章節 2299: Introductions

Though Asgard appeared relatively close, that was due to its enormous size. The length of the Bifrost was the same as the distance between the Earth and Sun, so, under normal circumstances, those attempting to cross the rainbow-hued bridge would need to span 150,000,000km to reach the planet-sized city on the opposite end.

Fortunately, not that it would have mattered for Vahn and Co, the Bifrost functioned similarly to an autowalk for those that had permission to use it. The moment they stepped onto its surface, the crystalline bridge beneath their feet glowed with a brilliant rainbow hue before moving them forward at the speed of light.

Breaking the silence, Muninn stated, "It will take approximately eight and a half minutes to reach Asgard via the Bifrost Bridge. Shall we fill the time with introductions~?"

Though he was tempted to refuse, Vahn eventually nodded his head in response to Muninn's proposal. He already knew the names of each of the Valkyries, but he didn't want to appear unnecessarily rude or standoffish.

With a gratified smile on her face, Muninn gestured to Vor, stating, "As you are well aware, this is Vor Odinsdottir, the Herald of Spears."

With her futuristic dress blossoming outward, Vor accompanied Muninn's introduction with a courteous bow, appended, "It is a pleasure to behold Your Imperial Majesty's esteemed countenance..."

Scrunching his brows and nose, Vahn retorted, "Seriously? You can forgo the unnecessary pleasantries. This isn't an audience chamber."

Rising to her full height, Vor adopted a faint but discernible smile as she cooly replied, "My apologies. I just thought I'd set a good example for my sisters to follow."

"Right..."

Restraining a sigh, Vahn shifted his attention to the two Valkyries standing to Vor's left, a diminutive duo with nearly identical appearances. They were a lot smaller than the other Valkyries present, but their most notable traits were their dark hair, clearly mechanical legs, and metallic antennae.

With completely disinterested looks on their faces, the two Valkyries cast a glance towards Muninn before staring back at Vahn and declaring, "We are Göll and Geirölul, Outriders of the White Raven."

Following the duo's synchronous introduction, Muninn explained, "Their physical bodies are located back at Headquarters. What you see before you are mechanical avatars used for scouting purposes."

Before Muninn had finished her explanation, Vahn had already shifted his intent to the location of Göll's and Geirölul's actual bodies. When he did, a frown immediately marred his expression as they were little more than heads and torsos integrated into a machine resembling a tree.

Noticing the not-so-subtle change in Vahn's expression, Muninn quickly appended, "So long as the core of a Valkyrie remains intact, their spirits can be transplanted into another container. The Valkyries making up our internal network-"

Shaking his head, Vahn said, "Enough. I know you aren't 'forcing' them to serve as Operators. I don't need to hear your excuses..."

Though the White Raven Community's method appeared significantly more morbid, Vahn was also guilty of creating beings whose sole purpose was overseeing or comprising a network. Will, Ark, Shadow, Mother, and the Companions were good examples, so it would be hypocritical of him to condemn Muninn for doing something similar.

"When you return to the R&D Department, you should speak with Da Vinci about overhauling and upgrading your current network. At the very least, she can help you implement a less...macabre method."

Following a sigh of relief, Muninn regained her smile as she said, "I will do as you say. I appreciate your understanding."

Shaking his head a second time, Vahn cut the exchange short by shifting his attention to the next Valkyrie, a slender woman with pale-blonde hair, synthetic blue eyes, and an outfit reminiscent of a Maid. However, unlike a typical Maid, there were two futuristic-looking cannons flanking her and a number of secondary weapons hidden beneath her skirt.

With Vahn directing his attention to her, the Maid-like Valkyrie performed a curtsy that revealed she also had stylish yet mechanical legs. However, unlike Göll and Geirölul, hers were clearly intended for offense rather than agility.

"It is a pleasure to make Your Majesty's acquaintance. My name is Herja Odinsdottir, though I am better known as The Valkyrie of Devastation. If there is anything I can do to be of service, please do not hesitate to ask."

"Noted."

Though he was tempted to ask why Herja was dressed as a Maid, Vahn didn't actually care. He was more focused on getting the introductions over with, so he immediately shifted his attention to the next Valkyrie, a strangely plain-looking girl with short brown hair and a glum expression on her face. Unlike the other Valkyries present, the somber-looking girl appeared to blend into the background despite adorning silvery-white armor and wielding a massive claymore.

