The spectators were equally enthusiastic and excited, especially the demigods, as well as the god of war who smiled from ear to ear, displaying a depraved grin.
On the other hand, the gods opposed to the warrior deity analyzed the situation. Zeus, for his part, gave a great snort, ordering Hermes to bring wine. Poseidon and Hades spoke among themselves about the matter: "The weapon is definitely divine, but what about his body?"
"Resistance," the king of the dead replied frivolously. "Human Lu Bu is more resilient than we thought. A blow of that magnitude should have torn him to pieces, yet against all odds, here he is. More alive than ever." He remarked with a curious grimace.
"What tremendous stamina for a human," Apollo said, taking a sip of his drink. "Yes. I thought this round would end quickly. I suppose we now know why Brunhild chose him," Artemis remarked, focusing on the Valkyrie leader. (You wouldn't be a bad hunter,) the goddess reasoned in her mind.
Hestia stared at the screen, captivated. A quick thought about the precarious situation she found herself in was enough to sadden her, but seeing the warrior equaling the deity gave her hope of returning to Olympus with her family.
"I have to give you credit, Brunhild," Hera declared, crossing one leg over the other. "You're not as naive as I expected," she said, eliciting a smile from Athena, which she quickly hid, glancing at her daughter who was trying with little success to calm Ares' daughter, who was extending her fist and shouting about the power of mortals, with Chiron standing at her side with a jovial expression.
Hephaestus stared intently at the human's halberd, his interest piqued the moment the thunder god's blood stained its pristine blade. Meanwhile, Aphrodite watched in amazement as the human withstood such a powerful blow.
For his part, Dionysus swirled his glass, raising it as he closed one eye. "A good drink and a show worthy of it," he said, leaning back with little or no concern for his future survival.
"Let's begin," declared the administrator with the characteristic sound of a cell phone locking. Immediately, the gods and others sat down with Hermes handing out drinks to the three Olympian kings.
Valhalla Arena
Thor's hand slowly traced the wound, then he watched the blood drip onto his gauntlet, his face contorted in surprise at the cut on his chest. As the gods in the arena displayed their astonishment, both combatants smiled in a rare way.
"He's as surprised as we are," Demeter said stoically. "That's normal considering he was never hurt before," Aphrodite added instantly.
"Thor-sama was injured by a mere human?! Impossible!" Fortesi exclaimed, his voice trembling with nervousness, his facial features denoting denial.
"What the hell... he's clearly not playing around," one of the gods commented, while the others were so astonished that they couldn't say a word.
"Yes!" Clarisse exclaimed. "You saw that. We won't be the ones who die!" she declared, greatly missing her other companions. "For a moment I forgot about that," Annabeth commented in a low voice.
THEN.
THE SAME THOUGHT WAS GOING THROUGH THE MINDS OF LU BU AND THOR.
WERE THEY BORN IN THE SAME PLACE? NO. WERE THEY OF THE SAME RACE?
Lu Bu instantly pointed his bloodied weapon at his opponent and, with a wide smile showing his teeth, flattered him, "Hey! You're very good." The tone of amusement was evident.
Thor gets back up, raising his weapon and smiling for the first time. "Bastard, that power is a waste in a human like you," he said amusedly, observing his rival.
THEY COULD HAVE BECOME RIVALS
"A god recognizing a human like that?" Grover said nervously. "It's not something you see every day."
"It's incredible," Percy declared, amazement in his voice, while Luke gave a malevolent smile as he looked at his father.
"It seems Thor is finally going to get serious," Poseidon declared quickly. "It's time to see the true power of this Thor," Hera exclaimed, hearing an irritated snort from her husband.
Chiron observed the situation for a moment. "For being of different races," he said softly, "They seem to get along well."
Mongolian grasslands
A small village lay on some plain; in the sky, the clouds cleared the place, giving a better view of what was happening.
Ares brought his hands to his head with an annoyed expression. "Again!" he shouted furiously. "Just show the battle!" The war god's words caused Athena to sigh. "Perhaps it's not important to you, however, the rest want to see the origin of that Lu Bu," she said, exchanging harsh glances with her brother.
"Seeing the origin of the strength of China's strongest hero sounds interesting," Hestia declared calmly while smiling. Ares thought for a moment about letting out an annoyed snort.
Meanwhile, the demigods were waiting expectantly for the story of man.
ACCORDING TO THE RECORDS OF THE THREE KINGDOMS.
A small boy in Mongolian clothing, with long black hair and a hat, his eyes apathetic towards what was happening, and a trail of blood on his forehead that trickled down his face until it fell in small drops onto his clothes.
"Well, at least we know he wasn't normal as a child," Grover declared, to which Percy nodded. A sad expression crossed Hestia's face as she observed the boy's gaze. "That kind of look isn't one a child should have," she murmured melancholically.
It is said that Lu Bu comes from a Mongolian tribe
ALTHOUGH WE STILL HAVE TO CONFIRM ITS ORIGIN.
Three adults stared in amazement at the little boy riding on a huge horse while a large wolf lay on the ground; in the boy's right hand lay a bloody knife.
BUT, WHAT WE KNOW FOR SURE IS THAT…
The flesh of the great wolf, cut to the bone, a wolf that could easily kill grown men, was now nothing more than a slaughtered animal like any other.
"A beast even as a child," Aphrodite remarked, observing Hephaestus's lack of interest now that the divine weapons weren't being displayed. Hestia looked sadly at the boy's predicament; in her eyes, no child should be taking such risks or killing so easily.
WHEN HE REALIZED HE HAD SURPASSED HIS CLAN
Looking towards the other adults who were present, he advanced with his horse, moving away from the place with those present observing this event.
He set out on a journey to become the strongest.
I TRAVEL ACROSS THE VAST CONTINENT OF EURASIA… LOOKING FOR AN OPPONENT STRONGER THAN HIM.
A teenager with his hands on his hips rides his big dark horse while the ropes are found on his chest.
"Not bad," Aphrodite murmured, touching her lips with a finger. "Quite stylized for how it ended," Demeter exclaimed.
A large bear roars upon seeing potential prey approaching at high speed.
Unlike her colleagues who reacted to the young hero's early confrontation, Clarisse encouraged him while also offering words of support to his representative.
The young man, still with his hands near his hips, prepares to jump while the horse, with determination, advances without hesitation towards the great beast.
Extending his arms to both sides, the young man prepares for his confrontation, while the large bear prepares its claws to deliver a lethal strike.
"That guy is crazy," Percy declared, to which Grover raised a questioning eyebrow. "Says the guy who faced a minotaur," he said, to which Percy paused for a moment, thinking, "Touché."
AND EVERYTHING THAT STOOD IN THEIR WAY.
The young man stared furiously ahead as he exhaled, blood gushing from a wound that ran across part of his forehead and ended on his right cheek, passing by his eye.
IT WAS SIMPLY
The bear's neck was completely twisted, one of its eyes was bulging out of its socket, and its lower jaw was dislocated, as the perpetrator rode away from the scene.
"Now we know where that scarring came from," Hermes said quickly. "It's more interesting that it traveled across your continent looking for some obstacle." Dionysus's tone of voice changed to disinterest.
ANNIHILATED
And it continued like that for years…
Two armies charged fiercely towards each other for the great battle between their kingdoms.
Both Athena and Ares raised their heads with great interest, while Athena observed and analyzed the formations of the armies, Ares smiled wildly with excitement.
BUT ONE DAY, IN THE MIDDLE OF HIS JOURNEY
Blood, death, broken bones, bodies of both horses and humans, was all that lay on the ground; the confrontation was tough for both sides, however.
A soldier stands out from his detachment, riding in his armor and his equally armored horse, advancing towards the heart of the enemy, without a hint of expression.
"Head-on and without any plan," Apollo commented, tilting his head slightly. "How reckless," Artemis declared.
THE NAME LU BU
Blood spurted down his right flank; the heads and bodies of three rival soldiers were pierced by his spear. With a swift movement, he cleared the bodies, sending the heads rolling. His spear ready to resume the attack.
Soldiers whose objective was to protect their general lay on the ground, pierced, decapitated, mutilated, it didn't matter how they died… The result was inevitable.
