Inheritor of Determinator Spirit is a fan story and part of Little Witch Academia: Ragnarok, the beta version of Little Witch Academia: Witches of Midgard series. Written through the collaboration between G Koh and BSoulstone, it revolves around Akko's origin story as Vermillion Valkyrie, beta version of Kara.
Plot[]
Part 1[]
Ursula, Biri Biri, and Akko went to a village at Norway to visit her friend Ragnhild. Ragnhild, who revealed to be impressive spearwoman whom skill with lance amazed Akko that she asked her to taught her some skills made Ursula somewhat jealous, but soon, she and Biri Biri learned a dark and sad secret that Ragnhild hid from them alongside revelation that Akko would become Inheritor of Determinator Spirit...
Visiting an Old Friend[]
The story began with Ursula setting out to visit Ragnhild, an old friend of hers who lived at Akkarfjord, Finnmark county, Norway and brought Akko and her magical weasel familiar Biri Biri along. Upon their arrival there, Ursula realized she forgot her said friend's address (much to Akko's dismay), which didn't help by the villagers reluctant to show them directions for some reasons. A few even accused Ursula for pulling cruel pranks to them which she promptly denied.
Against all odds, they finally found Ragnhild's residence; a house overlooking the village. During their visit, Akko and Ragnhild quickly bonded with the latter offered to teach the Japanese witch-in-training some combat techniques. Ursula couldn't help but both moved and envious upon their interaction since she and Akko didn't become close that fast. She was about to ask Biri Biri's opinions about it when the magical weasel unexpectedly implored the French professor to have a prep talk with him on the outside for some reasons.
Left Behind[]
As soon as the two were on the outside, Biri Biri brought up to Ursula the locals' unusual behavior upon being asked about Ragnhild's address. The French professor and the magical weasel soon came across two elderly townsfolks back at the village who talked about an armored witch that recently gave her life in saving their home from flying monster attack. Curious with what it was all about, they decided to join the two villagers in their conversation.
Five days ago, Akkarfjord was besieged by a swarm of flying monsters who ransacked its inhabitants' homes as if they searched for something and injured many who unfortunate to be in their path of destruction. All seemed lost until an armored witch showed up to vanquish some of the creatures, bringing the rest of the creatures' attention to her. In the ensuing battle, it became apparent that the swarm were after her so, she lured them away out of the village. Neither her nor the creatures were seen again afterwards. Despite their misgivings, the villagers came to believe that the armored witch had indeed saved them all.
Shattered[]
Concluding their story, the two villagers expressed their doubts about the armored witch's survival but nevertheless directed Ursula and Biri Biri to a nearby hill she led the flying monsters to. Once both villagers made their leave, Ursula and Biri Biri wasted no time to discuss what they just learned; the French professor found the description of the armored witch matching those of Ragnhild in enchanted armor passed down through her family for generations while the magical weasel was more than certain the flying monsters were none other than Apollyons — damselfly-like creatures with rectangular head, bat-like wings in addition of normal ones, and centipede body in place of abdomen. Other villagers apparently aware that the armored witch and Ragnhild were same person hence their misunderstanding with Ursula earlier. Just then, Ursula and Biri Biri witnessed an Apollyon ambushing the two villagers from earlier, prompting them to rush for their rescue. Biri Biri drove the beast away with his Lightning Magic and proceeded to give chase, but not before imploring Ursula to get back to Akko as soon as possible and asking the two villagers to evacuate everyone at Akkarfjord.
Meanwhile, with some efforts, Akko mastered both Drill Charge and Vorpal Lance techniques under Ragnhild's tutelage before exhaustion caught up to her. Raginhild brought the sleeping Japanese witch-in-training to her bed and waited for her to awaken. As she did, Ragnhild pulled out a small chest containing a clawed left vermilion leather gauntlet from under the same bed and opened it. Looking at its content, then Akko who fast asleep nearby, Ragnhild smiled as she finally found the next witch who would become her successor, Inheritor of Determinator Spirit, Vermilion Valkyrie.
