A spear, covered in eyes and teeth as if it were alive and malicious, shot out from the black vortex. Yoruichi managed to react just in time: grabbing Susanoo by the collar, he leaped backward, leaving the spear to strike the ground where they had just stood. The earth trembled from the impact, and cracks spread from the point of collision.
Jumping to a safe distance, Yoruichi gently set Susanoo down. Wasting no time, he healed the Wind God by channeling some of his energy. Susanoo felt his wounds close and looked at his savior in surprise.
"You... can heal?" he started to ask but stopped himself. It was clear that now wasn't the time for questions.
Meanwhile, the black vortex, from which the spear had emerged, began to grow. Its size increased at an alarming rate, soon becoming large enough for a person to pass through. The vortex exuded something cold, alien, and terrifying, as if on the other side there was neither life nor death—only the abyss.
The first things to emerge from the vortex were a leg and a silhouette, quickly taking shape. Everyone present froze, seeing who had stepped out of the darkness. It was Odin, but his appearance was drastically different from what they had known.
His face was hidden in darkness, from which two bright yellow eyes shone. Strangely, Odin now had both eyes, even though he had once sacrificed one for wisdom. This new form of the All-Father didn't just inspire unease—it invoked a primal fear capable of penetrating the very soul.
Chaos erupted in the stands. Even Zeus, shaken by what he saw, quickly rose from his seat and approached the railing to get a better view of the transformed Odin. In his mind, the words Alex had spoken before leaving echoed.
"So this is what you meant, Voldigoad... But what is Odin planning?" Zeus murmured, intently watching what was happening.
Hermes and Ares, standing nearby, couldn't take their eyes off Odin's new form either. The air was thick with a sense of threat and unease.
"This... it's too similar to what happened to Beelzebub when he was consumed by Satan," Hermes said quietly to Zeus. He couldn't help but compare the aura now radiating from Odin to what had come from Beelzebub.
Hermes hesitated, wondering if they should intervene. His gaze shifted to Zeus, looking for guidance.
"Lord Zeus, should we do something? Or should we wait for Voldigoad to handle it?" he asked.
Zeus only shook his head, never taking his eyes off Odin.
"If Voldigoad knew this would happen, he's already planned what to do. I don't know why, but he gives the impression of someone who's always one step ahead."
Hermes couldn't disagree. Alex had always left an impression of mystery and insight. Even during their first meeting, he had seemed carefree, but that had only been a surface impression. Now, Hermes realized that beneath that facade lay a mind capable of meticulous planning and predicting future events.
And while everyone waited to see what would happen next, Alex stood on his balcony, watching the chaos unfold with a calm smile on his face.
Meanwhile, Yoruichi and Susanoo stood face-to-face with Odin, who had just stepped out of the portal. The divine spear Gungnir, once a symbol of power and grandeur, now one of the strongest artifacts of the gods, appeared frightening and disgusting. It no longer resembled a creation of divine metal, forged by the best craftsmen. Instead, sharp teeth and eyes moved across its surface, appearing and disappearing, creating the impression of a living nightmare.
The spear itself seemed viscous, as if it were made of a thick, incomprehensible liquid. Odin's hand, holding Gungnir, appeared to have fused with the weapon: the dark substance enveloped it, intensifying the sense of horror.
Susanoo rose from the ground, feeling his wounds fully healed. He stretched his stiff muscles, gripped his sword tighter, and pointed it at Odin. Meanwhile, Yoruichi picked up a subtle signal from Alex — they needed to buy time so that he could finish his preparations.
Odin glanced around, his fiery eyes sweeping over the gathered gods until they stopped on Alex, who was giving orders to his group. Odin's gaze was filled with disdain and arrogance. He felt such great power within himself that he considered the destruction of all present to be a matter of a single movement. Alex, who had once fought him on equal terms, now seemed to him like a pitiful shadow of the past.
"What are you planning, Odin? How dare you break the sacred rules?!" Susanoo shouted, pointing his sword at the former All-Father, demanding an answer.
Odin slowly turned his head toward Susanoo. His gaze was cold, like a bottomless abyss. Susanoo involuntarily flinched — something primal inside him stirred, and for the first time in his life, he felt true fear before his opponent.
