Record of Ragnarok is entering Round 9 of 13 in its glorious tournament of death battles between mortals and gods. It’s been an electrifying competition where mankind has continued to put its best foot forward to prove its worthiness to survive as a species. But now with the conclusion of Round 8, readers are ready with predictions of which gods and einherjar duke it out in Round 9 of Record of Ragnarok, with some exciting prospects to choose from.
Record of Ragnarok Round 9 Predictions
Record of Ragnarok has had an explosive and frankly heartening Round 8, so fans are eager to see if spirits will stay similarly high for Round 9. We previously saw Nikola Tesla tangle with Beelzebub, with Tesla renewing hope and passion in the hearts of mankind before there was even any outcome of the battle.
Tesla’s radiant spirit and positivity won him the respect of his opponent, and the two put up an enormously entertaining fight. But now there’s an opportunity for the next round to either empower this sentiment or bring it crashing down for humans.
Please note these predictions are entirely speculation and we will update once there is official confirmation.
Prediction #1: The Next Possible Fighter for the Gods in Ragnarok Round 9
The first of our predictions is about who will fight for the gods, and in this case, the signs seem to point toward Apollo. The reasoning for this is a matter of his temperament and attitude towards humanity, along with his general aesthetics.
Tesla’s uplifting belief in humanity to touch the heavens using science would be neatly juxtaposed with Apollo’s characterization in Record of Ragnarok. He has been described in the anime guidebook as a god of light “whose darkness is equally great since he is a god who hates humanity.” While he maintains a pleasant facade for his fellow gods, he is a vain, dishonest member of the pantheon whose misanthropy would be a good test of the human fighter’s resolve.
Related: Record of Ragnarok Chapter 77 Release Date and Spoilers: Round 8 Wraps Up
Aesthetically speaking, he would make for an interesting choice compared to the previous fighters. He’d be a bright beacon of light compared to the gloomy and almost gothic feel Beelzebub emanated, and would represent a more positive perception of the gods.
The god of light would be the first representative of a more positive ideal since Hercules in Round 4, as the others since then represented Destruction, Misfortune, the Underworld, and Darkness. It would also be a perfect palate cleanser after Beelzebub. But one more trait of Apollo’s lends more to his potential opponent, a potentially exciting choice if done right.
Prediction #2: The Next Possible Einheri
If Apollo is selected as the next combatant, the most perfect choice would naturally be Simo Häyhä, the famed greatest sniper in history. The reason for this, before discussing Häyhä’s character, lends to Record of Ragnarok’s description of the bow as Apollo’s main weapon (among other things, he’s the god of archery.) A ranged battle between the two would be exhilarating, as they both have legendary ranged proficiency.
Simo Häyhä could fit in anywhere in Record of Ragnarok as his design was first revealed in a tweet from 2019 by the creators, Shinya Umemura and Takumi Fukui. The tweet was in response to the results of a poll asking fans what design for the Einherjar they’d like to see early. He’s intended to be used and has quite a bit of anticipation surrounding him. But what makes him a particular dark horse opponent for Apollo?
Simo Häyhä was a Finnish sniper who bravely fought the Soviet Union in the Winter War, claiming over 500 confirmed kills predominantly with an M28-30 sniper rifle and no scope, using only iron sights. This allowed him to prevent sunlight (like Apollo’s!) from reflecting off a scope, giving away his position, and for less head movement in combat to keep him concealed better.
Despite having half of his face blown off by an explosive bullet near the end of the war, Häyhä survived, being pulled from a pile of corpses, and lived to the age of 96 as a dog breeder, likely referenced by his canine companion in the picture. This is all based on historical records, making his story already an incredibly compelling one to turn into a manga character.
Simo Häyhä’s tactical prowess and resilience in the face of insurmountable odds would make an excellent counter to Apollo’s misanthropy. A match between a deadly sniper and a renowned archer would make the first true ranged battle of Ragnarok.
Record of Ragnarok Round 9 Predictions: Who Will Win?
Given that it’s too soon to tell, this section will have to be updated as the bout progresses, especially if the fighters wind up different from the ones listed above. The humans and gods are tied 4-4, so this one could be an opportunity to retake the lead. However, it’d be genuinely awesome to see Simo Häyhä wreck face in a 1-on-1 fight with Apollo, and the fans seem to agree as shown in numerous video analyses of the character like from YouTuber Mysterious Weeb. Failing that, there are always interesting speculations about surprise entrants to the tourney.
