MANGA REVIEW | "Record of Ragnarok" - Volume Fourteen
If you’re not keeping track of the score in Record of Ragnarok, it’s now tied 3-3 between gods and humanity. With Buddha’s win, the gods have lost their composure. What should’ve been an easy tournament for me has now become a showcase of mockery for the ones who are prayed to. So how can the gods pick up some steam? As the fourteenth volume shows, it takes a king to show the world what the deities are capable of.
Most of this volume is spent on prepping for the next battle. Buddha, despite having a few new holes in his body, is up in spirits, as is Brunhilde. However, the time for celebration is short, as the next fight is about to begin. Before choosing the next competitor, Brunhilde has a nice chat with one of the smartest men in history: Nostradamus! Well…he seems smart, but his attitude doesn’t match with his foreboding premonitions.
To put it bluntly, Nostradamus is kind of a dick! Not only was he caught wearing Brunhilde’s clothes, but he’s apparently the only human who’s ever been sent to Helheim! His crime: it’s kind of petty, but he sort of destroyed Bifrost, which many consider to be the very thing that keeps Hell closed off. Yes, despite being a douchebag of a human, Nostradamus is a power mo-fo, one that Brunhilde is keeping as a wild card in case they need his strength in the end.
So who does Brunhilde call? Well, once word gets in that Hades is competing in the name of his dead brother Poseidon, she decides that the only thing that can face a king is another king. Enter Qin Shi Huang, the first emperor of China and the king of all beginnings! Like Nostradamus, he’s got a bit of cockiness running through his brains and veins. However, he’s got a good reason to be acting that way: he’s just that damn good!
A flashback shows Qin Shi Huang facing off against the demon Chiyou, the god of war. Although the fight isn’t shown, the aftermath certainly is, and it’s why Qin Shi Huang soon held China’s fate in his hands. But the god of the underworld may be a different story, as Hades combines his spear with that of his dead brother’s. And as the fight finally gets underway, it’s easy to see why Hades is the lord of the damned!
Even as the fourteenth volume of Record of Ragnarok ends, it’s clear that the fight’s way too early to call. For as Qin Shi Huang stands up after taking what should’ve been a fatal blow, the atmosphere of the battle changes. A battle between kings is about to commence, and whoever wins will no doubt give the biggest boost to either side. The question is, will it be god or man that’s standing over their defeated opponent?
FINAL GRADE:
Promotional consideration provided by Chantelle Sturt of VIZ Media.
