Defending yourself from attacks is how you skill-up to beat the bosses. Later in the game, you will not gather your own wood: you will take it from the greydwarfs, using whatever weapon you want to skill-up on.

When you find a greydwarf nest, mark it and put a portal there if you are using portals. Then when you want wood, resin, rocks or greydwarf eyes, go there and take what you want from your enemies.

I do not know whether this is the "Viking Way." It hypothetically weakens your foes at the same time as you strengthen yourself. 'Pretty sure "take what you need from your enemies (and blow-up the rest of their stuff)" is kind-of universal.

Valheim provides opportunities for this in every biome.

When Valheim adds scorekeeping, "Foes killed x hit points:" should be on the scoreboard.