Yoruichi gripped the hilt of his katana tighter. He sensed that Susanoo wouldn't withstand a single blow from Odin in his current state. Nor would any of the gods present be able to stand against this new manifestation of power.
"The rules are meaningless before absolute power," Odin said coldly. His voice sounded both muffled and resonant, as if it were coming from all directions. "Only the strong create the rules. Today, I will rewrite them in my own way."
Odin's voice resonated through the space, and it was difficult to tell if it came directly from the god himself or something far more sinister. Yoruichi, embodying Alex's reason and humor, barely restrained the urge to roll his eyes.
Rewrite the rules? What difference would it make what rules Odin intended to set, if, after the arrival of the Outer God, nothing would remain of this world but fragments lost in the void?
"What madness are you talking about?" Susanoo shouted loudly, trying to sound threatening. "Do you wish to disrupt the balance of power? Or did you plan the destruction of humanity itself?!"
But there was no longer the same confidence in his voice as before. Before him stood a being whose intentions were more terrifying than he could have ever imagined.
Hearing Susanoo's words, Odin burst into loud laughter. His laughter was devoid of joy, instead sending a chilling fear through everyone who heard it. When the laughter died down, Odin looked at Susanoo as if he were staring at a dead man.
"Was that so hard?" he said in a frosty tone, filled with contempt. "Spread rumors here, spread rumors there, and each of you dances to my tune. You call yourselves rulers, but in reality, you're just a bunch of cockroaches trapped in a box. Beyond this world — countless other worlds, each waiting to be conquered."
Alex's clone listened to the pompous monologue with a stone-cold expression. In reality, he was barely restraining himself from rolling his eyes. Another conqueror with a delusion of grandeur. How many of these had he already seen? The two previous avatars of Nyann-Nyann had behaved exactly the same: causing chaos, attempting to destroy the universe, absorbing souls and energy to strengthen themselves.
All this just to try and oppose the original. These avatars plunged worlds into despair, collected negative energy, and caused mayhem. And the result? Their plans fell apart faster than they could act.
Susanoo frowned upon hearing Odin's words. The mention of other worlds was an unexpected revelation for him. The Wind God had never considered that other worlds might exist beyond their own. But the main thought he grasped was Odin's intent: either enslave everyone here or destroy them. But why Odin would want to do that remained a mystery.
"You talk about conquering worlds," Susanoo said grimly, still pointing his sword at Odin. "Then why do you want to destroy humanity?"
Odin smirked, his face contorting with mad fanaticism.
"Why, you ask?" His voice barely contained his excitement. "All of this is for a great purpose. I will sacrifice these pitiful beings to summon the True God into this world. A God that has existed since the creation of everything. He gave me the knowledge and power. In return, I must open this world for him."
Susanoo narrowed his eyes, pondering what he had heard. A True God that had existed since the beginning of time? It sounded unimaginable. Meanwhile, Alex's clone was thinking about something else: which Outer God had helped Odin?
All the Outer Gods he knew were in deep slumber, and only specific events could awaken them. The only ones not sleeping were Nyann-Nyann and Yog-Sothoth, not to mention those who danced around Azathoth's throne. So, it was likely an avatar of Nyann-Nyann. But if that were the case, why didn't this avatar appear in this world itself? Something was clearly preventing him from entering directly.
A mass sacrifice to summon an avatar? That seemed excessive. This universe must be protected in some way. The only logical explanation was a barrier set up by whoever created this world and brought Adam into existence. This creator, while not intervening in the affairs of their creations, had probably left some kind of safeguard to protect their universe.
The thoughts of Alex's clone and the original Alex aligned. This explained why Alex was here.
"I will stop your madness, no matter what it costs me!" Susanoo declared loudly, raising his sword and preparing to attack.
Odin just laughed, his laughter once again filling the space with terror.
"You?" He sneered. "Stop me? Or do you think this mortal next to you will help you? Even if all the gods unite, you will not be able to stop me. You will all become sacrifices for my ritual!"
His voice thundered like a storm, and his insane laughter echoed around them.
