Author's note: Happy holidays, everyone! I know I said there wasn't going to be another chapter until next year, but I checked my schedule for my new semester and it's packed. And I'm going to be working as well, so my time will be limited. So I'm going to keep uploading chapters as much as I can while I'm still available.
Reviews:
Ryugen: Love all the cards. These are great and interesting, thank you! Also, the final form will be white with gems of the colors of all the Riders. Question: if Ryuki has a scarf signifying Ryuga's powers, would he need to use a card for it? Or just have it passively?
Lord RI Husbu King: Indeed he was.
Dragstorm rider: Our heroes earned a month to heal and train. Would one month be enough? No one knows yet. But now it's revealed Odin might have more transformations up his sleeve, even though he's already as strong as he is.
Tenzalucard123: His death was greatly exaggerated. Of course, if Odin is the strongest Rider...maybe he can access the forms the other Riders have.
TheEmeraldMage: It is shonen nonsense. Gotta love the cliches. But honestly, Odin here has a decent reason. For one, this is the last time he'll enjoy a fight. Once he gets all of the Advent Beasts, he pretty much becomes an omniscient God that no one can hope to reach. The second reason is that I forgot to add it in the chapter, but Odin respects the fact that Hajime stopped Ragnarok, something Odin himself couldn't even do. So it's like rewarding him. Thirdly is just because he wants them to grow stronger, so he can get their power. The more they evolve, the more he gets. Moving along, I was tempted to have her restore her memories via a machine. But that would have ruined her emotional moment with Raiden. And Raiden needs motivation right now more than anything. Like Yosuke, they both have people to protect and to bring back to life. Ok, I won't deny it. It is kind of bullshit he's alive. At the very least, I should have not done his death so permanently looking lol. But I did plan on Yomi being alive because I needed him for this moment. Nah, it's okay to laugh lol.
Chapter 168
Midgard Showdown against the Allfather - The Battle for Heaven and Earth
The Opening Act
A few weeks ago...
"W-what do you mean he has 2 more transformations...?" Hajime's eyes widened in shock. His friends' reactions were equally visible, staring at the blonde magician.
"I mean, isn't it obvious?" Yomi sighed, taking a seat on top of Aoi's work area, much to her annoyance."What I know I know because Hazuki told me, so take it with a grain of salt. Odin is always in Survive mode, right?"
"Huh? Always in Survive?" Raiden furrowed his brow.
"Right...He said something like that before." Yosuke turned to Hajime."Remember, Adachi. Back then."
"Right...I was fighting Odin with Leiur until she got knocked away...and then you came in..." Hajime rubbed his chin in thought."So...wait, Yomi are you saying that-"
"If he's the original Rider, the one who stands at the top, and the one who got most of Ventara's power, then isn't it entirely possible that Odin can achieve similar forms to you guys?" Yomi laid all his cards on the table, receiving several gasps of terror.
"So...Odin is even stronger than what he is now...?" Kirika grabbed at her head, panicking.
"B-but what if that's not the c-case?" Maria stammered."I mean, didn't Lucifer specifically say that all beasts were created in their Survive forms?"
"Y-yeah!" Tsubasa nodded, though didn't seem convinced."If that's the case then-"
"If your beloved boyfriends here managed to break past their limits and evolve, what makes you think Odin himself wouldn't be able to do the same?" Yomi easily shot down their ideas."I'm saying he has up to 2 as a maximum. Maybe he only has Survive. One more. Or several more. Either way, the point still stands. Odin has yet to reveal his true capabilities. And if you bozos think you're ready to waltz into his terrain thinking everything will end with sunshine and rainbows, then you're more delusional than I thought."
"So what the fuck is your point then?" Chris sneered, not wanting to keep staring at Yomi's smug expression."Are you saying you have a plan?"
"I do." Yomi nodded.
"Wait, what?" Shirabe squinted her eyes in skepticism."Do you have a plan to defeat Odin?"
"Oh, no. No, no, no." He quickly wagged his finger."I doubt he can be beaten. Frankly speaking, I think he'll just kill all of you without you ever standing a chance." Yomi crossed his legs, resting his hand on his thighs and placing his chin on his cupped hand."You guys are just delusional if you think you stand a chance against the guy you barely manage to defeat."
"Can you just...say what you have to say?" Hibiki sighed, clearly fed up with Yomi as well.
"Boring." Yomi groaned."Fine. While I do think beating Odin is impossible, I have a way to give you guys a better chance at beating him."
"And that would be?" Elsa arched a skeptical eyebrow.
"Before that, I want to make a deal with you guys. See, now that Loki, Hazuki, and the others are dead, I have nothing else to fight for. So my request is kind of important."
"Why the hell should we honor any kind of request from you?" Yosuke scoffed."You're a mindless murderer. Are you forgetting you caused the majority of these events to happen?"
"Yosuke." Genjuro said, earning his attention."Hear him out."
"What? Why?"
"Because he has a point." Genjuro admitted."If we rush in without a proper plan, Odin will win."
"But we can just kill Odin as we are." Hajime spoke up."We're all stronger than we were. And if I can land a punch on him-"
"If you can land a punch on him." Yomi quickly corrected.
"I am confident I should be fast enough to do that. Not to mention I can use mine and Hazuki's teleportation abilities."
"It's not about being fast or not when it comes to Odin." Yomi shook his head."His time manipulation is the problem. Assume all of you rush him in your strongest forms. He'll just start evading you using his time stop, running the clock. Eventually, yeah, maybe you'll hit him and then maybe you can kill him, sure. But what if you don't do it in time? What if your stamina runs out and you can't maintain your transformation? You'll be spending precious resources in landing a hit on Odin, and he'll just wait for the right time to strike, waiting for you guys to tire out and be vulnerable. Worst case scenario, he transforms and all your hard work goes to shit. Meanwhile, if you do what I say, there is a chance that he can be forced to transform earlier, saving you precious time."
"Ok. Fine." Yosuke said, after a few seconds of pondering his words."We'll listen to your request then."
"Why bother?" Chris snorted."He probably wants to fight Hajime again."
"No, actually."
"No?"
"My fight with Hajime was a one-of-a-kind fight. It was super special and it shouldn't be replicated." Yomi smiled at the raven-haired teen, wagging his eyebrows at him."Our special time can't be repeated, otherwise, it loses all that makes it special, you see."
"I can't help but feel he's implying something else." Hibiki's eye twitched.
"But seriously, I did love my fight with Hajime. I've lived countless different lives in the past, and I never experienced something like that before. It was...special, like I said. And I'd hate to ruin that memory by trying to replicate it or make it better. So no, I don't plan on demanding another fight one exchange for my cooperation. So, may I?"
"Very well..." Tsubasa nodded apprehensively.
"I..." He placed a hand on his hand, smirking."I want to offer my cooperation in exchange for being the first one to fight Odin."
"What?" Hajime couldn't believe his ears."You want to fight Odin first?"
"Why?" Hibiki found herself asking, confused.
"I have my reasons. Anyway, that's my only demand. For me to be the first one to fight Odin and no one here will intervene with that."
"That's suicide!" Shirabe cried out.
"Exactly!" Aoi said from her spot, pushing Yomi away from her area, much to his chagrin."You're no longer Kamen Rider Surtr. You won't be able to do anything else."
