(rry Christmas to you, my little cuties. There's still a whole week until the New Year. And I'm glad you were with all this ti. Mua:з)
The spectators in the stands watched the bloody spectacle unfolding in the arena with horror. G.I.R., clad in his massive armor, was already familiar to most of them, but M.I.M.I.'s appearance was an absolute surprise. However, it was the brutality with which they dealt with Odin's summoned hounds that left the audience holding their breath in terror.
Each hamr strike from G.I.R., each powerful blow from M.I.M.I.'s mace, sent shockwaves through the crowd, as if the cold air filling their lungs mirrored the chill in their hearts.
Whispers spread through the stands as they began to realize that the All-Father was orchestrating sothing truly monstrous—a mass sacrifice. Many warriors, both human and divine, wanted to leap into the arena to stop Odin. Yet none of them could move.
The horrifying aura emanating from the All-Father paralyzed their bodies with fear. Even the strongest among them felt the oppressive terror, rendering them helpless spectators.
On a nearby balcony, Rebecca leaned her sniper rifle against the railing, thodically supporting G.I.R. and M.I.M.I. by taking out hounds with specially crafted rounds designed to destroy such monstrosities.
The young Valkyrie Göndul stood nearby, frozen with indecision. Though she understood where this was all heading, her fear of Odin made her tremble. At the sa ti, she was genuinely awestruck, watching how lethal G.I.R. and M.I.M.I. were.
Despite their height, barely reaching a ter, the robo-dogs fought with such ferocity that their size seed irrelevant. Beside Buddha stood Zerofuku, clutching his robes like a child seeking protection from a parent.
Buddha, openly astonished, observed the carnage with rapt attention. He had heard from Alex before that G.I.R. and M.I.M.I. were an incredibly dangerous force. But hearing about it was one thing—seeing it was entirely different.
What impressed him the most was how effectively Rebecca helped eliminate the monstrous hounds. The bloodbath ended as abruptly as it began. G.I.R. and M.I.M.I., their bodies splattered with the blood of their enemies, now stood before Alex like two loyal guardians.
"I never would've guessed that these two robo-dogs with such goofy faces could be so deadly," Buddha murmured thoughtfully, his gaze fixed on the arena.
"What did you expect?" Rebecca retorted, sliding a fresh magazine into her sniper rifle. "Everything Alex creates turns into a weapon of destruction. You haven't even seen a fraction of his inventions. And don't get started on his arsenal—he keeps most of it hidden in his inventory."
Buddha paused for a mont, realizing she was right. He truly knew little about Alex's creations. Rebecca's words made him imagine how dangerous the things Alex kept in his arsenal could be. The thought alone was enough to make him not want to witness them in action.
Noticing Buddha's silence, Rebecca returned her focus to her scope. Her gaze swept across the arena until it settled on Odin's head. She didn't pull the trigger, though—Alex clearly intended to ask the now two-eyed god a few questions. Besides, Rebecca wasn't sure even her new rounds could harm a being like Odin.
In the arena, Odin silently observed as his pack of hounds was reduced to a bloody pulp. Yet sothing about the situation unsettled him—the smile playing across Alex's face irritated him far more than he cared to admit.
The All-Father couldn't comprehend how the two strange creatures accompanying Alex had so effortlessly destroyed his creations. Still, even though his hounds were torn to shreds, his connection to them remained. Odin sneered disdainfully at Alex, as if he were nothing more than an insignificant insect, and whispered:
"Everything in its ti."
At that mont, the remnants of the hounds began to stir. The sared chunks of flesh writhed like living sli, gradually coalescing into a bubbling mass.
Alex observed the scene and sighed heavily.
"Of course, it's the T-1000 all over again," he muttered, pulling out a cigarette and lighting it.
The hounds slowly regenerated, their mangled bodies reforming into their original shapes. Alex shifted his gaze to Odin, whose face was still obscured by shadows. Only his eyes, glowing with madness, were visible, and with each display of power, their gleam grew darker.
"Note to self: I need to equip G.I.R. and M.I.M.I. with sothing to stop regeneration," Alex remarked, exhaling smoke through his nose. "Endless enemies are, to put it mildly, exhausting."
At that mont, Brunhilde appeared behind him. Her ghostly figure draped over Alex's shoulders as if trying to comfort him.
