For eons, the gods have guided humanity, nurturing them to build a better world. Yet, throughout history, humanity has been embroiled in endless wars, especially in recent times, with the madness of world wars. It was through these wars that human civilization advanced rapidly, developing increasingly devastating weapons, particularly those capable of annihilating their own civilization.
Over the past century, humanity's progress has also caused severe ecological destruction. Overfishing has polluted the oceans with garbage and oil, turning once-clear waters murky and disrupting marine ecosystems. On land, forests have been decimated, resources exploited without restraint, and once-lush mountains turned into barren rock. The habitats of countless animals have been destroyed, leading to their extinction.
In a sense, humanity has become the greatest cancer on Earth, a threat to all other living beings on this planet.
After countless years of guidance, this is the result. If it were up to him, he too would conclude that humanity is beyond saving.
It's like raising a child, pouring all your love and resources into them, hoping they'll become a pillar of society. But in the end, the child turns to a life of ruin, unrepentant and hopeless. They become a societal tumor, causing endless trouble, until you're left with no choice but to wish they could be remade from scratch.
Thus, if Bai Yue were a member of the Valhalla Council, he too would vote for the "End" of humanity.
His response left the Valkyrie Brynhildr stunned. She had expected him to stand with humanity, but instead, he seemed to side with the gods.
After a moment of silence, Brynhildr spoke, her voice tinged with disbelief.
"King of Uruk, do you agree with the gods' decision to bring about the 'End' of humanity?"
She couldn't believe it. Gilgamesh, who seemed to despise the gods, would side with them? Stand with them?
This was not what she had anticipated.
Brynhildr couldn't help but let out a bitter laugh. The man before her was always an enigma, so perhaps his answer shouldn't have been a surprise.
"Yes, human history is a history of war. They never learn. But—"
But what?
As he spoke, the atmosphere in the room shifted dramatically. The pressure emanating from Gilgamesh grew more intense, as if the very air trembled under his presence.
"But only humanity has the right to decide its own end. The gods? What right do they have to decide humanity's fate? Just because they've guided and cared for humanity for so long? Hahaha!"
At this moment, Gilgamesh laughed—a mocking, disdainful laugh. Brynhildr felt a flicker of hope.
"Were they truly guiding humanity out of benevolence? Or was it just a game they grew tired of?"
Perhaps some gods genuinely loved humanity, but from what he had seen, most of them treated it as nothing more than a childish game.
Speaking of which, it was interesting. Gilgamesh's card had been frozen at 99.9%, but now it showed as fully unlocked. Did that mean he was now in the future?
To Brynhildr, he was a figure from the past, summoned to this time to save humanity from its crisis.
If he didn't proceed to the next role and stayed in this timeline, he could freely use Gilgamesh's abilities. But that would mean he could only use this one role, as no second card would be generated without progressing to the next role.
If he did proceed to the next role and wasn't summoned back, he would have to wait until the modern era for the card to unfreeze.
Speaking of which, if he continued playing the next role, wouldn't there be another version of himself in this timeline? What would happen if the two met? Something told him it wouldn't end well.
Hmm? As he casually flipped through a book on the table, a particular passage caught his eye.
『You're wondering what would happen if you met another version of yourself, right? Let me tell you, the two of you would likely be forcibly merged into one. If that happens, and I'm the one who remains in the modern era, then I wouldn't perform certain actions in history, and the story of Gilgamesh would never be discovered. The other cards wouldn't be activated, and you wouldn't see the unlocked cards now.』
The text disappeared as quickly as it appeared, as if it had never been there. It seemed his future self had left him this message through some means.
Closing the book, he looked up at Brynhildr.
"So, how do you plan to stop the gods? What do you want from me?"
Surely she didn't think he alone could take on all the gods? What was her purpose in summoning him?
Brynhildr's expression turned serious as she spoke.
"I want you to participate in Ragnarok."
Ragnarok?
As Brynhildr explained, a smirk crept onto his face.
