Chapter 743: Digging Up the Buried Past

It wasn't just Zhang Yi who felt this way; many players who had experienced previous God of War titles shared this sentiment.

They wondered if they were playing a fake God of War, and that the truly formidable one was Kratos's son, who seemingly had no health bar.

Especially as Atreus's skills grew stronger and he learned more abilities, his role felt far more significant than Kratos's. Of course, this was mainly because most players' skills hadn't grown to the point where they could brutalize monsters.

Furthermore, there was a crucial point: the new God of War's game experience flowed seamlessly from the previous trilogy.

Most players weren't even mentally prepared for it.

Taking the Greek-themed God of War as an example, after defeating the Hydra, players quickly encountered Athena and the main storyline was established. They would overthrow the war god Ares, a mortal slaying a god!

By the end of the first chapter, players were incredibly excited, because overthrowing Ares was just the beginning; ultimately, they were to confront Zeus. The content of the next two chapters saw Kratos fight his way from hell to Olympus, finally obliterating Greek mythology, a display of unparalleled might.

But what happened when he arrived in Norse mythology?

Kratos was old, and he had a child – that much was a given. The Blades of Chaos becoming a chopping axe was also understandable. After all, an axe with a GPS automatic navigation system was quite fun to wield.

However, the main storyline involved taking his child up a mountain to scatter ashes, which was initially hard for players to accept. The psychological gap was simply too vast.

Coupled with the addition of RPG elements, Kratos's health bar was embarrassingly short even on normal difficulty, let alone on God of War difficulty where even minor mobs could brutalize Kratos.

This left many players dumbfounded, feeling it was even harder than playing Souls-like games.

Yet, after an initial period of bewilderment, as the game experience progressed, players quickly became engrossed. On one hand, the game itself was excellent; on the other, this God of War was more inclined to tell a good story.

This was also where the new God of War fundamentally differed from the original trilogy.

The trilogy also had a story.

But for most players, rather than understanding Kratos's past or experiences, their main focus was on what methods Kratos would use to brutalize the Greek gods.

Thus, the Kratos seen in Greek mythology was arguably at his most furious.

However, upon arriving in Norse mythology, the entire style of the game completely changed.

Of course, at its core, God of War was still God of War.

After a subdued beginning, once Kratos embarked on his journey through the Nine Realms, the game's story intensified. Various grand scenes made their appearance, allowing players to still experience incredibly impactful battles and extreme violence.

And when facing enemies, Kratos could still summon the same brutal power that had crushed Greek mythology.

Especially when Atreus was in danger, Kratos, activating his Spartan Rage, became terrifyingly formidable.

However, due to the change in narrative structure, players' attention was no longer solely on these grand set pieces.

The interactions between Kratos and Atreus, and the experiences of their journey, also became key focal points for players.

Now, an older Kratos had a child and no longer engaged in Red Soul Extraction mini-games with beautiful women via QTEs.

Moreover, this particular installment elevated players' feelings for Kratos to a new level.

Complementing Kratos's act of suicide to release the power of hope in the trilogy's final chapter, the Kratos who arrived in Norse mythology felt more human.

The previous Kratos could be a god, could be a monster, but was never truly a man.

He would seek revenge, disregarding the consequences of killing main gods like Poseidon and watching floods engulf the world, yet in the end, he would bestow fate upon humanity.

But the Kratos who reached Norse mythology took on a different identity: a father.

This change enriched Kratos's character, making his personal charm even more outstanding.

Just like Ezio in Assassin's Creed or Arthur Morgan in Red Dead Redemption.

The reason countless players loved them was that they felt complete.

Arthur, an outlaw, began his journey of redemption after falling ill. On one hand, he remained incredibly loyal to Dutch and the gang, even though he had countless opportunities to escape, he never left. Instead, he hoped to save the gang that had fallen into despair.

Ezio, after a tragic family upheaval, was blinded by hatred. Guided by Uncle Mario, he gradually grasped the true meaning of an assassin, established the Brotherhood, and finally became an Assassin Master before passing away peacefully.

Similarly, Kratos, who transformed from a Spartan warrior into the Ghost of Sparta, then into the God of War, conquering Olympus and destroying Greek mythology, arrived in Norse mythology and became a father.

Just like the phoenix motif before, it symbolized that the 'monster' Kratos of the past had died, and the Kratos who arrived in Norse mythology embarked on a new life. These contrasts further fleshed out Kratos's character.

Especially when, in the game, they arrived at the cellar of the northern shipyard, Kratos was ambushed by Odin's son, Modi.

In a moment of urgency, Atreus attacked Modi to save his father but unexpectedly collapsed into a coma due to his own power, triggering a plot point that thrilled all players.

As Atreus collapsed in a coma from his power, Kratos, who had been restrained by Modi's magic, erupted in fury. He unleashed his Spartan Rage, forcefully breaking through the magical bonds and sending Modi fleeing in terror.

But Kratos did not pursue the escaping Modi; he had more important matters to attend to.

This sequence excited all players who had played God of War.

Guided by the garrulous Mimir, whom he carried, Kratos learned that only Freya, the former Forest Witch, knew how to save Atreus.

Zhang Yi already knew Freya's true identity from Mimir's earlier revelations: she was Odin's wife, a princess of the Vanir gods.

However, Kratos's entire life had been shaped by gods, so he naturally distrusted them completely. Moreover, Freya was Odin's wife, even if she was effectively imprisoned there by Odin.

But with Atreus gravely ill, Kratos swallowed his pride and decided to seek Freya's help.

Bringing Atreus to Freya's home, she showed no ill will towards Kratos but instead was deeply concerned for Atreus.

From Freya, Kratos learned the true reason for Atreus's lifelong frailty.

It was because if a god firmly believed himself to be mortal, the unconscious suppression of his divine power would lead to this cognitive dissonance manifesting as physical abnormalities. Atreus's symptoms were now very severe; the only way to cure him was with the heart of the guardian of the Bridge of the Damned.

The Bridge of the Damned was located in Helheim, the realm of the dead among the Nine Realms.

However, Helheim was a place of extreme cold, where any ice-attribute attack would be ineffective against its creatures. Kratos's ice-attributed Leviathan Axe would be useless there.

So, if Kratos wished to go to Helheim, the realm of the dead, he would need to find another weapon.

A fire-attributed weapon.

Upon reading this, Zhang Yi got goosebumps all over.

Because he immediately thought of something!

And Kratos's next words confirmed it.

After getting information about Helheim, the realm of the dead, from Freya.

Kratos fell silent for a moment, gently stroking the bandages wrapped around his arm.

'Then I must return home...'

'And dig up the past I swore to bury forever.'

Freya, tending to the unconscious Atreus, shook her head upon hearing this: 'It doesn't matter who you were before.'

'This child is not your past; he is your son, and he needs a father.'

Glancing at the unconscious Atreus, Kratos's gaze gradually became resolute.

Taking a deep breath, Kratos turned and left Freya's home.

(End of Chapter) <>