"Enter!"
"Enter!"
"Waaaaaa!"
The bulky warriors that were lined up in front of the door blew their horn trumpets as the door opened. The Valkyries raised flags of various colors and urged the warriors, that entered through the door with thunderous cheers.
"Kuk! Ugh! Wait! Wait!"
Tae Ho wasn't even thinking of entering the door, but he didn't have a choice. As the huge sea of bodies started pushing him, there was no way he could resist. If he tried to go the other way or stop, he would fall down and get trampled over.
Tae Ho got pushed forward tens of meters in an instant and looked at the only Valkyrie he knew; she was the one that had brought him here. He wanted to beg for something, but the black-haired Valkyrie put on a refreshing smile and said, "Warrior! Welcome to Valhalla! Let's hope we meet again at the night banquet!"
"Night banquet?"
He asked a question but no reply could be heard. No, in the first place, his question was drowned out by the voices around him.
Tae Ho gave up on trying to talk to the Valkyrie and just looked to the front. As the strength pushing behind him was still great, if he became careless for even a moment, he would die on the spot.
'Wait, am I not already dead?'
He thought that, but for now Tae Ho was focused on moving his feet because that was what his instinct was telling him to do. If it hurt when people pushed him, it was obvious that it would also hurt if he fell.
The place beyond the door was so big that it was able to hold hundreds of people at once. The high ceiling was made out of rocks, the pillars were tall, and the place itself gave a big impression.
There were also some Valkyries wearing armor inside the door, but they weren't warriors so they were lined up on another side of the wall. A high platform was placed in front of them.
'Is someone going to perform over there?'
As Tae Ho was walking and observing his surroundings, a rough voice spoke right next to him.
"Which battle did you die in?"
Tae Ho flinched, but fortunately, the question wasn't directed at him but at another man. The man that asked the question and the one that was asked looked like bears.
The red-bearded man that was questioned started explaining his situation. Then the blue-bearded man sharply opened his eyes.
"You were the one that killed me!"
'What?'
Tae Ho was surprised and so he turned to look back at them. Were they enemies that stood on the same battlefield?'
Tae Ho shrank back because he thought that a fight would occur, but nothing happened. The red-bearded man patted the shoulders of the other man and stirringly said, "Kuhahat, know that you were able to come to Valhalla because of me."
"Kuku, that was a good fight. But seeing that we are together, did you die after that?"
At the blue-bearded man's question, the red-bearded one frowned as if it was regrettable.
"I got done in by a young man with five braids. He pierced my stomach while yelling 'Father!'."
"Ah....Bjorg! You avenged your father!"
'What is with this story.'
Simply put, the red beard killed the blue beard, and the son of the blue beard killed the red beard.
He thought that a battle was obviously going to start, but once again nothing happened.
The red beard patted his belly and said while laughing: "Man, you raised your son really well! For him to pierce my belly like that. He will become a great warrior! No, he's already one!"
"Kukuku. Thanks."
The red beard and blue beard patted each other's shoulders and laughed. If you just looked at them you would think that they were lifelong friends instead of enemies.
Tae Ho decided to stop thinking at that point. It seemed like this place really was the Valhalla that appeared in myths from northern Europe.
'But why me?'
Tae Ho had never held a sword, nor a dagger. He had never experienced a battle where he had to put his life at stake, why was he dragged here?
'It's surely a mistake. Right? A mistake?'
While Tae Ho was in grief, the sound of the horn trumpet rang again. The warriors that were chatting amongst themselves became silent and turned to look at where the Valkyries were. A Valkyrie with long, blonde hair was on the platform that was empty until moments ago. Perhaps she had a high status among Valkyries, as her armor and helmet were different from the others.
"Warriors! I welcome you to Valhalla!"
"Uooooo!"
"Odin!"
"Thor!"
The hundreds of gathered warriors let out cheers. The sound was so loud that it seemed like the entire hall was shaking.
The Valkyrie standing on the platform put on a satisfied smile and then raised the sword that was resting on her waist.
"I am the Valkyrie Reginleif! I have prepared a banquet to welcome you!"
"Ohh!"
'Banquet? Is it that night banquet they spoke of before?'
Tae Ho remembered the words of the black-haired Valkyrie. First, he would have to sit down and ask some questions to know what his situation was like.
