Author: Yume Neiji

I stepped into the tower alongside Solana.

The white walls stretched inward as far as the eye could see, every surface pure and immaculate. Despite being a structure over a thousand years old, the craftsmanship and decoration were so majestic that I felt as if I had wandered into a grand cathedral.

Thick pillars soared high above, vanishing into the ceiling. On either side, staircases wound endlessly upward, folding back upon themselves in a spiral.

With a heavy thud, the entrance closed behind us.

I walked with the goddess. The white floor beneath us was unlike anything I could imagine—its material, its polish, entirely foreign. Here and there, small holes resembling drains punctuated the surface. Straight ahead us, a circular podium awaited. Near it stood Nils—or rather, the god of abundance, Freyr.

“I’ve been expecting you.”

We stopped roughly ten meters away, and Freyr smiled.

His narrow eyes flicked between Solana and me. The dull gold of his hair now shimmered like ripe summer wheat.

“…We’ve come to awaken Freyja-sama!”

I cast my gaze around the chamber. There was no ice in sight. Perhaps Freyja-sama was sealed on a higher floor.

I drew my short sword and lowered my stance.

“God… please step aside.”

Freyr turned his back to me, walking toward the podium.

I hesitated, caught off guard by the deliberate display of an opening.

“This tower was built and hidden by our faithful. Even if ruin cannot be avoided, my sister Freyja alone must escape to the heavens. That was the purpose of creating a tower of this magnitude.”

There was something almost wistful in his tone.

When I first saw the tower, a rainbow had stretched skyward. That must have been the Rainbow Bridge, Bifrost—the bridge to the realm of the gods.

Now that I think back, even when I first came to Flocia, I saw light beneath the lake. That light marked the tower sealed beneath the water I guess. The key to lifting the seal had always lain at the bottom of the lake.

“That is precisely why the defense mechanisms exist.”

Freyr turned to face us.

“Like this.”

I hadn’t seen him draw the sword.

From the tip already in motion, a blade of raw magic shot toward us.

“Solana!”

I shoved the goddess out of the way. Freyr raised a necklace in his left hand.

“In the name of the God of Abundance! Raise the barrier! Open the floodgates!”

The entire tower vibrated. From floors far above, water came crashing down in a blinding torrent. Jets of water erupted from the drains beneath our feet like a fountain.

“W-water…!?”

This… A water attack!

Freyr stepped onto the podium. Slowly, the platform began to rise.

So it was a lift all along.

“Rion, let’s pursue him!”

“Yeah!”

Solana and I tried to move together, but some invisible force pushed us back. The water had risen to my shoulders when I fell. The tower echoed with the groans of Sahagin and little water drakes—they’d been drawn up along with the flood.

Solana pressed her hand against the empty air.

I couldn’t see it, but… there was a wall.

“This is a barrier of magic. It prevents passage.”

The magical barrier separated Solana and me. I had to climb alone, and she had to climb alone. I scanned my surroundings. A staircase wound endlessly up the wall, folding back on itself in a spiral.

The path existed—it wasn’t impossible.

Solana called out.

“Rion!”

Through the transparent wall, she pressed her palm against it. I matched her hand with mine, our eyes meeting for a brief, grounding moment.

“See you at the top!”

And then we parted.

I climbed the stairs as fast as I could, determined to reach the top before the goddess. The water surging from below pressed on my chest. The spot I had just left was submerged, and monsters swam in the flood. Of course, some of them had climbed the stairs too.

“Gyaah!”

A Sahagin thrust its trident forward. A small water drake unleashed a jet of water. I dodged each attack and unleashed my own.

“Thunder God’s… hammer!”

Lightning streaked through the two monsters. Even at this distance, the god’s blessing remained with me. Naturally, so did the Golden Flame.

The water pressed closer, urging me onward.

“Solana…”

The transparent barrier prevented me from joining her on the other side. The staircase spiraled up in short folds, never allowing passage to the opposite side of the tower where Solana climbed.

Golden light danced above. Watching me and thinning out the monsters in her path, the goddess is also ascending.