Biri Biri's hunt for the wounded Apollyon brought him to the hill the two villagers mentioned earlier. There, he found a familiar-looking witch who had long dead while planting the tip of her wand into the ground... along with a cave in front of her. Examining the corpse, the magical weasel deduced her to be Ragnhild herself and that she apparently used the last bit of her strength to seal the cave she trapped Apollyon swarm into. Unfortunately however, it wasn't enough as the swarm finally managed to dig their way out. Biri Biri thought it was already bad until he entered the cave and greeted by a horrible sight; four of the surviving Apollyons, including the one he tracked down, had cannibalized the rest of the swarm in order to evolve. One of them, their alpha no doubt, developed frills on the sides of its head and its rearmost pair of main legs became locust-like. Realizing surviving Apollyons became stronger than ever, the magical weasel wasted no time to fly back to Ursula and Akko to warn them about the threat.
Legacy[]
Ursula returned to Ragnhild's home only to find Akko crying alone and her friend was nowhere to be found. The Japanese witch-in-training sadly told the French professor what happened while the latter and Biri Biri were gone:
After getting some rest from exhausting herself while mastering combat techniques taught by Ragnhild, Akko woke up to find the veteran witch severely weakened and flickering in and out of existence. Ragnhild stopped the panicked Japanese witch-in-training from rushing for help because it won't do any good at that point. The veteran witch revealed that she's already dead because of injuries sustained from fighting Apollyon swarms which threatened Akkarfjord five days ago. In the middle of the battle which unfortunately proved too much for her, Ragnhild came to suspect that the creatures were sent by someone who coveted the great power in her possession. So, she did what must be done to prevent the mastermind from getting what they wanted; seal away their Apollyon swarm in a cave at the nearby hill and cast a spell on herself so she could return as a ghost in order to continue safeguard the power. Now that she finally found her heir, Ragnhild finally able to pass on to the afterlife. Before she disappeared completely, the veteran witch told Akko that her greatest strength lies in her determination to do her very best and what mattered in life was how one fully lived.
Ursula had braced for it but, the confirmation of the late armored witch and Ragnhild being same person from Akko was a blow nonetheless. Neither of them had the time to mourn as Biri Biri showed up to bring them some bad news. Realizing surviving Apollyons were after the power Ragnhild possessed, which was none other the gauntlet stored in the wooden chest on Akko's hands, Akko, Ursula, and Biri Biri hastily made their leave.
Apollyon Ambush[]
However, just as Akko opened the front door, she was greeted by the sight of frilled Apollyon who stood in front of her and roared on her face. This frightened the young witch that she frantically slammed the door so hard that in process, she also unknowingly (and comically) knocked the monster on the nose so hard that it clutched its injured nose with its claws in pain. Akko, Ursula, and Biri Biri then exited the house through the back door, only for Akko realized that she accidently dropped the gauntlet inside the house and rushed back inside to retrieve it against Ursula's wishes. Before the older witch and the lightning weasel could stop her however, two of 4 Apollyons showed up and ambushed them, giving them no time to cast combat spells that they resorted to fight within close quarters.
Ursula and one of attacking Apollyons had a fierce combat where energy sword formed around her wand clashes with the Apollyon's sharp talons. After attacking and parrying blows onto each other, both combatants retreats with the duel went stalemate: Ursula received scratch on the left side of her face, left shoulder, and the right side of her stomach, whereas the Apollyon's injuries a lot worse as one of its arms chopped off and received a gaping slash wound on the chest. The winged monster then seemingly retreated from the battle by flew away and made itself invisible with energy cloak produced by strange implants on its back. The blue-haired witch knows that the fight is far from over as her now-invisible enemy going to attack again and the fight become more difficult. Due to the Apollyon's invisibility made her eyes barely able to perceive its position, Ursula now resorted to use her other senses to perceive from where it will attack her. As she did, her ears caught faint hiss and faint flapping noises that opponent made as it flew towards her and one thing was clear: The monster is going to charge on her from behind.
Acting fast, the blue-haired witch turned around and shoved her energy sword forward. The charging invisible Apollyon reacted too late and unable to stop its momentum as it inevitably ran head first into her opponent's weapon and bisected itself into two from head to its centipede lower half into its death. Afterwards, Ursula looked in the tip of her hair which briefly reverted back to its original red color and sighed, glad that Akko didn't see this happening. With one Apollyon down, only 3 that remains.
Back inside the house, Akko sees the frilled Apollyon inspecting the chest and Valkyrie gauntlet inside it. The brunette knows she unlikely able to stand the chance against the monster, but at the same time, she cannot let it get its claws on the gift Ragnhild had entrusted to her. So she pulled out her wand and shoots Murowa bolts on the monster's face, disorienting it long enough so she could sprint past it snatch the gauntlet away from its claws. As this happens, the lights went out, confusing the monster long enough for Akko to jumped out of nearby window.
