Chapter 78: Origin of Power!

Chapter 78: Origin of Power!

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Here's the new chapter!

Enjoy it, peasants!

*Any image in this chapter does not belong to me! It belongs to their respective artists/creators!

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Without further ado, enjoy the chapter!

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Location: Midgard.

Pov. Thor.

Finding a worthy horse for my beloved daughter is not an easy task. However, as the best father in the world (although in my daughter's words) I would do my best to make her wish come true.

The hunt for a horse ended up taking up a lot of our time, I decided to take advantage of it by teaching her a thing or two to defend herself from evil I mean strangers with evil intentions.

"Very well, Thrud, while we look for the best horse, how about learning something from your old father?" I asked.

My beloved daughter who was playing during the snowfall looked at me with a confused but curious look, she tilted her head slightly to demonstrate this.

She's... So cute.

Where's the fucking camera?!

Oh... that's right...

I'm in the past.

Okay, new goal, build a camera so I can take photos of my daughter... with her dressed as a little Valkyrie.

Yes... it will be worth it.

"Learn?... What, Dad?" Thrud asked, snapping me out of my thoughts.

I blinked.

After all, what should I teach her?

Hmm... Oh!

"How about the basics?" I said, suggesting to Thrud that she looked at me carefully.

She was too young, after all, she only had a few months of life considering she ages faster for some reason...

Furthermore, Sif would play pool with my balls if she knew I taught Thrud something potentially too dangerous for her age...

Something simple like accessing divine power should be something calmer and easier for my future iron lady, the bane of perverts!!!

"...basic?" questioned Thrud.

I gave a confident smile.

"Yes, your grandmother, Frigg, taught me that lesson when I was older than you, but I think it's okay to show you something simple," I said.

I soon sat down and gestured for Thrud to sit in front of me.

I had also taught Hephaestus, but the environment and nature of his divine power was not something very physical, but rather intuitive.

Furthermore, Hephaestus' power focuses on unveiling artifacts and enchanting them, enjoying the possibility of extracting the maximum potential from each artifact he forges and studies.

Thrud was different, I could feel it.

The nature of her divine power was too similar to my signature, much more so than Kamish and Hephaestus. Igris was another, but he was limited to dragon king flesh and human bones, which interfered with the balance of divine power he had from my blood.

I waited for my daughter to get comfortable before starting her first lesson...

Which was also something I learned in the past.

"Well, firstly, we are supernatural beings, with superior abilities and beyond understanding, of natural origin coming mainly from a primordial origin and from a life form that used this origin to create us, we are different because we are worshiped by others and, therefore, we are born different and associate ourselves with something that our internal power, created from that origin, resonates with hmm?" I stopped, as I could see a confused look from Thrud.

Maybe I was too technical...

"Do you want me to explain it more simply?" I asked.

Thrud nodded without hesitation... maybe I'm not good enough to be a teacher.

"Well... Think of us as..." I stopped and looked around.

It was then that I saw something simple and close, in fact, it was right next to me.

A mere flower, which was about to bloom.nove(l)bi(n.)com

"We are like this flower," I said.

Thrud looked at the flower and then at me.

"Hihi... We are cute" said Thrud.

I snorted.

"Maybe... but mainly, just like a flower needs sun and water, we need something called faith from others who worship us, this is our sun so that we can grow and live, just like this flower," I said.

It wasn't my best comparison, but at least Thrud seemed to understand.

"So the faith of humans is our sun, and it feeds us... but what about water?" Thrud asked.

Yes, definitely got it, score for me!

"Our water is our origin, Thrud... The starting point of what defined us as different and therefore deities and what we use to access divine power" I said.

She was silent until I saw a sparkle in her eyes.

"Ginnungagap!" Thrud said.

Yes, she almost got it right.

