Chapter 474: Delaying Tactics
Xenovia exclaimed in surprise, "So many legendary monsters..."
"That's a Dragon King Imitation," Rossweisse explained.
Being from the same Northern mythology system, she was quite familiar with Loki's abilities.
Besides Fenrir, if there was another legendary-class magical beast, then this battle would be pointless.
Sona's expression turned grave. "We're surrounded."
"Retreating means losing," Rias said seriously. "Anyway, let's focus on buying time for now."
"Mm." ×6
The women all responded in agreement. Their mission was precisely to delay, so there was no room for doubt about that.
Loki sneered coldly and commanded his magical beasts to attack, not even deigning to join the fray himself.
"Regret making an enemy of a god."
With four magical beasts to deal with, Akeno and Rossweisse joined forces against the strongest one, Fenrir.
The two smaller sons of Fenrir were restrained by Xenovia and Irina respectively.
Both of them were now just a step away from god-class in strength, and with Xenovia wielding the Holy Sword Durandal and Irina possessing the special abilities of an angel, they steadily gained the upper hand in their battles.
Regardless of the strength of Fenrir's sons, as magical beasts, their thick hides and tough bodies were a given.
So although both of them wanted to help the others, they couldn't free themselves up for the moment.
The largest and most terrifying-looking dragon-shaped magical beast, the Dragon King Imitation, was held back by Sona and Tsubaki working together.
Among them, the main force was Tsubaki, whose strength had reached Satan-Class with Haruto's help and was just a step away from fully awakening her Sacred Gear's Balance Breaker.
The massive form of the dragon-shaped magical beast swept through the area, but Sona and Tsubaki revealed their true demon forms, their slender black wings fluttering gently as they effortlessly evaded.
Seeing that physical attacks were ineffective, the dragon-shaped beast opened its jaws wide and unleashed a scorching dragon's breath.
The extreme heat distorted the air, and due to its vast range, Sona and Tsubaki found it impossible to dodge.
Yet the two showed no panic. Tsubaki flew directly into the path of the flames, spreading her arms wide.
"Let me reflect those flames back—Mirror Alice!"
As the flames struck the barrier-like light screen she emitted, they were instantly reflected with even greater force.
The tremendous power sent the dragon-shaped beast tumbling to the ground, its ferocious head now ablaze.
Agonizing pain caused the colossal creature to thrash wildly, shaking the earth and mountains around them.
The other women fighting nearby instinctively glanced over, and Sona took the opportunity to explain, "The Sacred Gear, Mirror Alice. Tsubaki's mirror can double the impact it receives and return it."
"A counter-type ability, huh? It doesn't seem very compatible with our family, known for raw power."
With the battle going well, Rias even found the mood to joke.
Sona responded with a smile, "We won't go easy on you in the Rating Game, you know."
"Is that so? Then let me show you my current strength as well."
Rias smiled faintly, unleashing Power of Destruction far beyond Satan-Class levels from the magic circle in her palm.
Black-red, lightning-like magical energy struck the dragon-shaped beast, which had just recovered from its own fiery attack, sending it crashing to the ground once more.
Not to be outdone, Sona conjured a blue magic circle before her, followed by the unique magical attacks of the Sitri family.
Yet, despite being besieged so fiercely, the dragon-shaped beast, though appearing disheveled, seemed to have sustained no serious injuries.
After flailing on the ground for a moment, it roared menacingly once again.
"Though it's a replica, its prototype is one of the Five Great Dragon Kings."
Sona recognized the gap between her current strength and that of the other women, but her tone and demeanor remained unchanged.
Removing her dust-covered glasses, she wiped them calmly and said to Rias, "Let's proceed with caution, Rias."
Rias smiled slightly. "You really haven't changed at all."
...
"Though it may look small, it's still a child of Fenrir. If its teeth injure you, it's over."
During a lull in the battle, Rossweisse reminded Xenovia and Irina on the other side.
As in the myths, Fenrir's teeth could crush even gods.
This was a rule-level ability—any armor or defense was as fragile as paper before it. Even if the core of a Sacred Gear were bitten, the gear would be destroyed outright.
