C.S.O - Chapter 39 [Flamia vs Verona I]

Einherjar. They are heroes who died and were chosen by the god Odin to become his army in Ragnarok.

Their numbers reach over 200,000 and will continue to increase over time. Each Einherjar possesses a power that should not be underestimated. Many of them are even capable of defeating dragons single-handedly. Furthermore, they train every day until they reach their limits, and cases of death due to training or accidental killing are common for them.

They train and continue to train until the day of Ragnarok arrives.

Among the hundreds of thousands of Einherjar, there are special Einherjar. They are considered special because they are female Einherjar.

Just like male Einherjar, they are chosen because they possess great power. Their power is no less than that of male Einherjar, and they can even be considered stronger than them. And because of their power, they are also known as Pseudo Valkyries.

While the Einherjar trains hard, the gods and goddesses carry out their duties as the rulers of the world. But that doesn't mean they perform their tasks well; often, they are just lazy.

They are called gods, but they are not perfect. In fact, to keep them immortal, they are required to eat the fruit of eternal youth periodically.

It's truly pitiful, but that's the reality of the lives of the gods and goddesses in Yggdrasil. Nevertheless, life in Yggdrasil continues.

But one day, an event changes everything.

That event is the arrival of another god from a different dimension, the Demon God, and the 13 Archids.

The first victim of the Demon God is Loki, one of the gods with the highest power.

Loki's death makes Odin wary and considers the Demon God a threat. Ragnarok was predicted to be the time of war between the gods of Valhalla and the giant race (Jotun), but this time Ragnarok is interpreted as the arrival of the Demon God.

This is the beginning of the war between Odin's army and the Demon God.

With unimaginable power, the Demon God manages to defeat each and every god and goddess who opposes him. Even with the help of the Valkyries, Odin can do little, and eventually, the gods and goddesses are banished from Valhalla.

This defeat is the most embarrassing thing for Odin, and that's why he cannot accept it. His pride does not allow it.

He tries various ways to defeat the Demon God, but all of them fail and end in yet another defeat. Strangely, even though he manages to defeat the gods and goddesses, the Demon God never kills his enemies except for Loki.

The forgiveness granted by the Demon God is a stroke of luck, but it can also be seen as the greatest insult to the gods and goddesses.

Then the biggest problem arises: they are running out of time. They have been regularly eating the apples of eternal youth to maintain their bodies, but now that they are banished from Valhalla, they can no longer eat the apples. That is their end. And that is what the Demon God is after.

Whether forgiven or not, it doesn't change the fact that the other Odins are on the brink. No, their positions have even been thrown off a steep cliff.

They are only waiting for their destruction.

Not knowing what they should do, Odin decides to use a method that has never been considered before to go to the Demon God's place of origin, Earth.

By combining the powers of several gods who control space and time, Odin arrives on Earth. It is then that he is shocked by the reality he has to accept.

On Earth, their existence is nothing more than a mere legend. They have even become the basis of entertainment in that world.

Still not believing it, he finally conducts an investigation. The results make him contemplate deeply the meaning of his existence as a god.

He becomes confused and eventually filled with anger. He uses his power to destroy a mountain, but just before his attack reaches the mountain, it disappears as if it never existed.

He is stunned and incredulous, but he tries it again and again. After obtaining the same result multiple times, he finally understands that his existence cannot touch that world.

A world that is the origin of another world, Origin.

Upon learning the facts about that world, he then remembers his original purpose, but he finds no clues about the Demon God.

He finally starts to give up, but it is at that moment when he sees humans playing a game where the Demon God is an enemy defeated by a hero.

It is then that he gets a crazy idea.

If he cannot defeat it, he just needs to find someone who can.

Then he returns and calmly explains his plan and what he knows about the reality of Yggdrasil to the others.

The gods and goddesses oppose Odin's plan and think he has gone mad, but considering that they will perish if they do nothing, they have no other choice.

By combining all the remaining powers of the gods and goddesses, Odin changes the laws of the world of Yggdrasil. Yggdrasil is the world he created after defeating Ymir, so there's no way he cannot change it.

