the Light Shield with a powerful kick.
Crack!
Though he looked frail, the old man's strength was fearsome. The Holy Light Shield shattered from the blow, fragments of divine energy scattering in all directions.
Fortunately, his brief pause to speak had given Hela enough time. Her long sword flew toward him with terrifying speed, its gleaming edge aimed directly at his throat.
The golden old man barely dodged, his movements frantic but successful. Still, the close call left him exposed.
Luo Wei seized the moment and raised his hand. Hands of Reckoning!
The attack struck. The old man grimaced and twisted, caught off guard.
Hela's sword returned for a second strike. This time, she drew two daggers from her belt and slashed at his exposed arms.
"Argh!"
He managed to avoid the sword but not the daggers. Both arms were pierced, and he let out a cry of pain.
However, his golden skin was unnaturally durable. Hela's daggers failed to penetrate deeply, glancing off his metallic flesh as if striking enchanted gold.
Still, the pain caused him to loosen his grip, and Hela quickly broke free. She flipped backward and landed defensively in front of Luo Wei, her chest rising and falling with each breath.
"It seems age has caught up with me… injured by mere children," the golden elder muttered with irritation. He yanked the daggers from his arms, letting them clatter to the ground. Where he had been wounded, his skin began to knit itself together, glistening like molten gold hardening anew.
Luo Wei, drenched in cold sweat, stared at him. Tonight's turn of events felt like a cruel twist of fate.
He could handle trolls — they were a common enough nuisance during Asgard's hunting festivals. But this? This golden monster?
His strength was beyond comprehension, and if he really had lived for millions of years, then they were far outmatched.
Even running wasn't an option. If this man could catch the fire-bathing beast with ease, he was certainly faster than Heimdall — possibly exponentially so.
Then his eyes drifted to the glowing gem embedded in the elder's forehead. That blue glint… that aura…
Could it be a Space Stone?
The realization hit Luo Wei like lightning. His eyes widened as he stared at the stranger.
If that gem was truly the Space Stone, then this golden old man could only be one being — the Elder of the Universe known as the Runner, also referred to as the Golden Man. In the comics, he was the wielder of the Space Stone.
Luo Wei's body trembled slightly, and he instinctively activated his Divine Protection Technique. He needed a plan — and fast.
But fate intervened.
Suddenly, the sky split with a deafening roar.
BOOM!
A colossal thunderbolt descended from above, striking the golden elder and hurling him back in a flash of light. He screamed in surprise, his body staggering as he barely managed to stay on his feet.
"Old man! You dare harm my daughter?!"
Odin's voice thundered across the field as he descended from the heavens, his body crackling with storm energy.
This Odin was not the calm and measured ruler seen in the films. He was in his prime — fierce, battle-hardened, and seething with wrath. With a roar, he charged toward the golden elder like a berserker, reminding Luo Wei more of Thor than the All-Father.
The golden old man tried to dodge, his breath ragged. "Son of Borr!" he hissed.
"And son of Mimir," came another voice.
A towering, dark-skinned man strode onto the battlefield. Muscles like iron, eyes sharp as blades — Uller had arrived.
The golden old man looked as though he might engage Odin alone, but at the sight of Uller, hesitation flashed in his eyes. He scowled, cursed under his breath, and vanished in an instant.
Odin stared at the spot where the old man had stood, his expression grim. He knew chasing him was futile.
He turned to Uller. "What is he doing here? Isn't he one of your surveillance targets?"
Uller nodded slowly. "To stave off his decay, he's been scouring the universe for ancient artifacts. He's desperate. But I believe… we may yet witness the end of that relic in our time."
"Father, earlier we…" Hela stepped forward, still breathing heavily.
"Odin nodded. "Uller saw it all," he assured her, placing a hand on her shoulder. "Don't worry. Heimdall will be fine. The trolls' assault was coordinated, but Asgard will respond. Focus on the hunt for now."
With a wave of his hand, he turned away.
Uller, silent as ever, walked over to the unconscious fire-bathing beast.
"What are you doing?" Odin asked, frowning.
"This beast was not properly hunted," Uller said plainly. "As the hunting festival's judge, it is my duty to retrieve it."
Odin's eyes narrowed, but he said nothing. After a moment's tense silence, he simply snorted in frustration.
"Fine."
___________
We're already at Chapter 155 on Patreon!
5 chapters/ two days unlocked. One chapter/ day here.
Fuel the story and read ahead:
▶ patreon.com/HACKDWORLD ◀