9 Selection

[Option 1: Assist the Valkyrie in untying the knot.

Reward: The Valkyrie's friend ship, granting access to the Soul Castle!]

[Option 2: Run away from the Valkyrie.

Rewards: +1 to Physical Resistance, +1 to Response Speed!]

[Option 3: Subdue the Valkyrie, knocking her to the ground.

Reward: Gain a Valkyrie servant and Unlock the next level of Divine Power!]

The choice was obvious to Ceasar.

Caesar swiftly dodged Valkyrie's slap, then stepped back to put some distance between them, wary of further attacks.

But Valkyrie persisted, relentlessly pursuing Caesar while brandishing his long sword.

"I regret having to do this, Valkyrie, but I've got no other choice!"

"Even as a child, I admired Valkyrie's prowess. Who wouldn't be captivated by such beauty and power?"

"But Valkyrie's fate might be sealed."

Caesar continued to retreat, refusing to engage in combat.

"They belong to a bygone era," he muttered as he backed away.

Valkyrie, however, was undeterred, increasing the intensity of her sword strikes.

"I'm sorry it has to come to this!"

Surrounded by a radiant aura, Caesar ceased evading and instead reached out, seizing Valkyrie's arm and disarming her, driving the sword into the ground.

"Divine Power Awakening? Second-order? So, you're not as worthless as you seem. Impressive. You've just become more valuable," Valkyrie remarked, ceasing her assault.

Then, she clenched her fists, rolled her shoulders, and cast an even greedier gaze upon Caesar.

Caesar regarded the eager Valkyrie, sighed, and spoke resolutely, "Hela is my sister. She has always been good to me. I cannot assist you in her demise."

"My mother has always cherished me deeply, and I have a friend who believes in me wholeheartedly. They deserve to live in peace!"

"Therefore, I must depart Saka swiftly. I aim to be the champion!"

"I aim to take you down!"

"What are you jesting about?" The Valkyrie eyed Caesar, who seemed to be speaking nonsense, and delivered a direct punch. "Arrogance born of luck, has it inflated your ego?"

"Though we are both of the second order, the gulf between us is vast."

Caesar parried Valkyrie's punch with a wave of his hand, seizing the opportunity to send her flying several meters away with a swift kick.

Caesar stood tall, his divine body shielded by the sun's power, resilient against Valkyrie's formidable kick.

"Let us engage!" Caesar roared, launching forward with punches, kicks, targeting vital points without restraint.

Valkyrie's face bore the brunt of Caesar's punch, causing her head to reel as she spat out a mouthful of blood-tinged saliva, retaliating with a punch to Caesar's abdomen.

"Once more!"

Punches, kicks, a relentless exchange.

The superlative defenses of the Aesir gods enabled Caesar and the Valkyrie to engage in a relentless duel.

The landscape, once dominated by towering garbage mountains, now lay flattened into plains, a testament to the fierce battle that had ensued.

Among the onlookers were numerous scavengers, drawn by the spectacle, including some formidable solitary figures.

Caesar gasped, his hands resting wearily on his knees as he struggled to catch his breath.

Across from him, the valkyrie appeared even more worse for wear, seemingly reluctant to rise.

"Thank you. That was quite the combat lesson. But it's time to end this!"

The potent recuperative effects granted by his second-order solar power left Caesar with reserves of strength.

As the power of the sun surged forth, its radiant light burst forth violently in the junkyard, akin to a miniature sunrise amidst the debris!

The sudden brilliance blinded those who dared to gaze directly at them, including the valkyrie.

Reacting swiftly, the lone scavengers strong enough to endure shielded their eyes, only to witness Caesar darting behind the valkyrie in a flash.

His right hand arced down with savage force, delivering a crippling blow to the valkyrie's neck with a palm strike.

With a resounding thud, the valkyrie crumpled to the ground, unconscious and defeated.

"Never thought No. 142 would bite the dust!"

"Who's this newcomer? He's a force to be reckoned with!"

"They oughta know better. Damn Protos..."

"Enough chatter. Same old deal—sell 'em to the Grandmaster, split the take. Two top-tier fighters like these are worth a fortune!"

"Let's get to it!"

Four Spaceships, a mix of old and new, descended slowly before Caesar and the fallen valkyrie, their occupants urging the surrounding scavengers to clear out.

Four lone scavengers leveled their energy cannons at Caesar.

"Kid, thanks for taking down the 142 lush! Damn, those asgardians are too damn sturdy!"

"Now, drop to your knees, hands behind your head. Thanks for the gift, pal. Haha!"

The lone scavengers cackled triumphantly, convinced that the weary Caesar was utterly at their mercy, mere commodities to be claimed.

Caesar's head hung low and his trembling muscles betrayed exhaustion but suddenly something extraordinary began to unfold.

It wasn't the typical post-exertion tremor; rather, it seemed as though a radiant energy emanated from within Caesar, transforming his very being.