"You really killed the Death God?" Thor asked, still in disbelief.
"Yes, a god is indeed powerful," Wang Yan sighed, reflecting on his battle. If not for using the Death God's magic, he might not have succeeded in killing him.
Hearing Wang Yan's confirmation, Thor realized just how powerful Wang Yan had become. Although Wang Yan acknowledged the god's strength, he had still managed to kill him.
"I can't believe he's really dead. It feels like he got off too easily," Thor said, feeling helpless as he slumped into his seat. He had hoped to avenge his people personally, but now he wouldn't have the chance.
Seeing Thor's despair, Wang Yan frowned and asked, "It must have been severe, judging by your reaction?"
Wang Yan hadn't seen the devastation across the Nine Realms and couldn't fully grasp what it meant to lose two-thirds of the population.
"It was horrific. Asgard lost two-thirds of its people, and other realms lost as much as seventy to eighty percent," Thor said with a pained expression.
Wang Yan frowned upon hearing this. He hadn't realized just how extensive Chthon's destructive influence had been. Though he didn't underestimate the god of darkness, the scale of the damage was staggering.
"That's truly problematic," Wang Yan muttered, thinking about how to resolve the situation. He knew he bore some responsibility. If he hadn't absorbed Chthon's avatar, the god might not have shown up, and the universe wouldn't have suffered.
Thor was equally distressed. He had watched his friends and followers die, unable to help them. "Wang Yan, don't you at Kamar-Taj have magic that can reverse time?" Thor asked, looking at Wang Yan with hope.
"Reversing time," Wang Yan echoed, shaking his head. "Playing with time comes with severe consequences."
Time was one of the universe's fundamental laws. As Tony Stark and Captain America discovered while collecting the Infinity Stones, tampering with time can have dire results, like bringing Thanos to the present, which led to Iron Man's sacrifice.
Reversing time was not to be taken lightly, and Wang Yan knew the risks.
Seeing Wang Yan hesitate, Thor felt a glimmer of hope. Asgard's decline was something he couldn't accept. Under Odin's rule, Asgard had been so mighty. In his hands, it seemed to weaken continuously. He couldn't face this failure.
"Wang Yan, please help Asgard. I'll give you all of Asgard's treasures if you save my people!" Thor pleaded, willing to offer anything for his kingdom.
Wang Yan sighed. "Thor, it's not that I don't want to help. It's just that reversing time comes with a heavy price."
Reversing a small event was one thing, but restoring an entire planet's population was another. Even the Infinity Stones might struggle with such a task.
Thor realized that Wang Yan could do it but was reluctant due to the cost. After a moment of silence, Thor knelt before Wang Yan. "Please, Wang Yan. Help Asgard. I'll give you anything, just save my people!"
Seeing Thor's sincerity, Wang Yan couldn't help but feel sympathy. Though Thor might not be the most capable ruler, he was compassionate and responsible. Few would go to such lengths for their people.
"Get up, Thor," Wang Yan said, frowning. "Let me think of a solution."
With Thor's plea and his kneeling, Wang Yan couldn't turn a blind eye. Thor looked hopeful as he sat down, waiting for Wang Yan to come up with a plan.
Wang Yan knew using the Time Stone was not feasible due to the potential for widespread consequences. He could reshape the timeline. After absorbing most of Chthon's power and becoming a god, he had access to abilities beyond ordinary comprehension.
Reshaping a timeline was within his grasp, but he had never attempted it. However, Thor had to consider Thor's desperate plea.
"Thor, if you're serious about changing things, I have a method. But I'll need some of Asgard's magic for support."
Asgard had a long history and powerful magic. While their physical strength often overshadowed their magical prowess, their spells could greatly aid Wang Yan in reshaping the timeline.
"I'll get Asgard's magic for you immediately," Thor hesitantly agreed. Asgard's magic was less important than its people.
Wang Yan nodded. "But I'm not planning to use the Time Stone to reverse time and alter history."
Thor needed clarification. He knew Kamar-Taj had the Time Stone, integrated into the Eye of Agamotto, and believed it was essential for reversing time.
"What will you do then? Whatever it is, I support you," Thor said resolutely. As long as it could save his people, he was on board.
"I intend to reshape the timeline," Wang Yan said, leaving Thor stunned. He wondered if he had heard correctly. Reshaping the timeline was even more challenging than using the Time Stone. Even his father, Odin, had never attempted such a feat.
"Did you say reshape the timeline? Isn't that something only gods can do?" Thor asked, amazed. As king, he had learned much about the cosmos, including the concept of the multiverse and the role of true gods in managing it.
"Yes, only gods can do this. But I've acquired Chthon's power after killing him. I need Asgard's magic to cross-reference and support my spell," Wang Yan explained calmly.
Thor was shocked. Although he knew Wang Yan had killed a god, he hadn't realized the full implications. Now, Wang Yan possessed godly powers, capable of reshaping the timeline.
Thor wasted no time. He used the Bifrost to return to Asgard and retrieve their magic, racing against time.
Wang Yan closed his eyes, focusing on Chthon's power and the divine control it granted over the universe. As he attuned to it, his understanding of the dark god's power and his connection to the universe deepened.
After a moment, Wang Yan opened his eyes, which glowed with an otherworldly light. In that instant, he felt one with the universe, as if he had become a part of it.
Thor returned, anxious but hopeful. He didn't need the sorcerers' help to find Wang Yan again. "Wang Yan, I've brought Asgard's magic. Please…"
As Thor entered, he saw the cosmic expanse in Wang Yan's eyes, making him feel small and insignificant. It was as if Wang Yan had transcended humanity, becoming a true god.