Chapter 120: The Dragon Slayer's Return
The arena buzzed with anticipation, but confusion rippled through the divine spectators like a sudden gust of wind.
Heimdall's voice had just announced the god representing the divine side in the fifth round: the Trickster God of Norse mythology—Loki. But as the gates opened, the figure that stepped out was not the sly, serpentine god they expected.
It was Odin.
Clad in regal black robes, his presence was unmistakable. The crowd erupted.
"Odin himself?!"
"Finally! Someone serious!"
"Clearly, they realized Loki couldn't handle this."
Cheers rang out from the divine side. Heimdall blinked in confusion. Had there been a last-minute substitution?
But then he looked up—and froze.
Odin was still seated in his VIP box, unmoving.
The figure on the battlefield… was a fake.
Gasps and curses followed as realization dawned. "That's Loki, isn't it?!"
"Damn it, he fooled us again!"
Loki chuckled, his illusion melting away. "Caught me," he said with a wink.
On the human side, Heimdall continued his introduction. "He is the man most closely tied to the Valkyrie Brunhilde. The one who completed her divine trial and slew the evil dragon Fafnir."
The crowd fell silent.
"He is the Dragon Slayer—Siegfried Sigurd."
Chapter 121: A Blow That Shook the Gods
The legend of the Dragon Slayer was known across pantheons. Many cultures had their own tales, but none were as entwined with divine politics as the Norse saga.
Brunhilde's trial had been meant to elevate her to godhood. Yet it was a mortal who completed it. And now, that mortal stood once more on the battlefield—not just as a champion of humanity, but as a symbol of vengeance.
Some whispered that Ragnarok was not merely a war for survival, but Brunhilde's reckoning.
In the Valkyrie viewing box, tension crackled.
"You're pathetic, sister," said a striking woman dressed like a high priestess.
Brunhilde didn't respond. She knew that voice—Gerndal, the thirteenth Valkyrie.
"I've decided," Gerndal continued, eyes sparkling. "If he wins this match, I'm going to confess my love."
Gray, the youngest sister, gawked. "You just brushed past him once and now you're in love?!"
Gerndal smiled dreamily. "He's perfect. And unlike our cowardly sister, I'm not afraid to act."
Brunhilde's gaze turned icy. "Gerndal… are you trying to die?"
Her voice was soft, but laced with killing intent.
"I'm just following my heart," Gerndal replied sweetly. "Unlike you, who wasted hers."
Brunhilde clenched her fists. She didn't believe Gerndal's sudden infatuation. It was a provocation—an attempt to twist the knife.
But she forced herself to focus. Heimdall was introducing the human champion.
A man stepped onto the stage, clad in armor forged from dragon bone. His lion-like mane shimmered beneath the arena lights. The armor was reminiscent of medieval knights, yet bore futuristic contours—sleek, angular, and radiant with power.
Brunhilde's heart twisted.
That armor… he had forged it after slaying Fafnir. She had never seen him wear it in battle. If he'd worn it that day, she might never have succeeded in her betrayal.
Even in death, he hadn't looked at her with hatred. He hadn't spoken a word.
That silence haunted her more than any scream.
Her eyes shifted to Loki, standing opposite him. Her glare could have pierced mountains.
Heimdall's voice rang out again. "This is a battle of fate. In the original legend, the Dragon Slayer died by the hand of the Valkyrie—manipulated by the Trickster God."
Brunhilde paled. Her lips trembled.
But Siegfried didn't flinch.
Loki smirked. "You really don't know what kind of woman Brunhilde is, do you?"
"She used you," he said, voice dripping with venom. "You were just a tool to complete her trial. She never loved you."
"Lies!" shouted Gray, her voice cracking with emotion.
"Ask her yourself," Loki said. "Why did she summon you from the time before her betrayal?"
The crowd murmured. Loki's words were sinking in.
Siegfried, summoned from a time before he knew the truth, stood silent.
"Why summon the version of him who doesn't know?" Loki pressed. "Because she's afraid. Because she never trusted him."
"Say something!" Gray pleaded, turning to her sister.
"Silence, Gray!" Brunhilde snapped.
Her refusal to speak sent ripples through both sides. Even the humans began to doubt.
But Siegfried remained unmoved.
"Can we start the fight already?" he said calmly.
Heimdall blinked. "Ah—yes! The final battle between man and god… begins now!"
Loki's hands erupted with magic. Crescent-shaped blades, chained to his wrists, shimmered with deadly intent.
With a shriek, he hurled one forward—lightning-fast, aimed straight at Siegfried's throat.
The gods gasped. That speed surpassed most divine warriors.
But—
"What?!"
Siegfried caught the blade.
With a flick of his wrist, he yanked Loki forward.
"BOOM!"
Loki flew like a cannonball, crashing into the arena wall. His body embedded deep into the stone, his head twisted grotesquely.
Was it over already?
Chapter 122: Gungnir Barrage
Silence.
The crowd stared, stunned.
Had the fifth round ended in seconds?
"Loki's pathetic," someone muttered.
But that wasn't fair. His opening strike had been faster than 99% of gods.
The truth was simple: Siegfried was a monster.
"YES!" Gray cheered, pumping her fists. "That's what you get for running your mouth!"
Brunhilde's heart pounded. Siegfried hadn't even drawn his sword. A single punch had nearly ended the Trickster God.
But then—
Loki stirred.
He peeled himself from the wall, bones cracking, and twisted his head back into place.
Only… he didn't twist it left.
He twisted it right—completing a full 360-degree rotation.
Gray's jaw dropped. "That's… not normal."
Loki grinned, blood dripping from his lips.
"You're strong," he said. "But I'm not done yet."