The abilities of Fenrir's offspring may not match Fenrir's, but their power was still not to be underestimated.
Seeing his subordinate beasts easily thwarted and these "insignificant" individuals he looked down upon chatting and laughing, Loki's expression darkened.
He wasn't deaf—he had heard Rias mention stalling for time.
Initially thinking he could resolve things easily, he now realized he had no choice but to intervene.
If they truly delayed until Thor's Hammer arrived, Loki worried he might be directly suppressed, or even annihilated.
"These mere foot soldiers fight quite well, hmph..."
"Lord Loki, it's still not too late to turn back..." Rossweisse seized a moment to continue persuading.
"I think you've misunderstood quite deeply—I'm correcting your mistakes."
Loki sneered coldly and directly unleashed a full-screen ultimate attack.
The sealed barrier was filled with overwhelming blue lightning, while howling winds strong enough to blind everyone began to sweep through.
The women who had been battling magical beasts all retreated, assuming defensive stances.
"Lord Loki, please stop this."
Rossweisse's strength was indeed remarkable; even under such circumstances, she could forcibly withstand the attacks and continue communicating with Loki.
"If this continues, not only the Underworld but the boundaries of the entire mythological world will..."
"This way, Ragnarok can arrive sooner—that has always been my deepest wish."
"What is he trying to do?" Rias asked Rossweisse.
"He intends to release his own power to collapse space-time."
"What?!"
Without another force of equal magnitude to counteract it, achieving this through Loki's power alone wouldn't be easy—at the very least, it couldn't be accomplished quickly.
After the gales and lightning, the magical beasts suppressed by the women attacked once more.
This time, Loki did not continue to watch idly and launched his own assault.
Three overlapping magic circles formed before him, and a beam of magical energy shot straight into the sky from within.
Immediately after, countless identical magical attacks rained down from the heavens, like solid pillars of light descending from above.
The women, who had fought the magical beasts almost unscathed, were nearly incapacitated after being grazed by just one of these attacks.
Those struck directly were instantly brought to the brink of death.
Fortunately, such an attack also took a significant toll on Loki, and after unleashing it once, he did not continue.
"In recognition of your bravery, I grant you the honor of being remembered as the first aspirants of Ragnarok."
Loki surveyed the devastated battlefield with satisfaction. "Be grateful."
Among Rias's seven companions, both Akeno and Tsubaki were grazed by the attack and lost their ability to fight.
But the most severely affected was Sona.
The gap in strength was laid bare at this moment. Faced with an attack almost indistinguishable from the speed of light, she simply could not evade it, while the others managed to react to some extent.
Rias quickly retrieved the Phoenix Tears from her person. With just one drop, aside from her tattered clothing, Sona's condition was instantly restored.
"Two drops left..."
Supporting Sona, Rias spoke gravely, "Sona, you must be careful from now on. If you exceed two more times, you must retreat."
Sona felt deeply frustrated—she had become the one holding everyone back.
Despite her frustration, her rational and calm nature prevailed, and she obediently nodded in agreement.
"Don't worry, there are still two chances left. By then, the timing should be about right."
However, with Akeno and Tsubaki incapacitated, the loss of two key fighters instantly increased the pressure on the women.
Especially Fenrir's bites—a single hit would inflict wounds far more severe than those from Loki's attacks.
Boom!
The ground was struck by a massive dragon's tail, creating a bottomless chasm beneath Sona's feet.
"Rias... use these two Phoenix Tears on Akeno and Tsubaki."
After dodging the dragon-shaped magical beast's attack, Sona suggested.
With Rias's help, the two of them could still fend off the dragon-shaped beast's assaults, but the situation for Rossweisse, Xenovia, and Irina was far from optimistic.
Without Akeno's assistance, Rossweisse was in great danger facing Fenrir alone, and Xenovia's help only slightly improved the situation.
This meant that both of Fenrir's offspring would have to be dealt with by Irina alone.
Moreover, the magical beasts' massive size meant their attacks covered a wide area—they wouldn't just focus on the enemy directly in front of them.