Answering in the slender Valkyrie's stead, Muninn explained, "This is Pawn, The Valkyrie of Silence. Contrary to her name and title, her voice is so mighty that it can shake the Heavens and rend the earth asunder. As a result, she is unable to speak under ordinary circumstances."

Rolling his eyes, Vahn manifested a tiny rune at the tip of his index finger before flicking it at Pawn's throat. She hardly reacted at first, only staring back at him with a confused expression as he said, "Speak." in a calm yet authoritative tone.

With Muninn nodding her head in approval, Pawn only hesitated for a brief moment before saying, "Yes...?" in a soft, incredibly meek tone of voice. It had a mysterious, resonating quality, but it was nothing like the booming voice everyone except Vahn, Sis, and Fenrir anticipated.

Nodding his head in approval, Vahn shifted his attention to Muninn as he questioned, "You're telling me that Odin couldn't fix such a simple issue?"

Adopting a fairly severe expression, Muninn answered, "In our culture, it is believed that the responsibility of mastering inborn Gifts and abilities falls to those they are born to. We do not live with the expectation that others will appear to solve all of our problems..."

Realizing the flaw in her argument, Muninn's words gradually trailed off towards the end. After all, Vahn had literally come to the Nine Realms to solve a problem they were unable to remedy themselves...

Fortunately for Muninn, Vahn was well acquainted with the hypocrisy of the strong. He did his best never to go back on his word, but there were times when his actions, especially when he was upset, went against his better judgment. Thus, rather than calling her out, he turned his gaze to Pawn, asking, "Should I undo the enchantment, or will you accept it as a gift...?"

Without having to consider her response, Pawn performed a knightly bow as she softly replied, "It is an honor to receive the Sage Dragon Emperor's blessing..."

After nodding his head in approval, Vahn passed his gaze over the rest of the Valkyries present, stating, "I suppose I owe the rest of you a gift...as you introduce yourself, tell me if there is something you desire."

As Vahn's eyes came to rest on a Valkyrie whose appearance strongly resembled the Medusa from the Nasuverse, the spear-wielding woman returned a fairly predatory smile as she declared, "My name is Randgrid Odinsdottir, the Shieldbreaker. If we're able to request anything, I would be remiss not to ask for Your Majesty's favor."

"..."

Following a somewhat uncomfortable silence, the world atop the Bifrost seemed to 'jolt' for a brief moment before Randgrid appeared sprawled out on the ground. Her clothes didn't appear out of place, but her eyes were utterly unfocused as she stared up at the sky with an enraptured expression on her face.

"Oh my..."

Though she wasn't even remotely surprised, Sis covered her mouth as if she were shocked by the sudden change in Randgrid's state. This was a stark contrast to Fenrir, who couldn't help remarking, "Dumb bird..." under her breath.

Seeing their sister sprawled out on the ground, the other Valkyries came to the realization that Vahn would meet just about any of their demands. Fortunately, none of them were as 'brazen' as Randgrid, who, in the end, only tempted Vahn due to her eternal rivalry with Vor...

...

Observing the events occurring on the Bifrost, Odin couldn't help issuing a light chuckle. There were moments when Vahn reminded him a lot of his younger self, long before he became known as the Allfather.

"Disgusting."

Hearing the ghostly yet familiar voice, the smile on Odin's wrinkled face faded, replaced by a grave expression as he commanded, "Show yourself, Loki."

In response to Odin's command, an androgynous figure Vahn would have compared to Merlin manifested from within a spatial tear. At a glance, it was impossible to determine whether or not they were male or female, as not only were their features fair, but their outfit consisted of ornate robes, a skirt, checkered leggings, and a shawl.

With hair that flickered like ghostly blue flames, cat-like eyes, and a smile that revealed rows of razor-sharp teeth, Loki approached their father with teetering, almost zombie-like steps as they said, "Long time no see, pops. Did you miss me~?"

While Odin maintained a fierce expression, Frigg adopted a sad smile as she softly muttered, "Loki..." in the kind of longing tone that only mothers could manage. However, before she could speak further, Odin interrupted, asking, "When did you revive, and what is your aim?"