"On the contrary. It's because I'll be alone that I'll be able to perform better. I have a plan to work my way around Odin's time-stop abilities." Yomi stated, his characteristic smirk returning once more."So all of you just wait your turn. I'll force Odin to transform and then you can do your thing. See how well that works for you."
Yosuke looked around at his friends and then over to Genjuro before taking a deep breath."Very well. We accept your conditions. Though I still don't know why you want to fight Odin by yourself."
"Like I said, it's personal. But if you have to know something...I've always aimed to fight the strongest."
Yomi leaped from ethereal building to ethereal building, looking for Odin in the middle of his so-called new Midgard. He giggled to himself, letting his excitement get the better of him once he noticed the glow emanating from afar. That was his target. His arms gleamed in energy, blasting himself with electricity to accelerate his speed. And there he was. Odin, floating in the air, already looking at him as he descended to the ground.
'So, basking in the glow of your creation, huh? I can dig that.' Yomi muttered in amusement. Suddenly, he saw a light glow in the sky and before he knew it, he was blasted out of the sky. The attack made a crater on the ground, much to Odin's amusement.
"Ah, I'm surprised that hit you. I was trying to give a warning shot, but this works just as nicely." Odin placed a hand on his hip."I have some spare time. But if you can't survive at least this much, I'm afraid I can spare only a second. Hmmm?"
To his shock, the crater was empty. He slightly to his right, noticing Yomi dusting off his uniform once the cloud of smoke dissipated."Huh. He dodged that. Interesting."
"A test from the Allfather himself, huh? I expected no less." Yomi's blue eyes stared directly at Odin's golden ones."Odin...I finally have you in front of me. After so many years of waiting."
"You do. I'm surprised. So, you're the son of Loki and the Custodian, Shem-Ha Mephorash. I never seen an Aesir hybrid in all my countless years of studying and observing the world." Odin said in amusement."Well, I suppose it's more apt to say you're the reincarnation, of said child. And a human no less. How intriguing."
"Yeah, well, my old man was never there until recently and even then he only focused on his plan. Mother...I never talked to her again after leaving me with my task." Yomi said, briefly looking at the ground before glaring at Odin once more."But that has nothing to do with me. I am here as Yomi Kugisaki. Narfi. And I want to ask you, the God above all, a question."
"And what could you possibly want to know?" Odin tilted his head, his expression completely blank."This won't be the last time, but I suppose I can hear you out. Not many other beings have stood before me without shaking in their boots. But you? You seem almost ecstatic."
"Of course I am. I've dreamt of meeting the strongest being of them all. And I have you right in front of me. So let's cut to the chase." Yomi narrowed his eyes at Odin."Odin...What does it entail to be the strongest?"
Odin perked up his head at that, not having expected that particular question."You could have asked me a million other questions. Regarding life, the universe, among other things that are above the understanding of your kind. And yet, you asked me that. Why?"
"I was born with power in a world covered with weak people." Yomi answered without missing a beat."My Mother sent me here shortly before her passing, and I never met members of my species until recently. I was isolated from the rest, living my life looking down at those beneath me, since they were too weak to stand a chance against me. Even as I kept reincarnating, none ever posed a threat to me. And to the one person who did centuries ago, I was unable to properly enjoy the feeling of having a good fight because I couldn't access my full power in time. To reach what I sought."
"And what did you seek?"
"I...I want to have a purpose. I wanted to meet someone who would show me the answer...the solution to the solitude of being strong." Yomi continued."How can someone relate to others without knowing what weakness is? And how can those without strength relate to those who have power? Can a mere slave rebel to their master? Can a pauper rebel against the king? Can the king and master understand those who they look down from their thrones? I continued my living, thriving in little things. Things that were ephemeral, and would disappear from my heart after a while. I was never satisfied. I thought...my curse would continue from all eternity. Until I reincarnated in this era."
Yomi's mind trailed back to Amy and Hajime."I met interesting people who pushed me to my limits. Who forced me to evolve and adapt. Those who fought not for pleasure or entertainment, but because they did it for a purpose outside of themselves. To use your powers to fight for others...Hajime Adachi showed me that I always had something in front of me. My sister and the people at the circus. That I had shut down a long time ago. That life...is not about having one goal. But multiple. I was limiting myself by thinking that once I died at the hands of the strong, I'd be satisfied. I took a lot of things for granted. Those people around me...they were the ones who could help me with my loneliness. And yet, I was too obsessed to ever see that until it was too late. So here I am, asking for your answer, as the strongest and wisest God."
The Custodian extended his hand."What is true strength? Do you feel that solitude? Are you able to form connections with others, standing at the top of it all? And if so, what do you do once you have achieved it all? What other goals can someone with power impose on themselves? How do you do it, as the strongest? I could never do it. So please, tell me what I could have done."
Odin hummed in thought for a moment, processing his words."You sure asked some complex questions, Custodian. You are incredibly witted, so hungry for knowledge and power. You remind me of me when I was younger."
Yomi cocked his head to the side, puzzled.
"Very well. I can enlighten you, Yomi Kugisaki. But...with what I know about you, I take it you'd rather have me show you the answer rather than me just telling you, right?" Odin splayed his arms in a challenging manner."Come and show me your determination, Custodian."
(Kamen rider Ryuki - "Hatenaki Inochi")
Yomi's eyes lit up in happiness, not wasting time and rushing toward the body of Hazama Liang at full speed. He leaped in the air, spinning around to go for a back-kick toward Odin's neck. He easily blocked with his forearm, Aesir and Custodian smiling at each other before Yomi's runes sparked up. He jumped back, placing his hands on the ground and covering it with electricity. Odin levitated in the air, summoning his cane and parrying the bullets of lightning from Yomi's fingers.
Odin watched with mild amusement as Yomi rushed toward an abandoned car, cladding his leg with electricity and kicking it toward him."Oh?"
The Allfather poked at the car, turning it to dust before reaching him. But this was a distraction as Yomi blasted himself toward him, his hands covered in lightning and a veil of electricity covering his face. Odin used one arm to block his punches with ease, blocking a sneak kick with the other one and flipping Yomi upside down.
"Scream Pulse!" Yomi's mouth morphed to form a mouth canon, releasing a powerful screech that surprised Odin, sending him back. He chased after him, spiraling around to kick him in the face using his gained momentum. But once more, Odin easily grabbed his foot, stopping him in his tracks."Gotcha! Atomic..."
Odin saw two of Yomi's fingers charged up in an intense cyan glow, aiming at him."...BLAST!"
To his utter shock, Odin moved his head out of the way, avoiding the blast that destroyed the upper area of an ethereal building before throwing Yomi away.
'You've gotta be shitting me!' Yomi landed gracefully on the ground, starting up at the God above him.'He just dodged a faster-than-lightning attack like it was nothing! Without even transforming!'
He took a deep breath, allowing his smile to return once more.'Guess I shouldn't be surprised, though. He is the Allfather, after all.'
"Intriguing, as I have said before. A good head on your shoulders, high battle IQ, and the agility and speed to match the power of your strikes. I want to see more."
"Then let's not waste any time and kick things up a notch!" Yomi cried out, his runes activating as his body began turning into electricity. His arms became sharp claws, two electricity horns protruded from the top of his head and his mouth became the maw of a beast, his third eye opening as he roared.
