Heaven's Strongest Gods and Humanity's Legendary Warriors will battle in this arena!
As Brunhilde announced the name of the Einherjar, Goll gasped over the chosen champions.
"The great heroes of humanity, The Legendary Einherjar!"
Meanwhile, Hermes got a notification of the roster on his phone.
"Lord Zeus, the combatants that will represent mankind had been revealed."
Zeus requested, "Oh, let me have a look."
As Hermes shows Zeus the list of combatants, the mighty god gives a mischievous smile.
"Let now, what a compelling line-up. Oh, I can wait to see how this one will go!" Zeus chuckled.
In the viewpoint on the gods' side, Santa Muerte and Hachiman receive the list and see their names on the gods' roster.
Santa Muerte became furious and cursed in Spanish.
"¡Esa puta soleada! ¡Voy a cortar a esa perra y verter alcohol en sus malditas heridas!"
Santa summoned a cigarette, lit it, and smoked to calm her nerves.
"Well, Hachiman, it looks like your goddess put us in Ragnarok. Typical!"
Hachiman merely sighs as he folds his arms and says, "It seems so. I'm more concerned with Shen. He shouldn't be part of this madness."
Suddenly, they heard a similar voice approach them.
"I agree, Hachiman. My son is not cut out for this."
Santa and Hachiman look to see Princess Yaoji meeting them in person.
Hachiman bowed and said, "Lady Yaoji, a pleasure to me you again."
Yaoji giggled, "Hachiman, there's no need for formalities. You can just call me Yaoji if you want."
As he rose from his bow, the Shinto war god felt a little embarrassed.
Yaoji then looked at Muerte and greeted her.
"Muerte, so nice to see you as well."
Muerte tip her hat and says, "Yao-Yao, long time no see. But I want to know how you feel about all of this? Especially Shen."
Yaoji's calm demeanor changed into sadness and a bit of worry.
Yaoji looked out to see the action taken place in said bluntly.
"I hate it. My son is a good man and a just god. I pleaded for my brother to take him off the list, but he refused. I don't want my son to be responsible for humanity's extinction. Yet I don't want him to die either."
Princess Yaoji tries to manage her emotions with Santa Muerte comforting her.
In the arena, the atmosphere was palpable as Erlang Shen unlocked his third eye. Every god and man held their breath to see what's next.
Heimdall announce on his horn, "With Erlang Shen finally getting serious, we have reached uncharted territory! Even the gods can't predict this outcome!"
Lancelot looks this Erlang's new transformation and demands Hrist about what's going on.
"Hrist, what the hell did he just do!"
A voice of Hrist emerges to explain.
"Brother Shen opened his third eye."
Lancelot merely says, "What?"
Hrist continued, "It's called the Eye of Heaven. It increases Shen's battle prowess drastically. It also reveals the opponent's true thoughts."
Lancelot smirked and bellowed, "Even with his third eye open, he'll fall to my blade!"
He ran toward Shen with the intent to slay him once and for all. As he was about to strike the sage, Shen vanished only to emerge behind the knight to deliver his own strike.
The right shoulder of Lancelot was pierced as he tried to block.
"Auurgh!" Lancelot yelled as his shoulder skewered and his shoulder piece of his armor buckled deep.
Heimdall gasped as he said, "By the gods! Erlang Shen pierce deep into Lancelot's shoulder! How will the knight use his greatsword or even his twin swords now?!"
Arthur and the other knights were speechless well as Goll, who couldn't believe her blood brother would do such a thing.
As humanity was about to sink into despair, Lancelot gathered as much strength as possible to lift his greatsword one-handed and bring it down on Shen.
"WHOA! He's using one hand to wield his greatsword!" Heimdall was awestruck with the human's strength.
Erlang dodges the attack as Lancelot drives the blade into the ground. As Lancelot pulls out his weapon from the ground, he sees that he's unable to move his right arm. Despite this, Lancelot wouldn't be deterred and went on the attack. Lancelot swings his sword fast, only to miss and be slashed by Shen's lance. Each time Shen strikes Lancelot, the knight's armor is chipped away piece by piece.
After the exchange of attacks finishes, Lancelot's armor is broken and torn, and his body is riddled with bloody gashes. Lancelot tries to stand up straight to continue fighting, but he collapses on one knee.
