As soon as the voice fell, the ice demon hunter reached to his waist, swiftly drawing a small axe that spun through the air toward Rowe. The blade shimmered with a cold, deadly light.
Rowe swung his warhammer, unleashing a radiant Holy Light Strike.
"Chong!"
The clash rang out as the warhammer struck true, deflecting the axe with a metallic clang and sending it spiraling away.
"Judgment!"
With that cry, Rowe swung again. Golden light burst from the hammer as it transformed into an energy construct—a blazing warhammer made of holy fire. It surged forward, aimed directly at the ice demon hunter's forehead.
The demon hunter dodged at the last second. Though he avoided the killing blow, the energy warhammer still slammed into his shoulder, tearing open flesh and burning through muscle.
"Ahh!" the ice demon hunter screamed, fear flickering in his eyes. Still, he didn't hesitate—he staggered back and flung another axe.
Rowe batted it away again and rushed in.
Like many trolls from Azeroth, the ice demon hunter possessed remarkable regenerative powers—healing from severed limbs was common, and even a throat slash wasn't always fatal.
Rumor had it that some trolls, seeking... enhancements, would willingly mutilate themselves just to regenerate larger or stronger parts. Troll regeneration, however, wasn't omnipotent. When wounds were burned by magical flames or cursed energy, healing could falter or fail entirely.
And Rowe's hammer held such firepower. Against a frost-born creature like the ice demon hunter, it was especially devastating.
Because of that blow from Judgment, the hunter's wound refused to heal. His entire arm was rendered useless.
Rowe closed in, and the ice demon hunter fought back with his remaining hand, wielding another small axe.
But it was a losing battle. One arm down, his strength and balance were compromised. He was no match for Rowe.
"Holy Light Strike!"
Verrigan's Fist ignited with sacred flame and force. The blow shattered the demon hunter's axe and sent fire spiraling down his arms.
Screaming in agony, the demon hunter turned and fled.
Trolls were massive, and this one stood over two meters tall with long, powerful legs. Rowe, more compact in build, couldn't catch up.
He resorted to ranged attacks. One after another, he released Judgment. Glowing warhammers shot forth, slamming into the demon hunter repeatedly.
"Boom!"
The final strike blew the demon hunter off his feet. As his body slammed to the ground, a parchment floated down through the cold air.
Rowe stepped forward and picked it up.
> [Devotion +14.44]
[Acquired: Disguise – Ice Demon Hunter]
> [Disguise: Ice Demon Hunter]
Description: Take on the appearance of an ice demon hunter. Effect wears off after one day.
Rowe blinked. Then his lips curled into a grin.
The Ice Demon Hunters bore a resemblance to the Frost Giants. In Jotunheim, this disguise would be far less suspicious than walking around with Asgardian features.
Asgardians were enemy number one here. Encountering a frost giant as himself would mean instant death. But in disguise, he might have a chance to slip through unnoticed.
Still, he had only one of these—just a single day. He'd have to save it for the perfect moment.
Rowe exited the training chamber. Warhammer slung on his back, staff in hand, he stepped out of the cave and began his journey toward the first outpost.
He knew the general direction, but a towering cliff cut off the straight path.
Jotunheim's cliffs were massive and treacherous. Sheer, icy walls rose into the gloom. With no way to climb them, he had no choice but to follow the edge.
Days passed.
The cliffs seemed endless. For half a month, he trudged alongside them and never saw them end or turn.
Snow fell constantly, blanketing the terrain in white. The landscape hardly changed. Darkness reigned year-round in Jotunheim, and Rowe began to lose his sense of direction.
"Am I... lost?" he muttered in the ancient Asgardian tongue, gazing at the endless snowfields.
"Roar—"
A deep, resonant roar shattered the silence. Rowe froze, ears straining.
An ice bear!
He tensed. Was a frost giant nearby? Ice bears were often their mounts.
"Roar!"
The growl came again, closer this time.
Rowe quickly ducked behind a boulder, pressing his back against the icy stone.
"Roar-roar!"
Closer. Yet... something was off. Only one bear?
Peeking out carefully, Rowe spotted a lone ice bear thundering through the snow, chasing an elk-like creature covered in shimmering frost-blue fur.
He exhaled in relief.
Wild ice bear. No giants.
Food.
Jotunheim was barren. He had no idea how long his supplies would last. Two beasts—he had to take advantage of this.
He took off after the bear, staying far enough to avoid detection.
Despite its bulk, the ice bear moved with surprising speed. To keep up, Rowe chugged a bottle of Swiftness Potion, then sprinted at full speed for several minutes.
"Roar—crack!"
The ice bear pounced, clamping its jaws down on the fleeing creature's neck. A sharp snap echoed across the tundra as the creature's body went limp, blue blood spilling into the snow.
The bear sat down to eat, claws raking open the carcass.
From a distance, Rowe raised his staff. The nearby rock shimmered, transmuted into a humanoid shape—his Rock Puppet.
Under Rowe's direction, the stone creature silently circled behind the bear and raised its fists.
Throwing Stone!
One of the puppet's fists glowed faintly with holy light and launched a heavy stone like a cannonball.
"Bang!"
The boulder slammed into the bear's flank.
"ROAR!!"
Enraged, the bear roared and charged the puppet.
The rock construct hurled more stones, pelting the creature. But the bear's thick hide shrugged off most of the damage.
It reached the puppet in seconds and swatted it with a massive paw.
"CRASH!"
The rock puppet shattered into rubble.
While the bear was distracted, Rowe raised his staff again.
Judgment!
Arrows of divine fire shot out, striking the bear square in the chest.
"Whuuuur!" The creature wailed and turned toward Rowe.
Another Judgment.
The bear snarled and charged.
Rowe steeled himself. He raised his warhammer high and slammed it into the frozen ground.
Sword of Justice!
A flaming blade burst from beneath the bear, surging upward into its belly.
The beast's charge halted mid-stride. Its roar was strangled by a gurgle of pain.
It collapsed onto its side, smoke rising from its stomach where the blade of holy fire had struck.
Rowe stood panting in the snow, surrounded by fading echoes of divine power and the flickering light of judgment.