Battle Beast of Fallacies
"So that's your Custodian form." He applauded, tossing his cane away and reaching for his breast pocket, taking out his Deck."Then let me respond to you in kind. Henshin."
A divine golden aura covered his divine form, sliding his Deck into his v Buckle. Goldphoenix screeched, descending from the sky and illuminating the night sky as if it were a mini sun. The phoenix engulfed Odin with his wings, before turning into particles and being absorbed into him. Once the glow died down, Kamen Rider Odin was ready, his Goldvisor in hand.
"This is your chance to fulfill your dream, Custodian. Do not disappoint me."
"I sure won't." He blasted energy from his hands, heading straight for Odin.
Several kilometers away, Evildiver flew over the devastated world beneath it, carrying Hajime, Yosuke, and Raiden on its back. They could see the lightning in the cloud from afar away, a clear indication of the battle raging on in that direction.
"Is this a good distance, Amaterasu?" Youske asked the bespectacled boy, who nodded.
"Yes. Once we're ready to go in, Evildiver can accelerate at full speed and get us there in a few seconds."
"Good. Now, we just have to sit back and wait for the signal." Yosuke sighed, folding his arms under his chest.
"Why are we so far from the place anyway?" Raiden asked.
"His attacks cover a wide area." Hajime responded, since he had great experience when it came to Yomi's abilities."If we're too close, a stray blast will come our way."
"I see...Still, though, I wonder if he'll force Odin to transform like he said." Raiden said, skeptical about letting their enemy handle things for now.
"Yeah...Trust me, he has a plan."
"You know his plan?"
"No. But I think I know him well enough to know he has something up his sleeve."
Narfi screamed, striking the air once more as Odin teleported out of the way. He immediately aimed his hand upward, shooting a beam of energy toward the sky where Odin was.
"That precognition of yours...It reminds me of my own. But what good use it if you can barely react?" Odin swung his arm, shooting a plethora of golden feathers toward the Custodian. Narfi screamed, sending a hyper-sonic screech that bounced the feathers away.
"Guiding Thunders!" Narfi aimed both of his hands at Odin, shooting countless thunderbolts in the God's direction.
Sword Vent: Goldsabers
Using his twin blades, Odin cut through the endless attacks as if he were batting away mosquitos. Yomi appeared in front of Odin, stretching out his right hand."Flytrap!"
Two sharp blades of lighting closed in on Odin, but he disappeared before being touched. Using his third eye to activate his precognition, Narfi aimed his hand behind him, but Odin kicked him In the stomach, launching him through several buildings. Odin appeared above him, sending a slash of gold energy toward Narfi. He quickly aimed at the sky, countering with a barrage of thunderbolts to block the attack. His third eye detected Odin on a nearby rooftop. With a cackle, Narfi flew toward him at max speed as both of them clashed, destroying the building in the process. Odin had moved his hand out of the way, causing Narfi to misfire and attack while throwing a punch of his own. But Narfi had blocked it with his knee, holding Odin in place. He was about to attack with his other hand, but the God of All kned him in the stomach, launching him into the sky as he spat blood from his maw.
Clink
The wheel of adaptation rotated, and Narfi raised his hands, screaming as he shot a giant beam of lightning toward Odin. Odin flew toward the sky, slicing it open with his blades and appearing from within the blast, surprising the Custodian.
"Zantetsuken?!" He couldn't believe his eyes. Had Odin used it on him already?
Before he could react, he received an elbow to the chest, knocking the wind out of him and causing him to stagger, before Odin finished it off with a spiral kick to the shoulder, launching him back to the ground. Odin landed gracefully on the ground, eyeing the Custodian with skepticism.
(Song End)
"Hey now, is that really your best? You're even weaker than you were when you were Surtr's host." Odin said."Perhaps I overestimated you too much. And now, that was not my Zantetsuken. Otherwise, you would have your head into billions of pieces on the ground."
"I haven't even started..." Narfi picked himself off the floor, his back turned to the God above all."Do you think I'd dare to stand in your presence if I didn't have more than this pathetic display?"
"You have no more Rider powers. And this is your true form as a Custodian. You have nothing else to give."
Clink
Narfi quickly turned around, firing a lighting beam that struck Odin. However, the attack didn't faze the God, who remained impassive."True...This is my peak. I can't even adapt on time to beat you. But that...is not entirely true. This isn't my peak. There is a level above. And he taught me how to do it. A way to counter your time stop."
"He?"
He remembered Heracles, one of the Custodians who had come to stop Ragnarok a month ago.
"And you enabled me to achieve that with these 2 adaptations, Odin. Now, I can get serious." Narfi bent his knees lightly, his arms hanging loose as he began to power up."This is it...No turning back now...Right, Hibiki Tachibana...?"
A few weeks ago...
SONG members ate dinner in the cafeteria after their rigorous training, settling down for the day. Yomi sat at the corner of the cafeteria away from the others who were grouped together, enjoying each other's company. Yomi didn't miss the glares some of them would send his way, particularly the girls. Not that the boys wouldn't, but they were few in number. Hajime seemed to be the only one who didn't have a problem with him, focusing on his meal. After finishing their meals, everyone left the cafeteria, leaving Yomi by himself, lost in his thoughts.
'What a lively group. Way livelier than back in Hazuki's group.' Yomi chuckled, resting his head on the table and enjoying a cup of tea.'Reminds me a little of...'
His mind flashed back to the people of the circus. He shook his head, getting the image out of his head.
"Yomi-san?"
Yomi raised his head, meeting the cream-haired girl who was his...sister-in-law. Well, not really. Hajime wasn't his actual cousin, but they were related by their Liang blood. So close enough.
"Hibiki-chan. What a nice yet unexpected surprise." Yomi sat up, smiling."So, here to spit at me? Give me a few insults?"
"Do you think I came here for that?" Hibiki asked, hands behind her back.
"Well, I did kill your friends. In a pretty gruesome manner." Yomi listed with his fingers."A lot of people, including that girl who was in the same concert made your life a living hell. It's the reason why your friends kept giving me death glares, even during training."
"Well, you kind of did that to yourself, didn't you?" Hibiki asked in a derisive, cold tone.
Yomi chuckled."So blunt. I never expected that from you. You've changed."
"It's hard not to, given everything that we've been through. Things that you helped cause."
"You got me." He raised his hands in defense."So, to what do I owe the pleasure?"
"I brought you some food." She said, placing a tray of food in front of him.
"Why?"
"I didn't see you eating during lunchtime, so I asked the cooks to save something for you." She responded.
"No, I mean, why bother? I was just going to go get something from the vending machines. You didn't have to go this far." Yomi squinted his eyes suspiciously."This wouldn't happen to have poison, would it?"
"Seriously?" Hibiki sighed, sitting down."I can take a bit if you don't believe me."
"Nah, I'm kidding. If it were anyone else, I wouldn't doubt it. But you wouldn't do something like that." Yomi grabbed the chopsticks, bowing slightly."Well, thanks for the food."
"Yomi-san, I wanted to ask you something," Hibiki said, leaning on the table.
"Shoot." He said, chewing his food.