This is the beginning of the Celestial World.

Unfortunately, the Demon God doesn't let Odin's plan proceed so easily. He attacks Odin, using large-scale magic that takes a considerable amount of time to complete. It is during this time that Odin is extremely vulnerable.

Considering what Odin is about to do, it is highly likely that the Demon God will kill him this time. However, he realizes that he cannot afford to fail.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

To delay the Demon God even for a second, Odin uses his best and most numerous pawns, the Einherjar.

One by one, they fall in pursuit of buying time. With sacrifices reaching 99% of the Einherjar, Odin finally succeeds.

The Celestia World is finally created.

But it's not over. There is still much they need to do. One of them is to prepare who will guide the humans to defeat the Demon God.

The Valkyries can no longer use their powers, so they decide to search for new ones.

Among the remaining 2,000 Einherjar, there are 168 female Einherjar. A considerable number.

To choose who is worthy, the strongest ones are selected. But determining who is the strongest is not based on achievements or duels. Odin considers those methods too weak.

Odin's idea is simpler and easier: fight until death. Of course, such a proposition is rejected considering that the Einherjar are like siblings to each other, but Odin doesn't care. To eliminate doubts and utilize their full power, Odin uses mind control magic to force them into it.

Finally, after a long and bloody battle, only 7 female Einherjar remain. And to make everything better, their memories are erased, and they are given new names.

Valkyrie Maidens.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"You're lying!"

"Why would I lie? What benefit would I gain from hiding this truth? Fufu... Maybe you're delighted by what I've just told you."

Verona falls silent for a moment and then continues with a smile.

"[Onee-sama, Faia is truly happy to be your little sister. Even if only for a brief moment, I will always live within you.]"

What Verona says in someone else's voice might sound like a play, but after hearing it, Flamia immediately freezes and stops attacking Verona.

Verona smiles again and approaches, whispering into Flamia's ear.

"Do you remember when you killed your own sibling, Flamia-neesama, no, that's not your name. How about I call you Felmina?"

"?!"

Flamia freezes and wears an expression as if seeing a nightmare. She may not remember everything Verona said, but her heart feels pain as if stabbed by a thousand swords.

Although she forgets, her body still vividly remembers the regret and suffering she experienced. Including the blood she shed.

"Uuug......."

A headache strikes Flamia. She has never felt such pain before. She collapses and drops her two swords.

She wants to scream, but she can't breathe, and cold sweat covers her body. It's so cold that her body feels frozen.

"The magic within you is becoming unstable. It seems like my chance."

Verona raises her sword, then without hesitation, she strikes Flamia without a single doubt.

However, Verona's sword has no impact and only passes through her body. It's only natural, as what Verona did was not strike Flamia but something else.

Her rapier sword is a special weapon she created with the help of Kuro's power. The power of a God Slayer.

So even though her sword is not as strong as Misteltein, its power is almost equivalent to a God Slayer weapon. And more importantly, the power of the sword is not meant to kill but to erase the magic power of gods.

Yes. What Verona did was erase the memory-erasing magic implanted by Odin from Flamia's body.

"Now, remember all your sins and remember who our true enemy is."

"Uaaaa....aaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!"

Alongside a piercing scream, Flamia remembers the events that made her life feel like hell.

Before becoming an Einherjar, she was a woman with aspirations to become a protective knight, a hero. Through training and hard work, she finally gained enough strength to be chosen as an Einherjar.

During her time in Valhalla, she could be considered one of the weakest. But once again, she didn't give up. If she was weak, she just needed to become stronger.

With continuous training and friends, she considered as siblings, she eventually became one of the strongest.

When the Demon God arrived, the Einherjar were ordered to remain vigilant. After all, if they were to fight against a being capable of defeating gods, they had no chance of winning.

In the end, Odin lost, and they were expelled from Valhalla. While waiting for good news and the next step they should take, the other Einherjar learned that they would be sacrificed as flesh shields to seal the Demon God.

