TL: Tsubak
ED: Julsmul
Idun remembered the Great War.
She kept looking at it through the piece of memory she couldn't erase.
The death of the previous Idun and Bragi.
The last, desperate battle of Idun's legion that didn't even leave a single lowest-ranked warrior alive and ended with its heroic death.
If the great Viking King, Ragnar Lodbrok, hadn't been able to arrive on time, a new Idun wouldn't exist right now. Idun's legion also couldn't continue existing.
Because of that, Idun couldn't trust in Loki. Because he was the one that had betrayed the Gods of Asgard when the war was coming to an end. He was a monster that betrayed his brother, Thor, and stabbed behind the King of Gods, Odin.
Loki had several offspring, but the most famous among them were the three that were born between Angrboda.
The World Wolf, Fenrir, that would lead to the end of the world.
The huge Space Snake, Jormungand, who dwarfed even the most massive giants.
Hela, who lived all the moments from when she was born to when she died at the same time.
Each one of them were a world-ending calamity.
Although Hela was sided with Asgard, it was different for the other two. They had become enemies of Asgard long before the Great War started.
That's why she couldn't trust in Loki even more.
He and his blood relatives were enemies of Asgard, and that was something reasonable to enforce in one's mind.
Because Loki was a giant.
Even though the King of Gods, Odin, had given him the rank of a God, it wasn't that his origin and essence changed all that much.
'Tae Ho. My warrior, Tae Ho.'
Idun didn't say that out loud. She bit her lips while clenching her burning chest.
Tae Ho had been deceived by Loki. The treacherous God of Lies had tricked Tae Ho.
But it was a situation that she couldn't yell or tell him to think it twice.
Idun saw it through Tae Ho. The fire pillars were descending on the winter tree forest and there was still the one that contained the strongest foe.
Right now he should only think about fighting and remaining alive.
"My warrior, Tae Ho."
Idun called out Tae Ho's name and transmitted him the golden divine power without saving it.
-
Tae Ho didn't turn to look back. The moment he kicked the air to get on Rolo's back, two fire pillars hit the ground, and fire surged up with a loud roar. Intermediate-ranked giants appeared from within the black smoke that followed.
The winter tree forest quickly burned down as Adenmaha and Merlin were approaching from far away while riding on McLaren.
Tae Ho raised his head. He erased his thoughts about Loki and looked at the front.
[Giant of Beasts]
[Ortr]
'We will buy time until reinforcements come. Just think about that.'
Cuchulainn said quickly. Actually, the right answer in this situation was to escape. Even if Tae Ho had gotten stronger, it was impossible to face the Giant of Beasts, a foe comparable to the Giant of Earth, and also a big group of intermediate-ranked giants at the same time!
But if Tae Ho fell back here, only destruction was fated for Kataron.
In addition, the giants would be able to acquire the soul fragment without any obstructions.
Cuchulainn didn't tell him to escape. It was because he knew Tae Ho too well.
Tae Ho wouldn't retreat, and even if Cuchulainn told him to do so, he would stay back and fight.
That's why Cuchulainn didn't regret choosing Tae Ho as Erin's successor.
'Let's go!'
Cuchulainn yelled out, and Tae Ho transmitted his thought to Rolo.
Rolo flew up towards the burning pillar that was descending with an overwhelming speed. It was to aim for the moment the fire pillar descended and attack it just like he had done so for the intermediate giant.
Two trajectories were drawn in the sky.
Both paths contained funnels of roaring flames.
Rolo took a big turn and Tae Ho kept analyzing the trajectory of the fire pillar, and after a moment, he hurriedly gave an order to Rolo.
"Dodge!"
The trajectory of the fire pillar twisted. It exploded in the air even though it hadn't reached the ground yet, and someone appeared from the remnants of the fire pillar and charged towards Rolo.
It was a giant that had the head of a lion and the wings of an eagle. The giant that had nails of a dragon split the air and fell.
Rolo tried to dodge him, but it wasn't easy to twist his body in the middle of a flight. In addition, the giant was extremely fast.
Ortr's fist hit the air, but the effects were enough. Rolo's body shook even though the attack had missed him, and the gale created by his fist messed up Rolo's flight.
Rolo crashed on the ground. Ortr also couldn't do anything about the descending speed and fell to the earth as well.
Tae Ho hurriedly kicked the air. He had jumped from Rolo's back the moment Ortrs' fist missed him and then threw himself towards Ortr that had landed in a messed up way due to having changed directions in the air.
[Saga: His Pocket is Connected to a Treasure Vault]
Tae Ho took out Fragarach's prototype once more from the air. He tried to strike Ortr's head along the descending speed.
