Big Bad Wolf

~Who's afraid of the big bad wolf?~

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A sudden noise blared throughout the battle-ground, like a giant gong had been smashed with an equally big mallet and a little shockwave blew throughout the battle area. It caught Steve by surprise as his blade slipped by Ottar as the anti gravity field disappeared and slowly, everything began to fall back down as normal gravity returned.

It was a grand spectacle of falling debris that looked like the end of the world to the adventurers panicking within, those that had not stuck to their chunks. The chunks remained where they were, suspended in nothingness but the loose rubble began to plummet, taking their occupiers with them.

That included some of the Ptah Familia members, amongst them being Zuri who kicked an adventurer aside as he dug his hand into the large rock he was standing on, giving him a handhold as the whole thing fell with him. He looked into his staff and saw the clock inside had both hands pointing up, which meant his anti-gravity spell had run out of its time limit.

"Nearly time for the grand finale." Zuri muttered, not at all bothered with how the 50th Floor was becoming closer and closer to him. "Let's finish this boss."

...

Ottar slipped off the chunk as he was caught off guard by the gravity spell wearing off. And it had saved him as well because Steve was only a short distance away from probably decapitating him. Steve cursed as he too began to fall. It was not that he was afraid of the fall because he could fly any time he wanted. It was that Ottar had managed to get away from being killed by him personally for the first time in this whole thing.

No matter.

As the Boaz fell, Ottar noticed his greatsword also falling through the air near to him. Reaching out his hand, he forced himself to fall nearer to the weapon and his heart leapt in relief as the top of his fingers managed to hook onto the hilt. With a flex of those fingers, he pulled the whole thing into his grip as he turned around and slashed at Steve, who had come near him to do the same.

Both swords clanged as they had multiple times before in this fight as a flash of light bloomed from the fiction and sparks flew off everywhere. Ottar hooked his cross-guard with Steve's and yanked him close so he could punch the gamer in the face. Steve tilted his head out of the way before grabbing Ottar around the throat and near asphyxiating the Boaz as Ottar's face turned blue.

Steve eyed them both falling closer and closer to another chunk upon which lay a familiar structure. A remaining part of a tower from the castle fort Steve had thrown into the world border had survived the ordeal and was now lying upon the chunk which was not too large but not small either.

Steve smirked as he brought Ottar around and threw him towards the chunk. Ottar's world span as his brain did flops in his head. Being near choked to death had thrown all his senses through a loop and so he had not realized he was even being thrown. He had not even registered Steve's grip being absent from his neck. All he could see was a blur before it became dark as his body collided with the wall of the tower and his body went smashing through different floors until it came to a stop in one of the rooms surrounded on all sides by windows.

Ottar got his breathing in order first as he took in large deep breaths. His vision returned to normal as his hand found the grip of his sword. Continuing the same breath pattern, he sat up from where he lay and took a look at his surroundings. Because the tower lay diagonally, Ottar was pressed up against a wall covered in bits of timber, stones, dust and the contents of the room which was broken tables and bookshelves. He threw off all the rubbish and stood to his feet, brandishing his sword in a defensive posture as his instincts flared.

He walked into the middle of the room while turning around in place holding his sword in front of him. He'd lost the white one long ago amidst all the chaos and what he had was his only remaining weapon. He still had another thing up his sleeve, but Ottar did not use that power often and for some reason he believed that being robbed of most of his sentience despite what little of his reason remained enough to control that power would not be a safe bet against an overwhelmingly powerful opponent like Steve.

Ottar had never felt so outmatched even against The Gluttony, and that battle had been seven years ago. Ottar's ears twitched as he listened for the slightest sound. But amidst all the still collapsing debris outside and sections of the tower falling apart thanks to his grand entrance, it was had to pinpoint Steve who was already proven to be light-footed even with all that heavy armour on him.

He was able to move so stealthily and so quickly, he was able to invade the personal space of special class adventurers without them even realizing it. The only thing Ottar could rely on to watch out for Steve's next onslaught was his instinct just in case the gamer decided not to show himself beforehand. What resistance could the walls of a broken tower give to the level 9?

He needn't have worried.

There was a scurrying outside accompanied by a blast of a draught as something rushed by the window. Ottar only knew it was the window because a shadow passed over the light spilling into the room and relying on that, he was able to pinpoint which window it was. But of course, even if he knew what it was, he was still not able to catch it with his eyes.

