Alex stood on the balcony between Rebecca and Brunhilde, a faint expression of boredom on his face. It wasn't that the battle wasn't interesting, but the thoughts of what awaited him afterward weighed heavily on his mind. There were countless plans to carry out, each requiring colossal effort, and Alex was well aware of how much he loathed such tedious tasks.
Creating a new system, deciding where to place the dungeon, and on top of it all, convincing the gods to cooperate. And to make that happen, he'd have to resurrect dead gods. The very thought made Alex sigh deeply, realizing he'd have to stay in this world far longer than he had anticipated.
His sigh caught Brunhilde's attention. She turned to see the expression of a man who longed to abandon all responsibilities and simply lie down. It was a look she'd grown accustomed to seeing on Buddha, and now it seemed Alex had picked up this bad habit from him.
«Why are you sighing?» Brunhilde asked, gently brushing her hand against his arm.
«There's so much work waiting for me after this battle. And I don't want to do it,» Alex drawled lazily, leaning on the railing.
Brunhilde gave him a dry look, clearly trying to suppress her irritation. He was the one who had proposed these plans, and now he suddenly expressed a lack of interest in carrying them out. Were it not for the seriousness of the current situation, she might have seriously considered hitting him. Alex, however, pretended not to notice her gaze, focusing instead on the events unfolding in the arena.
At that moment, Susanoo was going on about his sword—or rather, boasting about it. Yorihichi stood with a blank expression, indifferently listening to his opponent's monologue. Alex knew the battle could have ended long ago if not for their plan to lure Odin out.
But Alex's boredom quickly dissipated when he decided to scan the stands. His gaze roamed over the spectators until it landed on the balcony of the Olympian gods. Zeus sat with a thoughtful expression, clearly contemplating Alex's proposal. Hermes stood nearby, quietly advising the ruler. Ares, however, made no effort to hide his disdain, shooting displeased glances at Alex.
Suddenly, Alex felt something unusual directly above the center of the arena. Squinting, he spotted Odin concealed between layers of dimensions. This revelation surprised him, as such an ability was incredibly complex. However, Odin's connection to an Outer God entity explained his prowess.
Alex feigned ignorance, continuing to observe. Loki was quickly located, having taken the guise of a random god and positioned himself in the front rows among the audience.
Nevertheless, what unsettled Alex the most was how many gods Odin had managed to sway to his side. Followers of Poseidon and Shiva were particularly suspect. As for Hades' supporters, Alex doubted their betrayal—Hades was far too honorable a ruler.
Casting another glance at the hidden Odin, Alex broke into a wide grin. This didn't go unnoticed: those around him immediately assumed he was plotting to steal Susanoo's sword. Little did they know that something entirely different was about to unfold.
«Well, folks, the moment we've been waiting for is almost here. The idiot who decided to stage a grand spectacle is already on the scene. Let's give him a proper welcome,» Alex said, addressing his companions, his grin widening even further.
Alex's words initially left everyone confused, but their meaning gradually became clear. Rebecca's smile stretched wide as she realized her chance to start shooting was approaching. G.I.R., M.I.M.I., and Stitch immediately began checking their gear, preparing for a potential skirmish.
Buddha tensed, his gaze scanning the stands, but he didn't spot anything. Brunhilde did the same, trying to locate the mastermind, but her efforts were in vain—there was no sign of Odin. Göll and Zerofuku tensed up, sensing the seriousness of Alex's words. The young Valkyrie was especially frightened, fully understanding that the battle was about to begin.
«And where is that one-eyed idiot?» Rebecca asked, checking the stands through her scope.
Rebecca's question made everyone turn to Alex, awaiting his response. Maintaining his composure, Alex pulled out a cigarette and lit it.
«That one-eyed fool is hiding in the void between layers of dimensions, right above Yorihichi and Susanoo,» Alex said, exhaling the smoke directly at the spot where Odin was concealed.
Everyone immediately turned their gaze to the indicated space, but, naturally, saw nothing. Alex noticed their confusion and rolled his eyes, genuinely not understanding what they expected when he had clearly stated that Odin was hiding between dimensions.