The human audience gasped in horror at their champion being damaged and torn. Among us was Queen Guinevere in a dress and dark cloak pleading for this to stop.
"P-please no more! No more of this madness!"
Back in the Chief Gods' section, Zeus converse with Hermes over the fight.
"Hermes."
Hermes answers, "Yes, Lord Zeus."
"Do you agree that high stake bouts are most enjoyable?"
Hermes Replied, "Yes, of course."
"My, what a show, and the drama added some nice flavor to it. However, that human cannot withstand much more. Hmm, this is the end."
As Zeus and Hermes were conversing, the other gods also commented on the fight.
Huitzilopochtli chuckles, "Heh, gotta say when Shen not being a fucking pacifist, he's pretty ruthless."
Aphrodite merely cooed, "Goodness, these men are quite fascinating. I hope this fight never ends."
In contrast, Amaterasu watches with the same grimace on her face.
In the arena, Shen walks towards the wounded Lancelot.
Lancelot looks up at Erlang and sees the sage showing pity.
Shen calmly says, "I understand now. This match is your way of atoning for what happened to Camelot. I'm sor-"
Lancelot says, "Save it. I was a fool to think this would be different. I'll always let my people down. Just put me out of my misery."
Erlang Shen wanted to say something, but he knew his words would fall on deaf ears. Shen then raises his lance to finish this.
As Shen prepares to strike, Lancelot somberly thought to himself.
'So this is it. It seems everything I do will always be met with shame. I only wish to right the wrongs I've done. At least I will never-'
Suddenly, King Arthur's voice boomed at Lancelot and got everyone's attention.
"LANCELOT!"
It snapped Lancelot out of his thoughts and saw Arthur standing up with his face sterner than ever.
"What is the meaning of this?! Would you dare give up now after everything you have done! I know the past haunts you but forfeiting your life is not how a knight of Camelot acts. If you truly seek redemption, then fight! Because if you give up now...I'LL NEVER FORGIVE YOU!"
Lancelot couldn't believe that the man he betrayed was encouraging him to fight.
"A-Arthur."
Percival reluctantly gets up and yelled, "For what it's worth, I'll forever hate you, but if anyone is going to kill you, it's me! So get up and kill that son of a bitch!"
Gallahad roared, "Father! I'm proud to be your son! So I beg of you, Fight!"
Sir Ector joined in and bellow, "Come on! You're supposed to be the greatest knight, aren't you? On your feet, Lancelot!"
Soon the human audience began to rally for Lancelot.
"They're right! Come on, Lancelot!"
"You were my favorite in the Arthurian Legends!"
"Go! Lancelot! Go!"
As the human crowd cheered on Lancelot, Hera and Goll joined in as well.
"LANCELOT!"
"LANCELOT!"
"LANCELOT!"
Back in the chief gods' section, Huitzilopochtli muses on the humans' little cheer.
"Heh, they still want him to fight after all that? Humans are truly despicable."
In the arena, Heimdall questions humanity's rallying cry as well.
"He can't possibly get up. Sure, I'd like him to try, but that'll be pointless with those injuries. Huh, I might call it what it is."
Suddenly, as the watcher prepared to call the match, he sees Lancelot struggle to stand as humanity cheers.
As Lancelot tried to stand, the enraged version of Hrist rile him up.
"Come on, stop being a little bitch and rise!"
He rises to his feet with a mighty roar as a surge of adrenaline courses through his veins.
With that, Heimdall exclaimed on the horn, "It seems that Lancelot is still in the fight!"
As humanity cheers, Goll enthusiastically yelled, "YES!"
Hera and Brunhilde smiled as they believed there was still a chance.
Lancelot, back in the arena, looks at the sword, who is Hrist, and says, "I apologize for how I treated you earlier. I want to ask if you will stand with me until the very end."
The visage of Hrist appears from the blade and replies, "Of course, Lancelot. Our fates are intertwined, so there's no turning back now."
Lancelot smiles and turns his sight towards Erlang Shen.
"Sage, no, Erlang Shen. You know I will not accept mercy, so all is that you show me why you're Heaven's Greatest Warrior."
