บท 236: [236] Utterly Doomed
Chapter 236: Utterly Doomed
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"Why the hell are you stopping me, Rose?!" Brigid's yell echoed in the small apartment. "I finally have the power to bury his face in the ground!"
Rossweisse stood in front of her, arms crossed. She was unimpressed by the outburst. "You do? Your father had the same Icon, and it didn't help him against Aqua. What makes you think you'll succeed? You're not ready."
Brigid clenched her fists, and she gritted her teeth. "I'm not my father," she growled, her voice sharp with frustration. "I'm different."
Rose's eyes narrowed, her frown deepening as she stared at the younger Valkyrie. "Different? Maybe. Stronger? No. You're not Thor, you stupid girl. You don't even match him. You think just because you've awakened an Icon you're suddenly invincible?"
"I awakened an Icon in this rage, while my father awakened one being millennia older than me," Brigid said, "I am better than him. You don't get it."
"Icons only came to this world five decades you, you stupid girl," Rose said with a scowl, and Brigid took a step back, growling.
Then, she paused, blinked, and her lips curled in a smirk. She crossed her arms over her chest, eyes flashing with defiance. "Oh, I see it now," she said, her tone dripping with mockery. "You're jealous, Rose. You've always been the better Valkyrie, but now, I have the power of an Icon, and you don't. Is that what this is about, Rose?"
"What?"
"You can't stand that I've surpassed you."
Rossweiss's eyelids flinched, stupefied. "Jealous?" she repeated, incredulous. "I've been trying to protect you. We're on the same side, Brigid."
"Don't give me that crap," Brigid scoffed, brushing past her. "You've been holding me back ever since we got here. Well, no more. The next time I sense him, I'll end this. You won't stop me. I dare you to."
The air between them crackled with tension, and just as Brigid finished speaking, the world shifted. Just like yesterday, Aqua's presence bloomed in the distance, a pulse of divine power spreading like the wings of an eagle.
Both women froze.
Brigid's eyes widened for a moment, and then her lips widened into a grin as she felt his presence coursing through the air. "There he is," she said, the excitement in her voice unmistakable. "That punk is back!" Her hand lifted, already calling forth the power of her newly awakened Icon.
"Brigid, wait—" Rose started, but her voice was cut off as Brigid surged forward.
With a roar of power, Brigid Thorsdottir summoned the Storm Icon, her hammer appearing in her hand, as her body enveloped in a crackling aura of power, as an armor enveloped her. The air around her seemed to bend and ripple as though nature itself bent to her will.
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"I'm going to show him," she spat out. "I'm going to make him regret everything."
"Stop!" Rose shouted, lunging toward her, but it was too late. The Demi Goddess shot into the sky like a bolt of lightning, her power amplifying her speed as she streaked toward Aqua's distant figure.
Rose stared after her, heart pounding in her chest. She knew this was suicide. That man, the same force that had torn Thor apart, would tear her apart too if she went through with this.
Yet, even as she watched, she knew there was no stopping her.
"Damn it, Brigid..." she muttered, fists clenched at her sides, helpless to do anything as her friend rushed toward a battle she wasn't prepared for.
****
I decided to give my presence one last bloom before heading back. It was becoming a habit at this point, making sure the pests knew who they were dealing with.
Tsubaki was in my arms, her body light against me as we flew across the sky. The evening wind carried a cool breeze, perfect for this kind of flight. She leaned into me slightly, her breath steady as she spoke.
"So school's off?" I asked as we flew.
"Yeah. We didn't want to endanger the students' lives," she replied. "No choice but to shut things down."
"Makes sense."
We exchanged small talk like that, nothing too deep, just passing the time while flying through the quiet skies. My aura spread lazily through the area, like the last stretch of a lion before returning to its den.
"Well, now that you're back," her soft, pink lips pressed against my cheek, as she tightened her hug, chest pressing against mine. "It's going to be alright. We can start school tomorrow if you want to."
I laughed at that, "Don't rely on me like that, I have my own enemies to deal with. Let's just stay on break for now."
"If you say so," she smooched my neck and said, making my shake my head.
Then, the sky rumbled.
It wasn't normal thunder. Divinity filled the air. The Far Shore and the Near Shore had been blending into each other far too often these days. The sky rumbled hard, and I sensed the city losing its electricity for a brief moment.
Ever since the Icons rained down, Gods could show off theatrics in the human world without being suppressed by the world's will immediately.
"Looks like we have a guest," I said and slowed down, gently placing Tsubaki in the air. She wore a worried expression as her devil wings flared out instinctively, keeping her afloat. "You stay here."
"Okay…" Tsubaki didn't argue, just nodded, her eyes sharp as she hovered behind me.
I turned toward the approaching force—a missile of lightning hurtling upward from below, tearing through the clouds like an angry storm.
Ah. So that's how it is.
Brigid.
I raised a hand, opening an Instant Dungeon since the world didn't.
She shot toward me, her figure barely visible through the storm of energy swirling around her. In her hands, she wielded a massive hammer, its form crackling with power. The [Storm Icon] screamed above her, ready to tear apart anything in its path.
"Die, you fucking bastard!" Brigid's voice echoed through the storm as she swung the hammer with all her might.
I raised my hand.
Her weapon collided with my palm, the force of the strike sending shockwaves rippling through the sky. The wind screeched from the impact.
But my hand didn't budge. Not an inch.
"Really?" I muttered, more to myself than to her. Her eyes widened.
I felt the familiar surge of power within me—Path of the Raging Sky. The energy flowed effortlessly through my veins, and with a single push, a bolt of my own lightning exploded outward.
It blasted into her weapon, surging through her body like a tidal wave. Her grip faltered, and her hammer slipped from her hands as she jerked back, electrocuted by the force.
