Kino also fell into thought. At the time, it was purely a spur-of-the-moment decision—he hadn't thought it through at all. But now, looking at how Hell had been transformed, a sense of pride welled up inside him.
"If you want a reason… it's because I felt like it."Kino said calmly.
"Huh? Are you messing with me? Or do you have some secret scheme you're hiding?"Hela widened her eyes, clearly not buying it.
"Hela, don't you think it's beautiful?"Kino pointed to the street outside, filled with passing humans and demons.
The party Kino threw hadn't disrupted their daily lives. Everyone continued doing their own thing, though a few came to join in the fun. Kino welcomed them all.
On the street, humans and demons coexisted peacefully—some were chatting, others bartering, and a few were laughing and playing.
Together, they painted a vibrant and bizarre yet lively picture.
Hela followed Kino's gaze, slightly stunned. A complicated emotion flickered in her eyes.
"Hela, if you approach everything in life with a goal in mind, it becomes exhausting. Have you never done something purely on impulse—or for someone important?"Kino said softly as he looked over the scene.
Hela turned to follow his gaze.
Venom and Pamela were laughing uproariously.
Xi was efficiently organizing the party.
Gwen patiently explained things to her parents.
Dark Phoenix was gorging on food while Jean tended to her carefully.
These warm scenes subtly touched something in Hela's heart. A look of confusion flickered in her eyes as she began to reflect on Kino's words.
After a while, she snorted, "This senseless sentimentality of yours—I just can't understand it. Besides, all you're doing is creating more weaknesses for yourself."
However, her tone was no longer as forceful as before.
Kino simply smiled and said nothing more, continuing to focus on the people who meant so much to him.
Hela sipped her wine, a mocking glint in her eyes.
The one she cared about had betrayed her."You wanted me to become stronger—kill, conquer the world. I was so close to success when you suddenly said you wanted peace, to give it all up..."
"Then what about the wounds I've suffered? The people I've killed? The lives lost? What about those 2,656 years I was sealed away?!"
Her eyes turned sharp, and her hand trembled slightly as she held the wine glass, as if she'd returned to those painful memories.
"Hmph, emotions in this world are nothing more than excuses for the weak."Hela growled through clenched teeth, her anger reigniting.
Kino watched her silently.
He wasn't trying to dispel Hela's hatred—how could he? No one who hasn't lived through it has the right to tell someone else to be kind. But during her time here, he could at least help her form some bonds—enough to keep her from self-destruction.
"Hela, you're drinking again—come help us open presents!"Xiaoyu ran up to her, tugging on her sleeve.
"Hela looks so pretty today,"Nina chimed in, admiring Hela's black-and-green dress. Though she was the same height as the kids, she exuded an air of cold elegance.
"Yeah! Hela is pretty! And so is Damian!"Penny nodded eagerly, eyes sparkling.
"Teacher!"Damian also ran over, face glowing with joy.
"Wait, you're Damian's teacher? But you look the same age as him!"Penny asked curiously, tilting her head.
All the noise was starting to scramble Hela's thoughts.
"Shut up! So noisy! I'm not interested in playing house with you all!"Hela snapped impatiently.
The little ones dropped their heads in disappointment. Penny was startled—this girl was so scary. Even Damian's face showed a trace of sadness and hurt.
Kino frowned. Damian's birthday was today, and she still dared to yell at her?
Hela immediately felt a bit regretful after snapping.
Then Kino's voice came to her softly:"Go open presents with them—until they're all opened."
"…Fine, I'll play with you for a bit."Hela reluctantly agreed. She then shot Kino a sharp glance, as if saying: Happy now?
Kino nodded slightly. The kids instantly cheered and surrounded Hela, pulling her toward the pile of presents.
But as they opened more gifts, Hela actually began to enjoy herself. The feeling of surprise—like unwrapping blind boxes—was unexpectedly delightful.
Her previously tense expression softened. Her lips curled upward unconsciously, and a glint of curiosity sparkled in her eyes.
"This one's pretty nice."Hela said, picking up a delicate little ornament and inspecting it.
Seeing Hela so engaged, the children became even more excited, speeding up their unwrapping with laughter that echoed throughout the palace.
"So this is Hell… It's not what I imagined."Miles mumbled to himself, holding a plate of food and observing the strange, vibrant scene.
"What did you imagine it like?"The voice of Pajama Spider-Man came from beside him.
"Blood, chaos, demons with terrifying faces…"Miles replied, mentally conjuring a nightmarish image.
"Like this?"As he turned, he was greeted with a horrifying demon mask inches from his face.
"AHHH!!!"Miles shrieked, nearly dropping his food. His face turned pale, heart skipping a beat as he staggered backward.
"Hahahaha! Scared you, didn't I?"Pajama Spider-Man removed the mask, laughing loudly.
"Dude! That was awesome—where'd you get that?"Miles asked excitedly once he recovered, staring at the realistic demon mask.
"Bought it outside. There's tons of weird and cool stuff here."
"Take me there—now!"
Meanwhile, Bruce Banner walked up to Hulk.
"It's been a while, Hulk. How's life in Hell treating you?"
"Hulk is happy here. Fights, runs a store, and plays with Milan and Dara."
"You opened a store? What kind?"
"Milan named it 'Succubus Pavilion.' I'm the boss."Hulk puffed out his chest with pride.
"…"
Nearby, an old man scowled at the demons around him.
"So many demons… I should send them back to Hell."He muttered to himself, frowning.
"Dad, we're in Hell. And the Demon King is a good guy!"His son quickly whispered.
"I know…"The old man sighed, though his eyes remained wary and confused.
Elsewhere, Tony Stark stood in a corner.
"Not going to talk to him, Lorna?"Tony asked softly.
"Not yet, Mr. Stark. Not until I defeat Magneto."Lorna replied, watching Kino chatting with Venom and Pamela.
"Defeating Magneto… won't be easy for you."
"You think I can't do it?"
"Of course you can. If you master everything I've taught you, beating Magneto will be a piece of cake."
"I will defeat Magneto—whether it's for him or for myself."
As night deepened, the banquet slowly drew to a close.
Quote of the Chapter:"Even in Hell, a touch of warmth can thaw the coldest of hearts."
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