Chapter 53

## Chapter Chronology

**Path of Light** is the 53rd chapter of the "*Shuumatsu no Valkyrie: Record of Ragnarok*" manga series.

## Summary

Watching the fight, Heimdall announces to the audience that a fierce clash of blows is taking place between Buddha and Hajun, now that Buddha has gotten a new Divine Weapon: the **Great Nirvana Sword – Zero**. From Humanity's stands, several people are shouting their support for Buddha, including Socrates, Confucius, Jesus, Suddhodana and Jataka. As they do, Hajun becomes increasingly frustrated. He questions how Buddha can have enough energy to even fight, considering he was on death's door just a moment ago. He further questions how Buddha is not afraid, how he is not pleading for his life and how he can keep smiling like that. As Hajun questions how Buddha can stand against him, Buddha asks Hajun what's wrong before noting that he really does seem scared.

He pushes Hajun back before the two make a slash at each other: Hajun sustaining a slash to the chest and Buddha earned a slash to his right shoulder. Watching, Isami Kondo remarks on how Buddha is going toe-to-toe against Hajun.

Soji Okita wonders if that's really the case and instead, says that Buddha is at a disadvantage. Elsewhere, Kojiro Sasaki tells Hrist that, because of his missing left eye and the wounds he sustained throughout the fight, it seems more likely that Buddha will lose.

Buddha attempts to charge at Hajun but a pain in his back halts his charge midway. Hajun takes this chance to unleash another **Blaze of Glory**. This time, Buddha manages to block the attack fully, with **Zero**, though the force of the attack causes all his wounds to spurt out blood. Pushing Buddha down, Hajun yells at him to begone, only for his sword to be deflected and Buddha follows it up by slashing Hajun across the chest once more. Buddha notes he still hasn't gotten used to his new depth perception as the slash was much more shallow than he thought it was.

Meanwhile, Hajun is in disbelief that Buddha was able to stop his **Blaze of Glory** at full power. Ares calls Buddha an unfathomable man and Hermes agrees, though he remarks on how it seems Buddha is reaching his limit first. Zeus speculates that one more **Blaze of Glory** will finish Buddha but a smirking Hades calls them all fools and insists that all Buddha needs to do, is dodge the attack, not take it. Ares questions how he'll do that as Hajun unleashes a flurry of stabs. Buddha suddenly activates his **Pure Enlightenment Eighth Consciousness**. Seeing a single strand of light, Buddha begins to dodge Hajun's attacks by a hair.

Göll notices and asks Brunhilde why Hajun's attacks are missing their mark more and more. Brunhilde goes over how Buddha uses his **Pure Enlightenment Eighth Consciousness** to see the tremors of the light of someone's soul. That is why he couldn't initially predict what Hajun may do: because his soul was being obscured by a veil of darkness. But as this fight has gone on, Hajun has become more agitated, leading to the veil covering his soul to slightly open up. Meaning Buddha can now predict what Hajun is going to do next because Hajun has become afraid of him.

After Buddha dodges a series of attacks by Hajun, the Demon Lord inwardly affirms his title and calls himself the most supreme being. After declaring someone like Buddha can never be in his world, Hajun slashes and seemingly slices Buddha's head in half, to the shock of Brunhilde, Göll and the Greek Gods (though Hades shows no particular reaction). Believing he's killed Buddha, Hajun cheers for divine retribution, only for it to turn out to be an illusion he took down.

The real Buddha stands next to Hajun, much to the confusion of Hajun, Soji, Isami, Kojiro and Hrist. As Buddha raises **Zero**, he starts to recall an excerpt from Chapter 1 of the *Sutta Nipata*: "Unstartled, like a lion at sounds. Unsnared, like the wind in a net. Unsoiled, like a lotus in water. Like the horn of the rhinoceros, walk alone. However, should you find a companion upon whose soul you can rest yours...Then across all manners of adversity, brimming with joy...Walk with him". Buddha inwardly wonders if Zerofuku can see their path and says that they should go down it together. Buddha then unleashes **Mahapari Nirvana**, slicing Hajun's body into pieces. Humanity begins to cheer for Buddha's victory. Continuing to call himself the Demon Lord of the Sixth Heaven, Hajun attempts to stab Buddha but his body disappears before the attack can connect.

As Hajun disappears, Buddha tells Zerofuku it's over. He looks up and sees an image of Zerofuku running around. Noticing Buddha, Zerofuku gives him a thumbs-up before he and the Seven Lucky Gods wave Buddha goodbye. As they all disappear, Buddha sheds a tear and calls them cool before bidding Zerofuku farewell. With a time of 21 minutes and 37 seconds, Round 6 of Ragnarok goes to Buddha, making it the third win for Humanity and tying the score with the Gods yet again.

## Characters in Order of Appearance

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