At the assembly of the gods, Brunhilde had just finished proposing Ragnarok, carefully tricking the gods into participating.
Zeus threw his head back and shouted, his voice booming with glee, "Yes! We will have Ragnarok! If the gods win, humanity will go extinct. But if the humans win… they may continue to exist!"
The hall erupted. Gods laughed, cheered, and banged their fists against their thrones, reveling in the cruelty of it all.
Brunhilde turned and began to walk away, her expression calm on the surface, until suddenly an immense pressure flooded the entire assembly.
It crashed down like a divine ocean.
Gods gasped as they were forced to their knees, thrones cracking beneath them. Some cried out. Others couldn't even breathe. The laughter died instantly, replaced by panic and dread.
Through the suffocating silence, only one sound remained.
Clap…
Clap…
Slow. Deliberate. Mocking.
Zeus gritted his teeth, veins bulging as he barely managed to lift his head. His eyes widened.
Standing above them was a young boy with snow-white hair and mismatched eyes, one glowing with amusement, the other with cold judgment. A dangerous grin curved across his face as he clapped leisurely, completely unaffected by the pressure crushing the gods below.
The boy finally spoke, his voice light and cheerful, yet carrying absolute authority.
"Greetings, one and all. I am Tet, God of Games."
His grin widened slightly as his gaze swept across the kneeling gods.
"And seeing how you've decided to use my domain for something so horrible, I've decided to preside over it personally… to ensure everything is fair and balanced."
A ripple of terror passed through the assembly.
Tet raised a finger, speaking as if explaining simple rules to children.
"Firstly, I'll be changing the rules. If humanity wins, every god who voted for their extinction will forfeit their lives."
Several gods froze in horror.
"Secondly, I will be choosing some of the fighters personally."
Brunhilde stiffened, her eyes widening slightly.
"Thirdly, since you have agreed to a contest of martial might, any use of divinity will result in immediate disqualification."
Murmurs of panic spread like wildfire.
Tet's smile sharpened.
"And finally, since you have chosen to dishonor my domain with a death game… your world will be paid to me as tribute."
With a casual snap of his fingers, reality itself seemed to flinch.
All at once, the gods felt it. Their divinity diminished. Their connection to the world itself was severed, ripped away as if it had never belonged to them in the first place.
In the next instant, Tet was gone.
So were Brunhilde and Göll.
The pressure vanished.
As the gods finally regained the ability to move, the assembly descended into chaos. Gods shouted, screamed, and ran in every direction, panic consuming them as they scattered like chickens with their heads cut off.
Ragnarok was no longer their game.
-------
Now alone with the two Valkyries, Tet spoke, his usual playful edge muted by irritation.
"Brunhilde, I understand the necessity of what you have done," he said calmly, mismatched eyes narrowing slightly. "But using my domain to do it has left me quite upset."
He let the silence linger for a moment before continuing, his voice firm and final.
"As compensation, the Valkyries, yourself included, now serve me, and I'll be deciding one member of the roster for this tournament. You have a few hours to decide on the rest."
Brunhilde didn't hesitate. She straightened, then bowed deeply, her expression solemn yet relieved.
"Of course, Lord Tet. Thank you for your mercy."
Tet exhaled slowly, rubbing the bridge of his nose with visible annoyance.
"Honestly, I just dealt with one Zeus. Now I have to deal with another," he muttered, glancing back toward where the gods had been moments earlier. "And odds are, you two won't be safe here, so you'll be making the arrangements from my place."
With a casual wave of his hand, a door shimmered into existence, its surface glowing faintly with divine light. Tet gestured toward it.
"Go on. I have some things to do."
The two Valkyries bowed once more, respect clear in their posture, before turning and walking through the door as it closed softly behind them.
------
As Tet returned to the guild hall, he sprawled lazily across one of the tables, staring up at the ceiling with a thoughtful frown. Letting out a long sigh, he muttered aloud, "It's too bad the rules state pure humans only. That means Kratos and Doom Slayer are out."
He shifted slightly, one leg dangling off the table as a crooked grin formed. "But that's okay. I don't need to change the roster too much. I only need to take out Zeus in the second round. That one change will secure humanity's victory early."
His expression darkened just a bit, eyes glinting with calculation. "And then I'll deal with Odin before his little plans can take off."
With a shrug, Tet laughed under his breath. "Oh well."
Suddenly, he bolted upright and shouted at the top of his lungs, "Girls! We're going to a tournament! Who's coming?"
In an instant, the room erupted with movement as everyone rushed forward, voices overlapping. "Me!"
Tet blinked, scanning the crowd in surprise, then smirked. "Oh? Even Tiona's back?" He pushed himself off the table and clapped his hands together. "Alright, let's go grab a few more people and head out."
------
When Tet brought everyone to the Valhalla arena, he snapped his fingers, and a luxurious V.I.P. box materialized above the stands. It was outfitted with a long buffet table, a fully stocked soda fountain, and absurdly comfortable recliners arranged for maximum viewing comfort.
As Heimdall began his booming speech below, one of Tet's invited guests leaned forward, eyes gleaming with interest. With a casual tilt of their head, they said, "I think I'll go down and introduce myself, if that's alright with you, Lord Tet."
Tet turned toward them, a crooked grin spreading across his face. Waving a hand dismissively, he replied, "Feel free. And please, scare them as much as you desire."
