Chapter Sixteen: Change, Turnaround
"Is this... Asgard?"
Maya Hansen looked around in shock.
Asgard is arguably the most impressive planet in the MCU.
With its soaring skyscrapers, unique hovering architectural structures, and advanced technology, it stands as a testament to its superiority and grandeur.
At the same time, it exudes a medieval atmosphere, blending classical and futuristic elements in one place.
"Welcome to Asgard," Heimdallr said after giving Maya Hansen a thorough look.
"Heimdallr, this is a renowned scientist from Midgard whom I invited to Asgard," Thor introduced.
"Heimdallr is the guardian of the Bifrost and one of the finest warriors in Asgard."
"Hey, Thor, you're back! Did you find anything new on Earth?"
A heroic female warrior approached them and greeted Thor.
Sif, Asgard's foremost female warrior, goddess of land and harvest in Norse mythology, and Thor's childhood friend, was regarded as a future daughter-in-law by Odin and Frigg.
In Thor's memory, his past self and Sif shared a close bond, more like siblings and battle partners.
Thor's previous self was indeed a typical straight-laced individual.
Treating someone like a brother but having romantic intentions can be confusing...
"There were many interesting things, but the most exciting part was that I defeated Loki!"
The three Asgardian warriors who had rushed over burst into laughter. For them, defeating Loki was politically correct, though it was a shame that Thor, the only one who could have defeated him, was so easily pleased.
The blonde Fandral, known for his bravery and optimism, looked at Thor and Maya Hansen and joked, "Hey, Thor, aren't you worried Miss Sif's hair might get even wilder?"
Bravery and optimism often come with a lack of tact. Some things are best left unsaid...
The trio laughed, but Sif's glare quickly silenced them. In terms of combat prowess, even three of them together couldn't match her.
"Congratulations, Thor. You've triggered a Sif-related mission: As your childhood friend and wife in Norse mythology, you can reconsider your relationship with her. Please choose one of the missions to complete for your reward!"
"Mission 1: Reject Sif. Reward: A bar of soap (a real man should be with another man, not a woman!)"
"Mission 2: Explain yourself to Sif. Reward: Three random Infinity Gems experience vouchers. (The goddess has been waiting for you for over a thousand years; don't make her sad, show her you care!)"
It's not me making a fuss, but you, system!
Seeing Sif's calm face, though with a hint of sadness in her eyes, Thor stepped forward, gently smoothing her somewhat disheveled hair. "Don't frown. After all these years, how could I not understand your feelings?"
Sif's cheeks reddened rapidly. Although Thor had always treated her like one of the guys and it was common for them to hug after drinking, this time felt entirely different.
The trio began whistling.
Maya Hansen, observing from behind, muttered to herself, "Men really are pigs."
…
In the grand hall, a white-haired, one-eyed old man sat on the throne, scrutinizing his son. Even Thor, who had undergone his awakening, still felt the weight of his presence.
The ruler of the Nine Realms, the king of Asgard, is a top-tier powerhouse in the universe. In his youth, he had repelled Thanos, and even in old age, he remains a formidable figure, instilling fear and respect.
"You have exceeded my expectations, Thor," Odin said. "I had anticipated this.
In the past, you relied too heavily on Mjölnir.
To become a true god of thunder and prepare for future battles, you must overcome this reliance.
What surprises me is that you have achieved this realization on your own.
You will make an excellent king!"
There was relief in Odin's voice. It reflected his satisfaction with Thor's growth and his recent knowledge from Frigg that the prophecy of Ragnarök was becoming unclear.
This means that the seemingly unchangeable future now holds potential for a new path.
Loki twitched at the corners of his mouth, feeling that Thor's transformation might not be entirely favorable... at least, it meant the old brother might not be as lenient with him.
Chapter Seventeen: Five Years
Back in Asgard, even though my time away was only a few days, it felt like a much longer period had passed.
During my absence, I made new acquaintances with the Kree, met the future director of S.H.I.E.L.D., added the strongest Avenger to my contact list, developed a closer relationship with Black Widow, and, most importantly, altered the outcome of the Avengers: Endgame.
The rest of the time has been much more relaxed. Maya Hansen has been given an exclusive laboratory with many excellent scientists assisting her. Minerva, who had been imprisoned, has not been particularly friendly, and Thor finds it tiresome to make an effort to please her.
Sif continues to visit Thor regularly for martial arts training, conversation, and drinks. However, Fandral and the others are well aware that the relationship between Sif and Thor has changed.
Life has settled into a calm routine, seemingly as it was before.
The only notable change is that whether it's Sif, the three warriors, or Odin, Thor seems to have developed a much larger appetite, tripling the consumption of food in the palace and eating 6 times a day...
