Episode 71/Chapter 4: Asgard (4)
TL: Tsubak
ED:
Son Wukong wasn’t able to catch up to the flow of the story. It was because he hit the light of Odin by reflex and a difference in the amount of information got created.
‘No, even if that is the case.’
It was handing over something none other than the seat of master. No matter how urgent the situation was, it wasn’t something that could be accepted easily.
In addition, they were going to hand over the seat of master to someone of Asgard and not even from the Temple so it was something that couldn’t even happen in Son Wukong’s logic.
Son Wukong didn’t know much about Tae Ho. He had only heard about his performances.
He was certainly a strong being. There was a high probability he would be the strongest in all of the Temple, Asgard, and Olympus.
It wasn’t that he didn’t like him as the Temple had been able to breathe thanks to his actions. Also, Tae Ho hadn’t acted arrogantly or requested something excessive at his own achievements. It would be weirder if he disliked him.
Son Wukong was planning to listen to everything he said. He would have wondered a bit if Tae Ho asked him to give his staff to him but he would have gladly handed it over.
But the seat of master was different to his staff.
‘What happens after we defeat the Last path of flames?’
They were at a situation where they had knives at their throats but he couldn’t help but think about the next. What would happen after they barely managed to overcome the enemy?
Would the master of Asgard return the seat of master to the Temple? Even if he promised that, how would they be able to believe in those words?
Son Wukong had many things he wanted to say. But he endured the words that came up to his throat. There was no way the Three Pure Ones and Nuwa would have missed what Son Wukong was thinking about. Even if it didn’t reach them, there was still Xiwangmu.
‘But is it so serious we still have to hand over the seat?’
The current situation. The Last path of flames that appeared in Olympus.
Son Wukong gulped dry saliva. Yuanshi Tianzun opened his eyes and said.
“Master of Asgard.”
Yuanshi Tianzun looked at Tae Ho. He, that had guarded the seat of the master of the Temple for a long time, was thinking of something Son Wukong hadn’t been able to. There was something that had to be preceded before proceeding with everything.
“Will you able to do that? Gathering the power of the four masters and face against the Last path of flames… Can you become the protector of the five worlds?”
It had been a proposal from Odin and Nuwa until now. Tae Ho had never said that he would do it with his own mouth.
Son Wukong realized that fact only now. And he also understood that climbing to the seat of master of four worlds wasn’t only a glorious thing.
Tae Ho would have to fight in the most dangerous place while shouldering the fate of not one world but five of them. Son Wukong felt like his throat got clogged just by imagining about it.
That’s why they needed Tae Ho’s permission. They couldn’t casually pass over it.
Nidhogg, that got dampened at the atmosphere, twirled her fingers and put a depressed expression. Adenmaha extended her hand unconsciously and grabbed the hands of Tae Ho.
Adenmaha wished for Tae Ho to decline. It was a selfish wish but she still hoped he did that.
Because Tae Ho had already saved the world a few times. He had to jump to the brinks of death several times to save Asgard and Olympus.
But she also knew that her wish couldn’t be fulfilled. Because the man Adenmaha liked the most in this world was someone like that.
Tae Ho grabbed Adenmaha’s hands tightly. His hands were big and hard. Adenmaha bit her lips unconsciously. It was because she knew really well what Tae Ho’s actions meant.
They didn’t have that much time. Tae Ho let go of Adenmaha’s hands. Adenmaha twitched her fingers and didn’t hand her hand to Tae Ho anymore.
Tae Ho thought of what he should say for a moment. He dropped his shoulders a bit while everyone was looking at him and then clenched a fist. It was because he thought of the most Valhalla like answer that was a bit weird but suited this kind of situation the most.
“For Asgard and the nine realms.”
For all the worlds.
He hit his chest. Gandur and Ingrid placed their fists on their chests without saying anything and expressed respect towards Tae Ho. Son Wukong also formed a fist and expressed etiquette.
Everyone in the conference room thought of the same thing.
“Thank you. The Temple will do its best to help you.”
Yuanshi Tianzun expressed etiquette and then looked at his side. The Jade Emperor asked Nuwa.
“Nuwa-nim, he already has the seats of two worlds that are Asgard and Erin. I think that it will be too much to hand over the seat of the Temple in this place immediately.”
“I also think like that. He also has to receive the seat of master of Olympus so we will need a proper ceremony at Asgard.”
Power came with its respective price. No one could assure what would happen if they contained the power of four masters in one world. They had to lessen the load given on Tae Ho’s body the most they could through a proper procedure.
This time, Daode Tianzun was the one to speak.
“Son Wukong.”
“Please, speak.”
Son Wukong turned to look towards him and took a breath. It was because he had sensed what Daode Tianzun would say.
“Get in charge of the forces that will head to Asgard. I will exclude the minimum amount of forces for the defenses of the Temple and I will send all the rest to Asgard.”
“I will heed to your order.”
There were Daji and King Zhao still left. They didn’t know when the forces of Dilmun and Xindu would attack from the south again.
But the most important battlefield was Asgard. The battle in Asgard would decide the fate of all the remaining worlds.
