Fated Encounter (8)
Fated Encounter (8)
The moment I exhaled a Breath mixing poison and frost, the snake vanished into the shadows.
It seems it thought it could dodge my Breath by using the shadows. It was sorely mistaken.
There's no way it could avoid my Breath with just that.
A pained scream flowed from the shadows where the snake was.
Finally unable to bear the pain, the snake emerged from the shadows, and its appearance was wretched.
Scales all over were frozen and chunks of flesh were falling off, while some parts were dyed purple from being poisoned.
"What's this? It's lamer than I thought."
『Kyyaaak!! How dare, how dare you damage my body!』
"What are you on about? This weakling."
Laughing at the snake whose level of power was pathetic compared to the force it showed upon its appearance, I descended, grabbed its battered torso, and stomped it down.
And just then, Linnea, who had been following me, arrived.
Looking at the snake fallen on the ground, she let out a sigh of relief and spoke.
"Hoo... When I heard what that human said, I was worried... Fortunately, it was no match for you, Nidhogg-nim."
"Do you know what this guy is?"
Pointing at the snake still writhing under my foot and asking, she nodded and explained about this snake.
"The name of that snake summoned by the Fiends is Apophis. It's an existence that came from a world belonging to a different mythology than this place, a monster of destruction that opposes the supreme god of that world. And although it's a bit much to call it 'just', I heard it was offered the souls of the humans remaining in the city as a sacrifice... But it was no match for you, Nidhogg-nim."
"What. Why do you know such detailed info."
Curiosity arose at seeing Linnea, who knew surprisingly detailed information about the snake's identity, and when I asked, instead of answering, she pointed to her ear and tapped it a few times.
There, what appeared to be a communication earpiece was inserted.
"Who is it connected to?"
"She said if I mention Yoo Da-eun, you would know."
"Aha. If it's that kid, that makes sense."
Come to think of it, that kid was there.
I completely forgot about her since I left her with the others.
If it's the ability of Yoo Da-eun, who belongs to Truth's Eye, then it's understandable she knows this guy's identity.
Linnea, who seemed to be communicating with someone for a moment, holding her ear as if having a conversation, spoke as if reporting.
"Nidhogg-nim. The characteristics of Apophis are said to be darkness, poison. And immortality."
"Can Yoo Da-eun's eye see that far? Anyway, immortality..."
I glared at the snake still thrashing under my foot.
Darkness likely refers to that ability of hiding in shadows, and poison... I'm not sure about that.
Must be because my poison is stronger that it ended up like this?
And lastly, immortality...
Guess I have to kill it myself to know?
"Ah! She says with only a single city as a sacrifice, it cannot be summoned in its complete state possessing immortality."
"That's a bit disappointing."
If it truly had immortality, I was thinking of maybe pickling it as snake wine or something.
As I clicked my tongue and looked down at Apophis, perhaps sensing my gaze, it thrashed even more violently.
『Release me! How dare you look upon me, the Adversary of the Sun, embodiment of darkness, serpent of the apocalypse, with such a gaze! Such insolence!』
"Shall we shut that noisy mouth first?"
Crunch!
Annoyed by its constant thrashing and its high-handed attitude, I raised my leg and brought it down on its head.
The mouth that had been noisily chattering soon fell silent.
But something feels off.
It's not moving at all?
Did it pass out?
"H-hey. Breathe, breathe!"
I brought my leg near its nose, but no breath could be felt.
There's still a lot I wanted to ask, so it couldn't die like this. Hurriedly removing my leg, and just as I was about to place my leg near its heart thinking to perform CPR or something—
Shwaaaaaa!!
Suddenly moving swiftly, Apophis sprang up as if bouncing, aiming for the nape of my neck.
"Ah, shit! You scared me!"
Crunch!
So startled, I reflexively swung my foreleg with all my might.
Struck with full power by my already strengthened strength, Apophis's head burst like a balloon—pop.
"Uh... What the hell..."
Looking any which way, Apophis was clearly killed in one hit.
"Nidhogg-nim..."
"No! You saw it too! This guy suddenly pretended to be dead and lunged at me?!"
"But bursting its head is a bit..."
"Wow, seriously! Hey! Get up! You're supposed to be immortal! Get up, I say!"
Under Linnea's cold, icy stare, feeling unfairly treated, I shook Apophis's corpse, but there was no way it would get up.
The power of Apophis, summoned at the cost of just one city, might allow regeneration but resurrection was impossible.
This is unfair.
Who would have thought the guy who introduced himself as the Adversary of the Sun and referred to himself as 'this one' would pretend to be dead?
"Ha. Seriously. Someday I'll find and kill its main body too."
"Sigh. I get it. Now, let's just clean up the aftermath."
"What? You want me to turn Asgard into this state too?"