Tilting their entire body to the side, defying physics as they never lost their balance, Loki sullenly replied, "What? No warm words of welcome for your beloved child? And to think, we used to be so close in the past..."

Using their unnaturally long tongue, Loki licked their lips as they placed their hand over their abdomen. In response, Odin erupted from his throne, a three-pronged golden spear manifesting in his right hand as he shouted, "You have no place here! Begone...!"

Instead of trying to dodge, Loki adopted an ostensibly lazy expression of disgust as Odin's spear pierced through their illusory heart. Even though they were an illusion, they could still feel a phantom pain permeating their body as it was Odin's spear, Gungnir, that ended their previous life.

"Seriously, pa? For someone famous for their wisdom, you do some pretty foolish things..."

With his singular eye blazing with a fierce blue light, Odin brandished his spear and said, "Do not tempt me, Loki..."

Despite shivering violently, Loki managed a mischievous smile as they hugged their body and retorted, "You've already pierced me with both of your spears. What more can you do to me~?"

Inhaling deeply, Odin was about to send his spear flying to Loki's actual location before Frigg stepped in, asking, "Why have you come here, Loki? You're not the type to imperil your life like this..."

Adopting a sharp-toothed smile, Loki cast a glance toward their adoptive mother, answering, "I came to warn you. The Community I belong to does not want to see the Sage Dragon Emperor accumulate even greater power and authority. If he extends an offer for you to join him, please refuse...as much as I hate every fiber of your being, you're still my parents. If anyone is going to destroy you, it should be me..."

Furrowing his brows, Odin firmly declared, "Asgard will never bend the knee to another." before asking, "You said you belong to a Community? Which one?"

Holding their index finger up to their lips, Loki replied, "Come now, father. Have you gone senile with your old age? You know I can't answer such a quest-"

Before Loki could finish speaking, Odin slashed his Gungnir through the former's illusion, dissipating it. Then, with his senses spread through all of Asgard, he exhaled an exasperated sigh and grumbled, "That fool..." as he witnessed his second eldest son charging towards the Bifrost.

...

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章節 2300: Clashing Thunder

Though the Bifrost led directly to the center of Asgard, those attempting to cross it would invariably come face to face with its guardian, Heimdall.

With ivory skin, golden eyes, golden teeth, and standing 711cm tall, most who met Heimdall would assume he was part giant. In reality, his origins were far stranger, as, rather than a single mother, he was born to a group of nine maidens who 'sacrificed' their virginities to appease Odin.

Sensing what was about to happen through his foresight, a frown marred Heimdall's expression as he donned a dark, almost obsidian gold helmet with horns reminiscent of a blade's guard. Shortly after that, the sound of a violent thunderclap filled his dwelling as a 228cm tall man with fiery red hair and an intricately braided beard smashed through his ceiling.

Rising to his feet, the burly, bare-chested figure used his pulsating iron gauntlets to wipe away the debris coating his rune-covered body as he said, "Heimdall, it's good to see you, old friend."

Despite towering over the red-haired man by three-fold, Heimdall felt looked down upon as he thumped his chest and replied in a deep, almost scarily resonating tone, "Thor, Odinson, it is good to see you. I do wonder, though. What reason have you for your sudden visit?"

"Hmph."

Never fond of being questioned, Thor began channeling energy through the runes covering his body. Heimdall wasn't an opponent he could defeat easily, but he was more than willing to teach the 'all-seeing' God a lesson.

Squinting his fiery golden eyes, Heimdall prepared to defend himself. Thor had a habit of beating up anyone that didn't immediately sing his praises, so he wasn't even remotely surprised by his errant, half-brother's temper.

Accompanied by a thunderous boom, Thor launched himself toward the much-taller God with the casual momentum of a freight train. He had his legendary hammer, Mjolnir, in a holster on the left side of his hips, but he generally only used it when trying to kill or maim his opponents.

Suppressing a sigh, Heimdall blocked Thor's initial punch with crossed arms. When Thor's fist impacted his forearms, the nearly-indestructible metal comprising his armguards gained a fist-shaped indentation as he was sent smashing through the wall at his back.