«And how do you see that?» Brunhilde asked with interest.
«It's hard to explain... I just see it,» Alex shrugged, unsure of how to explain his ability.
Brunhilde gave him a dry look, realizing that she wouldn't get a clear answer. Buddha, however, seemed to have understood, since he himself viewed the world differently from most people. Rebecca pondered whether she should create a scope that would allow her to see the way Alex did. If Alex knew about her idea, he would probably be surprised and might even help with its realization.
Contacting his clone, Alex asked him to delay the battle with Susanoo, buying some time for preparations. The clone agreed, though he warned that it might raise suspicions.
«Now, to business. G.I.R., M.I.M.I., and I will be on the arena. Rebecca will take up a cover position. We don't know how many gods Odin has managed to sway to his side, so be prepared for serious resistance,» Alex explained, laying out the plan.
G.I.R. and M.I.M.I. saluted, standing on the railing. Rebecca nodded and began laying out magazines with ammunition on the railing to minimize reloading time. Meanwhile, Alex pulled out Yamato, his favorite katana, because no battle was complete without it.
Rolling up his sleeves and brushing his hair back for dramatic effect, he mentally smiled: looking cool was important in any battle. However, Alex's attention was diverted by Stitch, who began tugging at his pant leg.
«What about me?» Stitch growled, doing his best to pronounce the words correctly.
«You'll protect Mom,» Alex said with a smile, patting Stitch on the head. «I'm counting on you.»
Stitch nodded, pleased, and grinned widely. Releasing another pair of arms, he grabbed his pistols, laughing and clearly looking forward to causing chaos. Alex glanced at him briefly and mentally noted that he would have to seriously train Stitch on proper behavior in such situations in the future.
«A-chan, what about us?» Buddha asked, nodding toward those whose names Alex hadn't mentioned yet.
«You and Zerofuku will protect the balcony. Don't let anyone through. You can kill or just knock them out—it's up to you,» Alex replied, explaining their task.
Buddha gave a brief nod, fully aware that Alex and his team were planning to kill the gods who had sided with Odin. He didn't even try to persuade Alex—he knew it was pointless, especially given the scale of the threat Odin posed. No one was going to waste time «carefully» neutralizing enemies, and Buddha understood that.
Brunhilde watched the scene unfold but kept silent, waiting for Alex to speak.
«So, Bri, ready to get revenge on the one-eyed fool?» Alex asked, turning to her with a slight smile.
Brunhilde raised an eyebrow, eyeing him suspiciously. She couldn't understand how Alex knew about her conflict with Odin. Her mind began to race through possible explanations: did he somehow know the reason she proposed Ragnarok? That thought made her a little nervous.
«And what conflict do I have with Odin?» she asked calmly, hiding her unease.
«You think I don't know that you proposed Ragnarok to kill Odin and free your adoptive brother, Siegfried?» Alex replied, looking her straight in the eye.
Alex's words stunned everyone. Buddha looked at Brunhilde in surprise, unable to believe that the Valkyrie could have conceived such a far-reaching plan. Göll stared at her sister in shock, unable to accept what she had just heard. Her gaze expressed disappointment—the realization that Brunhilde was willing to sacrifice her sisters for revenge and to save Siegfried, a name long forbidden, seemed to knock the ground out from under her.
That look affected Brunhilde more than anything else. In the young Valkyrie's eyes, there was a mix of melancholy and reproach. If it hadn't been for Alex's intervention, the number of dead sisters would have been even higher. Brunhilde turned away from Göll, unable to bear her disappointment, and looked into Alex's eyes. In his rainbow-colored eyes, there was only calm.
«So, you knew all along? How do you know about Siegfried and my revenge on Odin?» she asked, keeping her emotions in check.
