Chương 65: Chapter 57

The young warriors left the tribehold as a unit. Everyone was eager to push ahead and write new passages of their saga in monster blood. They thirsted for blood and the Ancestors' approval, yet they were especially interested in the deeds and feats they were bound to accomplish. All they needed to do was follow Hakon. He didn't know what Teraq had told them, but everyone – even those who hadn't fully recuperated from their first encounter with the Pearot Barbarians – arrived at dawn to depart with him.

Even Ulfar was present, covered in blood, a large scar spreading from his collarbone to his left eye. Ulfar's arm was still missing, but that didn't change his bloody presence in the slightest. If anything, he was stronger than ever, his presence swallowing those around him. Hakon tried to speak with him once, to make sure Ulfar knew enough about their plan to help them, but the Behemoth Blood warrior only snorted, the fire of hatred and envy burning deep in his eyes.

Leaving the angry warrior behind with a shrug, Hakon adjusted his plans. He split his people into smaller groups, working from a rough understanding of everyone's prowess. They may have grown since the fight with the Pearot Barbarian, but Hakon did not forget what he had witnessed. He now knew who worked well together and which Ancient Powers were better kept apart. He made sure Teraq wasn't grouped with one of the more aggressive Bloodbearers, knowing they would only stand in each other's way.

Then he tried to pair Eren with Ulfar, which the former accepted reluctantly. Ulfar, however, refused.

"I fight alone. Just bring me to the Fracture and stay out of my sight," he growled, which was fair enough. Once the groups had been assigned, Hakon disappeared into the forest. He left behind a trail for the more experienced hunters to follow and wove his way through the dangers of the forest and the forbidden lands until he reached a quaint, familiar lake. A few Giant Ants and Acidic Beetles skittered around the lake and the small island at its center, but they were quickly taken care of.

A few [Mana Bolt]s and a massive, descending Maulaxe Crusher were all it took to get rid of most of them.

"The Fracture disappeared," he noted to himself. It was expected; however, Hakon and his father needed confirmation to proceed. Focusing on his memories, and utilizing [Aether Spiral] to recover the little mana he had used, Hakon materialized the image of the Pearot map in his mind. The mark on the map was not far from the lake, which was all the more reason to use this place as a gathering point.

He rotated Crusher in his hand and struck the largest nearby tree with full force, embedding its bladed side deep into the trunk. Twisting the blade, he pulled it free after a moment.

"That should be enough." It was a mark, albeit a poor one, but it would suffice for Astrid and Björn. With that taken care of, Hakon used some of his least favorite skills. The moment he did, he moved more cautiously, his steps reduced to little more than muffled noise in the vibrating forest. He melded with his surroundings as much as possible and reeled in his mana until it was as if he no longer existed. [Silent Steps] and [Stealth] were not bad skills.

No matter how much he disliked the secrecy and intent behind them, he acknowledged their power and usefulness. If only they were bad skills. He chuckled inwardly and triggered [Tracking], augmented by [Sensory Expansion]. Once that was done, it was time to disappear into the forest and scout the surroundings. The first task at hand was to ensure the safety of the immediate area. That didn't take long, so he pushed deeper into the forbidden lands.

Weaving around plant life that appeared dangerous even to him, Hakon located several monsters. Some were powerful enough to pose a threat to him, while others would be more suitable for the weaker Barbarians to handle. Noting their behavior, movement patterns, and the trails they left behind, Hakon moved past them. No matter how much his fingers itched for combat, he couldn't be certain he was alone. No, he knew he was not alone in there.

That much was confirmed when he located one of his targets: a Fracture portal, guarded by none other than Pearot Barbarians. Hakon didn't strike immediately this time. He wanted to push forward, but he waited as several Barbarians stepped out of the Fracture portal, their hair ablaze, their bodies covered in burns, claw marks, and bite wounds. Their faces bore vibrant smiles, which only widened as they joked with their comrades.

Those comrades rose from a small campsite Hakon hadn't noticed before and approached the wounded Barbarians. They slapped each other on the shoulders with equally bright smiles and excited roars, tightly clutching their weapons as they charged into the Fracture. You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story. The wounded stepped into the campsite. Some collapsed onto bedrolls, while others feasted on grilled meat with gusto. They do not plan to conquer the Fracture, do they?

Father is right. Hakon mused to himself, his mind churning as he retreated back into the forest.

The others were already at the lake when he returned. They had been forced into a few small skirmishes with weaker monsters, as well as some strong enough to wound several Barbarians. Even though the injuries hadn't been part of the plan, dealing with the monsters resulted in some improvements, and that was a fair exchange. Hakon didn't rush everyone to the Fracture. He allowed them to recover from the recent skirmishes before setting out to deal with it.