"Oh, Brigid," I said, catching the hammer in midair. I twirled it between my fingers like it was a toy, the weight of the storm barely registering in my grip. "Come on," I tossed it to Tsubaki, and she caught it while I spoke to the foolish Demi Goddess. "You need to pick your opponents better."
Tsubaki held onto the divine weapon, scared that it'd hurt her, while her eyes glanced down at Brigid as if to assess the threat. She wasn't scared of the Goddess, of course. Not when I stood in front of her.
Brigid was still shaking off the electricity, her eyes filled with rage as she struggled to stabilize herself.
"You… you punk, you think this is enough to defeat–"
I didn't give her the chance to finish.
In the blink of an eye, I stood in front of her, and my fist moved before she could even register what was happening, crashing into her face with the force of a cargo train.
Her body crumpled under the blow, sent spiraling through the air like a ragdoll. The sky seemed to still for a moment as if the very world paused to witness her defeat.
The air cried as Brigid plummeted toward the ground, and I remained where I was, watching her fall with a quiet sigh.
Some people just didn't know when to quit.
****
Rossweisse's heart raced as she hovered in the pocket dimension, her eyes wide as she watched Brigid's body disappear into the distance, plummeting into the forest below. Not good, I told her!
Panic welled up inside her—she had been pulled into the instant dungeon that Aqua had erected, along with several other supernatural individuals. But unlike the others, who wisely chose to leave the moment they realized who had erected the dimension, she didn't have the luxury to leave.
She couldn't abandon Brigid. Not like this.
But what could she do? She wasn't strong enough. She was weaker than Brigid now, especially with that girl wielding an Icon, while she had none. If she joined the fight, she'd be obliterated by Aqua in an instant. The same fate Brigid had met.
Her breath hitched, and she clenched her fists, her mind racing through options. Her teeth clattered against one another as she forced her mind to think. But… Nothing. She had no plan. Nothing except… Freya.
So that's why, with trembling hands, she had immediately called out her Goddess when she first teleported inside the instant dungeon. By now, she had finished reciting the situation to her.
"That's the situation, m-my goddess," she pressed a hand over her ears, her voice shaking, "Brigid was sent flying down into a park-turned-forest, and right now he's punching her continuously with the force of a cannon. What do I do?!"
Silence answered her. For a moment, she thought Freya hadn't heard her. It'd have been easier if Freya could observe the situation here with divinity, like how Norse and Shinto had observed the fight between Aqua and Thor. Unfortunately, Aqua's authority had grown so immense that it blocked all channels that the Norse Gods could use to observe the battle. His will alone was enough to sever their sight from this realm.
Valkyrie Call was the only option, and even then the network was unstable.
Her heart thumped in her chest as the silence dragged on. Then, finally, Freya's voice came through, calm and calculated. "Attaxk the devil girl in the sky," the Goddess suggested. "You said she's holding Stormbreaker, as a devil that'd make it easier to defeat her. She's an easy prey. Take her hostage and use her as a threat against Aqua."
That sounded reasonable. Since he was an indestructible wall, she should go after his companion. But… Rossweisse swallowed, her throat dry.
"But… what if it doesn't work?" Her voice wavered. She wasn't sure if she could pull it off, let alone survive the consequences if it failed.
Freya's tone didn't falter. "I'm here if it doesn't work. He won't kill you. He won't kill either of you. You two are girls. If he wanted you dead, you already would be. But his character is loose, we can use that against him."
Rossweisse's breath caught, and a blush crept up her cheeks. The implication of Freya's words wasn't lost on her. If they didn't die at Aqua's hands… something else awaited them. For a woman, wasn't that worse?
Well, then again… Wasn't this always part of the plan from the get go? Rose sighed. Seduction had been their strategy from day one—until Brigid decided to act recklessly today.
She closed her eyes and exhaled sharply. There was no other choice now. "Alright, my Goddess, I understand."
Though doubt still gnawed at the edges of her mind, she had made her decision. She cast one last glance toward the distant forest where Brigid had disappeared, then turned her gaze skyward.
Tsubaki hovered high above, her devil wings keeping her steady in the air as she watched Aqua with focused eyes. Her lips were slightly parted as she watched the battle. For someone like her the sight of the man she had just slept with was incredible.
Rossweisse felt a pang of guilt looking at Tsubaki. She had interacted with the girl many times since she served as a teacher in Kuoh Academy, while this girl was a part of its Student Council. It'd pain her to use her as a hostage, but duty was duty.
With that thought, she took off to the air. She sped toward Tsubaki, ignoring the guilt that tugged at her.
There was no time for hesitation. The closer she got, the clearer her target became. Tsubaki didn't even notice her approach—her attention was locked on Aqua's battle with Brigid. It made her vulnerable.
Rossweisse didn't waste the opportunity. She summoned the full force of her elemental magic, weaving a potent spell blast of raw power.
The moment she was close enough, she unleashed the attack, a beam of light shooting straight toward Tsubaki.
"I'm sorry, Tsubaki."
Magic circles bubbled around her and beams of colorful magic roared through the air, crackling as it surged forward, enveloping Tsubaki. It had landed.
But the moment the light of the blast faded… Rossweisse's heart sank.
Aqua stood between Tsubaki and the attack, completely unfazed. The spell hadn't even reached her. It had been stopped cold.
He let out a sigh, shaking his head. "And here I thought you were the smarter between the two," Aqua said, his voice carrying disappointment as he looked down at her. His piercing gaze held no anger—just mild irritation as if she had wasted his time.
That was one of my stronger techniques… Rossweisse felt a chill run down her spine as she realized how utterly fucked they were.
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