The mystery guest's lips curled into a sharp, knowing smirk. "With pleasure."
------
Down in the arena, Heimdall was just about to continue his announcements when the entire battlefield was suddenly smothered by an overwhelming aura. The pressure crashed down on everyone at once, as if the weight of the world itself had settled on their shoulders. Gods, humans, and spectators alike felt their knees threaten to buckle.
Zeus clenched his teeth and growled, "Not again…" He slowly looked up toward the sky, dread crawling up his spine.
Descending from above was a purple, feline humanoid clad in ornate, Egyptian-styled garments. His presence alone distorted the air around him. The being drifted downward with lazy grace before landing beside Heimdall without a sound. In one smooth motion, he snatched the horn straight out of Heimdall's hands, leaving the announcer frozen in shock.
The catlike god cleared his throat, golden eyes sweeping across the arena with open disdain.
"Greetings to you pathetic excuses for deities. I am Beerus, God of Destruction."
His tail flicked as he continued, voice calm but dripping with threat.
"I'm here to announce that Lord Tet, the God of Games, has given me full authority to punish the losing side of these battles, as well as destroy any rule breakers."
Beerus leaned forward slightly, lips curling into a cruel smile.
"So be on your best behavior, and be sure to entertain me well. Because if you're boring, I may destroy you anyway."
With that, he casually tossed the horn back onto the ground and vanished in a blur, reappearing in the V.I.P. box beside his attendant Whis who already had a plate of food waiting for him, untouched and perfectly arranged.
Whis smiled pleasantly as Beerus settled in.
"Wonderfully done, Lord Beerus. I can see the terror in their eyes from here."
Tet leaned back in his recliner, clearly pleased.
"When in doubt, leave it to a professional."
Beerus let out a low chuckle, crossing his arms.
"Of course, Lord Tet. I'm happy to be of service to one that can rival Lord Zeno." His eyes narrowed with interest. "Though I must ask, will you be sending fighters for a tournament in my universe someday?"
Tet tilted his head thoughtfully before answering.
"Possibly. I'd need to get fighters that can rival yours first."
-----
Down in the arena, Heimdall announced the first match, his voice echoing across Valhalla as the two fighters entered and began their bout. Steel clashed and power flared, but the gods in the stands barely paid attention.
They were far too shaken.
For the first time in the entirety of their existence, someone else was treating them like playthings. The laughter and arrogance that once came so easily were gone, replaced by unease and fear. Some of the gods shifted uncomfortably in their seats, a dreadful thought creeping into their minds.
Is this how humans feel when we do it to them?
Others scanned the arena desperately, searching for an escape that might not exist. There has to be a way out of this.
Zeus sat rigid on his throne, hands clenched so tightly the stone armrests cracked beneath his grip. His gaze never left Tet, burning with barely contained rage.
Hermes leaned in close, his voice hushed and tense.
"Lord Zeus, surely we can do something about this. If we all attack at once—"
Zeus cut him off with a sharp glare.
"What, go down fighting?" he snarled, jaw tight. "That so-called God of Destruction is the real deal, boy. We don't stand a chance."
He exhaled slowly, forcing himself to sit back, though the fury in his eyes never faded.
"Just follow the rules… and maybe we'll survive this."
----
Back in Tet's booth, Beerus leaned back in his chair and asked, "So, how many think they'll break the rules or try to assassinate one of us instantly?"
Every hand in the room shot up—every single one, even Asia's.
Brunhilde's eyes narrowed, her voice calm but sharp.
"It's a very real possibility."
Apollo crossed his arms, his expression serious.
"More than a possibility. They'll play nice for now, but the minute their numbers start dropping, they'll get desperate. We should keep the weakest members of our group in the center of the room, where they can be protected."
He pointed to Asia and Goll.
"Sit between Artemis and Hermes, and don't leave the room without a chaperone."
The two girls nodded obediently, eyes wide as they moved into position.
Brunhilde's jaw dropped slightly as she stared at Apollo, disbelief written across her face.
"A god… being considerate of mortals? I must be dreaming."
Beerus leaned back, tail flicking lightly, and said, "Oh, that Lu Bu fellow isn't bad—pushing back a deity with pure strength alone. If he had ki, he might have even surpassed this Thor guy."
Whis tilted his head, eyes sparkling with interest.
"Yes, it's quite impressive how far he managed to come without it. Also… what is this I'm eating? It's delicious."
Tet chuckled.
"Oh, that's fettuccine Alfredo."
Whis' grin widened.
"Wonderful. I'll add it to the menu."
Tet waved a hand toward the group.
"Oh, heads up everyone—I'll be changing the buffet lineup after each match to keep the food from getting boring."
Beerus let out a contented sigh.
"Now I'm even happier I came here. It's really taking my mind off the upcoming Tournament of Power."
Tet raised an eyebrow.
"About that… does the Time Patrol exist?"
Beerus blinked.
"You mean the Supreme Kai of Time's little police force? Yes… what about them?"
Tet leaned forward, a thoughtful expression on his face.
"Why don't you get fighters from there, since some of them are from your universe?"
Beerus stared at him blankly for a moment. Whis' eyes widened.
"Huh… why didn't we think of that? Our idea was to recruit Frieza."
Beerus scowled lightly.
"Yeah… well, not anymore. From what I remember, there was a member of the Time Patrol that actually gave me a run for my money. A fighter like that will definitely be useful."