Chapter 365 - 364: Result
"Hm…"
Thor could only grunt as his opponent threatened him with his own leg. Throughout the millions of battles in his history, there have been many who were able to injure and dismember his limbs-- but never one who used the said part as a weapon against him.
It was almost similar to the earth giants, who used the bones of their defeated opponents as weapons as a way to respect them; carving and crafting it until they became a viable arsenal; but even they would not use a fresh leg that still had flesh attached to it.
This was just blatant disrespect-- a very effective one.
Since he was one of the earlier Aesir, his healing capability was even more potent than Hermod's; allowing him to fully heal a completely mangled up body in just a full day. He could even already feel a certain itch from his leg regenerating.
Of course, he had already fought with a couple of his limbs torn apart before; this was nothing. Well, at least it was supposed to be nothing if his opponent wasn't as abnormal as the little man in front of him.
With his mobility compromised… his odds of winning this battle had drastically lowered-- and Van knew that as well..
"Want to exchange weapons?" Van chuckled as he waved Thor's leg, "At least you could swing this one, or maybe even attach it back to your leg?"
"Don't play mind games with me, little."
"You're the only one gaining an advantage with the trade," Van followed, "I don't even know if I can lift that hamm--"
Surprisingly, before Van could even finish his words, the hammer that Thor was previously using as a crutch was lifted in the air, with Thor not even stumbling or losing his balance for even a millisecond.
"Let's finish this battle," Thor said as he once again pointed his hammer towards Van, "I will no longer rain down my thunderbolts from above, I grow tired of this cat and mouse chase. Let's settle this like the man we are."
"Finally playing fair, then?"
"If you wish to call it that way," Thor breathed out, "But there is no such thing as fair in a battle, little man-- only those who win or lose."
"...Alright," Van then once again summoned Aegis, this time adorning it on his right hand as Thor's dismembered leg was in his left, "Let's do this, fat man."
"L--"
Before Thor could even utter a word, Van suddenly ran out of the pit.
"Let the world witness our battle."
"I am starting to like you, little man," Thor scoffed as he flew towards Van, who was calmly floating in the sky waiting for him, "Too bad one of us has to die today, I would have liked to offer you a drink."
"I don't drink."
"..."
"..."
And after a few moments of silence, without any more words, Van turned into a crimson blur. And now that he was fighting in the sky for everyone to see, the winged serpent-like trail he was leaving behind has once again shown itself to the world.
"...Ragnarok," Thor muttered before flying towards Van head-on, causing a large skirt of wind to explode in the air as his hammer broke through it.
"..." Van's expression did not change as his eyes focused everywhere. Thor said that he would no longer summon his torrents of lightning, but if Van was in his position, he would definitely rain fire at the least expected time.
Van then let out a short but deep breath as Thor's hammer was only a foot away from his shield, and without even blinking his eye, blocked it with his shield as he slightly backed away.
He then quickly let go of his shield, before running across the surface of the colossal hammer, leaping over it as he went straight towards Thor's head.
"!!!"
Thor immediately moved his head to the side as a glint of crimson flashed before his eyes. He felt a sharp wind pass through his cheeks, followed by a warm trail as blood started to trail down from it.
As expected-- Van thought. Thor's bones were sturdy enough to be able to pierce through his own flesh; just one good strike through the head, then this battle should be over within a minute.
Van then continued to run past Thor, avoiding the hammer that spun around to obliterate him. He then summoned Aegis once again, before quickly throwing it just below Thor to try and distract him.
However, it did not seem to work as Thor just swiftly kicked it away without turning his eyes away; with whatever remained of his dismembered leg at that.
This did not make Van falter with his advance, however, as he still continued to rush towards Thor; once again easily avoiding his hammer. Van did not want to admit it at this moment because he wanted to avoid getting too overconfident.
But once the bolts of lightning were no more, this battle… became too easy. And like the both of them said,
It was time to end this.
The trails of crimson lightning surrounding Van became even more aggressive, even shooting out like a web meters away from his body as he put all of his focus on Thor's eye. This was the very first tactic he used against Arachnaea but completely failed.
