God of War Ragnarök | How To Upgrade Leviathan Axe to Level 9

God of War Ragnarök, leveling up Kratos depends heavily on upgrading your weapons, armor, and gear. The Leviathan Axe, Kratos' iconic weapon, is one of the most critical items to upgrade, and getting it to level 9 will significantly boost your power. Here's how to fully upgrade your Leviathan Axe by collecting Frozen Flames throughout the game.

Level 1 To 6 By Playing Through the Story

You'll naturally collect enough Frozen Flames to upgrade your Leviathan Axe to level 6 by simply progressing through the main story. Keep following the narrative, and you'll get these upgrades as part of your journey. The remaining Frozen Flames needed for the level 9 upgrade require a little bit more effort, though. Here’s what you need to do.

The Plains, Vanaheim

After reaching level 6, the next Frozen Flame is found in Vanaheim, specifically in The Plains, located in the Crater region. This area becomes accessible after completing the “Scent of Survival” favor, which is automatically added to your journal during the main story.

Follow the trail left behind by the dog, and you'll arrive at the Crater, where you'll need to explore The Plains. Your goal is to defeat a dragon named the Crimson Dread. It’s an intense battle, but once you take down the dragon, you'll be rewarded with the next Frozen Flame. Afterward, you can head to a shop to upgrade your axe or continue to the next objective.

The Barrens, Alfheim

The next Frozen Flame is a bit difficult to obtain. You’ll need to go to The Barrens in Alfheim, where you’ll face a Berserker. This encounter only becomes available after completing the “Secrets of the Sands” favor, which should already be on your favor list by this point in the story.

Once you’ve completed the favor, head to the Berserker's location; you'll face three Berserkers at once, one of the hardest battles in the game. A crucial tip here is to balance your attacks among all three enemies to avoid being overwhelmed and make sure to dodge constantly. After defeating them, you’ll be awarded a Frozen Flame.

Collect Frozen Sparks For The Final Upgrade

To reach the final level 9 upgrade, you'll need to gather Frozen Sparks by closing Hel Tears. You'll naturally close the first two Hel Tears as part of the story, but you’ll need to seek out the remaining ones. After closing all six Hel Tears, you’ll have enough Frozen Sparks to create the final Frozen Flame needed for your upgrade.

Hel Tear Locations:

• The Southern Wilds, Vanaheim: Near the Mystic Gateway, you’ll find a Realm Tear close by. Make your way here to close the tear and collect a Frozen Spark.
• Aurvangar Wetlands, Svartalfheim: You’ll have to get back to this area you were in early on in the game. You’ll find another Hel Tear near the river and can use a zipline to reach it.
• The Strond, Alfheim: This Hel Tear is located right in front of the Mystic Gateway. Travel back to The Strond, and you’ll find the tear waiting for you nearby.
• The Well of Urd, Midgard: Here, you’ll find another Hel Tear. Head up to the Well of Urd, located at the top of the realm’s map. If you pass a Nornir Rune chest, you're on the right track. Climb the mountain, close the Hel Tear, and collect your Frozen Spark.

After closing all the Hel Tears, you'll have collected six Frozen Sparks, which combine to form the final Frozen Flame. Now, with all Frozen Flames in hand, you can fully upgrade the Leviathan Axe to level 9. This is going to make combat a whole lot easier for sure.

Read our God of War Ragnarök review and the God of War Ragnarök: Valhalla review. Also, check out our other guides below:

• God of War Ragnarök NG+: Every New Details
• God of War Ragnarök Beginner's Guide | 10 Tips to Get You Started
• God of War Ragnarök Guide | How to Get Powerful Early in The Game
•  God of War Ragnarök Guide | How to Get The Zeus Armor Set
• God of War Ragnarök Guide | How to Unlock Muspelheim and The Crucible