"But unfortunately, something has happened. Exalted warriors, are you ready to fight for Asgard and the nine linked planets?!"
At Reginleif's words, Tae Ho abruptly opened his eyes.
'Did something happen? Ready to fight?
'You don't mean...?!'
"Wicked enemies have invaded us with a huge army! You all are already excellent and exalted warriors to be invited to Valhalla! Grab your weapons and let us go to the battlefield!"
"Let's go!"
"Uooo!"
"Let's go!"
"Wait, wait, wait!"
That last one was Tae Ho, but his voice was mixed in with the confusion from the other cries.
Reginleif turned her sword over her head with a cool motion and then pointed at the huge door.
"Go! Get on the ships! They will lead you to the battlefield!"
"Uoooo!"
"Odin!"
"Let's go!"
The warriors started to move in unison. Tae Ho was just like a pebble in a stream — he couldn't get out.
&
'This is crazy!'
Tae Ho was sat in a corner of the big deck.
It was absurd enough to be dead and be dragged to Valhalla, but he even had to go to the battlefield as soon as he had arrived. The warriors that were on the ship were enjoying the cloudy sea, but Tae Ho couldn't do so at all. He would like it if someone explained what was happening to him, even if it wasn't a pretty Valkyrie.
It was right then when someone said something to him: "Young man."
A big shadow was cast over his head. Tae Ho raised his head and saw a tall man with ash colored hair. The man smiled when he made eye contact with Tae Ho and then lowered himself to his eye level.
"You are overly nervous. Don't worry. These battles are not that different to what you were doing until now. I have already been on this battlefield numerous times."
The man spoke like that and then pointed at his chest. There was one accessory made of feathers and it looked like it was a kind of medal.
Tae Ho reflexively asked, "What are we fighting against?"
"Wicked demons, giants, devils.....They are all enemies threatening Asgard and the nine planets."
The man answered with a gallant face. It was doubtful if he could even fight against a person, but to top that off, demons and giants? And even devils?
Tae Ho breathed in and out as he started to feel dizzy. Only after that could he barely ask a question:
"If you die, what happens?"
Tae Ho was already dead. So what would happen if he died once again in this state?
"Young man, is that really a question? Didn't we obtain a new body here in Valhalla? If you die this time, it will mean death for real."
He had his doubts, but it really was the case. As Tae Ho's expression became grim, the man laughed and added,
"But don't worry too much. We have at least one insurance."
"An insurance?"
"Can you see those friends?"
As he turned to look in the direction that the man was pointing at, he could see big overall armors lined up.
"The warriors of Valhalla that die in the battlefield — the souls of the warriors are moved to the steeled soldiers. The Einherjar. So you can keep fighting in that state! What's more surprising is that the steeled warriors don't feel pain or exhaustion. They only exist to fight!"
He spoke as if it was cool, but for Tae Ho, it wasn't cool at all. To exist just to fight without having any senses. What was the difference between that and a piece of metal?
He had to live. He couldn't afford to die. He couldn't die like this.
While Tae Ho was making a pledge by himself, the man turned to look at Tae Ho again.
"Above that, don't you use a saga?"
"Yes?"
'Saga?'
"You are a warrior worthy of being called to Valhalla. You surely have amazing prestige or a great achievement. The saga is the song of the warrior, the strength of magic. The more it is transmitted and believed in, the strength of the warrior becomes stronger. Think of your own saga. It will surely give you strength to enable you to fight on the battlefield."
"My.....saga?"
Story. Transmission.
"Also, my saga is 'The rock fist that caught a bear'. My fists are a bit hard."
The man smiled and clenched his fist. It was really as big and hard like a rock.
But it didn't end there. It seemed like the fist of the man was shining. Then, it became twice as big.
"You try it too, young man. Think of the achievements you have accomplished."
The man smiled and extended his fist. However, it was merely a perplexing thing for Tae Ho.
An achievement as a warrior? A feat?
There was no way a pro gamer would have those kinds of things.
'No, wait.'
Tae Ho certainly wasn't a warrior.
But he was the world's best pro gamer. The dragon knight Kalsted, which he used in the world of Dark Age, was the legend itself.
His achievements.
His story.
All of the achievements dragon knight Kalsted had made.
[ Saga: Immortal Warrior ]
A shining sentence appeared in front of Tae Ho's eyes.