The Dragon's Despair
Nidhogg plummeted, blood streaming from his wounds. The crimson rain mixed with the downpour until it lost all shape, and his screams tore through the sky. It was the wretched, agonized cry of a predator stripped of everything.
“Kieeeek!”
The once-magnificent, thunderous voice was gone. Only the pitiful wail of a reptile in torment remained. The dragon that had once shaken the earth and split the heavens had lost both fangs in the most miserable way. One had fallen with him. The other had been hammered into a demonic sword. Those fangs, which would never regenerate, had been both his weapon and his only hope.
Having lost that hope, the dragon thrashed on the ground, shaking his head with a low growl. His missing eye made everything awkward—his field of vision narrowed, his blind side exposed. Worst of all was that woman. He had no idea what she had done, but she was strong. Mana that could cut through void energy? Loki had never told him about anything like that.
The answer to Nidhogg’s confusion was simple. Void energy was still just energy. If the fight came down to mass and density, then sword aura layered upon itself could absolutely sever it. Void energy carried the power of fivefold aura. So what about sixfold aura, like Seria’s?
It could cut through. I had already split his breath with sixfold aura once before.
…I was just a beat too late.
I flew toward Seria—or rather, toward her falling body. My wings still felt awkward, but not so much that I couldn’t control them. They simply demanded more strength than usual. Once I got used to it, flying would be no problem.
Seria, who had leapt alone and driven her sword strike home, was now plummeting helplessly. Even she had no power to defy gravity. She was a swordsman, but first and foremost a human. All she could do was prepare to break her fall.
The distance was short. Catching her was easy—almost embarrassingly so. I pulled her into my arms and landed lightly.
“…Hehe.”
“Sixfold aura… You knew how to use that?”
“I don’t know… When I came to, the Hero was right in front of me…”
So that was it. It made no sense. Maintaining even fivefold aura was difficult enough—sixfold should have been impossible. Even I, blessed by Odin, couldn’t sustain sixfold aura for more than ten minutes. Layering mana onto a sword was already exhausting; stacking it six times? The weight would crush you. It felt like deadlifting an enormous weight and then adding more plates on top.
This wasn’t something you could just “pull out in a crisis.” This was talent—something that transcended ordinary limits.
I shook my head and gently set Seria down. The ground was soaked from the storm. When her feet touched it, a soft splash echoed.
“Hero?”
“Yeah?”
“Did you fly all the way here because of me?”
“…No.”
That was a lie. I had charged in alone, looking cool while swinging my aura—only to miss completely. Meanwhile, Seria had landed the counter. I scratched the back of my head, feeling thoroughly embarrassed.
She met my eyes and smiled faintly. She was definitely teasing me. My ears burned.
Seria chuckled softly, clearly amused by my expression. She stepped closer. Her white hair and skin glistened with rain, and her soaked clothes clung transparently. I had nowhere safe to look.
“…I was glad you came.”
“Urk…”
“Was I the only one who felt that way again?”
“Ahem! I’m not embarrassed. Don’t misunderstand.”
I’m totally embarrassed. I just can’t admit I swung at empty air.
That was when it happened.
Vwoooom!
Nidhogg’s fang screamed. The void energy trying to claim my arm reacted to the presence before us.
“Grrr…”
Part of him was nearby—no, his main body was here. Nidhogg, the dragon that gnawed at the roots. He stroked the empty sockets where his fangs had been, pain twisting his face. His wings beat uselessly as he struggled on land, unaware that the ground itself was collapsing beneath him. Even the void energy around him was running wild.
“This is why, damn it, kids with no proper upbringing are the problem.”
It wasn’t about whether he had parents or not.
“No teacher ever taught him right, so this is what we get.”
I taunted him aloud while thinking to myself. The holy sword Mistilteinn—he had overlaid it with void runes. He must have offered it to Loki. But why? What plan required Mistilteinn?
I didn’t know yet. So I decided I would beat the answer out of him until he was on the brink of death. Bete had at least given me some information before he died, after all.
My goal had never changed from the start. Killing Nidhogg. Even before Mistilteinn was stolen, that had been the objective. And the final goal…
Killing Hel.
Even if it led to a great war, everything would remain unfinished unless Hel died. Even if Loki was the true master of the void, the demonic realm where monsters slaughtered humans was still Helheim. Only when the lord of Helheim perished could everyone else live.
If Hel died, Loki would trigger Ragnarok? He probably thought so. But I saw it differently.
Hel was still alive. So were her daughter and son. Yet Loki, who had massacred humans, what exactly was he? The ultimate hypocrite—that was how I saw him.
He intended to start Ragnarok whether Hel lived or died. I didn’t know exactly what had happened between the gods in the past. Maybe Loki had felt despair and grief. But so what? What did that have to do with us humans?
Why was Odin’s mess being taken out on us?
I couldn’t understand it, and I didn’t want to. So I said it again.
The target was still Hel. Loki was going to trigger Ragnarok anyway. So whether I killed Hel or not, the outcome would be the same.
