Sheyan answered insipidly towards Harold’s interrogation."Following the viking’s tradition, I placed his body on a tiny boat and set it adrift into the sea."
Harold remained expressionless, while Ammand callously doubted. "Ye be capable of such kindness?"
Sheyan disdainfully scoffed. "It is up to you to believe."
Harold suddenly issued.
"He isn’t lying. We vikings possess a method to locate the corpses of kin under the radiance of the majestic Odin."
Ammand’s gaze turned slightly grim.
Harrod ignored him but continued speaking with Sheyan.
"Ultimately, this affair belongs to my household, it isn’t worth the needless shedding of blood by fellow tribe warriors. Seaman Yan, I dare you to a blood boat decider. Regardless of the victor, the seven viking warriors will not act!"
After hearing that, Ammand’s pupils contracted. Harrod’s issuance of challenge wasn’t within his calculations. He had seemingly forgotten a single point – not everyone would be as loyal and devoted as Scarface Harry, and be resigned to being his chess piece.
During the times of the earliest viking pirates. Whenever a irreconcilable feud breaks out between two parties, according to ancient traditions, the s.h.i.+p would be anch.o.r.ed without issuing a word.
Then, a tiny boat would be lowered, where springboards would be placed to connect both stern and the bow of that tiny boat to the s.h.i.+p. Proceeding that, individuals involved in this feud would take turns challenging on the boat.
Those that took to the springboards in challenge, would meet a fate of either butchering his rival entirely, or peris.h.i.+ng in combat. Then, his comrade behind him would either challenge to seek vengeance, or jump overboard. Nevertheless by then, the blood and corpses of the dead would’ve been flung into the sea, where sharks would have been enticed over.
Without a miracle, the consequence of jumping overboard was being buried within the belly of a shark, while being spurned by fellow vikings.
Frequently, at the latter stages, the tiny duelling boat would be soaked in blood; thus, being hailed as a blood boat.
Noteworthily, vikings who normally spearheads the challenge at the bow would be the most elite warrior. Half naked in battles, they are the ones who roar boorishly and indifferently while enjoying the indulgence of combat. Because they knew, the springboard beneath their feet was saturated with the blood of their ancestors, and their descendants would equally set foot here in the future.
Fury was the terrifying impetus for the viking pirates. For vikings who could survive these brutal carnage of the blood boats many times, they would be able to freely summon the inner fury of their bodies, where damage received would only fuel their raging strength!
These vikings were hailed as ‘Berserkers’ !!!
Moreover, Harrod just had to be a Berserker.
Faced with Harrod’s suggestion, Sheyan answered without hesitation.
"Fine!"
To the current Sheyan, his crew was already experiencing a complete disadvantage in this battle. If not for Reef holding the frontlines, the hostile pirates would’ve already infiltrated deep into the Hill Maiden.
If he could borrow this Blood Boat feud decider to allow his crew a breather, obtaining precious resting time for them, the casualties could still be reasonably treated.
One must understand, Sheyan still had a professional physician, Kayto, present on his s.h.i.+p.
Moreover, he had already purchased the ‘Sudan Mystical Ointment’. If Sheyan could seize this opportunity to tarry for more than twenty minutes, then undoubtedly, some of his crewmates could be saved in the nick of time; the fatally wounded could escape death, while the moderately wounded would be healed to mild wounds. His overall battle capabilities would at least be raised by 50% from the current state.
The vikings acted with swift deadliness, and proceeded to consecutively hurl corpses on board into the sea.
Not long later, deep shadows could be seen circling beneath the sea surface – menacing savage grey sharks that were as long as 5-6 metres.
Their dense reflection of s.h.i.+mmering fangs could be seen through the scarce irradiation of flames. Tearing asunder the corpses with wide chomps, these lethal creatures chewed out dispersions of maroon blood into the sea as gurgling red froth dyed the sea, leaving one with a chill down the back.
Plop! Probably due to Ammand hastening them, after mere minutes, the vikings tossed a blood boat into the sea!
That blood boat brimmed with a menacing, bold and primitive style of the vikings. It was crafted with an oak tree, and was as long as twenty metres with a width just shy of two metres. The ends of this boat revealed two crooked sculpture. While they appeared extremely identical to the necks of a swan; their heads were sinister and cruel looking strange beasts.
When the blood boat entered the water, the surrounding sharks abandoned their meals and insatiably congregated round the blood boat.
One could fathom how saturated by blood this blood boat had been, that even led the sharks to forsake fresh corpses to be directly allured by the blood stench of this blood boat. The entire sea surface area of 20 square metres had been transformed into a boiling pot of thin porridge.