In the chaos of battle, as long as someone was within their attack range, they would strike at any moment.
This instinctive behavior created a form of coordination in another sense, placing even greater pressure on Rias and the others.
"But if we do that, if another attack like that comes, you..."
Rias was worried about Sona's safety, but seeing the determination in her eyes, she ultimately agreed.
"Let's do it that way. I'll hold them off while you heal Akeno and Tsubaki."
"Alright."
The arrogance of a god remained Loki's greatest flaw. He did not stop Sona from healing Akeno and Tsubaki.
Once the two recovered, the battle returned to its previous stalemate.
Just as Loki was about to strike again to clear the field, Rossweisse finally received the notification of Odin's return.
"Everyone, we made it."
Within the sealed barrier, a circular magic circle appeared above the women.
Thor's Hammer, gleaming with a metallic luster, was subsequently teleported in.
"Using Thor's Hammer requires immense strength..."
Rossweisse continued, "Lord Odin said that if no one can wield it, they will send reinforcements."
Rias and the others exchanged glances—none of them were particularly strong in terms of physical power.
Loki, who had been panicked earlier, suddenly laughed. "Ha, even if that bastard Odin sent Thor's hammer, what good is it? Which of you can even use it?"
Just as he was gloating, Fenrir was bound by a magic circle that suddenly appeared on the ground.
"Gleipnir, the magical chain..." Rossweisse stared at the white chains restraining Fenrir in surprise. "Why is it here?"
At that moment, on a stone platform not far away, Kuroka and a blond man emerged from a teleportation magic circle.
"We set it up."
"I am Arthur of Vali's team. Lord Loki, we'll be taking this Fenrir."
"What did you say?" Loki retorted irritably.
"Fenrir's fangs, capable of biting through even gods—Vali really wants them."
Kuroka, however, remained silent, appearing much quieter compared to her previous eerie demeanor.
Haruto, watching from outside the barrier, wasn't particularly surprised.
Koneko obviously wouldn't forcibly imprison Kuroka; it was just unclear whether the sisters had resolved their family conflicts.
Judging by Kuroka's demeanor, even if things weren't completely resolved, there had been some changes.
Naturally, Loki wouldn't allow his beloved Fenrir, whom he treated like a child, to be taken away so easily.
The attack originally intended for Rias and the others was redirected toward Kuroka and the blond man, but it failed to harm them in the slightest.
After dispersing Loki's attack, Arthur lightly swung the blue double-edged sword in his hand.
"Collbrande, the Holy King Sword—not even a god can damage this blade."
"Was Fenrir your target from the start..."
Loki glared darkly at the blond man named Arthur. "You've outsmarted me, Vali Lucifer."
It was somewhat ironic for Loki, known as the God of Deception, to be deceived by someone else.
Seeing that Loki had no intention of continuing the attack, Arthur reversed his grip and plunged the Holy Sword into Fenrir's forehead, which was now immobilized.
The Holy Sword emitted a golden glow, sinking almost entirely into Fenrir's head without causing any harm.
"Well then, good day to you all."
With one hand over his chest, Arthur bowed slightly as Kuroka activated the teleportation magic. The two vanished from the sealed barrier along with Fenrir.
Outside the barrier, Haruto glanced curiously at Beelzebub. It seemed rather easy to enter this sealed barrier from the outside, and judging by Kuroka's ease, teleporting out hadn't been difficult either...
As if sensing Haruto's gaze, Shalba Beelzebub, clad in a green cloak, explained, "The other party must have used some special artifact, much like the magical chain that restrained Fenrir and that Holy Sword."
The Holy Sword wielded by Arthur, which even gods couldn't damage, had another name: the Holy Sword of Dominion.
By plunging it into Fenrir's forehead, Arthur aimed to control the legendary magical beast that Loki had raised as his own child.
Fenrir's intellect falls short of humans, but precisely because of this, its loyalty is all the more reliable.
Without the Holy Sword of domination, even if forcibly brought back, Vali and his group would be unable to make Fenrir serve them.
As Arthur and Kuroka teleported away, Loki's attention returned to Rias and the others.