«Of course I knew,» Alex replied nonchalantly. «You proposed this competition for the survival of humanity to kill Odin and rescue Siegfried from Helheim. As for Siegfried, there's a legend in the human world. A Valkyrie named Brunhilde found an infant on the battlefield. Among the dead bodies, he was the only one to survive. She felt pity for him and adopted the boy. At first, she raised him as a mother, then became his sister. Siegfried grew up and became a warrior. He stole a sword from Odin, slew the dragon Fafnir, and then disappeared.»
Alex told the story calmly, as if recounting an old fairy tale, but his voice carried only boredom, as if he had already heard a million similar stories.
Brunhilde didn't know what to say. Every word Alex spoke was the truth. It was indeed her who had proposed Ragnarok to save humanity, kill Odin, and free Siegfried. The legend of Siegfried was also true. She still remembered the day she found the child on the battlefield, remembered the days she cared for him as though he were her own son. While everyone else considered him her brother, to her, he would always be her son.
Her heart ached at the thought that the child she had raised and loved was locked in Odin's dungeon, being tortured. Brunhilde sighed, realizing that Alex would have found out the truth sooner or later. During their conversations with Buddha, he had already figured out her plan.
«Then why didn't you say anything earlier?» she asked after a deep sigh.
Alex looked at Brunhilde. She appeared vulnerable now, and he could only watch her with sympathy. There had been no reason for him to reveal her plans earlier — his goal had aligned with hers from the beginning. But over time, he started to reconsider everything that was happening and abandoned the idea of committing genocide against the gods. Alex understood Brunhilde and her pain. Her desire for revenge was natural, but he believed that sacrificing family for vengeance was wrong.
«Actually, you could have just asked Alex, and he would have saved that, what's his name… Oh, right, Siegfried,» Rebecca calmly interrupted, pointing at Alex. «We're mercenaries. Pay us, and we'll do any job. Killing a god or saving your brother — no big deal.»
Brunhilde looked at Rebecca in surprise. Her words sounded so simple and ordinary, they almost seemed mocking. But she understood that back then, she hadn't had the chance to contact Alex or Rebecca. Only today did she learn that Adam had a brother — and an incredibly strong one at that.
If she had known about them earlier, she might have been able to offer payment and free Siegfried without Ragnarok. But at that time, she knew nothing about Alex or his powers. Only later did she start to understand who he really was.
«Bri wouldn't have asked us, Beka. Back then, we were strangers to her. But now it doesn't matter, since everything will be over soon,» Alex interjected, placing his hand on Rebecca's head.
«Aren't we supposed to get paid for saving the world, like, twice now?» Rebecca smirked, pointing at Alex.
«We didn't get paid the first time, so don't point your finger at me,» Alex shot back, poking her on the nose.
Rebecca narrowed her eyes, remembering that they had indeed gotten nothing for their work in Night City last time. She realized that saving the world was thankless work, especially when it had to be done for free.
The others watched in surprise as Alex and Rebecca bickered, amazed at how casually they discussed saving the world, as though it was part of their daily routine.
Brunhilde, deciding to put the payment issues aside for now, returned to the main point. She was curious about how exactly Alex planned to help her take revenge on Odin. One idea popped into her mind, involving Völundr.
«So, we're going to use Völundr? You did suggest that,» she said calmly.
«That's right,» Alex grinned widely. «Beating the one-eyed god with a stick is much more fun when it's the two of us.»
Brunhilde smiled, barely suppressing a laugh at Alex's words. He was right: the idea of beating Odin with a stick really did sound absurd, but at the same time, it was delightful. However, Alex felt a slight nervousness, wondering how she would react when she saw his memories. Buddha, noticing that Alex was trying to hide his emotions, simply smirked. He knew very well what would happen when Alex and Brunhilde started using Völundr — that's when Brunhilde would learn the whole truth about him. And Buddha had a feeling that the stern Valkyrie wouldn't leave it without comment.
«This will be much better than any series,» Buddha thought, grinning as he anticipated the spectacle.
Meanwhile, Alex, though nervous, hoped that Brunhilde would react the same way Göndul did — who, despite the shock, had taken everything calmly. However, the other Valkyries, hearing Alex's thoughts through their spiritual connection, were already eagerly anticipating how their elder sister Brunhilde would loudly scold him. Some had even pulled out popcorn, expecting a show that promised to be unforgettable.
