Valhalla Saga

Episode 62/Chapter 1: Roar of the hero (1)

TL: Tsubak

ED: StellarRain & ET

The ruler of Olympus and the king of Gods, Zeus, had one mission.

That was to win in the last battle against the Gigantes, Gigantomachy, and protect the world.

When he saw that Odin was nurturing the warriors of Valhalla to prepare for Ragnarok, Zeus also decided to mass produce heroes.

Zeus had many children with countless humans, Goddesses, and nymphs and the ones who possessed his blood grew up as heroes with their own strong points.

And finally one man appeared among the countless heroes that were made like that.

The one that would lead the Gods to victory in Gigantomachy.

The strongest great hero who was born as the protector of Olympus.

People called him Heracles.

&

Gaia said.

That Heracles was special.

That if Nyx had really plotted this, there was no way she would neglect him.

And Gaia’s thoughts weren’t wrong.

The voice that bewitched the 12 Olympians had two exceptions and they were the ruler of the underworld Hades and the hero Heracles.

Hera opened her eyes slowly at the roar of the humans that rang in the middle of the battlefield of Gods. She tried to look at the direction the roar was heard as she didn’t even have strength to raise her exhausted body.

The greatest hero of Olympus, Heracles, wasn’t only Zeus’ hero but also Hera’s.

Heracles was a subject for affection for Hera.

He, who bore the glorious name of Hera in his own, was no different from the crystallization of the evil deeds that Zeus had committed.

Hera, the protector of families,couldn’t accept the existence of Heracles. But at the same time she couldn’t bring herself to hate him completely either.

Since he was the greatest hero that was born as the protector of Olympus and would lead them to victory in Gigantomachy.

At the same time he was the child that grew up feeding from her breast even though this was Athena’s plan.

When Heracles ended his life as a human and became a God, she and Heracles reconciled with each other.

She even let Heracles marry Hebe, the Goddess of youth, who was born between her and Zeus, as a symbol of reconciliation.

Hera closed her eyes again. She became sad after hearing the roar of the great hero Heracles and not the God-hero Heracles.

Because she knew.

Only she could understand the sorrow and despair hidden inside the roar of Heracles.

“Heracles.”

Hera managed to squeeze out the name of her own hero. Her bull like eyes shed the most beautiful tears of Olympus. The silver tears that flowed down from her beautiful red eyes wet the ground.

Her voice couldn’t reach Heracles. But Hera called out to him once again and moved her eyes instead of her body and looked at the sky.

The primeval God of night Nyx.

Her voice was getting closer.

&

Echidna bit a long cigarette. She stretched her human legs that she made in a hurry in place of her snake tail and looked in the direction the roar that shook the all of mount Olympus.

She tried to calm her shoulders that shook unconsciously and lit her cigarette.

As the mother of all monsters, she had met several heroes. However, Heracles was on a whole other level.

Heracles was the pinnacle.

There was no hero in Olympus surpassing him.

There would be no changes to him even if he lost his divinity.

In the first place, he was already the strongest great hero even before becoming a God-hero.

‘Fighting, master.’

Echidna smiled bitterly. She spoke playfully like she always did but she was begging earnestly.

Echidna closed her eyes. She took out the cigarette from her mouth and let out a long strand of white smoke.

The smoke headed to the sky at the same time the appearance of the battlefield changed.

&

In all of Olympus, the peak of Mount Olympus was where the power of the Gods was the strongest.

The God depriving land that was spread in the middle of the mount forcibly gathered the attention of everyone.

Thor and Bracky moved like they promised beforehand. Thor fired lightning to the right side of the God depriving land and Bracky called lightning to the left side. Siri stood next to Bracky and notched the arrow of Apollo in the bow of Artemis once again.

Their roles were to protect the God depriving land. It was because it would be troublesome if the 12 Olympians or the Gigantes charged over to help Heracles.

They could take away any external interferences by acting as guards blocking the entrance to the God depriving land. As such, it was essential to block the enemy the best they could.

When everyone took their places, Thor realized one fact.

Bracky and Siri also realized what caused their sense of incongruity.

Aphrodite and Dionysius didn’t try to help Heracles. The same went for the Gigantes.

And the reason for that was very simple.

If it was a one on one battle.

If their conditions were the same.

Heracles would never lose.

He would certainly win.

Bracky gulped dry saliva and Siri hurriedly looked behind her.

A loud explosion was heard inside the God depriving land.

&

Tae Ho knew it. His ‘eyes of the dragon’ were also telling him.

Even though he had deprived Heracles of his divinity and cut off the endless support the world was giving, Heracles was still horribly strong.

It was to the point that not even Achilles, one of the top three heroes of all of Olympus, was a match for him.

He was incomparable to Heracles in speed, as expected of the fastest hero, but that was all.