Though most knew him as the God of Thunder and Lightning, Thor was also the God of Strength and, curiously enough, Agriculture. His fame had dwindled since his previous incarnation's death, but he was still regarded as one of the physically most powerful Gods in the Divine Realm. With his belt, Megingjord, doubling his already legendary strength, there were very few people who could withstand his blows.

Despite being one of the few that could, Heimdall allowed himself to be sent flying by Thor's punch. He knew the latter was there to seek trouble with Vahn, so he would rather prepare Asgard's defenses than waste time trying to reason with the Nine Realms' most hot-headed God.

Realizing that Heimdall didn't intend to fight, Thor shouted, "Coward!" as thick bands of lightning erupted from his body, tearing through or melting his surroundings. However, before he could even think to give chase, the Bifrost beneath him pulsed as a group comprised of sixteen women and one man appeared at the Midgard-side entrance of Heimdall's abode.

Redirecting his anger towards the man at the center of the group, Thor pointed towards the relaxed-looking and bellowed, "You must be Vahn Aldrnari Mason! I am Thor Odinson, the God of Thunder! Come, show me what you're made of...!"

After unholstering the ornate, ostensibly stone-carved hammer at his hip, Thor charged at Vahn with reality-warping momentum. He didn't appear to be that fast, but he was able to close the distance between himself and his opponents in an instant.

Stopping Thor's hammer with the palm of his hand, the smile faded from Vahn's face as he asked, "What reason do you have to attack me? I don't recall antagonizing the Nine Realms..."

Seeing Vahn stop his attack with ease, an almost comically stupefied expression marred Thor's face. When his brain finally finished processing Vahn's words, it immediately transitioned into a battle-crazed smile as he shouted, "For glory! What else is there!?"

Empowered by his shout, the runes covering Thor's body burned with a fiery blue light that crawled down his arm, quickly spreading through his gauntlet before igniting the mural-like runes covering Mjolnir's sides. As it did, Vahn's seemingly immovable hand buckled slightly, an eerie humming sound reverberating within Heimdall's observatory as the force contained within Thor's blow continued to compound without limit.

"Hmmm..."

With Loi-chan confirming that Thor just wanted to prove himself against a powerful opponent, Vahn's inviolable defenses began to crumble. He was virtually unbeatable against those who wished harm upon him and his kin, but he was considerably less so when the person attacking him had 'pure' intentions.

Deciding to humor the battle-hungry God, Vahn continued to hold Mjolnir in place as he kicked forward, impacting Thor's chest. A blue, barrier-like ripple spread across the muscular God's body, but it was far from enough to mitigate the force behind Vahn's blow.

Not expecting Vahn to attack from such an awkward position, Thor found himself crashing through the same wall as Heimdall. He had attempted to hold onto Mjolnir, but his right arm ended up getting dislocated, reducing his grip strength.

Finding himself floating in the nebulous void that surrounded the planet-sized city of Asgard, Thor coughed up a mouthful of blood as he traced the foot-shaped imprint on his chest. He didn't feel any pain, but he could tell he had sustained tremendous damage as he muttered, "Son of a-"

Before Thor could make a grave mistake, Vahn appeared a few hundred meters away, hurling Mjolnir towards the befuddled God with a deadpan expression on his face. The enchantments on Mjolnir made it so that only Thor could wield it, but such restrictions had never gotten in his way.

With Mjolnir impacting his chest, propelling him at faster-than-light speeds through the void, an incredulous expression marred Thor's face. He found himself unable to get his faithful companion under control as an invisible force kept him from escaping to the sides.

Appearing in Thor's path, Vahn manifested a similar, albeit considerably larger hammer in his right hand as he warned, "I don't mind humoring you, Thor, God of Thunder. However, you should choose your words very, very carefully..."

Punctuating his statement, Vahn used his giant version of Mjolnir to send Thor careening towards a moon-sized planetoid. Instead of smashing into the surface, the latter's body penetrated the entire planetoid as if it were an illusion before the back half violently erupted.

Deciding to give Thor a chance to recover, Vahn held up the enormous stone hammer vibrating in his right hand, amusedly remarking, "Someone is excited."

As the runes lit up across the surface of the hammer, a tomboyish voice excitedly replied, ("Of course I'm excited! I get to fight with Papa! Let's go, go, go, go~!")

