Chapter 219

O Goddess, sing the Wrath.

On the day when Paradise beyond death was invaded.

On the day those rude ones crossed a wall they shouldn’t have.

On the day anger shook the world.

On the day anger shook the world.

They shall burn to ashes.

Blades shall rust and collapse, armor shall corrode and vanish.

Faint resistance shall disappear like foam swallowed by waves.

They all shall vanish like snow under the sun.

The sound of the Giant’s horn shakes the world.

The breath of scaled and winged ones crumbles it.

Paradise will become a battlefield, an execution ground.

Their names shall be forgotten, no one will remember.

Only the fact that such beings existed shall remain.

They shall vanish into dust.

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

“This is terrifying.”

Hermes briefly clicked his tongue and gazed at Paradise.

A place only the permitted may ascend.

Among the Olympian gods, only himself and….

“War… blood-boiling war it is!”

“Calm down. Ares.”

“It’s not Ares! It’s me! MARS!!”

Something strangely changed about Ares. No, Mars who alone was granted permission to come.

“What on earth did the Forest Sage do to make a god change this much?”

Ares, who had nearly lost most of his faith due to the Sage of the Forest, managed to recover it over ten years and awaken his self again… but in the process, there seems to have been some issue as he gained a different divinity.

The essence of being the God of War remained unchanged though.

“Well then, Mars, how do you see this war?”

“There’s no doubt; a miserable downfall for the Aesir awaits!”

Though changed, the God of War remains the God of War, thus expert regarding wars.

“It was destined from the start. The heavens favor the Aesir’s defeat, the battleground is the paradise crafted by the Goddess of Life, and the forces participating are far stronger than the Aesir.”

Hermes slightly nodded.

“I never expected such terrifying beings to be in the Underworld.”

The army gathered to destroy the Aesir consisted of massive beings without life.

Giants made of rock and flame, ice and storm.

And the colossal black rock giant leading them all.

“So this is the famed giant of the Underworld.”

The giant carefully crafted by the Goddess of Life to guard the Underworld possessed formidable power.

Perhaps just slightly weaker than a major deity.

“Terrifying. So the Goddess of Life can casually create something like this?”

A being capable of creating such things must be even more powerful than what other gods thought.

Not antagonizing her was… the best choice indeed.

“Poor fools, those Aesir.”

Hermes shifted his gaze from the black giant Talos to look elsewhere.

Past the army of dead souls, past the ones managing the Underworld, his eyes landed on the towering dragon-like creatures with wings.

“Dragons… ”

Mystical creatures appearing in tales of heroes, said to be related to the Goddess of Life. Dragons.

While he knew some dragons were worshipped as gods… seeing a pure dragon was a first.

Each dragon with distinct scales, dozens strong enough to rival the black giant Talos.

Perhaps… these dragons alone could rival Olympus.

There were also mighty wolf gods and giant gods, but given the overwhelming force of just the dragons, Talos, and the undead army, they weren’t particularly important.

“In such a situation, me and Ares…”

“Mars.”

“Hmm. Given that we were allowed to come here… it seems more like a show of force.”

Zeus sent Hermes and Mars with the order to seize Odin’s eye when the opportunity arose, but if things go this way, neither he nor Mars would get a chance to act.

In which case… would the Goddess of Life grant a grace period?

Unknown. If Hermes could steal Odin’s eye himself, that’d be ideal, but whether he can succeed is uncertain.

“My leg isn’t fully recovered yet… but I’ll give it a shot.”

If Hermes doesn’t take Odin’s eye, Zeus would likely have to offer a piece of Baal instead.

Then, suddenly,

BUUUUUUUUUM!!!

A colossal trumpet blast echoed as those gathered began their advance.

Destination: the fortress built within Paradise.

The insignificant fortress the Aesir named Valhalla.

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

The Aesir will fall.

Freya keenly felt this reality.

Even just the army of the dead outnumbered the Einherjar they had gathered.

Moreover, those dragons and the black rock giant… even the renowned warrior gods of the Aesir would find it hard to predict victory against such foes.

To top it off, the God of Giants who constantly clashed with the Aesir, and the Wolf God once imprisoned by them, were also participating.