Heracles overwhelmed Achilles in all other aspects and he didn’t even fall behind in speed that greatly.

He couldn’t beat him.

The pro-gamer Lee Tae Ho judged this, but at the same time searched for a path to victory. He tried his best to find a path that would lead him to victory in this battle that he had to win at all costs, in this unavoidable battlefield.

A booming explosion fired off as the club smashed into the ground. The Sword of the round table fended off the club and several runes were added to Tae Ho’s body covered by Idun’s golden light. These strengthened all of Tae Ho’s abilities such as strength and speed.

Tae Ho was much stronger than when he fought against Achilles. It was clear that Heracles was a monster but so was Tae Ho. The number of accumulated runes was outstanding even among the top ranked warriors.

‘That’s why you shouldn’t shrink down. Don’t shrink and fight like yourself. In a shameful and dirty way.’

Cuchulainn said in a joking tone and his voice diluted the pressure Heracles was exerting that suppressed Tae Ho’s body. It allowed Tae Ho a moment to breathe.

Tae Ho smiled. While the shards of pulverised groundsurged up, he remained still.

It really was Cuchulainn.

Perhaps not even Heda, Idun or Adenmaha knew him as well as Cuchulainn.

In a shameful and dirty way.

The sentence of the Milesian shone and the shards of the ground fell down after being restrained by gravity. Heracles turned to look at Tae Ho from that opening.

[Saga: The warrior that had a Goddess meet him]

A huge shadow appeared over Tae Ho’s and Heracles’ head. Heracles raised his head by reflex and Tae Ho, who was wearing the winged shoes Talaria, had already left the shadow.

The body of Gaia fell onto Heracles’ head. It was impossible to properly recreate a being with a divinity inside the God depriving land. Also, the number of meetings he and Gaia had was also low, so the only thing he could recreate was her huge size.

But it was enough with that. Using Gaia’s body as a projectile was an excellent attacking method.

Tae Ho landed on the ground,n raised his posture and looked in front of him. Hethen witnessed the body of Gaia split in two and disappear like a mirage.

‘Wasn’t that a club?’

Even Cuchulainn knew of it as he said that. If a person had strength and skills like Heracles then that person would be able to show the same prowess while holding a simple club.

Tae Ho also knew that and that’s why he went to the next phase without any hesitation.

No, he had already entered it.

Heracles recklessly charged forward after splitting the body of Gaia in two and that’s why he wasn’t able to avoid the poison spraying toward him.

It was a deadly kind of poison created by combining the poison of Nidhogg and Hydra.

One breath.

That was all that Heracles inhaled. He held his breath after that but couldn’t prevent the poison from spreading. In addition, Tae Ho was forcing Heracles to breathe.

[Saga: The one that controls lightning and gale]

Tae Ho executed an attack and at the same time controlled the wind. He didn’t only concentrate the poison to Heracles’ side but also blew it over Heracles’ ears and other places where Heracles was unable to resist.

Heracles frowned. It was only a little but the pallor of his face changed.

The Sword of the round table clashed with the club. Heracles’ attacks became even faster and stronger.

Tae Ho equipped himself with the poison resistance setting and saw anxiety in Heracles’ attacks. It was very slow but the poison started to devour Heracles’ soul and body.

‘Dodge it!’

Cuchulainn yelled. But he couldn’t dodge it. Tae Ho hurriedly called the shield of Achilles to block the attack of Heracles that fell above his head. His arms and shield trembled at the power of the strike. It was to the point that his feet dug into the ground.

But the Heracles’ attack hadn’t ended yet. Tae Ho also knew that and that’s why he hurriedly removed the shield of Achilles. He dodged the kick of Heracles that flew like lightning and then threw the weapon he took out into the air.

A drop of water the size of a fist exploded and the compressed oil covered Heracles’ body.

Fire after poison.

When Tae Ho touched the ground with his rune covered hands, pillars of fire surged up and engulfed Heracles.

The oil intensified the power of the flames. Heracles hurried out of the fire pillars but he couldn’t escape the heat completely. Tae Ho took out a torch and threw it. It was the fire of Typhon Hephaestus had brought with him.

Heracles had steel like skin but even he couldn’t do anything against the fire of Typhon. He hurriedly took off the fur of the Nemean lion and threw it but Tae Ho didn’t miss that moment.

He grabbed the fur and yelled.

“Mine!”

The rune of Bragi added integrity to his words. Heracles concentrated on the fur of the Nemean lion that was still alight with flame and watched as the lion fur fell to the ground. When he realized something and turned his head, it was already late.

The hands of Tae Ho reached the club of Heracles that was stuck on the ground. Heracles had let it go for a moment because he was throwing away the lion fur.

[Saga: His pocket is connected to a treasure vault]

The club disappeared. Heracles opened his eyes roundly and Cuchulainn admired.

‘God of cheating!’