Could it be that the energy requirements increase after awakening? Odin mused to himself...
…
Time flies, especially for the long-lived Asgardians, and five years pass in the blink of an eye.
"Beep! Congratulations to the host for completing the task - The Elegy of the Strongest! Reward: The Power of Thor in the Avengers: Endgame."
"Beep! Congratulations to the host for completing the task - Eat, Sleep, and Play! Reward: Master of Lies."
A burly, intimidating figure exhaled deeply.
After five years, Thor had finally completed his first mission of the year. Today, he resembled the 'Fat Thor' seen in the movie before crossing, though perhaps even more so. With clenched fists, an unprecedented explosive force was gathering.
No wonder he could withstand Thanos. This strength might even intimidate Hulk into hiding.
Thor had also completed the task of defeating his brother a hundred times.
In recent years, Loki has faced the darkest period of his life, being beaten on average every two weeks. On unlucky days, he had to face Sif as well, creating a challenging situation. How could one endure this?
Although Loki typically dies in each encounter, does Loki, who keeps surviving, still remain the God of Mischief?
Even Frigga, overflowing with maternal love, and Odin, who never cared much for Loki, were unable to tolerate his suffering. This was becoming too much.
However, Thor's actions are always framed as "justifiable defense," making them legally flawless. Minerva took pictures of Loki's defeats as evidence. Unfortunately, the videos couldn't be edited...
Two years ago, Minerva surrendered to Thor.
Maya Hansen developed Extremis within three years. Thor provided her with an improved formula for an upgraded version of Extremis.
Asgardians are born with strong physiques, so the strengthening effect of Extremis was less noticeable. However, Thor was very satisfied with its regenerative capabilities and it will increase lifespan of asgardians. The most significant impact was on Minerva.
Minerva, a pure-blood Kree with dark blue skin, belonged to the noble class of Kree. This class has the strongest sense of racial superiority and was initially difficult to subdue.
The Kree originally only had blue skin, with other skin colors resulting from mixing with other races.
Mixed-bloods were once slaves without rights, but later, the Supreme Intelligence discovered that the genetic evolution of pure-blooded Kree was stagnant. It then granted citizenship to those with Kree lineage to address the deficiencies of pure-blooded Kree.
The strengthening effect of Extremis unlocked Minerva's genetic lock , she had some mixed blood. Simultaneously, her skin color changed to a typical human hue—something she had previously despised.
This change nearly shattered her worldview, stripping her of her Kree pride. The next day, she pledged her loyalty to Thor and began serving as a maid....She probably with shattered pure blood pride, wanted to create 'Superior Mixed Bloods'.
After Maya Hansen arrived in Asgard and the loneliness of being in a foreign land set in, Thor, who was already fond of her, completed the second part of "invest in you."
…
Everything seemed to be going well, except for the ongoing issue with Loki, who had schemed to invade Jotunheim and provoked Thor into starting a war with the Jotunheim Giants without authorization.
It was unfortunate that the current Thor was far stronger than his movie counterpart. With the power of the Awakening Thunder, he was essentially a mobile battlefield cleaner. Without Odin's intervention, King Laufey of the Jotunheim Giants might have been defeated.
At this moment, Odin still hoped to pass Jotunheim to Loki.
More importantly, he needed this conflict to test Thor and teach him to be a benevolent king.
Chapter 18: The Plot That Started Early?
A fierce quarrel was erupting in the hall.
"I told you that a wise ruler never provokes war lightly! Five years ago, I foolishly believed you were prepared. Now it seems I was mistaken."
Vanity, greed, cruelty, arrogance, ignorance—none of these traits are worthy of trust from other realms...
This might be the harshest criticism Odin has ever leveled at Thor, and the underlying issue isn't just Thor's troubles, but rather Odin seeing in Thor the reflection of his past self, as well as—himself in his youth.
Odin's scolding of Thor is, in fact, a reflection on the first half of his own life.
In his early years, Odin championed force, and his brutal conquests plunged the Nine Realms into chaos. Hundreds of millions suffered due to the wars instigated by Asgard.
"You also told me that a true king must always be ready to fight! The war has already begun, but you refuse to acknowledge it. They started the war, and I merely chose to engage in it! Without your interference, the war would already be over!"
Thor responded sharply.
In his view, Odin's stance was no different from that of the overly idealistic figures of his previous life, who, having committed many sins, now sought to reflect and atone. He had been extremely lenient toward the suffering rulers of the past, creating a mess...
But it's nothing more than your own overflowing sentimentality, and it's unreasonable to expect others to mirror it!
In his anger, Odin finally decided to strip— or seal—Thor's divine power and sent him to Earth to reflect on his actions.