To prevent the gods from easily erasing humanity, Brynhildr had provoked them. She invoked a special clause in the Valhalla Constitution—Article 62, Section 15—which stipulated a one-on-one battle between gods and humans. She proposed a "Final Battle of Gods vs. Humans," also known as Ragnarok.
If humanity won seven of the thirteen battles, they would be allowed to survive until the next "Human Survival Conference."
"That's quite interesting. Humanity wins and gets to live until the next 'Human Survival Conference.' How merciful. Perhaps I should propose a 'Divine Survival Conference.'"
His words were so audacious that Brynhildr gave him a deep, meaningful look.
At that moment, the door was violently kicked open.
Or rather, it was smashed open, sending Gray, who had been standing by the door, tumbling to the ground in a heap.
A cocky figure strode into the room.
As the door was violently kicked open, a cocky figure entered Brynhildr's line of sight.
He was a flamboyantly dressed, hip-hop-looking man with a pair of wings on his back. To Brynhildr, he was an all-too-familiar nuisance, a pest who frequently harassed the Valkyries.
"Incubus," Brynhildr growled, her voice low.
The man's name was Incubus, a dream demon and a lecherous scoundrel.
"The gods are cruel, cold, and stubborn. Why are you putting yourself in such a dire situation for the sake of humans?" Incubus said, flicking his hair in a showy manner, pretending to be concerned for Brynhildr.
His gaze then shifted to the other figure in the room, looking down on him with disdain.
"I think I just heard something about a 'Divine Survival Conference.' Really, Brynhildr, what kind of trash are you picking?"
His words were sharp, and his feigned pity made Brynhildr clench her fists, wanting to punch him.
She glanced at Gilgamesh, who remained calm, as if he hadn't heard Incubus's insults. He even wore a faint smile.
Was he not angry? It seemed he truly wasn't, treating Incubus like a mere clown unworthy of his attention.
This reaction made Incubus frown.
"Human, your gaze displeases me. Kneel and lick my shoes clean, and I'll spare your eyes," Incubus said, his long tongue flicking out as a wave of malevolent energy surged toward Gilgamesh.
He expected the arrogant human to break into a cold sweat.
The evil energy he emitted was laced with tormenting miasma, which would seep into the human's body, making him feel as if countless ants were gnawing at his insides, causing excruciating pain.
But in the next moment, Gilgamesh simply snapped his fingers, and the space around him twisted.
No, it wasn't twisting—it was as if the calm surface of water rippled as a drop fell, creating golden ripples in space.
From these golden ripples, two short swords emerged.
This bizarre scene stunned Brynhildr, who then grew both nervous and excited.
The mystery of Gilgamesh was about to be revealed. This was how he had slain the Sky God Anu.
With a light, disdainful chuckle, Gilgamesh flicked his fingers, and the short swords vanished.
No, they didn't vanish—they shot forward at an unimaginable speed, leaving golden trails in the air.
Following the trails, Brynhildr saw the swords heading straight for Incubus.
"Huh? Why can't I see anything?" Incubus suddenly cried out, his voice tinged with panic.
The next second, his expression twisted in agony.
"Ahhh! My eyes! It hurts! It hurts so much—!"
He screamed in pain, his hands reaching for his eyes but only touching the hilts of the swords embedded in them.
"You damn human, I'll—"
Before he could finish, a series of sharp sounds echoed as weapons pierced his body.
Brynhildr watched as Incubus's body was riddled with spears, swords, daggers, and halberds. His body resembled a punctured water bag, blood gushing out uncontrollably.
Brynhildr could sense the extraordinary aura of these weapons, especially the crimson spear that had pierced Incubus's skull. It radiated a dangerous, god-slaying energy. These were divine weapons!
He had thrown out a bunch of divine weapons?!
The room fell into a deathly silence, the only sound being the dripping of blood.
Gilgamesh didn't even glance at the gruesome scene, as if Incubus were too insignificant to warrant his attention.
