TL: Tsubak
ED:
The highest branch wasn't a branch like its name implied.
It was a small world that was stuck to the world tree just like Midgard and Asgard.
Hraesvelg flew in the sky in a majestuous manner. Vedrfolnir flew a bit ahead than him to lead the way and the sparrows that were riding on her back chirped and yelled.
"The king is going!"
"The king is going to fight against the black dragon!"
The birds that had a good hearing heard them. The birds that were uneasy because of the sudden appearance of the black dragon got happy and flew up. They then followed the track of their king.
Hraesvelg didn't stop his citizens. It was because it would be better to have more witnesses in the great duel that would take place in a moment.
But of course, Hraesvelg wasn't planning on putting his citizens in danger in vain as he was a king. He was planning to not let them approach to a certain range as they could get swept in the battle against Nidhogg.
"My king! My king!"
"Our king!"
"King of birds!"
"The protector of the highest branch!"
The birds started to gather one by one and yelled together. Hraesvelg was a king that was loved by everyone as he protected the highest branch for a thousand years since he climbed to the throne.
They knew well about the black dragon Nidhogg thanks to the squirrel beast Ratatoskr.
The manifestation of all the evil in the world.
But they weren't afraid as the white eagle king was with them. They were sure he would defeat a mere black dragon!
Hraesvelg first headed to the core of the highest branch instead of going to the outer regions where the black dragon had appeared at. It wasn't to make more citizens follow him. It was because his real body was asleep in that place.
"Wake up my body. The time has come."
When Hraesvelg stood in the air and mumbled something, the entire highest branch started to shake. The birds that were gathered were afraid but happy at the same time. They closed their beaks tightly and concentrated.
A huge flutter of a wing shook the world.
The two wings that got spread while breaking the silence hit the air once again and Hraesvelg's original body appeared.
The eyes of the sparrows that were riding on Vedrfolnir widened and that was the same for the ones that had already seen the real appearance of the king and for the ones that were looking at it for the first time.
If you connected the extremes of the wings, you could imagine that it was a big and wide plains. It was a huge existence that could create whirlwinds with a stroke of its wind.
Hraesvelg's original body was a kind of a magic armor just like Nidhogg's body.
A pure white eagle that had no stains.
Hraesvelg looked at his own body with a satisfied expression and then took a step. He stepped on the air and then moved to the head of his original body.
Vedrfolnir transformed into a beautiful woman and stood next to the king and the sparrows sat in her shoulder and praised his greatness.
Hraesvelg fluttered his wings once again. The ground shook once more and the white eagle crossed an incredible distance in a moment.
"It's the king!"
"It's the white eagle king!"
"The king is going to fight against the black dragon!"
The citizens of the highest branch yelled with all their strength. They were also really excited right now.
This was also Ratatoskr's merit. The citizens imagined their king defeating the black dragon and fluttered their wings even more strongly.
And Hraesvelg finally reached the outside perimeter along his people. He opened his eyes sharply and looked at the black dragon.
A black dragon that had four pair of wings and four horns, just like the sparrows had said, was standing still. It looked just like a black and huge mountain.
'It's smaller than I thought.'
An eagle was an animal which wings was bigger than its body so just by looking at their size, it didn't seem like there would be much difference between Hraesvelg and Nidhogg.
But perhaps, it was an obvious thing. Because Nidhogg was the fated enemy of Hraesvelg. The story would fit if they were of a similar size.
The dragon that had a poisonous fog around it didn't move, as if it had really become a mountain. Hraesvelg made his citizens stop and flew ahead alone.
About 200 meters with Nidhogg.
It was a really long distance that people wouldn't be able to speak to each other but it was plentily close for huge existences like Nidhogg and Hraesvelg.
Based on Ratatoskr's words, the normal thing would be for the dragon to launch a surprise attack first but it rather waited calmly for him.
It was a strange thing but Hraesvelg could find out the reason for it.
'It was also waiting for the destined duel.'
A smile spread in his mouth by its own.
RIght, it was a battle against its old enemy connected by fate. No matter how much of an evil creature it was, it would at least want to duel properly.
Hraesvelg stood on the head of his original body and looked at Nidhogg's head. It was a distance that made people seem like dots but this didn't impede the eyes of the eagle king at all. He could see the scene of 200 meters ahead as if it was right in front of him.
There was a black haired warrior standing on the head of Nidhogg.
A tall stature and trained body. Clear features and a strong resolution in his face.
'Is that Nidhogg's essence?'