Exhaling a light chuckle, Vahn swung the oversized hammer to produce a bolt of lightning comparable to a solar flare. Thor had attempted to blast him with a similarly sized bolt of lightning, so Vahn countered it with his own before charging through both to meet the enraged God at the center.

Swinging their respective Mjolnirs, Vahn and Thor created an explosion that ripped apart the surrounding space and spread outward with enough force to vaporize the partially destroyed planetoid. Soon after, despite being several tens of millions of kilometers away, violent ripples could be seen spreading across the luminous, rune-covered barrier encompassing the entirety of Asgard.

With Sis informing him that the echoes of their conflict were reaching Asgard, Vahn evaded one of Thor's succeeding blows before surprising the battle-crazed God with a hand to the face. Then, using an advanced form of Shundo, he practically teleported them several lightyears away before closing his fingers around Thor's beard, spinning him around, and throwing him towards a nearby star.

Despite the vacuum of space, Vahn could hear Thor unleashing a furious battle cry before he impacted the star, sinking into its surface and causing a massive plume of fiery plasma to erupt outward.

Without giving Thor time to recover, Vahn raised his Mjolnir over his head, tremendous amounts of Lightning Elemental Energy gathering above him to form a small star as he said, "Let's kick things up a notch."

Dropping his hammer in the direction of the star, Vahn sent the massive ball of Lightning Elemental Energy surging toward it in the form of a giant dragon's maw. It was initially smaller than the star but quickly expanded to a size capable of devouring the entire thing before coiling around itself and imploding with the force of several supernovas.

Unaffected by the shockwave produced by his attack, Vahn watched in silence as the destroyed star collapsed into a black hole. Naturally formed black holes were far more potent than those created through magic, so he was curious to see if Thor would be able to break free.

Demonstrating just how absurd the Divine Realm could be, several cracks appeared across the surface of the black hole as if the event horizon was a physical object. Moments later, it completely shattered as Thor emerged from the center, body covered in wounds and veiled in blue lightning.

After absorbing the energy contained within Vahn's previous attack, Thor felt utterly unstoppable. It didn't matter that the energy was tearing him apart from the inside, barely kept in check by immortality. So long as he could channel it into his Mjolnir and strike Vahn, Thor was confident of his victory.

Seeing Thor making use of his gift, a faint yet distinctly battle-hungry smile developed across Vahn's face as he charged towards the resolute God. It had been quite some time since he faced an opponent who just wanted to fight him, so he intended to make the most of it.

...

Despite the many lightyears separating them, Sis was able to experience everything Vahn was undergoing as if she were right there with him. She could see through his eyes, hear through his ears, and feel the excitement coursing through his body as he and Thor traded blows.

Like Sis, Fenrir could also feel her Master's emotions through the link they shared. Thus, for the past couple of minutes, her tail had been wagging as she stared silently at the heavens above.

"Master is having fun..."

Nodding her head in both approval and affirmation, Sis replied, "Indeed." before extending her hand to pat Fenrir's head. When she did, the latter immediately leaned into her caress, as, despite recognizing that Sis was a separate entity, Fenrir viewed her as an extension of her Master.

Intruding upon the duo's intimacy, Muninn cautiously approached Sis and Fenrir, asking, "Can I ask the two of you to accompany me? The Allfather has asked that we escort you someplace safe."

Though Fenrir was about to refuse, she stopped herself when Sis calmly replied, "Certainly."

Sharing her awareness with Vahn, Sis was well aware of events taking place 'behind the scenes.' She also knew Vahn would have a much easier time acting if he had the excuse of 'protecting' them, so she didn't mind placing herself into ostensibly compromising positions.

Noticing how Fenrir deferred to Sis, despite her reputation as Vahn's most trusted companion, Muninn couldn't help squinting her eyes in interest. If she weren't afraid of offending Vahn, she would have liked to question the peculiar cat woman to ascertain her secrets. Instead, she offered a polite bow and said, "Well then, allow me to show you to your quarters. I'm sure they will be to you and your Master's liking."

Returning a faint, squinty-eyed smile of her own, Sis mused, "I'm looking forward to it." before grabbing Fenrir's paw and dragging her away from the actual Muninn.

...