"Ugh—!"
Gray, who had been watching, covered her mouth to stifle a scream.
This King Gilgamesh was terrifying, like a bloodthirsty tyrant.
Brynhildr, too, was shaken by the bloody spectacle, sweat dripping down her face.
Biting her lip, Gray forced her trembling body to move in front of Brynhildr.
"D-don't hurt Sister Bryn! Incubus came here on his own; she didn't call him!"
Her legs shook violently as she spoke.
Gilgamesh looked at her with amusement, making her heart nearly stop.
"You wet yourself."
"Huh?"
His sudden teasing left Gray stunned. She quickly looked down—no, she hadn't!
When she looked up, he was smirking, his mischievous grin making her blush furiously.
"Ragnarok, huh? I understand. Hahaha."
"W-wait, King of Uruk!"
Brynhildr hurried forward, trying to grab him as his body began to glow and fade, clearly about to disappear.
But her hands passed through empty air. The man who had been sitting in the chair was gone, leaving only his light laughter echoing in the room.
What was going on? Had he left the room, or had he returned to history?
Brynhildr quickly checked the summoning system. The option to summon him was still available.
Did this mean Gilgamesh had chosen not to fight for humanity? To stand aside?
Brynhildr let out a bitter laugh, though she wasn't entirely surprised.
But she wouldn't give up. When the tournament began, she would summon him again.
She refused to believe Gilgamesh wouldn't be interested in the competition.
Besides, his lack of response didn't necessarily mean he had refused.
As a king, he was arrogant and domineering. Would he simply obey her request? That would be beneath his pride.
In modern terms, he was a tsundere.
For now, she had to deal with the troublesome corpse in front of her and find the next candidate.
Golden ripples, and then unusual weapons emerged.
They could be fired, giving the impression that the golden ripples hid an arsenal.
How had Gilgamesh obtained these?
Unless he revealed it himself, it would remain a mystery.
"Sister Bryn, look!"
Gray's exclamation snapped Brynhildr out of her thoughts. Following Gray's gaze, she saw Incubus. Had he not died?
No, the weapons that had turned him into a pincushion were now surrounded by golden ripples, sinking back into them.
Were they being retrieved automatically as Gilgamesh disappeared?
Brynhildr reached out to grab one of the weapons, her hand passing through the golden ripples without feeling anything, as if they were a mirage.
The weapon in her hand also seemed illusory, like a phantom.
In an instant, all the weapons vanished, leaving only a corpse full of holes.
"Uh—!"
Gray was stunned by her sister's actions as Brynhildr stuffed Incubus's body into a garbage bag and hoisted it over her shoulder. Was she going to throw it away like trash?
"Gray, I'm going to take out the trash."
Brynhildr's blunt statement made Gray's eye twitch. Her sister's straightforwardness was both a strength and a weakness.
Sometimes it was good, but other times it could backfire.
Gray was worried that one misstep could lead to Brynhildr's demise.
With a sigh, Gray followed, planning to keep watch.
As they left the room, they entered a long, seemingly endless corridor.
Gray kept an eye out for any gods approaching.
All clear.
Soon, they reached a spiral staircase.
Hmm? A terrifying presence made Gray tense up.
Who was it?!
Whoever it was, she needed to retreat and warn Brynhildr.
As she turned, she bumped into something soft—Brynhildr's chest.
Oh, she had caught up quickly. Gray was about to speak when she noticed a figure in her peripheral vision, freezing her in place.
It was a man with red hair and golden eyes, dressed in white. His overwhelming power was palpable.
Just a glance from him made Gray feel as if her life was in danger, draining her of all courage and leaving only deep fear.
Most notably, he carried a uniquely designed massive hammer—the legendary Mjölnir.
This was none other than Thor, the strongest god in Norse mythology.
The presence of such a figure made Gray too scared to move.
"Lord Thor."
Brynhildr, who had been bold in the divine council, now showed respect, bowing slightly to Thor.