"Something to be expected from a man who is called the strongest," Hera said in a monotone tone.
HE WAS HEARD THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE KINGDOM.
Near the edge of some cliff, in the middle of a heavy rain, Lu Bu remained seated on his horse with his legs and arms crossed, directing his attention towards the gray sky that covered his entire view.
EVENTUALLY, NOTHING COULD STAND IN THEIR WAY…
Several soldiers approached and smiled upon seeing their general in that environment.
AND BECAUSE OF THAT.
Large numbers of soldiers waited behind their general and his high command, some on horseback, most on foot, with spears, swords, bows and large war standards with their shields being waved in the air.
"I form an entire army with nothing but his strength," Chiron declared. "The strong are attracted to those stronger than themselves," Hades said.
AND SO AFTER 30 YEARS OF LIFE.
Lu Bu adjusted his gaze to see what was in front of him.
LU BU REACHED THE END OF HIS JOURNEY.
AND AT THAT MOMENT.
He looked down with an impassive gaze, raindrops covered him, his eyes instantly lost all their brightness.
SHE FINALLY REALIZED…
THAT UNDER THE SKY.
Lu Bu found himself naked atop a mountain of corpses roaring loudly towards the heavens, all those who had ever attempted to take his life or confronted him, from wolves to various animals and of course… humans, lay beneath his feet.
THERE WAS NOTHING AND NO ONE STRONGER THAN HIM!
A sudden feeling of danger swept through the minds of the demigods, especially Grover, who choked for a moment on his own saliva.
As the gods looked with greater interest at the human, Ares' eyes shone with respect for the human for having reached the pinnacle of warriors.
Enormous walls filled the field of vision, in the center the entrance being guarded by guards and soldiers, while three soldiers are seen escorting a prisoner who was found tied up and on top of a horse, two to hold the prisoner, one to guide the horse
The site was spacious and vigorously guarded by guards, in the center a gallows with a rope awaiting its next execution.
"An execution site," Chiron stated instantly. "Yes. Lu Bu's fate has been sealed," Luke commented quickly.
"Will she beg like in the legends?" Annabeth said, intrigued, while Percy and Grover watched attentively.
THE RECORDS STATE…
THAT AFTER A FIERCE BATTLE AGAINST CAO.
Chen Gong was tied up and crying while two guards held him down.
LU BU WAS DEFEATED, CAPTURED AND TAKEN PRISONER.
Lu Bu ascended the stairs while in front, in a structure of noble bearing, an audience looked at him; specifically, Cao Cao, a man of military bearing, large gray eyebrows and a prominent long beard, looked seriously as he executed.
Falling to his knees, Lu Bu pleaded, "Let me lead just one squadron of your cavalry and I guarantee you will have everything under the heavens!" He wept uncontrollably.
While the gods gave disapproving looks, both Ares and Athena remained impassive about the situation.
IT IS SAID THAT HER CRIES RESOUNDED AS SHE BEGGED FOR HER LIFE.
As I climb the stairs, I see the rope.
ALTHOUGH… WE DON'T KNOW THE TRUTH ABOUT THIS STORY.
EVIL!
I never beg.
EVIL!
I don't cry for his life.
EVIL!
Lu Bu was taken prisoner, but the cause of his tears was…
Everyone stared in bewilderment at the powerful general who was crying.
BOREDOM.
The crying echoed and continued until it reached the front of the rope.
"They're not so different," Ares declared emphatically. "Both Thor and Lu Bu are just looking for a rival against whom to unleash their full power."
"That makes sense," Athena exclaimed, straightening her back. "For warriors, a life of boredom is like being dead inside, without motivation or a reason for existence. Just empty shells." Ares nodded, surprising both Annabeth and Clarisse with how easily they agreed.
"The legend has been mistold all this time," Poseidon remarked with a sad smile. "History is written by the victors. They earned that right."
AFTER REALIZING HIS UNSURPASSABLE STRENGTH UNDER THE SKIES.
HE FELL INTO DESPAIR.
Lu Bu gave a big yawn, looked up at the sky with squinted eyes, "Hey…" he said to his executioners, "Just hurry up, okay? Why are you taking so long? You're boring me to death." Those were the last words in the life of the general flyer.
Valhalla Arena. In the arena, only the clash between these titans echoed.
Lu Bu, in a fighting stance, launched a vertical attack with both hands on his weapon. Thor raised his guard, defending with his right hand, gripping the hammer to block the attack. Both smiled at their colossal clash.
"Come on, Lu Bu!" Clarisse encouraged enthusiastically. "Don't lose," Percy demanded.
"Show what you're made of and blah blah," Dionysus said, twisting his wrist.
"I don't even want to think about losing!" Ares shouted excitedly.
The eyes of the god of the forge fixed on the deity's hammer, a feeling of strangeness taking hold of him every time his eyes rested on the weapon.
THE PERSON WORTHY OF BEING MY OPPONENT!
The smiles of both gladiators widened as they compared their strengths.
In the stands, Chen Gong trembled, saying, "It's the first time... I've seen... my lord... Lu Bu..." He said in total surprise, bringing a hand almost to cover his mouth. "So happy! He's even smiling!" He said with a big smile at the end while doing a Chinese bow, tears streaming down his face.
On the other hand, Zeus thought about what happened. "How strange..." said the old man, while next to him a tall, thin man with the bearing of a butler, black hair, tattoos on his face, one under his right eye and the other on the left side of his forehead, was Hermes (Greece) one of the twelve gods of Olympus.
Aphrodite let out a faint whistle. "You certainly look more handsome with that appearance," the goddess congratulated the messenger, who looked dismayed at his other version. "And with more formal attire," Zeus affirmed, causing the rest to nod, with the exception of Hestia.
"Don't worry, Hermes," said the goddess of the hearth kindly. "I like this version of you better," she declared cheerfully, encouraging the deity.
"Zeus-sama! Is there anything that interests you about humans?!" I shouted confidently in Zeus's ear.
Looking ahead with a somber expression, Zeus concluded, "Something impossible has happened." Hermes continued shouting, "Are you wondering why a mere human is able to fight on equal terms with a god?!"
An annoyed Zeus looked at Hermes to reprimand him, "Shut up already! Don't shout in my ear! I'm not so old that my ears have stopped working!"
"Don't make me go that far," Zeus joked, trying to draw attention to himself instead of his counterpart. "I won't allow it," Hera declared with a determined look.
Turning his gaze back to the arena, he continued, "Besides that, there's another problem... and that is that he's facing Thor's Mjolnir. Any weapon created by humans should be destroyed with a single blow, so that would be impossible." When he finished speaking, he looked towards the arena where Lu Bu and Thor were still clashing their weapons ferociously.
"Unless they used something special," Hermes exclaimed, unsurprised at the thought that he had obtained some Vanir or Aesir magic typical of the Norse.
With a curious tone, he continued his thoughts, "Weapons made by humans will have no chance against divine weapons." A thought crossed his mind, "Wait a moment."
Turning his gaze to the valkyrie in front of him, he saw how she only smiled statically, then her smile became more extended as she realized he was watching her.
Ares looked at the Valkyrie with great interest. "Not bad," he said, feeling a certain attraction to her. "You don't even think about it," Athena said, looking at her brother. "He's not from our universe, and it's best to keep it that way," she declared, looking directly into his eyes.
Scratching his beard, he smiled, "Hmph, I understand your plan, Valkyrie."
Brunhild kept smiling, while Geir felt uncomfortable and nervous at the same time because of the look Zeus was giving them, "Sister Zeus-sama is looking this way with a terrifying smile" she said while holding onto her older sister.
"It seems he's noticed," Brunhild realized from the look she received.
"You're strangely perceptive, brother," Hades declared, resting his elbow on the armrest. "I suppose the position of leader of the gods in that universe is quite fitting," he said, causing a smug expression to appear on the king of Olympus. "Of course it is," the god affirmed.
Poseidon gave a blank stare. (Perhaps by observing how your counterpart acts, he can see what a true ruler is like, brother. Although I doubt that Zeus is a good influence.) The king of the seas reasoned, pinching the bridge of his nose.
