Chapter 060: The One Who Stands at the End
Like King Gilgamesh, the history recorded and the true history did not align.
"Hmm."
Brunhild replied with a satisfied nod. She'd never imagined a so-called artificial human could be this powerful. If beings of Xiang Yu's caliber could be mass-produced, the tables would turn: humanity would judge the gods, not the other way around.
Of course, she didn't believe such constructs could be manufactured by the thousands. As for the truth of Xiang Yu's body, most gods still couldn't discern it—though Zeus and the other high deities had probably already figured it out.
"Oh?"
Zeus arched a single brow. The mortal called Xiang Yu no longer bore a human frame. Through his iris, Zeus glimpsed a mechanical shine—prosthetic eyes identical to human-made cybernetic implants. In that case, the entire body must be an android.
Could mortals of that era really forge such an avatar? They might build puppets, but not with this strength—unless some god had lent them aid. Yet no heavyweight deity had stepped onto the stage.
Never mind. Whether by divine intervention or not, this champion was counted as human. The Cosmic Charter guaranteed that summoners could only field true human warriors; any self-born god would instantly be exposed by the rules.
As the white-hot duel raged on the arena, every breath caught: the victor was almost decided.
Chapter 060: The Last One Standing
One side gripped a colossal hammer—its heft was palpable. Opposite him, Xiang Yu wielded a halberd that seemed weightless by comparison. They clashed with identical speed, locked in perfect stalemate. Yet each thunderous blow from Mjölnir betrayed more raw power.
Had Thor wielded a lighter weapon, his swings would've been even swifter—Xiang Yu might not have withstood them. A few divine spectators grumbled, insisting it was unfair that the gods' champion carried so massive a hammer. If only he'd chosen a lighter blade, the mortal would surely crumble.
But only Mjölnir could hold Thor's might; any other weapon would be crushed in his gauntlets. Absolute fairness does not exist in this world.
Now the Thunder God beamed: after millennia, he finally had an opponent worthy of letting loose every ounce of his power. He squeezed Mjölnir so fiercely the hammer seemed to moan under the strain.
"Give me more pleasure!" he roared, his arms a blur as veins bulged.
"Then feel more pleasure!" Xiang Yu snarled in return, matching Thor's pace. Sparks flew from each impact—heat glowing through the arena floor until it glowed molten red.
Already the halberd was uncomfortably hot; if it didn't cool soon, it would melt or shatter. Yet neither warrior dared slow. One slip, and Xiang Yu's limbs would be pounded to dust like a porcelain vase.
"I see now…"
"Have you realized?" Xiang Yu gasped.
"Yes," Thor admitted—mid-swing.
Xiang Yu, wearing the guise of the Conqueror of Chu, understood why each of Thor's arcs gained speed: the hammer traced a perfect circle, building centrifugal force with every rotation. Unless interrupted, Xiang Yu would inevitably lag behind.
So he activated his predictive calculus—tracking every flicker of muscle, every breath of air—to compute the precise angle, velocity, and power of each incoming strike. It was like glimpsing the future, revealing Thor's attack pattern.
Those precious milliseconds weren't enough to dodge outright, but enough to disrupt the hammer's rhythm, breaking Thor's centrifugal advantage. The high-speed calculation taxed his entire system—but what exhilaration! For the first time in countless ages, Baiyue felt pure combat ecstasy.
He sharpened all his sensors to the limit, even as the load threatened to overwhelm him. After all, his body wasn't human—no adrenaline to fuel him—only raw calculated impetus.
Bang!
"Oh?"
Thor's eyes narrowed: his tactic had been read—and undone.
"Then how about this?!"
Mjölnir crackled with fresh lightning, the newfound thrust skyrocketing his strike rate.
"Still not enough!"
Now neither fought for gods nor mankind, but for themselves—relishing a rare rival. On this specially reinforced arena, their every crash unleashed forces that in any human city would be apocalyptic.
"Brunhild, I fear it's going badly," Grey murmured, anxiety tinging her voice.
Xiang Yu's halberd was clearly straining against the divine forge of Mjölnir. Should it fail, Thor's next blow would pulverize him—and the earth beneath.
Grey shifted between the live duel and a slow-motion hologram—her eyes too slow for the real-time blur. The replay highlighted the halberd's hairline fissures; her palms moistened with dread.
At the front rows, spectators trembled. Wind-blades from the halberd and arc-waves from the hammer occasionally whipped into the stands. No one wanted to be shredded—or electrocuted.
"Huh… Lord Xiang Yu's weapon is cracking!" Heimdall's voice rose in alarm, drowning out human cheers.
The gods' cheers surged louder. "It's happening!"
He sensed Thor's glare sharpen—the final strike was imminent.
Mjölnir's lightning deepened to coal-black hues. With a thunderous roar, shockwaves rippled outward, shaking the arena as though a cataclysmic quake had struck. The crowd screamed—not from wounds, but in awe of the tremor that rattled the floating island. Heimdall leapt back; dust and warped light hid the arena's fate.
He found himself clear of the blast zone—but felt the ground quiver beneath his feet. This stage floated high above the void; if the island fractured, there would be no rescue.
Suddenly, the center fell silent. A verdict had been rendered. Who still stood?
Each spectator swallowed hard, fixed on the parting smoke.
Chapter 061: The Charred Flesh Beneath the Cracked Skin
The haze cleared at last, revealing one triumphant silhouette. Then a tide of thunderous cheers roared from the gods' stands. No need for a clear view: the great hammer in hand named the victor. It was Thor, Norse god of thunder and berserker might, still standing.
"I told you! The Thunder God would prevail!" the deities exulted. "No mortal could survive that blow!"
"Heimdall, the first battle of Ragnarök is decided—victor: Thor!"
Heimdall's proclamation stalled. He squinted at the fleeting smoke—and saw a second figure still upright. Xiang Yu, champion of humanity, remained alive and unbowed, against all expectation. To endure Thor's cataclysmic strike was beyond belief—possessing power rivaling a deity…
Perhaps the hammer missed? Yet to evade such a blow was itself a marvel few gods could claim.
"W-what the—!"