Thor continued recounting the astonishing details of his encounter with the White-Clad Hero. He described how the hero's powerful physique seemed to effortlessly withstand their attacks.
The expressions of Odin, Frigga, and Heimdall shifted as they processed the information. The Asgardian gods were well aware of their own physical strength, so Thor's description suggested that the hero not only possessed divine power but also had a physical constitution surpassing even Thor's own.
"This is incredible," Heimdall remarked, clearly taken aback.
Thor continued, "Then he displayed a very unique divine power. I almost didn't recognize him until I saw the red light on his hand…"
As Thor recalled the scene, he glanced at Odin and added, "He could lift Mjolnir and wield divine power. I feel he must be related to our royal family, Father, do you…"
He hesitated, unsure of how to proceed.
Frigga and Heimdall also turned their attention to Odin, who was visibly uncomfortable under their scrutiny.
Thor then detailed the most critical event: the battle in New York.
The initial battles, involving conventional forces, didn't surprise Odin and his companions. However, when Thor mentioned that humans had deployed machines resembling the Destroyer armor, their eyes widened in surprise.
"Those robots were incredibly powerful. Although each individual robot was inferior to the Destroyer armor, their sheer numbers were overwhelming…"
Odin and Frigga were astonished. The concept of humans developing such advanced weapons was unexpected, though not necessarily a direct threat to Asgard. They were confident that with Asgardian technology, they could replicate and counter such machines effortlessly.
However, when Thor described how a single individual had instantaneously destroyed these machines, their astonishment grew.
"How could someone eliminate so many robots in an instant?" Odin asked, his curiosity piqued.
Thor's smile widened as he responded, "That person is the White-Clad Hero I've mentioned…"
"What?!"
Frigga, having recognized the description, was equally shocked. The idea that the hero could resolve such a formidable threat so swiftly was beyond their imagination.
Thor continued excitedly, "He turned those robots into sand, and then the sand transformed into butterflies!"
"The sky was filled with butterflies, which was an incredible sight. And those butterflies were real living entities made of silicon dioxide, capable of existing permanently."
Odin, Frigga, and Heimdall struggled to grasp the concept of transforming sand into butterflies. It sounded almost unbelievable. However, seeing Thor's earnest and enthusiastic expression, they realized he was not joking.
Thor also described other extraordinary feats of the White-Clad Hero, such as converting energy into matter, turning crystal into water, and erasing the sentinel robots over a large area. The description of such transformative and creative powers left them in awe.
Initially, Odin considered that this might involve the Reality Stone, akin to the power of Thanos. However, he quickly dismissed this theory. The Reality Stone, according to his knowledge, could only alter reality temporarily, and the changes described by Thor were permanent.
Odin had previously collected the Infinity Stones and knew their properties well. To create lasting changes, the Reality Stone alone was insufficient without the aid of other stones or the Infinity Gauntlet.
Realizing that the hero's powers did not align with the characteristics of the Reality Stone, Odin was left with an unsettling conclusion: The White-Clad Hero's abilities were likely his own.
Odin's face showed a profound sense of wonder. This implied that the hero's power might be even more terrifying and formidable than that of the Reality Stone.
"Thor, are you certain of this?" Frigga asked, her voice tinged with disbelief.
Thor nodded and then added, "Oh, and he also spoke about the Infinity Stones…"
"He mentioned that at the dawn of the universe, there were six…"
As Thor concluded, Odin's face grew increasingly grave. The realization that the hero not only possessed the Tesseract and the scepter containing the Mind Stone but also the recently appeared Aether, meant the hero had gathered three of the six Infinity Stones.
A single individual wielding three Infinity Stones was beyond anything Odin and Heimdall had initially imagined.
Odin's mind raced as he considered the implications of such a formidable concentration of power. The situation was more dire and complex than they had ever anticipated.
End of Chapter