"How does it feel to reincarnate?" She asked."I mean, Ryoko-san...I mean, Fine, could do the same. It's how she took over Ryoko-san's body. So I wanted to know what that feels like. Do you remember your past lives?"
"A few things." He shrugged nonchalantly."I'd have gone insane if I could remember absolutely EVERYTHING. My brain remembers crucial details, but since I am part Aesir and Custodian, it has a higher processing capacity. I am pretty old, after all."
"How old?"
"As Yomi, 18. As Narfi...Uh...Not sure, actually...I mean, I came here when the Cursed of Balal started being a thing. So then I would reincarnate over and over. It's like when you're high and you're on a trip, like when you do drugs, you know?."
"Erm...I never done drugs before..."
"Oh, ok. You and Hajime are such goodie-two-shoes." He rolled his eyes."Basically, like having several different dreams. It's weird to explain."
"What about after this life as Yomi Kugisaki? What will you do? Are you going to reincarnate in the future after all of this is over?"
"Maybe." He shrugged."Dunno yet. Why? Are you worried I'm going to cause trouble once all of you are long gone? Are you starting to regret getting rid of Hazuki and Loki? If you didn't, you wouldn't have to worry about a "bad guy" like me roaming around in the future."
"No, nothing like that. I don't think you're going to be a bad person in your next life."
"Oh?" He raised a brow."And what makes you so confident in that?"
"My boyfriend trusts. And I think he has a good reason for trusting you." Hibiki replied."So I'm willing to believe you can do better if you want to. Maybe not in this life, but your next one. After all, I also think you have...changed a little."
"Pfft. You and Hajime are softies. Seriously..."
"You make it sound like that's a bad thing. After all, only you can do something that we can't."
"And what would that be?" He crossed his arms.
"Some other place, some other era, each time you come back to this world, please tell everyone this message for me." Hibiki's smile widened, taking the blonde magician by surprise."Tell them power isn't necessary to bring the world together as one. Tell them that in the future, everyone will be joined hand-in-hand. I won't be able to tell them myself. And Ryoko-san and Fine are no longer here. So this is something only you can do, Yomi-san."
She grabbed his hand, clasping it both of her hands."And to make sure you can do that, we have to protect the present. So don't do anything dumb and come back alive, alright? I'm sure your sister would have wanted that."
"All of this just so I can protect the future, as you say?" He scoffed, but his emotions betrayed him and a smile forced its way to his face."You all truly are beyond my understanding..."
"Also...I'd like you to apologize to everyone you made suffer." Hibiki's tone completely shifted."Go to their graves and pay respects. Every time you decide to come back, you have to do it. That's the least you can do."
"Sure." Yomi groaned in exasperation."You're scary when you're mad."
"Time to use my power...for the first and last time."
(Play [Mai Hime] Mezame)
Yomi's appearance began to change once more as his power surged like never before, the wheel behind him rotating several times.
Odin's eyes widened in interest, lowering his blades."Oh?"
The lightning around Narfi's body became solid instead of its fiery look, his body bulking up and growing taller and muscular. 2 extra pairs of lightning arms protruded from his body under his regular arms, and his body began manifesting countless eyes across it."A new custodian is born!"
Narfi, the Custodian of Reasons - The Wicked Nebula
'He just awakened!' Odin smiled from ear to ear.'I had never seen a Custodian awaken in person. And a half Custodian at that. How interesting!'
However, this was only true for a full Custodian. Yomi was a halfbreed, a human at that. So by using his latent potential and sacrificing any more adaptations to make his energy explode like a volcano, he forced his body to awaken. 3 pairs of arms, helping him cover his weakness and attack from any possible direction. Countless eyes across his body, covering all his blindspots and giving him a clear view of everything at once. His body had turned to raw energy, and his brain was now energized by his electricity, helping him process the huge amount of information his brain was constantly receiving with all his eyes. In a twisted way, he had become a God. He was everywhere all at once, and he knew it all. He could see it all. And he could see him. And he could see his face. But Odin couldn't see the two punches that he quickly landed across his face, knocking him to the ground.
Narfi went to kick him, but Odin teleported away, appearing above him and swinging his blades down. However, the upper arms on his shoulders aimed at Odin, shooting him away. He teleported once more, appearing a few yards away, summing his feathers. But once more, one of Narfi's arms aimed at him, shooting a beam of electricity that destroyed everything in its path.
'These are...electromagnetic waves...They can vaporize anything they touch. Furthermore, how is he seeing me?' Odin pondered, watching as Narfi flew toward him, shooting several thunderbolts. Odin parried them away with his swords, but this time, they broke into pieces, much to his dismay. He teleported just in time to avoid being kicked by Narfi, who quickly flew over to a building where Odin was.
'Those eyes...Even if I appear in his blind spot, he can track me down with his eyes all over his body and use his extra arms to attack without losing speed to react! No matter where I end up, he can track me down anywhere I go! He has become the perfect warrior who seeks war and destruction!'
Narfi blitzed right toward him, his mouth forming to create a mouth canon, forcing Odin to brace himself for impact. But this was a feint, as Narfi immediately kicked his legs, sweeping him off his feet, blasting Odin into the ground, and kicking him away. Narfi aimed his hands at Odin, shooting a volley of thunderbolts in his direction, forcing him to dodge them by time stopping constantly.
"What's wrong, Odin?! Go ahead and transform!" Narfi continued following Odin despite him practically disappearing from sight, using his countless eyes to follow his every moment."Show me your Zantetsuken! You know you want to! Otherwise...!"
Odin was finally blasted by a stray thunderbolt, stunning him in place and allowing more to strike him. Narfi took advantage of this, aiming two of his fingers from his middle arms and shooting a thin beam of energy.
Guard Vent: Goldshield
Odin used his shield to attempt to block the attack, but to his shock, the attack went through the shield without breaking it, as if it were not there In the first place, and struck his chest. He teleported in time, avoiding being pierced by the attack. But his armor had been broken, leaving a hole in his suit that showed Hazama's flesh.
"That's quantum tunnel in a nutshell! I can manipulate all lightning-based phenomena using my body! With my power, a particle can penetrate through a potential energy barrier that is higher in energy than the particle's kinetic energy. Meaning that no matter what time of shield you use, I can teleport said particle from point A to point b! And that's not all!"
Odin looked at the sky, seeing the clouds filled with electricity after the attacks he had fired curved upwards, entering the heavens themselves.
"NOWHERE TO RUN! TAKE THIS! BAD END THUNDER!" He swung his attack down, and in faster than the blink of an eye, not even allowing Odin to stop time, the lightning strike hit him, creating a massive explosion of light.
In his awakened form, Narfi now had access to infinite energy as his body replenished his reserves despite the magnitude of the attacks he was constantly firing. HJe was a star, possessing unparalleled energy without limits. Unfortunately, by burning away his life and potential, he had limited himself to a mere 5 minutes. After those 5 minutes, Narfi's body would crumble away, resulting in his death and putting him on a time clock. However, for the next 5 minutes...Narfi was a true God of Destruction with the sole purpose of fighting the strongest.
'4 minutes left...I still got plenty of time.' Narfi looked at his hands when suddenly a golden light erupted from the crater left from his attack. His body was frozen in place, all his eyes wide in awe upon sensing that divine presence. The pressure was unbearable. Something had changed.
