The entire coliseum instantly quieted.
Even the cheering gods who had been celebrating Thor's impending display of true power fell silent as if time had stopped.
They stared in shock at the scene unfolding opposite Thor, on humanity's side.
Could it be that, knowing he stood no chance against Thor's unleashed might, Xiang Yu had resorted to this?
But no matter how they looked at it, it was bizarre—so bizarre it unsettled them.
"S-Sister... Brun..."
Göll's voice trembled as if her tongue had tied itself in knots.
She had thought the Conqueror Xiang Yu would reveal some hidden strategy, but this so-called trump card had turned into something that shocked everyone.
Glancing at her sister from the corner of her eye, she saw that even Brunhilde was startled. Yet her sister seemed to understand something—she wasn't panicking, but rather... expectant?
Expectant of what?
What could possibly be worth anticipating in this situation?
It's over. This round is already lost.
"What... is he doing?"
The man standing beside Zeus, dressed like a gentleman—Hermes—wore a puzzled expression.
He couldn't understand the other party's actions.
Of course, he didn't believe they were committing suicide either.
"Who knows? But it looks like things are about to get more interesting. I'll be looking forward to it."
Zeus simply smiled.
This human had abandoned their divine weapon, only to bring out this metal box instead—did they really believe what was inside could surpass a Valkyrie-transformed divine weapon?
"This is truly astonishing."
After forcing Thor to unleash his true power, was this human now preparing to do the same?
How arrogant—to think that only when Thor fought seriously would they deem it worthy to use their own full strength?
Hmm?
Loki frowned because he could sense that human's life force was truly fading—he was dying.
What was going on?
"W-What's happening~?"
"Why is Xiang Yu's metal box attacking him?"
"Is he going to die?"
"It's over."
The uproar finally erupted like a tidal wave, coming not only from the human spectators but also from the gods' side.
Most watched the scene in utter confusion—a halberd had pierced through the top of the metal box, impaling Xiang Yu, who had been lifted into the air by cables.
That was undeniably fatal!
Only because Xiang Yu was so large—if an ordinary person had been impaled like that, they might have been cut in half.
Blood gushed from the wound, staining the entire metal box crimson.
For a fleeting moment, it almost seemed as though the blood was seeping into the metal—as if the box was drinking it.
To be precise, Xiang Yu's body was collapsing, disintegrating into dust-like particles. The blood staining the metal box evaporated along with it, creating the illusion that the box was consuming the blood.
The scene gave the impression that Xiang Yu was offering himself as a sacrifice, as if trying to summon something.
"A sacrifice?"
"No way, is he sacrificing himself to summon some kind of monster?"
"Does this still count as a battle between man and god?"
Some humans and gods genuinely considered the possibility of a sacrificial ritual to summon a monster for battle.
"Huh, sacrificing himself to gain some kind of power to fight Thor? If that's really the case, I should check if there are any rules about this..."
Heimdall, the announcer of the Ragnarök battles, immediately pulled out the rulebook to see how such a situation should be handled or judged.
But the rulebook didn't seem to mention anything about it?
At that moment, as Xiang Yu's body completely vanished, the metal box finally showed new movement.
Cracks spread across its surface, and once they reached a critical density, the entire box shattered like porcelain.
Everyone present stared intently, waiting to see what would emerge from within.
They held their breath, eyes wide, unwilling to blink—not wanting to miss a single moment.
"Eh?"
Göll, who hadn't expected anything from the box to begin with, froze in shock.
The entire arena fell into stunned silence.
"This—?"
"There's another Xiang Yu inside?"
"Twins?"
"That can't be right..."
The human side was in complete disarray.
"Two people? What's going on?"
"Was that some kind of magic trick just now?"
Many among the gods' spectators were equally baffled.
"Oh?"
Shiva of Hindu mythology, who had been reclining, sat up.
This human now carried an aura entirely different from before.
Earlier, he had radiated the vitality of a living being, but now, he felt like a cold, lifeless entity.
Yet within this body, Shiva sensed a hidden, violent power—one that seemed no weaker than Thor's unleashed strength.
It made Shiva's blood boil with excitement, eager for a chance to fight him.
Too bad this match belonged to Thor.
"Truly impressive, the Valkyrie Brunhilde cannot be underestimated."
For the first match to feature such a combatant, what kind of fighters will follow?
This has even piqued Shiva's interest.
Originally planning to just watch, he now intends to participate in the battle of [Ragnarök].
How could such excitement proceed without him?
Ah, here they come. Both combatants are unleashing their true power, about to engage in their first clash.
"...Betting on the future of humanity, the first battle of [Ragnarök] begins with both sides revealing their full strength. So, who will emerge victorious?"
Heimdall passionately shouts, his eyes alight with excitement as he watches the two figures.
On one side—Thor, raising the thunder hammer [Mjölnir] overhead, unleashing unprecedented terrifying energy. Just a single touch would surely reduce one to ashes.
On the other, the Conqueror Xiang Yu, gripping his halberd, assumes a slashing stance, gathering power as luminous patterns emerge within his body. The light pierces through his clothes, flickering like flames—an eerie sight.
"BOOM—!"
An explosion erupts where both stood moments ago, though not from any direct attack.
It was simply the result of their terrifying speed as they charged forward, their steps shattering the ground beneath them.
Their movements were so swift that most spectators could only see them vanish before the explosions occurred.
Before the sound of these twin explosions could even reach the stands, a massive blast erupted at the center of the arena.
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