Chapter 52

## Chapter Chronology

**Light and Shadow** is the 52nd chapter of the "*Shuumatsu no Valkyrie: Record of Ragnarok*" manga series.

## Summary

Despite huffing and bleeding from Hajun's halberd through his abdomen, Buddha grins and keeps moving forward to drive **Salakayas** more into Hajun's left forearm, much to the shock and even fright of the Demon Lord. After dislodging his halberd, Hajun kicks Buddha back as Brunhilde and Göll look on. Briefly looking at his wounded arm before looking at Buddha, Hajun inwardly wonders how Buddha has enough energy to stand, despite being wounded in the abdomen. Buddha, still smirking, mockingly asks Hajun if he's scared right now. Angered, Hajun asserts that he isn't scared at all since he has finally found the perfect soil (referencing Zerofuku's body).

Hajun then begins thinking back to when he was berserking around Helheim. While attacking many Demons, Hajun noticed his arm beginning to bulge and as his body began to fully break down, Hajun exclaimed that his body couldn't contain all of his raw power, thus causing Hajun's body to completely explode into pieces.

In the present, Hajun attempts to claim that he can never feel afraid, only for Buddha to cut him off by calling him "way weaker" than Zerofuku. Hajun is, once again, angered, but upon seeing Buddha huff repeatedly, smirks. He dares Buddha to prove what he just said was true and unleashes a number of thrusts. As Buddha tries desperately blocking them all with **Salakayas**, Heimdall claims that right now, Buddha may as well be in the pits of Hell. In Humanity's section of the crowd, many Buddhists fervently pray for Buddha.

Noting he can't use **Pure Enlightenment Eighth Consciousness** to see the future, on top of sustaining grievous wounds, Ares decides this may be it for Buddha. Hades says "What a fool..." and Ares agrees that Buddha is a fool, though it still pains him to have to lose a man like him. Hades then clarifies that he's calling Ares the fool and points out how Buddha hasn't given up yet. Hermes agrees and Zeus realizes that Buddha is planning to turn it all around with one more **Karma-Destroying Samsara Cycle**. After Hajun makes a swipe attack, Buddha tries to block it with **Salakayas** but he is pushed back.

Regardless, he successfully plants his feet into the ground and skids back a bit before staying on his feet. Hajun questions how Buddha can keep standing once more and drawing **Salakayas** back, Buddha goads Hajun to come at him. In the face of Buddha's seemingly unwavering confidence, Hajun instinctively takes a step back.

Hades notices and chuckles, calling Hajun afraid. Hajun is in disbelief that he is actually scared by Buddha and when he notices his body trembling, he forces himself to stop by ripping off his hanging left arm and crushing it into the shape of a sword, reaffirming to himself that he's afraid of no-one for he is the Demon Lord of the Sixth Heaven. Hajun then draws back his weapon as well and the two glare at each other. Buddha makes the first move, attempting to use **Karma-Destroying Samsara Cycle** once more. Fully holding back his blade, Hajun proceeds to unleash **Blaze of Glory**, swinging his blade within a narrow arc. This attack ends up severing and further shattering the scythe of **Salakayas**, causing the **Six Realms Staff** to turn back to normal, much to the shock of all those watching.

Calling for divine retribution, Hajun attempts to stab Buddha through. Buddha tries to block the attack by intercepting the blade with the prayer wheel on the **Six Realms Staff**, only for Hajun's strike to completely destroy the prayer wheel and also completely shatter Buddha's Divine Weapon. The shockwave knocks Buddha back and on the ground, ripping his shirt in the process.

In his room, still watching the match, Beelzebub takes a bite out of his pear, pleased with the results of his experiment. Humanity starts to begin praying for Buddha to get up, which even includes Brunhilde. While on the ground, Buddha feels as if he is in complete darkness. He then feels a warm light next to him and wonders what it is. He reaches out for it and a hand takes his. Opening his eyes, Buddha looks at what he grabbed onto and to the surprise of the audience and Hajun, begins laughing. Hajun wonders if he's gone mad at the face of death. Standing up, Buddha asks if Hajun knows what it means to confront your own weakness, to fight back against your own inexperience and to try and overcome it.

As his metal hairband snaps, letting loose his hair, Buddha reveals he picked up the handle of Zerofuku's **Misery Cleaver** and declares that to do all that, one must go through puberty and because Hajun doesn't have that, he's weak. Buddha tells Zerofuku it's time to go and through **Samavadhāna**, he performs **Völundr** with Zerofuku's **Misery Cleaver**. As it begins shining, Göll exclaims it's changing shape. Crying, Brunhilde declares that, instead of misery, the **Misery Cleaver** is taking in Buddha's compassion. Thus, it is forming a new Divine Weapon that only the one who has attained enlightenment can create: **Great Nirvana Sword – Zero**, a golden seven-branched sword with a lotus-shaped guard and the names of the Seven Lucky Gods on each branch.

As Beelzebub looks on with mild surprise, Hajun questions what Buddha plans to do with **Zero**. With the mirage of the Seven Lucky Gods appearing behind him, Buddha declares he's delivering divine retribution upon Hajun.

## Characters in Order of Appearance

* Hajun
* Buddha
* Göll
* Brunhilde
* Ares
* Zeus
* Hermes
* Hades
* Odin (No lines)
* Huginn & Muninn (No lines)
* Loki (No lines)
* Isami Kondo (No lines)
* Soji Okita (No lines)
* Kojiro Sasaki (No lines)
* Hrist (No lines)
* Heimdall (Voice only)
* Beelzebub
* Socrates (No lines)
* Confucius (No lines)
* Jesus (No lines)
* Zerofuku (No lines)
* Jurojin (No lines)
* Bishamonten (No lines)
* Daikokuten (No lines)
* Ebisu (No lines)
* Hoteison (No lines)
* Benzaiten (No lines)
* Fukurokuju (No lines)