Gray wanted to bow as well, but the god's intimidating aura left her paralyzed, sweat pouring down her face.
Would her lack of response be seen as a challenge? Would he strike her down with his hammer, turning her into paste?
Ugh!
But Thor seemed to ignore them and walked past, making Gray sigh in relief.
The next second, he suddenly stopped, making Gray choke on her breath.
What now?!
Had she angered him?
"Brynhildr, what are you doing?"
His cold voice made Gray's heart leap into her throat. Had he noticed the body in the bag?
Ah!!!
Of course he had noticed!!!
The bag had torn, and a bloody head was poking out.
The bag had ripped because Brynhildr had been dragging it along the floor, leaving a trail of blood.
So, Thor had noticed.
"I'm disposing of this corpse."
Brynhildr's blunt reply made Gray want to faint.
Couldn't she have been more tactful?
"Did you kill him?"
Though his tone remained calm, Gray felt the air tremble with suppressed power.
"While I would have liked to kill the Incubus, I am aware of Valhalla's laws and would not violate them."
At this point, Gray could sense Thor's growing impatience. He didn't want to hear Brynhildr beat around the bush.
"A human killed him!"
Brynhildr revealed the truth just as Thor seemed about to lose his temper. The revelation caused a flicker of change in Thor's otherwise stoic expression.
"A human? The human you chose?"
"Yes, and he was killed in an instant, without any resistance."
Thor fell silent, his silence more terrifying than any words.
Electricity crackled around him, his divine power distorting the air.
But in the next moment, he reined it in, suppressing his impulse.
"Is that so? Good. I don't know what you're planning, but I hope the human you summon can entertain me. Otherwise, I'll kill you!"
With that, Thor swung his hammer, sending the bag containing the corpse flying.
"Don't keep me waiting!"
He left without another word.
Once he was out of sight, Brynhildr let out a sigh of relief, wiping the sweat from her brow.
She had appeared calm, but inside, she had been nervous.
"Ugh, that was terrifying, Sister Bryn. Do you think Lord Thor will participate? With a god that powerful, there's no way we can win."
Gray, who had collapsed to the floor, voiced her concerns.
Though Gilgamesh had killed the Sky God Anu, facing the terrifying Thor seemed impossible.
"He will, absolutely. And he'll be the gods' vanguard."
Brynhildr's knowledge of the gods told her that Thor would undoubtedly take the first match.
This answer left Gray horrified. It seemed like an instant loss.
The sisters returned to the Akashic Records.
"What's wrong, Sister?"
"Someone's been here."
Brynhildr had been about to search for more humans to fight the gods when she sensed that someone had used the Akashic system while they were away.
Who? Could it be someone from the Babylonian pantheon?
She wasn't sure, but checking the surveillance footage would reveal the truth. Brynhildr retrieved a hidden camera from a corner.
The gods, in their arrogance, had overlooked human technology, allowing her to capture the intruder.
Inserting the memory card into a tablet, Brynhildr saw the footage. The intruder wasn't from the Babylonian pantheon but from another mythos.
They too had tampered with the Akashic Records.
It seemed they were afraid she would find someone. How interesting!
The intruder was one of the Four Pillars of the Demon Kings.
T/N:
[From this chapter onward, we delve into the Four Supreme Pillars, the four great monarchs who rule over the cardinal directions among the 72 Demon Gods.
1. Baal: Ranked 1st among the 72 Demon Gods, he holds the title of King and is one of the Four Supreme Pillars. He commands 66 legions and reigns as the ruler of the East.
2. Paimon: Ranked 9th, he is also a King and one of the Four Supreme Pillars. He governs 25 legions and rules over the West.
3. Astaroth: Ranked 29th, he holds the title of Duke and is one of the Four Supreme Pillars. He commands 40 legions and reigns over the South.
4. Asmodeus: Ranked 32nd, he is a King and one of the Four Supreme Pillars. He leads 72 legions and rules the North.]
The figure captured by the surveillance cameras was none other than "Astaroth" the ruler of the South.
