"...?"
Johannes froze for a split second, then—like he'd just heard the funniest joke in his life—burst into a harsh, grating laugh.
"Not as good as the Egyptian Gods? Hahahaha! What a joke! The Egyptian Gods need three Tributes to be summoned—what about my Aesir? No Tribute restrictions at all! Just that alone puts them miles above your so-called Gods!"
He yanked out a card and slammed it down.
"I activate the Spell Card Card of Sanctity! Its effect—both players draw until they each have 6 cards in hand!"
He looked straight at Yusaku. "I only have one card in my hand right now, so I draw five. You have five, so you only draw one."
Yusaku expressionlessly drew a single card, flicked his eyes over it, then casually slid it into his hand—still watching Johannes with the same amused interest, like he was enjoying the show.
After adding five cards to his hand, Johannes revealed one with a flourish.
"Nordic Smith Ivaldi's effect! If I control an 'Aesir' monster or a 'Nordic' monster, I can activate this and Special Summon it from my hand!"
"I already control Loki, Lord of the Aesir, so I Special Summon this monster to the field!"
Light flashed, and a dwarf built like an iron tower appeared, hauling a massive hammer taller than he was. His bare arms bulged with knotted muscle, packed with explosive strength.
Nordic Smith Ivaldi
Level 4 / Warrior / Effect
ATK 1500
"Ivaldi's other effect!" Johannes barked. "If this card is Normal or Special Summoned, I can add 1 'Nordic Relic' card from my Deck to my hand. I add the Continuous Trap—Nordic Relic Svalinn!"
After pocketing the search, he slapped down another card.
"I activate the Spell Card—Double Summon! This turn, I can Normal Summon twice!"
Then he threw down yet another card immediately.
"Next, I Normal Summon Tanngnjostr of the Nordic Beasts!"
A surge of murky black light rolled across the field. A sleek, agile black goat trotted in, horns curved like sickles, emerald eyes flashing with feral malice.
Tanngnjostr of the Nordic Beasts
Level 3 / Beast / Effect
ATK 800
The moment it hit the field, Johannes snapped out his next command.
"Now I tune the monster I just summoned—Tanngnjostr of the Nordic Beasts—with the Level 4 Effect Monster Nordic Smith Ivaldi, and the Level 3 Tuner Nordic Beast Gullinbursti!"
"Go ahead—witness real despair!"
He ripped a card from his Extra Deck, its surface gleaming with golden light, and raised it high overhead.
"O star-lord who reigns over omniscience and omnipotence in the northern heavens! Now, before all the gods of the star realm—display your supreme authority!"
The wind turned savage. A pillar of light, thicker than the one that summoned Loki, tore through the cloud layer and stabbed into the sky. That ancient, solemn "narration" seemed to echo again—unyielding, absolute, like even heaven and earth had no choice but to bow.
"Synchro Summon! The All-Father who commands the gods of heaven and earth—Odin, Father of the Aesir!"
Rolling black storm clouds swallowed the entire sky. Violet lightning writhed through them like raging dragons, and the world dimmed in an instant, as if the end had come. At the heart of the clouds, a gigantic vortex split open, thunder roaring within its depths as a towering shadow emerged—an eagle-helmed figure clad in golden armor.
He held a spear that gleamed with cold, eternal light, his gaze emotionless as he looked down upon the earth. The pressure pouring off him made the air feel thick and heavy.
Odin, Father of the Aesir
Level 10 / Divine-Beast / Synchro / Effect
ATK 4000
"I'm not done!" Johannes' roar was manic with excitement, cracking through the heavens. "Next, I Link Summon using Dverg of the Nordic Alfar!"
"Link Summon! Link-1—Gullveig of the Nordic Ascendant!"
Dverg became a streak of light and shot into the Link marker at center field—the arrow flared brilliantly.
Holy light blossomed, and an angel with golden wings slowly descended. She wore a white robe, her face serene, yet her presence carried a sacred authority that demanded reverence.
Gullveig of the Nordic Ascendant
Link-1 / Fairy / Link / Effect
ATK 800
"Gullveig's effect!" Johannes shouted. "If this card is Link Summoned, I can banish up to three cards from my hand and/or field, then Special Summon that many 'Nordic' monsters from my Deck in Defense Position!"
He revealed a card from his hand. "I banish Alviss of the Nordic Alfar! Then I Special Summon the Level 4 Tuner from my Deck—Guldfaxe of the Nordic Beasts!"
Light flashed. A powerful stallion—brown-black in body, its mane shining like gold—neighed and charged onto the field, hooves hammering the ground and kicking up dust.
Guldfaxe of the Nordic Beasts
Level 4 / Beast / Tuner / Effect
ATK 1600
The instant it appeared, Johannes snapped his fingers, voice sharp.
"Right now—Alviss, the card I just banished, can activate its effect! If it was banished only by a 'Nordic' Link Monster's effect, I can make the total Levels equal 10—send 1 'Nordic' monster from my field and 2 'Nordic' monsters from my Deck to the GY... then Special Summon 1 'Aesir' monster from my Extra Deck!"
He immediately pulled two cards from his Deck and barked out the names.
"I send the two Level 3 Effect Monsters Tanngnjostr of the Nordic Beasts and Tanngrisnir of the Nordic Beasts, along with my Tuner Guldfaxe of the Nordic Beasts!"
The cards became streams of light, plunging into the Graveyard zone.
Johannes then yanked the final Aesir card from his Extra Deck, lifted it overhead, and screamed with everything he had—his voice piercing enough to tear at eardrums, shaking the entire stadium.
"When the gate of the star realm opens, the ancient war god raises his mighty hammer! In thunder that shakes the earth—awaken!"
Golden lightning poured down like a waterfall from the heavens, the booming impacts sounding like the world was cracking apart. Even the arena's protective barrier trembled violently.
Within the stormlight, a massive figure strode forward—red armor blazing, a gigantic warhammer in hand. Every breath he took seemed to churn the very energy of the world, golden lightning crawling over the hammer with violent snaps, as if the next swing would shatter heaven and earth.
Thor, Lord of the Aesir
Level 10 / Divine-Beast / Synchro / Effect
ATK 3500
"Finally!" Johannes slapped his last two cards onto the Duel Disk. "I Set two cards! End my turn!"
In that moment, time itself seemed to stretch.
Loki, Lord of the Aesir hovered at the left edge of the sky, his illusory darkness warping the light—vast shadows like claws smothering the battlefield.
Odin, Father of the Aesir stood at the center, high above, the eternal spear aimed at the heavens. Black clouds and lightning churned around him, radiating supreme authority.
Thor, Lord of the Aesir loomed on the right, golden lightning raging around his body. His hammer trembled slightly, as though it might slam down on the calm boy standing below at any second.
Three Aesir stood together.
Their colossal silhouettes filled nearly the entire sky, casting endless shadow over the arena.
The oppressive divine presence made the air inside the stadium feel nearly solid. People in the stands didn't even dare to breathe too loudly. Countless eyes—without exception—locked onto the boy on the field.
The commentator swallowed hard, voice shaking as he stared up at the three gods dominating the heavens. Through the broadcast, his words trembled across the entire arena.
"N-Now Johannes has summoned all three Aesir! The three Aesir appearing in a single turn—this has never happened before! Under the pressure of the gods, how will Yusaku respond?!"
(End of Chapter)
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