Episode 20

## The Pinnacle of 1116

* Screenshot
* Title

## Episode Chronology

**The Pinnacle of 1116** is the 20th episode overall of the "*Shuumatsu no Valkyrie: Record of Ragnarok*" anime and the 8th episode of Season 2.

## Synopsis

Years ago, Shiva spent many happy days with his best friend Rudra. Then one day, Rudra asks Shiva to join him on a journey to the top.

## Plot

Long ago, the Indian pantheon was made up of a jumble of thousands of gods. There were great rivalries among them as each was vying for power, but not a single god ruled over all the gods of India. In Mount Kailash there were two nearly unknown gods.

Rudra is training and is punching a big boulder. Shiva is lying around and wonders how Rudra doesn't get sick of all that training. Rudra explains its because he wants to get stronger. Shiva stands up and dances with animals and invites Rudra to join them, which he accepts. Two other gods come looking for Rudra and Shiva's help, explaining that the Asura Butcher Brothers are in the village. Shiva doesn't care, but Rudra states they will go and asks his friend to come as well.

Shumbha beats one of the village gods and asks him where their leader is.

The god explains that they don't have one, but the strongest in the village are the God of Tempest, Rudra, and the God of Destruction, Shiva. Hearing that, Nishumbha laughs as the names sound foolish and that of a second-rate gods. Shiva and Rudra come and Shiva apologizes for being a second-rate and immaterially headbutts Shumbha. Shiva and Rudra then engage Nishumbha, Shumbha and their followers and beat them up.

Rudra wonders what Shiva intends to do and Shiva guesses he will become Nataraja, the lord of dance. Rudra states he has a dream, which makes Shiva laugh and mock him if he is a human.

Rudra hits Shiva and explains that he wants to stand at the pinnacle of India, and test himself how great of a god he is. He also wants to see sights no one else has seen. Rudra wonders if Shiva will come with him, explaining that together they can go anywhere. Shiva isn't interested, but everything he does with Rudra is interesting and once Rudra decides something, he isn't changing his mind, so he has no choice but to go with him. The two set out soughing the pinnacle of Indian pantheon.

At first, everyone laughed and mocked them, however the two kept beating gods after gods, and eventually the ridicule turned to respect. With each god they defeated, they gained their opponent's name, and their burden grew greater. They faced great gods. One day, they faced Agni and Varuna. As Rudra defeats Agni, he looks at Shiva if he is done and sees him dancing. Shiva then notices that Rudra had also already defeated his opponent and notes that the two of them are quite strong.

Later they face Indra, the God of Lighting, destroyer of Vrita. Rudra states he is ten times stronger than the rest they faced and wishes to fight him. Indra is fine taking them both, but Rudra states they are fighting one-on-one. Rudra manages to defeat Indra and Shiva decides that they should dance celebrating it. The two eventually face Brahma, the Creator, and Vishnu, the Preserver, and taking them down, they will finally be at the pinnacle.

Shiva and Rudra manage to defeat them and together they have defeated 1,115 gods and stood at the pinnacle of India. Being on the top of the mountain, Shiva is able to see their village and is enjoying the view, however, he then sees Rudra's serious face. Rudra asks Shiva for a fight, explaining that only one can stand at the top. Rudra feels he needs to do this due to the gods they have defeated and also wants to know himself who is stronger. Shiva is sad, knowing that Rudra won't change his mind and accepts.

The two then start fighting, creating the more ferocious fight in the history of India, with the sound of their fists striking each another echoing throughout India. For the two this was the greatest fun and the greatest sorrow they'd experienced. Their fight lasts a long time but Shiva takes the upper hand. He wants Rudra to give up and stop standing up as if Rudra keeps standing up, he may end up killing him. Rudra keeps standing wanting to achieve his dream.

Seeing that, Shiva gets on the ground and states that Rudra is too strong for him. Just as Shiva is about to say he gives up, Rudra does it before him. Shiva is surprised and wonders why and Rudra explains that when someone is fighting with all their might, he also have to fight with all his might until it's over. Risking your life against someone who is going easy on your is worse than death. Shiva cries, stating that it's Rudra's dream to stand at the pinnacle.

Rudra tells him to not cry and that he, along with the 1116 gods is at the pinnacle. Rudra gives all the names he obtained and states this was the best dream ever. Shiva feels the heavy burden and becomes the chief of the gods, however at the same time he lost his greatest friend. The Indian gods see that Rudra has come to see Shiva's fight with Raiden. Vishnu states that Shiva is fighting like a beast. Rudra notes that when Shiva gets in a fight, he is having more fun swinging his fists than anyone. Varuna states that Shiva was smiling the whole time while they fought. Agni adds that Shiva is too dumb to know when to hold back.

Shiva starts to dance with the rhythm of the cosmos that only he could know. Zeus recognize Shiva's war dance as the Treasure of the Indian Pantheon, the secret weapon he used to unite the Indian Pantheon. Raiden tries to attack Shiva, but he easily dodges his attack while dancing and lands his on Raiden. Shiva continues attacking Raiden, giving him no chance to move, and according to Hermes, Raiden must feel like being hit by several people at the same time.

Göll fears the fight became one sided, but Brunhilde tells her to look at Raiden's arms. Raiden focuses his muscles on his arm, enlarging them and using them as a shield. Ares sees that Shiva is smoking and Hermes explains that Shiva is on fire as his ferocious dance has made his body spontaneously combust. He then jumps up and brings his leg down, hitting Raiden with Krittivasa and searing the sumo's flesh. With this, everyone, both mankind and gods, is certain that Raiden will lose the fight; however, he instead smiles.

## Characters

* Shiva
* Rudra
* Shumbha (Flashback)
* Nishumbha (Flashback)
* Agni
* Varuna
* Indra
* Vishnu
* Brahma
* Raiden Tameemon
* Kali
* Ganesha
* Durga
* Parvati
* Zeus
* Ares
* Hermes
* Aphrodite (No lines)
* Heimdall (Voice only)
* Göll
* Brunhilde
* Genpaku Sugita
* Kajinosuke Tanikaze (No lines)
* Kisaburo Onogawa (No lines)

## Differences in Adaptations

* Shiva's flashback is expanded, showing additional scenes.
* Neither of the Gods (except Rudra) dance alongside Shiva in the anime.