And it was at that moment. The one that was estimated to be Nidhogg's essence opened his mouth and shouted in a loud voice. It seemed like he had used some mystical power that his voice was heard clearly regardless of the distance.
"King of birds Hraesvelg! I'm called Lee Tae Ho, the commander of Idun's legion!"
"Idun's commander? Are you a warrior of Valhalla?"
"That's right!"
Hraesvelg's eyebrows twitched. It wasn't only because his guess that the man was Nidhogg's essence was wrong.
Displeasement showed in the voice of Hraesvelg, that looked at honor with importance.
"Bastard! Asgard fell in danger but it seemed that a traitor has appeared! For a warrior of Valhalla to join hands with Nidhogg!"
Hraesvelg had no relationship with Valhalla but it didn't matter. How could a warrior of a God join hands with the evil dragon?
Treason was especially one of the things Hraesvelg disliked a lot.
As he looked at the warrior with eyes filled with contempt, Tae Ho answered with his head high as if he didn't care at all.
"That's not the case! I'm a warrior of Valhalla that fights for Asgard and the nine realms, and the king of Gods Odin will prove this!"
"It's true. Idun's warrior is an outstanding warrior even in Valhalla."
Odin, that was seated a bit farther from Tae Ho, said in a low voice. Hraesvelg couldn't see Odin as he was concentrated on the man estimated to be Nidhogg's essence and asked in a surprised voice.
"Odin? You were alive?"
"I could survive thanks to Idun's warrior."
Odin smiled bitterly and said. His voice and looks didn't seem to be forced at all.
Hraesvelg got perplexed. He didn't know about Idun's warrior but it was hard to imagine the king of Gods to join hands with Nidhogg.
But this was reality occurring in front of them. Hraesvelg yelled bluntly.
"It's fine whatever it is. I don't care if it's the king of Gods Odin or a warrior of Valhalla. The important thing is that the black warrior Nidhogg came to the highest branch!"
The white eagle Hraesvelg didn't miss the main point of the problem.
Only the truth that Nidhogg had infiltrated the highest branch was important.
Tae Ho nodded. He yelled in a pleasant voice as it was flowing as he wanted to.
"You are right Hraesvelg. The important thing is Nidhogg. Come greet her."
Tae Ho stood to a side and then, one of the rocks in Nidhogg's head split up and two people showed up.
'Women?'
They were both women. One was a tall and slender woman that had long black hair and the other one was a white haired woman that was dressed with the uniform of Valkyries.
You could know who was Nidhogg's essence at a glance.
The white haired Valkyrie- Adenmaha, stopped at the entrance and the black haired woman- Nidhogg walked ahead.
But it was at that moment.
"Kyak!"
Nidhogg, that took a step with a stiff expression, was about to fall down. Adenmaha asked hurriedly as she got surprised.
"Are you fine?"
"Ye,yes. I'm fine. I didn't fall down."
For her to almost fall down as she tripped with a rock.
Nidhogg cleared her throat several times as it was embarrassing and then stood next to Tae Ho with still stiff movements. She then looked at Hraesvelg and waved her hand shyly.
"Ah, hello? I'm Nidhogg. I wanted to meet you for a while. I also heard many things from Ratatoskr...Although they weren't good things, it's fine as it's all a misunderstanding. Uh, um....ah...hi anyways!"
She hesitated for a moment and then increased her voice at the last part.
She even smiled brightly.
But the reply that Nidhogg wanted didn't return. Odin turned his head and held his laughter and Tae Ho gritted his teeth to maintain his expression.
When Nidhogg became dispirited and shrugged her shoulders, a reply came from the side of Hraesvelg.
It was Vedrfolnir.
"Bastards! You dare to insult the king of the highest branch! You dare bring a fake to this place!"
There was nothing more evil. How could they bring a childish girl like that and say that she was Nidhogg's essence!
Vedrfolnir glared at Tae Ho's group with eyes filled with displeasement. But something completely unexpected came out from the mouth of Hraesvelg.
"She's real?"
"What?"
"She is really Nidhogg."
Vedrfolnir blinked as she didn't understand what Hraesvelg was saying but he didn't say anything else. Actually, Hraesvelg also wanted to yell like Vedrfolnir to bring the real deal.
But he could know.
Because he was connected to her by fate.
The one in front of him was Nidhogg indeed. She was the black dragon Nidhogg.
That's why Hraesvelg decided to think in another perspective. He spoke with the voice he managed to squeeze out.
"Nidhogg, stop acting. I heard that you were an evil existence but you have crossed the line. Your actions right now....aren't right manners when facing your destined enemy."