(Song End)
"You truly are an intriguing being, little Custodian. Then, let me show you something interesting."
Odin emerged from the crater, floating and his presence immediately commanded respect and fear. He had become more monstrous, his armor changing slightly. The 6 black spots in his mask now had golden eyes, analyzing Narfi from head to toe.
(Basically, this is Another Odin. You can find cool art of him on Deviantart by Magna-Ryunoid)
Odin had entered the stage Hajime had achieved before against Bragard and Narfi himself. A monster, a mutated version of his Survive form. But despite that, he was in control of his thoughts and actions, being capable of critical thinking and strategizing. As they had theorized, Odin had shown the ability to transform at will. But what truly caught Narfi's attention aside from Odin's divine glow, was the sword located at his hip, resting in its sheath. The Zantetsuken.
'I knew it! This form is just like the one Hajime used against me when I attacked Lydian! Then that means, he can also access Oversurvive!' Using his plethora of eyes and third eye, Yomi could only see true perfection in front of him. Despite the good amount of deities he's seen, this one...He was several levels below all of them. An immaculate being with the power to govern the world. Yomi bit the inside of his cheek, laughing nervously.
"Damn...This...is what I always wanted..."
A few weeks ago, Yomi was in the gymnasium doing some training. He had never been to one before, letting his genetics do the work instead and making him strong by fighting others. But he was restless on this particular night, even after training. So he decided to give it a try and do some deadlifting. After a few minutes, he felt his body aching, particularly his back.
'Weird.' He noted, setting the barbell down, and rubbing his back.'I should be able to lift this much with no problem. Yet it hurts.'
"You're doing it wrong."
The blonde former magician looked toward the entrance, noticing Maria in her workout outfit with a towel around her shoulders."Oh. Maria-chan. Here for some late exercise too?"
"Yeah. I couldn't go to sleep yet. I feel like I could have done more during training today." Maria walked up to him, eyeing the barbell on the floor."Isn't that a little too much for your first time?"
"Is it? Even without activating my runes, I'm pretty strong." He told her with a shrug.
"Maybe so, but there's a difference between lifting and just punching things. Here, let me help you." Maria offered with a smile.
"Uh, not that I don't appreciate that, but why?"
"Because you're going to mess up your back." Maria patted him on the back."And we need the sacrifice to be able to perform well, right?"
"Sacrifice, huh?" He snorted, shaking his head."You're ruthless, Maria-chan."
"Don't act like that's not something you would say." She rolled her eyes."Now come on. Get ready. I'll help you position your body."
After a while, Yomi and Maria were done with their late training, sitting down on one of the benches as they cooled off.
"I have to say, I never thought so much went into going to the gym like this." Yomi huffed, rubbing his aching muscles."And you do this every day?"
"We all do. Keeps us busy, plus it keeps us in good shape." She winked, flexing her biceps."You'll get used to it. Plus, you're not half bad. For your first time doing proper training, you did well. And you say you never lifted before?"
"Not lifting, stretching, cardio, and shit like that. No. Just fight."
"What I wouldn't do for your genetics. You, Hajime-chan, and Bragi." Maria sighed in dejection."You all have these crazy genetics that make everything so much easier. I bet you don't even have to watch what you eat."
"Huh? People do?"
"See!" Maria exclaimed, throwing her arms up.
"I thought that was just a girl thing. Despia used to watch her diet all the time." He shrugged."Said something about having to have the perfect body balance to do our performances."
"Your sister...About her..."
"You saw her die, right?" Yomi casually dropped the bomb."Your boss told me."
"Right...She...killed herself." Maria explained, trying to decide how to deliver the news to the boy."We managed to bring her back to her senses, but she was too far gone. So in the small moment, she had of being herself, she..."
"I see..." Yomi trailed off, humming."She was always a big softie. Never had the guts to properly do what needed to be done."
"I know what you did to her. And I know how much of a piece of garbage you are, but she would have wanted you to know this." Maria said, cooly."She loved you. And...she was sorry. For making you into what you are today."
"Huh?" Yomi's face changed to one of confusion.
"When you changed after that friend of yours died, she couldn't bear the thought of her brother not being the one she knew. She forced her hatred and sorrow onto you, and it pushed you over the edge. She treated you like a monster. And she regretted that more than ever."
"I see...Doesn't mean it's okay for me to do the things I did to her, though."
"No...It doesn't."
"Still...I...I just let myself go. Figured that if she wanted a monster, I could be that monster. Treated her like shit. I don't deserve her tears or her forgiveness."
"No, you don't. But I guess she understood that. She forced herself to become a monster just so she could get you back. Her love was there, despite all the bad blood between you two." Maria pulled out her phone, browsing for a picture."I should know what that's like. To love a sibling like that, despite all the chaos around it."
"Right. You and your brothers and sisters." He remembered, eyeing her phone."Who's that?"
"Serena. She was my biological sister. I almost ended up going the wrong path, away from the one my sister would have wanted me to take. So that's why, despite what you've done, I wanted to tell you what your sister said. And how much you mean to her."
"I see..." Yomi muttered, lowering his gaze.'You stupid moron...Why could you not bring yourself to hate someone like me...?'
"I'll be going now. I'll take a shower and get to bed." Maria yawned, standing up and heading for the door.'"Don't stay up too late, Yomi. We got training tomorrow."
"Hey, wait!"
"Yes?" The pinkette glanced over her shoulder.
"Your sister...Do you want to revive her? If you guys get the wish."
Maria nodded firmly."I do."
"Then..." Yomi adopted a sly grin."Mind if I marry her? She's such a cutie. Totally my type-Hey!"
He narrowly avoided a kick from the young woman, rolling on the ground to get some distance."Sheez, you almost took my head off, lady!"
"Never bring up my sister again, you hear me?" Maria narrowed her eyes with murderous intent."And never even say her name. You're lucky Jades isn't here. He would have bashed your head open."
"What, your boyfriend? Well, he is built like a damn tank, so I wouldn't doubt it." He grinned before a pair of gloves hit him in the face."Hey, what is this?"
"Put them on. We're going to spar for a few rounds." She said, a fiery aura surrounding her body."You put me in a bad mood and I intend to make you an outlet for my anger."
"Sure, sure." Yomi laughed, putting the gloves on."A nice way to end a training session. Still, can I date your sister? Come on, it's just a 4-year gap. I can wait."
"I'm going to throw you out the window."
(Play Demetori - Wind God Girl)
"Damn it..." Narfi muttered under his breath, forgetting to breathe for a few seconds due to his shock and his shaky voice."I can't believe it...How can he be...how can he be so...?"
Odin bent his knees, eyeing Narfi like a predator would to a prey before dashing in his direction.
"So damn beautiful?!" Instinctively, Narfi raised his hand and fired a beam from it. Odin visibly vanished from sight, forcing Narfi to go on the defensive and try to locate him with his eyes. But before he knew it, he was already flung into the sky, vomiting blood.'W-what just happened?! When did he hit me...?!'
From the sky located at his talons, he saw Odin suddenly appear, grabbing him by the foot and tossing him like a ragdoll against a building.
"Is that all you got?!"
