Marvel Disassembler

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"Are you suggesting that I am the pitiful woman in this story?" 

Hela gave Arthur a sharp look, her eyes narrowing slightly before she spoke in a low, calm voice. "I won't deny it. But let me remind you - I'm far worse than that." 

"In that case, I'd like to think I'm better than the peasant." 

Arthur plopped down on the ground, shaking the blood-soaked strands of his hair. "So what's with the blood rain? The whole scene feels like something out of a horror movie." 

"Horror movie?" 

"I don't know how to explain it. A...performance, maybe?" Arthur gestured vaguely. "Basically, ghost stories brought to life." 

"I've had experiences far more terrifying than any story you could imagine." 

Hela held out her hand and let the blood drip onto her palm. A crimson sheen covered it, clinging to it like a second skin. "This is one of Hell's unique landscapes. At least you won't see it in the mortal realm." 

Arthur shrugged. Hela hadn't answered his question directly, but his curiosity wasn't strong enough to push any further. 

And so silence fell between them. 

Were it not for the intervention of a certain white-bearded old man, they would have remained strangers. 

Different worlds. Different lives. Nothing in common to talk about. 

Arthur's focus was entirely on escaping this place. Romance with the beautiful yet intimidating woman in front of him was the last thing on his mind. 

So silence became their default state. 

But after sitting for a while, Arthur noticed something strange - Hela was curled up in a ball. 

She rubbed her arms now and then, folded them tightly across her chest, and pulled her legs in close, trying to make herself as small as possible. 

"Are you cold?" Arthur asked, feeling amused. 

"It's none of your concern," Hela snapped, her tone colder than the air around them. 

Arthur chuckled. "Your physical constitution may not have changed much, but I bet your resistance to extreme temperatures has taken a hit." 

"…" 

Hela opted for silence. 

Arthur sighed. "Fine. I guess I'll play the good guy." 

He stood and walked to the center of the room. He lifted a wooden plank from the floor, revealing a dark pit lined with metal. With a flick of his hand, Arthur picked up a few pieces of bark and wood and threw them into the pit. 

With a snap of his fingers, flames roared to life. He knelt down and fanned the fire until it grew steady, then activated a barrier of mental energy around the room. 

The rain of blood slid harmlessly along the edges of the barrier, not a drop touching it. 

Hela watched quietly, her expression unreadable but tinged with a hint of curiosity. 

As the fire crackled and warmed the room, the mental energy barrier dissolved. The blood dripping from the ceiling proved ineffective in extinguishing the roaring flames. 

Hela shuffled a little closer to the fire, only to see Arthur summon another energy shield as if preparing for the next inconvenience. 

This time, objects appeared in his hands, seemingly out of thin air - water, food, and supplies. 

Before, neither of them had felt the need to eat or drink. But now, with nothing better to do, Arthur decided that a casual meal might be a good way to pass the time. 

He was a man who believed in preparation. 

When he first went to rescue Tony, he'd stocked his ''Disassemble Space'' with large quantities of water. Later, during his three-month intergalactic escapade with Star-Lord, he'd made it a habit to keep food on hand. 

He hadn't yet reached the point where he could sustain himself purely on internal energy. The habit stuck with him even after he no longer needed it. 

At that moment, Arthur brought out various specialties from different planets. 

Hela looked at them and remarked, "You must have been to a lot of places." 

"I am a well-traveled man," Arthur replied with a grin. 

"Have you traveled the universe?" Hela asked. 

"It was just a one-time accident. I was on a little trip to see other worlds," Arthur explained. 

"I bet you were scared to death." 

"To be honest, I think I had a nervous breakdown at the time," Arthur said with a shrug. 

Hela looked at him. "Do you have any wine?" 

"Just the two of us drinking together? Are you sure?" Arthur immediately became cautious. "Let me warn you, I am a paragon of virtue. If any female scoundrel tries to make a move on me, don't blame me for fighting back!" 

"Frankly, your confidence is truly fascinating," Hela remarked flatly. "It may even be greater than this hell itself. I wonder - where do you get it from?" 

"Do you ever get tired of beating around the bush?" Arthur rolled his eyes and casually pulled out two large wooden barrels. 

Hela stared, stunned. "Asgardian mead?" 

"You recognize it?" Arthur asked, raising an eyebrow. "I thought you'd been locked away for ages." 

"Asgard is stagnant. In thousands, even tens of thousands of years, hardly anything changes. The only thing that changes... is perhaps the heart." 

Hela stood up, pulled one of the barrels towards her, and uncorked it. She sniffed the contents, a faint smile and a look of nostalgia crossing her face. "For the sake of this drink, I won't kill you." 

"That easy?" 

Arthur chuckled. "Thor gave me this. He insisted that I take some with me in case I left Asgard. He wanted me to share it with friends on Earth." 

"Thor?" Hela's eyes turned to Arthur. 

"Odin's son, Thor," Arthur replied with a shrug. "You know, Asgard must have some serious problems. Why is your family always so messy?" 

"So he's my... brother?" Hela snorted quietly and tipped the barrel. As the golden liquid flowed freely, she leaned in and took a hearty swig. 

"What a waste," Arthur muttered, rolling his eyes. He took out two cups and tossed one to Hela. 

Surprised, Hela caught it and asked, "Why are you acting like a woman on a picnic, even bringing cups?" 

"Mind your business! If you're not using it, give it back!" Arthur glared at her, annoyed at her audacity to criticize while he was drinking his wine. 

Hela didn't bother to reply. She filled her cup to the brim and downed it in one gulp. "What did you mean by chaos?" 

"Your two troublesome brothers, of course," Arthur replied. "Thor's all right - straightforward, but Loki... his personality, well, that's something else." 

"Loki?" Hela raised an eyebrow. "How many siblings do I have?" 

"Just the two. You should give the old man's back a rest. How many children do you think he can handle?" 

Hela blinked, then burst into a hearty laugh. 

"... Honestly, if it wasn't for the fact that your voice is definitely female, I'd take you for a guy with the way you laugh," Arthur said, looking at her. "You're quite good-looking, but why does your laugh sound so... masculine?" 

"Mind your own business," Hela shot back, glaring at him. 

"Fine. A toast to you, a true warrior!" Arthur raised his goblet in mock respect. 

(Chapter End)