He had expected the fated duel while thinking that the dragon was an evil existence but wasn't it too much that it was acting like that?
But reality always surpassed your imaginations.
"Ni, Nidhogg didn't act. I'm...not evil. Tae Ho master and Adenmaha said that Nidhogg was good."
Nidhogg spoke back while being aware of her surroundings. Adenmaha clenched her fist towards Nidhogg telling her to cheer up but that wasn't the case for the others. Odin couldn't endure his laughter and turned around and Tae Ho pinched his thigh.
"Th, that damned....."
Vedrfolnir trembled. She couldn't endure looking how her loved king got despised anymore.
"Nidhogg! I know too well that you have tried to make the world tree fall by eating the roots! How do you dare act as an innocent kid!"
"Ah, I didn't. I don't eat the roots. It's bitter and not tasty. The food Heda or Adenmaha makes are much more delicious."
It was true. Nidhogg really disliked eating the roots of the world tree.
Vedrfolnir staggered. Strength was taken away from her body as Nidhogg's words were heard sincerely.
"Yo, you bitch! I remember the curses you had told to Hraesvelg-nim!"
"Ah, uh....I'm sorry! Ratatoskr forced me to do it. I'm sorry. It said that it would leave if I didn't....."
Nidhogg started to sob as she was really sorry. Her crying look looked really sad and poor.
"Hey, why are you making a kid cry! What did she do wrong!"
Adenmaha yelled. Vedrfolnir, that was already in a groggy state, put an even dumber face.
"Wh, what?"
Make a kid cry?
She wanted to deny it but she couldn't. Looking at them from a distance, it just looked like Vedrfolnir was a bad girl that made a poor girl cry.
"My, my king."
Vedrfolnir couldn't take in the sudden situation and said with a trembling voice. But Hraesvelg also felt the same as her. No, he received a bigger shock than Vedrfolnir.
"H, how....."
How is it that she isn't her old fated enemy?
Wasn't this the duel he had waited for a thousand years?
Hraesvelg felt dizzy. They hadn't even started to exchange blows but the strength completely left his body. It felt like the sky turned yellow.
The sparrows that were sitting in the shoulder of Vedrfolnir got excited at the perplexity of their king. They, that were simple, thought that Nidhogg was acting. They crossed a distance of 200 meters in an instant suitable of being messengers and started to attack Nidhogg.
"Bad girl!"
"Bad girl!"
But they were still sparrows. The only thing sparrows the size of a fist could do was to fly around Nidhogg's head and peak it.
Originally, he had to stop the sparrows. They were weak creatures that could die by one attack of an enraged enemy.
But there was no need to do so and that fact made Hraesvelg feel more tired.
"Kyak! Don't! Don't do it! It hurts! I don't like things that hurt!"
Nidhogg couldn't even think about hitting the sparrows and just covered her head.
Adenmaha and Tae Ho chased away the sparrows in her stead.
"A, an act....."
Vedrfolnir couldn't finish speaking. Hraesvelg closed his eyes tightly.
He didn't want to see anymore. Didn't want to hear anymore.
The fated enemy that was connected to him.
A destined duel against the devil that threatened the world.
It wasn't something like this.
The duel he had dreamed for a long time wasn't something like this.
Hraesvelg showed tears in a really long while. They were tears of remorse that flowed down from a deep part of his heart.
"My king....."
Vedrfolnir also started to cry. She felt like her heart got torn when she looked at her king being sad. She felt so absent minded that she couldn't even think about Ratatoskr.
But it was at that moment.
"Hraesvelg!"
Tae Ho yelled once again. He glared at Hraesvelg that turned to look at him reflexively and said.
"We need your help to take back Asgard. That's why I have a proposal to make to you!"
Hraesvelg, that didn't even want to think anything by now, didn't show any reaction.
Tae Ho yelled once again.
"I request a duel with you as the commander of Idun. If I win, help us on taking back Asgard. As I am Nidhogg's master, she will also participate in the duel."
"Yes, yes. I can fight well if it's with Tae Ho master!"
Nidhogg said. At that moment, Tae Ho activated the 'one that controls dragons' and at that time, the attribute of the aura covering Nidhogg's body changed.
The black dragon Nidhogg.
A strong aura that suited an ancient dragon.
It was the same to when she stood on the battlefield of Niflheim. Hraesvelg got a hold of himself at the sharp aura and vitality also entered Vedrfolnir's eyes.
"My king."
Vedrfolnir spoke with a wet voice. It was only a bit but there was joy mixed in her voice.
There was a long distance to what they had imagined but the current Nidhogg was a good opponent.