"Not yet!" Narfi recuperated, shooting two beams from his upper hands as Odin blitzed passed him, severing them off and kicking him to the ground.
"Little Custodian?!"
Narfi regenerated his hand, circling around a building as Odin was practically vanishing out of reality for him, unable to keep up with him even with his precognition. Narfi destroyed a building next to him, using it as a smokescreen before flying toward the one behind Odin, aiming all his hands at him.
"GUIDING THUNDER!"
The sky was illuminated by the meteor shower-life attacks as Odin easily maneuvered around them, smiling to himself before breaking into a building and landing inside a hallway. The attacks followed after him, striking the building from the bottom and making it collapse. Odin chuckled, rushing toward the other side and breaking through, coming face to face with Narfi as he began to assault him in close quarters. Despite having an overwhelming advantage in limbs, Odin easily blocked all of Narfi's attacks with ease, making it look like Odin was the one with the extra appendages. Narfi spun around, going for a roundhouse kick, but alas, Odin blocked with his forearm. However, an arm grew from his leg, ready to shoot an attack at Odin's face. But he quickly swatted it away, causing the attack to scar the earth below them. Before Narfi could counterattack, Odin grabbed him by the face, twirling around before throwing him into several roots of the new Yggdrasil and coming from the skies to knee him in the chest, sending him crashing into the ground.
Narfi crashed into the street, skidding to a halt before glaring back at the sky. But Odin was already in front of him, and he could do nothing except watch him slam his fist into his head, sending him deep into the ground.
Odin planted his hands on his hips, humming. On cue, several pillars of lightning emerged from the ground before the ground beneath him erupted. He immediately vanished in time, avoiding Narfi as he rocketed toward the sky, roaring.
'I already knew. Of course, I knew. I'm not a moron. I knew he was stronger than me. That there was a huge gap that separated us. And yet...' Narfi shot his lightning toward the clouds, infusing it with the thunderclouds from above, allowing him complete control of the lightning around the clouds.
"Smart move." Odin mused, watching the light show in the sky."Using his infinite energy and controlling nature itself to enhance his attacks...He plans to bombard the planet itself if it means hitting me. Come then. Show me what you can do."
"HEAVEN'S CRY!" Yomi bellowed, aiming all his hands at Odin and shooting lightning strikes from the heavens themselves.
Zantetsuken, Level 1
"Let's start warming up, shall we?" Odin slightly withdrew his blade from the sheath, and immediately, several golden slashes were shot toward the sky, cutting the lightning strikes as if they were hot knives cutting through butter. It was already a lost cause. All of his attacks were being destroyed, forcing Narfi to create more, covering the entire sky with thunderbolts and shooting them down. The stray slashes started to cut through him, tearing his body to shreds and forcing him to seize on his onslaught, groaning in pain.
"Fix yourself. You're a sight for sore eyes." Odin reprimanded him, sheathing his blade once more. Narfi growled, reconstructing his body with electricity.
'3 minutes and 10 seconds left. Against Odin, even 1 minute is eternal...I have to force him to either transform again or show me more of his blade...!'
"Fine!" Narfi raised his arms in the air, creating a massive purple sphere above him, pulling all the electricity from the atmosphere around the planet, turning the night into daytime due to the sheer amount of energy emanating from him."GO AHEAD AND SEE IF YOU CAN WITHSTAND THIS, ODIN! MY STRONGEST ATTACK! OR ARE YOU GOING TO COWARDLY RUN AWAY?! YOU'RE THE GOD OF GODS, RIGHT?! SO SHOW ME YOUR POWER!"
"Very well. I'll take it. Finish charging your attack." Odin splayed his arms."I will give you a test. A test of kings. If you can pass, then perhaps there is hope for you yet."
"A test of kings, huh? Sounds fine by me!" Narfi continued concentrating his attack, reducing its size until it was the size of a soccer ball.
"GAMMA RAY EXTINCTION!" He screamed at the top of his lungs, firing his potent attack toward the planet below him. Much to the relief of everyone watching, he curved the attack, making it avoid hitting the planet and heading for Odin.
"Do me a favor. Do not die so soon." Odin unsheathed his blade in one swift motion. A long, golden sword adorned in white ribbons at the hilt was now being wielded by the God of All, swinging it down and sending a giant slash toward the attack coming his way.
Zantetsuken, Level 2
The slash cut through the attack, disintegrating the ground below and creating a gigantic, black gash that scarred the Earth, heading into space.
'I never knew the difference between us was this abysmal...Like bottomless hole...'
Narfi slowly shifted his gaze to his right side, noticing the right side of his body had been sliced off.'That was...the blade that killed the Divine Beast...The slash that cuts through reality itself...'
"You dodged it. With a warning, but you still got your body destroyed. I am afraid if you can't dodge that much, I have no choice but to fail you." Odin informed him, earning his attention."You hit your limit, didn't you, boy? While you do have infinite energy coursing through your veins, it seems you capped out."
"What do you mean?" Narfi barked, slowly reforming his right side."How can infinity have a limit?!"
"Well, think about it like this." Odin raised a finger."Think of yourself as a water bottle. You dump out your contents, but then you're instantly refilled. However, your capacity is limited to that water bottle. So no matter how much energy you keep producing, it will only replenish up to a certain amount."
"S-so what-"
"But alas, I wonder how long it will take for a mere bottle of water to surpass an ocean, such as myself. That is the difference between you and me, little Custodian. Perhaps in due time, you'll surpass me. However...I am afraid your body simply can't wait that long, right?"
"Huh?"
"I can see it. Your intense glow from earlier is diminishing rapidly. Look at your new hand." Odin pointed at his hand. Narfi gasped, noticing three of his fresh regenerated fingers were starting to turn to dust."If I had to put it into numbers...You have about less than 2 minutes left before your body is done for."
'Fuck...Is this as far as I can go...? This...is what I have always wanted...To stand before the strongest and give it my all to die a satisfying death...And yet...I feel so empty...' Narfi placed a hand on his chest.'I guess you were right all along, Hajime...It took me several lifetimes to even realize the truth...'
"What are you doing?"
Yomi looked over his shoulder to see Hajime approach him with a jacket over his shoulder. Currently, they were on top of the stationed submarine in the middle of the night.
"Nothing much. Just looking at the sky." He responded, laying back on the cold submarine ceiling.
"You called your Dad? Pretty sure he gave you that phone to keep in contact with him." Hajime strolled over to his side, sitting next to him.
"There's not much to say, so it's fine." The blonde boy responded lazily.
"What? You feel bad calling him?"
"It's awkward. What am I going to tell him, idiot? That I helped destroy the world?" He snorted."That's stupid."
"Your dad only wants to know how you are."
"Whatever. I'll call him later, so stop being annoying." Yomi waved his hand dismissively.
Hajime took that as an acceptable response, crossing his legs."You do this a lot, right? I could see it during our fight when I entered your mind."
"Creepy stalker." Yomi sighed."But yeah. I guess I do it a lot. It started when I was a baby, looking at the endless sky, wondering if my Mother would come to get me. I guess it became a habit as I kept doing that subconsciously each time I reincarnated."
"You still do it now, though..."
"Yeah. Mother is dead and my old man is dead too. So staring at the sky is pointless." He admitted, sitting up."Still, it's calming."