"And why didn't you do that earlier?" she asked quietly, leaning closer.
"Laziness, maybe… or I forgot," Alex replied nonchalantly, still watching the hounds regenerate. "I should probably check my notebook."
Brunhilde frowned, displeased. Drawing from Alex's mories, which she had managed to study, it beca clear that his sense of responsibility often bordered on utter chaos.
"Seriously? Laziness?" she muttered in annoyance.
"Sotis…" Alex drawled, releasing a plu of smoke, "I just find inspiration in the great Flying Spaghetti Monster cult."
Brunhilde rolled her eyes, barely restraining the urge to tug his hair. Alex's mories often left her puzzled. Why did he revere so unknown pasta deity? And how had he managed to spread its influence across two worlds?
Still, other details intrigued her: the harmony between gods and mortals in one of his worlds, and the fact that Alex was engaged to several goddesses, including Freya—whom she knew well—not to ntion Loki and Hephaestus, who turned out to be won in Alex's original world.
But Brunhilde understood that now was not the ti for questions. She had to contain her growing frustration while Alex continued playing his favorite ga—wearing down his enemy until they made a fatal mistake.
Alex patiently waited for the hounds to regenerate, clearly aiming to irritate Odin even more. It wouldn't take long before the hounds regained their grotesque forms. Odin glanced at Alex with an air of superiority, as if to say his creations were far more resilient and dangerous than anything Alex could devise.
Alex held his gaze, unflinching. G.I.R. and M.I.M.I. had turned the hounds into pulp with a single strike, but Odin seed proud of their ability to regenerate.
"If you consider it an achievent that your dogs returned to their original form after being torn apart, you might want to reconsider your standards for allies," Alex said with a smirk.
"How many tis can they regenerate before they finally keel over? Or are you counting on them to win before they cease to exist? Or maybe…" Alex added, his tone sharp with mockery, "you simply enjoy watching my creations obliterate the filth you've made?"
Odin narrowed his eyes, his lips curling in irritation.
"You've grown too arrogant, Voldigoad. The fact that your toys managed to delay my hounds briefly doesn't an they can destroy them. "
G.I.R. and M.I.M.I., hearing the insults, instantly drew new weapons from their inventories, ready to tear the enemies to shreds. Alex, noticing their eagerness, simply smirked but stopped them with a single gesture.
"Calm down," he said, a faint smile on his face. "To destroy these creatures, we need to completely erase their bodies, leaving not a drop of blood. They're linked to this pathetic semblance of a god and feed on his energy. That gives us two options: either kill him or sever their connection with him."
Alex paused, recalling an old technique that would be perfect for wiping out such a mass of enemies. Suddenly, an idea struck him. He handed the sword, which had transford from Brunhilde, to G.I.R.'s hands. This gesture puzzled everyone—even Odin, who narrowed his eyes, watching Alex's movents closely.
"You know, you're right," Alex began, smiling broadly at Odin. "Endlessly regenerating enemies are a hassle. Especially when they feed on the energy of their master, who, it seems, thinks himself an endless ocean. But there's a simple way to put an end to it—sever their connection to you."
Odin felt a wave of unease wash over him at these words. The hounds began to growl fiercely, as if sensing the impending danger. Not wanting to give Alex ti to act, Odin roared:
"KILL HIM!"
The pack of hounds surged toward Alex and his companions like a tidal wave. Alex, standing his ground, watched their approach. His calmness only heightened Odin's growing sense of dread. He couldn't pinpoint where this feeling of danger was coming from, but it grew with every passing second.
When the hounds were within striking distance, Alex raised his crossed index and middle fingers before his face. This gesture sparked a new wave of anxiety in Odin.
"Domain Expansion: Malevolent Shrine."
Alex's voice sounded like a death sentence.
The hounds, having leapt toward Alex at their master's command, were only a step away from their target. Like predators sensing prey, they leapt, ready to tear him apart. But at that mont, a cold voice, like the icy breath of death itself, rang out. The words, spoken with ruthless determination, caused the very space around them to freeze.
The hounds froze in midair, as though ti itself had stopped. But in the next instant, their bodies disintegrated into a bloody mist. A gust of wind scattered their remains, but the creatures began to regenerate, their bodies reassembling at an accelerated rate. However, they hadn't finished regenerating before they were once again shattered into the smallest particles. This ti, even the blood was cut so finely that it disappeared from sight.