"Aish. No, of course not. I should handle it, naturally."
Linnea, acting casually again now that the situation is roughly wrapped up.
I glared at her, and she bowed her waist and busied herself gathering and organizing Apophis's corpse.
Looking at the gathered corpse of Apophis, perhaps because it's a snake, it looked delicious.
I could feel Magic Power of a similar nature to Fiends, so just eating it would probably give me a stomach ache; I should ask Ratatoskr later if there's a way to eat it.
Anyway, the mess the Fiends made has been cleaned up, and what's left is Asgard, right?
I came here in such a hurry, throwing everything aside, so I wonder what the situation is over there.
Wrapping my eyes in Magic Power and looking towards Asgard, over there they were also busy recovering fallen gods and Valkyries.
Freya seems to be commanding the scene on-site, and what is Odin doing?
I just remembered that I forgot to retrieve Gungnir, which I threw at Odin, in too much of a hurry.
Hurriedly searching for Odin, I found her sitting at the very edge of Asgard, huddled over deeply.
Beside her was Gungnir, which was once her beloved weapon but is now my possession, carefully placed.
Seeing it placed even on what looked like an expensive cloth spread on the ground showed just how preciously she still thought of Gungnir, even though it was taken from her.
Fluttering my wings and approaching Asgard, the gods and Valkyries who saw me returning became busy.
Perhaps thinking I was attacking again, they grabbed their weapons and looked flustered, a sight that was just amusing.
Having no more interest in them, whom I could easily defeat even without borrowing my main body's power, I was about to go to Odin when Freya blocked my path.
Linnea was like that, and now Freya is like this; I don't know why they keep blocking my path.
Freya, who almost died by my hand just a little while ago, trembled and spoke.
"T-the match is already over, isn't it? What are you trying to do to Odin?"
"I'm just claiming the rights as the victor. You're in the way, so move. Scram!"
"Hik!"
I just raised my arm intending to scare her off, but isn't her reaction a bit too much?
And if you're going to move aside from a mere threat, then you shouldn't have blocked me in the first place.
[Stop bothering Freya and come up.]
[Freya, you go down now too and do your work.]
Characters fluttered down along with a faint, rustling wind.
Judging by the content of the flying characters, it seems Odin sent them.
This guy. She's more composed than I thought?
I was worried she might have lost her mind, but fortunately that's not the case.
Perhaps because Odin personally gave the order, Freya also didn't resist any further and obediently stepped aside.
Well then, shall I slowly head over to Odin now?
Just as I was about to depart—
"Are you going to Odin-nim?"
"Gyah! You scared me!"
Turning my head in surprise at the voice that suddenly came from behind, Linnea was there.
"When did you get here?"
"I came when you were scaring Freya-nim."
"What about Apophis?"
"Some Valkyries who came to check the site just happened to be there, so I handed it over to them."
"Is that okay?"
Is it okay to use Valkyries who came out on reconnaissance on a whim?
No, before that, what if they run off with Apophis's corpse?
But despite such worries, Linnea confidently thumped her chest.
"Don't worry. It'll be fine, no problem."
"Why are you so sure?"
"Well, because the ones who came on reconnaissance are my successors."
"Huh..."
Valkyries are, in a sense, the army of the gods, but I didn't know they were actually operated like a military unit.
And anyway, why is that confident look of hers so irritating?
"So if they cause trouble, you're taking responsibility?"
"Ehh? Why would I take responsibility for that?"
"Then who will? You're the one who ordered them, so you should take responsibility."
"I, I guess I can't go back now, right?"
"Do you think you can?"
Seeing that she showed not a single grain of trust in her own successors made me let out a hollow laugh for no reason.
Leaving her there, fidgeting anxiously about whether they might cause an accident or not, I flew towards Odin.
"W-wait a moment..."
"Follow or don't."
It wasn't that far to Odin to begin with, so arriving took no time.
Odin, still sitting on the edge of Asgard, draped in a robe, swinging her legs, greeted me happily.
"W-w-welcome?"
Is that a happy greeting?
"S-sorry. I, I forgot to take my medicine..."
She seems aware that her voice is trembling badly too, as Odin put her hand inside her robe, took out medicine, and ate it.
If she doesn't have the medicine, she even stutters while talking.
So she really has gone senile?
Anyway, true to being a cunning old lady, even in that state she can't let go of her lust for power and is holding onto her position.
"You don't look in good condition; having done this much, how about slowly handing over your position to someone else and living as an old lady in the back room, Odin."
"..."
"Seeing her today, Freya seemed decent. How about handing it over to her?"
"Thi..."
"Thi?"
"Whose fault is it that I have to take this medicine!"
I don't know what she's so angry about, but Odin threw the medicine bottle at my face with all her might.
I caught the flying medicine bottle and threw it back towards Odin's face.