Chapter 547: Take Up the Hatchet

After picking up the remaining body parts of the corrupted shark and the parasite, Ares sighed to himself, tilted his head, and shrugged. "I guess I must be such a handsome man I've earned myself a peeping tom who hides in trees and stalks me like some kind of perverted monkey." At his ridicule over the nonsensical attempt to hide from his vision, the Viking who'd watched Ares for the last five or so minutes came forth. "Aha, so you've revealed yourself at last! And thankfully not in the way a peeping tom usually would!" Though the Viking ground his teeth, loud enough that even Ares could hear it from where he was stood, he didn't have an alibi with which he could clear his name and just had to tacitly admit he was being a bit of a creep. What was he supposed to say? 'I wasn't expecting to be found?' Saying as such hardly made his actions look any better; worse if anything... "Ok pal, what do you want? And if you seriously say you want the corpses I just looted then you're in for a world of hurt. I'm honestly shocked you would even pick this fight."

For once, the Viking responded to Ares' provocation. "We Nu Kings fight all. We do not run, we do not flee, we simply win or die." Brandishing his axe was effectively the full stop to his declaration, indicating there would be no need for further discussion. Ares felt insulted but he also at least somewhat respected the insanity of these Vikings. They might be stupid but they weren't cowards, nobody could ever call them that. Perhaps the reason they had such a presence on this mountain wasn't even because of how strong they were but because of how crazy they were as a collective group. If someone picked a weed in their back garden and every other weed simultaneously set themselves on fire, leapt out of the ground, and began lashing them then the gardener would think twice about tidying up his home and might even move out to avoid the issue altogether. The same was effectively true of the Vikings who were suicidal to the extreme and would launch bodies a their aggressors until there were none left. It just wasn't worth killing one, alerting the horde, and having to deal with an entire swarm later on. This was a clan who would gladly kamikaze themselves out of existence one by one down to the last and laugh while doing it.

Crazy, but highly effective.

There was a reason nobody dared challenge them, clearly. Plus after earning a foothold here on the mountain their leader went on a journey and returned with even better gear, making them an even bigger problem than they were before. It wouldn't even be surprising if, given enough time, and provided someone like Ares didn't interfere, they'd take over the entire Isaz region on their own. Global conquest was asking a bit too much of them, there weren't many Vikings and their only redeeming trait really was their unyielding lack of concern for their own well being, but ruling over this frosty mountain range? That much they could do and push the Throne out. It was no surprise the Throne hadn't launched an all out war with the Nu Kings yet, they probably couldn't without leaving themselves weak and susceptible to foreign influence after what would inevitably be a pyrrhic victory. Though whether they had much of a choice now, given what a Torchbearer plot entailed and represented, was something they had no control over with this matter any longer. The long and short of it was that the Torchbearer was upping the threat posed by the Nu Kings on the surface while stirring undercurrents that were far more insidious. The idiot Vikings were short sighted and being exploited by someone who did not give a damn about Isaz and would happily destroy it all using the Vikings as a cover until their real plan came to fruition.

Maybe the Nu Kings were aware of this, and expected a betrayal, and were simply overconfident they could thwart it when the time came... But they really couldn't. They were either overestimating themselves or were completely ignorant about how things were going to play out, either way they were undeniably responsible for the massive escalation of conflict the region was currently seeing. Luckily Ares would deal with the Torchbearer problem for them; unluckily he would then also wipe the Nu Kings out as well. It was interesting to think about what kind of power dynamic would rise up in Isaz after all the major players were ousted or murdered but it wasn't Ares' problem! He was a sect leader and cultivator long before he was a foreign diplomat trying to maintain peace! Even if he was, as being a sect master with influence sometimes required that sort of skillset, it's not like he was the one that picked this fight; Ares had no reason to back down or be merciful if they were looking to kill him.