"Almost, Thrud, remember that Ginnungagap no longer lives among us, for he gave his life to create Ymir, Buri, and Audhumbla, but we still use divine power. There is something that was there that Ginnungagap used to facilitate him in creating that spark of life and, by extension, us..." I said.

Thrud struggled to find the answer, but it seemed like I was demanding too much, so after a few seconds I helped her a little.

"The answer lies where Verflnir rests, Thrud" I said.

I saw that I did a good job, as she soon had that glow of certainty.

"Yggdrasil!" Thrud said.

I nodded with a proud smile, after all my daughter was smart for her age. However, I could see a brief look of confusion.

"I don't understand how did Yggdrasil help Ginnungagap?" Thrud asked.

I smiled and put my hands together.

"Yggdrasil at the time, according to my mother, was young... but already captured what made it what it is today, something beyond the physical plane," I said.

Flexing a little, I created a small sphere with some of my power before speaking the next word.

"Energy in its purest form," I said.

The answer was this, so simple it seemed ridiculous...

The universe was created from a point of energy, which from this energy created the rest, everything was connected, but at the same time not, since the vast majority did not 'see' this connection...

There were just a few who could access this connection.

Yggdrasil was one of those few.

When Yggdrasil accessed this energy source, it began to grow and reach beyond the physical plane, with only the roots being left behind. But, as this source of energy was endless, it needed to be regulated by other beings...

Hence the existence of Verflnir and Ratatoskr.

They served to regulate Yggdrasil's accumulated power, never letting it go beyond it so that Yggdrasil did not end up capturing too much energy.

"It was from this pure energy that not only Ginnungagap was born, but other beings as well... Yggdrasil indirectly helped our creator in terms of capturing this energy as well, but we call it divine power," I said.

In simple terms, we captured this energy too, but as it is a volatile energy because it is constantly changing, our bodies ended up forcing this energy to adapt to our will and limits, hence the association of gods with certain aspects of existence, created from of that same energy.

Therefore, when a deity is born, it does not have an immediate 'domain' or 'association', as the energy is still adapting to the body, although there could be a reaction from the 'world' if the deity had potential.

"So what is my divine power, father?" asked Thrud, curious.

I gave a knowing smile.

"... I have no idea!" I said, shrugging.

Although the divine power signature was similar to mine, it still had certain peculiarities that differentiated it, it is up to Thrud to discover. Unfortunately, my answer didn't seem to please my daughter, as she seemed more confused, but I soon explained as best I could...

"Close your eyes, Thrud... I will teach you how to access the power that the primordial energy has granted you" I said.

My beloved daughter seemed to follow suit and assumed a pose with her hands together.

"Ignore the external noise, just focus on my voice... now, think about the most memorable moment you had, it could be happy or sad," I said.

This will serve as a kick-off, then it will be something more intrinsic, without the requirement for concentration.

"Oh birthday cake," said Thrud, drool dripping from his mouth.

Maybe... she was too focused.

"Very well... now, remember this feeling, and now hold it," I said, explaining the next step.

She seemed to be frowning, and I could see that she was so absorbed in the memory that for a moment I worried that I had lost my daughter's attention to a damn cake...

Then, taking the chance that maybe my daughter was still paying attention, I said the last step.

"Now... just pull it with you, slowly listen to the world around you, but don't let go of that feeling you've held onto... hold it with you always," I said.

For a moment, nothing happened and I thought I had failed...

Until I saw the exposed blue veins she had inherited from my yellow counterparts glow, and then something happened...

A bubble made of energy enveloped Thrud and she began to slowly float!

Obviously, like a good father witnessing his first steps, I couldn't help but be proud.

"That's right, Thrud! Now -?!" I said, before witnessing something that interrupted my flame of pride with a bucket of cold water.

With a flash of light...

Thrud is gone.

I stopped and looked around...

She wasn't in front of me...she wasn't behind me.

Neither my right nor my left...

I looked up... she wasn't flying in the sky either...

...Hmm...?

Did I just lost my daughter?

