As Jack and his group continued to plunge into the depths of the tower, another wave of Drukhi ran up. Jack was about to tear them apart, but Aya decided to take these on.
"I got this wave."
Around her, a golden red aura formed as she activated her Sacred Gear in unison with Mana Reinforcement and Touki. She kicked off the floor and barreled forward at breakneck speeds.
She was already powerful, but now with Ophis' blessing, she felt unleashed. Her fists smashed through the black chest plates of the Drukhi with ease. When she made contact, she turned them into delayed explosives, and under their eyes, the squad exploded causing blood and flesh to fill the corridor.
Aya though remained untouched thanks to the aura surging around her. WIth them dead, she released a breath and her aura. She then spun around and grinned at Jack.
"How was that?"
He walked over before patting her head.
"You did great."
He was going to hold out Brynhildr to feed his sword more souls, but Apophis began to whine.
[Hey, don't forget me. Give me some souls too.]
He shook his head as he held his gauntlet out. He then drew the souls of the dead Drukhi that Aya killed into the gauntlet. It wouldn't be enough to sate her, but it would keep her entertained.
With Apophis fed, he lowered his gauntlet before they began to continue down the tower. All around them, Moka's household rushed along looting every valuable they could find. Normally, they would loot even furniture, but with the Drukhi that was not a good idea.
A lot of it was still living slaves made into furniture so those were killed and given death. As the Household of Moka did its work, she glanced at Aya.
"Your form is good, but you should add more kicks. You just punched those guys to death."
Aya nodded as she raised her fists.
"I normally do, just that my fists did the job first. I could tell you to use your fists more rather than your legs."
This was an argument they had often since Aya liked to punch her way through her battles, while Moka preferred to use her kicks. Neither was wrong, and they did train together, but they still had their specialties.
Jack though felt they could each use each other's advice a bit more.
"You are both right. Using just your legs or your fists leaves you predictable."
Moka and Aya glanced at each other before they smiled. They knew it was true, but their banter on the supremacy of fists to legs would continue. Jack smirked, as they continued on their way.
Rossweisse, Akeno, Aya, and Moka ran after him keeping pace. Amara eventually jumped off Jack's shoulder to lead the way into the depths. Her Sacred Gear, Gravity Jail received a lot of use as she crushed Drukhi into a paste.
Akeno for her part turned them to ash with her Holy Lightning and spells. As for Rossweisse she merely blew them up much like Aya without mercy Eventually, Jack stopped fighting as the girls wanted to have fun, including Amara.
By the time they reached the lowest levels of the tower, the fighting outside had ended. Much like in the old days when the Norse went to war, Odin would send his sons ahead to soften a target.
Then the Einherjar behind them which had worked for millennia. It wouldn't be long before Malekith the King would find out, but even if he did, what could he do against the gods?
As for Jack and his group, once they reached the depths of the tower, they stood among the many treasures that had been gathered for the auction. All around him were rare materials, weapons, enchanted gear, and even a few rare monsters.
The Monsters had vacant eyes as they had been broken for the auction beforehand. He began to smell the air as he walked over toward a chest resting in the center of the room. When he opened the chest he saw an egg burning with crimson gold fire.
He reached out and picked up the egg which was scorching hot. The chest it was in was enchanted to deal with the heat, but even he could feel it.
"Apophis, what is this?"
[Looks like a Phoenix Egg. Very, very rare. Phoenixes don't reproduce often since they are effectively immortal. The Devils of the Phenex Clan have a type of Phoenix immortality, but they can die. A real Phoenix once it undergoes its first rebirth is nearly impossible to kill permanently.
They can die yes, but they will just resurrect from their ashes. I wonder how they got it.]
Moka glanced at the egg in his hand as her Father had spoken of Phoenixes before.
"My Father said that an adult phoenix that has undergone its first rebirth is a monster that can exceed the S rank in power. Their numbers are so few because most Phoenixes don't reproduce and even fewer survive their first rebirth.