Erlang can't help but smile for that human stubbornness to fight on is one of the reasons he loves humanity.
"Very well, Lancelot. But this next attack will be my strongest so prepare yourself!"
As he says this, Erlang leaps back to create some distance. Then the sage raised his lance in the air and commanded, "Xiàotiān quǎn come forth!"
By command, the feeling of static flow the air as a ball of electricity formed above Shen. As the electric ball gets bigger, it takes the form of a large elemental hound.
In the stands of the gods' side, Nezha and Juling Shen gasped and said in unison, "Xiàotiān quǎn?! What's he doing here?"
The electric hound let out a might howl as it leaps into the lance, becoming one with it. Erlang Shen then gets into the same stance as when he prepares Tao's Divine Smite.
Lancelot looks at this display and merely smirks.
"Damn, if only if I still had both of my arms, I would use signature move completely. It seems I'll have to make use of one arm."
Lancelot tucks his only arm with his sword in hand and gets into a particular position.
King Arthur recognizes what Lancelot is about to do.
"Wait, the parting of the legs, body arched forward, and his sword in a stab position. He's going to use that same move when he slew the Dragon of Corbenic!"
In one of the Arthurian legends, a mighty dragon attacked the castle of Corbenic, home of the Holy Grail. Many knights bravely tried to fend off the creature only to fall in battle. That was until Lancelot went face to face with the beast. Their clash drew the eyes of earth and sky. Both were bloody but unyielding. As the dragon was about to finish off Lancelot, the knight mustered all the strength to pierce the beast in the chest. The strike was so powerful, that it burst the dragon's chest open. Witnessing such a feat, the knights of Camelot gave his move a name in reverence of Lancelot.
"Dracon Burster"
The arena stood still. Humanity and the divine held their breath in anticipation of the endgame. Yaoji and Guinevere look on intently and hope their loved ones will be okay.
Finally, Lancelot and Erlang Shen charge at each other at great speed. Erlang Shen almost soars across the battlefield as he holds his lance forward with electricity streak behind him. Lancelot ran with great speed with he has his sword stretched in front.
Erlang Shen and Lancelot
Two Warriors bound by honor.
On this day, one will die.
"Tao's Divine Smite"
vs
"Dracon Burster"
As the two champions close in on each other, Lancelot's mind, after so much guilt in his heart, feels at ease.
'Heh, this feeling. It's warm and comforting. It's like all my sins have been washed away. Thank you, Erlang Shen."
An explosion of static and smoke erupts as the warriors' attacks meet. The audience shielded themselves from the dust as it began to settle. As it clears, humanity was in silence as Lancelot's sword lay on the ground. However, the most haunting thing was Lancelot missing his head, left arm, and a part of his chest. In their place is a bloody diagonal stump across the chest. Lancelot's corpse wobbles before collapsing onto the ground. As for Shen, he stands tall with his previously pinned hair unraveled and hides his face.
Guinevere shakes her head and cried out, "No...LANCELOT!"
With that, Heimdall wipes the dust off his goggles and saw Lancelot died announces, "So concludes round one of Ragnarok! Your winner and representing the gods in the final showdown between god and man, ERLANG SHEN!"
The gods in the audience roar with cheers as Erlang Shen has defeated the human. Hera, Brunhilde, and Goll are at a loss for words as well as Santa Muerte and Hachiman.
Ragnarok Round One
Sir Lancelot vs Erlang Shen
Winner: Erlang Shen
Deciding Move: Tao's Divine Smite w/ Xiaotian
Time: 14:56
In the VIP Section, Zeus lept on his throne and celebrated in gods' first win.
Amaterasu evilly grinned as she said, "May humanity be extinguished."
Huitzilopochtli tenses his body in excitement as he roared, "Wow, a battle! Excellent, for the first time in millennia. I thirst for blood!"
Aphrodite cooed in arousal, "I know. I haven't felt this arouse in quite a long time. Exquisite!"
As the gods relish in their victory, humanity's filled with despair. Goll stare dumbfounded, While Brunhilde and Hera looked worried.
"Heimdall concludes the match with this.
"So end round one with Erlang Shen as its victor! With the gods' first victory, has the end drawn near for the human race?"
Next Time
The First Immortal vs The Demon of the End