Chapter 362 - 361: Thor Odinson
Thor Odinson.
A being so intimidating that even a simple breath of his could be seen as a threat. Based on the stories that Van had heard about him, Thor was… a warrior-- a warrior that lived for battles.
Whether it was true or not, it was said that Thor lived most of his life in battle. Fighting day after day, not even having time to sleep as he feasted and drank as a sort of rest.
And seeing him now, those stories about him were probably true.
3 meters tall;
A hammer hanging behind him which was as big;
And a ragged beard that was slightly parted by his large, round, but rock-like stomach. He may look like a man that would not be able to move due to his weight, but no; unlike Dionysus, whose fat wobbled each time he moved, Thor's body was clad in muscles that seemed to want to burst out from his hairy skin.
If Van was told that Thor was a giant, then he would have probably believed it. Odin, besides his muscular exterior, just seemed like an old man. Thor, however, embodied the image of the Aesir that Van held in his mind before.
Each of Thor's steps caused the students that were still watching on the side to flinch. Headmistress Hilda had a hunch that Thor was coming so she wanted the students to return to their dorms where they would be safe. But alas, it was already too late.
The school was neither a tavern nor a brothel; so if Thor was here, then there could only be one other option for his presence-- a battle.
"Welcome, master Thor."
"Hm."
The storm that Thor brought with him just moments ago was now completely gone; leaving only the trace of its wake as a part of the fine grass that the college had been growing has now completely been shaved from the ground.
"So, which amongst these people do you say is worthy of my hammer?" Thor did not even bow or nod his head towards Hermod, instead only trailing his eyes throughout the field as if a hawk searching for its prey.
His voice as well, perfectly matches the way he looked. Ragged, a bit husky, and reverberates throughout the field that even the students who were meters away could hear him talk.
"This little man here is Master Van," Hermod did not seem to mind the disrespect, however, as he quickly gestured towards Van.
"A dwarf?" Thor grunted, "You tell me you were bested by a dwarf, Hermod? What kind of foolishness is this?"
"..."
"Please have some patience, King Evans," Athena quickly whispered into Van's ears as soon as she saw his eye twitching, "Let us wait for them to make the first move."
"...I know."
Thor then grabbed his hammer from behind, causing Van and Athena to slightly tighten their stance. Thor, however, instead of using the hammer to attack, used it as some sort of cane to support himself as he crouched down.
"How could these little sets of legs defeat the fastest man in all of the 9 Realms?" Thor said as his eyes focused on Van, looking at him from head to toe, "Please, tell me you jest."
"Do not be fooled by his exterior, Master Thor," Hermod shook his head as he stood beside Thor, "Little he may be, but even King Odin regards him with wariness. His blood is most pure, he said."
"My father… is wary of this little man?"
"Yes, master Thor," Hermod nodded his head. Letting out a smile as he looked Van straight in the eyes, "And if I am not mistaken… King Odin might be a little afraid of the b--"
"!!!"
Van and Athena quickly moved back as a violent gust of wind suddenly waved in front of them, caused by Thor suddenly swinging his hammer. The two of them, however, were not the targets, but instead Hermod who was casually standing beside Thor. Even though the hammer had not touched the ground, its sheer size and the strength of Thor's arms were enough to leave a crevice on the earth.
And considering that it only seemed to be a casual and nonchalant movement from him, this was enough for Van to see Thor's strength. If he wasn't mistaken, then he should be at the same level as Charlotte. As for whether he was stronger, he would probably find out later.
"M… Master Thor!?"
Hermod was able to dodge, but only by a width of a hair's breadth. He truly was not expecting Thor to suddenly strike him out of nowhere.
"You dare disrespect my father like that?" Thor then breathed out as he pointed his hammer towards Hermod.
"I… I was not lying, master Thor," Hermod shook his head, "Would have I called you if I was not confident in my assessment? He is faster than me-- and I was sure that you wanted to test out the strength of the creature that your father is interested in. You would be surprised to know that this little man is also the Primal Progenitor of the forest giants."