Sensing their emotions, Alex irritably twitched his eye. He couldn't believe he had become the object of their amusement.
«But first, let's lure out that one-eyed god,» Alex said, grinning widely.
He whistled loudly, drawing the attention of the entire stadium. Thousands of eyes turned toward him, and even Yoruichi and Susanoo stopped their battle to look in his direction. On the balcony, where Alex and his allies stood, everyone froze, surprised by the unexpected move. Even Zeus, who had been absorbed in watching the tense duel, turned his head, trying to figure out what Alex was planning.
Yoruichi noticed Alex's gestures, signaling that it was time to end the fight. He nodded in response, acknowledging the signal. These actions were meant to send a message to Odin: the battle was nearing its end.
In the void, watching everything unfold, Odin scowled at Alex's actions. He didn't think it was an attempt to lure him out, but decided for himself that Alex was too arrogant. The same thought crossed Loki's mind, who couldn't take his eyes off Brunhilde and nursed his hatred for Alex.
Loki waited for the Allfather to begin enacting his plan, which he hoped would lead to the death of Alex and his allies. The only consolation for Loki was Odin's promise to spare Brunhilde's life.
On the arena, Yoruichi sheathed his katana and turned his gaze to Susanoo. The latter's body was covered with shallow wounds, from which blood was seeping, but it didn't stop him. Susanoo was enjoying the fight, and the light wounds only spurred his excitement. He lifted his head, assessing Yoruichi, who, despite the fierce battle, looked as though he hadn't participated at all: his clothes were intact, and there wasn't a single scratch on his body.
For the first time in a long while, Susanoo felt the same excitement he had felt in his youth when he first picked up a sword and began studying Kenjutsu. He had no regrets about stepping into battle with Yoruichi.
«I see your friend has asked to end our duel. But know this, I won't give up so easily,» Susanoo said with a wide grin.
«I understand,» Yoruichi replied in his calm tone. «But the battle must be finished.»
Yoruichi took a deep breath, exhaling a stream of vapor. Susanoo realized that his opponent was serious, and so he decided to give everything in this final clash. The audience held their breath, anticipating the moment that would determine the winner of this epic battle.
For his final attack, Yoruichi decided to use the Thirteenth Style of the Sun Breathing. This technique was originally created to destroy Muzan, but now its fate was to be used against Susanoo. Yoruichi assumed his stance: with one hand, he grasped the scabbard, and with the other, he held the hilt of his sword. At first glance, the stance seemed simple, but a powerful energy radiated from Yoruichi, unlike anything he had shown before.
Susanoo felt as if the rising sun itself had appeared behind Yoruichi. His eyes filled with gratitude and awe. As a swordsman, he felt that the technique Yoruichi was about to demonstrate was the pinnacle of skill that all warriors strive for.
«I am rewarded,» Susanoo said, his voice full of emotion. «For all my long years spent alone with a sword in my hands, for abandoning the divine throne on Takamagahara to train... Today, I understand that all of it was for this moment. Yoruichi Tsugikuni, I thank you for the opportunity to fight such a skilled swordsman.»
«You are a magnificent warrior, god Susanoo. It's a shame we met under such circumstances. I think outside this arena, we could have become friends,» Yoruichi replied, though these words were Alex's thoughts.
Alex respected warriors like Susanoo. They dedicated their whole lives to their craft, becoming living examples of devotion. Alex realized that Susanoo was not a battle maniac but a warrior seeking an equal swordsman to experience a true contest of skill.
Upon hearing Yoruichi's words, Susanoo smiled. The recognition of his skill and the offer of friendship touched him deeply. For Susanoo, these were the most sincere and valuable words he had ever heard in his entire existence.
Both warriors froze, preparing for the final strike. The atmosphere in the arena had reached a boiling point. Yoruichi and Susanoo locked eyes, waiting for the moment when one of them would make the first move.
