Chapter 183
Chapter 183
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 183
Chapter Title: The King of the Heavenly Horses
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The cutscene showed the garden where Tyr and Heimdall had been sharing tea together.
But Heimdall was gone now, replaced by Odin, who had returned to Valhalla.
Seeing this, Soo-hyuk fumed and grabbed the mic.
"That old geezer must be loving that tea going down his throat."
They'd dumped him in the middle of the gods without a word and were casually sipping tea.
No matter how much he tried to rationalize it as just a trial, it pissed him off. Setting aside the fact that he was human, they at least owed him a bow in respect.
"I wonder if it's okay to be sitting around so leisurely like this."
"Sorry about that friend of yours. We put too much on his shoulders alone."
"Yeah, I figured as much."
At least they hadn't completely lost their shame. Though they sipped their tea, they looked somewhat anxious.
"Who would've thought he'd show off the thunder right there..."
"It was risky, but it's for the best. No need to take the long way around now."
"True. But it's gotten more dangerous."
The cutscene was warning Soo-hyuk. Time had been shortened, but the situation was far more perilous.
"He'll move right away, right?"
"If we don't... ■■■■■, yeah."
"Hard to believe."
"But right now, there's no one else we can think of."
Odin nodded at Tyr's words.
He had no idea why those two couldn't act themselves, but the mood was grave.
Unfortunately, who they were speculating about was filtered out—he couldn't hear it.
Questions poured in from viewers who didn't recognize Odin's face.
"That old man's Odin."
As viewers joked around, Soo-hyuk explained the previous trial.
"I saved Thor in the last trial. But apparently, someone tricked him into a trap."
Creak—
Odin rose from his seat right on cue.
"Right now, those two are hunting that guy down."
"Then I'll head back. Can't stay too long."
"Right."
Tyr stood up after Odin.
The two who had shared tea parted ways in different directions.
"All we can do now is trust those two."
Whoosh—
As the cutscene faded, the scenery returned. Soo-hyuk stood alone, all the gods gone.
Left by himself, he muttered in disbelief.
"So why the hell are you guys trusting me?"
Soo-hyuk headed straight out to tackle the trial.
He had to do it alone, but he needed one companion. Luckily, support came through Brunhilde.
And he chose that companion himself.
"Thanks to you, I get to see this sky again."
Viola gazed up at Valhalla's endless sky.
The crisp wind of the blue heavens tousled her golden hair. She closed her eyes briefly, letting the dry, refreshing breeze wash over her.
"I owe you more favors than I can count. How can I ever repay this...?"
"Then for starters, can you slow down a bit?"
Soo-hyuk, plastered to Viola's back, looked ready to hurl any second.
The two were riding a Heavenly Horse skyward.
Soo-hyuk didn't know how to ride one, so Viola was helping—and that's how they soared.
"Whoa, too fast?"
"Motion sickness..."
The Heavenly Horse was fast.
But not so fast it was unbearable.
The problem was the excessive shaking—and riding for so long.
Viola checked on Soo-hyuk and gripped the reins again.
The speed slowed gradually. The shaking eased, and Soo-hyuk finally settled.
"Rougher than I expected. I thought I could handle speed."
"Heavenly Horses aren't just for riding."
"Oh?"
"You have to communicate and bond with them. Spirit beasts don't let just anyone on their backs."
Spirit beast.
Come to think of it, Heimdall had said something like that.
"It won't be easy. Heavenly Horses are spirit beasts born with divinity, like us."
He'd thought they were just winged horses that could fly.
'Communication and bonding...'
He had no clue yet. But it was worth remembering.
This trial: find a lone Heavenly Horse and tame it.
If taming wasn't just about subduing it, he needed to practice bonding now.
"...Heavenly Horse?"
Just as Soo-hyuk tentatively stroked its back.
Neighhh—!
The Heavenly Horse bucked wildly and shot up into the sky.
"Gahhhh—!"
They landed on clouds atop clouds.
Amazingly, these clouds were solid enough to stand on. Soo-hyuk, barely dismounting, dry-heaved nonstop.
"You okay?"
"Y-yeah... lucky."