BEFORE THE BEGINNING OF RAGNAROK…
In the buildings that stood atop floating mountains, Brunhild and Geir looked at photos of the most prominent humans.
"Relax, Geir," Brunhild insisted, trying to calm her younger sister, looking at a specific man's picture, her voice confident and calm. "I've already decided who the fighters for humanity will be."
The gods raised their heads with interest. "I am very interested in your selection," murmured Chiron, intrigued. His students showed equal curiosity.
On the other hand, his sister wasn't so sure. "No, this is a bad idea, sister! This guy is too dangerous! He's taken many lives because of his boredom, you know that!"
Geir, after all, the representative who chose his sister… He was a monster.
Objecting, Geir continued explaining while her sister looked at her seriously, raising her hand and sweeping it horizontally, said, "And even if he is the strongest in the three realms, does he stand a chance in a battle against the gods? Not to mention Thor-sama." She finished speaking.
"I defy the gods. I'd be surprised if I didn't have something prepared," Demeter said inquisitively. "Especially given what's at stake," she declared, narrowing her eyes. Artemis looked at the screen, raising her chin.
Brunhild looked at her sister and without any expression replied, "Obviously, she doesn't stand a chance."
Strangeness quickly filled the room. "Something to be expected," Poseidon declared. "At least he's aware of his position," Hera exclaimed.
Athena smiled as she looked at Brunhild. "If you are ignorant of your enemy, but know yourself, your chances of winning or losing are the same," she said, raising her chin. "If you are ignorant of both your enemy and yourself, you can be sure of being defeated in every battle."
Ares smiled brazenly at the woman's personality. "It's quite funny," he exclaimed, letting out a few laughs.
Causing Geir to go into shock and shout, "No chance?! Obviously!?"
Calmly, the elder Valkyrie explained why: "The ace up the gods' sleeve is... their ability to forge divine weapons, which has been perfected in the heavens." Recalling the divine weapons that have been continuously manufactured, she added, "In comparison, to the gods, human weapons are nothing more than toys. They would be destroyed in seconds." She then drew a comparison of two spheres, one completely crushing the other, the destroyed sphere representing human weapons.
"Obviously," Hephaestus declared, to which the rest of the deities nodded with a certain ironic sense of comparison. "Human weapons are nothing more than pieces of metal compared to divine ones," Apollo exclaimed, leaning back in his seat.
Looking at her younger sister as if she were a fool, she said, "So Geir," moving her hands in a pose to emphasize the obvious, "It's impossible for humans to defeat the gods while wielding their divine weapons." To which her sister could only reply with a dejected, "Impossible..."
Falling to the ground, Geir began to cry while saying, "We're finished!"
"That Valkyrie is quite amusing," declared Dionysus with a mocking smile. "She's rather high-strung for a goddess," said Hermes, to which Demeter made a face of surprise. "Isn't it the same for you? With all the Valhalla business," she remarked, eliciting an offended grimace from the messenger.
"I was about to have a fate worse than death itself!" exclaimed the god, raising his palms to his stomach. "I don't recall you mentioning any thanks to Tyr for helping you," Aphrodite stated dryly.
Crouching down, Brunhild smiled at her. "Fufufu, you're right about that. We're completely finished." She looked directly at her sister, still with a smile on her lips. "But let me ask you this: What would happen if humans had divine weapons?"
Those present paid closer attention to the Valkyrie leader's question.
"Huh?" That was all her sister could say before she started to get up, when she was fully standing her sister gave her the answer.
Her voice was captivating, with total confidence, without a doubt Brunhild continued with her short explanation "It is true that, only a divine weapon can face another divine weapon.
A current of wind, along with flowers, began to form a whirlpool, surprising Geir; from the flowers, human figures finally appeared.
An elegant voice spoke on behalf of all the figures, "Did you call me, dear sister?" The respect in her voice was undeniable.
The shadows hid silhouettes that were in the large room, however, women of different sizes, proportions and clothing could still be distinguished, all of undeniable beauty.
Artemis opened her eyes wide, looking at the Valkyries. "Based on their reputation, they could be excellent hunters."
"The eleven Valkyries," Annabeth said, trying to get a better look at the women. "There are some conflicting stories regarding their appearance," she said, gesturing to emphasize her point.
"I read about it," Luke declared quickly. "They will also be working with some kind of sorceresses or similar to the Fates, with a horrifying appearance that could kill with a single glance and that, thanks to their power, have the ability to make it rain blood upon the earth." Luke explained, leaving his companions impressed by the very clear contrast between what the son of Hermes was describing and what they saw on the screen.
"Due to the summons of our elder sister Brunhild, we, the 11 Valkyrie sisters, have gathered," said the one at the front of the group, holding and slightly raising the sides of her long dress in a bow.
Geir looked at the Valkyries with excitement. "Oh... Our sisters!" Now, with a little uncertainty, she looked at her older sister to ask, "Is this the first time all 13 of us have met in the same place?! But, why?"
With her gaze fixed on one of her sisters, Brunhild ordered, "Randgriz, step forward."
"Yes," the Valkyrie spoke as she walked, and instantly a beautiful and refined woman appeared as rose petals fluttered around her. "Dear sister," Valkyrie, the fourth Randgriz sister, a beautiful woman with long, flowing hair that reached her waist, adorned with a double-pronged metal spear-shaped hairpin at the back of her crown. She wore an elegant noblewoman's gown.
Apollo looked with great interest at the Valkyrie, as did some of the other gods, while the young people in the room were absorbed by her beauty; even Grover made a sound characteristic of a goat.
Aphrodite brought a finger to her lips, touching them gently as she smiled. "This just keeps getting better with every scene," Dionysus exclaimed, taking a sip of his drink. "Don't you think so, Hermes?" he asked, eliciting a laugh from the messenger of the gods before recalling Odin's impassive expression upon his infiltration of Valhalla.
"Sister Griz," Geir said with great excitement. "Randgriz, I suppose you know about Thor-sama's weapons?" Brunhild asked her sister directly.
With demonstrative gestures, the fourth Valkyrie responded clearly, "Of course, Jarngreipr, gauntlets capable of withstanding any attack, and most importantly, the nightmare of giants." She emphasized the nickname of the last weapon, "Better known as Mjolnir."
"Indeed," Felicito Brunhild began, raising two fingers of her hand. "Those two weapons Thor uses are among the most powerful divine weapons. To defeat them, we must first overcome those obstacles." Looking directly at her sister with a serious expression, she pointed her hand at Randgriz. "Randgriz... would you lend me your body?"
The wind lifted the flowers that rolled towards the three Valkyries who were conversing, kneeling and forming an X on their chest with their open hands, with a tone of total confidence replied "Of course sister, with pleasure."
Doubt was evident on Geir's face. "Lend... your body?" she asked, her tone reflecting total confusion at her sister's request.
"I see, so that's how it works," Zeus declared, crossing his arms. "Not bad," he said, eliciting a smile from the king of the seas. "It's strange to see you compliment someone," Hades exclaimed, looking at his brother, who clicked his tongue. "I only do it for those who deserve it."
Hera narrowed her eyes, looking at the king of Olympus. "Is it because of her strategy or because she's catching your attention?" she questioned sharply. Zeus opened his eyes wide. "She and her sisters are giving their all to help humans," he replied, coughing into his hand.
"That doesn't answer my question," Hera said with an angry grimace.
Valhalla Arena.
Both combatants continued clashing their weapons ferociously. Without warning, Lu Bu's spear began to emit a blinding light that shocked the entire audience and surprised his rival.
"WHAT'S THAT?!".
Heimdall spoke, adjusting his glasses to prevent the light from bothering him.
"HAS LU BU'S SKY DRILL BEGINNED TO RELEASE LIGHT?!"
In the Zeus VIP room, everything was perfectly clear. "Hm, as I expected," he concluded, seeing the light radiating from the weapon.
Meanwhile, Hermes, covering his face with his right hand, was even more surprised: "What is that weapon?!"
The demigods sat on the edge of their seats while the deities paid closer attention to man.
Visualizing the Valkyries, they found themselves alone, a short distance away from other spectators in a space of the stands.