A pesky Blackfang Panther slipped into hiding as they closed in, its bloodlust perfectly concealed. The monster was ready to pounce on the weakest Barbarian but was met with a [Mana Shield] blocking its pounce in mid-air, followed by an axe lodging itself in its side. A bolt of mana whistled through the air and cut through the monster's skull as it writhed on the ground, bringing an end to its suffering.

The monster dispersed into blue mist as soon as Hakon retrieved his hand axe, and their journey continued, with all eyes drawn to him. He heard the warriors' whispers and felt their gazes on him, but he continued onward. They didn't encounter many monsters for the rest of the way. Some skittered away as soon as they saw the group of young warriors, while others needed a little more convincing before they turned to flee.

Hakon moved ahead once again, using the combination of [Silent Steps], [Stealth], and [Tracking] to scout and analyze the situation ahead. [Silent Steps] improved to Level 14 as he advanced, [Stealth] reached Level 9, and it didn't take long for [Tracking] to improve by one level and reach Level 11. The Skill improvements were useful and helped him stay hidden from the Pearot Barbarians, although he didn't think he truly needed them for that.

The Barbarians were guarded against monsters and vigilant in their own way, yet they didn't appear particularly afraid as he studied them anew. His gaze fell upon the violet arc cutting through the air. He had only ever been in the Crawling Expanse, but the difference was apparent. The violet vortex unfurling in the distance was large. It stretched wide and was taller than even Teraq, yet it was not as massive as the Overflowing Crawling Expanse had been. It did not radiate as much energy either.

There was no uncontrolled violence – just heat. As he studied the Fracture portal, Hakon caught a ripple from its epicenter. The edge of a half-molten blade was the first to emerge from the portal, followed by a half-charred Barbarian and his comrades. They looked worse for wear, which was interesting. The others hadn't been that battered. Narrowing his eyes, Hakon noticed yet another issue. They're not the same. The Barbarians stepping out of the Fracture portal were not the same ones he had seen enter earlier.

Curious, Hakon was about to pull back and inform the others of the plan when a familiar presence erupted nearby. The presence of a powerful Bloodbearer surged outward, filling the area with unending bloodlust. Ulfar was the first to arrive at a group of shrubs that gave him a perfect view of the Pearot Barbarians. That alone was enough to push him over the edge. He didn't even think about following their plan. Of course, he did not.

Ulfar kicked off the ground and burst through the shrubs, the roar of his bloodline reverberating through the surroundings. If his presence had not been enough to warn the Pearot Barbarians, his roar certainly was. Charging ahead, Ulfar raised his massive mace. His skin tore as his body expanded, and his presence only grew more intense as he crossed the distance to his targets in several heartbeats.

His opponents had time to react, but they were exhausted and injured, which was far from ideal when facing an enraged, one-armed Behemoth Blood warrior. Ulfar was no longer a brawler, given that he had only one arm left, but that was likely the best decision he could have made. He had always been proficient with all kinds of weapons, and Hakon sincerely doubted that had changed. If anything, his Ancient Power had likely strengthened his prodigious talent.

Hakon watched as Ulfar crushed the first Pearot Barbarian with supernatural strength, filling him with anger. For Hakon was not nearly as physically intimidating as Ulfar. Focus! he chided himself, motioning to his people behind him. Then, gripping Crusher tightly, he advanced as well. Dashing across the battlefield, Hakon closed the distance in a moment. He saw Ulfar crush yet another enemy while taking several sword slashes and mace strikes to the body.

The attacks barely affected the Behemoth Blood warrior, prompting Hakon to attempt the same approach. That thought didn't last long when the first sword grazed his cheek, leaving a deep cut with far less effort than it took anyone to even scratch Ulfar. Cursing himself once again, Hakon invoked [Mana Shield] to protect himself from a second strike. He used [Evasion] to weave around a third and fourth strike and empowered Crusher with [Mana Infusion] as he left a massive dent in his first foe's chest.

It caved in effortlessly, prompting Hakon to follow up with another move. He conjured a second [Mana Shield] to block several strikes and released a bolt of mana at the wounded Barbarian as he stumbled back. A bolt to his wide-open maw ended the Barbarian. Activating [Circulation] at full power, Hakon weaved around his opponents, his arms blurring as he cleaved through the wounded Pearot Barbarians. Their opponents were at a devastating disadvantage.

Not only were they at a numerical disadvantage, but most of them were still exhausted and injured. Even those who had managed to recover had yet to return to their peak condition. It was unfortunate, but they didn't stand a chance. Their saga ended abruptly, their deaths recorded in the passages depicting one of Taskur's greatest hunts, which was yet to come.