Odin's laughter sounded like the cackling of a madman, plotting mass genocide just for his own whim. His ominous laugh filled the air with fear, but Susanoo's mind was occupied with something else. The Wind God realized the bitter truth: he had no chance of defeating Odin. The longer he stared at his opponent, the more clearly he understood that the power gap was insurmountable. Even if Yorihichi came to help, their chances would still be next to nothing.
Confident in his victory, Odin didn't even glance at Yorihichi, regarding him as a worthless cockroach that could be crushed with a single motion.
"And now, die, Susanoo, and become the first victim of my ritual," Odin declared, preparing to strike.
He drew his arm back with the spear, his movements slow but precise, as if savoring the moment. Then came a powerful throw, and Gungnir cut through the air with a deafening sound, heading straight for Susanoo. The space around the spear literally trembled and cracked, as if the fabric of reality itself could not withstand its might.
Susanoo gripped his sword tighter, determined to give his all. Even if it cost him his life, he wanted to buy at least a few seconds to give Yorihichi a chance at salvation.
"SANDALFON!" A loud shout echoed from above.
Right before Susanoo and Yorihichi, a massive golden stone throne crashed down from the heavens. The impact was so forceful that deep cracks spread across the ground beneath it. Gungnir collided with the throne, sending brilliant sparks flying. Odin felt a strong recoil and instinctively pulled his hand back, taking an unintentional step back in surprise.
Susanoo, stunned by what was happening, stared at the throne in amazement. Moments later, Alex landed on top of the throne. He gracefully crouched, looking at Odin with a wide, mocking smile.
Odin squinted, studying the one who dared to intervene. But even with his current strength, he couldn't sense anything from Alex. It was as if there was a thick fog hiding the essence of this person.
"We meet again, one-eyed. I thought you'd hide until the end," Alex said mockingly, jumping down from the top of the throne and sitting on it.
Alex casually settled on the throne, resting a silver knight's sword in its blue scabbard against him. His posture exuded nonchalance, as though the events unfolding around him meant nothing to him. He propped his elbow on the armrest and supported his cheek with his fist, looking at Odin with open contempt.
Alex's gaze struck Odin like a slap to the face. The Allfather felt humiliation and hatred boil up inside him.
It seemed that Alex didn't even notice Odin's furious stare, remaining calm and detached. Instead, he lazily said:
"Yorihichi, take Susanoo. You'll be in my way. Help Rebecca if she gets into trouble."
Yorihichi nodded slightly, but before he could do anything, Susanoo spoke, unwilling to leave the arena:
"I can help you! Together, it will be easier to face Odin."
The words of the Wind God were confident, but Alex only smiled, looking at him as if he were a child who didn't understand the seriousness of the situation.
Yorihichi didn't respond to Alex's words. Silently grabbing Susanoo by the scruff, he was on the stands beyond the barrier in an instant. The Wind God didn't even have time to realize what had happened before finding himself in a completely different place. He tried to break free to return to the arena, but Yorihichi's iron grip kept him from moving.
Susanoo shot an indignant glance at Yorihichi, but he just shook his head, making it clear that the Wind God would only be a hindrance. Realizing the futility of his attempts, Susanoo sighed and headed toward his fellow gods to offer them help if necessary.
Meanwhile, Alex and Odin continued their silent duel of glances. Odin's anger was so all-consuming that it began to literally materialize in the form of dark miasmas flowing from his body. Terrifying eyes and teeth started to appear on the surface of Gungnir, his spear, as if it were coming to life.
"What's wrong, one-eyed? Where are your pompous speeches about your ritual and your grand plan to sacrifice everyone to awaken the ancient god? Lost your tongue? Or is all you can do just silently seethe?" Alex asked with an air of boredom, gazing at Odin indifferently.
His words cut like a knife. Alex was deliberately provoking the Allfather, fueling his rage. However, he could feel spatial fluctuations behind him—someone had left their hiding place. Alex immediately understood who it was: Loki. He couldn't bear the tension and had decided to strike from ambush.
Chains, gleaming with a steel-like shine, coiled around Alex's neck and began to tighten. Casually glancing left, then right, Alex noticed scythes embedded in the ground, from which these chains were extending. The other end was held by Loki, standing behind the throne, grinning maliciously.