Before the fight began, the one that Ares was going to win with his eyes closed because of course he was against a peon like this, he couldn't help but take interest in the axe the Viking was about to oh-so generously donate to the Ares' foundation. Ares was always on the look out for weaponry better than what he'd come across and mindlessly shoved into Primordial Blade and right now he was sorely lacking in the axe department. He was sorely lacking in many departments, even ironically the scythe department which was of the utmost priority, but right now he could fill at least one of those gaps in his armory as these axes utilised Neo Gear technology to spice them up a bit. It was a relatively normal axe but the edge wasn't natural in the slightest as it had been replaced by a buzzing neon... Something? Ares wasn't too knowledgeable about technology at the best of times, it was a miracle his caveman brain didn't implode back in the Lowe domain city, and this was Neo Gear tech he was dealing with here so it was even more convoluted. All he could really tell was that the neon edge of the axe was glowing, humming softly, and the lethality was worth keeping an eye out on. It wasn't as lethal looking as disintegration but it was definitely sharper than a regular axe and not by a small margin either, enough to fell a tree with a few basic strikes.

The buzzing noise emanating from the axe was actually similar to what Ares heard when he was casting Perish Wheel so that was how he knew this weapon meant business. Also, interestingly, though this was probably purely cosmetic, it seemed like the colour of the axe was capable of changing like a RGB light. It was presumably up to the wielder to choose what colour axe they wanted and this particular Viking, and likely many others, chose a brutal and commanding red to blend with their rugged and violent aesthetic. As a final note, Ares wasn't sure how the neon axe was powered, exactly, but it didn't seem like it would ever run out of juice. It was designed to function like this permanently and didn't need batteries or anything which was a relief. It would be mighty inconvenient and awkward if it just stopped working mid combat but thankfully that didn't look to be an issue.

Ares was going to nick it! All the Vikings probably owned one, maybe even two or more depending on the individual, of these axes and Ares wanted some as well! For starters, he was curious to know what would happen if he used disintegration on the axe. Would the lethality skyrocket to unimaginable heights or would the neon and disintegration not overlap in the way he was hoping? Regardless, Ares wanted this axe variant to help begin developing and upgrading his arsenal. As a living weapon's pillar enabler it was only natural he should seek out the best possible options for each and every weapon he felt comfortable using in battle. The axe was relatively new territory for him but Ares wouldn't turn his nose up at this free find hat had fallen right into his lap and he wasn't against using an axe either. He wished it was a scythe instead but, realistically, he would never find a Viking using such a technical weapon. It just wasn't the sort of simplistic and efficient weapon they would gravitate towards. That being said, another reason Ares wanted this axe was to see if Dabble could replicate the general style of it and idea behind it. If that were possible, and Dabble's expertise and knowhow came in clutch, then Ares could maybe make a series of neon weapons as a temporary measure to upgrade all of his weapons across the board and have a new baseline. Why wield a plain scythe when a neon bladed scythe is right there for the taking? No harm in trying so rounding up as many of these axes to hand over to Dabble later was in order as it could lead to a substantial improvement in Ares' overall power level at minimal effort on his end. Ares was planning on wiping out the entire Nu King clan so he would have plenty of spares, not just of himself and Dabble but maybe even some for the sect's treasury, and that side of things wasn't an issue. Neo Gear had treated the Vikings well and been somewhat generous even if it was only a ruse to get in their good books and further their own goals and agenda.

Ares took out his own axe, plain as can be with no decorations or modifications, and stood his ground twirling it. The Viking took this as an unveiled insult. Ares hadn't wielded an axe in the previous fight and this one he confidently sliced through the air was evidently not special in any way. Trying to take on a neon axe with an ordinary weapon was disrespectful but that was at least part of why Ares was doing it and the Viking's assumption was partially correct. People like this, who would give their lives at the drop of a hat, were overly proud without fail. That was their driving motive, loyalty and pride, typically more of the latter, and so wounding that pride was a bigger punishment than death more often than not. The other half of the equation was Ares' usual propensity to train in whatever useful situations he found himself in so it wasn't all mockery. Though this peon of the Nu Kings was weak, had the bare minimum of gear so clearly wasn't expected to accomplish much by the higher ups, he was at least semi skilled with the axe. Ares wasn't going to find a teacher for this sort of thing, unless he maybe asked Sadie back at the sect, so learning on the fly from someone with actual experience was as good a place to start as any on his axe journey. Thanks to Dominus' talents embedded deep into his soul, and Ares' Omniscience, he could pretty much guarantee transcending newbie status and becoming decently proficient with the axe by the time he was done stealing from this Viking... But he also needed to remember his own axe would break at the slightest confrontation with the neon addition to the Viking's weapon. Ares would need to navigate around that, and probably dodge more than he blocked, but Ares didn't envision himself struggling. Plus he could always parry other parts of the axe still, it wasn't covered from top to bottom in that neon glow, so he wasn't fussed about the disadvantage as it could have been way worse.