As a result, the Phoenix population doesn't grow at all. It also doesn't make sense for them to have a Phoenix Egg. When two Phoenixes do mate, they produce just one egg and they guard it with their lives. Immortal lives, but lives nonetheless."
As Jack looked at the Phoenix Egg in his hand he smiled. He placed it back in its chest before he closed it. He then put the chest in his shadow as he was going to hatch the infant Phoenix.
After he acquired the Phoenix Egg he felt it could not get better. Of course, he looted the rest of the chamber, but he left the monsters alone. He cut their cages open, but he didn't take them as he didn't need them.
Sadly, it seemed that the breaking method to the Drukhi left them basically mindless. It was disappointing, but if they wanted to live they would need to fend for themselves.
"I think that is everything of value from this chamber."
Amara glanced around trying to find anything else, but anything that smelled remotely valuable, Jack took. She turned around and was about to return to Jack when her ears picked something up.
She ran back toward Jack before jumping onto his shoulder. She then began to meow into his ear which made him smile.
"I see. Girls, gather around me, we got some stragglers."
Once the four were standing next to him, his shadow enveloped them all and teleported them toward the escaping princess.
--
Olga and Chloe after they covered themselves with whatever robes they could find were being led out of the tower by the Incubi. However, while they were on the move, Jack and the girls appeared right in front of them in a burst of shadow.
The Incubi was about to draw his Klaives when he froze in place. That nagging feeling he always got when death was close began to feel agonizing. It meant he was right in front of the danger and he knew it.
He especially focused on Jack and Moka who were the most dangerous among their group. Jack stepped forward with Brynhildr on his shoulder. When he saw the warrior he recognized it immediately.
He had been around the Nine Realms quite a few times so he knew what an Incubi was.
"Incubi, I will give you this chance since among your kind, you are the only remotely honorable faction. Surrender and you will be shown mercy by Odin, All Father of the Nine Reams. I also won't kill you myself."
When Olga and Chloe heard that they felt ecstatic. That meant that the sounds of battle were not the forces of their Kingdom, but the army of Asgard. Olga stepped in front of the Incubi before she spoke to Jack.
"Do you speak the truth? Has The All Father come?"
He nodded.
"Yes. 6 of his sons, Thor, Vidar, Baldur, Hodr, Haldur, and Tyr have come with me. My sworn brothers and I came to put an end to the Drukhi of Hag Graef. Who are you?"
Now that she was wearing something to cover her body she placed a hand over her chest as she introduced herself.
"I am Olga Discordia, the first princess of the Discordia Kingdom. Was it just you and the sons of Thor, or are the forces of Asgard here too?"
Jack raised he looked through the eyes of his Wyverns.
"Yup, The Einherjar are here. Odin is here as well as he will declare war on the Drukhi to stop their mad king's plans."
Olga felt that her luck had turned over from terrible to marvelous.
"Thank the All-Father, please take me back. Take us to Odin and you will be rewarded by our kingdom. Jack glanced back at the Incubi who seemed to be quite nervous.
"What about him?"
Olga glanced at him once more before she explained.
"Since Incubi followed their contract I offered him a better deal."
Jack began to walk forward until he was standing in front of the Incubi. Like most Drukhi he was tall and lithe at 7 feet tall, but Jack was just bulkier and a tiny bit shorter. From what he could sense, this guy was old and skilled with a blade.
He was at least Ultimate or S rank, but that was the problem. For most that was the limit.
"As soon as you get your reward, what will you do? The Drukhi Kingdom will fall under the might of Asgard. What will the Incubi do?"
"We are mercenaries, we follow the contract."
Jack nodded.
"Understood. Now then, Princess. You should come with me, I will take you to Odin myself."
Olga nodded.
"Please do."
Jack waved his hand and once again he dragged everyone into his shadow before he teleported them out of the tower.