“Goddess…”

She was always there, like a gentle sun at my side. Yet a slicing attack skimmed across her shoulder. I looked up. From the ascending lift, Freyr was launching his assault.

Heat flared in my chest.

“Ku!”

I scolded my legs. There was no time to falter!

Ahead, a massive Sahagin blocked the way. Nearly three meters tall, it wielded a club like a stone pillar. It occupied the landing at the turn of the stairs.

Skill 『God of Thunder’s Divine Protection』was used. 【Will of the War God】⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅When facing an enemy stronger than oneself, it increases the power one’s blow.

With Thor’s courage guiding me, I drove the enemy back. Using the enhanced Thunder God’s Hammer, I struck down the massive Sahagin.

I moved my legs and raced to catch up with Freyr’s ascending lift. To keep Solana from being struck, I dashed faster. Soon, I reached the same height as Freyr.

Kicking off the staircase, I leapt.

Since his attack is going through, there was no magical barrier between him and the goddess!

Freyr, who had been aiming at the goddess, turned his body toward me.

“Twin Slash!”

The moment I landed on the lift, twin slashes came from both sides.

If I fall, I would plunge straight into the water teeming with monsters below. I didn’t block the strikes. Instead, I weaved under them, sliding close to the floor as if swimming through the air.

“Ha!”

Freyr’s upward-sweeping dagger was met by my sword. A high-pitched clang echoed.

“Not bad.”

Freyr commented, raising an eyebrow.

In a swift motion, he switched his stance and swept at my legs.

“Kuu…”

I fell. But fortunately—toward the side where the goddess waited.

“Thank you, Rion,”

Dodging the flurry of slashes, she soared upward. At the same moment, Freyr reached the topmost floor of the tower.

The space resembled a grand temple, with rows of massive pillars rising into the ceiling. Tall, narrow gaps in the walls let the wind stream through. Outside, a thunderstorm had finally begun.

The sound of water striking against the walls echoed all around.

“Hmph… a tie, huh.”

The humid wind whipped through Freyr’s golden hair.

Lightning illuminated his profile, sharp and divine.

Why does my chest sometimes tighten on windy days?

Freyr stood upon the lift-like pedestal, and what I saw behind him stole my breath away.

“Freyj-sama…”

Far more beautiful than any likeness, and exactly as I had seen her in my dreams. The goddess lay sleeping, encased in ice. I felt heat and tremors from the pouch at my side, and I drew the awakening horn, Gjallarhorn.

The horn trembled and blazed with fierce light, as if eager for the encounter, for the liberation.

It was as if I could hear the goddess herself shouting: “Use me!”

“Yes… that’s right…”

I had come all the way to Flocia to unleash the true power of this horn.

But when Freyr raised the necklace, the horn fell silent.

“…The horn has been sealed by Seiðr magic. This tower is the stronghold of us siblings, skilled in Seiðr. You will not be able to use it unless you defeat me.”

Freyr continued, voice calm but resolute.

“If I win, I will claim this horn. And if I feed it to Ymir…”

His gaze shifted to the ice behind him.

“With his awakening power, we can lift the seal on Freyja.”

Solana shouted at him,

“What about Freyja’s will? Even if she awakens, will she cooperated with the monsters?”

“None of that concerns you.”

Freyr answered so, his smile unbroken.

I have questions I want to ask as well.

“Your sister… Freyja-sama, what would she think of you now?”

Freyr did not answer. No further words could pass between us.

Because at that moment, golden light began to envelop Freyr’s body.

I recognized it. Memories connected the dots. The shadow of my father, overlaid onto this person, passed clearly through my mind.

“『Awakening』…?”

At last, I understood what Ymir had handed to Freyr in the chamber where the orb was.

“Do you remember now? What defeated your father?”

Skill『 Awakening』.

Freyr spoke the name of my father’s ability aloud.

This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeineijiworks.wordpress.com.

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Thor let out a thunderous roar. Raising Mjölnir—the war hammer as tall as a man—he brought it crashing down. The thunder god, clad in rough-spun garments, faced another giant man.