With the sacrifice of most of them, Odin finally succeeded. Unfortunately, that alone was not enough for Odin.

They were then ordered to kill each other just to choose who was the best.

Every time she swung her sword, the Einherjar she called siblings died in her hands. Her sword was stained with the blood of her siblings.

Every memory of their time together flashed through her mind whenever she swung her sword. But even though she refused and tried to command her body to stop, it was all in vain.

She couldn't fight against the power of Odin.

In the end, after defeating dozens of other Einherjar, the madness stopped. Along with it, her heart and soul shattered. She aspired to be a hero, but this time she was more like a demon.

That's the last thing she remembers as someone named Felmina.

"Uuu... aaaaaaaaa...."

Tears flow uncontrollably from Flamia's eyes. The headache she feels is insignificant compared to the pain of regret and hatred she feels towards the god Odin.

She remembers, before she lost her existence as Felmina, she swore to her siblings and the Einherjar who fell victim to Odin's selfishness that she would kill Odin with her own hands.

But what about now? She is reborn as Flamia, someone who respects and obeys Odin. She despises herself in her current state.

Verona is right. The enemy she fights is not Kuro, but the one who started all this.

"Flamia-neesama, now that you know the truth, what will you choose?"

Like a demon tempting a human towards the wrong path, Verona continues to try to persuade Flamia to join her side with sweet words.

"If you are on our side, as you can see for yourself, you can be with Kuro-niisan. We will create a new family in a different dimension after this world and that world are destroyed."

"... Is that Kuro's goal?"

Verona smiles again.

"Origin or Earth is the source of all the suffering we endure. It is only through imagination that they create accursed beings like the god Odin and worthless gods and goddesses. Well... it is true that they created this world, but it doesn't mean that the other worlds created will be destroyed when their creators perish. Just like the World Tree, the world originates from a seed that has many branches. This world is just one of those branches. We only want to go to another branch."

Upon hearing that, Flamia begins to rise, using her two swords as crutches.

"What about all the people and those who exist in this world?"

"Of course, they will die. Everything that lives will die. Whether now or later, there is no difference."

"What... So you don't care about the 7 billion lives lost because of your selfish desires?"

"What's wrong with that?"

"Tsk!!"

She is currently angry at the god Odin after remembering everything that happened to her and her siblings, but that hatred is now replaced with something else.

"Then I will stop you with all my strength."

"Oh... This is unexpected."

Verona is surprised, but considering Flamia's personality, which upholds justice, it is understandable that she would refuse as long as they sacrifice 7 billion lives.

Moreover-

"I don't care if this world is fake or a creation of mere imagination, but when it involves the lives of innocent people, I cannot just let it be."

"Even though you know the truth?"

Flamia nods. Not only that, she unsheathes her sword towards Verona, ready to fight.

"I thank you for that. With this, I realize that Odin is truly a despicable god that I must behead with my own hands, ....but-"

"..."

"Right now, I am not Felmina or an Einherjar. I am Flamia. Kuro's wife. That alone is reason enough to stop you."

"Oh... Well, that's a shame..."

Verona also unsheathes her sword with a wide smile.

"It seems that tragedy will repeat itself. Flamia-neesama, it seems that you actually enjoy killing your siblings-"

"You're wrong! No one would feel joy when their hands are stained with the blood of someone they cherish. That's why I won't kill you or Kuro. All I need to do is to stop you."

"Then prove it!!"

Then, the two clash once again.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

With stronger determination, along with it, the power of Longinus Light becomes stronger. Currently, it even surpasses the power of Misteltein.

Although Verona has a weapon that can match it, it's only a matter of time. After all, she is facing two God Slayer weapons.

And it doesn't take long for it to happen. With a cracking sound, Verona's sword begins to break.

Unfortunately, Verona doesn't show signs of defeat or surrender. Instead, she smiles widely like a crescent moon.

"Why haven't you given up yet?"

Flamia launches the skill <Blade Burst> directly at Verona. It is a regular attack, but because she uses the God Slayer, its power cannot be underestimated.