He really might've gotten those 10k points. If so, he couldn't have faced Viola straight.
Crunch—
Beside him, the Heavenly Horse munched on cloud like fruit. How it made that sound from clouds, it glanced at Soo-hyuk then turned away.
He wanted to fry the damn thing. Soo-hyuk squeezed his eyes shut, holding back.
'Bond... bond... bond...'
Thinking of "endure" as "person," he repeated it mentally. Calmed, he asked.
"Do Heavenly Horses live in places like this?"
"They live in the highest skies. Clouds are their staple food and home. They live by pride alone."
Viola stroked the Heavenly Horse's head as she spoke.
Unlike when Soo-hyuk touched it, no resistance.
"Your mission was to find a lone Heavenly Horse and tame it, right?"
"Yeah."
"Won't be easy. A loner probably means..."
Viola trailed off.
A herd of Heavenly Horses flew by, wings spread over the clouds.
"There they are."
Nearly a hundred strong. They flew in perfect formation like trained soldiers.
"That's a lot."
"Spectacular, right?"
"So the lone one's like an outcast?"
"Opposite."
Viola shook her head.
"Like the king of the herd."
"King?"
"Can't even appoint a leader over one that roams alone. All Heavenly Horses fear it."
The Heavenly Horse munching clouds shuddered at her words.
It understood and pictured the one she meant.
"For real."
"It's so ferocious, most Valkyries won't even try."
Even normal ones barely listened. Taming that? Seemed tougher than expected.
Fatigue already hit; Soo-hyuk sighed at the sky.
"Told you it'd be hard."
"Yeah. And it's not my only worry..."
"Hm?"
"Got more to do."
Soo-hyuk had two trials.
One: Wings of Thunder. Two: "Seeker of Thunder."
Not separate—they were issued together, so likely simultaneous.
'I'm the bait.'
The one who trapped Thor in the cutscene.
That was probably the "Seeker of Thunder."
Finding them? Hard. But drawing them out? Easy.
He had the thunder they craved.
'If there's a chance, now.'
Vast sky.
No one would know here.
'They could snatch the thunder unnoticed.'
Tyr and Odin used him to lure Thor's trapper.
No clue how Heavenly Horse taming connected, but trial given, he had to solve it.
"Where do we find that thing?"
"No need to find it."
Viola shook her head, looking up.
"It doesn't hide or run."
Flap—
A shadow with overwhelming presence fell then.
Far more intimidating than the hundred herd.
Three or four times larger than Viola's mount, horns sprouting from its head—this Heavenly Horse emerged from the clouds.
It looked less horse, more monster. As the herd king, others cowered at its arrival.
Shiver—
The Heavenly Horse trembled into Viola's arms; chat exploded.
Soo-hyuk's eyes stayed on the majestic newcomer.
It eyed him too, snorting hot breath and rearing its foreleg.
Neighhh—!
Surrounding clouds scattered into mist.
Get off my turf.
"...What am I supposed to do with that?"
"Communicate and bond. Basics of taming a Heavenly Horse."
"Tricky."
Obvious at a glance.
This beast could boss a 7th-floor trial. No, not beast—gods called it a spirit beast.
He'd killed plenty, but taming? And bonding with a non-human lifeform? Never tried.
'First...'
Step—
Soo-hyuk approached slowly.
Neigh—!
Growls grew fiercer as distance closed. That foreleg looked steel-crushing strong.
"Not here to hurt you."
Step—
One step, another.
As he neared.
"Just wanna get frien—"
Crack—!
Crackle—!
The foreleg slammed down where Soo-hyuk's head had been.
He vanished from the spot.
The Heavenly Horse tilted its head, puzzled—then felt weight on its back.
"Let's be friends, okay?"
He was on its back, but now what?
No idea. For the first time since starting streams, Soo-hyuk asked chat for help.
"Anyone got tamer skills here...? Uh?"
Flap—
Wings spread.
His body lifted—then accelerated beyond anything with Viola.
"You son of a... AHHHHH—!"
Whoosh—!
Thus, mounted on the Heavenly Horse, Soo-hyuk began looping Asgard.