The blackout in the house revealed to be result of Biri Biri who tricked his Apollyon foe to stabbed its claws onto the house's electric box, which also resulted the monster fried by electrical surge, damaging its implants and disoriented it. The lightning weasel then assumed his Kamaitachi form and unsheathed his arm blade to finish the weakened Apollyon, only for another Apollyon flew past him and simultaneously tore his right arm off. To make matter worse, the electrocuted Apollyon recovers and unleashed ear-deafening shriek on Biri Biri, disorienting him before viciously and rapidly slashing him with his claws. With one bladed arm still intact and another still regenerating, Biri Biri only able to parry his opponent's assaults before lashed it's lower half with his enlarged tail and push him away with a plasma fireball fired from his mouth onto the chest, injuring the monster and forced it to temporarily retreat.
Just as Akko few steps away from the house, the frilled Apollyon flew past through her and cornered the brunette to a nearby tree, snarling at her as if it demanded her to hand over the gauntlet before sees Ursula who stood near the bisected corpse of one of its pack. The sight of a member of its brethren slain by the brunette's ally infuriated the frilled Apollyon that it roared and snarled at surviving members of its pack. Observing their behavior, Ursula and Biri Biri noticed that the 3 Apollyons are talking to each other before the frilled Apollyon snarled evily to Akko first, then the blue-haired witch, and lastly, the lightning weasel. The monster's facial expression alarmed Biri Biri who uneasily guessed that the snarl means, "An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth." In the next instant, the frilled Apollyon's underlings undergo battle frenzy and become more violent than usual as they charges on both blue-haired witch and the lightning weasel. Akko helplessly watched as the injured Apollyon resumed its fight with Biri Biri where it quickly overpowered him and tossed him into the tool shed near the house and demolished it, burying the lighting weasel alive within the rubble before flew back into its leader. The Apollyon who previously tore Biri Biri's right arm off on the other hand, disarmed Ursula and pinned her before forced her to watch the next event. The injured Apollyon and the frilled Apollyon prepared for lunged towards Akko from different direction where the former from the sky and the latter from the ground...
Part 2[]
It become apparent that Ragnhild had sacrificed her life to protect both her home village and her Vermilion Valkyrie Gauntlet from Apollyons sent by a rogue witch named Katharina and ensured that the armor passed to Akko's hands as she proved herself worthy to be her successor. When Apollyons make their return to finish what they started, it's up to Akko to proves herself to be the Inheritor of Determinator Spirit...
Akko's Resolve[]
With Ursula and Biri Biri incapacitated, and Ragnhild gone, the terrified and confused Akko realized that she is outright doomed. But then, memories of moments she spent together with Ragnhild began to pour in: The first meeting with the veteran witch, the training together, and her new mentor's last words of encouragement. And then, the brunette sees a vision of Ragnhild who smiles before her and said, "Go on." Both visions and memories encouraged Akko that, with her newfound confidence, she put on the Valkyrie gauntlet and going to channel her magic to the gauntlet with her wand. Realizing what Akko going to do, the frilled Apollyon and the injured Apollyon who flew on the air quickly rushed in for the kill. But by the time their claws only one inch away from her, it was too late...
BAMMM!!!
A fiery vortex spontaneously formed around Akko and violently deflected both Apollyons away with tremendous force that it sent them flying. The vortex instantly killed the injured Apollyon who crashed beside Ursula and Apollyon who pinned her with severe burns all over it, much to the latter's shock. And just as things couldn't get any scarier, a vermilion figure emerged from the vortex and rushed toward both remaining Apollyon and Ursula before swiftly beheading the former with what appeared to be energy blade and pulled the blue-haired witch away from the now-headless winged monster before it collapsed. Upon seeing that her savior is a vermilion armor-clad figure with witch hat that had a pair of wing-like ornaments on it, Ursula wondered about the identity of the figure before the figure asked, "Are you okay, Sensei?"
"Akko?"