(That there, that's our secret power, the power of the sisters…) Brunhild felt radiant as she had these thoughts, her hair billowing with confidence, her features speaking of victory within her grasp. (Our counterattack against the great power of the gods!) Her fist rose, clenching tightly. (And our only ace up our sleeve!)
"Interesting," exclaimed Demeter, tilting her head slightly. "Giving divine weapons to humans was an excellent decision... Although it's a bit strange that the weapons are the Valkyries themselves," declared Aphrodite, raising an eyebrow at her husband's extremely excited face.
A VALKYRIE'S BODY CAN TAKE THE FORM OF A HUMAN WEAPON.
Lu Bu held his spear in a low position with both hands as the weapon glowed.
WHICH MEANS THAT MAN CAN OBTAIN HIS OWN DIVINE WEAPON!
THAT POWER IS CALLED.
With a firm grip and his guard up, his spear below his stomach, pointing at his opponent.
From the weapon, vestiges of soul emerged, forming the silhouette of Randgriz, who stood with his eyes closed, hands clasped in prayer, and his hair waving in the wind.
VOLUME
Understanding quickly dawned on the spectators, who discussed among themselves the strange technique possessed by the Valkyries of that universe. Hephaestus gazed at the screen in wonder; if only he could do something similar with certain creatures or individuals, combined with his own talent as a blacksmith, he was certain he could create the greatest divine weapons that could exist.
The excitement made Lu Bu smile even more as he addressed the god in front of him: "An immortal opponent and an unbreakable weapon." Instantly, with great skill in wielding his spear, he moved Mjolnir to the ground, leaving Thor exposed.
Preparing for his next attack "This situation" Thor's expression changed to one of anguish.
With great skill, Lu Bu attacked horizontally with the blade's edge at the god. "It's the best, don't you think?" His smile never left him as his powerful crescent-shaped spear impacted against the tough armor of Thor's right arm.
A growing emotion mixed with awe is shown in each spectator.
"Destroy it!" Ares demanded, rising from his seat and raising his fist.
A weapon transformed into a divine weapon will take on the characteristics of the Valkyrie who possesses it.
The name of the fourth Valkyrie is Randgriz… and it means…
Thor's right gauntlet began to emit a little light, surprising the god. Instantly, cracks began to appear on the gauntlet, and little by little, the gauntlet began to crumble.
SHIELD BREAKER!
The divine weapon exploded into a thousand pieces as Lu Bu's smile only grew larger, while his rival was surprised by this fact.
Zeus watched the fight with more interest now.
Meanwhile, Heimdall could not believe what was happening in front of him.
"WAS THE DIVINE WEAPON...DESTROYED?!"
The commentator shouted in total surprise.
IT'S TRUE.
Brunhild watched the fight with a gleam in her eyes, a gleam of total determination, while her right hand rested on her face with her fingers fully spread in the shape of four sides, a mocking smile formed with excitement, "It's time to have some fun."
THE HERO TAKES THE LEAD BY BREAKING THROUGH THE DEITY'S GREATEST DEFENSE
THE STRONGEST RECOGNIZE EQUALS
13 Gods and 13 Humans
The room erupted in excitement, mainly due to Ares and Clarisse, who were visibly thrilled.
"Like mother, like daughter," Athena remarked, resting her arm on the armrest and supporting her head with the back of her hand. Her eyes turned to her daughter, who was chatting animatedly with the satyr and the other demigod. A small smile spread across the goddess's face as she watched her daughter smile so animatedly.
"Why don't you talk to her?" Poseidon questioned without even looking at her from his seat. "I see," Athena replied, looking at the boy. "That child is your son," she said dryly, raising her eyebrows questioningly. "So he's the one they're accusing of stealing his father's lightning bolt."
Poseidon clenched his fists, staring at the back of the demigod's neck. "He didn't do anything," he said sarcastically, to which Athena snorted. "I believe you. Looking at him closely, I doubt he could do such a foolish thing," she replied, turning her head to face her uncle. "The problem is that Father doesn't believe that. So he'll interrogate the boy, and he knows it won't end well," she explained, causing Poseidon to step back.
"We have more important things to worry about right now than Zeus's lightning bolt," Poseidon replied, making Athena nod. "True. But you know my father. He won't let this matter hang in the balance." Her eyes turned toward the king of Olympus, who was arguing with the god of the dead.
"If you get out of here alive," Vermont said, drawing the attention of those present, who fell silent and paid close attention to the hostess, even those who had some refreshments like Apollo and Artemis. "I will resolve the matter of the lightning thief, so as long as you remain in this room, which you will, you will not have to worry about trifles like that."
Zeus's gaze sharpened as he stared at the woman in front of him. "Trifles?" he repeated angrily.
Athena sighed, shaking her head as a smile spread across her face. "As attentive as one would expect from a being like her," she said, looking at Poseidon. "You heard her. Lower your guard; I doubt she'll allow Zeus to touch your son," she said, reassuring the god of the seas, who slowly relaxed his muscles.
Luke and Chiron returned after getting drinks for the rest. "What do you think, kid? Do you think Lu Bu has a chance?" Chiron asked with a friendly smile.
Luke smiled, showing his joy. "It's hard to know, defying the gods is complete madness," he openly stated, to which Chiron agreed, although he added a few words about supporting the human representative.
The gleam in Luke's eyes faded, completely ignoring his master's words. (For all I care, the gods can disappear.) The boy thought, glancing at the god Hermes who was speaking alongside Dionysus and Hestia.
"What can you say about their weapons, Hephaestus?" Hera questioned the god of the forge harshly, who looked perhaps at the ground. "They are alive," he answered firmly, leaving both his mother and his wife confused. "Alive?" Aphrodite repeated, shocked.
"It's hard to explain, but I'm sure of what I feel," I declared, looking directly at them with a bewildered expression. "I don't know how they did it, but both the human's halberd and that thing holding Thor are alive," I expressed, recalling the strange sensation of Mjölnir.
"That thing?" Hera repeated, bewildered, until she looked at her husband who was arguing with Hades and Poseidon. "Well, that doesn't say much," she said with a disappointed look.
The hostess let out a long sigh, positioning herself in the center of the stage. "Alright, everyone to your seats," she ordered, which many did immediately, especially Ares and Clarisse, who seemed extremely impatient for the next segment. "Let's begin," she declared, turning around and looking at the screen.
Somewhere.
Writings and drawings that spoke of an ancient legend, Nordic writings carved in commemorative rock, as old as the gods themselves.
MJOLNIR
THE MOST POWERFUL DIVINE WEAPON, CAPABLE OF DESTROYING THE EARTH.
AS IF IT WERE LAVA, AN IMPRESSIVE POWER FLOWS FROM IT.
A group of figures depicted in the writings attempt to seize the hammer as if it were a prize. However, they are repelled by the immense energy emanating from Mjolnir. On either side of the ancient drawing, the ancient scriptures tell their own legend.
"Now they're telling us the legend of Mjolnir," Demeter remarked, crossing one leg over the other. "Nothing we don't already know at this point," she concluded, sounding rather bored.
"Learning a little about the legends and myths of other pantheons never hurts," Annabeth declared to her friends. "Especially since we're in dire straits," Luke said dryly, dampening his companions' spirits.
WHICH LEADS TO THE DESTRUCTION OF ITS CARRIER.
WHICH MEANS THAT…
An individual with a bare torso, long hair extending past his shoulders and ending in the middle of his back, was found raising the most powerful divine weapon while wearing the jarngreipr, in the background a symbol representing the sun shining radiantly on the invulnerable gloves.
"Basically, Mjolnir cannot be used without its complement, which are the gloves," Aphrodite exclaimed, receiving approval from her husband who happily raised his thumb.
Dionysus hummed as he swirled his glass. "Is that how it is?" the god of wine questioned, leaning back in his seat and raising his chin. "We're not seeing the same Thor we know," he stated openly.
The god's words forced some in the room to think about the possibilities, especially Athena and her daughter. "Yes, that may be so," Dijon said in unison. Annabeth and her mother caused an amused snort to escape the goddess.
THOR USED JARNGREIPR TO PROTECT HIS HANDS.
OF THE PROSAIC AGE.
