"Hmm..."
Arthur sighed in mild frustration. "I can't Disassemble it. The Disassembler's level isn't high enough."
He could understand that much, but what puzzled him was, "Why is there a big question mark next to the equipment's level? This is confusing. Could it really be... legendary level?."
After sitting idly for a while, two figures flew down from the sky. A moment later, Thor landed with Jane in tow.
"You're too slow." Arthur yawned as he looked at Thor.
Thor replied, "There were some things I needed to explain." He turned to Jane and said, "Wait for me a moment."
Jane nodded and walked over to stand beside Arthur. She coughed lightly and said, "Hello."
"Hello," Arthur responded in a bored tone.
"Are you really from Earth?" Jane, ever the curious scientist, couldn't help but ask.
Arthur thought for a moment before nodding seriously, "Yes, I'm from Earth!"
If she had asked if he was from *this* world, Arthur might not have had a clear answer, but being an Earthling? That didn't need clarification.
Seeing her curiosity, Arthur smiled and added, "Not only am I from Earth, but I might also be someone from the stories you've heard since you were a child."
Jane looked confused. What did he mean by that?
As they chatted casually, Thor's voice boomed, "Heimdall!!!"
Arthur casually explained to Jane, "Heimdall is Asgard's gatekeeper, a warrior with dark skin. He's very powerful, especially his eyes— they can see across the galaxy and everything he wishes to see. So, be careful when you're taking a bath."
"..."
At first, Jane listened with fascination as Arthur described these legendary Asgardian figures. But by the end, she was speechless, feeling like there was something mischievous in his tone.
"Hehehe..." Arthur laughed, clearly pleased with his little prank.
The sound of an engine drew closer. It was Selvig and the others, driving up in an RV, accompanied by the Asgardian Four.
While Thor was still calling for Heimdall, Jane asked, "If Heimdall can see everything he wants, does that mean his eyesight is so good his hearing isn't as sharp?"
"It's probably because of old age," Arthur said with a straight face. "You've got to realize that any one of these gods is probably as old as your grandfather... And I bet you don't really want to know how old your new boyfriend is."
"Oh? Why do I feel like that makes things even more exciting?" Jane said, gazing at Thor with a look of infatuation.
Arthur was stunned, and after thinking for a moment, he concluded that this must be a case of "opposites attract."
As his mind wandered through these random thoughts, a swirling vortex suddenly appeared in the sky, casting down a rainbow of light. Thor nodded in satisfaction and turned to Jane.
"I have to return to Asgard now, but I promise, I will come back to you! Trust me!"
Thor gazed at Jane with deep affection.
Arthur covered his face, not wanting to be subjected to this overly romantic scene.
Approaching the Asgardian Four, he found all of them staring at him. One of them, a man named Volstagg was staring too intently so Arthur coughed and said, "I'm human, a man of Earth."
"Hahaha!"
At his words, they burst into laughter. A burly man with a thick beard said, "Asgard welcomes you, Earthling!"
"What kind of agreement did you have with the Allfather?" The only woman in the group asked Arthur.
"He's just a worried father, concerned about his troublemaking son," Arthur said. "So, for this short time, I'm responsible for ensuring Thor's safety."
The group listened without suspicion. After all, the power Arthur had displayed was more than enough to handle such a task. In their minds, Odin's foresight surpassed their own by a vast margin, so such a decision wasn't surprising.
Once Thor finished distributing his share of romantic moments, he approached the group, looking at Arthur. After a moment of silence, he said, "I guess my father will welcome your arrival."
"As long as he doesn't plan on reneging on his promise," Arthur replied with a smile.
Thor thought for a moment, then said no more. He stepped onto the Bifrost, with Arthur and the Asgardian Four following closely behind. After a burst of colors and a brief moment of strange sensations, they found themselves standing in a magnificent golden hall.
As they arrived, Thor spotted Heimdall, the dark-skinned Asgardian warrior, standing there. However, unlike his usual mountain-like posture, Heimdall was hunched over, his lips pale, and his eyes dim.
"Heimdall!" Thor rushed over to check on him.
The others quickly gathered around as the burly warrior pulled the sword from the pedestal in the center of the hall. Thor then said, "You all take Heimdall to get treated. I'm going to have a talk with my brother!"
He glanced at Arthur, hesitated for a moment, then flew out of the hall with Mjolnir in hand, leaving in a flash.
Arthur and the others gathered together, with two of them helping Heimdall to his feet. The only woman in the group turned to Arthur and said, "The situation is unclear. I don't know if you—"
"No problem!" Arthur interrupted. "I can help."
As he spoke, he glanced at the sword the burly warrior had at his waist. *That's the key!*
However, he didn't ask for it immediately. The sword was essential for controlling the Bifrost, and if he requested it outright, they would surely refuse. According to how events typically unfolded, Loki would eventually use this very sword to activate the Bifrost.
If the warrior carried the sword out of here, they'd likely encounter Loki at some point. A battle would be inevitable, and in the chaos, Arthur could seize the sword, preventing the Bifrost from being activated and destroyed.
That's why Arthur so readily agreed to help the woman. His main goal was to claim his reward from Odin, but he also wanted to make sure he had an escape plan if needed.
However, the woman had different thoughts. She looked at Arthur with admiration, clearly moved. "I didn't expect to find someone of such noble character among humans! No wonder you can command such powerful forces— you're worthy of it! I'm truly honored to meet you. My name is Sif."
Arthur paused for a moment, scratching his head. "I can't help but feel like calling your name sounds... a bit improper."