Chapter 135
Chapter 135
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 135
Chapter Title: The First Qualification
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Even at the soldier's firm words, Soo-hyuk stood with his hands clasped behind his back.
"Well, well?"
Viola had said ten years, and he absolutely.
"You're talking pretty roughly. It's not like you're sentencing me to prison."
He was playing it off jokingly for the stream, but it wasn't exactly a pleasant situation.
'Fine for me, but even the Valkyrie who sent the mission gets ten years...'
His expression soured beneath the mask.
Soo-hyuk stepped forward in front of Viola.
"Does that 'qualification' mean innate race?"
"No. Race doesn't matter."
"Oh? Then what is it?"
"...?"
A look of puzzlement crossed the soldier's face.
It was due to Soo-hyuk's naturally shifted tone.
"What are you doing right now?"
"I'll use honorifics if you want. If you do the same."
"Do you not know where this is?"
"Valhalla, right?"
"...You know."
The opponent wasn't a high god of Asgard or even a Valkyrie. There was no reason to treat someone with a rude attitude politely.
Of course, he did have the thought that, as the viewers said, he could just 2TP if things went south.
'But right now, Viola outranks him.'
No matter how long she'd been away from Asgard, she was still a resident of Valhalla.
A great warrior who served Odin.
As long as he was her benefactor, Asgard's spears and swords wouldn't be pointed at him—at least minimally.
And sure enough.
"He's my benefactor."
Unable to stand it any longer, Viola cut into their conversation.
"Show some respect. Like you do with me."
"Valkyrie?"
"Should I draw my sword?"
A glint appeared in Viola's eyes. Seeing her hand move toward her scabbard, the soldier straightened his posture.
"S-sorry."
"Not to me. To my benefactor."
"I'm sorry. I apologize."
The soldier's attitude changed.
As expected, though he was blocking Viola's path per procedure, he was beneath a Valkyrie.
Moreover.
'The person's different now.'
Was it because she'd returned to Asgard? Or because the 6th floor trial had begun?
Though only glimpsed briefly, the sharpness emanating from Viola felt entirely different from before.
'This soldier isn't completely useless either.'
Though just a gatekeeper, the soldiers guarding the gate to Valhalla each exuded an extraordinary aura.
Dozens of them at that. This was the caliber of Asgard's rank-and-file.
But be that as it may.
Whether by status or skill, Viola was superior—that fact remained unchanged.
"To say it again, he's my benefactor. And a human who helped with Asgard's mission."
"I was unaware."
"For that reason, I'd like to guide him to Valhalla..."
Trailing off, Viola pondered briefly before glancing at Soo-hyuk.
"If procedure requires that qualification, could he take a trial to earn it?"
"Pardon?"
The first scenario of the 6th floor.
It was the foundation for entering Valhalla.
"Are you serious?"
The soldier's face showed shock incomparable to when Viola had returned.
"Yes, completely serious. If my benefactor wishes to take the trial."
"Even Valkyries train for centuries to barely pass. How could a human..."
"He's not an ordinary human."
"No human has ever taken Valhalla's trial."
He could understand why the soldier was so surprised.
Being the first always draws astonishment.
A human.
Just from their reactions, it was easy to see how much these so-called gods looked down on humans.
"Is there a rule saying humans can't set foot in Valhalla?"
"That's..."
Flustered and unable to respond, the soldier finally gave an ambiguous answer—neither yes nor no.
"...Give me a moment."
"How long?"
"Until I get permission from my superiors. It's not for me to decide alone."
Viola nodded, and the soldier turned and left.
With time to kill, Viola led them to Asgard's famous turkey roast joint.
"Asgard's turkey roast is special because it's basted with a unique sauce that locks in the juices while grilling, making it extra flavorful. Pair it with this beer..."
Viola explained the food as she lifted a beer mug the size of her head.
Asgard's portions were generally huge. The meat, beer, sides—all several times normal size.
Soo-hyuk let out a chuckle at the viewers' wails.
Free meal and a date with a beauty. It was an enviable day, for sure.
Of course.
Soo-hyuk's attention was on the yet-to-begin Valhalla trial.
"How does that trial work?"
Viola, mid-sip of beer at Soo-hyuk's question, carefully set her mug down.
With an apologetic expression, she spoke.
"Sorry, but I can't tell you about the trial in advance. That would violate the rules..."
