Under Thor's rule, Asgard was stable and without significant issues. However, this time, so many people died at once even the God of Mischief couldn't bear it.
"Loki, what's our loss this time?" Thor asked after a long silence.
Although Loki had always wanted to become the king of Asgard before Thor ascended the throne, once Thor became king, Loki became his right-hand man, assisting him.
"We've lost two-thirds of our people," Loki said heavily.
Though Loki might seem like a troublemaker, Asgard was his home. Especially after Odin's departure, he and Thor had become equals. But now, so many had perished, even Loki found it unbearable.
Hearing Loki's words, Thor's grip tightened, causing the throne's armrest to crack and turn to dust. However, as the king of Asgard, Thor had grown much more substantial; he suppressed his uncontrollable anger and asked, "Have you found out what happened?"
Despite the catastrophe in Asgard, they had no clue what had caused it.
Loki frowned and said, "Heimdall investigated. The entire Nine Realms, and even the whole universe, were affected by this. Every civilization we can contact has suffered this disaster."
"What's the source? Why did this happen?" Thor asked angrily.
Loki was silent for a moment, then shook his head. "We couldn't find the source. The power spread across the universe almost instantaneously. To us, it seems impossible for such a force to exist."
Loki's tone was full of disbelief. After all, no matter how powerful a force is, it should have limits. How could it spread so quickly and so widely?
"Are you telling me we can't even find out who our enemy is?" Thor was furious. From birth through his battles, he had never encountered such a situation. Even when Hela appeared, they knew who their enemy was. Now, they didn't even know who to target.
Thor's rage caused lightning to flicker across his body, making the sky over Asgard fill with dark clouds and thunder.
"Wait, Thor!" Loki suddenly remembered something. "Heimdall mentioned some changes in Midgard (Earth), but after the chaos here, he lost track of what happened there. You should go to Midgard and see if the sorcerers there know anything."
Loki suggested that Thor visit Earth to find out what was happening. Thor, now calmer, realized the sorcerers on Earth were stronger and might have information. He summoned Stormbreaker and, in the next moment, used its power to summon the Bifrost, teleporting to Earth.
Thor landed from the sky. "Loki, take care of Asgard and don't cause trouble!" Thor's voice echoed. Loki smiled and took his place on the throne. Thor knew of Loki's mischief but had no time to deal with it.
With a flash of rainbow light, Thor arrived on Earth, choosing a secluded spot to avoid attention. After determining the direction, he headed towards New York.
On the way, he was greeted by people asking for photos. Luckily, he used magic to disguise himself as ordinary, avoiding too much attention. After a tour of New York, Thor was surprised to find the city relatively unaffected, with people going about their lives as usual.
Thor stopped a passerby and asked, "Did anything unusual happen in the last few days?"
The passerby, initially annoyed, changed his demeanor upon recognizing Thor. "A few days ago, there was an earthquake and a brief darkness, but it passed quickly, so we didn't think much of it."
New York is a city accustomed to crises, and its residents are used to such events. As long as their lives aren't in danger, they calmly take out their phones to capture the moment.
Thor was stunned by this nonchalance. Earthlings seemed more resilient than Asgardians, unfazed by such terrifying events. However, the details eluded ordinary people. Thor decided to consult the sorcerers.
He followed the address Wang Yan had given him and soon found the Sanctum in New York. It was hidden among ordinary streets, protected by a magical barrier to prevent disturbances. Thor, being no ordinary person, quickly found it and knocked on the door.
The sorcerer guarding the Sanctum recognized Thor immediately. "Son of Odin, what brings you to Kamar-Taj?"
"I need to speak with Sorcerer Wang Yan. It's important," Thor said respectfully.
The sorcerer nodded. "Follow me." Asgard's king deserved careful attention. He led Thor to a reception room and served him beer. Angered by recent events, Thor drank several cups before calming down.
As he waited, a voice suddenly spoke. "Thor, did you come to Kamar-Taj just for the beer?"
Thor stood up abruptly, setting down his beer. "Of course not! I came to ask if anything unusual has happened on Earth recently."
Wang Yan's eyes flashed with surprise. "Oh, you mean the incident with the Death God attacking Earth?"
As the ruler of the Nine Realms, Thor usually didn't concern himself with Earth's affairs. Wang Yan was curious why Thor was there.
"Death God?" Thor was taken aback. "Are you talking about the Death God I know?"
"Probably. Death God Chthon," Wang Yan replied, unaware of another Death God in the universe.
"What's wrong?" Wang Yan noticed Thor's expression turn grim and angry. "Did Chthon also trouble Asgard?"
Thor nodded fury in his eyes. "Not just Asgard. The entire universe suffered because of the Death God!"
"Oh? What happened?" Wang Yan asked, seeing the gravity of the situation.
"We lost two-thirds of our population. The whole universe likely faced similar casualties," Thor growled, lightning flickering around him. Despite his increased power, he controlled his lightning to avoid damage.
"I'm here to find Chthon and make him pay for what he did to Asgard!" Thor declared.
"You want to find Chthon?" Wang Yan's expression turned odd. "You might not get the chance. I already took care of him."
Thor's eyes widened in disbelief. He knew it would be a long process despite his desire for revenge. Asgard's king couldn't recklessly pursue vengeance. Knowing Chthon's power, he planned to grow stronger before confronting him.
Yet, this powerful entity was already dead, killed by the man before him.