Leaving the observation balcony, Alex, along with the Valkyries and the robo-dog stubbornly clutching a flag in its paws, headed toward the resting room. The corridors of the Colosseum felt eerily silent despite the recent battle. Alex walked ahead, smoking a cigarette and immersed in his thoughts. He pondered over Tsishakon, the Outer God who had possessed Beelzebub's body.
In the midst of his reflections, Alex came to a realization: Tsishakon hadn't been a fragment of his original but a complete Outer God. This thought only struck him after Tsishakon's death. The reason was simple—he had been far too weak to even be a fragment of an Outer God's power. Alex brushed aside further thoughts of his defeated opponent and focused on more pressing matters—finding the true culprit behind the onset of Ragnarok.
With each step, he grew more convinced that Odin was behind it all. No one else seemed as suspicious. That god was adept at manipulating those around him while staying in the shadows. None of the Norse gods, aside from Thor at the very beginning, had actively participated in the battles. The main fighting force had been the Olympians and their allies, such as Shiva.
However, Alex wasn't just speculating about the culprit—he also questioned the purpose of Ragnarok. What could Odin gain from humanity's destruction? Logic suggested one thing: it could be a sacrificial ritual—a grand scheme aimed at opening a portal to Chaos and summoning one of the Outer Gods. But which one? That question remained unanswered for now.
Brunhilde walked beside him, lost in memories of what had transpired. She realized that Alex had erected a barrier to prevent the Outer God's influence from spreading. When the darkness began consuming the arena, she had encountered an invisible wall that she couldn't pass through. Yet, the fear she had felt on the arena floor still clung to her.
For Brunhilde, it had been a moment when her worst nightmares came to life. Instinctively, she squeezed Alex's hand, hoping to find comfort in the gesture. Her mind, accustomed to planning and manipulation, now recognized its helplessness against such a powerful entity.
Göll felt even worse. For the young Valkyrie, it had been a profound shock. She couldn't forget the black eyes of Beelzebub—or the entity that had taken over his body. Every now and then, waves of fear washed over her, and in those moments, she sought reassurance, clutching Alex's hand. Only by his side did she feel safe.
«So, that was the Outer God? Or just a fragment of its essence?» Brunhilde asked suddenly, trying to control her fear and eager to learn more.
Alex, realizing that both his hands were occupied by the Valkyries, glanced at the cigarette between his teeth and exhaled smoke. His voice was calm as he replied:
«No, it wasn't a fragment. It was a full-fledged Outer God.»
His words made Brunhilde and Göll freeze. They needed time to process what they had just heard, along with everything else that had happened that day.
Alex felt the firm grip of the two Valkyries on his hands and sighed, realizing that even after the battle, the fear of the Outer Gods lingered instinctively, deeply rooted within them. He understood that he needed to help Brunhilde and Göll overcome their anxieties. Gently freeing his hands from their grasp, Alex lightly tapped each of them on the forehead with his finger.
The moment Alex touched them, the Valkyries felt a wave of relief wash over their bodies. Their fear began to recede, and their minds became clearer. Brunhilde gave Alex a searching look, trying to discern what magic he had used, but she couldn't figure it out.
«What did you do?» she asked, feeling the fear that had gripped her thoughts begin to fade away.
«It's a spell that shields the mind,» Alex replied evenly. «It helps dispel mental influence and clear your thoughts. Feeling better now?»
Brunhilde nodded, feeling her mind become sharp and focused, allowing her to analyze the events of the arena. Even the memories of the entity that had possessed Beelzebub's body no longer triggered panic. Göll, who had been trembling, exhaled with relief, her usual cheerfulness beginning to return.
«Yes, I feel better now,» Brunhilde replied, then added thoughtfully, «But what do you mean when you say it was a true Outer God and not a fragment of its power?»
Alex hesitated for a moment, scratching his cheek. He genuinely wasn't sure how to explain it. His personal experience with Outer Gods like Nyarlathotep and Yog-Sothoth had set an incredibly high benchmark for their power. Compared to them, Tsishakon seemed weak—almost insignificant.
