"The Eternal Flame. You had something to do with Odin's death!"
Valkyrie had been lost in some memory for a long time. Suddenly, she rounded on James and shouted at him. But before he could respond, the woman shook her head again and again, muttering to herself in denial:
"No. No, you're certainly strong, but at that level, there's no way you could have beaten Odin. He was a king of the gods, beyond the level of a 'true god.' How could he possibly..."
James paid no attention to Valkyrie's confused words. Once he had gathered his thoughts, he didn't bother explaining. He left her behind and headed up from the arena.
Instead, the woman stayed close behind him, asking him questions nonstop.
"You said 'should'? Odin should be dead? What happened? Tell me clearly—please, please tell me."
At the indifferent look James suddenly cast her, the Aesir warrior who had been left behind felt her scalp tighten. The familiar terror of that moment made her falter, and she no longer dared to question him so aggressively.
"I fought your king. He meant to use the Bifrost to send me somewhere, but something went wrong, and I ended up stranded on Sakaar. As for his death, you're right. I was no match for Odin Borson."
James turned his face aside and continued walking with his hands behind his back. Valkyrie kept pace beside him, afraid of missing a single word that passed his lips.
"...You're skilled. You must have been someone of note among the Aesir, but I doubt even you know the true source of your king's power."
"Odin's physical condition wasn't normal. Our battle would have accelerated his aging, and I can say for certain that a group of even more troublesome people had already reached Asgard. If