A black background obscures the view, a white line slicing through it, leaving behind white cracks and branches. Symbolizing the fall of a legend.
JARNGREIPR IS THE PERFECT COMPLEMENT TO MJOLNIR. IN OTHER WORDS, IT IS THE MOST POWERFUL DIVINE DEFENSE.
A miraculous scene, Lu Bu attacking with his spear and Thor defending himself with his right gauntlet… Horror in the skies… The most powerful defense succumbed to the halberd exploding into thousands of pieces.
"Yes!" Ares shouted, marveling at the splendid display of the Chinese hero. "Damn Lu Bu!" he said, laughing. "Bastard, if you needed a divine weapon to wage war against me, you only had to ask for it," he said, laughing loudly.
"Kick Thor's ass!" Clarisse exclaimed enthusiastically, causing Ares to be silent for a second, looking at his daughter, before joining her in laughter and demands about the god's defeat.
THAT IS TO SAY…
The surprise was palpable on Thor's face; although his face never wavered, his eyes completely betrayed him.
Zeus looked down at the Norse god. "In the end, you're nothing without your gloves," he remarked sternly.
Hades, for his part, brought his hand close to his face (Is that the face of a man who has lost?) he thought, focusing on the deity.
"THE LEAF OF LU BU".
On the other hand, a lopsided smile showing part of his teeth was printed on Lu Bu's face as he was finishing his powerful attack, looking genuinely excited.
"HE HAS MANAGED TO... TEAR THE JARNGREIPR TO PIECES, LIKE A BAG OF CHIPS!"
Heimdall screamed while he was in shock.
THIS SITUATION…
IT MUST BE IMPOSSIBLE!
Hera snorted arrogantly as she crossed her arms. "Little Valkyrie," she said, thinking of the half-demon. "You're not doing too badly," she declared, giving a small, approving smile. "You'd better not disappoint me," she exclaimed haughtily.
The humans erupted in shouts of excitement. The three brothers watched the scene with awe as the soldiers yelled in the background.
Guan Yu, the largest and most robust of the three, leaned down from his position, thus showing greater interest.
Liu Bei, the smallest of the three, was in a kata position with his left leg and hand forming a fist forward while the ends of his mustache moved violently in some directions due to the regretful change of posture.
Zhang Fei, the one who carried the enormous barrel of alcohol, was the most excited of the three. "Very good! That's how it's done!" he shouted as he carried his barrel with one hand and walked towards the edge of the stands.
Hestia clapped a couple of times at the human's skill. "Wow, that human is good. He withstood Thor's blow and now he's shattering his defense," Hermes exclaimed in amazement, while Apollo raised an eyebrow. "Is it over already?" he questioned, to which his sister shrugged. "Thor can no longer use his hammer. That's the problem with having a weapon with restrictions like that," Artemis stated sternly.
Placing his right foot over the wall that divided the arena from the stands, he challenged the gods, "Do you see, gods?! That one over there is our strongest representative!" He shouted, pointing his barrel menacingly. "Now you're scared?!" These words enraged Fortesi, who was only clenching his fists and glaring angrily at the human.
Luke smiled fervently at the situation, adrenaline running through his veins, while the rest of his companions were fascinated. "Incredible!" exclaimed Percy in amazement.
"He's pretty good," Annabeth declared, looking analytically at the Chinese hero. "He used his strength to force an opening in Thor's defense," she said, impressed. "How strong is that human?" Grover asked, shocked. "I understand he has a divine weapon, but to compare himself like that to the god of thunder..." he commented, stunned.
A gigantic hand pulled Zhan Fei back from his provocation, making him fall. "Brother," Guan Yu said calmly. "It's not time to celebrate yet... Or... That's what I'd like to say." As his brother spoke, Liu Bei closed his left eye and, showing a confident smile, glanced sideways at his enormous brother. The giant's eloquence and way of speaking were captivating.
"They celebrate prematurely," Demeter's voice grew offended as she narrowed her eyes. "Humans often act that way," Artemis retorted with a tired sigh.
On the other hand, a feeling of pride arose within the demigods. It had been a long time since a human had challenged the gods, and to see him standing directly alongside the Valkyrie warriors was unprecedented.
"But as someone who shared an era with him" I paused, "As someone who got to know that man" I said more gravely.
"I simply cannot refuse!" Her features lit up, her right arm fervently striking her heart in a symbol of absolute respect for that man. "This burning pride I feel for him!" she cried ecstatically.
With the deities' bewildered and confused expressions, Annabeth, Luke, Clarisse, and Percy pressed their fists tightly to their hearts. "Go Lu Bu!" Luke shouted, which made Hermes look at him with a somewhat sad expression. (Son) he thought, looking away.
Large war banners bearing the symbol of a dragon were waved fervently, shouts and the raising of spears took place, and drums being played with unparalleled ferocity conveyed emotion and courage towards their fellow men.
Dozens of soldiers, making the Chinese salute with their hands, stood on the stands as a single body with only one objective.
"So animated!" exclaimed Apollo, leaning back in his seat. "I wonder if I can see my other half," he said, giving a confident smile. "Quite difficult considering the condition of being a father," commented Artemis, crossing her arms.
His brother gave a wry smile in response. "That's true," he said, looking at his father, then recalling his namesake. "He doesn't look like a man with a large libido," he concluded.
"My love!" the warriors shouted in unison, their voices echoing throughout the Valhalla arena.
Chen Gong, at the head of them all, looked at his general with tears streaming down his face. He couldn't hold back his voice. "Oh my lord! What a magnificent attack!" he exclaimed, praising him with great elation. In a state of utter ecstasy, he continued, "That's what I thought, but you're really enjoying it." Looking more closely at his general, he saw a huge grin spreading across his face as he began to reposition his weapon. "So I feel it was truly worth dying alongside you!"
Different humans from different eras began to show even more support for their representative.
"We have to give him credit," Hades said, looking intently at the human. "Not just anyone could accomplish a feat like that, even with a divine weapon."
"That strength reminds me of Hercules," Poseidon remarked, a hand on his chin. "Although to a lesser degree." The demigod's mention of it probably made the goddess Hera tense, darkening his gaze.
"Well done, human," Zeus congratulated him with a skeptical grimace. "Show that Nordic man his place."
"That's the way!" "You're my favorite of the three kingdoms!" "Give him a beating!" These were just some of the many words of encouragement from humanity.
THEN…
Different ages, different ethnicities, different cultures, all sharing a single feeling.
Dionysus looked as he drank from his cup at the god Ares who was joining the demigods, especially next to his daughter who looked genuinely happy cheering on the Chinese warrior "He never changes".
"I still find it a rather curious name for the process of forming the divine weapon from the valkyrie," Hephaestus said. "Völundr is a rather respectable master blacksmith and craftsman. I had no idea he had devised such a method." A huge, excited smile spread across his face. "I still have much to learn."
"I'm more interested in the Valkyrie leader," Aphrodite stated, bringing the palm of her hand to her cheek. "What other tricks will you show us?" she said enigmatically.
Hestia smiled happily at the healthy coexistence that existed in the room; no one argued with each other and everyone seemed more united than ever, even to her brothers and nephews who had violent or petulant tendencies.
HUMANITY SHOOK
FOR THE FIRST TIME IN HISTORY…
Soldiers, generals, musicians, all of them with a big smile, some with excitement, others immersed in arrogance and some in extreme happiness.
NOT…
FOR THE FIRST TIME IN HUMAN HISTORY!
A group of ancient humans were celebrating, raising their shouts and striking victory poses under an intense storm.
HUMANS HAD SURPASSED THEIR CREATORS!
The demigods made gestures of victory and celebration at the feat, while Grover smiled, chuckling at the unusual scene his friends were presenting. Meanwhile, Chiron's heart warmed; seeing his students witness the bravery, ferocity, and virtue of a hero was comforting.
Lu Bu found himself in the middle of the sand with his features completely obscured, the tip of his weapon touching the ground again, in the background different screams echoed in the sand, making it rumble.
Raising his weapon, one could see the smoke generated from that impenetrable defense that continued at the crescent end of the halberd.