Brushing back his tangled golden hair, Ymir, the primordial giant, caught the hammer with a single hand.

Then he laughed.

“Hahahaha!”

Ymir’s foot shattered the cobblestones like a driven stake. His upper garments had been torn to tatters, revealing his muscles pulsating like mountain ranges.

The colossal figure swung his fist. Thor blocked it with Mjölnir, yet the force drove him backward. Where his feet dug into the ground, scorched marks the width of his stance were left behind.

“…How dull. I should never have created you.”

Those bulging eyes swept slowly over Thor and his companions. He seemed to have already lost interest. His gaze drifted aimlessly, searching for his next meal—adventurers to devour.

Thor rested Mjölnir upon his shoulder.

“Heh! No denying it, you’re strong. Damn strong. But…”

Jangle.

Chains slithered through the air with a metallic hiss. Ymir flicked aside the incoming axe with his left hand. Yet in the same instant, a cyclone of magic burst forth from the blade.

Ymir’s eyes widened. He ran his hand across his left palm. There was no wound but a faint numbness lingered.

A woman’s voice cut sharply into the fray.

“Well now… even by outrageous standards, that thing’s something else.”

With a sharp tug of the chain, Adventurer Mia caught her axe as it came whirling back to her hand. Felix stood nearby, staff raised, ready to unleash magic at a moment’s notice. Uru, the god of the hunting, had taken position atop a building with his bow drawn. His brown eyes scanned the surroundings with unwavering vigilance.

These two gods and two mortals formed the force now standing against Ymir.

The other raven warriors were relaying messages throughout the city, while Safi—the dwarf smith—struggled within the temple to contain the spreading destruction.

Thor cracked his neck with a heavy pop.

“…Humans can be quite formidable, isn’t it? And you, Ymir—you don’t seem nearly as monstrous as you were in the age of myth.”

Ymir said nothing. From the arm his hung carelessly at his side, a bracelet of ice glimmered coldly.

“If you were truly fighting at full strength, you would have split the lake, devoured the city, reduced everything to ash then strolled away without a care.”

The primordial titan had lowered his gaze, but at last he lifted his head.

Uru suddenly raised his voice.

“Damn it—there’s an adventurer nearby!”

Ymir looked down the alleyway. Stone paving shattered beneath his feet as he broke into a run. Smashing through walls and houses alike, he charged straight toward the approaching adventurer—toward what seemed, to him, nothing more than food.

Felix bit back a curse.

“…The warning hasn’t reached the other adventurers in time! It seems some of the townsfolk managed to evacuate, but…!”

Even so, they had no choice but to pursue.

Thor and the others fought while guarding the city, yet Ymir’s mere presence was a threat—one that devoured the very skills of the adventurers. The fundamental conditions of the battlefield favored their enemy.

Leaping into the overcast sky, Thor hurled his hammer, Mjölnir.

“Ymir!”

Mjölnir struck Ymir two blocks away with a thunderous crash. Uru leapt through the air, Mia and Felix held securely in his arms, and they descended upon the battlefield that had already shifted once more.

“…Hmph. To think you would interrupt my meal.”

Five adventurers lay sprawled on the ground. Mia’s face drained of color. Perhaps among them were familiar faces from yesterday’s dungeon expedition.

Ymir lifted a golden glow clenched in his right hand to his mouth—and chewed with unmistakable satisfaction. He had devoured their skills.

“Thor, I find myself agreeing with you.”

“Huh?”

Ymir narrowed his eyes.

“Humans are not without their amusements. Skills were originally fragments of divine power, scattered among the world. Yet when humans bear children, train, and hone those gifts, the flavor changes—ever so slightly. And lately, I have realized something else…”

His gaze shifted to Mia and Felix.

“I prefer rare skills. The ones that still retain a trace of divinity. They make my power grow. But… you two seem as though you would offer a rather pleasing taste as well.”

Fingers like stacked logs pointed toward them.

Terror must have seized their hearts.