But Ortr reacted with ease. He, who had risen up before Tae Ho's attack hit him, was much faster than the Giant of Earth. He hurriedly raised his arms to block Tae Ho's attack.
Kakang!
The prototype of Fragarach collided with the steel protectors Ortr bore upon his forearms, and a loud explosion resonated from the impact.
Ortr groaned for a moment and then swung his arm roughly. Tae Ho dropped Fragarach's prototype without regrets and entrusted his body to the force behind his attack. He was tossed into the air and then transformed into a hawk to regain his bearings.
"Idun's warrior!"
Ortr yelled. He spread his massive wings of an eagle and surged up.
The strength behind each stroke of his wings was so strong that all the trees in the forest shook. It was certain that Tae Ho wouldn't be able to beat him in speed, so he transformed back into a human and vaulted through the air to enter his reach.
"Quickly! Quicker!"
Adenmaha urged while riding on McLaren. The winter tree forest was burning up entirely. She could see about five huge giants from within, and the biggest and strongest one was battling Tae Ho in the air.
Adenmaha felt like her heart would explode. She panted without being able to calm her rough breath and yelled,
"Is the reinforcement far away?!"
"Valhalla replied. Reinforcements will come soon!"
Merlin, who was beside Adenmaha, answered her frantic question. He was also as anxious as Adenmaha but the number of battlefields he had been through was different to hers. He looked at the battlefield with calm eyes on top of McLaren that was charging with all his speed.
Perhaps, it was a more desperate situation than with the Giant of Earth.
Because back then, the Giant of Earth was alone, and he had Bracky and Siri by his side.
However, Merlin didn't get discouraged. The training received in the Tower of Shadows had made Tae Ho strong. One could dismiss it as a mere two years, but those two years were everything but ordinary
The strongest warrior of Erin, Cuchulainn, had guided Tae Ho.
The martial arts of Scathach, which had created lots of heroes, were carved into Tae Ho's being.
He'd also experienced desperate battles. His opponents weren't ordinary but were the heroes of Erin that had learned Scathach's style of techniques.
That's why it was fine. He would be able to endure it.
Even if it was an emergency situation and they lacked hands, Valhalla wouldn't be picky on reinforcements now that one of the Five Fingers had appeared.
"I will entrust you with the protection!"
Adenmaha yelled as soon as they approached the winter tree forest. She stood up from his seat and then jumped away from McLaren's head. She flew for a moment with the mystical power of the Tuatha De Danann and then transformed into a sea serpent.
Sea serpents were a draconic race that had the sea as their headquarters. As a result, battling on a dry stretch of land didn't suit them, much less a burning one.
But Adenmaha didn't hesitate even a little bit. As soon as she transformed into a sea serpent, she fired icy breath to the closest intermediate-ranked giant and then used strong mystical powers in consecution as if she wouldn't save energy.
Ice swords and spears poured towards the giant. McLaren yelled something in the excitement, and Merlin jumped up from McLaren and recited a chant. He was planning to use the fire as it spread all over the ground.
"Fire snake!"
The flames started to wave following the trajectory Merlin's staff drew. It started to gather and form a whirlpool before becoming a huge snake of fire that attacked the giants.
McLaren didn't stay still either. He slammed into the giants that were trying to attack Adenmaha with all his strength and then tore at the necks of the giants who had lost their balance and fallen.
A battle between giants and monsters occurred on the ground, and Tae Ho and Ortr battled in the air.
Tae Ho knew how he had to fight against a giant. The difference in bodies meant that the distance he could execute an attack was also different.
Tae Ho closed the distance with Ortr. Precisely speaking, he only tried to fight above him and in addition, he didn't stop his movements.
Still, it wasn't an easy thing to do because Ortr was well aware that such a battle was disadvantageous to him. Additionally, they weren't on the ground, but in the air right now.
Ortr moved his body rashly without resting to prevent Tae Ho from approaching him, and when even a little bit of distance was created, he poured out attacks at twisted angles. He was a giant that was closer to being a beast rather than a warrior.
Ortr's nails split the air once more. Tae Ho twisted his body in the air to dodge the attack and then clung to his wrist and activated a saga.
[Saga: Warrior's Equipment]
[Saga: Warrior's Equipment]
The several weapons Kalsted used poured towards Ortr. As there was the difference in size and the strength behind it was weak as he had thrown it quickly, one couldn't completely ignore it. It was because each weapon displayed their unique effects.
The Executioner's sword created a bleeding effect. He created a small wound, and the Vein Blade that passed over it emanated a nasty poison and affected Ortr.
The sword of lightning, Lightning Edge, flew towards Ortr's eye. It struck out with a powerful jolt of electricity that took out Ortr's vision for a moment.