... Yes, I think I lost my daughter...

I...

I LOST MY DAUGHTER?!

"THRUD!!! WHERE ARE YOU?!" I shouted, jumping up from my spot on the ground and looking around like a dehydrated pilgrim in the desert looking for water.

Hell, she's not even 5! There shouldn't be enough energy for teleportation and I didn't even teach the rune for that!

How the hell did she disappear?!

I used Viljestyrke Archer to the fullest and tried to find the little pest, but...

Nothing.

It was just me here.

... I screwed up.

"...Maybe if I reach out to Sif and say, 'Honey, our daughter can teleport; but, to test the limits, she teleported to a place that even I don't know about,' she will not be pissed...' I said.

I stopped and thought again about what I said.

This bat was stronger than the angel she killed that morning.

"... Who are you?" Jr asked.

Jr was interested that maybe there would finally be something to stretch out the old combat joints.

The devil just bowed a little and smiled softly at Jr.

"Greetings... my name is Zaorama Nebiros, head of House Nebiros, of the 6 houses of Lucifer," said the devil, now identified with Zaorama.

Jr... didn't seem impressed.

"... What you want?" Jr asked.

It was then that Zaorama just snorted in response.

"Well, I think I can satisfy your curiosity... Lucifer gave me a mission to look for rare artifacts, I think he was upset with the toys his father gave to humans and wants something similar..." said Zaorama, with a smile.

Jr raised an eyebrow.

"...So you want something from my father too, huh..." said Jr.

Zaorama just shrugged.

"Indeed... many know the stories of Ymir and his power, well... I guess I will see for myself when I get some fragments" said Zaorama.

Jr frowned.

"... 'When I get some fragment'?... Do you think I'm going to let you do whatever you want without my permission?" Jr asked.

Zaorama laughed in response.

"You want me, a devil, to 'ask permission'?... Lucifer would rip out my soul and broadcast my screams of pain throughout the underworld as an example" said Zaorama.

It was then that Zaorama summoned magical circles around him on the ground, and from them came a kind of green roots, which seemed to belong to a rose due to the amount of thorns.

"However, if I fight to achieve it, no matter if I win or lose, my life will be spared, although... if I manage to complete the mission it will be ideal, after all, I can have a greater reward," said Zaorama, with a glow dangerous.

Jr looked at the devil and watched him silently... this action confused the head of house Nebiros for some time, but this bruise was soon dissipated when the devil's instincts screamed!

*WOOSH*

Zaorama had ducked, and just in time, for in the blink of an eye Jr had closed the distance and swung the axe as if it were the lightest thing she had.

The power behind Jr's axe swing was so great that it created a fissure in the nearest mountain, which was behind Zaorama. The devil didn't stay still and soon created a magic circle just below his feet, creating a giant rose that propelled him into the sky and got far enough away from Jr in just a few seconds.

As soon as Zaorama walked away, he moved his hand towards the rose he used just a few seconds ago, quickly gesturing that they controlled the rose, which soon obeyed and wrapped itself around Jr and began to squeeze it.

Jr looked a little uncomfortable, and Zaorama saw this and started to smile...

"Are you feeling? My inherited magic is the 'bloody rose', it may not be the most destructive magic, but it has its uses with the right mind, after all... poison is quite efficient, especially when it is released into the air through spores" said Zaorama.

Jr just stayed silent and looked around.

"... Sorry, old man," said Jr, silently.

Zaorama was confused until Jr stomped the ground hard enough to make the earth tremble, the earth rippled and Zaorama was pushed back, while Jr tore the stem of the rose that held her, although the thorns of the rose could still be seen, with which one with the size of small stakes piercing certain parts of her body.

The head of House Nebiros frowned as Jr removed each thorn as if it were nothing, becoming confused by Jr's still healthy state.