Steve flitted past another window making another shadow cross the room and Ottar whirled around, holding his sword close to him. Steve continued to do this a few more times as he would fly by a window slow enough that Ottar knew where he was going but too fast for Ottar to advance. The way he was doing this unnerved Ottar, because it made the Boaz feel like...almost like a...

"Little, little pig, let me come in..." 

Steve's voice echoed around Ottar, as if his voice was coming from all around. This voice projection confused Ottar as he could not identify the position of that voice. He then heard a rustle, prompting him to turn where he saw Steve hanging outside one of the windows looking in right at him with a mocking smile on his.

"'No, no'. Said the little pig. 'Not by the hair on my chinny-chin-chin.'"

Steve scratched the underneath of his chin suggestively before he laughed mockingly. Ottar grunted and made a step forwards in that direction about to charge but Steve's form blurred and he disappeared. Ottar froze, realizing that this was just a goading effort on Steve part...though he couldn't help but feel those lines the gamer was saying was alluding to something, like a reference of some sort.

"Then I'll huff..."

The chunk shook as something smashed outside and the tower rattled.

"And I'll puff..."

Ottar was knocked off balance as the tower suddenly shook and then tilted.

"AND I'LL BLOW YOUR HOUSE IN!" Steve yelled from outside as the tower suddenly exploded and a blast of pressure smashed into Ottar, whose body slammed into the chunk, making cracks spread all throughout the chunk. Ottar had the breath knocked out of him as he looked up to see Steve with his hands clasped in front of him in a clapping motion.

Steve used his trademark clapping attack to create a powerful blast wave to eviscerate the tower. Steve then flew downwards towards the downed Ottar with an outstretched fist. Ottar's eyes widened as he lifted the sword in front of him to block the punch. Steve's fist collided with the blade, making it cracks. Ottar's eyes widened as one of his best swords cracked even further before shattering under the power of that punch and a fist buried itself in his gut, twisting around as the Boaz felt his insides get scrambled.

Ottar was made senseless again with pain as his body broke through the chunk and was sent plummeting into the 50th Floor again, his body smashing through several boulders, bouncing off another chunk that was at a lower level before finally smashing through tree branches and landing in the giant pool of the 50th Floor which now had small mountains in it. Ottar held in as much breath as he could as he quickly surfaced upon recognising the sudden cold sensation.

It was refreshing on his sweaty, battered body and gave him a helpful wake up call. But he could not afford to enjoy this relief long since he knew Steve was still after him. And he was right because as soon as he surfaced, Steve reappeared and grabbed him by the hair, lifting him up as he swung Ottar around a few times and threw him towards the forest where his body felled great trees that must have all stood there for thousands of years.

As his body smashed into a particularly large one, he spat out the collected blood in his mouth and observed his surroundings. The sounds of battle from the other adventurers still resounded in his ears, and as he looked up the giant hole leading to the surface, he could see some adventurers having landed on the face of the walls and were scrabbling to get into entrances of the upper Floors.

Seeing this made the same realization daunt on him again. It was bad enough when he had to look at this destruction from above, but now that he was here in the second mouth to the Dungeon, now having to look up to the surface where he belonged, he realized just how terrifying the Ptah Familia's power was. Ottar peeled his body out of the tree, not even caring as he fell to the ground and landed on his knees.

He leaned forwards on one palm and held his abdomen in the other as he tried to push through the pain. The sound of footsteps steadily approaching him made him look up to see his nemesis in this War Game walking towards him, trailing the point of his Netherite Sword in the ground as Steve lazily walked towards him.

"What are you doing on your knees Ottar?" Steve tilted his head as he asked the Freya Familia Captain.

"Why do you think?" Ottar muttered sarcastically.

"You should stand, warrior." Steve smiled as he rested his sword on his shoulders. "Stand proud, for you are indeed strong."

"You do have quite the fondness for mockery." Ottar grumbled as he stood shakily to his feet.

"You are correct." Steve said. "I myself get a kick out kicking someone else when they're down. Especially when they are an arrogant jerk. But in this case, I was not mocking you Ottar. You are powerful, and I can see why you were crowned King of this generation of adventurers." Steve put a hand on his chest. "It's just that this time, you were put up against a bad match-up."

"Why don't you finish it?" Ottar said as he stood to his full height, straight and tall. Even if Steve was more powerful than he was, he towered over the gamer and would use that to exert himself as much as possible. "Just deliver the finishing blow and be done with it. If I am to die today, I will do so the warrior's way."