Everything before Alex—the streets of Kyoto during the Bakumatsu period, already damaged by the battle between Yoruiichi and Susanoo—was now in a state of chaotic destruction. Odin found himself at the epicenter of the attack, his body endlessly regenerating only to be split apart by the cutting force, as if trapped in a cycle of eternal tornt.
The onlookers, watching this spectacle, held their breath. They realized that they were only being protected by Alex. The stands fell into silence—no one dared to blink, afraid of missing sothing incredible. But those who understood the aning of the seal Alex had ford shuddered. They realized that in his battle with Poseidon, Alex had shown only a fraction of his true power.
A massive cloud of dust obscured the ruined landscape, but after a few seconds, Alex waved his hand, dispersing it and revealing the field of destruction. Everything in front of him had been obliterated to the ground.
Buddha watched the scene with wide eyes, unable to believe what he was seeing. The seal Alex had ford evoked mixed emotions in him: from respect to fear. ZeroFuku shuddered as he recalled the mont when his parts, the Seven Gods of Luck, provoked Alex. He ntally thanked everything that Alex hadn't used anything like this back then.
Rebecca and Stitch examined the destruction with interest. Stitch excitedly jumped up, tugging on Rebecca's sleeve.
"Mom, look! Dad's aweso!" he exclaid, pointing at the destruction.
"And that's not all he's capable of," Rebecca responded with a light smile, affectionately patting Stitch's head.
Buddha and Göll exchanged glances upon hearing their conversation. Buddha's curiosity imdiately sparked. He realized that what Alex had demonstrated was only a fraction of his potential.
"What else can A-chan do?" Buddha asked, genuine interest in his voice.
"Better ask him yourself," Rebecca answered with a sly smile. "If I tell you, you won't believe ."
Her words only increased Buddha's desire to know the truth. Göll, on the other hand, decided to ignore the conversation, thinking it best not to interfere in monts like these.
Buddha didn't know why, but a sense of unease settled in his heart at Rebecca's words. He felt that the scale of destruction Alex could cause surpassed even the wildest imagination. But when Buddha learned the full extent, he would feel not only surprise but genuine horror.
As the dust settled and the streets of Kyoto ca into view, everyone froze in awe. Where once a thriving city stood, only ruins remained. Cuts left by Alex's attack crossed everything around like chaotic traces of massive blades. Even the buildings that had sohow withstood the attack looked as if they had been crushed and torn apart by a powerful hurricane.
Alex surveyed the destruction caused by his technique, and a thought flashed through his mind: he had limited its power too much.
"It could have been even stronger," he thought.
But since this was his first ti using the technique, he decided that in the future, he would experint more. A question even crossed his mind:
"What would happen if I used this technique on a galactic scale?"
These thoughts stirred up a storm of outrage in Brunhilde, who, being in a spiritual form, could hear everything going on in Alex's mind. Without wasting any ti, she began knocking on his head, as if trying to beat these dangerous ideas out of him.
"Don't even think about it!" she fud, continuing to thodically tap his head. "I won't let you destroy an entire galaxy for so experint!"
Alex could feel the strikes, even though Brunhilde was in an immaterial form. For him, it was yet another reminder that his life was surrounded by strict won. Hephaestus, Gloria, Ryuu—now Brunhilde had joined their "control club." However, Alex had no intention of abandoning his idea.
"I'll only do it if I have to fight an enemy sowhere in an empty galaxy," he replied, trying to find a compromise.
Brunhilde wanted to argue, but she knew it was pointless. Considering Alex had already once used an empty galaxy to deal with the chanical Man, her resistance was dood to fail.
She shifted her attention to the place where Odin had just been standing. Now, there was only a puddle of thick, black liquid. Even the terrifying hounds summoned by Odin had vanished, leaving nothing behind but emptiness. Alex, too, kept his eyes on the strange substance. He still sensed traces of life within it.
"Is Odin still alive?" Brunhilde asked, not hiding her concern.
"Yeah. This black sludge is Odin. Looks like he's going through so kind of assimilation process or sothing like that," Alex replied, a hint of doubt in his voice.