Aside her familiar voice, strands of brown hair that came out from the left side of her visor revealed that the figure is none other than Akko herself. This surprised Ursula who asked her whether she is really Akko, and the figure nods with smile, stating that Ragnhild had really chose her as the next Determinator Spirit, Vermilion Valkyrie. As Vermilion Valkyrie, Akko's appearance bears the image of both a Valkyrie and a witch of Luna Nova that made her barely recognizable: Her armor consist of an orange witch hat with silver band that had vermilion oval emblem with golden four-pointed star in the middle and metal wing-like ornaments on the sides; vermilion helmet with visor that covered eyes and nose; vermilion breastplate with a green orb embedded below the base of neck area and twin retractable red scarves attached to the back that ends with ring that had 3 barb like Luna Nova insignia; orange tunic that resembles her blue one except it lacked hood and had red armor plates on the sides and sleeves, silverish chainmail pants, vermilion boots with wing-like ornaments on the base of the feet, and clawed leather gloves. She also gains fiery yellow aura around her hands, something which startled her as she mistaken her hands being caught fire for a second.
The teacher and student realized that Biri Biri still trapped under the rubble of the tool shed and rushed to save him. But suddenly, the frilled Apollyon, who survives the vortex blast albeit greatly injured, landed before both Vermilion Valkyrie and Ursula and stood between them and the rubble. The monster then lunged for the duo, only for Vermilion Valkyrie stabbed it on the chest with her energy lance and tossed it aside, sending it flying in process due to the armor increased her strength to superhuman level. While this display of strength startled Ursula, Akko didn't care as she desperately dig the rubble and finally pulled her barely conscious familiar out of the pile. As he catching his breath, Biri Biri notices something familiar on Vermilion Valkyrie as she briefly lifted her visor, which surprised him that his master now become the next Determinator Spirit. Just as he asked Akko how did she become Vermilion Valkyrie, the frilled Apollyon, who had regenerated most of his injuries, roared angrily on them. Ursula readies her wand to fight the monster, only for her injuries began to take its toll on her that she suddenly fall into her knees. This prompt both Vermilion Valkyrie and Biri Biri to implored Ursula to stay out of the fight due to her condition and reassures that they can handle it by themselves. Vermilion Valkyrie then touch Biri Biri's forehead where to his surprise, she share a fraction of her powers that resulting him taking more powerful form: He grew to the same size with a cheetah while the limbs become slighty longer and muscular with claws on his hands become longer and jagged like a combat knife's blade, having six large orange crystalline scutes proturding on the back, and gaining razor-sharp blade-like protursions on the lower legs, 3 orange crystalline blades on his elongated tail, retractable bone scythe on his arms similar to the one he had in his Kamaitachi form, and fiery aura around his hands similar to his master's— He had become Fire Volkar. With this, Duel for Vermilion Valkyrie Gauntlet has began.
Duel for Vermilion Valkyrie Gauntlet[]
Vermilion Valkyrie started the battle by fires multiple Murowa bolts on frilled Apollyon's face that it easily avoided, having struck by same magic bolts once. Its frills glow in purple and generate hot steam as the winged monster returned fire by breathes purple fiery blast on both of its opponents. Both Vermilion Valkyrie and Fire Volkar jumped away from the blast and retaliate by firing powerful magic beam and lighting beam respectively on frilled Apollyon's wings, blasting them off and stripped its ability to fly. Fire Volkar then swiftly moves to the left side of the monster and going to attack him, but the frilled Apollyon sees him and slashed his razor-sharp claws on the empowered weasel. However, to its surprise, Fire Volkar easily parry every single one of its blows with blades on his arms and tail. The empowered weasel then curled himself into a ball, elongated his tail blades, and activated his Balai repulsors, spinning horizontally like a circular saw before sliced frilled Apollyon's left arms off. Vermilion Valkyrie proceed to charged on the staggered frilled Apollyon with her wand formed energy lance around it. Believing that she likely going to stab and thrown him like before, the monster is more than ready to turned her attack against her. But she and her empowered familiar did something that the monster didn't expect: Vermilion Valkyrie flattened her energy blade into a Vorpal Blade that Fire Volkar enchanted with vermilion lighting that instead of slashing the monster, she projected a horizontal crescent-shaped lightning bolt that cut the frilled Apollyon's remaining arms off, causing it to fall onto its knees.