Their opponent was the first living being in the world. Even the earliest gods had been born from Ymir’s creation. To consume his creations and return them to his own body might have been only natural for a titan of such magnitude. The gods—and the skills they had scattered across the world—had once been part of his very flesh.

Ymir pressed his right hand against his chest.

“…My heart as well.”

A heavy boom rolled in from the direction of the lake.

Mia and Felix exchanged a firm nod, then glared up at Ymir.

“Rion is fighting.”

“Yes. Leaving everything to a mere boy would do nothing for our pride.”

The youth carrying the horn had become a pillar of resolve for them all.

A grin tugged at Thor’s lips.

“…He’s already a true hero, isn’t he?”

Around the white tower by the lake, a rainbow had somehow wound itself into a spiral—like a staircase of light. Even now, the boy must have been making his way toward the tower.

Freyr, who stood in the way of Freyja’s awakening, was a formidable god—shrouded in mystery and power alike.

But humans inherits and grow. And they did so faster than the gods ever expected.

“Alright—let’s go, you guys!”

Thor charged forward.

Gods, giant, and humans clashed once more, their blows meeting again and again as the battle resumed.

◆◆◆

I ran toward the harbor.

As I passed a squad of warriors, I shouted word of Rata’s assault and urged them to send a messenger to the temple at once. The furious cries of adventurers and the guttural roars of monsters grew louder with every step.

A dreadful thought brushed my mind.

—That this might become like the Eastern Dungeon of the royal capital, where monsters had burst beyond containment and reduced the city to ruin. But when I rounded the corner and reached the harbor, the reality before me far exceeded anything I had imagined.

“…A wall of ice?”

What filled my vision was a towering barricade of frozen crystal. It stood at least two stories high, stretching wide to either side as it shielded the harbor from the lake beyond. When I focused and invoked the blessing of the God of Hunting, countless presences revealed themselves on the far side of the barrier—monsters, packed densely together.

If that was the case… then this was no mere wall. 

It was an icy fortress.

“…Incredible.”

Thanks to the Golden Flame, the scenery streamed past me in a blur.

A narrow opening had been left in the ice rampart—just wide enough for a bridge to cross. Beyond it lay the heart of the battlefield.

The coin at my chest trembled, and Solana’s voice rang out.

『The wall… it’s Loki’s magic.』

“Loki’s…?”

『Yes.』

The sheer magnitude of divine power made my throat tighten.

I sprinted up the base of the bridge.

Above, streaks of blue light rained down in relentless volleys of magic. Sigris was there as well, leading fighters into the fray. Then I spotted a familiar adventurer swinging a stone hammer.

“Rion!”

“Ah—Lloyd-san!”

It was Lloyd of the Stone Hammer—the very man who had delved into the hidden area with us.

“Just now… Nils—!”

That was all I needed to hear. I drove my legs harder, racing across the bridge. Kelpies surged toward me, and blue-winged sirens swooped low—but Sigris struck them down from the sky before they could reach me.

“Giiiii!”

A massive sahagin, easily over two meters tall, lunged into my path. I slipped past the swing of its club. I had never seen a monster like it before.

“I wish I could fly… it would make this so much easier.”

『With this many monsters, even the sky wouldn’t be safe. You have no way to conceal yourself.』

She was right. Even if Solana carried me, there were flying creatures out there. All it would do is exhaust her strength.

In any case… I am almost there.

The tower loomed ahead. It’s enormous. Its white outer walls were now wrapped in shifting bands of rainbow light. The closer I drew, the harder it became to tilt my head high enough to see the top.

Fifty meters… no, perhaps even a hundred.

I had never seen a structure this tall. Judging its true scale was impossible. It pierced the overcast sky like a colossal pillar holding the heavens aloft. A seven-colored rainbow spiraled around it, winding upward like a vast celestial staircase.

『…It’s reminiscent of the Rainbow Bridge, Bifrost.』

“B-Bifrost…?”

“It’s the bridge that connects the heavens to the mortal world. When the ground is overrun by monsters, Odin and the others would drop it to protect the realm of the gods.”