Thor had anticipated this outcome. Even if this hadn't happened, he had planned to leave for a while.
A few days earlier, Odin and Frigga had grown fed up with Thor's overeating and had ordered him to become a vegetarian and prohibited him from drinking...
As Odin had put it, "You can't lose weight! Do you really think of yourself as a pig?"
Fortunately, Maya Hansen did not have a problem with him, otherwise Thor felt he might have become a monk.
Odin picked up Mjölnir, preparing to send it to Earth along with Thor, but suddenly remembered something and added an extra spell before falling into his Odin's sleep...
…
Outside the atmosphere, Carol Danvers was observing Earth.
For several years, she had been busy finding a new home for the Skrulls.
However, there are very few habitable planets in the universe, and most of them are already inhabited.
This time, she took a break from her busy schedule to check on Earth.
At that moment, a massive figure rapidly descended towards her. Carol immediately threw a punch, and the figure vanished into the sky...
Hmm, why did that figure look familiar?
Two hundred pounds of Thor versus four hundred pounds of Thor are two different things.
He was supposed to land in New Mexico but deviated from his trajectory and began flying north, crossing the North Pole...
As he passed over Norway, a magical circle appeared out of nowhere, and Thor fell into it, vanishing from sight.
In Asgard, Heimdallr suddenly noticed Thor's disappearance. He went to report it to Odin, but Odin had entered Odin's sleep, so Heimdallr had to abandon the search.
In Heimdallr's view, if Thor's life were truly in danger, Odin would not ignore it, so he didn't worry too much.
…
In New Mexico, a hammer fell from the sky and landed in a crater, attracting significant attention. Nick Fury arrived promptly and secured the area. He recognized the hammer.
An up-and-coming Natasha Romanoff attempted to lift the hammer, but found she could not.
"Mjölnir didn't reject me, but I felt another force was preventing me. It seemed... someone blocked me." This was her confused explanation.
S.H.I.E.L.D began searching for Thor in secret, but it appeared he had not come to Earth, and there were no signs of him.
Years later, the crater where Mjölnir landed had become a popular local attraction.
Chapter 19: Facing Death
In the gray sky, there was no trace of life, only a pervasive grayness and silence.
This was a dead world.
"Huh?" A cold voice seemed to come from the depths of the abyss.
A figure dressed in black with silver trim walked slowly, gazing indifferently at the unconscious Thor on the ground, unable to suppress a smirk—though the living standards in the divine realms are high, there's no need to be quite so self-righteous...
Has Asgard truly become so corrupt?
In reality, Thor had already regained consciousness, and the first thing he heard was the voice of Mr. System.
"Beep, congratulations to the host for triggering Hela's exclusive mission: Facing Death. As the eldest princess of Asgard, Hela will reclaim everything she lost in the future. Now, let's begin the first round early!"
"Mission Objective: Face Death. Do not use external means to stay alive in Hela's presence.
Mission Reward: Passive Skill: Death Resistance - In any case, time will rewind after death, and the host will return for a certain period of time if the host retains the memory. This period should not exceed fifteen minutes. Enemies with high strength may notice it."
If Thor were still strong, he could at least try to struggle, as Hela had not yet returned to Asgard.
But now, Thor was just a powerful mortal.
Although the system had rewarded him with enhanced abilities, he still had no chance of winning.
Should he use his trump cards? Three Infinity Stone experience tokens flashed in Thor's mind.
Power Stone! Space Stone! Soul Stone!
The Power Stone experience token would allow him to activate the full power of the Stone once, and the Space Stone would let him teleport randomly once—both could save him from the crisis, but would result in mission failure.
No, perhaps it can still be salvaged.
Thor gathered his emotions before slowly "waking up."
Hela's appearance was quite distinctive; after all, she had the same face as the elven queen. Unfortunately, her witch-like disheveled black hair and smoky makeup made her look rather menacing.
Thor took a glance and displayed a puzzled expression. His face then shifted to one of excitement: "Sister?!"
Hela paused, her understanding of Odin suggesting that he would inevitably hide and obscure this history. In Asgard now, apart from Odin and Frigga, almost no one would know of her existence, and it was unlikely that they would tell others.
Thor continued excitedly, "Sister, it's great that you're alive! I always thought you were dead!"
"Stop, stop!" Hela, clearly unaccustomed to such an emotional reunion, interrupted immediately. "I will ask the questions, you will answer. If you don't cooperate, no amount of pleading will help. If I'm pleased, I may grant you a chance to serve me."
Kneeling and flattering? That will never happen!
Thor complained inwardly.
First of all, how do you know me? Didn't Odin conceal my existence? Hela's cold voice responded.
"No, you've never appeared in Asgardian history. I saw you in an ancient tome. I asked my father about you, and he reprimanded me, instructing me never to mention it again. Later, my mother confirmed your existence, but she didn't reveal your whereabouts."
Hela sneered, "As expected. Now, the next question: why are you here?"
Thor's identity was clear to Hela, and she could naturally see the seal placed on him.
Thor's expression shifted to one of excitement and anger: "Because I defied him! The enemy had already attacked the palace, yet my father still wished to resolve the issue through negotiations! So, I took it upon myself to wage war against the Jotunheim Giants.
Had my father not interfered, I would have resolved everything.
It was time for the universe to remember the name Asgard, but my father still clings to that hypocritical notion of benevolence! So, I was exiled because defending the people through warfare is no longer acceptable!"
The more Thor spoke, the more fervent he became. Usually, he would put on a facade, but now he was expressing his true feelings.
War is indeed brutal, but in many cases, blindly avoiding conflict does not bring true peace; it only encourages the enemy to test the boundaries repeatedly.
From what he knew, the Frost Giants would not appreciate Odin's kindness, and in the future, Laufey would attempt to assassinate Odin, only to be thwarted by Loki at the last moment.
While Thor could not support Hela's militarism, he also disagreed with Odin's appeasement policy. Both were too extreme.
Chapter 20: Random Miracles
Hela was stunned for a moment, then suddenly burst into wild laughter.
"Hahahahaha, Odin, Odin, you truly haven't changed at all, still as hypocritical as ever! You old fool, even your son has become more capable than you!"
She turned to look at Thor, finding him somewhat more pleasing to the eye, even though his views didn't entirely align with hers.
She continued slowly, "I am Hela, the eldest child of Odin, the ruler of the Asgardian legions, the first heir to the throne, and the goddess of death. We were once the symbol of absolute power in this universe, and no one dared challenge our authority, but Odin stopped in the Nine Realms."
"Our destiny was to rule over all!"
The more she spoke, the more passionate she became.
"We were invincible, creating the glory of Asgard with our hands, and the world surrendered at our feet in turn."
"But then, because my ambition surpassed Odin's, he exiled and imprisoned me, isolating me like a beast.
Before that, the glory of the Asgardian warriors lay in their heroic bodies, which laid the foundation for this throne.
But now, he only wishes to be a benevolent ruler, and I am buried with his past."
Thor listened quietly. He could understand Hela's displeasure and anger. Both Hela and Odin had killed, though Odin had simply grown weary of it sooner, due to his old age . Ultimately, Hela's neurosis was entirely Odin's fault.
It was clear that Thor had a very important reason for trying to appease Hela. If Hela could be won over, at least a certain level of reconciliation might be achieved, making the situation more manageable in the face of Thanos' future invasion.
Historically, Asgard had been vulnerable after Ragnarök. Hela had decimated almost the entire army.
A newly awakened Thor, a Loki who could only summon minions, along with the Valkyrie and Heimdallr, represented nearly all of Asgard's combat strength at that time.
At that moment, Thor suddenly felt a surge of power. Lightning erupted, illuminating the dark space.
"Sister, you—" Thor was astonished that Hela had actually broken his seal.
Hela responded imperiously, "This is your reward."
"Hey, congratulations to the host for completing the mission - Face Death. The reward is: Death Resistance - under any circumstances, time will rewind after death, and the host will return for a certain period if the host retains memory, up to 15 minutes. Enemies with significant strength may notice."
Hela's exclusive tasks are indeed formidable, and the rewards she offered were incredibly powerful.
In a sense, Thor was now able to "negotiate terms" with Dormammu.
The notification of mission completion meant that Hela had ceased her intent to kill Thor, at least until the seal was lifted.
"Sister, I'm leaving. The seal wasn't specifically targeting me. I have a way to escape," Thor said as he bid farewell to Hela.
He pulled out the Space Stone coupon and opened a portal. Odin's seal was unique, triggered by Hela. Even if she teleported through the space gate, the seal would instantly reappear at her new location. So, Hela was effectively trapped. And Thor couldn't afford to let her escape and confront Odin prematurely.
Hela said nothing but made no move to stop Thor either.
Just before stepping into the portal, Thor's voice echoed, "Leave it to me. When I inherit the throne, I will lift your seal as soon as possible and proclaim your glory to Asgard."
Hela was momentarily stunned, then she smirked coldly, "Heh, inherit the throne? If you have the ability to accept the challenge, I won't mind!"
Perhaps because Thor wasn't as skilled with the Space Stone as Thanos, his teleportation destinations were entirely random at the moment.
The world spun for a moment, and the next thing Thor saw was a group of heavily armed soldiers...
Was this—a Chitauri?
Only those who are willing to fight can secure peace!