«Well, to be honest, I initially thought it was just a fragment,» Alex admitted, averting his gaze. «The power it showed through Beelzebub's soul was so pitiful that I figured it had to be a small shard. But it turns out that parasite was just a lowly bastard surviving by feeding on hosts. Not a fragment—just a weak, full-fledged Outer God.»
Brunhilde raised an eyebrow at his explanation. Her knowledge of Outer Gods was minimal—limited to what Alex had bothered to share. But even that was enough to understand how powerful these beings were supposed to be. And now Alex was claiming that Tsishakon was a lesser being? Analyzing his words, Brunhilde speculated that the Outer Gods might have their own hierarchy and that perhaps, in ancient times, there had been a war Alex had yet to mention.
«If that was a lesser Outer God,» Brunhilde said thoughtfully, looking at Alex, «then how strong are the greater ones—if they exist?»
Her question gave Alex pause.
He rubbed his chin absentmindedly, searching for the right words to convey the essence and power of the Outer Gods in a way Brunhilde could understand. He knew how difficult it was—describing the unimaginable, something that surpassed human comprehension, was nearly impossible. Göll tensed, listening intently and waiting for his answer, as she was equally curious about the strength of these beings.
«Before I explain, do you know what a timeline is or the theory of parallel universes?» Alex turned his head toward Brunhilde.
«Timeline? Like the beginning and end of time? I've never heard of parallel universes. Why do you ask?» she responded, slightly puzzled.
«Imagine that every choice we make creates a new parallel universe where things happened differently. Simply put, a timeline is like a great tree, and each branch is a separate universe stemming from the main one,» Alex began to explain.
Brunhilde nodded, processing his words. Göll was also intrigued but refrained from asking clarifying questions for now.
«And where are you going with this?» Brunhilde asked, raising an eyebrow.
«You wanted to know how strong the greater Outer Gods are. Well, their mere presence is enough to destroy an entire timeline—or even wipe out the entire 'tree of time.' In simpler terms, their arrival brings catastrophic consequences,» Alex explained as he pulled out a cigarette and lit it.
Brunhilde's eyes widened at his words. She even pinched herself to make sure she wasn't dreaming. The pain confirmed the reality of Alex's statement. As she processed his explanation, she realized that if an Outer God could destroy a timeline, it meant they could erase the past, present, and future. The scale of such power was incomprehensible to her.
Meanwhile, new questions began to form in Brunhilde's mind. How did Alex know this? This information clearly wasn't from history books, not even forbidden ones. Göll, standing beside her, trembled, trying not to believe what she had just heard.
«Then how do you know this? You're obviously hiding something,» Brunhilde said, frowning and looking at him suspiciously.
«If you want, we can use Völundr, and you'll understand everything yourself,» Alex replied calmly, extending his hand to her.
Brunhilde paused, looking at his outstretched hand. She understood that this would change her perception of the world, possibly forever. The truth she was about to uncover might be far more shocking than she had imagined.
Inside her, two voices were at war: one urged her to agree and uncover the secrets, while the other advised waiting, fearing that the truth could distract her from the current tasks at hand. Göll watched them, realizing that through Völundr, a spiritual bond was formed between the human and the Valkyrie, allowing them to see and feel each other.
After a moment's hesitation, Brunhilde reached out, but she did not activate Völundr. Grasping Alex's hand, she shook her head with a slight smile.
«Ragnarok is not yet over. If we use Völundr now, it will weaken our ranks,» she said.
«What ranks? We only need to win two more battles, and it's done. Two victories, and the main culprit will appear,» Alex replied, his eye twitching tiredly.
Brunhilde's words made Alex pause. He had been ready to reveal the whole truth, prepared for any accusations, shouts, or reproaches that might follow. But the Valkyrie had refused, citing the unfinished state of Ragnarok. Alex suspected there was more behind her refusal than mere excuses. Sighing, he decided not to press the issue. The truth would come out sooner or later.
Göll noticed that the conversation about Völundr had ended without result, and she briefly wondered whether she should use the technique with Alex. But predicting Brunhilde's potential reaction, she immediately discarded the thought.
Brunhilde took Alex by the arm, relieved that he hadn't insisted. She sighed mentally with relief. Her conflicting thoughts wouldn't let her rest—she could have learned more about him, but at the last moment, she had decided to step back.