That’s why they had to go. They couldn’t stop at gathering the power of four masters but they also had to gather the power of the four worlds.
Yuanshi Tianzun spoke to Nuwa.
“Nuwa-nim. Us, the Three Pure Ones, aren’t able to move from the Temple. Will you go to Asgard instead of us?”
The Three Pure Ones were the pillars that maintained the Temple just by existing. They couldn’t leave the Temple just like Yuanshi Tianzun had said.
Nuwa understood what Yuanshi Tianzun had said. He was conceding the seat of master to Nuwa. She was going to be the one that would hand over the seat of master to Tae Ho.
“I’m planning to do that. That would be the last thing I can do for the Temple.”
That was the only thing Nuwa could do in her weakened state.
“Thank you. Mother of humans.”
Nuwa put a faint smile as Yuanshi Tianzun and the other Three Pure Ones expressed etiquette. The time they hadn’t been able to be together was long because she had been asleep but she still felt happy and commendable towards the three of them at the point that they were the same from before.
Yuanshi Tianzun spoke again.
“If everything has been decided then there’s no reason to delay. Son Wukong, hurry up to leave the Temple. You will have to head to Asgard before the sun sets.”
“I will heed your order.”
Son Wukong got out of the conference room. Adenmaha extended her hand and grabbed Tae Ho’s sleeve.
Tae Ho turned to look at Adenmaha.
The Temple started to move.
&
Olympus was burning.
The flames that arose from the south and north didn’t stop and it dyed up the sky and earth of Olympus in red.
Countless beings died and several others were dying.
“Hurry up! Help each other! We don’t have time!”
The great hero of Artemis, Atalante, yelled. She, that was carrying a child at her back, was already crossing the connecting path between Olympus and Asgard more than a hundred times.
She wanted to evacuate the most people possible. The God and heroes that stayed back at Olympus joined hands and also assisted the reinforcements that came from Asgard.
But they couldn’t rescue everyone. There were some they had to give up on.
Zeus, that was releasing divine power so that the path of flame didn’t cover the connecting path, looked at the mount of Olympus with a depressed face. He, the master of Olympus, could feel it.
Olympus was screaming. The ones that weren’t able to escape beyond the flames were crying.
The Gods of Olympus treated humans as their tools and Zeus wasn’t that different from the other Gods.
However, it didn’t mean that they didn’t have emotions. The situation where he had to see countless people die powerlessly tore his chest apart several times.
“Zeus.”
Hera called out Zeus. Zeus didn’t turn to look at her and Hera walked slowly to stand next to Zeus.
Odin stood at a different place and suppressed the path of flames.
They could hear Thor and Heracles returning from far away. It seemed like they had defeated the army of the enemy that had gathered to attack the connecting path.
The evacuation of the humans ended. The nymphs they could bring to the connecting path had also left to Olympus. The only remaining Gods left at Olympus were the Gods of Olympus and the Gods of Asgard that were Odin and Thor.
Athena supported Demeter, that had cried so much to the point she fainted, and entered the connecting path. Apollo lead Artemis as she hadn’t completed completely from the past.
Hephaestus bound Aphrodite to a cart and advanced. He looked at Olympus for that last time but only for a moment.
Prometheus had also left. Hades and Persephone, that had stayed at the underworld during the internal warfare of Olympus, also walked with them.
“Zeus.”
The call of Hades was low. Persephone pulled on Hades’ hand and Hades nodded. He took care of the queen of the underworld whom he loved and left Olympus.
“Father.”
“Leave first.”
Thor nodded at Odin’s words. He hit the shoulder of Heracles, that was looking at Olympus without saying anything, and told him to leave.
The only ones left now were Zeus, Hera and Odin.
Odin approached Zeus and Hera. Zeus was still standing still and looking at the mount of Olympus.
The Last path of flames was arising.
The flames that finally became one turned into a giant of fire and started to climb the mount of Olympus.
They could see it clearly. That’s why they had sent away the ones left in a hurry.
Hera leaned at Zeus and he embraced her head with his big hand.
The giant of fire raised his hand. At that moment, an overwhelming power that shook the entire Olympus got activated. The same power from when Nyx made the night descend got concentrated at the sky, no, it was way stronger than that.
That was a sword of fire. A sword that was huge got created above the mount of Olympus.
The giant of fire moved his hand and at that moment the sword of fire trespassed the mount of Olympus. It destroyed the core of Olympus, the land where all the energy was concentrated at.
It got destroyed and burnt down. The sky and the ground shook and the world Olympus cried. The destructive beings sang destruction at various parts from the world.
Hera’s legs lost strength. Zeus embraced her waist more tightly and supported her.
What surged up because it had reached the end.
The Last path of flames that would bring the end to a world.
Will they be able to defeat that thing if they joined the power of the masters? Will they be able to stop it?
Zeus didn’t ask and Odin didn’t say anything.
Zeus turned around while holding Hera. He headed to the connecting path with Odin and they didn’t turn back anymore.
Odin and Zeus sealed the connecting path.
Olympus burnt down.
< Episode 71 – Asgard (4) > End
TL note: Thanks for reading~