Chapter 19

## Chapter Chronology

**The Swallow Gazes into the Abyss** is the 19th chapter of the "*Shuumatsu no Valkyrie: Record of Ragnarok*" manga series.

## Summary

As Kojiro Sasaki stands tall with his new **Völundr**, Göll sighs in relief that Hrist is okay before questioning how she managed to split herself in two. Brunhilde calls it Hrist's true nature and reminds Göll that her name means, "The Trembling One, Whether That Be with Fear or Anger". Thus, the two personalities that reside within her body can become a **Völundr** each. Göll guesses that Brunhilde knew this was coming, only for Brunhilde to maniacally rave about how lucky that was, prompting Göll to realize that Brunhilde didn't know about this. After saying it doesn't look like it's over yet, Kojiro playfully asks Poseidon if he wants to fight it out to their hearts' content.

In response, Poseidon merely calls Kojiro a worm. After they wait a few moments, they both take in a breath before Poseidon jumps up and resumes his **Chione Tyro Demeter**, which Kojiro begins to parry with his blades. Watching, Iori Miyamoto, for a moment, sees his father fighting instead of Kojiro.

Realizing it's because Kojiro is emulating his moves, Iori asks Musashi Miyamoto how he can do that. Musashi says it's only natural and presumes that Kojiro, after his death, continued his fight against Musashi using his **Senju Musō**, over countless times, until he burned those scars into his body.

Iori points out that only makes Kojiro an imitation and questions if that will be enough to reach a God. Musashi tells Iori that isn't all. Using the kodachi-wielding of Seigen Toda, Kojiro expertly blocks Poseidon's trident. With the flowing footwork of Sekishūsai Yagyu, Kojiro moves forward while parrying the God's attacks. Once he's gotten close, Kojiro employs the brute strength of Ittosai Itto to clash against Poseidon's trident directly, halting his **Chione Tyro Demeter**. Finally, Kojiro uses a mix of Nobutsuna Kamiizumi's smooth combinations and Musashi's dual-wielding to begin inflicting Poseidon's body with multiple superficial cuts, much to the shock of Ares, Hermes, Huginn & Muninn and to the warped excitement of Loki.

After Kojiro crosses his swords to block a thrust from Poseidon's trident, Musashi calls it a gathering of various swordsmen before declaring that this is what it means to truly be unrivaled under the heavens. As Humanity cheers, Heimdall is in shock to announce that Poseidon, the man known as Zeus Enalios, is covered in wounds. Just like the two battles that preceded it, hope returned to Humanity once more and they continue to cheer on Kojiro. However, after touching his wounds, Poseidon smiles and begins humming to himself. After slicking back his hair with the blood he collected from his wounds, Poseidon questions if Kojiro thinks he has him read entirely. As the muscles in his right arm expand, Poseidon instructs Kojiro to know his place and in a flash, cuts Kojiro's left shoulder without Kojiro having any time to react.

As quickly as it returned to them, hope was once again, snatched away from Humanity. In response to Kojiro's masterful techniques, Poseidon was only interested in turning the battle into one of pure strength. After Poseidon launches another attack that grazes Kojiro's forehead, the swordsman attempts to use **Senju Musō** in order to predict Poseidon's next move, only for Poseidon to cut Kojiro's shoulder again.

Kojiro inwardly exclaims that even if he can see it, he can't react to Poseidon's moves in time. Scoffing, Poseidon proceeds to use **Medusa Alope Demeter**, moving around Kojiro and delivering multiple thrusts from different sides, so fast, that his afterimages create a dome around Kojiro. Straining himself to the highest extent, Kojiro parries multiple thrusts coming from all directions before slashing at what he thinks is Poseidon, only for it to turn out to be an afterimage. Continuing to block attacks from behind, Kojiro is in disbelief at how bottomless Poseidon's power seems to be when he thought he faced Poseidon's true power earlier. Feeling as if he's sinking deeper and deeper, Kojiro questions if this is it for him and begins to accept it, acknowledging that losing is nothing new for him. It is at that moment that all the swordsmen of history, including everyone Kojiro has ever met on his journey, begin to cheer on Kojiro, with Musashi yelling at him to show the Gods their hearts as warriors.

Smiling, Kojiro notes that those idiots haven't changed. With their encouragement, Kojiro begins to successfully counter Poseidon's **Medusa Alope Demeter**. He briefly recounts how his path always started with a loss before finally parrying away the real Poseidon's trident. It is then Kojiro yells out that for once, he wants to win too. It was at that moment, the tip of Humanity's blade, finally touched the bottom of the abyss. At that moment, Kojiro evolved **Senju Musō** into **Manju Musō**, scanning all creation at once, from the vibrations in the air, to the trembles of the ground. With this, Kojiro begins to successfully weave through Poseidon's attacks, avoiding them entirely as he advances. Reaching Poseidon, Kojiro inwardly thanks those who have helped to pave this way for him. Kojiro uses his final attack: **Sōen Zanko Banjin Ryōran**.

With the kodachi in his left hand, Kojiro cuts off Poseidon's right arm, midway through his attack. The God and Human audience look on with dead silence. Not giving up, Poseidon grabs the remains of his trident with his left hand and crushes the right arm attached to it. He brings the trident down, only for Kojiro to use the katana in his right hand to cut off his left arm too. The Head Gods look on with extreme shock at what is happening. Still not giving in, Poseidon uses his teeth to grasp the trident and attempts to attack but it is ultimately futile as Kojiro uses both his blades to splice his torso into four sections. Falling back, Poseidon curses Kojiro before dying. As Göll, Brunhilde and all of Humanity cheer, Kojiro admits that winning for once, doesn't feel bad.

With a time of 13 minutes and 7 seconds, the victor of Round 3 of Ragnarok is Kojiro Sasaki, giving Humanity its first win.

## Characters in Order of Appearance

* Kojiro Sasaki
* Göll
* Brunhilde
* Hrist (No lines)
* Poseidon
* Musashi Miyamoto
* Iori Miyamoto
* Ares
* Hermes
* Odin (No lines)
* Huginn & Muninn (No lines)
* Loki (No lines)
* Seigen Toda (No lines)
* Kagekatsu Toda (No lines)
* Ittosai Itto (No lines)
* Sekishusai Yagyu (No lines)
* Heimdall
* Nobutsuna Kamiizumi (No lines)
* Seijuro Yoshioka (No lines)
* Inshun Hozoin (No lines)
* Shiva (No lines)
* Thor (No lines)
* Zeus (No lines)