The Valkyries' duet and Alex continued on their way. After walking a bit further, they saw the robo-dog, enthusiastically chatting with Titus, praising the ultramarine for how ruthlessly he had dealt with Beelzebub. Beside Titus stood Göndul, observing the dog closely.
Using Alex's memories, Göndul had learned a great deal about his life in Orario and Night City. However, she consciously skipped over moments that didn't directly concern his personality, focusing on the main episodes. She was especially intrigued by the gaps in Alex's memory—everything related to the time before his arrival in Orario and how he ended up in a world of high technology.
These gaps in his memory made Göndul ponder his true nature. Even though he was the first Demon created by the Creator Himself, some aspects of his personality remained a mystery to her.
When Göndul noticed Alex, she waved at him with a sweet smile, deciding to play along in his little show for now. Alex, seeing her gesture, smiled and waved back:
«Yo, Titus, thought you'd already left,» he said, walking closer.
Brunhilde tensed, picking up the hidden subtext in Alex's words. Quickly realizing that Titus belonged to the Order of the Grey Knights, whose task was to hunt demons, she grew uneasy. Her gaze settled on Göndul, who had meanwhile approached Alex and, ignoring the elder sister's scowl, wrapped her arm around his.
«Brother Alex, I would gladly return to work,» Titus replied, shaking his head. «But when Göndul and I left the arena, we were stopped by a strange group of people who seemed to be members of the Adeptus Mechanicus. They bombarded us with questions, and I could barely keep up with the answers.»
Göndul, paying no attention to the tension between Brunhilde and Alex, continued to hold onto his arm, as if pretending nothing unusual was happening.
Alex pondered, trying to recall who this strange group could be, and it dawned on him: it could only be Tesla's team. It included Tesla himself, Galileo, Einstein, Curie, Newton, Nobel, and Edison. In the original storyline, it was Tesla who was supposed to fight Beelzebub, but Alex had taken the task upon himself, sending a clone in his place.
Tesla was a fanatic of science, obsessively passionate about its mysteries. Alex would have lied if he said he wasn't jealous of the idea of Göndul uniting with Tesla. Upon hearing his thoughts, Göndul smiled sweetly and gave Alex a narrowed glance.
«And what did they want?» Alex asked in a calm tone.
«This strange group was interested in my armor and weapons,» Titus replied.
«I took the liberty of suggesting they come to you if they had any further questions,» Göndul interjected with a kind smile.
Alex nodded, not giving it much thought. He had already considered passing his research to this group, letting them explore science further, especially if it involved knowledge from a world where technology had advanced far beyond theirs.
Hearing this, Brunhilde covered her face with her hand. It was clear to her that this group was starting to cause problems again, especially with Tesla at the helm, eager to unravel all the mysteries of the universe. These problems had begun long ago, when Tesla and the other great scientists gathered in the heavens, founding their unusual company.
Göll became intrigued by the knowledge Alex might possess. She quickly remembered that he had created G.I.R., the combat robot and assistant—an achievement that already surpassed their understanding of science.
«Brother Alex, before I leave, take this to keep so no one else gets hurt,» Titus said, handing over the altered skull that Beelzebub had used.
Alex looked at the skull, involuntarily comparing it to the monster skulls from the game Bloodborne. It looked just as sinister. Brunhilde and Göll recoiled in horror at the disgusting artifact. Releasing one hand, Alex placed the skull in his inventory, deciding to destroy it later. He didn't like this abomination, especially after hoping that Beelzebub's cane would be a valuable trophy. Now that cane seemed trivial; this skull was more a cursed item than a treasure.
«Don't worry, I'll take care of it. Do you need help getting home, or will you manage on your own?» Alex asked, raising an eyebrow.
Titus, staying in character, first returned Alex's weapon to him. Alex, as if packing away unnecessary junk, sent everything to his inventory. Brunhilde's eyebrows twitched at the sight, especially after he casually put the horrid skull away as well.
«I think I won't refuse your help, brother Alex,» Titus said, nodding.
Alex nodded, pretending to say goodbye to his clone, and teleported it to another location. There, the clone used an invisibility spell and returned to the Colosseum. Once Titus disappeared, Brunhilde turned to Alex, clearly wanting an explanation.
