75

McLean

Fortunately, it wasn't someone attacking him, but a battle that had broken out nearby.

Seeing that Forseti had no involvement, he was about to leave cautiously when unexpectedly, amidst the clamor of battle, he heard words in the Vanir language, a dialect similar to Asgardian spoken by the Vanir gods.

Are there Vanir gods here?

Forseti hesitated briefly, then decided to quietly approach and assess the situation.

The battle was not far from his location, and he quickly reached the scene, hiding behind a tree to observe both sides.

One of the combatants was a young Vanir, long-haired with a beard, wielding a chain hammer with swift expertise.

However, at this moment, the young Vanir was clearly at a disadvantage. Despite his efforts, parrying and sweating, he was outnumbered by four stone beings known as the Kronans.

Seizing a momentary gap, the Vanir youth swung his chain hammer directly at the head of one of the Kronans.

The Kronan, taken by surprise, couldn't evade in time, resulting in a blow to the shoulder instead of a fatal strike.

"Boom-crash!"

A dull sound echoed as the Kronan's entire arm shattered at the shoulder, falling to the ground. He screamed in pain, staggering back.

Failing to deliver a fatal blow, the Vanir youth gritted his teeth in frustration and briefly exposed his back in defenselessness.

"Die, Vanir!" the Kronan whose arm had been shattered shouted angrily. "I'll mount your head on a branch!"

With that, he lunged back into the fray with his companions, besieging the Vanir youth.

Facing the onslaught of the four Kronans, the young Vanir struggled more and more, sweating profusely, sustaining several wounds, seemingly on the verge of defeat.

Forseti made a decisive move and chose to intervene.

Judgment!

With a wave of his staff, the Arrow of Judgment shot forth, striking a Kronan in the back.

"Crack!"

The Arrow of Judgment pierced through the Kronan's weak spot.

"No—!" His eyes widened in horror as he fell to his knees, his stone form crumbling rapidly into rubble.

Shocked by the sudden attack and loss of their comrade, the remaining three Kronans exclaimed, "Who?"

Forseti's expression shifted abruptly. Without hesitating, he waved his staff again, summoning a rock puppet from a nearby boulder, directing it to charge forward.

The rock puppet bore a striking resemblance to the Kronans themselves. Seeing this unexpected figure emerge from the shadows, the three Kronans were momentarily stunned.

"Who dares to attack us?" one of the Kronans demanded, even as the rock puppet approached and swung its arm forcefully.

"What are you doing?!" the Kronan exclaimed in shock.

The rock puppet hurled a large stone, striking one of the Kronans and knocking him to the ground.

"Damn it, we have a traitor!" The three Kronans were shocked and enraged.

Seizing the opportunity, the Vanir youth clenched his teeth, wielding his chain hammer with all his might, raining blows down upon the Kronan who had lost his arm.

One companion fell after another, and the two remaining Kronans, furious and fearful, finally chose flight over further battle, fleeing in panic.

Exhaling heavily, the young Vanir collapsed to the ground, eyeing the rock puppet in front of him with curiosity. "This is..."

"My puppet." Forseti emerged from behind the tree, staff in hand.

The Vanir youth stared for a moment. "Are you from Asgard?"

Asgard and the Vanir gods shared a common ancestry. It wasn't uncommon for Asgardians to appear in Vanaheim, so he quickly regained his composure. "Thank you for saving me."

Introducing himself, he continued, "My name is McLean, a hunter."

Forseti recalled something. "Are you hunting the black lion beasts?"

"Yes, the hunting festival is coming up, but I haven't caught the black lion yet," McLean replied.

The Vanir gods also participated in the Hunting Festival, but without the presence of the four-horned goats found in Vanaheim, they needed to capture a Vanaheim creature known as the Black Lion Beast to qualify.

Forseti nodded, then suggested, "I think we should leave this place. More Kronans may appear."

"You're right. The Forest of Joy is teeming with Kronans. Let's go," McLean agreed.

With that, the two departed together, the rock puppet trotting along behind Forseti.

From time to time, McLean glanced back at the rock puppet. "Your puppet really does resemble a Kronan. No wonder that guy mistook it for his own."

After traveling briskly for several dozen miles, they paused to rest and chat.

"McLean, I heard there's a place in Vanaheim called Thunder Valley. Have you been there?" Forseti inquired.

"Of course. I've been there," McLean confirmed with a smile. "Rode the marsh beast through the swamps. Thunder Valley is famous, only two days' journey from here. I visited it five hundred years ago. Are you thinking of visiting Thunder Valley?"

"Yes," Forseti replied. "I've heard there's a magical plant there—the Thunderbolt Tree."

"Believe me, you won't be fond of the Thunderbolt Tree," McLean said, his expression turning somber. "Thunder Valley's scenery is breathtaking, but it's best admired from a distance. It's not wise to venture in and harvest Thunderbolt fruits."

Forseti remained silent, then asked, "How would I get to Thunder Valley if I wanted to go?"

McLean gestured. "You'll need to head northeast through this forest, or you can take a detour... Eventually, you'll reach a warehouse where they rent and sell marsh beasts. Rent one of those beasts and head north. In two days, you'll arrive at Thunder Valley."

"I must rent a marsh beast?" Forseti clarified.

"It's advisable. Marsh beasts are fast and can scare off most creatures, making your journey much safer and quieter," McLean explained.

The next morning, after they shared a wild boar barbecue, they parted ways. McLean continued his hunt for the black lion beast, while Forseti ventured into the forest in search of the warehouse that rented and sold marsh beasts.

After three or four days of travel, he finally traversed the Forest of Joy and arrived at his destination: the Garkan Warehouse.

"Hoo-ho!"

The Garkan Warehouse was hard to miss. Even from a distance, the thunderous roar of marsh beasts could be heard, their colossal bodies visible as he drew nearer.

The marsh beast resembled a green-skinned gorilla of immense size—the largest creature in Vanaheim.

Forseti gazed up at the creature, struck by a thought that it bore a resemblance to the Hulk...

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