Absolute One Is Also New to Fatherhood Chapter 142

The crimson moon hung brightly in the sky, casting its glow over the battlefield.

Amid the sudden silence that had settled over the area...

A new narrative resonated across all of Muspelheim.

『The lunar eclipse is one of the symbols representing "Invincibility" (不敗).』

『■■■, an existence originally detached from the very concept of defeat...』

『Had to forsake humanity when standing beneath the eclipse.』

Kang-jun's flesh—even his muscles—had melted away, leaving only exposed bones as he grinned with a ghastly smile.

『The price for this...』

Black flames, ominous and ravenous, erupted violently over his body, now clad in dark armor.

『Is power that exceeds all limits.』

Kang-jun spoke.

"Did I mention this before?"

A voice devoid of highs or lows echoed.

Low, smooth...

Yet carrying a whisper that sent chills down the spine.

"Everyone who's seen me like this has died."

The Living Text pouring from Kang-jun's body swirled like a maelstrom, tearing through and corroding everything in its path.

These were the "achievements" and "narratives" he had accumulated.

At that moment.

The Abyss itself resonated with the tale.

『The Ragnarök, a core narrative of Gi, was originally an apocalypse foretelling the fall of a star cluster.』

『An apocalypse that should have been recorded as such now hurtled toward a different conclusion.』

The next instant.

"GGRRAAAGHH—!"

Kang-jun, who had vanished without a trace, reappeared right before Surtr, seizing the fire giant's throat in an iron grip.

『The nature of Gi's core narrative, "Ragnarök," began to change.』

『It was no longer an apocalypse of destruction.』

『Instead, it would be recorded and passed down through eternity, never to be forgotten...』

Surtr's body slowly lifted into the air under Kang-jun's crushing grasp.

『A ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠sacred and sublime myth of protection.』

Odin, witnessing this, roared.

"Warriors of Valhalla—!"

Raising his divine spear, Gungnir, he declared the beginning of a war that would be etched into eternity.

"Charge—!"

Golden-helmed soldiers clad in armor surged forward, weapons in hand, their assault relentless.

Einherjar

These were the brave warriors who had died glorious deaths in battle and been invited to Valhalla.

For countless ages, they had fought each other from dawn till dusk, only to feast and rest when night fell.

Day after day, year after year...

Their accumulated training had stacked beyond measure, an eternity of preparation—

All for this very moment, the prophesied day of Ragnarök.

"Surely none of you are trembling in fear?"

"Don't be absurd!"

"Let's carve holes in their guts!"

The Einherjar's swords and spears severed heads, pierced flesh, and buried deep into the ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠fire giants' bodies.

「GGRRAAAHHH—!」

Battle cries and screams intertwined.

『Wherever one looked, casualties mounted.』

『Yet none feared death.』

『All fought desperately for a single ideal.』

Countless Einherjar, beyond numbering, threw themselves at the enemy like moths to flame.

"For the survival of Asgard!"

"A glorious death awaits!"

"I shall embrace my end with humility!"

Casualties piled on their side as well.

『Each had something they wished to protect.』

Yet their fallen rose again in moments.

"Stand."

Every time Kang-jun's voice echoed, the slain Einherjar gripped their weapons anew and stood.

"Overcome, and advance."

They charged again.

"I will permit no one to die until victory is ours."

The resurrected soldiers roared as they swept across the battlefield.

"Hold the line."

His restrained voice amplified their morale.

"No matter how many times you fall, rise and take up your sword again."

The tide of battle turned.

"And protect what must be protected."

Even the gods, who had been stunned into inaction, now rallied and surged into the fray.

『The enemy's strength meant nothing to them.』

『If they fell, they would simply rise and fight again.』

『They wielded their blades only to protect what they cherished.』

The gods clashed with the Outer Entities.

By nature, those of the inner world should have been powerless against the outer gods...

『Yet a great change had come.』

One by one, the Outer Entities fell.

『Was it not said that the inner could never oppose the outer?』

『A fundamental rule of this world was slowly being forgotten.』

『What was once absolute had become mere outdated dogma.』

Thor's Mjölnir crushed the skull of an Outer Entity rampaging across the battlefield.