"You nervous about the fight? You don't have to be the first one to fight Odin. Especially alone." Hajime told him, earning a chuckle in response.
"Oh, but I do. Like I said, I know a way to counter his time-stop and force him to use his sword. You guys are the main event. All I'm doing is facilitating things for you. As well as...something personal."
"Something personal enough that you feel the need to pretty much go on a self-imposed suicide mission? Wait a minute..." Hajime put the pieces together, his eyes widening."Yomi, was your intent on fighting Odin this whole time?"
"Ding ding! Took you long enough. I only said I wanted to fight the strongest, nothing too crazy." Yomi laughed derisively."Dumbass. Of course, I meant Odin."
"But...You kept coming at me..."
"Only because I couldn't tell Hazuki I wanted to fight Odin. He was going to prevent me from doing that since I was still useful to him." Yomi shrugged."But...that changed when we fought for the first time. You ignited a fire in me. Even against Amy-chan, I didn't experience the level of excitement and thrill like when I fought you. So then, I forgot about my goal. You became the person I wanted to fight. Someone equal to me. So when our second fight came around..."
Hajime listened intently as Yomi continued."I realized that a rival...was better than just dying to someone I had no chance against." He looked over at Hajime with a genuine smile."You cleared my skies, Hajime Adachi. You reached my heart."
"W-where did that come from all of a sudden...?" Hajime blushed, scratching his cheek. "So then why are you still hellbent on this..."
"You remember what I asked you before? About what strength meant to you?"
"Yeah?"
"I want to ask Odin the same question. I want him to answer my questions. If there's anyone in the universe who can give some clarity to my doubts other than you, it's him."
"But why? Aren't I enough?"
"Odin is the strongest and the wisest of the Gods. Now that our fight is done, I want to fight him. And I want him to tell me what I want. That's why I'm going first. If I die, then it's fine. It was my goal to begin with. Besides, wouldn't you say it's a fair punishment for an "evil and unforgiving" guy like me?"
"Yomi..."
"Just sit back and relax. I'll give you guys the information that you need to watch our fight carefully." He jabbed a thumb against his chest."I'll put up a great show so you guys can do better. So watch me."
Narfi clenched his fists. He had a minute left before his power ran out and died out like a star.'Despite all of my eyes, I am blind to the truth...I could never shine like you or Hazuki, Hajime...In the end, if the price of being strong is solitude, then I will die all alone here. In the end, I had my fun. And I must pay the price for my actions. Mother...Despia...'
(Play Emotional Skyscraper ~ World's End)
"Even so."
Narfi perked up when Odin began to talk again.
"You managed to entertain me for a little bit. I've come across countless of your kind before. Custodians of all titles, wielding all sorts of abilities. But you are one of the strongest beings that I have ever encountered, even among other species... I have no problem in saying you're the most powerful Custodian that has ever lived."
The Custodian's thousand eyes widened at his words.
"So, stand proud. You are strong." Odin complimented him, catching the Custodian off guard."Now, I believe letting someone like you wither away via your own power to be a waste. So, let's continue the Test of Kings."
"But...I thought you-"
"I said I failed you. But you proved to be formidable. And you also want the answer to your question, right? Then as such, I will show you. Do you want to know how the strongest thinks? Then I will give you this next test, and treat you at this strongest."
Odin suddenly created a solar sphere in his hand.
'What...is that...? That's...But I thought his element was time...!'
"Your biggest mistake was assuming I was the same as the other Riders. Now then, I'm going to level things up a little bit. Let's see how well you do once the difficulty moves up." Odin chucked his attack, striking at Narfi. However, he had already jumped back, avoiding the attack by the skin of his teeth. But this was merely a diversion. Odin was already behind him. Narfi saw him with the eyes on his back, aiming his lower arms and charging two attacks. Unfortunately, Odin grabbed him by his shoulders, slamming his knee against his back, causing him to spit blood. Odin created another solar sphere against his back, watching his body take off into the sky like a rocket.
"Fuck!" Narfi screamed as he rapidly headed toward space until he finally wrestled out of the attack. Before he could think of his next move, he felt a hand grab him by the head and take him at insane speeds toward the ground, slamming him into the streets as if he were a meteor falling onto the city. Narfi wheezed as Odin lifted him by the back of the head again and proceeded to slam him against the ground repeatedly until he grew bored and kicked him on the side like a soccer ball, destroying his ribs and flinging him away, crashing through several Yggdrasil roots.
"I believe that's what humans called a "Golazo", right?" Odin smirked, laughing.
'I can't even tell what's up and down anymore!' He cried out in his mind, trying to touch the ground, only to continue spiraling out of control.'I can't stop my momentum...Just how hard did he kick me?!'
He used his arms to shoot 6 different blasts, using them to stop his momentum somewhat, at the very least, stop spinning around uncontrollably. He immediately lifted his 6 arms, charging lightning blasts to counterattack."Not yet! I still have time! I am not beaten yet! I AM NOT BEATEN YET-"
But that's when he saw it. The end.
Zantetsuken, Level 3
As far as his thousand eyes could see, a humongous wave of golden slashes of all sizes was coming his way. A scene that looked like the stars in the skies was right in front of him, illuminating the darkness of the night. He started to immediately analyze the situation.
Should he fly upward?
Impossible
Should he fly to the sides?
Impossible.
Should he try to outrun the attack or go between the slashes?
Utterly impossible. There was no escape from this.
He tried using his precognition, using his third eye to find something. Anything. Anything that could help him. But he saw...
Darkness. He saw nothing. He couldn't see anything end. He saw no future for him. This is how he was going to die. His life would end here. He still had 30 seconds before his power killed him. But he was going to die before that. He did it. He fought the strongest and died to the strongest. If he had to die, he would be satisfied if he were by the strongest. He lowered his arms.
"As if I'll go down with just this!" He raised his arms again, charging his arms with all the power he could muster.'I'll show you the power of a dying star, strongest!'
Narfi began to shoot several thunderbolts in the direction of the slashes, not stopping for even a second in an attempt to counter the slashes. But as Odin said, the difference between them was too much. Naturally, the bottle of water was consumed by the vast ocean that crashed into it, devouring its contents like a massive predator that had trapped its prey. Narfi didn't even process that his attacks were sliced away, and in a mere second, they were right in front of him.
"Ladies and gentlemen!" Announced the ringleader, Masato Naegi, to the public in front of him."Tonight, it's all about my two children! They will take your breath away with their performance!"
The crowd erupted in a round of applause as Yomi and Despia entered the stage, holding hands. They both smiled at each other before they began to form. Yomi smiled at the scene with a wistful smile, sitting at the top of the bleachers. He remembered this moment. His and Despai's debut on stage."Still...Kind of weird for you to be seeing this too."
"I thought you'd figure out the answer on your own. But perhaps your mind was preoccupied with the fight." Hazama said, sitting a few steps above him, watching the show without his armor."You wanted to validate your own existence. You hold a position of power, but your case is a little more interesting. You're between Godhood and humanity. So you don't belong on either side. You don't know what the strongest feel but also you don't know how the weak feel. That's why I tested you with the Test of Kings. I wanted to answer you in a way you can understand. You lost to me, which makes you weak."
"I understand that. So...how do you feel?"