"Hm," Thor then once again turned his head towards Van. Although Hermod had announced some of Van's heritage, Thor seemed to be completely disinterested by them. Instead, he only let out a small smirk as he placed his hammer to his side, causing a slight tremor as he placed it on the ground.
"Let us battle, little dwarf. If what Hermod says is true, then perhaps you may be able to give me the excitement of a true battle that I have not felt for centuries," he then said.
"I don't think so," Van shook his head as he put down his stance, "If you could not even hit Hermod, then I am afraid it wouldn't be a battle at all."
"You have quite the tongue in you, dwarf."
"It only speaks the truth, I'm afraid," Van shrugged before glancing at Athena.
"Lord Thor, please let me introduce myself," Athena then also put down her stance as she tapped the ground a couple of times, "I am Athena, advisor to King Evans."
"King… Evans?" Thor furrowed his eyebrows as he looked back and forth between Van and Athena, "This little man is a king?"
"A God," Athena quickly muttered, "And as his advisor, may I also advise you something, Lord Thor?"
"Hm?"
"Your father has been wise to avoid King Evans. I suggest you do the same if you wish to still live and reign freely. We are only here as guests from a Realm that has not yet been built… I am sure you do not want us as enemies."
"...I do not like the tone of your voice, woman," Thor muttered as his eyebrows began to furrow further; his voice, getting deeper and deeper as the smell of alcohol seeped from his mouth, "Asgard has no enemies, only foolish people that yet not know that they are under us. And I am sure you are aware how I deal with those kinds of fools?"
"I do. I am aware of your record."
"Then--"
"And I also know that you are weaker than my King."
"Enough! You think you could provoke me from your silly words, woman!?" Thor roared as he raised his hammer, causing the skies to once again darken, "We settle this now!"
As soon as he did so, Athena nodded towards Van before quickly moving away, "Show our future population what you got, my King."
"I'm still a bit tired, you know," Van sighed. He and Athena were just creating thunder back in the ship, and now, once again, it would seem another round of thunder would fill the entire air around him… but this time literally.
"Draw your weapon, little man!" Thor roared as he once again pointed his colossal hammer towards Van.
"...I don't have a weapon," Van said before stretching his hand to the side, with Aegis instantly materializing and clasping around it as he did so, "But this should be enough."
"You're quite smug for a dwarf, little man."
"I'm not a dwarf."
"Maybe not, but I am sure most aspects of you are."
"You can ask her," Van scoffed as he glanced at Athena, who quickly shook her head in alarm. In truth, the two of them were trying to agitate Thor, but considering that he was still firing back with words, it would seem that it was not really that effective.
But considering the man in front of Van has thousands and thousands of experience in battles, Athena would be more disappointed if he were provoked with just that. Athena was still quite unsure if this was a battle that should be fought by Van, but considering his speed, there should be no one in the 9 Realms that is actually capable of beating him.
That was the main reason why Odin was letting Van do as he pleased; He may be able to kill him, but at what cost?
But Van did lack something, and that was exactly the experience that Thor had an abundance of. So if anything, this should be a great lesson for him.
"I presume you are ready, little man?"
"Are y-- !!!"
Before Van could even finish his words, Thor's hammer quickly filled his entire vision. Most people would have seen a small spark as Thor suddenly threw his hammer towards him, but for Van, it was the only thing he could see as he allowed his body to move with the hammer; his shield scratching its surface as he did so.
He then moved to the side, causing the hammer to go further through the field… towards the students that were watching on the side.
"N… no!"
Most of the students were too slow to react, some even curling in a ball as the colossal hammer flew towards them. However, before it could even hit them, they felt a sudden tugging inside their stomachs, followed by a sudden change in scenery.
"W… what?" They all muttered in unison as they found themselves meters away from where they were. And seeing the hammer leaving a crater on it, some of them would have surely died if it had hit them.
"You… truly are quite fast, aren't you, little man?" Thor then muttered as he turned his body around, only to see Van standing beside Hermod.
"W… what--"
And before Hermod could say anything, Van suddenly waved his shield in the air, once again decapitating Hermod.
"Well…
...I guess I am."