«Sun Breathing: Thirteenth Style — Dawn,» Yoruichi quietly uttered and launched his attack.
The Thirteenth Style of Sun Breathing allowed all twelve forms to be combined into one continuous chain, increasing the speed, accuracy, and power of the strikes. As Yoruichi moved forward, Susanoo saw the sun rising behind him. He tightened his grip on his sword, preparing to face this technique head-on.
Moments later, Yoruichi stood before Susanoo. Both blades surged forward, but in the decisive instant, Yoruichi disappeared, circling around Susanoo from behind. For the spectators, it all happened in an instant. They had just seen the clash of two swordsmen, and now Yoruichi was standing behind his opponent.
Susanoo lowered his blade, slowly turning his head. He wanted to say something, but blood poured from his mouth. Deep wounds began opening all over his body, from which blood flowed. His body trembled, and he dropped his sword, falling to his knees.
«It was a magnificent technique,» Susanoo said in a weakening voice, fighting to stay conscious.
The spectators, mouths agape, watched in disbelief at how quickly everything had ended. Only the swordsmen understood that any battle could be decided by one precise strike of the blade. But Yoruichi, thanks to his technique, had delivered twelve blows, each more powerful than the last.
Sheathing his sword, Yoruichi calmly approached Susanoo, who was kneeling, bleeding heavily. Walking around him, Yoruichi stopped in front of the Wind God.
«It seems this is my victory,» he said calmly.
Susanoo struggled to lift his head and looked at Yoruichi. His eyes showed neither malice nor sorrow—only joy at having met such a powerful swordsman.
«Heh... You're right. Your last technique was magnificent. I would like to learn from you. I think we could become great friends,» Susanoo said, smiling with a wide, sincere grin.
Blood flowed from his numerous wounds, but he remained calm, with no trace of fear or anger. All he wanted was to face such a swordsman once more. Yoruichi opened his mouth to respond but suddenly sensed a threat behind him.
Turning around instantly, he saw a terrifying dark spear, covered in eyes and teeth, approaching him. It was coming from a vortex that was growing right on the arena. Not wanting to use Skalmöld for defense, Yoruichi grabbed Susanoo by the scruff and swiftly jumped backward.
The spectators froze, watching as Yoruichi saved the wounded Susanoo. Everyone knew the life of the Wind God was fading, but what happened next made them shudder with horror. A spear emerged from the black vortex in the arena, one that was meant to pierce Yoruichi. However, he managed to move Susanoo out of the way just before it reached its target.
All eyes were now on the vortex, which began to expand. From it emerged Odin—but not the one they were used to. His form was terrifying, and his presence was overwhelming.
Alex, standing on the balcony, immediately activated a barrier, trapping Odin in the arena. He knew that beings of this level, especially those connected to external gods, often tried to escape through space. Therefore, the best solution was to isolate him in a confined space.
Alex turned to Brunhilde, watching her reaction closely. Her face was twisted in anger, her gaze filled with hatred. She no longer tried to conceal her feelings.
«So this is what Din-Din looks like now. Yeah, not exactly pleasant,» Buddha muttered, frowning.
Alex ignored his comment and focused his attention on Brunhilde. He placed a hand on her shoulder to draw her attention. She felt his touch and turned to face him.
«Well, ready to beat up the one-eyed guy?» Alex asked with a light, almost cheeky smile.
Seeing his expression, Brunhilde involuntarily smiled in response. She couldn't shake the feeling that Alex, with his mood, could calm even the fiercest storm. However, inside, he sighed heavily, realizing that the moment had come to face the consequences.
«Bri, before we use Völundr, promise me one thing,» Alex said seriously, looking her straight in the eyes.
«What exactly?» she asked, surprised.
«Promise you won't get angry,» he replied, trying to remain calm.
«Why would I get angry?» Brunhilde asked, clearly not understanding where he was going with this.
«Just promise,» Alex insisted.
«Alright, I promise,» she agreed, furrowing her brows slightly but trusting him nonetheless.