I climbed the rainbow slope. No monsters dared follow. A protective barrier along the shimmering path repelled any attack. From dozens of meters above, I looked back over the city.

“Incredible….”

The lake and the city were divided by the icy wall. Openings were rare—only at bridges and canal exits. Perhaps it was designed that way to concentrate attacks in predictable locations, making defense easier. My father had said something similar once.

Far in the city’s heart, heat waves and lightning churned violently.

“The power of the gods….”

Those words escaped my mouth, barely audible, as I stood overwhelmed.

Even those fragile syllables seemed to falter. Solana caught me before I stumbled.

『The gods are regaining their strength. The Horn of Awakening, Gjallarhorn, was sounded only yesterday. Any weariness from your journey is nullified. And above all, it’s daytime now.』

“I see…”

The Blessing of the Sun, Sunlight of Awakening, revealed itself. Through gaps in the thick clouds, warm sunlight pierced the gloom in fleeting beams. 

Thanks to the ability to prolong the lifting of divine seals, the gods could now maintain their full power far longer than before.

『Even so, Loki has pushed things far too recklessly…. He’s overused his magic.』

Within the coin, Solana’s expression seemed grave.

『It looks as though he’s pouring in even the magic necessary for his own existence. Thor too. He must be giving everything to protect the city.』

In the distance, blue light flickered again. Inspired by Sigris, the adventurers pressed back the monsters once more.

『The valkyrie, a battle maiden, is a god who leads humans in war. This is her true form.』

I remembered the dungeon where Sigris had been.

The Northern Dungeon of the royal capital. Dark halls, called the Chapel of Shadows, had been infested with skeletons, wraiths, and other undead. Yet the key was the humans—the sheer number of people present had allowed the gods to act through them.

Those warriors, led by the battle maiden, were known as Einherjar. Now, Sigris seemed to command the adventurers with every ounce of effort, as if settling a past regret.

『Awakening, huh…』

I climbed higher along the seven-colored path. The city below had shrunk to a toy-like size; people looked no bigger than the tips of my fingers.

『.…Still, there are so many mysteries surrounding Freyr.  Why is it that, despite being the same god, Freyr remains unaffected by the seals? He could come and go from Odis Temple, where the orbs are kept without any issue….』

At last, I reached the end of the rainbow.

A pristine white wall stood before me, its doorway yawning wide. Carved into the arch above were intricate patterns, ornate enough to rival any masterpiece.

“Solana.”

『Yeah』

Scattering golden light, the goddess leapt from the coin and into the open air.

From here, we would enter the tower together. It was better if we faced whatever awaited inside as a pair.

Solana’s expression was stern.

I clenched both my hands tightly, then forced a smile. Even the goddess allowed a faint softening of her expression.

Her golden hair fluttered in the wind.

“I understand. You and I—we are running together, just the two of us.”

Solana pressed a hand to her chest.

“Do not worry, then. Even if the other gods are distant, I will protect the faithful as a goddess.”

“T-then….”

I stretched up slightly, meeting the gaze of the floating goddess.

“I’ve grown stronger too, I’ll protect you, goddess.”

“Eh?”

Solana’s eyes widened. The golden light that surrounded her seemed to shimmer, and perhaps—just for a moment—her cheeks colored faintly. It was the kind of expression you might call “wide-eyed”, but somehow it confused me. It was a look I had never seen before.

Then, abruptly, Solana turned her face to the side.

“I see…”

Did I say something strange?

I had only meant that, like Lu pushing me forward before, I wanted to be of help to a goddess too. But no matter how I tried to meet her gaze, she wouldn’t quite look at me.

“I-It’s nothing.”

“But—”

“I said I’m fine! Y-you sometimes…. you make me uneasy.”

She kept her face turned away as she spoke.

There was no way it was truly “nothing”. I could tell, just from the faint narrowing of her eyes.

“I-I… don’t understand it myself…”

The goddess shook her head vigorously, and at last faced me again.

“I’m sorry, I let my heart falter.”

And then, once more, Solana smiled at me.

“You are admirable. Let us move forward.”

“Yes!”