But this time was different. If it was the him now, Arachnaea would probably not even see what was coming to her-- and the same could be said with Thor. And so, with a breath, he pointed the sharp tip of Thor's leg bone towards his eye.
"It was fun, fat man," he then whispered, even knowing that Thor would not be able to understand him anyway.
Van's vision then started to darken as his feet started to move; however, before he could even complete a single step; before the scenery around him could dim any further, Thor did something that Van never expected.
He let go of his hammer, slowly raising both his hands in the air.
"I…"
Van then abruptly stopped his advance as the trails of crimson lightning exploded away from him; his vision once again returning to normal; with the still clouds finally moving.
"...give up."
"What did you say?" Van could not help but raise an eyebrow as he watched as Thor's hammer fell straight into the pit.
"I give up," Thor said as both his hands were raised in the air, "There is no point in continuing to fight an opponent that I can not even hit. I do like winning and would do anything to achieve it; but if there is one thing I hate the most, it is winning because of luck. I do not want to admit it, but I think only father is capable of defeating you, little man. I could see now that Hermod's words did not contain any lies."
Van's eyes still wandered as he waited for Thor to do something mid-way through his words, but even after a minute it was over, Thor's hands remained in surrender.
"And your hammer?"
"It is yours," Thor let out a short but deep sigh, "Although it would be hard to let it go since it is my favorite one, I still have 5 more hidden in my weaponry."
"...Do you have a smaller one?"
"...I do."
"You can keep the big one, let me choose from the 5 others."
"Truly? Then you have my gratitude."
An echo then howled from the pit as Thor's hammer flew back to his hand, "My hammer collection is in the Palace, would you like to go now? I also badly need a drink after this shameful defeat; what better companion to get drunk with other than the opponent who defeated me?"
"..." Hearing Thor's words, Van turned his head towards Athena, who was already flying towards him.
"It is fine, King Evans," Athena then nodded as soon as she was by his side, "It is the perfect opportunity to finally introduce yourselves to the rest of the major and primal Aesir."
"You heard her," Van then said as he nodded towards Thor.
"Very well, I shall wait for you in the River."
Thor then turned around, but before he could fly away, Athena's voice reached his ears.
"King Evans of the 10th Realm has defeated the Mighty Thor, son of King Odin!"
"..." Thor glared at Athena for a few seconds, before finally letting out a sigh and flying away.
Headmistress Hilda, who had witnessed the entire thing, could not help but have her mouth wide opened. This was it; if there was any time to expand Heven Academy, then this was it. She was going to build another one, not in Asgard, but in the 10th Realm that was soon to be built.
And considering the glimmering eyes of the students in the Academy who had also witnessed the end of the battle, most of them would probably transfer to the new branch in a heartbeat.
And so, the battle between the Mighty Thor and an unknown King has ended; with Thor not even being able to wound his opponent, ending in an abrupt surrender. And the result of this battle spread like wildfire throughout the 9 Realms, scattering everywhere in a single hour.
***
"Master Evans… won against Thor?"
In an immaculate throne room filled with an orchestra of whispers, Latanya stood up from her throne; and without even waiting for her informant to reply, she quickly walked away.
"There's no more time to delay, we must go to Asgard to meet him," Latanya then said as all of the guards in the throne room followed behind her, leaving only a single person in the throne room-- a kneeling Charles.
"..."
***
In a desolate and almost barren land, separate from all the 9 Realms, a red-haired woman was currently staring at the sky; her eyes fixated on Asgard.
"This scent… it truly is you."
Her whispers then cracked in the air, and after a few more seconds of silence, the woman's back burst out with blood; forming into wings and causing a thunderous explosion as they lifted the woman into the air.
***
"King Evans? Well, well… finally making a name for himself, I see. What was that? We should visit him? Are you sure?"
"..."
"...Well, okay then. It's been a while since we last saw the boy. Anyway, I wonder if he improved much? What? Of course I know, he defeated that brute, after all. I heard she is with that Olympian as well, so it was no surprise. Think he still recognizes us?"
"..."
"Yes, I believe so, I don't see why not. It should have only been moments for him. Do you think…
...he'll be surprised to see me, no?"