Alex sighed inwardly, knowing that Brunhilde would likely get angry. Any woman would be upset to find out she'd been lied to. Even though they had known each other for only half a day, it already felt like there was a deep connection between them. Buddha watched their interaction with interest, amused by how Alex was asking Brunhilde not to be angry. Rebecca tilted her head, puzzled by why Alex was so adamant about this.
«Hey, sweetheart, what's this Völundr of yours?» Rebecca asked, turning to Göll.
«It's an act of uniting the soul of a human and a valkyrie,» Göll began to explain. «They form a spiritual connection that strengthens both of them. The more they understand and trust each other, the stronger they become. To put it simply, Brunhilde's elder sister and Alex's brother will become closer, as if their souls are connected. There will be no secrets between them if they truly trust each other.»
Rebecca tried to process what she had heard, but her understanding boiled down to the idea that Brunhilde would be able to enter Alex's mind, and Alex would be able to enter hers. This thought stirred a slight jealousy in Rebecca. She also wanted to be closer to Alex, even on such a spiritual level.
«Well, come here,» Alex said, extending his hand to Brunhilde.
Brunhilde swatted his hand away and approached on her own. Wrapping her arms around his neck, she gazed directly into his eyes. Her emerald eyes met Alex's rainbow-colored eyes. She leaned in slightly, getting closer to his lips.
«Now I'll know what's going on in your head,» she said with a mischievous smile.
«I hope you won't be disappointed,» Alex replied, smiling.
«Hey, you're not filming a soap opera here! Move it, one-eyed guy is about to make a move! You're lucky he's still rambling,» Rebecca interjected, impatiently urging them on.
Brunhilde gave her a tired glance, rolling her eyes, and then kissed Alex. Her body glowed with bright light, which soon dissipated, leaving Alex holding a silver sword with an emerald stone in the hilt.
In Alex's spiritual space, Brunhilde took in her surroundings. She noticed the connections that linked her sisters to Alex, and it surprised her. Her attention was drawn to Alex's soul—a powerful one, full of destruction. Nearby floated a black sword radiating an incredible destructive power. Then her gaze stopped on a dark black castle standing in the distance.
A moment later, Alex's thoughts and memories flooded her mind. Brunhilde discovered what Alex had been trying to hide: all the fighters who had battled in the arena, including Yoruichi, were his clones. Initially, it had been done out of distrust toward the other fighters, but later Alex began to feel terrible about the deception, especially in front of her, for lying to her.
«Bri, are you okay?» Alex asked cautiously through their spiritual connection.
Brunhilde interrupted the stream of Alex's memories, distracted by his voice. Even her valkyrie sisters chose not to intervene at that moment, instead watching the situation with cheerful interest. Some of them even began placing bets on whether Brunhilde would explode right away or after a little time. They all knew her short temper and were certain that, if her anger hadn't surfaced instantly, it would definitely show up later.
«We'll talk later,» Brunhilde said with a sweet, almost kind smile.
«You promised not to get angry,» Alex reminded her gently.
«I said we'll talk later,» she replied with the same smile. «Now, do me a favor, Demon King Alexander Voldigoad. Kill Odin, so we can sit down and discuss everything properly.»
Alex felt her anger before even hearing her words. Through the spiritual connection, the emotion was transmitted so clearly that it was impossible to miss. He simply sighed deeply and decided to focus back on the current task.
«Alright, one-eyed fool, this is your fault. Who told you to anger Brunhilde?» Alex thought, intending to take out all his accumulated frustration on the Nordic god.
Before acting, he glanced at Rebecca, who was watching him with a mocking smile. Alex rolled his eyes and shifted his gaze to Buddha. He wasn't even trying to hide his amusement, thoroughly enjoying the situation.
«I should hit you with a stick,» Alex muttered mentally but decided to push that thought aside for later.
His gaze slid to the arena, where Odin had finally begun to act. Alex stomped his foot on the ground sharply, and in response, Sandalphon appeared from the air before Yoruichi and Susanoo. A massive stone throne fell from the sky with a crash, embedding itself in the ground and blocking the strike of Odin's spear.
To be continued...