We stepped forward side by side, entering the tower where Freyr awaited.

The interior was magnificent, almost cathedral-like. Magical stone lamps cast a pale, steady glow across the deepest chamber.

A figure stood there.

Freyr turned to face us.

“Hoh~, so you’ve come.”

This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeineijiworks.wordpress.com.

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The adventurers of Flocia had joined the fight as well.

Some set out by ship toward the dungeon. Others crossed the bridge to investigate the tower. Others remained near the harbor, reinforcing the city’s defenses. All of them possessed skill worthy of the name adventurer, and none lacked courage. Even so, the anomaly unfolding within the city was something that left everyone utterly shaken.

“W-what the hell is that!?”

On the bridge, the adventurer known as Lloyd of the Stone Hammer felt the same shock.

Thick clouds blanketed the sky, racing overhead at an alarming speed. With no walls to shield it, the bridge took the full brunt of the gale.

Then came the thunderous roar riding in on the wind. The roughly thirty men guarding the harbor with him all turned at once, staring back in disbelief.

Standing shoulder to shoulder with his comrades, Lloyd held his breath.

“T-the temple….”

The tower of the Odis Temple burst apart. The uppermost floor was blown away, and the ensuing explosion thundered across the lake. From where they are, the city’s towers were no bigger than a finger, yet the disturbance was unmistakable.

At the top of the tower, pure white frost and blazing red heat collided, each struggling to overwhelm the other. 

The mythic clash of fire and ice held Lloyd spellbound.

Then, without warning, the light vanished.

Though it was strange that such a faint noise could carry across so much distance. Lloyd cleary heard the sound of something shattering.

“.…What was that?”

A bad feeling crept over him. Every instinct he had honed as an adventurer screamed that something was terribly wrong.

Another person, carrying a greatsword spoke up. She was known as “Melissa of the Azure Greatsword”.

“Should we head back to the city?”

Both she and Lloyd were among those who, together with Rion and the others, had ventured into the dungeon’s hidden area. Because of their proven record of fighting side by side, they had been entrusted with guarding the bridge.

Lloyd stroked his chin, thinking for a moment.

Their group stood about ten meters from the bridge’s starting point. Their role was to serve as a living wall should monsters attempt to cross the bridge. But if something abnormal was happening within the city itself, then perhaps returning really was the right call.

Command had been entrusted to Lloyd. 

He had to decide—stay here, or send someone ahead to scout.

“Hmm….”

Suddenly, a human figure shot past them at terrifying speed.

Lloyd cried out and recoiled.

“Whoa!”

It was over in the blink of an eye, a single instant of crossing paths. A retreating figure with flowing blond hair vanished beyond the far end of the bridge.

“N-Nils….?”

That was what it looked like but he couldn’t be so sure. It was like the wind itself. The sight tugged at his attention, but he couldn’t afford to focus on it alone.

One of their companions pressed an ear to the ground.

“.…I can hear it. It’s coming from beyond the bridge.”

Barry, who possessed the Thief skill, had questionable behavior, but he was highly capable when it came to reconnaissance.

“A horde—a whole horde! They’re coming across the bridge!”

The white tower at the center of the bridge stood easily fifty meters tall. Its massive base completely blocked the view of the far side.

Lloyd fired back a question.

“Monsters?”

“M-most likely….!”

Lloyd, too, could sense a presence from beyond the bridge.

The adventurers began speaking over one another.

“The warrior order was supposed to be scouting the dungeon ahead of us, right?”

“What about the sailors? They should be checking around the base of the bridge….”

Lloyd crossed his arms.

“.….We’re the ones meant to stand here in case they get through. Don’t panic.”

Before long, the floating ships raised red flags one after another—a signal proclaiming an emergency.

Monsters emerged from behind the tower.

Sahagin, kelpies, small water dragons. Creatures of the dungeon surged forth across the water and onto the bridge. By then, their cries and pounding footsteps echoed everywhere. Their numbers kept growing. Some clawed their way up from the surface of the lake onto the bridge, until it seemed as though the entire span were being swallowed by a black tide.