"What's wrong, mortal? Why did you fall silent? Running out of air?" Loki taunted, pulling the chains with force.
Hearing his words, Alex smirked, his face twisting into a contemptuous smile. Meanwhile, Rebecca, standing on the balcony, set up her sniper rifle on the railing and aimed directly at Loki's head. She could have shot at any moment, but she was waiting for a signal from Alex, planning to give this god a more dramatic death.
Buddha, watching the scene unfold, curiously spoke to her:
"Why aren't you shooting? Isn't Loki strangling your husband right now?"
Rebecca, grinning widely, responded:
"Alex set up a show for Loki. This god deserves a more dramatic exit."
Buddha frowned in confusion, not understanding why such a show was necessary, but decided not to interfere and simply observe. Meanwhile, Loki, consumed by his hatred, was pulling the chains with all his might, trying to strangle or decapitate Alex. His mind was filled with crazy fantasies: after Alex's death, he would take Brunhilde, and she would become his.
This obsession led Loki to a series of fatal mistakes. It was he who helped Siegfried steal the sword Gram and pointed him to the lair of Fafnir, the dragon belonging to Odin. Loki knew that Odin had plans for Fafnir, but he didn't care. All that mattered to him was eliminating Siegfried and getting Brunhilde.
However, Loki had not considered that Brunhilde would be so enraged with Odin that she would begin preparing the ground for Ragnarök. Her goal was to destroy the Allfather in a battle where no one could dispute her righteousness.
Loki didn't realize that he had already fallen into a carefully laid trap.
Loki had agreed to Odin's plans without question as soon as the Allfather promised that Brunhilde would be spared. However, deep inside, he seethed with hatred toward the one to whom the Valkyrie had given her heart. Loki's hatred for Alex was so all-consuming that it surpassed even Zeus' rage over Poseidon's death. Every time he saw Brunhilde and Alex together, his thoughts were filled with a thirst for vengeance, a passion to tear Alex apart and subject him to torment.
But Loki's stream of crazy fantasies was interrupted by a calm voice.
"Loki, have you ever seen a magic trick?" Alex asked without turning around.
Loki sneered in irritation, not hiding his anger in his voice.
"I don't give a damn about your tricks! When you die, Brunhilde will be mine!" His voice trembled with fury.
Alex chuckled slightly.
"Ding-ding. Wrong answer. 'Punishment' sector on the wheel!"
Before Loki could even comprehend what happened, a sharp pain pierced his shoulder. The bullet embedded itself in his body, blood flowing down his clothes, weakening his grip on the chains. At that moment, Alex stood up from the throne as if the whole situation didn't even concern him. His gaze shifted toward Odin, who had been silently watching the entire time.
Alex squinted, contemplating. There were two possibilities: either Odin was using this moment for analysis and preparation, or his newly acquired power had made him so arrogant that he simply didn't see any threat in what was happening. Without losing his guard, Alex walked over to Loki, who was writhing in pain, clutching his bleeding wound.
Lifting his head, Alex met Rebecca's gaze. She stood on the balcony, smiling contentedly, and gave him a thumbs-up.
"Well, Loki? How do you like the bullet my wife invented? They're specifically designed to kill gods," Alex said, crouching down in front of Loki.
"If it weren't for you, Brunhilde would have been mine! It's your fault! You took her from me! YOU TOOK HER AWAY FROM ME!" Loki screamed, his eyes burning with hatred and madness.
Alex calmly looked at him. Loki continued to writhe, but the pain from the wound was so intense that only his rage toward Alex slightly dulled it. But Alex's words made him freeze.
Alex's eyes suddenly became completely empty, black as two bottomless abysses, ready to swallow everything around them. A soft smile played on his lips, but there was something in those eyes that made Loki feel a primal fear.
"You're wrong, Loki," Alex said in a cold voice. "Even if I hadn't come into her life, Brunhilde would never have chosen someone like you. But now she's mine. Only mine. And she will always remain my Valkyrie."
Loki froze, unable to tear his gaze away from those eyes. He knew that if he blinked or turned away, his life would end.
Meanwhile, in Alex's spiritual space, Brunhilde felt his obsession. But instead of disgust, she felt a strange sense of exhilaration. While Loki's obsession filled her with nothing but revulsion, Alex's obsession made her feel truly special.