『An existence that defied the world's order.』

『All this change stemmed from ■■■'s intervention.』

The Great Sage Equal of Heaven, having just pulverized another Outer Entity with his staff, shouted excitedly.

"What's this? They're not so tough—!"

Dozens, hundreds, thousands of his clones chattered noisily as they rampaged.

"These are the mighty Outer Gods?"

"Pathetic, really."

"Did you see that? One hit!"

The true Great Sage, the original of all these clones, spun his staff with exhilaration.

"This is a feast—!"

To him, the battlefield was nothing but an opportunity to amass achievements and narratives to his heart's content.

"This monkey's gone mad!"

The Bull Demon King yelled.

"Let's see who can pile up more glories before we leave!"

The Great Sage split another Outer God in half with his staff and laughed.

"Fine by me, you ox-headed fool!"

With a spirited "Heave-ho!", he continued swinging his staff with abandon.

『As always, the laws of ■■■'s Epithet operated on principles entirely separate from the world's own.』

『The battlefield now operated under "■■■'s Laws."』

『Whenever ■■■ needed aid, his allies too would grasp power far beyond all limits.』

‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠

These laws defied the world's order.

The inner overwhelmed the outer.

All were consumed by madness, slaughtering the enemy again and again.

『■■■.』

Kang-jun's gaze shifted to Surtr, still struggling in his grip.

『Even he had something he wished to protect.』

Surtr convulsed under Kang-jun's stare.

"O-Outer Ones...!"

Crushed by overwhelming pressure, he begged for his life, groveling ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠before this unprecedented existence.

But.

Most of the Outer Entities had already perished. None remained to aid him.

『The ordinary days he had yearned for...』

Then—

Squelch.

Kang-jun's right hand pierced Surtr's abdomen.

"GGRRKK—!"

Not blood, but Living Text spilled from the wound.

Without even a chance to resist, the god was reduced to polygonal fragments, scattering in the wind.

『The trivial days that would be forgotten by tomorrow.』

『The time filled with mundane little things.』

『■■■ stood at the forefront to protect them.』

『And so, he ended the battle to defend them.』

The instigator of Ragnarök had perished.

Ding!

Familiar messages appeared in succession.

But Kang-jun ignored them, scanning the battlefield.

The few remaining enemies fought desperately, yet...

A veteran of countless battles, he knew victory was certain.

『Ragnarök had reached its conclusion.』

『That wretched apocalypse...』

『Was now recorded as a myth of protection.』

At that moment.

『Thus, the gods of Asgard would endure for eternity...』

『This tale would be passed down forever...』

『And this world would reach the next word: "Ascension."』

『The one to whom that word belonged was the one who had halted Ragnarök...』

Once more, the world resonated.

『■■■.』

His deeds spread far and wide.

All watched...

And the Watching Eyes trembled with ecstasy.

Soon.

Kang-jun turned his head.

Leaning against a rock...

His loyal servant gasped for breath.

"Lord Crabsley."

The vampire wheezed in response.

"Y-Yes, my lord."

Kang-jun asked again.

"Will you obey my command?"

He had ordered him to survive and stand with him.

So this question...

Was asking if he would live.

"I... will obey..."

Once more, the absolute law took effect.

His wounds healed.

Slowly, but surely.

『■■■'s allies do not die easily. Even mortal wounds recover swiftly.』

Then Kang-jun added softly.

"If I ordered you to die, you would."

"Yes, my lord."

"Do not obey that command anymore."

Kang-jun extended his hand.

Clasp.

Crabsley gripped it firmly.

"Let's go home."

Their eyes met.

"Let's all sit together and have dinner."

"Yes, my lord."

"Let's talk about trivial things."

"Yes, my lord."

"Let's laugh and make merry."

Then he added.

"Let's live."

Crabsley smiled weakly.

"Let's spend the rest of our days just like that."

Ragnarök had ended.

It was time to return.

To the ordinary days they had fought to protect.