Tae Ho reached his shoulder in an instant and then Ortr hit his own shoulder with his palm. Tae Ho barely threw his body back to dodge the attack and then grabbed Arondight, the sword of Lancelot, and activated a saga one more time.
[Saga: The Warrior that had a Valkyrie Meet Him]
The fake Valkyries spread and divided Ortr's eyes and consciousness. There were ten Valkyries, as he'd called everyone excluding Freya.
Tae Ho stabbed behind Ortr's neck and he let out a roar instead of screaming in pain. The blade of sound, that could be perceived as being a sort of magic, hacked at the fake Valkyries, and a lot of them poured down, especially on Tae Ho.
They were soundwave swords that weren't visible to the naked eye, but Tae Ho could see their trajectories. He read all of them with his 'Eyes of the Dragon' and swung Arondight. He executed a Wind split once and pushed away all the blades of sound.
But it was impossible to stay in his place. It was because Ortr had released a strong aura throughout his body.
Tae Ho hurriedly kicked his neck and threw himself in the air. At that moment, Ortr quickly turned his body and opened his mouth towards Tae Ho. Flames that wouldn't fall behind to the breath of a dragon were spontaneously fired from his mouth.
Tae Ho gritted his teeth and swung his sword once more and then split the flames with the sword of wind. At that moment, the flames of a real dragon covered Ortr.
It was the flame spat by Rolo from below.
Ortr hurriedly covered himself with his wings of an eagle. He roared in fury and subsequently fired blades of sound once again.
"Idun's warrior! Idun's warrior!"
Tae Ho didn't charge towards the blades of sound. He covered himself with a large round shield made from his 'Warrior's Equipment' and entrusted his body to gravity. Rolo surged up and caught Tae Ho on his back.
Rolo first distanced himself from Ortr and Tae Ho breathed roughly and panted.
Idun's divine power covered Tae Ho.
It certainly wasn't easy. Just looking at the battle from outside, it seemed like Tae Ho was pouring attacks one sidedly, but he couldn't inflict a fatal wound on him. In addition, just battling the Giant of Beasts consumed a lot of his strength and concentration.
Rolo took a big turn. Ortr spread his wings once again and then prepared to fly.
Tae Ho looked down at Ortr and extended his hand to the air. He called out the name of the weapon that would replace Arondight.
"The Gunlance of the Royal Dragon!"
It was one of the huge spears the Dragon Knight, Kalsted, used in Dark Age.
In the first place, it was a weapon meant to be used while riding a dragon, so this spear was much bigger than the ones Tae Ho had used until now.
The Gunlance of the Royal Dragon, that could only be forged after one defeated a black dragon covered with lava, was black and red. The red and yellow lines on its black surface emanated a light akin to lava flowing down a volcano, and it had the head of a dragon as a decoration suitable of the name Gunlance.
The blades made with fangs of a black dragon proclaimed its strong presence with a stout aura. It was currently the strongest weapon Tae Ho could recreate from Dark Age.
"Let's go, Rolo."
Tae Ho spoke curtly. Rolo fluttered his wings once and charged towards Ortr by his command. Ortr also flew towards Tae Ho as if his victory was all but uncertain.
And it was at that moment that Merlin, who was facing the intermediate-ranked giants on the ground, looked at the sky. He saw the objects that were pouring down beyond Ortr and Tae Ho.
They were the Black Flashes. There wasn't only one structure that held superior-ranked warriors, but three.
Loki also saw that. He, who was standing in the burning forest, rolled his fingers in a casual manner.
The Giant of Beasts, Ortr, was fighting in front of him.
And the Giant of the Night, Avalt, and the Giant of the Sea, Grund, were both also in Midgard.
There weren't only the Five Fingers. The superior giants that were in Jotunheim were leading their underlings and descending on Midgard.
The King of the frost giants, Warrior King Harmarti, was battling in the front lines. There were small battles everywhere, and the most elite of the forces under the command of Thor and Ullr were preparing to face them.
It really was a dogfight. The ones that had their names spread far away were all fighting their own battles.
Because of that, Loki felt that it was time.
"Let everything go as the King wishes."
Loki said in a low voice. He looked at Tae Ho and Ortr that were clashing in the sky. The ground and the sky shook at the same time.
-
Freya, who was pouring all her strength into the creation of the new Great Barrier, raised her head. Her hair stuck to her forehead because her entire body was covered in sweat.
But Freya couldn't think of fixing her appearance. She blinked a few times with a dumbfounded expression and then let out a bewildered voice.
"Odin?"
The King of Gods, Odin. The one that had to command all the battles occurring in the ground.
His throne was empty.
She couldn't see Odin. He was gone.
< Episode 35 - Great War (6) > End
TL note: Thanks for reading~