The adventurers grew unsteady.

“No way…. why all of a sudden?!”

A shadow passed overhead. Lloyd looked up, narrowing his eyes.

“A raven?”

The bird flew away.

Almost as if dropping by, two human silhouettes descended from the sky. 

The adventurers stared, mouths agape.

Monsters?

Lloyd and the other elites instinctively braced themselves. But their astonishment was the same. The two figures came to a halt in midair. One was a man wrapped in a black robe. The other was a woman, armed with a spear and clad in blue armor.

The floating man smiled with drooping eyes and raised a single finger— as if to say, I have something important to tell you.

Even with monsters closing in, his presence was impossible to ignore.

A voice slipped from Lloyd’s lips.

“…What is that?”

Flame flickered to life at the man’s fingertip. As he toyed with the red heat between both hands, the fire swelled in power. With a sweep of his arm, the blaze scythed across the bridge and the water’s surface, cutting a hundred meters in one stroke.

The woman followed, hurling her spear and skewering five small dragons at once.

“Wha—?!”

Even Lloyd was left awestruck.

Then the woman’s voice rained down from above.

“Everyone! What you saw bursting from the temple tower was the light of a seal breaking!”

Light streamed down through a break in the clouds, illuminating the woman’s blue armor. Hair the same color danced wildly in the fierce wind.

“The power that sealed the monsters within the dungeon has weakened! It will take some time before they can be sealed again!”

She paused then continued,

“And, another powerful monster has appeared within the city itself! We ask that you hold the line here and stop the monsters coming from the lake!”

Though the adventurers were noisy by nature, strangely, no one spoke up with a question.

Lloyd was the same. The cadence of her voice was almost identical to the all-encompassing messages of the god, Odis-sama.

Struck by its solemnity, everyone stood dazed, as if entranced. Yet the armored goddess—there was no other way to describe her—set the adventurers’ hearts ablaze.

Lloyd recalled being called a hero from the sky. It felt as though he had wandered into the world of myth.

At last, the man in the black robe, who had remained silent until now, gave a casual shrug.

“By the way, please leave whatever’s happening in the city to my friend. Don’t worry, he’s outside the norm too.”

He closed one eye and struck a playful pose. Given the power they had just witnessed. With the two of them wiping out the monsters, such words carried undeniable weight.

“W-who are you people?”

 Lloyd asked, his voice trembling.

The armored goddess smiled.

“For now, you may call me the Valkyrie. It’s been a long time since I’ve fought alongside so many people…”

Her blue eyes lowered slightly, as if gazing back on a distant past.

“It’s time, warriors!”

From the sky, the Valkyrie leveled her spear at the horde of monsters.

The adventurers were stirred to action. They met the oncoming waves of monsters head-on atop the bridge. Even the creatures crossing the lake focused their ferocity on Lloyd and the others as they raised their battle cries.

Perhaps it was also due to Lloyd’s skills, as the vanguard, he meant to draw the enemy’s attention.

Laughter echoed across the sky.

“Hahahaha!”

Up in the air, the black-robed figure had turned upside down, laughing uproariously.

“As expected of a Valkyrie. You really are good at leading humans.”

The unfettered god of mischief, spread both hands toward the lake.

“Then allow me to show you what the god of magic can really do!”

　　　　　◆◆◆

I descended from the tower of the Odis Temple.

Kicking off the stone pavement, I rushed toward the harbor. My battered body had regained its lightness.

We had already split into three groups.

First: Thor, Uru, and Mia-san and the others were engaging Ymir directly.

Second: Loki and Sigris had flown to the bridge and should be aiding the adventurers in holding the line.

From the harbor came the groans of monsters, while from behind the temple thunderous booms echoed, like lightning striking the ground.

I had fallen behind the others because I waited for my shoulder and leg wounds to fully heal under the effects of the White Flame.

I have to hurry.

Just moments ago, we had been in a hopeless situation. Ymir had arrived at the tower, and it wouldn’t have been surprising if we’d all been wiped out there.