Noticing her confusion, Alex once again realized how much this world lagged behind, not only in technology but in magic as well.
«It was a teleportation spell. I thought you at least had a spell like that,» Alex said, looking at Brunhilde.
Brunhilde didn't know how to respond to Alex's words and chose to remain silent. Too much of what Alex could do was beyond their reach, and it made her think. Perhaps the gods had truly stagnated in their development, while humanity still had a long way to go to master teleportation. Göndul quietly giggled, watching as Brunhilde struggled to find words to reply to Alex.
Göll, on the other hand, began asking Alex questions about how teleportation magic worked. Alex calmly started explaining, responding to her curiosity while they returned to the resting room to relax a bit—after all, the arena had once again been destroyed during the battle.
When the group reached the resting room, Alex opened the door and barely managed to catch a pillow flying at him, thrown by Rebecca. This surprised him, and he began to wonder what might have caused such an action.
«What's with the pillow throwing?» Alex asked, holding the pillow in his hands.
Rebecca looked at him with a tired and irritated expression, as if her day had been particularly rough. Alex shifted his gaze to the other Valkyries, who looked as though they'd lost their souls: they sat in their places with exhausted faces.
«Next time, take them all. And don't even think about leaving them with me again! These three, including Zerofuku, caused absolute chaos here, running around and chanting the name of that 'Emperor'!» Rebecca said in a weary yet angry tone, pointing at the trio with guilty expressions on their faces.
Alex became curious as to why Buddha hadn't intervened and helped calm the troublemakers. He glanced at Buddha and saw that he was peacefully asleep, surrounded by a mountain of candy wrappers and empty sweet wrappers. Buddha had clearly fallen into a food coma.
«Didn't he help you?» Alex asked, nodding toward Buddha.
«The idiot completely checked out of everything as soon as Titus defeated that demon, or whatever he became,» Rebecca replied with irritation.
Noticing the sulking expression on Rebecca's face, Alex approached to comfort her. However, instead of relaxing, Rebecca unexpectedly embraced him and then bit down on his cheek, gnawing on it and spilling out the pent-up anger she had been holding.
Without resisting, Alex sat on the couch, allowing Rebecca to continue. He closed his eyes, ignoring her attempts to «eat» him, and focused on his thoughts, planning his next moves.
At that moment, Brunhilde and Göndul exchanged a glance, as if silently competing in a duel. Göndul was the first to take action: she sat on one side of Alex and leaned her shoulder against him. Brunhilde frowned but didn't stay away—she settled on the other side, maintaining a displeased expression.
In the end, Rebecca sat on Alex's lap, stubbornly trying to chew his cheek. To his right, Göndul cozily nestled against his shoulder, and to his left sat Brunhilde, glaring at him. Alex, absorbed in his thoughts, didn't notice any of this. His mind was focused on formulating plans for implementing a new system that could change this world.
Buddha, lounging in a chair, lazily opened his eyes and looked around. He pulled the earplugs from his ears, stretched, and glanced at Alex, who was sitting with his head tilted back and eyes closed.
«When did you manage to get back?» Buddha asked, rubbing his eyes.
«While you were asleep, devouring tons of sweets,» Alex replied calmly, opening his eyes.
Buddha shifted his gaze to the pile of candy wrappers and empty packages scattered around him. Realizing that his sweet supply was depleted, he looked disappointed. Alex noticed his sad expression and, with a slight smirk, reached into his inventory. In a moment, a pack of candy flew toward Buddha.
«Catch.»
Buddha immediately grabbed the treat, tore open the package, and began chewing the candy.
«Well, now I'm ready to talk,» he said, looking satisfied. «Maybe you can tell me what happened in the arena? I gathered that something inside Beelzebul took control, but what happened after that?»
«Nothing special,» Alex answered with visible indifference. «Turns out it wasn't a shard of an Outer God, but the Outer God itself. Though, in a weakened state.»
Buddha pushed his glasses up his nose and gave Alex a meaningful look. He waved his hand, demanding a more detailed explanation. Alex sighed, realizing he couldn't avoid providing more information.