Alex stood up, drawing the sword that had been forged from Brunhilde herself.
"You know, I could kill you with this sword," he said, showing the blade that shimmered with magical light. "But I don't want any part of you touching my Valkyrie. So your death will be truly pathetic."
Loki glared at the silver sword with the emerald stone on its hilt and the blue scabbard, his eyes filled with hatred and fury. Obsession twisted his face, and he opened his mouth to shout another insult. But Alex, anticipating the move, struck Loki sharply in the face with his fist, forcing him to choke on his own words.
The blows landed with dull thuds, one after another. Each punch was precise and powerful, like a sledgehammer crashing into bones. Loki, writhing in pain, felt his front teeth flying out of his mouth one by one as blood poured down his chin.
When Alex finished, he stood up straight, looking down at the god of lies, who, writhing, tried to spit out the remaining teeth, blood, and fragments.
"I'd play with you a bit longer, Loki," Alex said, wiping his fist and watching with a slight smirk as Loki made pathetic attempts to recover. "But you see, I've got other things to do. I need to give your daddy a couple of lessons, and I'm running out of time. So... Boom!"
Alex formed his fingers into a gun shape and, as if on cue, made the gesture of a shot. In that instant, Loki's head exploded, scattering into pieces like an overripe watermelon. Blood, fragments of bone, and brain matter splattered onto the floor around him. Alex prudently stepped aside slightly to avoid soiling his boots.
He turned his gaze to Rebecca, who was smiling broadly as she looked through the scope of her weapon. She blew him a kiss, to which Alex responded with a satisfied smirk. This brief but expressive exchange did not escape the attention of Buddha, who, with some astonishment, realized just how insanely synchronized these two were in their actions.
The spectators in the stands didn't know how to react to what had just happened. No one could understand why Odin, who looked so menacing and terrifying, had attacked Susanoo, and even less so—why Alex had intervened, blocking Odin's attack with his throne. The subsequent turn of events only added to the confusion. Loki, whose attempt to strangle Alex with chains had turned into a bullet in his shoulder, had been humiliated, beaten until his teeth were gone, and finally killed.
When the crowd's gaze turned to the sweet girl with green hair, braided into two pigtails, no one could believe that such a charming figure could have coldly shot a god of lies in the head.
Alex enjoyed the moment, smirking as his sweet "gremlin" blew him a kiss. However, when he turned to Odin, he noticed that the Allfather still stood motionless, as if watching a performance. This surprised Alex. In his place, he would have already struck his opponent from behind, taking advantage of the moment.
Alex returned to his throne, placed his hand on it, lit a cigarette, and thoughtfully looked at Odin.
"So, why didn't you help your little son? Or is Loki so useless to you that you saw him only as a tool?" Alex asked calmly, exhaling a cloud of smoke.
Odin stared intently at Alex, trying to discern his true nature. His gaze was piercing, but even he, the god of wisdom, could not penetrate the thick fog surrounding the figure before him. This fog caused Odin a strange unease, as if something far more dangerous than the Outer God he was preparing to summon was hidden behind it. However hard he tried, Odin couldn't glimpse even a hint of Alex's true power.
Hearing the question about Loki, Odin merely smirked disdainfully.
"He was nothing more than a fool obsessed with that pathetic Valkyrie. If there had been a drop of common sense in his head, he wouldn't have died like trash. And as for this Brunhilde? She naïvely thinks she can use you to free her son? A pitiful sight. Let her flail around as much as she wants—she won't change anything," Odin said with undisguised contempt, as though delivering his final verdict.
Alex remained outwardly calm, but as Odin's words continued to echo, his face grew colder and more impassive. Inside Alex's spiritual world, Brunhilde, consumed with rage, clenched her fists. She wanted to tear Odin apart, but she felt an even more powerful, overwhelming anger from Alex himself. This anger was like a volcano, ready to erupt at any moment.
Odin continued his disparaging speech, enjoying the insults he hurled at everyone he could, until he suddenly felt a sharp tug in his left arm. He turned around and saw that his arm had been severed, with thick black blood oozing from the wound. His gaze fell on the sword that had pierced the ground behind him, pinning his severed limb.