“These slippery bastards…!”
“Shut your mouth. Your breath stinks.”
So today, as always, I raised my sword and stepped forward.
“Seria.”
Just keep moving ahead.
“Raise your sword.”
One step. Two steps.
“Let’s finish off that dragon’s head already. Dragging this out won’t be any fun.”
I didn’t need Odin’s blessing. Even without that connection, I was still the Hero. A Hero was one who eradicated darkness.
“—O nameless eagle.”
Today, as always, I would drive back the darkness.
“Guide me with your light.”
And I would show the light.
*
Nidhogg forced his massive body to move. Enduring the pain, the giant reptile narrowed his eyes. Purple void energy began to wrap around his enormous frame.
I was somewhat surprised, but I quickly understood what he was doing.
Humanization.
Did I remember our first meeting? He had approached Fina in Hvergelmir, pretending to be a sage. He had deceived everyone before revealing his true form.
Brown skin, pale green hair, and a single blind eye. The man with rough hair panted as his shrunken wings fluttered. He stood between dragon and human—outwardly a perfect human, yet his wings, eyes, and jagged claws remained draconic.
When he had been enormous, there had been plenty of places to strike. Now, in this form, it might be a little harder.
He took to the air. In the past I would have cursed him for being cowardly, but I was different now. Thanks to the eagle, I could fly too, and the wind aided me.
Seria drew a slow breath and raised her sword. Killing intent radiated from her. Even standing close, I could feel that fierce spirit. A lioness had marked her prey.
The prey staggered, drunk on rage—exactly the kind of situation that made him easy prey for the lioness.
I quickly scanned the surroundings, using Detection thoroughly. In the world dyed black, the movements of living things appeared white. That small, sly figure was probably Ratatoskr. The massive body was Tirgar, and the woman wielding purple energy was Riana. They were fighting well.
If I could lure Nidhogg to Ratatoskr like this, the eagle would easily bind both of them. He had spent his life fighting Nidhogg and Ratatoskr. He had claimed he could handle it, so I would trust him.
Nidhogg, who had stopped staggering and was now grinding his teeth, came into view. Both sides of his mouth felt empty. His two fangs were now in the ground and in my hand. I couldn’t help but laugh. He looked ridiculous.
“Loki will not stop.”
“Yeah. And I have to stop him.”
“Do you not understand the heart of a father separated from his children?”
“Your kids aren’t dead. They’re alive and well. Besides, Hel was busy slaughtering humans, wasn’t she? As the Demon King.”
“Loki is the biggest hypocrite I’ve ever seen. I don’t get why you follow someone like that.”
“Shut up. You know nothing of the void’s power—”
I waved Nidhogg’s own fang-turned-sword in front of him. His brow twisted, and rage surged.
“The void? Ah. You mean this thing that tried to wreck my arm?”
“…Grrr.”
“Oh? Close your mouth. Looks like your master never taught you manners.”
“Are you treating me like a pet…!”
“That’s exactly what you are. A dog that obeys Loki’s every word.”
Nidhogg’s lips twitched. I had struck a nerve.
“…Then you are Odin’s pet as well.”
“Oh, for fuck’s sake. This idiot really doesn’t have a mother, does he?”
“…What?”
Yeah, let’s say Odin was my master. I didn’t like it, but whatever.
“Are you blind? No, seriously, what the hell.”
“…Why are you losing it?”
“You severed my connection to Odin, you motherless bastards. Can’t you see I’m struggling without his buffs? And you still think I’m following his orders after seeing this?”
I couldn’t hold back the curses. Odin’s blessing had been so sweet. Without Lunaris or Fina’s help, I had still been slaughtering commanders. Now that blessing was gone, and all I had was the eagle’s flight and the wind. Honestly, the situation was worse than before. And I didn’t even have the holy sword.
Ah, right. I should ask about that while I was at it.
“By the way, since we’re talking about the severed connection, where did you use my holy sword?”
Why had they embedded void into it? I asked.
The answer that came was brutally simple. And something no one had expected.
“To kill a god.”
“What…?”
“It was used to begin Loki’s revenge.”
“Mistilteinn—that blade was forged from the only mistletoe in existence.”
So what?
“Odin’s son, Baldur’s weakness is mistletoe. If I’ve told you this much, you can figure it out, right?”
“…You’re saying you’ll kill Baldur with the holy sword?”
Then Odin would rage. He would lose his son. To defile a father’s heart—
Could it be?!
Like lightning striking my mind, a thrilling realization hit me.
“…Baldur’s death is the beginning of everything.”
Ragnarok.
“Kek. Corrupting Yggdrasil is nothing more than turning Midgard into a battlefield.”
All of it—just to have a battlefield to fight on.
“Everything exists for Ragnarok.”
No.
“Everything exists for the void.”
Nidhogg spread his wings and laughed. He threw his arms wide in mad ecstasy, a savage grin splitting his face.
At the same time—
“These fucking bastards!”
Together with Seria, I unleashed radiant light.