Harold took the lead in leaping onto the blood boat, before gazing towards Sheyan with eyes that beamed with matchless ferocity.
Instead, Sheyan maintained a dull countenance and offered no movements. Naturally, his underling pirates had prepared a jumping springboard, as they casted reverential glances at Sheyan, while he advanced step by step towards the blood boat!
Yet before he leapt down onto bow of the blood boat, he suddenly halted. Then, he issued solely to Harold.
"If I engaged in combat with you, Ammand would be presented with a fantastic opportunity. He can easily strike down my crew while seizing the chance I am unable to command them. You must offer me a guarantee."
Harrod callously replied. "What guarantee do you require?"
Sheyan replied.
"Your vikings must swear on the souls of their ancestors. Regardless of circ.u.mstances, as long n.o.body interrupts our blood duel, and as long as a victor hasn’t been decided, they must maintain a neutral stand. If any party were to make a move, they would react to subdue them!"
Harold’s expression changed as he turned to glance at Ammand. Then, he nodded sincerely while responding.
"Fine, I’ll permit you a contented death. Yet what about your crew? What if your pirates interfere?"
Sheyan laughed. "If my crew interferes, then the oath would naturally turn invalid."
Harrod immediately swung to his viking warriors and offloaded several loud orders.
After receiving Harrod’s orders, the seven viking warriors knelt down and lacerated their own palms. Then pressing their palms against their chests in unison, they swore in utmost earnesty.
To the vikings, such a blood oath was deemed with gravest severity!
After they swore their oaths, Sheyan directly stepped onto the blood boat without prompting from others.
At this instance, Sheyan realized the l.u.s.ter of this blood boat was shockingly maroon. No one knew how many lives had been lost on this boat, where the color of blood had seeped deep into the wooden board; a shade that couldn’t be cleansed even after countless flus.h.i.+ng by seawater.
When Sheyan set foot onto the boat, both parties simultaneously removed the springboards.
Sheyan folded his arms across his chest and nonchalantly muttered.
"You schemed so actively to lure me onto this blood boat. Now that you’ve finally accomplished this, then bring out all your tricks."
At this moment, vapor steamed up from the surface of this blood boat. Blood colored vapor, rapidly thickening from mild to dense.
Soon, Harold’s body was enshrouded with dense blood vapor, lingering around him as though it became his armour, pet, companion and weapon.
Harrod’s dual-handed greatsword flashed oddly with crystal like brilliance! His body actually swelled insanely as it absorbed the blood vapor, causing his originally loose hide armour to look practically like a tight bulletproof vest.
The edges of his cowhorn iron helmet stretched outwards, as the skin on his forehead became tightly tauted. His husky voice dawned an impression of a drying river, as though it urgently needed the moist of fresh blood!
"The history of this blood boat has surpa.s.sed three hundred years. Within the past three centuries, the scattered skulls and sprinkled blood of innumerable vikings have stained this boat. Their souls hover along this very boat, and their spirits attached to the saturated blood of this carnal boat!"
"As for I, the magnificent Berserker Harrod. From the beginnings of my memory, the times I’ve honed myself battling on this blood boat has surpa.s.sed 17 times; slaughtering 125 others in my path. Whoever dared to stand before me has fallen to my hands. Not because I vanquish my foes alone, but because the war souls of my ancestors has guarded me!!! And you, you shall by the 126th vengeful spirit!"
When Harrod released his war cry, Sheyan attempted to position his foot into a suitable battling posture.
Instead at this moment, the strangest thing happened.
The blood shade of the board beneath his feet suddenly undulated and utterly dissolved, forming into a peculiar blood vortex! From within the blood vortex, three thick bloodied palms reached out and bluntly gripped Sheyan’s feet; preventing him from any mobility
Sheyan exerted his might, as he forcefully raised his feet and managed to tear away from the gripping blood hands, causing them to dissolve into fluids and back into the boat. Yet when his feet stepped down again, a blood vortex formed once again; where three palms stretched out and tightly pinched against Sheyan’s ankles relentlessly.
The onlookers watched on with widened shocked eyes.
For every movement he made on this bewitching demonic boat, Sheyan had to expend an immense amount of energy. What more, he was squaring off against the most vicious a.s.saults from an indomitable Berserker of northern europe? This signified that attempting to dodge would be close to impossible, and he could only face the incoming Berserker straight on!
It was no wonder Harold held such great confidence for victory!
Nevertheless, Sheyan’s expression remained unfl.u.s.tered, appearing as though he hid cards up his sleeves!!