In a grand and magnificent palace, Odin sat high upon his throne, while Lynch and Thor stood below.
"Thor, you've done well during this time," Odin praised, his tone filled with warmth, like a father watching his child grow.
Hearing this, Thor smiled calmly and shook his head, saying, "I used to be too reckless."
Odin nodded and continued, "It's good that you've grown. Now I can feel at ease handing Asgard over to you. You will become a wise king."
Thor hesitated for a moment before speaking, "Father, no one is a wiser ruler than you, nor a better father..." He paused, concern written all over his face.
"Don't worry, I can hold on for a while longer..." Odin saw through Thor's thoughts and spoke naturally. "I'll hold on until you're ready to take the throne of Asgard."
Hearing Odin's reassurance, Thor's expression eased a bit.
"Alright, go spend some time with your mother," Odin added.
"Yes," Thor respectfully bowed, glanced at Lynch, and then left the palace.
Lynch stood quietly, looking ahead, waiting for Odin to speak.
"Lynch... is it alright if I call you that?" Odin asked casually, his tone as if engaging in small talk.
"Of course," Lynch responded naturally.
"I heard that Thor has sworn to follow you..." Odin chuckled softly. "If Thor ever runs into trouble, you wouldn't just stand by, would you?"
Lynch was momentarily stunned, then quickly realized what was happening.
Good grief! Is Odin... trying to find Thor a godfather?
But looking after Thor? Once I develop further, that shouldn't be a problem, right?
After all, I just checked the system and saw my justice points had increased by 100-200 thousand.
Maybe soon, I can fully unlock the young Superman template!
"Of course," Lynch replied calmly, feeling confident.
Seeing Lynch agree so easily, Odin was a bit surprised, then smiled kindly.
"Of course, Asgard will reward you for your help."
"Oh?" Lynch became interested at the mention of rewards. Asgard's treasury was full of treasures!
"What can you offer me?" Lynch asked.
"Anything in the treasury," Odin replied.
Anything?
Well then, I won't be shy!
"The Casket of Ancient Winters?" Lynch asked.
The Casket of Ancient Winters could unleash freezing cold, potentially enhancing his freezing breath. Though unsure if he could use it, why overthink it? Better to have it in hand first!
Without hesitation, Odin raised his hand and tossed an object to Lynch. It was the Casket of Ancient Winters, the supreme artifact of the Frost Giants, which Odin had picked up earlier!
"This thing doesn't have much use to us, but whoever possesses it will face endless harassment from the Frost Giants," Odin openly admitted.
"No worries, their king already died by my hand," Lynch dismissed the concern. Frost Giants were hardly a threat.
"Anything else?" Odin asked.
The crafty king knew that accepting gifts often made one feel obliged, so he was eager for Lynch to take more.
"Eternal Flame, and the Infinity Gauntlet," Lynch unreservedly stated his demands.
The Eternal Flame had appeared in Thor: Ragnarok. After realizing he couldn't defeat Hela, Loki used the Eternal Flame to revive Surtur, who became a gigantic fire demon and ultimately destroyed Asgard.
Like the Casket of Ancient Winters, Lynch wondered if the Eternal Flame might enhance his heat vision.
And as for the Infinity Gauntlet...
Yes, there was one in Odin's treasury!
While Thanos's left-handed gauntlet is well known, this one is for the right hand!
Though in Thor: Ragnarok, Hela scoffed at the gauntlet in the treasury, calling it a fake, many believed this gauntlet to be useless.
However...
After some thought, Lynch believed the gauntlet to be real!
Hela's comment likely referred to the Infinity Stones embedded in it, not the gauntlet itself!
After all, Hela had disdain even for individual Infinity Stones, dismissing them with just a "not bad" because her power was already immense, far beyond fearing a single Infinity Stone.
Thanos's gauntlet was forged by forcing the dwarves, an allied race of Asgard, to craft it.
Thus, this right-hand gauntlet in Asgard's vault might very well be genuine, predating Thanos's left-hand gauntlet!
"Ah, the Infinity Gauntlet?" Odin asked in surprise. "You know the legend?"
"Yes," Lynch openly admitted.
"I want to see the power of the Infinity Stones," he said.
"Possessing Infinity Stones brings disaster. One or two might be manageable, but if..." Odin's voice became somber after hesitating.
"I know. Collecting the stones will cause trouble, but someone is already eyeing them," Lynch said with a smile. "I have to act first."
"Is that so?..." Odin remained silent for a long while, then, with a hint of confusion, said, "I can no longer see what the future holds..."
"Is that so?" Lynch pondered Odin's words.
The original future of the Marvel Cinematic Universe had been altered by his actions. Could this be why Odin sensed the future's disorder?
"What can you see?" Lynch asked as Odin rose and slowly walked toward him. His steps were slow, his one eye filled with worry.
"Lynch, I can only feel one thing about the future..." Odin spoke slowly, dragging out his words as he approached Lynch and gazed at the young man before him.
"The future has been altered, and it's in chaos. You are at the center of that change."
He paused briefly and continued, "Your origins are a mystery, and your power keeps growing. One day, you'll stand in a pivotal position, making a decision that will affect countless lives."
Odin's tone grew heavier, and Lynch listened, frowning.
"So, if you want anything, take it—whether it's the throne of Asgard or the position of ruler of the Nine Realms, you can have it."
The King of Asgard? Ruler of the Nine Realms?
What would I want with that?
What is Odin really trying to say?
Lynch couldn't grasp the deeper meaning behind Odin's words.
"I hope you understand—the future has changed. You must stay vigilant!" Odin warned.
The future has changed?
Lynch remained silent, his mind flashing through various villains, finally stopping at the image of Thanos snapping his fingers.
So, Thanos will change his strategy too?
Thanos, who once feared Odin and the Ancient One, and dared not target Earth—how would he now face a Superman with power matching theirs?
"Alright, don't dwell on it too much. Since the Bifrost is destroyed, why not stay in Asgard for a few days?" Odin shifted the conversation, cheerfully introducing Asgard to Lynch.
"Asgard has many delicacies, and the drinks are quite special too..."