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Chapter: 219

Sing of wrath, oh Goddess!

The day the paradise beyond death was invaded.

The day the rude ones crossed the wall that should not be crossed.

The day the wrath shook the world.

The day the wrath shook the world.

They will become ashes, burnt to the ground.

The spearheads will rust and collapse, and the armor will corrode and vanish.

Weak resistance will disappear like bubbles swallowed by a wave.

They will all vanish like eyes beneath the sun.

The sound of the giant’s horn shakes the world.

The breath of those with scales and wings crumbles it.

The land that was paradise becomes a battleground and a place of execution.

Their names will be forgotten. No one will remember them.

Only the fact that such beings existed will remain.

They will vanish into dust.

———

“Terrifying indeed.”

Hermes clicked his tongue briefly and gazed at paradise.

A place only those permitted could enter.

Among the gods of Olympus, only he and…

“War… a blood-boiling war…!”

“Calm down, Ares.”

“I am not Ares! I am Mars!!”

Something had gone awry with Ares. Well, Mars was the only one permitted to come.

“What did the sage of the forest do to… change a god like this?”

Having lost most of his faith due to the forest’s sage, Ares managed to recover his faith over ten years, finally awakening his self… but it seemed there were some issues in the process, as he had acquired a different divinity.

The essence of being the god of war had not changed, though.

“Right. Mars. How do you see this war?”

“Without a doubt, it will be the miserable fall of the Aesir!”

Despite the changes, the god of war remained a professional when it came to battles.

“It’s a fight we won’t lose from the start. The heavens wish for the Aesir’s defeat, the battlefield is a paradise created by the Goddess of Life, and the forces participating are stronger than the Aesir could ever compare.”

Hermes nodded slightly.

“I didn’t think such terrifying beings would be in the underworld.”

The army gathered to destroy the Aesir had among its foremost beings those colossal, lifeless entities.

Giant beings made of rock and flame, ice and storm.

And foremost stood the colossus of black rock.

“Is that the colossus of the underworld I’ve only heard rumors about?”

The colossus, crafted by the Goddess of Life to guard the underworld, contained tremendous power.

Probably just shy of a being of the same level as a major deity.

“Terrifying indeed. The Goddess of Life can create such things so nonchalantly?”

To be able to create something like that, the Goddess of Life was certainly a mightier existence than other gods had thought.

Not being her enemy… was the best choice.

“But the foolish Aesir are merely to be pitied.”

Hermes tore his gaze from the black colossus, Talos, and looked elsewhere.

Passing through an army made of deceased souls, beyond those managing the underworld, his gaze landed on enormous lizard-like beings with wings.

“Dragons…”

Mythical creatures that appeared in tales of heroes and were said to be somehow connected to the Goddess of Life. Dragons.

While he was aware that some dragons were revered as gods… it was his first time seeing pure dragons.

Dragons with different scales were numerous, strong enough to rival even the black colossus, Talos.

Probably… those dragons alone could challenge Olympus.

Additionally, there were giant wolf gods and giant gods, but with just the dragons, Talos, and the army of the dead, there were more than enough forces to annihilate the Aesir, making them irrelevant.

“In this situation, with Ares and me…”

“Mars.”

“Ahem. Since Mars is allowed to come… let’s think of it as a show of force.”

Zeus had sent Hermes and Mars to take the opportunity to steal Odin’s eye, but at this rate, there’d be no chance for himself and Mars to do anything.

If it comes to that… will the Goddess of Life grant a grace period?

Who knows. It would be great if Hermes could steal Odin’s eye… but whether that would be possible was uncertain.

“The leg isn’t exactly ready, but… we’ll have to give it a shot.”

If Hermes doesn’t steal Odin’s eye… Zeus would have no choice but to sacrifice a piece of Baal.

In that instant.

Buuuuuuuuuuuuuuum!!!

A giant trumpet sound echoed, and the gathered beings began to move.

Their destination: the fortress built in paradise.

A pitiful fortress the Aesir named Valhalla.

———

The Aesir will fall.

Freya felt that fact deeply.

Even with only the army of the dead, they vastly outnumbered the Einherjar they had gathered.

Moreover, the dragons and the colossus of black rock… would be difficult opponents even for the famous warrior gods of the Aesir.