Zaorama knew she was strong, after all, she was Jr, the Jotun associated with the earth, who inhabited these islands since before the devil even existed... But he also knew that her feared power had fallen with Ymir's death, so he didn't think delaying Jr would be that much of a hassle...

[I'm glad I'm not acting alone... Archezias Naberius, I hope your magic is useful and goes unnoticed, I don't know how long this monster will keep her eyes on me, so I hope your weak magic of taming dogs will be useful once in a lifetime] thought Zaorama.

Against all the odds Zaorama was facing, he still smiled in the face of the monster in front of him.

"In a way... I think I was the worst choice to come here, after all, you seem immune to poison" said Zaorama.

Jr remained silent and went to respond, but... she suddenly stopped...

Zaorama saw that Jotun started to look around and started to break out in a cold sweat...

[Did she sense Archeziah? How?! No, he's off the island. However, that dog of his is looking for the fragment, I have to keep holding her attention, whatever the cost!] thought Zaorama, determined.

The head of the Nabirus house soon put his hands together, pointing his fingers at Jotun, and then created a magic circle that soon began to shoot hundreds of thorns towards the Jotun, who was still looking for something.

Jr soon turned her attention to Zaorama and swung the axe once more, this time the force was great enough to create a blade of air that was able to tear through Zaorama's attack with ease, and would have split the devil in half if he hadn't dodged at the last moment.

"... You're getting more and more annoying... just die quickly, I have more to do," said Jr, apathetically.

Zaorama soon began to sweat as he felt Jr's power gradually increasing. Although the Jotun's apathetic expression hadn't changed, the increase in power and brutality was beginning to convey the obvious to Househead Nebiros...

Jr was starting to get irritated.

Even so, Zaorama only had a single mission...

Distract her.

"My, my~ I feel a little rejected... don't worry, my company is about to end" said Zaorama, soon creating other magic circles, this time not on the ground.

[I can't go on with this, she barely spent divine power... perhaps a different approach is needed] Zaorama thought, clasping his hands together.

From the magic circles, giant roses began to emerge, but they were different...

They were pure white and looked like they were about to bloom.

Jr looked briefly at the flowers and raised an eyebrow, after all, she initially assumed it was just another form of poison, but frowned when she felt something different...

When the roses bloomed, Jr prepared for the attack.

But nothing happened...

At least nothing that she saw differently.

"Hmm...? What is this supposed to do?" asked Jr, with a raised eyebrow.

Zaorama didn't respond and just smiled.

"A small way to balance combat," said Zaorama.

It was then that the devil began to breathe in a more erratic rhythm, which Jr noticed as soon as Zaorama spoke.

[... His breathing is more erratic, and his pupils seem dilated... moreover...] thought Jr.

Jotun soon used her senses to the fullest, mainly focusing on hearing, and began to pay attention to something much stranger.

[His heart feels like it's going to explode...] thought Jr, finishing the analysis.

The Jotun just snorted and started walking towards the devil.

"It doesn't make any difference he's still weak," said Jr, apathetically.

Zaorama just smiled and then shot towards Jr.

The Jotun soon swung the axe in retaliation, but Zaorama soon covered his arm with rose stems in order to block. Time seemed to freeze as the axe fell on the plant stems and tore them apart like they were nothing, but then something happened...

As soon as the stems were cut, a burst of smoke covered the field, this smoke was the accumulated pollen that Zaorama had breathed in before and transferred to this moment.

For Jr, she tried to expand the senses, although...

Sight and smell were useless at the moment.

But not the audition.

When she heard the flapping of wings, she quickly retaliated by swinging her axe at high speed.

*BOOM*

The earth split in half, as did the body of Zaorama Nebiros, who had taken flight to escape the pollen cloud. The devil stood in the air in shock, and Jr thought she had won, but when she saw Zaorama's body become a tangle of stalks she soon became angry.

When the cloud lowered and dissipated, she saw...

Dozens of Zaorama were gliding in the skies with wings, all showing a smile that conveyed superiority.

