Chapter 65: 65
Liam found himself in between snow capped mountains with Freya close by and Atreus. Liam had come a long away since he had started the game. Fighting with axe was fine, but then came the Blades of Chaos.
Oh that was a doozy. At first he wasn't even able to even use it. The Blades were the most impractical weapon he could even think of because it took him almost a month to learn from the ground up. Throwing the blades and them bringing them back to his hands were tough. But at the end he finally got the taste of it and he didn't look back. Now he was here. Ready to fight the last battle.
And as expected it was a very tough one. He died again in the first few times since he wasn't able to time his attacks and got railed by Baldur. But he didn't give up. The next day he was back to fight and this time with more concentration and determination.
Thankfully he was able to defeat Baldur. At the climax of their battle, Liam and Atreus stood over Baldur, the unyielding Aesir god whose immortality had been stripped away. Baldur was quite the nuisance. It reminded Liam of how Kratos was during his time with the Greek gods.
The brutal fight had left the land scarred, the air thick with frost and fire, remnants of Freya's desperate attempts to protect her son. Baldur, no longer invincible after Freya's spell had been broken by Atreus' mistletoe arrow, staggered forward, bloodied yet still laughing—a twisted grin stretching across his face.
"More," Baldur muttered, his body trembling. "I feel everything... finally."
But his newfound mortality did not bring him peace. Baldur lunged at Freya, intent on choking the life from her, his hands tightening around her throat as she did nothing to resist.
Liam stepped forward, grabbing Baldur and wrenching him away, throwing him to the ground with a force that cracked the ice beneath them. Breathing heavily, he looked down at his fallen foe. He understood the pain of a son consumed by vengeance. He understood the cycle of hate and bloodshed. And yet, there was no choice.
"This cycle ends here," Liam said.
Then, in one swift, decisive motion, Liam wrapped his hands around Baldur's neck. The Aesir god struggled at first, but the Ghost of Sparta's grip was unrelenting. The struggle turned to gasps, then to silence. With a final, sickening snap, Baldur's body went limp in Liam's grasp.
Freya knelt beside her son's lifeless body. She was sobbing.
[Congratulations to the host for completing the game. You have acquired A - evaluation. Do you wish to progress to God of War Ragnarok or take the rewards now ]
Liam became silent. He was expecting this response from the system. He didn't complete the game in a grand way like he had done the previous ones. This game was brutal and he had died many times. Thus he had expected the evaluation to be bad.
Thankfully though he did get on A category. Liam actually wanted to deny this but he knew that he might have the chance of greater rewards from the game if he continued.
"I will continue." Liam said.
[Accepted]
Liam didn't immediately step on to the next phase. Ragnarok was bigger and scarier. Heimdall, Thor and at the end Odin. Each of them was a huge headache and though by now he was accustomed to his weapons, the enemies he would have to face were terrible.
Liam had decided to take a small vacation. Vacation would be a wrong word as Marvel had decided to open a branch on UK and Pepper had convinced Tony to come and inaugurate the branch office. Marvel now had different contractors for their shield technology and opening a branch in London would allow them to deal with the contracts in Europe.
The moment Liam gave the last green signal, within a week Liam found himself on a private plane flying with Tony.
"So, Liam," Tony suddenly spoke up. "What's the first thing you're gonna do when we land? Hit up a a licensed alcohol place? Tour the royal palace? Or maybe, just maybe, get yourself a ridiculously overpriced suit so you can stand next to me at this grand inauguration without looking like an intern?"
"I'll take my chances looking like an intern." Liam scoffed and decided to ignore him. He turned back to the window as the pilot's voice crackled over the intercom, announcing their imminent arrival in London.
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The ceremony took place in a modern, high-rise building in the heart of London. The Marvel branch office stood tall, its sleek glass facade reflecting the city's skyline. A crowd had gathered outside, including journalists, company executives, and tech enthusiasts eager to see what Stark Industries had planned for its European expansion.
Tony, ever the showman, stepped up to the podium with a grin, flanked by Pepper and several key Marvel executives. Liam stood on Tony's side too, but he knew that people were more interested in Iron Mage, than a budding new pupil of Tony.
"Ladies and gentlemen," Tony began. "I know you all came here expecting a long, drawn-out corporate speech, but let's be honest—you don't really care about that, and neither do I. So, let's cut to the chase."
There was a chuckle from the crowd.
"Marvel is expanding, and this new office is gonna help us bring cutting-edge tech, top-tier innovation, and, of course, just the right amount of chaos to Europe. So, with that, let's make this official."
With a dramatic flourish, Tony pressed a button on a nearby console, and behind him, the Marvel logo lit up in bright, golden letters. The crowd erupted into applause, cameras flashing as the grand opening was officially sealed.
As soon as the ceremony was over Liam was dragged by Tony to different luxurious places that he loved here. He already had the itinerary ready for the next day. Tony was determined to have a good vacation time here.
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