This piqued Brynhildr's interest. Were the Four Supreme Pillars trying to hide something? Were they preventing her from discovering someone? Was this similar to the Babylonian pantheon's secrets?
If so, what—or who—were they hiding? It had to be related to humanity. In the seven million years of human history, who among them had ties to the Four Supreme Pillars?
Only one name came to Brynhildr's mind.
"Ahahahahaha...!"
"Brynhildr, sister..."
Seeing her sister laugh so wildly and maniacally, Gray couldn't help but feel concerned. The stress must have been getting to her.
"This is perfect! They've practically handed me the ideal candidate!"
Brynhildr clutched her face, her excitement palpable. Earlier, it was the Babylonian gods who had slipped up, leading her to discover the anomaly known as **Gilgamesh**. Now, the Four Supreme Pillars had guided her to another figure.
Excellent. She accessed the "Akashic Records" and input the name of this human king. She wondered how the Four Supreme Pillars had altered his information to conceal his true nature.
The next moment, the relevant data appeared on the screen. Brynhildr's piercing blue eyes widened in disbelief, her flawless face betraying her shock.
"This... this can't be right!"
The information displayed was far from what she had expected. In her mind, the tampered data should have portrayed this king as an ordinary, unremarkable ruler—someone who, while perhaps competent, was far from extraordinary. A king who could easily be overlooked, deemed unworthy of being one of the "Thirteen Chosen".
But what she saw was the complete opposite.
The king's life story, as presented, was nothing short of a legendary tale. If the records were accurate, this king was more than qualified to be one of the Chosen. In fact, aside from Gilgamesh, Brynhildr couldn't think of anyone more deserving.
Should she summon this king from history right now?
Gray, noticing her sister's intense reaction, leaned over to glance at the screen.
"Sister... this seems too exaggerated, doesn't it?"
After skimming through the details, Gray couldn't hide her disbelief. The description was as outrageous as Gilgamesh's, if not more so. It made her question the authenticity of the information.
"Sister Brynhildr, this might be a trap!"
The sheer implausibility of the data led Gray to this conclusion.
"Hmm..."
Brynhildr nodded in agreement. It was indeed possible that this was a trap. The Four Supreme Pillars might have fabricated an exaggerated figure to lure her into selecting him as one of the Thirteen. Then, during "Ragnarok", this king would turn out to be a fraud, causing humanity to lose a crucial battle.
But if she summoned this king, wouldn't she be able to uncover the truth directly from him? Wouldn't the fabricated data be exposed?
Unless... this king was a narcissistic braggart, someone who loved to inflate his own achievements and pretend to be more powerful than he actually was. If that were the case, then the Four Supreme Pillars were trying to waste one of her precious slots with a useless candidate.
But was it really necessary for them to stoop so low? The gods were prideful beings who typically disdained such underhanded tactics. Unless, like the Babylonian pantheon, they had something to hide—something akin to the anomaly that was Gilgamesh.
Were they trying to push this human king forward to conceal some greater truth?
Brynhildr pondered this but couldn't unravel the mystery. As always, the best course of action was to travel back to that era and witness the truth for herself. The data on the screen could be falsified, but the Akashic Records—the true, unaltered records of history—could not.
Speaking of which, if they were going to fabricate information, they could have at least put in some effort. The data she was looking at was almost identical to a book she had read before. The so-called "fabricated" information was practically copied from that book.
The book in question was titled "The Key of Solomon."
Despite its name, the book had no direct connection to King Solomon. It was written during the Middle Ages by humans fascinated with the occult. They drew inspiration from Solomon's legends and added mythical elements to create a narrative that satisfied their desire to believe that humans could rival the gods.
In essence, it was a work of self-indulgent fiction.
Very well. Brynhildr would uncover the truth hidden behind this facade. She began calibrating the timeline, preparing to travel back to the 9th century BCE to see what the Four Supreme Pillars were so desperate to conceal.