Chapter 21

## Chapter Chronology

**Conditions of a Gentleman** is the 21st chapter of the "*Shuumatsu no Valkyrie: Record of Ragnarok*" manga series.

## Summary

Heimdall says that Heracles is a man who ascended to Godhood, wreathed in glory as a "shining beacon of justice", going against Jack the Ripper, the most corrupt evil that Humanity has to offer.

Heracles glares at Brunhilde through the monitors and as Brunhilde proudly smiles, Heracles angrily questions why. The previous combatants – Lü Bu, Adam, Kojiro Sasaki – were all worthy men. All of them were capable of moving the hearts of the Gods. Heracles continues to question why his opponent has to be scum that played with the lives of innocent women and snapping.

Heracles yells out to Brunhilde not to mess with him. Humanity's crowd don't know how to feel about a serial killer representing them. Smoking a pipe, Arthur Conan Doyle recounts how Jack the Ripper is history's darkest serial killer. During the second half of the 19th century, a total of five prostitutes turned up murdered by a sharp object. London's Metropolitan Police swore to catch the man responsible yet they never did. Arthur calls it a mystery so profound, that not even his Sherlock Holmes could solve it, referencing how Arthur tried to solve the mystery of Jack the Ripper himself but failed. Heracles tells Jack to admit defeat.

If he does, Heracles will ask Zeus to pardon him from the match, which will save him from Niflhel. Heracles states that he despises senseless killing but is wholeheartedly willing to kill Jack with no hesitation. Bowing, Jack thanks Heracles for accepting his request to change the arena before saying he can't surrender. Reaching behind his back, Jack reveals that he will always accept a duel, no matter the odds, for that is the true essence of a gentleman. From his back, Jack brings out two large, golden blades. The audience question if Jack is another dual-wielding swordsman, only for Jack to place the two blades on top of each other, creating a giant scissor. Jack tells Heracles that this is his **Völundr** and after cutting a streetlight in half with ease, Jack calls the Divine Weapon exquisite for being able to tear anything to pieces.

Ares calls it a strange weapon and Hermes agrees. Heracles decides that if Jack wants to do this, then he'll answer his resolve with all his might, only to be surprised when Jack immediately runs away. Watching, Loki laughs. With his face red, Heracles follows Jack into the alleyway he ran in and finds Jack at the end of the alleyway, near a small cafe and pouring himself a cup of tea. Jack explains he had to do this since it's nearly teatime and calls tea a staple of a gentleman. He offers Heracles a cup but Heracles simply tells Jack to draw his weapon. Ignoring him, Jack comments on how Darjeeling is of the finest quality. Heracles begins stomping towards Jack, only to stop when he notices that he came close to crossing a faint wire. Calling it a cheap trick, Heracles snaps the wire, causing knives to fly at Heracles from every direction.

However, the knives immediately end up bending on impact and Heracles wonders if Brunhilde forgot to tell Jack that man-made weapons can't harm Gods. Taking a sip, Jack says he knew but just had to test it out for himself. Lifting his club, Heracles tells Jack to begone and Jack replies with "Certainly." From under his cloak, Jack brings out a gun and shoots, only for the bullet to turn out to be a hook attached to a long string that allows Jack to grapple up a building, carrying the scissors by wearing it on his arm. Jack then brings out another grappling gun and begins to flee.

As Göll notes he's running away again, Heracles tells Jack to quit his pitiful struggling and strengthens his legs, causing the surrounding ground to break. Heracles then launches at Jack and attempts to bring down his club midair. Jack responds by trying to cut the club with his scissors, only for Heracles' might to end up breaking the scissors. As they land on the ground, Humanity begin despairing and call Jack unreliable. Heracles tells Jack it's over and the serial killer backs up against a wall. In a seemingly last ditch effort, he brings out a horde of knives from his pouch and flings them at Heracles.

The God of Fortitude tries reminding Jack that man-made weapons won't work, only to be shocked when the knives pierce through his flesh. As Ares, Hermes, Zeus, Shiva, Loki and Arthur stare wide-eyed, Heracles questions why the knives could hurt him. Jack recalls telling Heracles that the scissors were his **Völundr** but that was a lie. Since the knives didn't hurt Heracles last time, he assumed it would be the same this time and didn't bother defending himself. Jack says he must've had quite the fortunate upbringing, to fall for a simple trap such as that. Heracles questions if his **Völundr** are these knives and Jack brings out multiple knives, connected by string.

Jack reveals to Hercales that his **Völundr** are the pouches, which can create Divine Weapons, though nothing bigger than the pouches themselves. Jack states that everything he makes, is made to order, adding that is also the essence of a gentleman. As Humanity react with confused awe and the Gods call Jack a coward, Göll asks Brunhilde why she chose a guy like that. Brunhilde asks Göll if she knows the one thing Humanity excels at more than the Gods. She reveals it to be malice and states that the personification of malice will end up tearing into the heart of the most righteous God. Holding up his knives, Jack tells Heracles to tremble before him.

## Characters in Order of Appearance

* Heracles
* Jack the Ripper
* Göll
* Brunhilde
* Arthur Conan Doyle
* Ares
* Zeus (No lines)
* Hermes
* Loki
* Heimdall
* Shiva (No lines)
* Odin (No lines)
* Huginn & Muninn