Understanding he was in a better position than Ares, the Viking got the fight underway on his own terms by rushing forward and swinging the axe in a devastating arc that cut horizontally through a large chunk of space. He really went all in and gambled on the ability to kill Ares quickly, which was obviously a faulty decision, but the technique behind his swing was worth remembering... As in there really wasn't any. That's not to insult the man, he wasn't clumsy nor was he doing anything wrong, the axe just seemed to be a more brain-off type weapon when brute strength was the driving force the wielder specialised in. Ares would struggle to replicate this, not only as his weapon was inferior but also because his adept trait was holding him back, though the fine grind was mitigating that it still wasn't worth thinking about, so his best option was to create his own style instead. Quick and heavy, wild aggression was the Viking's method, putting his back into every inch of every swing. Ares wasn't going to discard this idea entirely, that wasn't necessary, but he would save this specific method for when it really mattered, when he could truly make it count. Slowing down the axe combat a tad and then ramping it up upon spotting an opening? That much Ares could do. He didn't have to overexert himself to utilise strength he barely possessed constantly, that was foolish, he just needed to generate spontaneous chances to finish the fight with bursts of calculated aggression instead of a never-ending stream of it. In a way, his plan here was to turn the axe into something more like a rapier earlier in the fight before then bringing back the raw, untamed essence of the axe when it was time to deliver the final strike.

Ares, having dodged the Viking's attack by stepping back, quickly advanced into the space behind his foe's swing. The Viking thrust out his leg to kick Ares back and regain space but Ares blocked and wasn't pushed far meaning he still had the upper hand. It was his turn to lash out but his strike wasn't anything too threatening as he was still testing the waters and seeing how much ground he could take without being punished for it. The Viking sidestepped Ares' axe and came thundering towards him for a diagonal blow this time that Ares couldn't retreat from. Hurried steps forward, and an overcommitment to the blow, meant, for Ares, that running away wasn't the correct response here as the Viking would chase Ares down and hack him to pieces if he dared try. Fortunately this wasn't Ares first rodeo in the combat department and such a trap was laid bare to him the instant the Viking attempted to corner him with it. The flaw in such an attack was that the Viking had to delay his swing a bit in case Ares did decide to retreat otherwise he would miss and hit empty air. As such, Ares stepped in, rather than falling back, and took his opponent by surprise.

The Viking hadn't yet swung his arms so he could still defend himself from anything dangerous but Ares wasn't looking to win the fight just yet. If he was going to use the axe like this he needed to be patient and wait for an opportunity that would guarantee him victory before he went rabid and unleashed the strength he was holding back. Attempting to go all in on openings that weren't absolute was foolhardy and would get him maimed or even killed if he was too careless in this axe duel. Instead, Ares just kneed the Viking in the gut and used his axe to cover the retreat that followed, slicing the air in front of him to prevent retaliation from the Viking's free fist which had been looking to punch him in the head. The axe wasn't really built for death by a thousand cuts but, though it may have seemed like it, Ares wasn't aiming for that. Each blow he dealt the Viking was one not to his physical form but rather to his psyche. Looking to tire the Viking out, and force mistakes, was the real goal here because it only took one misstep for Ares to behead this guy cleanly and that was what he was after. The Viking wanted to overwhelm, Ares wanted to exploit. They were both styles that created moments of weakness and ended the fight in a moment of brutality but the path to that end result was markedly different.

