Gwww

It was a normal world, with its tall buildings, the noise of its urban cities, its factories working, people going from one place to another, trains carrying heavy loads to factories, planes taking off and landing.

The laughter of children, the shouting at football fields, the fights in markets over anything. It was a normal world...

In a world like this when people think about the history of humanity, they often think of the Renaissance or the Middle Ages. However, before kings, pharaohs, before civilizations and great cities, before pyramids, monuments, and even language, approximately 7 million years ago, the story of humanity began. With eight billion people today, the world has entered an era of advancements and development. However, things are not as peaceful as they seem—not because of threats between powers that do not get along, or because a small virus can lock everyone in their homes for two years.

This land, which humans believe belongs to them, has an owner, and humanity, so prosperous and yet full of flaws, has creators.

The sky opened up, and a giant foot appeared above all the people. It was a surreal image of a being of such colossal proportions that it could crush an entire city just by walking. Something like this defied all logic, something like this made no sense. Such a thing could only be attributed to beings beyond human understanding; perhaps an advanced civilization of aliens, or maybe... God?

...

It was a vast parliament made of marble imbued with divine powers, illuminated by light. Hundreds, maybe thousands, of beings called gods gathered. If you looked around, you would see floating islands in the sky as if gravity did not exist. Where else would the gods live but in a place so striking?

This gathering was called the Valhalla Court, and it gathered all the gods every thousand years.

There were haughty laughs, there was ostentation, there was arrogance hidden under the mask of benevolence. Humanity had once idolized, loved, and followed them, but now each one harbored some sort of ill will beneath their skin against humanity.

"Uff uff uff, come here, little one~"

The trembling voice of an old man, apparently weak and small, silenced all the gods. He wore a Greek toga and sat in the center of the site on a sort of dragon-shaped throne. The old man petted his pet while his dry, wrinkled eyes stared at the gods.

"We meet after a thousand years, as always, to decide once more whether humanity will live for another thousand years or... be eradicated."

This old man, who held the leadership of the Valhalla Council, was Zeus, the very father god of Olympus. However, in this world, his position was even greater; he was the god of all other gods. This was decided in something called the Titanomachy. Every god had the chance to sit on that throne, but it was Zeus who imposed himself and is now the father of the universe. Great gods, including Odin, Shiva, Buddha, Izanami, Quetzalcoatl, Anubis, and others; even though they were the main gods in their respective pantheons—accepted it.

At this moment, in this surreal place that defies the laws of physics, far from any human who could express any word against it, humanity's cruel fate was being decided.

"Show me the will of the gods..." said Zeus, creating anticipation while holding two paddles; one with a cross and the other with a dove, as if it were an auction.

The mocking smiles and the celebrating laughter grew as if this day had been eagerly awaited for a long time.

"ONE THOUSAND YEARS AGO, HUMANITY BARELY SURVIVED... WHAT IS THE WILL OF THE GODS THIS TIME?!" Zeus smiled like a degenerate as he anticipated the answer.

"There is no hope, they will not regret their mistakes, from what I've seen in these thousand years," said a god with blue skin and four arms. This was Shiva, who smiled while sticking out his tongue. "There is no hope for humanity; they must be terminated."

"They are vulgar creatures," said Aphrodite, a look of disgust appearing on her face. "The seas have been polluted, the forests are disappearing, with a cancer for the world, we must finish them off."

Odin, Loki, Ares, Prometheus, the Jade Emperor, Amaterasu; every god from every pantheon, without exception, raised their paddle with the cross, indicating their will. No matter the pantheon they belonged to, every one of them all agreed.

"Hehehe~ it is decided~," Zeus said, smiling with excitement. "BY UNANIMOUS DECISION, HUMANITY WILL BE ELIMINATED!"

The gods seemed euphoric as if a great desire was being fulfilled. However, among those present, two demigoddesses did not share in the laughter, joy, and euphoria; one was Brunhilde, the eldest of the Valkyrie sisters, and the other was Goll, the youngest of the thirteen.

'It's the end. There's no way humanity will survive extinction. They can't oppose the gods.'

Goll looked at her older sister, her face turning pale. 'What are you doing, Hild-nee?!'

Brunhilde stepped forward, much to the terrified gaze of her younger sister. "Wait a moment!"

"Sister, you can't tell the divine will of the gods to wait!" Goll, with tears in her eyes, tried to stop her sister, but she couldn't.

"Stupid Valkyrie!" one of Odin's ravens growled with anger.

A god with a long robe, long gray hair, black pupils, and two ravens on his shoulders unleashed a great deal of murderous intent. He was Odin, the supreme god of the Norse pantheon, and of course, the god of the thirteen Valkyries.

"HOW DARE YOU SPEAK IN THIS COUNCIL?!" shouted another of Odin's ravens, expressing their thoughts.

Odin glared furiously at Brunhilde, who didn't even glance at him while speaking to all the gods.

"Gods, is it okay that you want to eradicate humanity, and regardless of whether their survival has any value, doesn't it seem... boring?"

Boring?

That simple word caught the gods' attention. Brunhilde continued speaking. "What if we put them to the test?"

"Test?! Do you want to flood the earth? Are you talking about a new Ice Age?!" Odin's ravens spoke once more as the gods waited for Brunhilde to finish her words to see if it was worth listening to or if they should kill her for interrupting the Valhalla council.

Brunhilde's gaze sharpened. "GODS AGAINST HUMANITY IN A FINAL BATTLE: THE RAGNAROK!"

The gods also had rules and laws; they created these to prevent senseless wars and conflicts.

"ONE-ON-ONE IN A DEATH MATCH!" declared Brunhilde, to the astonished gaze of each god.

With thirteen fighters on each side, the first to win seven victories would win. If humanity lose seven battles, it will be destroyed. If, by some miracle,, they win, they will be allowed to live for another thousand years.

Since the beginning of humanity, that clause has never been applied. How could they? There was no possibility that humanity could win against the gods!

"Foolishness!"

"Kill her for interrupting the council of gods!"

"Don't let the bitch keep talking!"

Goll clung to her sister. "There's no way humanity can win. Now stop talking or they'll execute you!"

A mocking smile formed at the corners of Brunhilde's lips. She looked confused as if she didn't understand the gods' refusal. She grabbed her chin and tilted her head.

"Mmm, you want to eliminate humanity without facing them in a ring... are you scared?... a... I see, if so, forget what I said~"

A deathly silence followed, and then the gods began to laugh. Yes, the gods laughed at such a ridiculous claim. How could these all-powerful beings be scared of humans?

However, Brunhilde smiled. She was sure they would accept. Because gods are gods, and they could not bear the mere thought of anyone believing that they are afraid of humanity. and the reaction they would cause with that phrase would be this:

Are you scared?