Now with the frilled Apollyon weakened and on their mercy, Vermilion Valkyrie and Fire Volkar prepared to deliver a final blow before suddenly, the monster's cybernetic implant glows and the monster roared, "WAIT!!!", startling everyone. Vermilion Valkyrie wondered how the monster could talk in English whilst Biri Biri argued that it actually cannot talk by itself, but rather because someone who sent the monster put the total control over it through implant on its spine and spoke through it as well, confirming Ragnhild's suspicion that Apollyons being controlled. Ursula then asked the controlled Apollyon whether she is Katharina, the one who sent the monsters. Through the frilled Apollyon, Katharina said yes, and yells that even though she may failed in claiming Vermilion Valkyrie Gauntlet, there are other Valkyrie Gauntlets similar with the one Akko had out there that she can took for herself, screaming that they know she's right. Fire Volkar responds that they don't know for sure, but will stand firm and ensure that she will receive consequences for her crimes against both Ragnhild and villagers. This infuriated Katharina to the point that she hastened the frilled Apollyon's regeneration and have it breathes its purple beam on Ursula, which prompts Vermilion Valkyrie to push her teacher aside and got struck instead, much to Ursula's horror. However, Fire Volkar merely grins, as Vermilion Valkyrie suddenly disappeared, revealing that she just a solid afterimage of the original.
The frilled Apollyon then heard loud revving noise behind it and turned around, and sees the real Vermilion Valkyrie who formed energy lance-like drill around her wand which spins in high speed. She then infused her weapon with flames before nodded to Fire Volkar, prompt the empowered lightning weasel to grab her hand and thrown his master toward their opponent. Realizing that she would likely defeated it if her attack with the enchanted drill lance connects, the frilled Apollyon made a desperate attempt to stop her by breathes more powerful fiery purple blast against Vermilion Valkyrie, only for her energy drill lance absorbed the flame and become stronger in process. The winged monster only able to watch as Vermilion Valkyrie's fiery drill lance skewered through its chest, grinding and burns its internal organs. The frilled Apollyon then emit a final howl with its mouth emit grayish smoke before finally fell with large, blistering hole on its chest. At this point, Vermilion Valkyrie changed back to Akko who suddenly fall to her knees, exhausted from the usage of her Valkyrie Gauntlet for the first time with Biri Biri noted that she had transformed for 99.9 seconds, the time limit for a witch to maintain her Valkyrie Armor. In spite of this, they have won the battle for the gauntlet and Ragnhild now able to rest in peace.
Epilogue[]
Akko, Biri Biri, and Ursula returned to Luna Nova on the next day and reported events that had transpired in Ragnhild's home village including Apollyon's attacks. Holbrooke noted that the situation is worse than they thought, and stated that after sending agents of Luna Nova Damage Control to perform cleanup and investigation on both late Ragnhild's residence and the cave where 4 of Apollyons had cannibalized its brethren to evolve further, they had confirmed that the monsters were indeed controlled by Katharina Mason aka. Tinkerer, the notorious gadgeteer witch of Naglfar. Holbrooke still puzzled with Naglfar's intention for Valkyrie Gauntlets, though she delighted with the news about Akko being the new owner of Vermilion Valkyrie Gauntlet. However, the headmistress added that Akko is yet to ready for its powers in spite of proved herself worthy as she need more training so she can release the full extent of the gauntlet's magic. With that, for a time being, Biri Biri will kept the gauntlet at the vault of the campus with him only person who had the key to access it.
Ursula then asked Holbrooke about other things that she need to know about Valkyrie Armors, and the headmistress explained that Vermilion Valkyrie Armor is one of six most powerful Valkyrie Armors ever created by witch blacksmiths of isolated Norse Kingdom of Thapoli in the past to help the next generations of Witches guarding a powerful magic sealed deep within Arcturus Forest: Two of the said armors are classified as Great Valkyrie Armors, whereas the rest are Elemental Valkyrie Armors of Arcturus. Each of those armors then given to six different witch families where its ownerships usually passed down from mother-to-daughter or from master-to-apprentice. Unfortunately, 3 of those armors, Shadow Valkyrie, Yellow Valkyrie, and Green Valkyrie, were disappeared and yet to be found to the day. Akko then asked the whereabouts of other armors, in which Ursula reassured that those armors were safe. Biri Biri then told Akko that it would be best if she didn't tell anyone about her being the next owner of Vermilion Valkyrie Armor for sake of both her and armor's safety. Unbeknowist to them, Diana, who going to enter the headmistress' office, overheard their conversation and surprised upon the news of Akko become the next owner of Vermilion Valkyrie Armor...