Chapter 253

Moving through the battlefield as a force of nature is Halfdan. One punch could crumble armor and attempts to surround him were futile. Halfdan simply had to clutch his hands striking the ground, and lighting could engulf the area. As he was preparing to strike Baldur a hammer was hurled in his direction causing him to slide away from his target.

'Who was that?' Halfdan saw the hammer returning to Thyra.

As Thyra took aim Skade bound her wrist yanking her back. Baldur used the opportunity to swing his axes for Halfdan's shoulders. With his reaction time, Halfdan clasped the wrists of Baldur while headbutting him in the nose. Baldur's head was still being knocked back as Halfdan struck him in the stomach. In a flash of lightning, Baldur was encased into a nearby boulder, and by the time thunder roared Halfdan was walking towards the other soldiers.

'At this rate, we will lose.' Henrik watched Halfdan carefully as the bow began to fade from his hand.

When the bow was gone Henrik retrieved two large battleaxes from his ring that sank into the dirt, and they appeared worn. The weapons had runes swirling down the handles and on the head of the ax. The viewers couldn't see how any human could lift the hunks of metal let alone an old man.

"Grab Baldur and retreat!" Henrik shouted as the warriors glanced his way.

Herink opened his pouch and reached for a red mushroom with black spots. He held it in his teeth as he gripped the handles firmly. Henrik was seen chewing, and once he gulped them down the veins in his body began to pop. A surge of mana poured out from the arena as Henrik began grinding his teeth. He lifted the massive weapons with ease and charged straight towards Halfdan.

Noticing the rapid advance of Henrik he lunged in wanting the advantage of the first strike. Halfdan sped in expecting to strike him down in an instant like the others, but Henrik had swung both axes in anticipation. Halfdan changed course rapidly striking him in the back.

'How could he see me at that speed?'

The kick delivered to Henrik's back had little effect, and he retaliated with a heavy swipe. Even with Halfdan's increased perception, and speed he still received a shallow cut across his chest. The grade two artifacts he was wearing were treated like paper under the might. Following the attack, Henrik let off a barrage, and each swing contained more force than the last.

'He's getting faster too. I need to end this fast.' Halfdan clenched his fists as the lightning around him amplified.

Halfdan's hands began trembling from the force gathering within. As Henrik was starting his next barrage both fists struck the earth as the warriors retreating were sent flying away. While Henrik's body was still roughed up from the force Halfdan closed in and a devastating barrage was released. With each strike that connected a powerful surge coursed through Henrik'.

"I've never seen a human at this level," Lei stated.

"Some of our warriors don't have that mastery," Wei replied.

"It seems the humans are catching up again." Lincoln examined the battle closely.

Blood spewed from Henrik's mouth as he fell back to the ground, and Halfdan turned his attention to the remaining warriors. Henrik couldn't stand, but he reached for the remaining mushrooms. When Halfdan arrived at the new battlefield runes appeared beneath them pulling everyone to the dirt. Two axes became embedded into the earth just narrowly missing everyone.

"I told you we didn't run far enough!"

Charging their way with eyes glowing an ominous red light was Henrik. When yelling for his comrades to retreat it wasn't to rally against Halfdan, but to avoid friendly fire. One mushroom could increase your strength, and mana tremendously, but it would cause your mind to suffer in return.

The moment Henrik ingested the first mushroom his only concern was defeating the warrior in front of him. After his reasoning was gone Henrik devoured all the mushrooms recklessly, and now any contestants in the way of his target were in danger. Thanks to Skade's sensory abilities and quick thinking they avoided death, but they weren't out of danger quite yet.

As the enraged Henrik was closing in he sprang into the air slamming his hands together as a cyclone swirled around his body slowing engulfing it. Before the aura could finish Halfdan dashed away from the others, but Henrik was right on his heels. Racing across the land was a vicious storm, and the newly formed area was rapidly taking heavy damage.

'I need to keep him away from the others till it runs its course.'

"What the fuck is going on?" Thyra shouted at the warriors.

"He took the corpus shrooms."

"That old man must be going senile to bring something like that here," Thyra replied.

"Any idea how many he brought?" Skade investigated.

"When he was rummaging through things on the boat I saw several."

"He must have a death wish," Skade sighed.

"Count this as your win just help us stop him," Thyra told Skade with a concerned look on her face.

None of the other warriors had any complaints of Thyra's claim. They weren't too proud to admit that Halfdan would've defeated them without Henrik's interference. Thyra would be the only one left who could possibly challenge him, but she conceded. All the remaining warriors stood at the ready.

"Just tell us what to do."

"Gather anyone left in the arena, and leave. It would be best to get out of here without casualties. For that to happen I need some mana." Skade said before chanting.

Several runes appeared on the warriors as Skade replenished herself. Skade crossed her arms as six slabs sprang from the ground. As her chant finished the runes on them began to resonate together. Once the rune ignited a large wolf appeared, and when it howled different elements flared in its eyes. The slab shattered, and Skade quickly mounted it.

'She was still holding back? We will settle this when there are less pressing matters.' Thyra clenched her fist seeing the familiar.

"If you wanna catch up we should get going," Skade told Thyra while extending her hand out.

'Hopefully, we're not too late.' Skade looked ahead at the colliding elements.