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Chapter 20
The assurance that there was civilization somewhere beyond this cursed forest was the greatest news Nikolai had heard since he first woke up in the old cabin seven years ago.
Oh, how he longed to return civilisation, to escape this damned forest. No more sleepless nights spent fending off relentless waves of undead. No more scrambling to feed his children day after day. They deserved more than a life trapped in an undead-infested hellhole—they deserved safety, a future, a home.
And for that, he silently thanked Rosseweisse—the silver-haired Valkyrie who came and turned their entire life upside down, that is in a good way. She is an incredible woman, possessing both intellect and beauty, with wisdom far beyond her years and even way more than himself.
Today he planned to find the village, where Rossweisse and her friends came from. He got the general direction from Rossweisse. All he had to do was to go back to the spot she was attack by that giant undead and head east.
He took a moment to inspect his armor for potential improvements. The armour manifested on his body and he began to check each and every inch of it.
"Hmm... I got no more ideas how to make this better," he muttered aloud. "Maybe more plates on the chest and legs, but then I'll move like fucking turtle." His armor, while simple in design, had shielded his body through seven years of brutal conflict. It was the best he had… but he knew it wasn't enough.
It worked well against physical attacks, but magic? Magic would cut through it like a knife through warm butter. His recent sparring match with Rosseweisse made that painfully clear.
"Maybe I should ask her for help," he thought. "She did say that Asgard have some of the best blacksmiths in all supernatural world?"
Asgard. The celestial realm of the Nordic gods and warriors— the place where Rosseweisse came from. She had told tales of Odin the Allfather, the trickster god Loki, Thor the berserker, and many other legendary beings. Her stories captivated the Volkov family around the dinner table—gods, goddesses, ancient battles, and the fierce Valkyries who served as Asgard's first line of defense.
They also had a long talk about the black mist bound to him—a topic that unsettled Nikolai more than he let on.
"Sacred Gears," she had called them. Artifacts created by the Biblical God, imbued with powers that cold injure the Gods themselves.
"So that's what this is, huh…" he had muttered, tapping the metalic skull helmet on his head. "Well… thanks, Biblical God, I guess. You helped me and my kids survive all these years. That's something."
Apparently, his Sacred Gear was a creation-type—capable of absorbing weapons, armor, and even abilities from fallen foes and making them usable by himself or others. He wanted to ask Rosseweisse more about it, but even she knew little. Sacred Gears were rare in the Norse realms, and her knowledge was limited.
"Oh… this place." Nikolai stopped at a familiar clearing—the very spot where he had saved Rosseweisse from certain death. The corpses of the undead he had slaughtered still littered the area, now half-buried in leaves and crawling with maggots.
"Urgh… fuck, that's disgusting," he muttered, covering his mouth to keep his breakfast down.
He trudged forward, heading in the direction Rosseweisse had pointed out—the supposed location of human civilization. He passed beyond his usual hunting grounds, driven by hope and desperation. But by midday, there was still no village in sight.
He sat beneath a tree and pulled out his lunch—smoked meat and a mouthful of water. It was bland, but it was fuel.
Seeing that the sun was already starting to set, he decided that it was not possible to visit the Village today, so it was time for him to head back to the cabin. He thought of something to bring back for dinner, he decided to hunt small game—maybe a rabbit or two.
"UNDEAD VISION."
His world shifted into monochrome. Flames of various shapes and sizes flickered in the distance—souls. This ability had helped him become a proficient hunter over the years. No need for traps or tracking—just follow the flames.
But then… something strange entered his vision.
"What the blyat is that…" he whispered.
From where he stood, beneath the earth, a blazing soul flickered—unmoving, buried deep, yet unmistakably human. He knew the difference between an animal soul and that of a human. He had seen the souls of his sons and of Rossweisse... But the one thing that was very weird about this soul was that it was attached... No it was powering many Symbols he didn't recognise, symbols that was surrounding it. after a quick thought the symbols kinda reminded him of the symbols Rossweisse used when she used her magic.
CRUNCH!
Nikolai's instincts screamed.
He instantly summoned his armor, just in time to take a blow from a massive wooden club. The force hurled him through the air. Mid-flight, he twisted his body and landed in a crouch, skidding across the forest floor.
He looked up—and growled.
Three hulking humanoid creatures stood before him, rotting flesh sloughing off their faces, crawling with maggots. Moss clung to their backs like cloaks. Each wielded a tree trunk like a club.
"Ah... You're one ugly motherfucker," he sneered at the nearest one.
The undead giants bellowed in response, their fury palpable. But Nikolai's grin only widened. To him, this wasn't terror—it was opportunity.
"It's been a month since I got a new power," he muttered, eyes twitching with manic anticipation. His grin twisted into a mask of lunacy. "This... gonna be fun."
With a howl, he summoned his sledgehammer and spread his arms wide.
"PRIKHODI KO MNE! (COME AT ME!)"
The giants charged. So did he.
The first one swung its massive club—Nikolai rolled low, sliding between its legs. He came up behind it, hammer raised—but the second giant's club descended toward him like a meteor. He leapt aside, just in time.
But the third was faster than expected. Its log slammed into him with brutal force, launching him into a tree with a sickening crack.
"Ooohhh, that fuckin' hurts..." he groaned, staggering to his feet. 'Fighting one of them is bad enough, but they fight like a damn team. I can't go toe-to-toe without getting blindsided.'
"New plan!"
With a sudden pivot, he turned tail and ran.
Even the undead giants hesitated in confusion. Was the human retreating?
But after a moment, they gave chase.
Nikolai sprinted through the woods like a madman—but don't mistake it for cowardice. No. This was a tactical retreat.
He grinned.
Minutes passed but they were still stubbornly chasing him, one even threw it's club at him but Nikolai easily sidesteped the weapon avoid collision.
He was so close to reach the spot. The fools had no idea they were walking into a trap.
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[AUTHOR'S NOTES]
Hello everyone! I'm so glad you're still enjoying the story.
Apologies for the delay on this chapter—things have been rough for my family these past few weeks, but thankfully, things are looking better now.
Thanks for sticking with me. I truly appreciate the support. See you in the next chapter!
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