"You think I want to kill you?" Steve raised a brow before laughing. "I've been doing that to you lot this whole time! If I really wanted you permanently dead then it would be just that. With the exception of some, I don't intend to have any of you dead by the time the sun sets tonight." Steve's expression then turned serious. "No. I am here for much more than that. Even if I did come here to kill you, I would do it when I know you're at your most powerful to make the victory all the more satisfying. And what I do know as fact is that you have not showed me that power as of yet."

"What do you mean?" Ottar asked, suddenly feeling as if this conversation was going in a very important direction.

"I could have just ended all of this simply by wanting it." Steve said. "No truly. If I wanted you dead, you simply would have dropped dead and you would have had no idea how and why. I was not even interested in this War Game in the first place, let alone planning on stretching it out as long as I have done so. I cannot speak for my teammates but I came here for one reason alone." Steve pointed at Ottar. "You."

"Me?"

"Yes you. I'd always known I was more powerful than you. I knew when the time came for us to be at loggerheads, I'd swipe you aside like the gnat you are in front of me. But I regard Finn Deimne the Braver with a particular respect and fondness. Hearing him speak of you the way he did garnered me an interest in you. Naturally, looking back on your history and what you've accomplished throughout the years is nothing short of admirable."

"Is there a point to this?" Ottar asked with a raise of his brow.

"Yes, there is." Steve said. "I hear you have not been able to level up because of the way you've conditioned yourself, the way you've framed your growth through the Falna. The very last time you managed to level up was when a particularly famous and powerful adventurer fought you in the Great War, and you levelled up through triumphing over him. That victory must have meant much to you."

"Hmm." Ottar sighed.

"At the end of the day Ottar, I'm not your enemy." Steve put a hand on his chest. "I have not come to destroy but to fulfil."

"Fulfil what?"

"...The adventurers' dream." Steve answered. "I have many long-term plans in store for the adventurers of Orario. Many wonders to share and many new things for you to see. I have not come to step on you and make sure you stay down. I have come to help you rise. My hope was that in doing what I have done today, even if it made you all fear me, those amongst you with determination in their hearts would see me as a target and rise on their own merits with the motivation I provided."

"And you think I am one such person?"

"I know you are." Steve said before he pulled something out of his inventory and chucked it in front of him, its blade sinking into the ground, making Ottar's eyes widen to a great degree. "Pick it up."

"Is that...?" Ottar trailed off as he laid eyes upon something he had not seen ever since he was a young boy, much younger than Steve. Something from the old days, something that was wielded by a person who had left such a heavy impression on him.

It was a great sword, the kind only fitting to be wielded by a large person. The wide heavy blade was made from Orichalcum, and though it had been weathered a little and there were nicks in it here and there, it still held up a strong and powerful appearance, despite its simplistic features. It had a pretty much standard crossguard but the aim of this weapon was not to be aesthetically pleasing but to be something powerful, a killer weapon. A blade meant to take down great foes. Flapping in the slight breeze was the remains of a red flag with an emblem on it...an emblem of several lightning bolts.

"The Sword of Zald the Gluttony." Steve answered. "The same one that he used to fell the Behemoth, and the one he lost when he became victim to the poison of the beast's flesh."

"How did you get this?" Ottar asked.

"I have my ways." Steve answered. "He meant a lot to you didn't he, Ottar? You admired him...idolized him...so when you finally defeated him, it gave you just what you needed to level up. But with him gone, you had nobody left to compete against, nobody to look up to and strive to overcome. His sword was discarded, a powerful blade strong enough to kill the Behemoth. We couldn't have such a thing lying around useless now could we." Steve opened his arms. "I am the {Lord of Gifts}, and I am a generous lord. This is my gift to you. Now use it...and fight me!"

Ottar looked between him and the sword before slowly walking forwards, and grabbing the greatsword by the hilt. He lifted it out of the ground, feeling a little light-headed at holding such a legendary weapon, and even if it looked nowhere near as pleasing as his old one that Steve destroyed, it was assuredly more powerful. The weapon of legend to the younger generation, a tool of greatness in his eyes since the days he would tussle with the Zeus and Hera Familia and be put in his place every time. He could not count the amount of times he had seen this blade, desired something like it...and now it was his.