Adding to that were the giant gods who clashed with the Aesir and the wolf god who had been imprisoned by them.

To overcome such foes, the number of Einherjar would need to double what they currently had, and the Aesir gods would need to be at least twice that.

That victory would be one achieved while barely preserving their lives, all else burned.

And above all… the Goddess of Life herself was not part of that army.

Even without her participation, the Aesir could not claim victory.

In fact, that army might prove meaningless.

If the Goddess of Life chose to act, the Aesir would vanish in an instant as nothing more than a handful of dust.

So… so Freya justified her choice.

“I am not bad.”

A proposal to spare herself and her Valkyries.

No one could refuse such a proposal.

Thus, she had to carry out what she had commanded.

Freya let out a small sigh and approached Odin, who was watching the enemies from the top of the fortress.

“What is it? Freya.”

“Odin.”

The one-eyed old god. The god of wisdom lost to madness.

The god that brought about the Aesir’s demise.

“Is there a chance for the Aesir?”

Odin said nothing in response to Freya’s question.

He merely gazed at the enemy with his remaining eye.

That itself was enough of an answer.

“I don’t need you to answer. I get it; it’s over for the Aesir.”

At Freya’s words, Odin slowly opened his mouth.

“What should I have done?”

“How would I know? If the wisest god doesn’t know, who would?”

“Even if we fled to another world, we couldn’t survive… Did the sage lie to me…?”

“A lie?”

“I was told that if we went to another world, there was a possibility to evade destruction…”

Freya only tilted her head at Odin’s words.

While it was indeed a great feat for Odin to have created a path linking to another world… it didn’t seem likely that they could avoid destruction that way.

Since the place connected by the path Odin had made was a world created by the Goddess of Life. Being a paradise beyond death, there was no escaping her.

Even Odin himself clearly knew where this place was, so it was only natural for the Goddess of Life to become greatly enraged.

If that sage had said such words, wouldn’t it have meant to create a completely separate world to flee to?

Had Odin become foolish enough not to know even that?

Was the fall of the Aesir merely a matter of time?

“Well, I suppose it doesn’t matter.”

Freya sighed as she looked at Odin and said.

“I’ve completed my task as promised. I’ve crossed over here with the Valkyries, built the fortress, and laid the foundation of Valhalla.”

“Right. You’ve done your part well.”

“So, give me what you promised.”

At Freya’s words, Odin nodded slightly.

“Didn’t you request to transfer all the Valkyries to your command and half of the Einherjar under your leadership? Well, fine.”

Odin lightly nodded, then casually gestured in the air.

At that moment, Freya felt connected to numerous beings.

It was the sensation that all the Valkyries and half of the Einherjar were subordinated to her.

“I look forward to seeing you and the Valkyries play a role in the final war.”

“Play a role, huh…”

Freya shook her head lightly.

“The Goddess of Life said something.”

“Hm?”

“She said there is a role for me and the Valkyries. That she would delegate certain tasks.”

“Freya. You…”

“The other gods of the Aesir will receive various different treatments, but Odin, she said she could not simply let you go.”

Odin looked at Freya silently for a moment.

“Have you betrayed me?”

“No. I merely accepted a more prudent proposal. I am not even a god hailing from the Aesir.”

Surviving is much wiser than disappearing into oblivion.

“So I will take the Valkyries and half of the Einherjar as promised. Thank you for everything, Odin.”

“Freya…!”

Odin seemed poised to say more, reaching out a hand towards Freya, but that hand merely swept through the air.

Just moments ago, Freya, who had been talking with Odin, suddenly vanished as though she had never been there.

———

The battle was one-sided.

Freya, the Valkyries, and the Aesir, having lost half of their Einherjar, crumbled faster than anyone had expected.

Domineered in air superiority by the dragons, outnumbered by the army of the dead, and their geographical advantage of defending through the fortress vanished as Talos’s black greatsword crushed the walls in a single blow.

At least the various experienced gods of the Aesir fought gallantly while surrounded by numerous foes, but ultimately it was a hopeless situation. Their collapse was a matter of course.

Thor, one of the strongest gods among the Aesir, also collapsed to the cold ground along with his hammer, unable to withstand the combined attack of the wolf god Fenrir and the giant god.

Odin could only lament his own foolishness.

 

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