Episode 24

## Zero

* Screenshot
* Title

## Episode Chronology

**Zero** is the 24th episode overall of the "*Shuumatsu no Valkyrie: Record of Ragnarok*" anime and the 12th episode of Season 2.

## Synopsis

Struck by the amount of suffering humans must endure, Zerofuku decides to absorb all of their unhappiness, but it still isn't enough to end their pain.

## Plot

In ancient Asia, at a time when the gods and humanity were still close, some gods inhabited Earth in order to protect humanity. A young Zerofuku wakes up and becomes excited to make everyone happy. He finds a chick that fell from the nest and climbs the tree to put it back in it. He gets attacked by a bird and falls, but upon realizing it's their mother, he is not upset and hopes the birds grow up happy. He heads to a nearby village but is shocked to see that the humans are plagued by the eight sufferings and misfortunes. He cries for them, wondering what he can do to bring them happiness. Zerofuku then realizes that if he removes the source of their misfortune, he can take their suffering. He sees a child with pain in his chest and approaches him, extending his hand as he states he will take and carry his misfortune. As he absorbs it, the child stands up, no longer feeling pain. The townsfolk thank him, bowing to him as their god and Zerofuku decided to make it his mission to bring happiness to people who suffer from misfortune.

Zerofuku spends years of absorbing misfortune, but by taking their misfortune, he himself started to suffer, enduring excruciating pain after taking so much. Despite this, he is fine with it, since as long as it brings happiness to the humans, he will be happy. He decided to visit the village and see how are the people, only to be shocked at what the humans had turned into. Without their misfortune, the townsfolk had forgotten what fortune is and fell into depravity. A young man bumps into him; Zerofuku recognizes him by his scar as the boy he first, happy to see he has grown up. However, the man doesn't recognize him, and spits on Zerofuku, thinking he is lowly scum. Zerofuku can't believe this is happening. The chick he saved long ago recognizes Zerofuku and heads to thank him, but an emotional Zerofuku begins giving off a malicious aura, which scares the bird. The young god is angry that after all the misfortune he absorbed for them, the humans still aren't happy.

A man then passes through the village, followed by a large group of people. Zerofuku thinks that they are people who came wanting him to take their misfortune. The man leading them is Buddha, who is eating some beans. Another man asks him if he can give him some and Buddha gives him a handful. All the people who followed Buddha are destitute and poor, yet their expressions radiated with fortune. After Buddha passes by Zerofuku, he asks him to stop. Buddha wonders if he wants to come with them and offers him some beans, but Zerofuku pushes the beans down and asks him why the people who follow him look so fortunate. Zerofuku reveals that he worked hard, absorbing the people's misfortune and wonders why they haven't become at least a bit fortunate. Buddha tells him he is mistaken and that you can't give fortune, as it is something you obtain on your own. Buddha cites his teaching Sutta Nipata and asks Zerofuku to join him in obtaining enlightenment. However, Zerofuku runs away crying, jealous of a mere human who is able to do what he is supposed to.

An angered Zerofuku runs to a river, where he falls into a state of misery, his love becoming potent hate. His heart turns into seven hair beads and turns his hair black, giving him a more sinister look as he decides to bring misfortune to the humans instead. He sees some humans nearby and attempts to kill them, but a woman turns to face him to protect her child. Seeing this, Zerofuku stops himself. Struggling, he reaches into the hole where his heart was and divides his soul into seven people, the Seven Lucky Gods. The seven gods then note that they almost spread misfortune to the world. They are still annoyed at Buddha for thinking he can lead the people instead of the gods. However, Bishamonten tells them that right now isn't the time to bring judgment on Buddha and they leave. That created the legend of the eight gods of fortune.

Zerofuku tells Buddha that the time to bring judgment on him has come. He tells Buddha to not hold it against him, since it is Buddha's fault for making Zerofuku look like a fool. Buddha kicks him in the solar plexus, bringing him down instantly and wondering who he was. Spitting out blood, Zerofuku wonders what he did to deserve such pain, feeling he was struck by misfortune. He incessantly attacks Buddha with his axe, but Buddha easily dodges all of his slashes. Unable to land a hit, Zerofuku feels how much misfortunate he is. His axe grows bigger and spawns some eyes. Ares wonders if he is imagining his axe becoming bigger, but Zeus states that it indeed has, as his axe absorbs misfortune. The more it absorbs, the bigger and more destructive it grows, becoming the feared Cataxetrophe. Zerofuku attacks again, with his axe splitting the ground and almost hitting the audience, but Buddha is able to evade him still. Brunhilde states that each time Zerofuku misses with his axe, his own misfortune grows and the axe absorbs it. Göll realizes that the more Buddha dodges Zerofuku, the bigger and stronger the axe will be getting, worrying her. Brunhilde then asks if she notices how Buddha is moving. Göll then realizes that he is avoiding the attacks before they even start. Brunhilde states that Buddha already knows where Zerofuku attacks will come from due to his precognition, his eyes achieving a state that only the enlightened can achieve.

Buddha continues dodging Zerofuku, annoying him and demanding that he attack back. Buddha then strikes him with his staff, stating he will attack when he wants to. He reveals that he can see Zerofuku's attacks, which only angers the misfortuned god further. Despite continual slashes, Buddha continues to dodge him while easily landing his own hits when he chooses. The difference in power became clear to everyone. Zerofuku laments that nothing has gone his way. The people he helped didn't appreciate him. He feels overwhelmed by misfortune as he also becomes jealous of Buddha. While Zerofuku is overwhelmed by misfortune, Buddha notices something and states that it is quite unfair as well. Zerofuku's axe then grows enormous, creating multiple blades and attaining wide range, making everyone believe that he can't dodge that. Brunhilde realizes this must be the reason Buddha stopped moving as he knew he can't dodge it and that he must feel hopeless right now.

Buddha activates his weapon, Six Realms. Zerofuku then slams the ground with his axe, crushing Buddha under it and gets happy that he passed judgment. However, Buddha had used the Staff of the Six Realms' Realm Four. Asura Realm, Eleven-Faced Avalokitesvara. The staff had turned into the Shield of Ahimusa, that protected him against Zerofuku's attack. Buddha tells Zerofuku to not worry, as he can handle his adolescence, which only angers Zerofuku.

## Characters

* Zerofuku
* Buddha
* Bishamonten (Flashback)
* Benzaiten (Flashback)
* Daikokuten (Flashback)
* Ebisu (Flashback)
* Fukurokuju (Flashback)
* Hoteison (Flashback)
* Jurojin (Flashback)
* Göll
* Brunhilde
* Ares
* Hermes
* Aphrodite
* Heimdall
* Zeus
* Loki
* Odin
* Huginn & Muninn

## Differences in Adaptations

* Some scenes were never added, the people who were helped by Zerofuku, had learn that their fortune didn't bring satisfaction after confronted Buddha leading the poor, including the beer drinker and the two rioters.
* The other Sages (Jesus, Socrates and Confucius) are omitted from the anime
* The crowd's reaction to Zerofuku's weapon was omitted.