Hraesvelg nodded. He clenched his fist and yelled.
"Good, good! Let's have a duel!"
Hraesvelg calmed down himself and released the aura from inside his body. A strong aura surged up like fire just like what happened with Nidhogg.
The king of the highest branch indeed.
He wasn't an easy opponent at all. He was a really strong foe.
But Cuchulainn shook his head and put an evil smile.
'He didn't put a condition for when he won.'
After Tae Ho listened to the situation about Ratatoskr, he requested Odin to entrust the negotiations to him.
The reason was simple.
'I will be able to shake Hraesvelg just by making him duel with Nidhogg.'
And it turned out like he had thought. Hraesvelg, whose mind and body was a mess, ended up biting the bait Tae Ho had thrown.
But Tae Ho's fishing hadn't ended yet. There was the most important ending left.
"Hraesvelg! I have one more thing to tell you before the duel. I am a summoner at the same time i'm Idun's warrior. Will I be able to fight with my summons?"
"Do as you wish! It doesn't matter how many opponents there are!"
All the conditions had been set. Odin stood up and yelled.
"I, king of Gods Odin, will be a witness for this duel."
"I, Vedrfolnir, will also become a witness for my king."
Vedrfolnir spoke confidently and then took the sparrows and flew up high.
It was to not interfere with the duel.
Hraesvelg's original body flew to the sky. Hraesvelg, that was still standing on the head of his original body, looked down at Nidhogg and claimed as the king of the highest branch.
"Come how many you want! I am Hraesvelg, the king of the highest branch!"
"Uooooo!"
"My king!"
"Our king!"
The citizens, that didn't know of the conversation they had with Nidhogg, cheered. Tae Ho faced at that Hraesvelg with a satisfied face and then turned to look at Nidhogg and Adenmaha.
"Let's start."
Odin also left Nidhogg's head, just like Vedrfolnir did, and then went to Merlin that was waiting in a distant place.
Tae Ho went to the heart room with Nidhogg.
Adenmaha and Rolo stood at the sides of Nidhogg.
'It will be a short warfare. You won't be able to endure long even if it's you we are talking about.'
He wasn't talking about the battle against Hraesvelg. It was about what Tae Ho was to do now.
Tae Ho nodded and sat at the chair in the heart room. He then took out a golden apple he received from Odin and cleared it in one go. The divine power of Idun, that was filling the apple, covered Tae Ho's body.
[Saga: Idun's warrior]
The amplified power of a God got amplified once again. He embraced Nidhogg, that was hugging him naturally, and then placed his hands on the keyboard and the mouse.
[Saga: Owner of flames]
[Saga: Owner of frost]
Rolo and Adenmaha transformed into Shootingstar and Javier. They were smaller than Nidhogg but they were still huge dragons.
Three dragons.
Hraesvelg twitched and Vedrfolnir gulped dry saliva.
But this wasn't the end. Tae Ho still had one more card.
[Saga: The warrior that had a Valkyrie meet him]
The fake Nidhogg appeared. The citizens of the highest branch screamed at the appearance of the dragon that was identical to Nidhogg.
And one more thing to this.
The fake Adenmaha that appeared with the 'Warrior that had a Valkyrie meet him'.
[Saga: Owner of frost]
The fake Adenmaha turned into a fake Javier. It then let out a loud roar.
Five dragons.
It was just like Cuchulainn had warned. An overwhelming amount of divine power got spent just by maintaining it. He probably won't be able to maintain it for too long.
In addition, it was doubtful if the fake Nidhogg and Adenmaha would be able to move properly. If he couldn't control them properly, it would only be a waste of divine power.
'There's no way you would do something that stupid.'
Cuchulainn smirked and said. Tae Ho finished the last preparations instead of nodding.
[Saga: Legendary pro gamer]
The screen of the monitor changed. The first person point of view, that was Nidhogg's point of view, changed into a third person like RTS games.
Tae Ho would control Nidhogg and give simple orders to Adenmaha and Rolo. He would control the fake Adenmaha and Nidhogg as when you controlled several units from an RTS game.
'Bad guy. You really are a bastard. Really.'
Tae Ho nodded. He thanked Cuchulainn's compliment and moved the mouse and the keyboard.
"Let's go."
[Saga: The one that controls dragons]
Nidhogg flinched and let out an exclamation. It was the same for Rolo and Adenmaha. They received orders from Tae Ho through the 'one that controls dragons' and 'the legendary gamer'.
The duel started.
The five dragons flew up towards Hraesvelg.
< Episode 41 - The highest branch (4) > End
TL note: Thanks for reading~