But Lu had saved us. She hadn’t just pushed the enemy back by creating a magical orb—she had driven ice into Ymir herself. If Freyja-sama were to awaken here and grant us her immense power, we could deal an even harsher blow to the slave traders.

Of course, that was only if we could overcome Freyr, the goddess’s younger brother.

That made the final group—the third—me and Solana. Our destination is the tower on the lake. The fate of Flocia rested on the shoulders of the two of us, the goddess and me.

『Does it hurt?』

Solana asked from atop the gold coin, checking the wounds on my shoulder along with my short sword and equipment.

“I’m fine. It doesn’t hurt anymore.”

The raven warrior’s robe fluttered wildly in the strong wind. Along with it came the presence of countless others.

My hunter blessing skill detected an anomaly.

“—!”

I twisted my body, narrowly avoiding the volley of arrows.

From the shadows along the street, a tall, imposing monster emerged.

Rata.

“Where are you headed?”

From the surrounding buildings, bandits raised their bows, aiming straight at me.

I didn’t respond. I took a single step forward. Frost began to creep over Rata’s body.

“Oniichan, are you really leaving me behind?”

The voice that rang out was Lu’s.

He had transformed again.

Perhaps it was a deliberate tactic to unsettle me. If this had been me just moments ago, if it had been the me who had been utterly overwhelmed by Freyr, I would have lost my focus again.

Rata had come to drive a wedge of despair into my heart before the decisive battle.

―Your little sister won’t survive!

Such a wedge of despair.

But I already knew Lu’s strength. That’s why I would grow stronger too.

I couldn’t afford to lose here, not to my own weakness.

“Hoh~”

Rata’s eyes widened in surprise.

I didn’t look away from “Lu”.

If your heart is strong, if your conviction is true, there’s no need to look away.

“Wake up!”

From the gauntlet on my right hand, I awakened the water spirit, Undine.

Water gathered from the nearby channels, and then I switched to the fire spirit, Salamander, in my left hand.

“Pii!”

The spirit’s flames caused the water to explode into steam. Thick clouds of vapor swallowed my vision. With this, even the enemy archers wouldn’t be able to aim.

I kicked off the ground and charged straight through the blinding mist. As I closed in, Rata—still wearing Lu’s face, gaped in shock.

“…To think you could use such underhanded tactics—!”

Rata dispelled his transformation. He tried to retreat. In Lu’s body, quick movements weren’t possible.

“They say a man can change in three days apart. Just what on earth have you gained in just this instant?!”

Rata extended their claws and caught my thrusting short sword. But he was rattled, while my resolve was set like steel.

Using Lu like that—

I would never forgive that!

“Lu… I won’t let you fall into their hands!”

“…Kekeke. But soon, you will face the rest of your family as enemies as well.”

I shrugged off their counterattack and slipped in close, plunging my short sword into his chest.

“Gyaaa…!”

Frost enveloped Rata’s body. For a brief, dazzling moment, he shone—and then vanished. The alley was empty, no trace of him remained.

The bandits who had raised their bows noticed Rata’s absence and scattered in a panic. I scanned the area with my hunter blessing, but it seemed the danger had passed.

“…Is it over?”

A narrow escape. Perhaps he transformed. He abandoned his damaged body and assumed a smaller form.

But the coin trembled in my hand.

『 I think we definitely dealt a serious blow. Though, I suppose there was no need for me to step in this time.』

“Ah!”

I couldn’t help the thought crossing my mind. If I’d fought alongside the goddess, perhaps the outcome might have been different.

“Don’t worry. It was precisely because you moved so swiftly that you were able to catch them off guard.”

Hearing her words, I broke into a run. The closer I got to the harbor, the louder the sounds of battle became. The tower on the lake now shimmered with rainbow-colored light.

The rainbow seemed to spiral around the building, like a stairway ascending into the sky.

“Let’s hurry, goddess!”

I raced toward the lake.

—Soon, you will face the rest of your family as enemies.

Rata’s words were ominous, far too foreboding. But for now, there was only one way forward.

This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeineijiworks.wordpress.com.

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