Given to him by somebody that was leagues more powerful than Zald. Stephen Hewer had more power in his little toe than Zald ever did, of that Ottar was sure. For even as his own body was wracked with sweat and blood and bruises and cuts, Steve was unblemished and unperturbed. Ottar pointed the sword in his hand at Steve.

"Now." The gamer said. "Reveal your true power. You will not defeat me today Ottar. But once again, an overshadowing might has come upon you...and you're not one to back down from such an opportunity are you? Are you going to pass over the opportunity to improve and reach the next level?"

"No." Ottar said firmly as he held his new blade firmly, his grip tightening.

"Good." Steve's blue eyes then suddenly turned a blood red, much like Ptah's did when ever he used his Tongue. "Because this is where it ends. I am not leaving until I see the real you. Now...show me who you are."

...

{Vana Arganture}

---

(Babel)

"I never thought I'd see the day when the Gluttony's famed weapon would resurface." Hermes commented as he rested his head on a palm. "I was sure it had been destroyed in the battle with the Behemoth."

"Well it's definitely taken some damage over the years." Hephaestus said. "Zeus handed over quite lot for its commission if I remember correctly. Its far from the glory of its old days but even from this distance I can tell it's quite strong. If it survives the clash with the Otherworlder, I would strongly recommend it be handed over for some servicing and a maintenance check."

"Why would the idiot just give it away?" Ptah grumbled next to her as he crossed his arms. "That thing amounts to a national treasure. Kings would fight one another just to add it to their collection. The sword that felled the great Behemoth. There are few things I can think of that would be a point to gloat over."

"You sure about that?" Dian Cecht raised a brow. "Nothing like a group of powerful otherworldly children who instantly became the strongest adventurers the moment they received a blessing?"

"Apart from that." Ptah gave him a pointed look. "And besides, I had no idea that Steve got his hands on it."

"You didn't?" Hephaestus said in disbelief.

"He kind of does a lot of things without me knowing." Ptah said. "But in any case, a weapon like that isn't something you just give away on a whim. Especially to an enemy you're fighting at that very same moment."

"You don't fill carvings on the outside of your manor with pure gold on a whim either." Miach pointed out. "I'm surprised you haven't had any people try it with you ever since you got that manor sorted."

"We have the place guarded efficiently with some very competent members of security." Ptah said. "I'm just waiting for the fool that tries, even with us all away."

"And by security you mean all those giant wolves prowling the grounds." Loki said. "I would've done the same thing myself. Damn things have nastier looking faces than Garm."

"Don't even get me started on that mutt." Ptah growled. "There's a reason why every wolf I come across to this day, I call it Hellspawn."

"Just because he gave you a bit of a jumpscare when you visited Helheim." Loki tutted. "He was more startled than you were."

"It was also the first day I met you if I remember correctly." The Primordial said dryly.

"Onto more important topics." Dionysus said. "Don't you think it's about time this whole debacle ended? I think everyone has suffered enough."

"Quite surprising that I hear that statement from you of all people, Dio." Ptah commented before he summoned his Sceptre. "But you're right. I've had my fill of satisfaction, and I'm just bored now." Ptah held the top of the magic item to his forehead as he concentrated on the drop of divine essence that he'd imbued into the Sceptre. Finding it gave him a remote access to his Falna as the item connected with his Familia, and he felt them through each of their blessings as their emotions flooded his mind.

Filtering them all out, he focused on the one that had a deeper imprint than all the others. It was also convenient that it was the Child his Sceptre resonated with most given that the adventurer he was trying to connect to was in fact its creator.

'Steve' Ptah prompted. 'Steve? Can you hear me?'

...

Out on the battlefield, Steve grunted as he looked up to the side in annoyance.

'What do you want?' He asked in annoyance.

'Just finish this up. You've had your ego trip. Be done with it and come back to the surface...and clean up the mess as well. After all...don't you have bigger things to do than just bullying a few kids?'

'I suppose this has gone on long enough.' Steve conceded. 'Alright then. I'll finish it all now.' 

Steve looked at the Boaz across from him whose presence had now changed, and suddenly looked much more like an animal than he did a sentient creature, the eyes glaring at him with unearthed primal instinct as the beast prepared to charge.

"Let's do this."

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Comment and Review!

Discord: discord.gg/9Z77kM5N

Read ahead on my Patreon:

Patreon/ Vulkizaro_Zoromi

For commissions:

Ko-Fi/ vulkizarozoromi