"I see."
It was a shame. Knowing the content ahead would let him strategize accordingly.
"That's not the important part."
"Then what is?"
"Whether my benefactor intends to take the trial."
Guiding him to Valhalla so far and requesting the trial—all on her own initiative.
She warned Soo-hyuk of the trial's dangers.
"Valhalla's trial isn't easy. Countless warriors fail and die."
"It'll probably be harder than the one you faced, Viola."
Vigo, whose expression had been sour, broke a long silence.
"I know your benefactor's skill well, but Asgard's gods won't want a human in Valhalla."
"Vigo, that's..."
"You know it too, don't you, Viola? Among those not born gods, none have ever set foot on Valhalla's soil."
Soo-hyuk's ears perked up.
'None?'
Humans aside, none from Midgard either? That was odd.
As his doubts grew and he was about to ask for details.
Swoosh-.
Suddenly, the surroundings blurred, revealing a new scene before his eyes.
The cutscene for the first scenario had begun.
'That soldier from earlier.'
The first view was the soldier's back as he returned to Valhalla's fortress.
Wearing winged armor, he knelt on one knee before several gods inside.
"...For that reason, Valkyrie Viola wishes to have the human undergo the qualification trial."
At the soldier's words, the gods in the hall let out surprised voices one by one.
"A human in Valhalla?"
"Unprecedented."
"But it doesn't violate Asgard's laws."
"A difficult choice."
Their appearances varied.
A female warrior in Valkyrie armor, a white-haired elder with a long beard, even a blind man with closed eyes.
Among them, silencing the noisy hall was the blind man who had been silent until now.
"Let him take the trial."
The surroundings quieted at his words.
"If a Valkyrie chose him, he's surely no ordinary human. Moreover, Valkyrie Viola was the one sent on Thor's mission."
"Since when does one Valkyrie's word carry such weight?"
The blind man nodded at the white-haired elder's words.
"True. So we're not letting him in blindly. We're saying he takes the trial."
Still displeased, the elder snorted.
"Then it must be an extremely harsh trial."
The elder's words were half-acceptance. The blind man, not wanting to argue further, nodded slightly and moved on.
"Next item."
Swoosh-.
The scenery slowly faded again.
The golden hall and their voices blurred away.
"To Midgard..."
Fwaah-.
The surroundings returned to normal.
Viola sipping her drink as if nothing had happened.
According to the cutscene, Soo-hyuk's trial was confirmed.
How amazing was Valhalla to cause such a fuss?
Ding-.
The shop door opened with a bell.
Turning, he saw a familiar face.
'One-armed?'
An elderly man missing one arm.
He was the elder from the cutscene.
"L-Lord Tyr...?"
Viola and Vigo shot up from their seats.
Seeing their reaction, Soo-hyuk asked gladly.
"You know him?"
"More than know. He is—"
"It's you."
Flinch-.
Soo-hyuk's body trembled slightly.
Was the distance this close? Tyr's voice felt like it came from right beside him.
Looking again, the distance was still far. He'd closed over ten steps to approach Soo-hyuk.
Step-.
Despite his age-hunched back, he was about Soo-hyuk's height.
'...Dangerous.'
Just meeting his eyes made Soo-hyuk feel small. He emanated thousands, tens of thousands of years.
No special power used, yet his presence was overwhelming.
Even if Soo-hyuk regained his old power, could he face him?
'No.'
He wasn't confident.
The fight with the difficult Hydra felt easier than facing this old man.
And thus.
Soo-hyuk felt more at ease instead.
'No fighting this old man.'
If it were a tower-assigned task, it'd be an impossible trial.
But separately.
'Still, not on my side.'
The cutscene showed it.
This old man held no goodwill toward him.
No.
Rather, as Vigo said, if Asgard rejected humans, this elder would lead the charge.
"Right? The human who wants to take Valhalla's trial."
"Yes."
Soo-hyuk nodded.
"That's me."
"Straight to the point."
As if no intent to chat long, he spoke without introducing himself.
"I don't like humans."
Tyr's gaze flicked to Soo-hyuk's hand.
"And especially you, even more."
"What do you want?"
"Not saying it because I want something. Just not hiding my feelings."
That seemed truly all.
Turning his hunched body, he grumbled discontentedly.
"Pay up and come out. Your trial's approved as you wanted."