---
Gazing down at the second city his sons and Jack had reeved, made Odin feel like his old days. How he did miss war, but so few deserved to be raided. The Drukhi who were raiders and reavers themselves, did.
As such, he had no shame in setting his sons loose. Next to him, his queen Freya looked down at the rubble of Hag Graef.
"Like old times my love."
Odin nodded.
"It's been such a long time, almost too long."
Just as he was going to go down memory lane, Jack's group reappeared in a burst of darkness. Freya and Odin recognized that as Jack's way of teleportation when they saw who he brought with him they both took a second to take in the sight.
Odin stepped forward ignoring Olga and Chloe for the moment. He looked at the Incubi who were some of the most hardened warriors among the Drukhi.
"It's been many years since I have seen one of you. Normally your kind will never break a contract."
"We are loyal to our contract, but we do not seek death. Fighting a God much less six of the sons of Odin and The Abyssal Eclipse Emperor is not in our purview."
jack smirked.
"Ha, you know of me."
The Incubi turned to look at Jack.
"You are well known in the Nine Realms for your adventures with the sons of Odin. Your power is well known and not something I desire to face. As soon as I get paid, I will be seeking out my next employer. Wherever the blade takes me is where I will go."
Jack nodded.
"I respect it. Now then, Olga you can talk now."
Olga stepped forward before she bowed toward Odin. He was the ruler of the Nine Realms and even her Father the King would kneel to The All-Father a true god.
"Lord Odin, I am Olga Discordia. Princess of the Discordia Kingdom, I was taken captive when Drukhari raiders began to expand under Malekiths orders. If not for your intervention, I don't know what I would do."
Odin shook his head.
"Don't look at me, thank Jack over there. If not for Jack having a Father, I would have adopted him as my own. He is like a son to me, and it was his and my brat Baldur's idea. However, stopping the ambition of Malekith is good for the Nine Realms as he would not stop at just Alfheim. He would want more. For now, you can return to Asgard. Once things settle down you will be sent back home."
Olga sighed in relief.
"Thank you."
Odin tapped his staff on the ground and he teleported Olga, Chloe, and the Incubi who would guard her for now until he was paid back to Asgard. There he would be surrounded by gods, Einherjar, and be of no danger.
With the princes secured, Odin turned to Jack. He smirked before he returned to his normal self.
"That girl has some huge tits, the other girl is no slouch either."
Rossweisse groaned.
"Please All-Father, don't start. What will others say if they hear you?"
Freya smiled at her husband, in reality, she didn't mind his ways.
"It's fine."
Rossweisse wanted to hide in a hole, but Odin just laughed.
"Regardless, you all did a good job. Jack, if you want to join the other attacks in the war, be my guest. For now, I will continue to push my forces as my sons need to let loose. Too much time in peace after all. For now, you can go back to Asgard."
Jack thought about it as he was perfectly fine going along with his brothers, but he decided against it.
"Yeah, probably for the best. Tell them I will be going back to Asgard for now. I start high school in a month and I shouldn't be getting dragged into a war."
Ophis popped in next to Jack after looting all she could find. Especially the Drukhi souls which could be useful.
"What a splendid idea. Pour the mead and keep the meat coming."
Odin smirked.
"Ophis where was this when we met all those years ago?"
Ophis shrugged as when they met she had been taking the form of an old man.
"What can I say, my time spent in the world changed my interest. When you get back, catch me up on what you have been up to. I wish you have fun in your war."
With that, Ophi snapped her fingers and teleported herself, Jack, Aya, Moka, Akeno, and Rossweisse back to Asgard. Jack already considered his trip to Asgard worth it as he got to help Baldur in making a new pair of gauntlets, he got to meet Ophis who gave him her blessing, he then destroyed two cities and managed to begin the process of awakening Brynhildr and Ahramina.
Even better was that he got a rare Phoenix Egg which was more valuable than anything else. Nothing else could top this in his mind before he entered Yokai Academy for the next three years.