87

The Noble Sky Hammer

"Very well," Hela nodded slightly.

Seeing Forseti approaching Hela directly, Hermond pursed his lips, as if about to say something, but refrained, glancing at Hela and nudging Forseti with his elbow.

Forseti scanned the surroundings. Besides Hermond, he recognized several faces among the dozen or so gathered around Hela, though only vaguely familiar with one.

"Bart, you're here too." Forseti patted a young man with golden hair on the shoulder.

"It seems we're comrades now," Bart grinned, his mustache twitching.

This golden-haired youth was Bart, whom Forseti had first met through Valkyrie.

Impressed by Bart's flamboyant mustache, Forseti and Bart hadn't interacted much over the years but knew each other for more than a decade.

"Wow."

Bart suddenly exclaimed softly, his gaze shifting.

Not far away, Skadi, daughter of Cul, walked with a group of over a dozen people, notably seven individuals standing out. These seven, six men and one woman, dressed distinctively, each wielding a hammer.

Bart's attention was drawn to the lone woman trailing Skadi. She possessed stunning beauty, a voluptuous figure, and her attire was somewhat revealing...

"It's Skøn!" Many eyes among the men present were fixated on her, accompanied by various comments.

"I've heard she's quite formidable."

Observing the seven hammer-wielders behind Skadi, Forseti was momentarily stunned before recollecting.

Isn't this the Noble Sky Hammer?

In the comic "The Origin of Fear," Cul broke Odin's seal, returning to the world. His daughter Skadi and the seven elite Asgardian warriors known as the "Noble Sky Hammer" served under him.

With these eight followers, the God of Fear, Cul, wreaked havoc upon the Earth, slaughtering heroes of various realms, even tearing Team America's shield with his bare hands.

Reflecting on his past life's memories of "The Origin of Fear," Forseti recognized three among the seven Noble Sky Hammers. Apart from Skøn, whom he had encountered during his time at the Jotunheim outpost, he also knew two others more intimately.

One was Njörðr, who had harbored envy towards Forseti during a wager with Amora. The other was Gudrún, with whom Forseti had an unfriendly encounter during his time at Camp Vanaheim.

Thinking back, Forseti recalled how Skøn, the only woman among the seven, had left a particularly negative impression on him.

Of the three he had interacted with, all left unfavorable impressions.

It's no wonder they eventually turned to villainy!

Forseti thought to himself, reaffirming his commitment to the righteous path.

With the arrival of Skadi's hunting party, the hunters in the square were officially divided into three factions, aligning with either Hela or Skadi, each group consisting of over a dozen members. In total, there were around thirty participants.

Once the hunters had assembled, the ceremony commenced.

First to appear was Asgard's gatekeeper, the God of Winter and Hunting, Ullr, father of Hermond.

Standing before the gathering, Ullr's robust stature resembled a mountain as he began, "Today marks the seventy-ninth Asgardian Hunting Festival... spanning seven thousand and ninety-nine years since Buri's time. For centuries, Asgard's warriors have traversed the Norn Forest, hunting beasts to earn honor and rewards."

"I trust each of you will carve out your own legacy in the vast Norn Forest, as did your predecessors."

After these opening remarks, Ullr paused before proceeding to outline the rules of the hunting festival.

"The hunting grounds are within the Norn Forest, lasting for a month. During this time, your ranking will be determined by the prey you capture—preferably stronger and rarer creatures to earn higher ranks..."

Ullr's tone grew more serious towards the end. "This festival tests your hunting prowess; hence, any attacks among contestants are strictly forbidden! Discovery of such actions will result in immediate disqualification, with severe penalties including execution!"

If spoken by anyone else, this warning might not have been taken seriously, but Ullr was different.

As Asgard's gatekeeper, Uller possessed formidable foresight, able to see across the cosmos. Any violations of the rules were likely to be detected by him.

Consequently, as Uller's words resonated, many hunters couldn't help but feel apprehensive.

Forseti was no exception.

However, Hermond whispered, "It's not as dire as it sounds. Minor skirmishes are permissible, as long as they don't result in significant harm... Forseti, your chance to demonstrate your skills has arrived."

"What?" Forseti was taken aback.

Hermond lifted a finger, tapping his temple. "Your dazzling spell with the middle finger."

"Really?" Forseti eyed him skeptically.

Hermond grinned. "Of course. My father once said he's witnessed ten hunting festivals."

Following Uller's address, the next speaker was the Duchess of Nornheim, overseer of the Norn Forest.

Though she appeared aged, with silver streaks in her hair, the Duchess exuded grace and splendor in her long purple gown, moving with the poise of a peacock.

"The Norn Forest, the largest in Nornheim, teems with creatures—dragons, griffins, pegasi... and our adversaries, the trolls."

"Hence, this is not merely a hunting ground but also a battlefield. I have faith in your prowess as both skilled hunters and formidable warriors. May you return victorious with your prized game."

While Cul and Odin did not make a public appearance, it was known they observed the event.

"How do we reach the Norn Forest?" Forseti inquired.

"Patience," replied Hermond.

Moments later, a chorus of meowing echoed from the sky.

"Meow~"

"Meow meow~"

Forseti glanced upward, spotting winged felines approaching from afar. Each was as massive as an elephant, sporting predominantly orange coats with wings sprouting from their backs.

Seated atop these flying cats were slender, handsome beings resembling Asgardians but with pointed ears.

"Light Elves' flying cats?" Forseti exclaimed in surprise.

"Board these flying cats; the Light Elves will transport you to the Norn Forest," announced the Duchess.

"Step forward, hunters," urged the Light Elves, each perched atop a flying cat.

Forseti promptly joined Hermond on one of the flying cats.

"Meow~" The feline flapped its wings, soaring swiftly into the sky.

Hermond chuckled. "And so, the hunting festival begins."

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