«Alright, listen,» he began, slightly frowning. «This Outer God was a weak bastard, born from two lesser entities. It was severely wounded in a war, and since then, it's been surviving by parasitizing others to heal.»
«So Beelzebul allowed it to fully recover, right?» Buddha asked, stroking his chin.
«Yes and no,» Alex replied. «It was so weak that even ordinary gods could finish it off. But the problem lies in how it affects the living.»
Rebecca, settled on Alex's lap, was now calmly hugging his arms, listening to the conversation. Brunhilde was deep in thought: she understood what Alex meant. The entity that had taken over Beelzebul had managed to exert influence even through the barrier Alex had created. Göndul, on the other hand, remained unfazed—the spiritual connection with Alex completely shielded her from the entity's influence.
«Buddy, you're missing important details again,» Buddha commented, tossing another candy into his mouth.
Alex rolled his eyes but continued anyway:
«Alright. To put it simply, all living beings have a soul. It's the foundation of their existence. But Outer Gods—aren't alive in the way we understand it. They don't have souls, just an essence they're made of. They also don't have a physical body, which makes them almost impossible to kill. However, this particular one was vulnerable because it fused with Beelzebul. The problem lies elsewhere: any living being instinctively feels fear towards such entities.»
Buddha nodded thoughtfully, considering Alex's words, and leisurely popped another candy into his mouth.
«Now it makes sense,» he said with a satisfied smile. «Although, you know, you could roll your eyes less.»
Alex merely smirked and returned to his thoughts, ignoring Buddha's sarcastic tone.
Buddha stroked his chin thoughtfully, pondering Alex's words. He began to understand that Outer Gods are both alive and dead, though their existence doesn't resemble the usual understanding of life. But his musings quickly dissipated—the entity that had taken over Beelzebul's body was already destroyed, so he could relax and continue enjoying his sweets.
«So, what are your plans now?» Buddha lazily asked, leaning back in his chair.
«The plan's the same,» Alex replied, folding his fingers for emphasis. «Win Ragnarok, wait for the instigator to come out of the shadows since their plans are ruined. Then I beat them with a stick, and after that, we'll see.»
«Why do you think they'll show up? Maybe they'll hide and come up with a new plan,» Brunhilde asked, leaning on Alex's shoulder.
«What would you do if the plan you'd been building for years fell apart and all you had left were your underwear?» Alex replied, raising an eyebrow.
Buddha grunted, but couldn't help bursting into laughter at the thought of the Ragnarok instigator in such an absurd situation. Göndul covered her mouth with her hand, stifling a laugh, and the «group of young talents,» as Alex had called them, started chanting together:
«Underwear! Underwear!»
Alex glanced at them, feeling like a teacher of elementary school students. Brunhilde opened her mouth to say something, but words didn't come—Alex was right. If she had been in the instigator's shoes, she would've been furious and tried to handle the situation herself.
«He's right, Bru-chan,» Buddha lazily said. «All villains are the same. When their plans fall apart, they lose their composure and show their true face.»
Alex nodded in agreement. Even a genius like Aizen Sosuke eventually started to fall into rage once his plans began to unravel, and everything he had worked on for years was destroyed by a single red-haired teenager.
«So, what are you going to do after Ragnarok?» Buddha asked with interest. «Do you plan to go ahead with your idea of creating an arena to resolve conflicts?»
«Something like that. But first, I'll need to talk to Zeus and offer him an alternative,» Alex replied thoughtfully.
«How do you plan to convince that stubborn old man?» Göndul asked, turning her head to look at him.
«Like usual. A little threat, then the carrot. Classic,» Alex smirked. «But first, let's wait for the next battle to begin, and then we'll take it from there.»
Everyone nodded in agreement. Alex leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes, deciding to take a nap while the arena was being repaired and Brunhilde awaited a message about a new opponent.
The girls noticed that Alex had fallen asleep and didn't wake him. Rebecca quietly explained to the Valkyries:
«This isn't the first time. Alex is always tense, sometimes going days without sleep to think everything through and plan. Right now, there's little time, and he has to work even harder.»
While Alex was asleep, Brunhilde's tablet emitted a soft beep—a message had arrived about the next opponent. But she decided not to disturb him and let him rest for a while.
To be continued...