Brunhilde watched with growing anxiety as the sludge pulsed slowly, as if preparing to regain its form. Alex exhaled, sensing that the battle wasn't over yet.
Even Alex wasn't sure how to properly describe the process Odin was going through. Before Alex activated Domain Expansion, Odin had already ceased to be truly alive, but he couldn't exactly be called dead either. The very concept of life had beco increasingly blurred with the beings Alex encountered.
He pulled out another cigarette, lit it, and calmly watched the black sludge squirm like a living creature, gradually expanding and forming what looked like a cocoon. The cocoon grew until it reached human size. Seeing it, Alex rembered the process Erebus had gone through after assimilating with the dragon.
A few seconds later, cracks appeared on the cocoon's surface, and it began to crumble. When the shell fully disintegrated, the renewed form of Odin stood before everyone. He had once looked like an old man with a beard and an eye patch. Now, he was young, radiating a powerful, threatening aura. But what caught Alex's attention the most was the hand that Odin usually held Gungnir in. It had fused with the spear, becoming as if one with it.
Alex frowned slightly, assessing the new enemy. His first impression was ironic: Odin looked like he had escaped from the Resident Evil universe and accidentally ended up in the wrong world.
Odin's new form literally radiated overwhelming power. Miasma flowed from his body—a black mist spreading in all directions, filling the space with tension. Looking at his hand, Odin clenched it, and with that movent, a powerful shockwave rippled across the arena.
"Hmm, impressive," Alex raised an eyebrow, clearly a bit surprised. However, unlike Erebus, who had needed ti to master his new body, Odin seed to have imdiately adapted to his newfound strength.
Alex, leisurely exhaling a stream of smoke, decided to test just how arrogant Odin had beco. If he was now blinded by pride, it would only make his task easier.
"Hey, one-eye," Alex began with a deliberately dismissive tone. "I see you've gotten younger. But you were an ugly bastard before, and you're still an ugly bastard. Even your hand, it seems, wanted so badly to hold the spear that it fused with it. Too bad, I was planning to steal it."
Odin's eyes, now shimring with a mad, chaotic light, turned to Alex. His gaze radiated a mix of fury and confusion. Despite the transformation, Odin still couldn't discern Alex's true nature. This fact shook him.
"Who are you, Voldigoad?" Odin asked, irritation clear in his voice. "Why can't I still comprehend your nature? How do you hide it from ?"
"If you win, maybe you'll find out," Alex smirked and shrugged. "Though you don't stand a chance alone. So go ahead, call your minions; maybe they'll help."
Alex's words made Odin tense. He felt the growing sense of danger. However, uncertainty quickly turned into resolve: if Alex survived today, his plans would be ruined.
anwhile, noticing that Odin had fallen into thought, Alex approached G.I.R. to retrieve Brunhilde in the form of a sword.
"Do you think he'll fall for your words?" Brunhilde asked, appearing behind Alex.
"They always fall for it," Alex replied, holding the silver blade. "First, they summon their lackeys, and then they jump into battle themselves. That's what all the villains do. So I hinted for him to release his monstrosities right away. Why waste ti chasing them all over the world just to finish them off?"
Brunhilde rolled her eyes, irritated by Alex's laziness. His words about not wanting to search for all the creatures Odin had created only added to her frustration. She sighed heavily, realizing arguing was pointless.
anwhile, Odin, watching Alex, decided that the technique Alex had used earlier must require a long recovery ti. Considering this his opportunity, he chose to overwhelm him with numbers. New portals began to open behind Odin, from which vile creatures erged.
Alex watched indifferently, assessing each new monster. Among them, he imdiately noticed the hideous humanoid fish—forr followers of Poseidon, now more like cultists of Dagon. Another group—skeletons with black bones in dark cloaks—clearly belonged to Hades. The creatures resembling chiras had once served Shiva.
"I see you've managed to deceive quite a few creatures," Alex said, crossing his arms over his chest. "Poseidon, Hades, Shiva... I wonder, did you tell them that they would lose not only their minds but also their souls, turning into pathetic monsters?"
Odin only sneered disdainfully.
"They didn't need much deception," he said coldly. "A few words were enough to make these fools follow , like moths to a fla. What unites them all is hatred. They hate you and your allies. Although Poseidon is a special case, since you killed him with your own hands."