To overcome such enemies, the number of Einherjar would need to double, and the gods of Aesir themselves would require twice their current strength.

Even then, any victory achieved would leave everything scorched, barely clinging to life.

And above all… the Goddess of Life herself hasn’t even joined this army.

Even without her participation, the Aesir couldn’t guarantee victory.

In truth, this army might as well be meaningless.

If the Goddess of Life decided so, the Aesir could turn into a mere handful of dust in an instant.

Thus… Thus, Freya justified her own choice.

“I’m not doing anything wrong.”

The proposal to save herself and the Valkyries following her.

No one could refuse such an offer.

Therefore, she must thoroughly carry out what was asked of her.

Freya let out a small sigh and approached Odin, who stood atop the fortress looking at the approaching enemies.

“What is it? Freya.”

“Odin.”

The one-eyed old god. The wise god consumed by madness.

The god who brought about the downfall of the Aesir.

“Is there any hope for the Aesir?”

To Freya’s question, Odin remained silent.

He merely stared at the enemy with his remaining eye.

That itself was answer enough.

“I understand even without your reply. The Aesir’s end has come.”

At Freya’s words, Odin slowly opened his mouth.

“I wonder… what should I have done?”

“How should I know? If the wisest god doesn’t know, who would?”

“Can we not escape destruction by fleeing to another world… Did the sage lie to me?”

“I heard that if we go to another world, we could avoid destruction…”

Freya merely tilted her head at Odin’s words.

Creating a path to another world was undoubtedly impressive, but it didn’t seem like it could avoid their downfall.

Since the place connected to Odin’s path was created by the Goddess of Life, the paradise beyond death, escaping her grasp was impossible.

Especially since Odin himself clearly knew where this place was, it was natural for her to be greatly angered.

If the sage had said such a thing, wasn’t it suggesting to create an entirely separate world and flee there?

Had Odin become so foolish that he couldn’t understand even that?

The fall of the Aesir was… merely a matter of time.

“Well, whatever.”

Freya sighed while looking at such Odin and spoke.

“As per our agreement, I’ve completed my tasks. We came here, built the fortress, and laid the foundation for Valhalla.”

“Indeed. You’ve done your part sufficiently.”

“Then, give me what was promised in return.”

At Freya’s words, Odin slightly nodded.

“You asked to transfer all Valkyries under your command and half the Einherjar under your leadership… Very well.”

Odin lightly nodded and gestured in the air.

Simultaneously, Freya realized she was now connected to countless beings.

The sensation of all Valkyries and half the Einherjar becoming subordinate to her.

“I expect great deeds from you and your Valkyries in the final battle.”

“Great deeds…”

Freya slightly shook her head.

“The Goddess of Life said this.”

“Hm?”

“She said there’s a role for me and the Valkyries. That she has tasks for us.”

“Freya, you…”

“While other Aesir gods will receive different punishments, but Odin… you, I cannot simply let you be.”

Odin silently stared at Freya for a moment.

“Are you betraying me?”

“No. I’m merely accepting a wiser proposal. Besides, I’m not even originally from the Aesir.”

Isn’t surviving rather than perishing more prudent?

“So, as per our agreement, I’ll take the Valkyries and half the Einherjar. Thanks for everything, Odin.”

“Freya…!”

Odin stretched out his hand as if to say something more to Freya, but his hand merely cut through the air.

Freya, who was conversing with Odin until just moments ago, vanished as if she had never been there in the first place.

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

The battle was one-sided.

With Freya, the Valkyries, and half the Einherjar gone, the Aesir collapsed much faster than others anticipated.

Completely losing air superiority to the dragons, overwhelmed in numbers by the undead army, and the geographical advantage provided by the fortress was nullified when Talos’ greatsword shattered the fortress walls with a single strike.

Despite several Aesir gods experienced in combat valiantly resisting while surrounded by numerous foes, ultimately, they were overwhelmed. Collapse was inevitable.

Even Thor, one of the strongest gods of the Aesir, fell alongside his hammer, unable to withstand the combined assault of the Wolf God Fenrir and the God of Giants.

Odin could only lament his own folly.