"...Irritating" said Jr.

The Jotun raised the axe towards the heavens and something happened.

The earth moved as if responding to Jr's axe, and soon spikes were created at high speed and began to pierce and impale Zaorama's clones in the sky, though those that were hit soon exploded into pollen.

The pollen didn't bother Jr, it just blocked the Jotun's vision and smell, but poisons or any negative effects were blocked by the Jotun's high resistance. Furthermore, due to pollen being of magical origin, it became increasingly difficult to locate Zaorama, even though he was a mere clone.

After the 'death' of dozens of clones of the head of house Nebiros, in an instant, Jr felt a presence behind her... The Jotun soon turned and swung the axe quickly.

*Slash**crack*

Just to cut one more clone.

*Slash!*

And that same clone turned into a tangle of stems and thorns and took the form of a drill that pierced Jr's crush at high speed.

Although Jr had blood oozing from the wound, she just pulled the drill from the body as if it were nothing, leaving an open wound that looked like a hole.

The Jotun then grabbed the drill made of stems and thorns and clenched her hand as she closed her eyes in concentration.

[I was careless, I think I lost my touch... Forgive me for invading your world again... Yggdrasil] thought Jr.

For an instant, Jr's world changed.

Everything turned a faded blue color, and the drill that injured Jr also showed a color...

Silver.

Just like the clones.

However... there were also very thin lines that connected all the clones and any residue of magic released by Zaorama.

These lines followed the path to a 'specific clone'.

A 'clone' brighter than the others, which in fact was nothing less than the real Zaorama Nebiros.

Jr acted quickly and left the world of Yggdrasil, and then propelled himself to where she had last seen the glowing clone, all in a matter of seconds.

When Jr got close enough, Zaorama Nebiros, the real one, was wide-eyed when he saw that the Jotun was already in front of him, with the war axe falling like a lightning at high speed.

The head of house Nebiros just made a hand sign and the remaining clones exploded together, covering the area with more and more pollen, and with his fingertips, he conjured a small flame.

When the flame came into contact with the pollen, it quickly combusted, exploding everything around it at the same time that Jr dropped her axe in retaliation.

*BOOM**WOOSH*

The area of the confrontation was then shaken by the shock of the explosions, in addition to the flames quickly engulfing the place, although being quickly dissipated.

When the explosion subsided, in the center of it all a figure emerged from the fire...

Jr.

The Jotun then swung the axe again and dispelled the flames further, and then began to take the dust and ashes out of her clothes, not bothering about the obvious wounds or burns.

"He escaped... that explosion surprised me, I ended up missing the hit a little... I'm getting too old for this" said Jr, sighing.

Meanwhile, a teleportation circle was created in the middle of the sea, far from the Faroe Islands.

*splash*

A figure fell into the sea and remained underwater until slowly emerging...

Zaorama Nebiros was alive.

Although his body remained floating harmlessly and began to paint the sea red, the source turned out to be his missing left arm.

The head of the Nebiros clan soon used his remaining arm to create a magic circle capable of stopping the bleeding, and he began to fly as well. From the magic circle, stems began to emerge from the stump of the arm and took the shape of the lost arm, which Zaorama soon flexed in a test.

"So this was Jr, the one who once rivaled Gaia... even though I'm an Ultimate class devil, she still pushed me to the limit, even though she wasn't at her peak," said Zaorama, thoughtfully.

Although Zaorama was thoughtful, he couldn't help but notice a small seal, which was stored on the clothes, glowed for a few moments.

When the head of the Nebiros clan removed the seal he only saw one sentence.

'I found a fragment, I'm taking it to Stolas'.

The sentence brought a smile to Zaorama's face.

"Excellent work, Arcaezias... you are definitely more useful than I initially thought you would be, and thanks to that the Malebranche project is underway," said Zaorama.

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Well, that's all folks!

Until the next chapter!

And remember peasants, I'm not dropping this shit!