But there is no sign of Verona enduring or dodging; instead, she counterattacks with a magic skill.

"<Black Death>"

A black aura appears around Verona. Then, the aura forms a legion of skeletons that attack Flamia in large numbers.

"Kh!!"

Whether using the God Slayer weapons or not, Valkyrie Maiden is the strongest player. They can't rely solely on their weapons.

In addition, Verona does carry a sword, but her main expertise lies not in that. Verona is more skilled in Magic Skills, especially in illusions and curses (bad status).

That's why Flamia cannot be reckless in facing Verona, and it becomes evident. When she slashes through the skeletal troops, suddenly her surroundings turn pitch black as if in a different world. Of course, Flamia doesn't panic and continues to analyze the situation.

(This is just illusion magic...)

Magic affects the players' five senses and makes them hallucinate. Black Death can even be categorized as a common Skill, but in the hands of Valkyrie Maiden, it becomes a deadly weapon.

To counter the Bad Status, Flamia can use antidotes. But she has something better.

"<Light Blast>"

She swings Longinus Light into the ground, and in an instant, the darkness disappears. Unfortunately, at that moment, she realizes what has happened to her body.

Throughout her body, swords are now impaled from the surrounding skeletons.

"....huh?"

Flamia doesn't know what's happening, but she finally feels the pain.

"Gah!!!"

Simultaneously, her HP bar drastically decreases. Once it's enough, the skeletons and swords vanish from her body as if they never existed.

Then Verona jumps back to create distance and initiates her next attack.

"<Black Gravity>"

Flamia's eyes widen. She knows exactly what attack Verona is using.

By moving to the side, she tries to dodge. Then, from her original position, she disappears.

"Maaa..."

Seeing Flamia successfully dodge, Verona shows a joyous and ecstatic expression. She appears to be a sadistic queen.

"Very well done to dodge. Then how about this?"

Once again, Verona uses <Black Gravity>. Flamia keeps disappearing every time she dodges.

Verona's skill controls gravity. It's a skill that not even Kuro possesses. That's why Verona is so special.

But it doesn't mean there's no way to counter this attack. One way is to engage in close combat. That's what Flamia does.

While dodging, she approaches Verona. And then, there's only one thing she does.

"<Twin Holy Stormflare>"

Flamia uses both of her swords simultaneously. By doing so, she combines the power of the holy weapons and the God Slayer. Although this is not a method she can repeatedly use due to its MP drain, this attack is the only one capable of defeating Verona. She doesn't intend to kill her, just render Verona helpless. And even though it's a challenging method, the power in that world is represented by numbers, so she just needs to manipulate it.

But even though Flamia holds back, Verona does not. For her, this is a battle that risks her principles of life. Their fight determines the future that awaits them.

(Love is indeed blind.)

Verona considers Flamia's reason for fighting to be foolish.

(But I don't hate it. That's why...)

"Just like you, I will enlighten everything."

In the blink of an eye, Verona recites a mantra.

"Everything begins from the darkness."

"Come forth, <13 Black Star>."

Simultaneously, Flamia's attack approaches and engulfs Verona.

A loud explosion occurs, shaking the ground intensely, and drawing everyone's attention to them. Even though Chiaki and Ruko have finished their fight, they do nothing and wait for the battle between Flamia and Verona to conclude.

Besides believing in Flamia's power, they understand that this is a matter she must resolve with her own hands.

But most importantly, they understand that fighting Kuro with just the two of them is meaningless. It's not that defeating Kuro is difficult, but their goal is not to stop Kuro but to defeat him.

All they do is watch the fight that has entered its final stage. After all, defeating Verona is just a matter of time.

At least, that's what should have happened.

"...!?"

Flamia can't believe it when she sees that Verona is completely unharmed. But what's even more surprising are the 13 black orbs floating around her like satellites.

Furthermore, Verona's entire body is covered in black spots like a painful curse. But Verona still smiles confidently.

"Divine Skill <Curse of 13 Star>."

Previous

Next

Subscribe to receive free email updates: