"Oh, oh, I forgot, practice what you preach, practice what you preach!"
Arthur quickly took out the Guardian Sword from the Disassembler space and handed it to Heimdall, feeling a bit embarrassed not to ask whether he was returning the Guardian Sword or some ancient Asgardian two-handed sword.
Heimdall took the sword back and nodded slightly. "Following the guidance of the All-Father, starting today, you may use the Bifrost to travel to any place you wish at any time. This is a reward for what you have done. Thank you again, Earthling!"
Thor nodded repeatedly and said, "Yes, Arthur is an Earthling who loves to travel through the cosmos. The first time I met him, he was just visiting Jotunheim for leisure. But I think, whenever you want to go somewhere, you should consult Heimdall; his knowledge of the universe is profound."
Arthur twitched his mouth. Was that leisure?
However, he suddenly remembered something and said to Thor, "Does Asgard have any unused second-hand armor or weapons? If they aren't worth refabricating, could you save some for me next time I come by?"
Thor was taken aback, then smiled and said, "I think you'll definitely like the dwarves."
"The magical blacksmiths?" Arthur thought for a moment and shook his head. "No, I'm not interested in newly forged weapons."
"My friend, you have an enigmatic taste."
Thor was a bit dazed. Is this the mindset of a normal person?
Heimdall had already opened the Bifrost, and after Arthur said his final goodbyes, he couldn't help but add to Thor, "Maybe you should pay more attention to your brother."
"Ah?"
Thor was stunned, and Arthur had already stepped onto the Bifrost, disappearing in an instant.
---
That night, the rainbow-colored light fell without attracting anyone's attention.
When the light dissipated and Arthur appeared, he saw someone standing in front of him.
"Hello, are you here to meet me?"
Arthur spoke as he looked around.
He wasn't on a mountaintop; instead, he found himself in a town.
It was incredibly serene, with a kind of refined tranquility amidst the bustle. "The environment here is quite nice."
"I'm glad you like it."
The person in front of Arthur removed the hood from her head, revealing a delicate face with incredibly deep-set eyes… and a big bald head!
Arthur looked at her, hesitated slightly, and cautiously asked, "Who are you?"
"Finally, I get to meet you… I'm the Ancient One."
The woman smiled gently, her eyes and smile both equally serene. "First of all, congratulations on finding your path."
"Path…"
Arthur blinked.
"Come with me."
The Ancient One turned and led Arthur forward, saying, "Freedom is a very interesting concept. Everyone has their own understanding of this word. I look forward to seeing if what you seek is what you truly desire."
"What if what I want is different from what you expect?"
Arthur asked, taking a risky approach.
The Ancient One didn't turn around but her voice reached Arthur's ears. "Whatever you seek, it is what we expect as well."
That's a bit too profound if you think about it deeply.
Arthur pondered and didn't dare to ask further.
---
After leading Arthur through several portals, the Ancient One arrived at a room and turned around, saying, "You can stay here for now. I will come to see you tomorrow."
---
After Arthur agreed, the Ancient One turned and left.
Scratching his head, Arthur felt a bit dazed; everything seemed different from what he had imagined.
Both the Ancient One and Odin were beings who had reached the pinnacle of power, their strength surpassing Arthur's understanding.
But neither Odin nor the Ancient One carried an air of arrogance.
They simply stood before you, spoke a few words in a plain manner, and engaged in unpretentious conversation, giving no impression of being above anyone.
They were not the type to hide in towering palaces, practicing in seclusion, requiring one to overcome numerous challenges just to meet them.
They were right here, approachable as if they were ordinary people.
"Though they sometimes do like to act mysterious…"
Arthur pondered while pushing open the door to his room. Inside, there was light, a bed, and bedding on it.
After an afternoon of drinking with Thor, he was indeed a bit tired. He took off his coat, lay on the bed, and pulled out his phone from the Disassembler space.
After a series of vibrations, Lily had sent him five or six messages.
They were either about what she was eating or drinking, or asking when Arthur would return since she would soon be on vacation.
Arthur looked around and felt he couldn't return right away, especially since he didn't know how long he'd be staying in Kamar-Taj.
So he replied, "It'll be a few more days; I don't have a specific time yet."
Not long after, Lily replied, "What kind of job are you doing? It feels like you're a spy or something. You haven't gotten involved with some strange organization, have you? Well… I'm not worried, but you must stay safe!"
Not worried, but still adjusting the strength?
Arthur laughed and replied, "Don't overthink it. Actually, I never told you before, but I work for Stark Industries."
Lily's response took a bit longer this time. After a while, her message arrived: "Do you know what? I saw a cow flying in the sky! Flapping its wings, so big, just like your ears!"
"..." What the hell!
Arthur scowled: "I'll use a pile of money to crush you when I get back!"
"Let's talk about crushing me later. Whatever you're doing, just stay safe! And remember to be my model when you come back!"
"Got it. Rest early."
"Okay."
Putting down his phone without stuffing it back into the Disassembler space, Arthur looked at the moonlight outside the window and suddenly missed the girl with the ponytail: "I really want… to pull her ponytail."
But thinking about the possible consequences made Arthur shiver involuntarily. He quickly shook his head; even if he were favored by fate, he hadn't heard of anyone being so reckless!
With a flash of his hand, a pure white bone pen appeared: "The Pen of Thoth… what secret does this thing hold?"
"The Disassembler would never lie, so what makes this pen comparable to something like the Casket of Ancient Winters or the Destroyer's arm?"
He rubbed his chin, took out a sheet of paper from the Disassembler space, and, thinking for a moment, wrote a line: "Thanos, ten minutes from now, die of… myocardial infarction!"