A perfect combination of moves. But Tae Ho’s attack hadn’t ended yet. Compared to when Tae Ho first fought against Achilles, he was now also the successor of Odin compared. Tae Ho looked at Heracles’ incoming punch and activated rune magic.

The ground crumbled. Precisely speaking, it was dug deeply.

Rune magic didn’t work on Heracles but that wasn’t the same for the ground under him.

Heracles fell into the pit. The pressure generated by his punch while falling was enough to rock the ground.

Heracles had his weapon and armor stolen from him. On top of that, he was poisoned and fell in a pit to become even more poisoned.

But Tae Ho couldn’t drop his guard. He wanted to close his eyes and exhale but the countless near death experiences didn’t allow him to do that.

One attack.

He didn’t know how he dodged it.

It was the pressure generated by Heracles’ fist after surging up from the pit at an overwhelming speed. He moved his head hurriedly and evaded a direct hit but that was all. His body stiffened for a moment due to the aftershock and that was when Heracles’ second attack had begun.

It grazed him.

It was a sharp attack generated by his leg and not a sword.

Tae Ho hurriedly created some distance but Heracles didn’t chase after him. Heracles instead pulled a bow out of thin air and began to fire arrows of light.

Tae Ho dodged the first arrow, parried the second one and at the same time the body of Heracles rushed forward with the third arrow.

Tae Ho’s vision became dyed in black and then regained light. Tae Ho coughed up air and blood at the same time. He could barely make out Cuchulainn’s voice. He realized what had happened.

He had been struck by a glancing blow. It was only for a moment but he had lost consciousness. It seemed like he somehow managed to create some distance but Tae Ho could feel it. Heracles was closing in again. Heracles was rushing towards him again.

He had to dodge it but his legs trembled. If he allowed another attack to it would all be over.

So he had to move. He put strength in his legs and turned around to look. He could see Heracles’ fist.

Bang!

He dodged it. He ignored the deafening explosion that destroyed the ground and at the same time closed in on Heracles. He swung his sword to slash Heracles’ chest and then charged forward. Talaria activated right on time so he evaded being pinned by Heracles’ strong arms.

Heracles looked at Tae Ho.

And Tae Ho looked him back.

Heracles stood still in the air and pulled out a sword and Tae Ho lowered his posture and took a breath.

His ‘eyes of the dragon’ were telling him.

Heracles had certainly weakened. All his abilities were lower compared to the first time.

But he was still an overwhelming existence.

How much time passed?

Only a few seconds.

Or perhaps fewer than that.

Will he be able to beat that monster as his opponent? Is it even possible to win?

Weak methods didn’t work. It also wasn’t possible to use poison, magic or mystical magic.

Heracles took a step forward and Tae Ho took one step back unconsciously.

There was disappointment showing in Heracles’ eyes. At the same time he charged forward. He poured down a storm of attacks towards Tae Ho.

Tae Ho raised his Sword of the round table and reacted. He dodged and fended off the attacks and resisted all he could.

But his reaction time slowed every moment another attack was added.

This was the end. He would collapse at the next attack.

Both Tae Ho and Heracles sensed it. The sword of Heracles surged to its peak to cleave down onto Tae Ho’s head.

And at that moment Tae Ho could hear it.

‘My warrior Tae Ho.’

It was Idun’s voice. It was really thin and weak. It had been transmitted through the wall of the world so it was as thin as a thread.

But he had certainly heard it. Heda’s voice was then heard followed by hers.

It may be Tae Ho’s imagination but she was telling him this.

‘Don’t give up.’

Tae Ho smiled and then realized.

That he couldn’t afford to lose.

That he had to win at all costs.

It was a new story but it was enough with that.

“Idun, Heda.”

Tae Ho said. He dodged the falling attack of Heracles by a hair’s breadth. He strengthened his hold on the Sword of the round table and concentrated. His head that became clear like a lie thought of one answer.

The method to win.

The way to fight against Heracles.

It wasn’t hard but rather simple.

It was the same as when he fought against the king of the fomoires, the Tyrant Bress.

The dragon knight Kalsted.

Tae Ho’s base.

The invincible knight who wouldn’t fall behind to the strongest great hero Heracles at all.

The sentences of the Milesian and Erin released light once again. Tae Ho concentrated and recreated it.

Kalsted’s sword.

The thing he could obtain now.

[Synchro rate: 93%]

A conspicuous color shone in Heracles’ eyes and at the same time the swords exchanged blows. Fluster spread in Heracles’ eyes as he barely managed to block Tae Ho’s attack.

There was nothing that changed greatly from before. His strength and speed were almost the same.

But he had become different.

Tae Ho also felt it. He could now do it.

[Synchro rate: 94%]

The sword of Kalsted appeared in Tae Ho’s hands.

< Episode 61 – Roar of the hero (1) > End