"I see…" Hermes said rationally, touching his chin with his thumb and keeping his index finger extended a few centimeters from his chin. "So that's… your plan." He concluded in a calm tone; his expression, as well as his index finger and thumb playing with his chin, revealed a deeper understanding.
A grimace of disgust crossed Zeus's facial features. "How did I end up like this?" he wondered to himself.
"Don't worry, Father," Apollo said proudly, drawing his father's attention. "I won't let it end that way," he finished, eliciting a snort from the deity. Artemis looked with disgust at the Olympian leader's appearance on the screen.
With a curious eye and scratching his beard, Zeus looked at his butler, "Oh? You already noticed?" Even though it sounded like a question, it was more of a statement.
"It seems that counterpart is smarter than you," Ares declared spitefully to the messenger, causing him to look at him offended. Before the god could say a word, he was abruptly interrupted. "He did not attempt to enter Valhalla despite the multiple warnings he was given," Athena confessed gravely.
Hermes tried to say something before looking away.
Luke stifled a laugh by covering his mouth with the palm of his hand; however, his shoulders, which were rising and falling rhythmically, betrayed him.
Closing his eyes, Hermes grasped a female doll at each end, and in an extremely calm voice began to explain his reasoning: "The sworn duty of the Valkyries is..."
An image of the three well-known Valkyries and their popular representation in Nordic culture could be observed.
GUIDING SOULS
THEY DESCENDED TO EARTH
At the top of a hill, a Trojan-looking soldier in full armor, with his weapon embedded in the ground, stared in amazement at the Valkyrie descending to welcome him.
"They spared no expense in seeking out the best warriors," Chiron reflected, observing the clear difference in clothing between the Norse and the Greeks.
Aphrodite, Hera, and Athena narrowed their eyes as they watched the Trojan-looking soldier. Annabeth nervously glanced at her mother's serious face.
TO TAKE NOTE OF HUMANITY'S GREATEST WARRIORS AND TAKE THEM TO VALHALA…
WHERE PREPARING FOR A POSSIBLE ATTACK AGAINST THE SKIES
Thousands of soldiers, dressed in the armor of ancient Rome, with their weapons at the ready, could be seen at the front, the Valkyries flying above those soldiers, and a Greek-looking god giving the order to advance.
Hestia smiled at the Roman formation as she recorded over Rome and her counterpart Vesta.
FORMING AN ARMY FOR THE GODS…
Manipulating the doll, Hermes looked at Zeus. "Although," he argued, looking again at the doll, he made it move a little. "For some time now, a certain rumor has been circulating through the heavens," he concluded with a tone of voice that spoke of the strangeness in the whole matter.
"Why would the Valkyries rebel?" Grover questioned, receiving a shrug in response. "They're demigoddesses; they weren't in danger of extinction like humans. No one would blame them for not helping," he explained, leaving the thoughts in the minds of his friends and companions.
"Whatever it is," Luke replied, staring intently at the screen. "I'm glad the demigods didn't abandon humanity," he said with a jovial grin.
WHICH SAYS THAT THE GOAL OF THE VALKYRIES
Brunhild, the eldest of the Valkyries, looked ahead as the lower part of her dress moved due to a strong wind.
IT WAS NEVER ABOUT FORMING AN ARMY FOR HEAVEN…
INSTEAD
The warriors gathered in Valhalla joined the Valkyries
A stone representation of the Nordic version of the Valkyries handing a great sword to a human who was kneeling and extending his hand to receive the gift.
THE VALKYRIES WILL BE TRANSFORMED INTO THE BEST WEAPONS FOR THEIR WEARERS.
I HAVE ALREADY CHANGED FROM THE POWER OF A GOD.
An old soldier was kneeling as he raised his weapon; in the background a blazing fire spread and illuminated that soldier.
THE WARRIORS WOULD HAVE TO OFFER THEIR WHOLE BEING
"I see," exclaimed Chiron, resting his arm on the armrest. "In exchange for immense power, both souls, the human and the Valkyrie, are united."
"Like what we saw with Randgriz and Lu Bu," Annabeth declared sharply.
Zeus began to tremble in his seat. Hermes repeatedly bent the wrist he held in his hands. "This exchange was known as..." His voice was calm. Zeus lifted himself slightly from his seat with the help of his arms.
"Volund," Hermes finished explaining as he looked at the stake that had once been a doll and ran his index finger along the tip where the legs had been. "Therefore, to the souls gathered by the Valkyries." His voice expressed no emotion whatsoever.
"They've been planning this for some time," Hera stated, crossing her arms. "I recognize the Valkyries' courage in plotting such a heist, and the affection they show humans is something few deities possess," she said firmly, hiding a smile. "Demigods need to be united when their family is in danger," she declared with a certain admiration for the Valkyries' determination.
In the arena, Lu Bu charged at Thor with a swift thrust that Thor barely dodged. Suddenly, blood began to spurt from his right shoulder, surprising the god as he was wounded again. Now, red drops stained part of the fighting arena.
Looking towards the arena, Hermes continued speaking, "They were granted the power to face the gods... That is... The essence of this Ragnarok , isn't it?" He said, wanting to confirm his suspicions.
"Yes... It's true... Those damned girls..." Zeus's voice trembled, his shaking fingers gripping the edge of his throne. "Against... us, the mighty gods." His eyes lit up as his large mustache and bushy eyebrows rose with emotion. "This is a rebellion!" he shouted in euphoria.
"I'm still impressed by how your eyes can light up like that, brother," Hades declared, to which Poseidon nodded. Zeus brought his hand to his forehead, averting his gaze from his other self. Meanwhile, Hera continued to look at him with displeasure.
With more discouragement, "But... to think that the Valkyries" He glanced down at his thighs, "would point their blades at us is so... This is... The greatest thrill I've felt since the Big Bang!" He said in a state of total disarray, the joy he felt could not be contained, his gaze shot upwards with complete madness, his eyes changing to ones of excitement, his tongue lolling out of his mouth with a few drops of saliva dripping from the edge, and his thin arms transformed into muscular ones; a sensation of explosion completely overwhelmed him.
Faces of confusion mixed with disbelief were shown in the room. "This is an insult to the gods," Zeus declared in a murmur.
"You were just betrayed and all you reacted to was emotion?" Poseidon questioned, raising an eyebrow and receiving a growl from his brother.
Looking towards the valkyries with his cheeks flushed, he began to make sounds and speak. "Good," he said excitedly, then spoke in a honeyed tone, "Bru~ru Bru~ru Bru~ru B~ru~ru~ru~" Gradually changing his tone to a more sing-song one, "Brunhild-chan~" he finished, while the valkyrie looked at him stoically.
Both goddesses and mortals watched with great disgust the other version of the king of Olympus. "Repulsive," Artemis stated with a grimace of disgust; her brother quickly looked at his father who was shaking his head.
Geir was terrified by the way Zeus was looking at them, she hid behind her sister's dress by her right leg, however, without showing any expression on her face Brunhild had a thought of repulsion mixed with anger (Stop looking this way, you disgusting old bastard).
Hera stifled an amused snort at the Valkyrie, as did Athena, who hid her amusement behind the back of her hand.
The humans continued raising their fists and showing their support from the stands… A sound of something being charred caught everyone's attention, with the humans being the first to realize what was happening in the arena. "Huh? What is…" Doubt invaded the stands.
Another sound caught everyone's attention as smoke came out of that place, the strangest being Lu Bu who looked confused at that object.
Hephaestus stared seriously at the screen; whatever was producing that sound had to be Thor's weapon.
This took everyone by surprise. "Sister Hilde, that's it!" Geir's words faltered as Brunhild looked confused and nervously at what was happening.
From the gigantic Mjolnir, large quantities of white lava emerged along with steam that appeared to be exuding from the hammer itself; this caused the hammer to begin sinking into the ground.
"Orichalcum?!" Hephaestus shouted in shock, as did Poseidon; the rest of the gods were no different. "Thor's weapon is made of that material," Ares declared with a growl.
Percy approached Annabeth. "Is it that important?" he whispered. "It's what Atlantis is made of," she murmured. "This doesn't look good," Grover commented, swallowing hard.
The gods were confused; they had never witnessed such an event, and doubts and questions soon arose.