While his focus had been diverted, the women of Rias's group had taken turns attempting to wield Thor's Hammer.
Unfortunately, none could use it.
Outside, Sirzechs and the others were preparing to select a suitable candidate to enter, with the top choice being Sairaorg Bael—the current top-ranked young devil.
Of course, this "top rank" referred to his position in the Rating Games.
Haruto's current power level made it impossible for him to participate in Rating Games anymore—it would be nothing short of a dimensional-level stomp.
Even though Sairaorg was the heir of the Great King Bael household, one of the Four Heavenly Kings of the new devil generation, and hailed as the strongest of his peers, he couldn't withstand a single move from Haruto.
Sairaorg possessed extraordinary strength and martial arts, making him indeed the strongest among the new generation of devils—excluding Haruto. If even he couldn't wield Thor's Hammer, then no one could.
Sairaorg was excited about fighting Loki, especially with the chance to use a top-tier Sacred Gear like Thor's Hammer.
Thor's Hammer was the weapon of the Norse thunder god Thor—an absolute hammer capable of delivering a punishing blow to all things in the world.
The plan was sound, but with Thor's Hammer present, Loki wasn't truly foolish. Had Vali's subordinates not seized the opportunity to take Fenrir, he would have already attacked Rias and the others.
Now that Fenrir's capture was a fait accompli, ensuring he wouldn't be suppressed by Thor's Hammer became his sole objective.
Before Sirzechs and the others could send Sairaorg in, Loki commanded the two offspring of Fenrir and the Dragon King replicas, joining the assault himself as he launched a thunderous attack against Rias and her companions.
Though missing one Fenrir, with Loki personally joining the fray, how could Rias and the others possibly hold out?
Even with full defensive measures, they were forced into continuous retreat.
After just one exchange, everyone had sustained injuries ranging from minor to severe, with Sona—the weakest among them—once again suffering critical damage.
"Sona!"
"President!"
Rias and Tsubaki shielded the unconscious Sona while retreating, but Loki understood the principle of attacking weaknesses, concentrating his assault entirely on their position.
At this rate, even if Sairaorg successfully suppressed Loki with Thor's Hammer, Rias's group would likely face total annihilation.
"Hey, old man Odin."
Haruto didn't want to wait any longer and spoke up proactively: "I can use Thor's Hammer, right? As long as we suppress Loki in one strike, there won't be any risk of excessive force triggering Ragnarok."
Through their brief interaction, Haruto had learned that this Norse chief god was an unconventional old man.
To be precise, somewhat unorthodox.
"It's possible..."
Odin already knew Haruto's identity. Though unaware that Haruto had reached Quasi-Dragon God Class, the combination of divine-level power and Balance Breaker of his Sacred Gear was enough to warrant full respect.
"If the Red Dragon Emperor wishes to take action personally, you'll only have one opportunity, because—"
"Don't worry, a second chance won't be necessary at all."
Haruto cut off Odin's words. He didn't need to know the reasons behind it—based on the combat prowess Loki had displayed, if he failed to land a single hit, he might as well find a block of tofu to crash into and end it all.
As the two conversed, the situation inside the sealed barrier worsened further.
Being the primary target, Sona's life force had nearly faded to nothing.
If not for Sirzechs and Alpha holding her back, Serafall would have already charged inside.
Who cared about Ragnarok or the destruction of the world? If her dearest little sister died, she would make sure Loki paid with his life.
[BoostedGear]
[The Balance Breaker]
Haruto wasted no more time. Under Serafall's hopeful gaze, he directly activated his Balance Breaker.
There was no time for a gradual teleportation. In any case, he only needed one strike to enter, and whether the sealed barrier shattered or not no longer mattered.
Enhanced by the Balance Breaker's power, Alpha's magical barrier was as fragile as glass before Haruto.
Transforming into a crimson bolt of lightning, Haruto shattered the barrier from the outside and appeared directly in front of Loki.
Only after he had appeared inside the barrier did the sealed barrier seem to react, emitting a crisp shattering sound as it broke into fragments of light.