Alex shook his head as he looked at the horrifying monsters. His gaze involuntarily drifted toward the stands, where Shiva's family mbers were seated. Their faces expressed fury directed at Odin. Even Zeus, Hers, and Ares clearly did not hide their contempt for the actions of the treacherous god.
When the last deceived god passed through the portal, Alex subtly isolated the space, ensuring that Odin wouldn't be able to escape once he realized his defeat.
"G.I.R., take everything on the left. MIMI, take the right side. Use flathrowers and burn everything to the ground. As for , I'll handle the center, including this 'great' Odin," Alex ordered, turning his head to his companions.
G.I.R. and MIMI saluted and imdiately pulled flathrowers from their inventory. Alex waved his hand at Rebecca, signaling that she could attack freely.
Noticing the signal, Rebecca smiled widely and began rummaging through the arsenal. Though her hands reached for the BFG9000, she, recalling Alex's recent warning, decided to take the grenade launcher with special charges.
Alex himself drew the sword that had transford from Brunhilde. The scabbard instantly transford into knightly gloves that covered his hands.
"Brunhilde, this might be a little unusual, so bear with ," Alex warned, tightening his grip on the sword's hilt.
"What are you going to do?" she asked quietly, wrapping her arms around his neck.
"A wide-scale strike. Just trust ," Alex replied with a slight smile.
"I already trust you. Do whatever you think is necessary," she said with a smile, resting her chin on his head.
Alex grinned and tightened his grip on the sword with both hands. Raising it above his head, he focused all his energy, and a stream of power erupted from his body, shining like dazzling flas. The sword began to glow, enveloping itself in a layer of radiant energy. Streams of power flowed from Alex, rging with the sword, which grew larger as it absorbed the power around it.
Odin instantly sensed the danger. Realizing that Alex was preparing sothing destructive, he ordered his army of monsters to attack. But Alex was already holding an enormous energy sword, radiating such power that even the spectators in the stands froze in shock.
A wild, wide grin appeared on Alex's face as he saw the horde of monsters approaching him.
"Too late! EX-CALIBUUUUUUUUR!!! he shouted, bringing the sword down to the ground.
When the sword hit the ground, the energy discharged with unimaginable force. Odin managed to raise a barrier in an attempt to defend himself, but still felt the growing threat. Alex's strike caused a brilliant flash, comparable to a nuclear explosion, blinding everyone present.
The spectators squinted, trying to protect their eyes. Even King Arthur, sitting among the crowd, was bewildered. He didn't understand why Alex had shouted "Excalibur," but he clearly saw that it was an incredibly powerful attack.
As the bright light faded, an intimidating sight appeared before them: the entire area in front of Alex had been turned into a desert, and in its place, there was a deep chasm stretching from his position to the edge of the arena. The barrier surrounding the arena had saved the spectators and the structure from destruction; otherwise, the strike would have obliterated the entire coliseum.
This blow signaled the beginning of an all-out battle. G.I.R. shot left, releasing a stream of flas that burned monsters in its path. MIMI moved in the opposite direction, effortlessly wiping out enemies. Rebecca, not falling behind, accurately launched incendiary grenades from her grenade launcher, destroying monsters in the epicenter of their mass.
Brunhilde watched the events unfold with genuine amazent. She couldn't believe that Alex had demonstrated such destructive power. And while she understood that Alex was far stronger than he appeared, this kind of strength still astonished her.
anwhile, Alex, calmly standing amidst the chaos, kept a close eye on where Odin was. The divine idiot was trying to heal his mutilated body. His barrier had barely withstood the force of the blow, but it didn't save him from the damage. Half of Odin's body was burned, black blood dripping from deep wounds. However, despite his condition, he was still not defeated.
Odin heard footsteps and looked up. Alex was approaching him, calmly holding a cigarette in his mouth and smirking. This scene made Odin's fury boil even more. He understood: Alex hadn't even broken a sweat after two powerful attacks that had turned his body into ruins.
"Well, it is what it is. That's right, one eyed," Alex said with a cheerful grin, stopping a few steps away. "You think my strikes end here? Oh, no. I've got sothing special prepared for you. But first… I want to know who you were planning to summon."
Odin rely sneered, trying to suppress the pain. Alex, taking his ti, prepared for the next step of his plan.
To be continued...
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