Slowly shifting his gaze to Alex, Odin noticed a shimmering portal behind him—the same one from which the weapon had just flown.
"You should watch what you say, you piece of shit. Another insult aimed at my Valkyrie, and I'll stop playing with you. You'll become a pathetic heap of writhing flesh," Alex said coldly, looking at Odin with disdain.
The black blood on the ground began to flow into a sticky mass, crawling toward Odin's feet. Merging with his body, the mass quickly restored what was lost, and within seconds, a new arm grew in place of the one he had lost. Alex watched this without surprise—regeneration was a common trait among the Outer Gods he had encountered before.
"You think you've slightly wounded my shell and now you can be proud of yourself? You have no idea what you've gotten yourself into," Odin said with contempt.
Alex snorted, lighting a cigarette.
"Actually, I do. So go ahead, summon your monsters, lackeys, or whoever else you have in reserve. Honestly, you're not the first arrogant villain who talks a lot and ends up dying like a dog," Alex replied, his voice laced with mockery.
Odin's eyes narrowed. He now sensed the threat coming from Alex. The severed arm showed that his opponent could deal him real damage. Alex slightly weakened the barrier, allowing Odin to open portals and summon reinforcements. This was done deliberately, so Odin wouldn't realize that the arena had turned into his prison.
Without wasting any time, Odin opened multiple portals behind him. Terrifying creatures began to emerge: hounds with eyes scattered all over their bodies and grotesquely deformed mouths that gaped like bottomless pits.
"Seriously? Hounds? You could summon something more impressive. Shame on you," Alex scoffed, eyeing the monsters with mild disdain in his voice.
Odin didn't respond, merely lazily waving his hand toward Alex. The hounds, as if receiving a silent command, turned their predatory gazes toward him. Their bodies tensed, and their jaws began to emit an ominous growl. Alex calmly observed them, wondering if he had ever seen such a race or if Odin had simply found some stray dogs and turned them into hideous monsters.
The pack of hounds, tearing through the air, lunged toward him, their claws and teeth ready to sink into flesh. However, when they were mere meters away, two figures descended from the sky, crushing the front lines of the creatures. G.I.R. and M.I.M.I., clad in battle armor, landed on the battlefield.
G.I.R. looked menacing in Ultramarine armor, holding a massive power hammer in one hand and a bolter in the other. His mechanical eyes sparkled with determination. M.I.M.I., dressed in Sister of Battle armor, wielded a power mace and shield, her stance radiating confidence and steadfastness.
The hounds paused for a moment, as if realizing an insurmountable obstacle had appeared before them. But G.I.R. and M.I.M.I. weren't about to give the enemy a chance.
G.I.R., wielding his hammer, turned the monsters into a bloody pulp with each swing, the sound of his attacks resembling thunder. M.I.M.I., with grace and power, shattered their skulls with her mace, her strikes fast and precise.
In just a few seconds, the battlefield fell silent. All the hounds had been destroyed, their remains scattered across the ground. Through their combined efforts, G.I.R. and M.I.M.I. had turned the fearsome pack into a bloody mess.
Alex watched the scene with pride. His eyes sparkled, and a satisfied smile played on his face. Unable to resist, he quoted the words of the Emperor of Mankind:
"They are my bulwark against the terror. They are the defenders of humanity. They are my Space Marines. And they shall know no fear," Alex spoke with pride, his eyes shining with fanaticism.
"FOR THE EMPEROR!" G.I.R. and M.I.M.I. shouted loudly, raising their weapons to the sky. Their voices rang out like war horns, echoing across the arena.
Their armor, splattered with the blood of the slain monsters, gleamed in the light of the portals. They stood before Alex like two unyielding bastions, ready to fight to the last.
Odin barely concealed his surprise. Two strange beings had completely obliterated the hounds he had created, using a power once considered unstoppable. These monsters had exceptional regeneration, making them nearly impossible to kill. Yet now their remains had turned into a bloody pulp smeared across the floor.
Raising his gaze, Odin met Alex's eyes, which were filled with mockery. That look spoke louder than any words: "Is that all you're capable of?"
To be continued...