Once more, with no hesitation, the Viking dashed through the snow at his feet with a barbaric yell and charged at Ares with his life on the line. Though there were plenty of methods to fight back against this bullish rampage each would involve a double knock out and the Viking would take Ares down with him gladly. Of course, Ares being a revenant meant he could likely survive a traded blow but he wasn't desperate or anything and had no reason to. Instead, Ares threw his weapon at the Viking's axe wielding arm, forcing a disruption and complication that couldn't be ignored. Attacking from range like prevented the trade the Viking was looking for and so continuing like this was pointless. Giving up, the Viking sidestepped and twisted his body to avoid the throw while Ares chased the axe and swept it up off the floor where it landed. Now he was in motion and the Viking had been stopped dead in his tracks as the roles had been reversed. Arriving before the Viking, Ares finally took a swing of his own as he aimed to swipe through the Viking's wrist and cut off his hand. Again, the Viking was made to retreat but this was where Ares pushiness would have to end as the Viking was ready to swing once more and Ares couldn't contend with the neon axe head on. He had to dance around in small windows whenever the neon axe wasn't in a position to be launched his way, giving up the second that window was shut. At least, that was what the Viking had expected given how the battle had played out so far. He would swing, Ares would dodge and then swing back, and so on, so forth. As the Viking was initiating every fight he had a higher chance of landing a hit first and so he was content with these one-off interactions that reset the playing field in his favour every time. This interaction with Ares looked to be the same but, this time he didn't back down and this was the moment of truth.

The Viking didn't know why Ares decided to stick around, he didn't know what he saw in this position that was hardly any different to the one's previous, but he wasn't going to complain as he transitioned his movements into an overhead swing that would shatter earth and whatever else was in his path. Ares planted his left foot and swung upwards with all his might, seemingly aiming to clash with the neon axe, but his goal was actually elsewhere. His axe soared up and smacked perfectly against the Viking's axe's shoulder, culling the force behind the swing and repelling it backwards to execute a flawless parry that was arguably far more technical than anything Ares should have really been doing with an axe of all things. The precision needed to pull that off was immense and only really manageable thanks to Omniscience guiding his aim and calculating motion and momentum in real time.

Ares managed to blast away the Viking's hand holding the axe but his own was also in a similar situation as he looked to be unable to follow up on this excellent manoeuvre. The Viking, as per usual, threw out his other fist, to force Ares backwards, but this was where the intended outcome would deviate from the norm. Ares was very familiar with the Viking's quirks now and knew he would always go for a simple punch after a swing. It was dull, repetitive, safe, and boring and so capitalising off this extremely samey approach was easy enough if he kept showing it over and over again. Ares silently cast an Echo that shot out from the palm of his axe-holding hand, flicking the weapon in his grip lightly into the air right in-between Ares and the Viking's approaching fist. Ares' free hand shot out, caught the axe, and buried it into the oncoming fist to catch the Viking off guard and wound him greatly. In a fit of panic, the Viking immediately pulled his own axe back forward and lunged at Ares' head to try and kill him or, at bare minimum, force him to dislodge the axe or abandon it and retreat. This was not how Ares planned things, however, so the Viking was forced to watch as Ares dragged his axe, and by extension the Viking's other arm, into the path of his own slash. A pained yell emerged from the bearded mouth of the Viking, leaping through his gritted yellow teeth as blood spurted everywhere from his severed arm. Ares made this warrior cut his own arm off by forcefully repositioning it and from there the fight's end was determined.

The Viking manged to look up from his bloody and dismembered arm laying on the floor and the last sight he would ever see was Ares, body slightly twisted and arm positioned high, soar through sky as his axe was brought crashing down the Viking's head. With perfect form, ruthless and merciless killer instinct, and untamed savagery Ares displayed the power he was hiding up until this very moment and won his duel unharmed. Though his performance wasn't impeccable he thought it was decent enough for now and there was a lot he learnt that could be carried forward into the future. This wasn't his first rodeo with an axe but it felt like the most important as he'd gained a respectable comprehension of what he should be doing with it and that was far more important than whatever mindless victories he'd achieved in the past had meant. Ares glad to have had the chance but that didn't mean he wasn't going to be disrespectful to the Viking's corpse, it was time to pillage and loot! Ares still wanted to check the corpses of his earlier hunt and now he would get to have a looksie at he neon axe as well so he would find a place to settle down temporarily and camp while he went over everything that happened recently. That and there were two other natters that required his immediate attention. First, for some inexplicable reason, he could feel the Moongate Mountain treasure really clearly, as though it was somewhere around this mountain he was currently stationed on, even though that was highly improbable. The treasure should be near the peak of the mountain so Ares would have to check in with Dominus and ask about this anomaly.

And second of all...

It was time...

Ares was on the verge of reaching bloodline awakening!