Looking expectant with raised eyebrows, Brunhild crossed her arms, while Geir began to get excited. "The orichalcum is melting!" he shouted nervously.
"THIS... SPECTATORS THIS IS INCREDIBLE, JUST LIKE IN THE LEGENDS, IT'S WHITE!"
"BUT... WHY NOW?!... WELL, ANYWAY."
Heimdall commented as he placed a hand between the hammer and his face to withstand the pressure it exerted.
Thor stared at his hammer as it continued to exude steam and reveal lava.
"NOW THAT THOR-SAMA HAS LOST ONE SIDE OF JARNGREIPR."
"WILL HE BE ABLE TO KEEP WIPING MJOLNIR?!"
Heimdall was speaking into his microphone. Some gods looked nervous, especially Fortesi, who wondered to himself in horror, "But does that mean... you can't use your signature attack anymore?!" He raised his hand to his chin, his face showing nervousness and fear.
"Of course," Athena exclaimed with a sigh. "It would be very disappointing if it ended this way," Ares declared with a disapproving look.
On the other hand, Brunhild, even with her arms crossed, showed a confident smile while Geir opened her mouth in surprise.
BEAT
The sound echoed through the room, startling the demigods, especially Grover, who tensed his body almost immediately.
"What is that?" Clarisse asked, feeling a chill run down her spine.
The expressions of the gods and Chiron became serious at that moment.
Heimdall lowered the horn he was using as a microphone a little. "WHAT IS THAT?!" he asked, somewhat nervously.
The Valkyries watched what was happening. Geir couldn't contain her voice, "What... What is that sound?" Her older sister's smile vanished completely.
On the side of the gods, Zeus only comments a small "Oh?" leaving Hermes confused.
BEAT
A feeling of horror gripped Aphrodite, who couldn't help but hug herself. Looking around, she observed how the rest of the Olympian gods displayed stern faces and expressions. Even Dionysus, who usually had a relaxed demeanor, had put down his drink and was concentrating on the screen.
The goddess's eyes danced around, gazing intently at her husband's face, whose eyes and mouth seemed wide open. "That thing is waking up," she heard Hephaestus murmur.
"WHAT IS THIS VIBRATION?!" Heimdall exclaimed.
Everyone turned to look at the source of the mysterious sound, realizing that it was Mjolnir that caused that strange noise along with a strange vibration.
"SPECTATORS, THIS IS INCREDIBLE!"
The immense Mjolnir began to vibrate violently, as if something new was about to form in creation.
"MJOLNIR IS VIBRATING RIGHT BEFORE OUR EYES!"
Thor walked impassively towards his hammer. "Finally," he said as he walked, his opponent Lu Bu just watching.
The proximity of its user caused the hammer to begin vibrating more powerfully.
"Finally?!" Grover shouted euphorically. "What do you mean?! What is he waking up?!" he continued to ask.
"Silence!" Ares demanded, irritated by the satyr who shrank back in his seat.
As if he were a child, Thor spoke to him, "You awoke." His red hair covered part of his face, but his visible eyes gazed at that hammer with undeniable authority.
As that legendary metal began to break, something was emerging from the gaps that were forming.
Whatever broke the metal shot out violently, pieces of flesh resembling gigantic veins protruding from the top of the hammer, making it now a grotesque mixture of metal and flesh.
The demigods recoiled in their seats from the shock, words appearing in their mouths as they observed the living weapon and how the pulsating flesh protruded from the orichalcum's armor.
"D...Does it have veins?! What?! Huh?!" Geir screamed in a state of pure terror as Brunhild stared at the hammer with a drop of sweat on her cheek, "Is it alive?!" Geir asked in total surprise.
Zeus playfully lifted one leg on his throne. "Ohoho, so Mjolnir has finally awakened, huh?" His amused tone made Hermes want to know what he was talking about, looking at Zeus who seemed to be asking, "What do you mean by 'awakened'?" while reasoning with confusion at the casual remark.
"So," Percy slurred his words, "when I was fighting, wasn't I serious?" he asked nervously.
"Fascinating!" exclaimed Hephaestus, a shiver running down his spine. "Repulsive!" declared Aphrodite, covering her mouth with the back of her hand while wrinkling her eyes in disgust.
Zeus began scratching his beard as he explained and answered the question, "You see, there's a little misunderstanding in the legends about Mjolnir and Jarngreipr..." He explained while showing the image of the individual who held Mjolnir in the ancient Norse scriptures.
"Another difference regarding the knowledge we have in our universe," Athena commented with a certain fascination. "Don't you find it strange that it is Zeus who has that knowledge?" asked an intrigued Demeter.
Zeus snorted. "I am the leader of all the gods. It's only natural," he exclaimed, smiling arrogantly as he closed his eyes and gestured with his hand to emphasize his point.
"Even with that, you look awful," Hera murmured, touching her lower lip with her index finger and shaking her head.
Thor grabbed the tip of the index finger of his remaining glove. "The purpose of the gloves was not to protect Thor from Mjolnir... but rather to serve a purpose," Zeus commented, amused, stopping abruptly and looking at the arena.
Ares grumbled in response to the deity's pause. "I don't like suspense," Artemis grumbled with a grimace of annoyance.
"Same here," Apollo declared, annoyance seeping into his voice.
Unlike the gods, the demigods swallowed hard at the words of the other Zeus; what they had believed, what they had studied, was shattered in the face of harsh reality.
A feeling of terror gripped Hermes for a few moments. Whatever Thor was doing caused him deep unease. Perhaps he hadn't seen the Norse god of his universe during his infiltration of Valhalla, but he definitely didn't want to encounter the god standing before him. The message of the gods is swift, very swift indeed. However, when the hammer shatters everything, eliminating any foothold and rendering escape futile, the only option left would be to face the weapon head-on, and he doubted he could withstand an attack from the deity.
Thor walked purposefully towards his hammer, taking off his gauntlet and throwing it to the ground as if it were trash.
Thor spoke behind his opponent's back, "I won't need them anymore." The discarded gauntlet made a small web of dirt on the arena floor as it fell, thus showing their weight.
Everyone looked expectantly at the thunder berserker, curiosity, anger, anticipation, different looks directed at a single individual.
"To protect Mjölnir before its awakening from the power of Thor's blows," Zeus finished explaining.
Annabeth breathed in short gasps. "Impossible!" she exclaimed quickly. "It's impossible that they changed the legends like that."
So many deities and others were surprised by the great change in the legend. "Damn. This is crap..." Dionysus remained silent, staring at the screen. The rest of the gods weren't so different from him, except for Hermes, who looked nervous, as did Aphrodite. "What is he supposed to be?" the goddess questioned with a slight stutter.
Standing in front of his hammer, Thor gave a small sigh, "Come on, sleepyhead." His voice, along with the look in his eyes, made the god seem like a father waking up his little son who refused to get up.
Holding the hammer handle with his left arm, he applied pressure… He lifted his hammer from the ground with one arm while it was still dripping that characteristic lava of legends.
The demigods' amazement "He's not supposed to need his gloves," Grover said, sweating slightly. "According to the legends," Percy commented, looking at his friend. "Although I guess all that's rubbish now," Clarisse declared, rhythmically moving her leg in a nervous gesture.
Heimdall comments in amazement, "WITH ONE HAND... INCREDIBLE!" I shout in disbelief.
Raising his hammer above his head, Thor addressed his opponent, "Human…" he said slowly. Repositioning Mjolnir on his right shoulder and now holding it with both hands, he continued, "No… Your name is Lu Bu, isn't it?" His voice was calm, almost curious, as he kept his gaze downward. "I have to… ask you a favor."
"Leaving aside what we have seen," Hades spoke monotonously, "Thor has acknowledged Lu Bu's strength to the point of calling him by name," he stated, crossing his arms, "Something that few deities have openly shown."
Ares and Athena smiled with satisfaction; they were gods of war and understood Thor's reasoning. The human had proven himself worthy of the deities' recognition.
Clarisse stared in amazement at the warrior, a human who had been recognized by the strongest god in that universe using only his own physical abilities. "A true warrior," the words slipped out of her mouth without her even realizing it.
Upon hearing the words of the god Lu Bu, he simply smiled while narrowing his eyes.
