Set in 11th-century Europe, Vinland Saga follows Thorfinn, the son of a legendary Viking warrior who was murdered before his eyes by the mercenary leader Askeladd. Thorfinn spends a decade as a cold-blooded killer in Askeladd's crew, driven solely by the hope of killing his father's murderer in a fair duel. However, when his purpose is suddenly taken from him, Thorfinn is sold into slavery, forced to confront the mountain of corpses he left behind. The story evolves from a bloody revenge thriller into a profound philosophical exploration of what it means to be a "true warrior." Ultimately, Thorfinn vows to cross the sea to the fabled land of Vinland—a place across the Atlantic where there is no slavery and no war—to build a utopia for those with no other home.