"Let me be completely frank with you. If you want to be the strongest then you have to be okay with being defined as the strongest. There can only be one number 1. And from that point on, you have nothing to do but to look down and maintain that position, while giving others something to strive for. There is nothing left for you to do. You'll be the only one who has no objective goal or pathway. You'll have no one else to surpass." Odin placed a hand on his chest."One must aim for the pinnacle of it all. Humans and other species... go around thinking that their lives are worth anything by just "trying their best". By have constant "goals" because they know that if they fail at something, they'll have something else to cushion the fall. Once you get to the top, there is nothing else except yourself."
"But...isn't that just lonely? Don't you feel alone and isolated by doing all that, even if you have the strongest power?" Yomi asked him."If there is nothing else for you to surpass, what's the point of the Rider War?"
"This is your other problem. You think too much like a human." Odin chided him."I simply want to have it all. Power and wisdom. I can't stand for something else to rival or surpass my power. I absolutely despise the idea of something being a challenge to me. Only one person should stand at the top, and that being is me. But you felt something similar, did you not? A similar hunger to fight and grow."
Odin continued speaking, as Yomi simply stared down at his younger self performing with his sister for everyone to see.
"You desired more. That's why you ended your first life and reincarnated. You continued to have this so-called "fun" of yours, challenging opponents all around to achieve small moments of euphoria. When you felt complete, albeit for a second. Alas, your mentality did not suit you at all. That solitude you feel is magnified by the idea that you don't want to be the strongest, but you desire to die at the hands of the strong. In other words, you were doomed to never remedy that feeling. You were destined to fail the moment you were conceived. You didn't aim higher. If you did, and you decided to give up on your foolish notion of loneliness, perhaps you could have been a great successor to me. And take my place."
"Honestly, now that you tell me this, I can't help but feel like...that kind of life you speak of sounds like it would get dull really fast for me."
"Again, you think too much like a human, who constantly needs to be entertained with petty things." Odin, once more, chastised him."Those who reach the top do not need things like that. But those below, seek to devor more and more. You just happened to learn this lesson directly. So consider yourself lucky I have liberated you from that doubt that has clouded your mind for all of these eons."
With that, Odin vanished into thin air, leaving Yomi alone in his thoughts.
The circus tent falls silent, the air crackling with anticipation. The two magicians stand center stage, their hands clasped as they take in the audience one last time. With a knowing glance, they release each other and begin their final illusion. The young woman raises her arms, and a swirling vortex of golden light spirals around her, lifting her gently off the ground. Yomi follows suit, summoning an electric-blue aura that crackles with energy, creating a dazzling contrast to her golden glow.
As the audience watches, awestruck, the lights intertwine, forming a brilliant orb that envelops the pair. Slowly, they ascend higher, their forms becoming silhouettes against the radiant sphere. A shower of glittering stars rains down, each fleck dissolving before it touches the ground. Then, in an instant, the light implodes into a burst of shimmering dust, and the magicians vanish. The tent plunges into darkness, and for a moment, all is still. A single spotlight flickers on, illuminating the circus ring. There, in the very spot they began, lies a single red rose and a silver card etched with the words: "Until we meet again."
The crowd erupts into applause, cheers echoing through the tent. As the lights come up, the circus band plays a triumphant melody, and the ringmaster steps forward, tipping his hat. The lingering magic in the air seems to promise that this is not the end—but the beginning of a mystery that will live on in the hearts of all who witnessed it.
Yomi chuckled, clapping along with the audience as they started to leave. The show was over.
"What a pointless life I've lived. Just what was I trying to do, living up in this aimless life of hedonism? To fill that void in my heart?" Yomi looked down at his hands and then in front of him, where his Custodian version was, staring at him."Or because I just wanted to be worth something? To make it so that killing myself that day wasn't throwing everything away?"
That's right. Ever since that day, he's set his sights on fighting someone strong. Someone like him. Because on Earth, no one could match the power of a Custodian. Shem-Ha. Loki. His species. He didn't belong anywhere. He just wanted someone equal to him. Someone who could understand how he felt. No matter the era he was born in, he never felt the satisfaction he craved. The approval he sought.
'Until I met him.' Yomi smiled. The lights around the circus started to slowly turn off one by one, and he knew it was time to go.'In the end, I was just a stupid child with stupid ideals. Man, what a drag.'
His man flashed to the image of the members of SONG and his time spent with them as well as the other Calamities. And his sister. And Shiori, apologizing for dragging her into this whole mess..'What was I even trying to accomplish, even when I followed Hazuki's view of a new world? None of it matters now. None of it. None of it matters-'
Suddenly, he felt a hand grabbing his own, causing him to open his eyes and look to his right. It was someone he hadn't seen since he was but a baby.
"Mother..." He whispered, bewildered at the sight of Shem-Ha, who smiled at him. Someone grabbed his other hand."Despia..."
His twin sister smiled tenderly at her brother, mouthing a 'Sorry'.
Yomi couldn't help but start crying as the two women embraced him. Even if this was all in his mind, he didn't care. He wasn't alone, even in his final hour.
"What will you do? Are you going to reincarnate in the future after all of this is over?" He remembered Hibiki's question.
"No...This is fine." He muttered to himself, bringing his Mother and sister closer to him."This is all I needed. I don't need another try."
The last lights were about to turn on, and Yomi closed his eyes to pass on, smiling.'Hibiki...Maria...Hajime...I'm going ahead now. Odin...The loneliness of the strongest belongs...'
The lights turned off, leaving the circus shrouded in darkness.
'...To you.'
The remains of Narfi's upper body broke into tiny particles after the slashes dissected his body, turning him into nothing but dust that was blown away by the wind.
Odin observed from above, hands behind his back after sheathing his blade.'Not a bad way to kill some time. It's been a while since I taught someone something.'
The golden Rider sighed."I did make sure you give you the death you wanted so you would be satisfied. Knowing you, I take it you're not the type of person who wants to repeat an amazing experience and risk dulling its impact on you. Because even if you did...you wouldn't be able to give it another shot by reincarnating."
He gently rubbed the handle of his sword."Those who are slain by the slashes of Zantetsuken, no matter the level, are erased from existence. Their very essence, their soul, and their very being are removed from every single universe. Every single dimension. And they would not go to heaven or hell. They would just...seize to exist. As it is the blade that transcends reality. Farewell, Narfi, the Custodian of Reasons. You performed admirably. As a magician, you understand the importance of the opening act. And you did so very well."
The Allfather shifted his attention behind him, looking at the sky with a wide, welcoming smile."And right on time for the appointment. The main show may finally begin. Let's see what humanity is capable of doing, my dear Riders."
In the sky, 3 lights of red, blue, and pink descended, heading for the God of All. The final fight against Odin has started.
Author's note: So long, Yomi Kugisaki. Narfi the Custodian. Now he's dead for real. Pinky promise. I have to be honest, I wanted to write this chapter for a while since Yomi is one of my favorite characters in the story. He's just fun to write since I can go anywhere with him. It's sad to see him go. He was Hajime's true rival, since every time those two fought, they would refuse to give up, growing stronger together. Bragi is more like a pseudo-rival since he never became stronger than Hajime and Yosuke is just Hajime's mentor figure. Now, the final round against Odin begins.