Thor assumed a fighting stance, moving his leg back, bending his right knee and extending his left leg with both feet planted firmly on the ground. He began to raise his hammer above his right shoulder; powerful thunderclaps erupted from Mjolnir, and powerful gusts of wind began to form. A limitless power had finally awakened.
A heightened tension filled the room; the gods stared intently at the screen, their muscles instinctively preparing to fight. The power emanating from Thor was easily comparable to that of Zeus, which fueled an immense rage within him.
Lu Bu looked straight at his opponent, his feet planted on the ground, his torso and body turned sideways while his gaze was fixed on that god, his spear was twenty centimeters from touching the ground while his left hand formed a fist.
With a smile, Thor envisioned the man. "Don't die now." At the request, Lu Bu tilted his neck to the side, revealing veins that bulged with fury at the challenge. His smile only widened, becoming predatory, and his eyes displayed unparalleled emotion.
The spectators gave results and sighs in equal measure; some were funny while others were ironic, as was the case with Apollo, who shook his head, "Foolish human, you don't think about standing up to him, you just run away," he muttered under his breath.
"Even with the power of a sacred weapon, your opponent is still a god," Poseidon exclaimed seriously. "Do not try to fight him head-on."
On the other side Ares smiled wildly at the Chinese hero's expression. "I hope it goes well," Hestia said to the screen.
"LU BU... HE'S FINALLY MANAGED TO MAKE THOR UNLEASH HIS FULL POWER! WHAT WILL HAPPEN NOW?!"
"THIS FIGHT IS BEING CARRIED TO A RESULT THAT NOT EVEN THE GODS KNOW!" Heimdall spoke.
The winds began to swirl around the warriors in the arena as shouts of excitement echoed from both sides of the arena.
A notification sound catches Geir's attention. Watching his sister pull out some kind of cell phone, he raises an accusing finger. "You know, that's not allowed! When you're at the movies, you have to turn off your phone."
Grimaces of indignation became immediately evident regarding the break in rhythm, especially from Ares who kept babbling about it.
Dionysus let out a tired sigh. "There always has to be someone to ruin the atmosphere," he declared wearily.
"It's good to follow the rules," Hera stated with a sharp look, to which Hestia nodded.
Brunhild ignored Geir's reprimand, directing all her attention to the screen of that cell phone.
Her hair stood on end in a supernatural way, her mouth opening slightly in shock; her face was a mixture of shock and exaltation as she looked at the screen.
Those present made curious faces, which led them to speculate among themselves about the reason why the Valkyrie leader had such an expression.
As her hair slowly returned to its original position, Geir began to worry. "Um," he uttered nervously as he watched his sister mutter unintelligible words and babble.
Seeing her sister calmer, she moved her hand to touch her back, which she couldn't reach. "What's up..." Before she could formulate her question, Brunhild smiled.
Moving his hand quickly, he showed Geir the screen. "It's here," he said confidently. "The Ragnarok fighter roster." At this, Geir panicked. "Huh? Are those them?" he said nervously, avoiding looking at the screen. Hugging himself, he began to tremble slightly with worry.
The spectators showed expressions of uncertainty and interest. "Let's see which humans you chose, Brunhild," Athena commented attentively. "Whatever will give us victory," Demeter spat out, remembering the danger her daughter was facing.
"Possibly some of the greatest warriors who have ever lived," Chiron said, smiling brightly. "Perhaps I will see the other version of my dear student fight once more."
"Anyone who brings us victory is good," Poseidon commented, occasionally glancing at his son before his muscles tensed. "We just have to win and get out of this nightmare," he whispered, fixing his eyes on the hostess.
The demigods were the most expectant. "Who do you think they are?" Luke asked, looking at his companions.
"An impressive warrior like King Leonidas of Sparta," Clarisse affirmed with a huge smile. "It could also be some Norseman," Annabeth said. The rest of them were lost in thought. In retrospect, she knew a lot about Greek heroes, but not so much about the various warriors and fighters from the rest of the world.
He turned his gaze to Brunhild, Geir's concern becoming more noticeable. "The 26 names that will decide everything? The countdown to decide the fate of humanity?" His voice began to break. "For all of humanity, these are them! The final 13."
GODS:
ZEUS
BUDDHA
LOKI
Apollo
POSEIDON
SUSANO'O NO MIKOTO
TOR
Bishamonten
ANUBIS
ODIN
BEELZEBUB
SHIVA
HERACLES
HUMANS:
QIN SHI HUANG
KING LEONIDAS
NIKOLA TESLA
SASAKI KOJIRO
RAIDEN TAMEMON
ADAM
GRIGORI RASPUTIN
LU BU
OKITA SOUJI
MICHEL NOSTRADAMUS
SIMO HAYA
Sakata Kintoki
JACK THE RIPPER
Clarisse's eyes lit up. "Leonidas!" she exclaimed excitedly, raising her fist and looking at the rest of her classmates who were reading the list. "Very few of them are well-known heroes," Percy exclaimed, placing a hand on his chin.
"More than heroes they would be warriors... Except for those," Grover declared, pointing to peculiar names like Jack, Tesla, and many others.
Annabeth blinked a couple of times in disbelief. "Tesla," he muttered to himself. Luke stared at the list of gods, his gaze darkening as he read the names of the Greek gods. "With the exception of Lord Hades, two of the three gods who make up the trinity on Olympus were fighting, as was Apollo," Chiron said, clenching his fists. "This won't be easy."
"It looks like a good fight," Ares commented cheerfully. "I'm eager to see the humans fight, especially those who aren't warriors," he added, smiling depravedly.
"You will fight on the side of the gods," Artemis exclaimed, observing her shocked brother. "Yes, it seems that my other self will fight for human extinction," he said, letting out a sigh.
"Interesting," Hades said, a curious expression on his face. "Both Poseidon and Zeus will participate, while my other self won't. I suppose he doesn't want to see humanity eradicated," he stated, leaning back in his seat as he listened to his brother Poseidon let out a huge sigh. "Give me a break. Why on earth would he fight against humans?" he questioned himself, looking at the screen.
Zeus looked somewhat seriously before a name caught his attention. "Hercules," he blurted out, drawing the attention of the queen of Olympus. "He too will fight for the gods," Hera said, making a face of anger. "Why would Hercules face men?!" she exclaimed furiously. "You bastard!" she muttered through gritted teeth.
Hephaestus leaned back in his seat, as did Dionysus. They weren't really that interested in the list; it was just that, unlike Dionysus, who only wanted a show, the god of the forge was interested in the weapons these gods could display.
"An interesting selection," Hestia remarked, looking at Hermes, who was rereading the list. "Nostradamus?" Aphrodite repeated, her words forming a question. "Adam?" she inquired, tilting her head intrigued. "Rasputin," Demeter said sarcastically.
Athena analyzed the side of the gods; many of the names were remarkable and she could get an idea of their fighting style. However, the unique list of human names was certainly interesting, ranging from warriors to all kinds of individuals until she reached a rather familiar name: "Nikola Tesla." She verbalized this with a smile.
Brunhild touched her chin with her fingers, amused by Geir's words, causing her younger sister to stare at her with her mouth agape. "The last ones?" Brunhild said, somewhat amused. "Fu fu fu… No, Geir." Turning her gaze to the heavens, her face was revealed. Her eyes showed joy and hope, as well as a radiant smile. "Someday these warriors will be known as..."
Extending her arms in a gesture of embrace towards the sky, the sun's rays illuminated her, giving a kind of welcome to her words, while the air fervently waved her long hair, as well as her dress and Geir's jacket.
Their excitement and happiness grew even more. Their names will be engraved : "THE EINHERJER!"
THE MOST POWERFUL GODS AND THE EINHERJER!
The Valhalla coliseum was fully revealed, in the center of a gigantic crater surrounded by gigantic stones in an area where large hills of stones could be observed in the background.
THEY WILL GATHER IN THIS ARENA!
THE SUPREMACY OF THE GODS VERSUS THE SUPERIORITY OF HUMANITY!
THE FIERCIEST BATTLE BETWEEN GODS AND HUMANS!
MAY THE BEST TEAM WIN