c61 Buy One, Get One Free?
After drinking a few glasses of mead, Loki seemed to have forgotten the unpleasantness from earlier and began enjoying a drink with Thor.
In the end, it was just typical sibling conflict, not a deep-rooted hatred.
Russell also joined in a game of Mahjong with the Warriors Three of Asgard.
Sif, on the other hand, delighted everyone by performing an elegant sword dance.
As always, happy moments flew by.
At some point, Odin, Frigga, and the Ancient One arrived.
Seeing the smile on Master Gu Yi's face, Russell could tell that she must have received some sort of benefit from Odin.
Russell: "King of the Gods, Queen of Asgard, Master."
Thor, Loki: "Father, Queen, and Supreme Mage."
Sif and the Warriors Three: "The King of the Gods, the Queen of Asgard, and the Supreme Mage."
Russell, Thor, Loki, Sif, and the Warriors Three of Asgard all greeted the three esteemed figures.
Though, strictly speaking, Gu Yi wasn't older than them in terms of age.
Odin, Frigga, and the Ancient One responded in their own ways.
"Master Russell, my son was trapped in Jotunheim," Queen Frigga said, looking at Russell. "Thank you for rescuing him."
Though Queen Frigga had already expressed her gratitude, Odin, the King of Asgard, reiterated the thanks out of respect.
"It was nothing, King Odin," Russell replied. "Kamar-Taj and Asgard have supported each other for ages, defending the peace of the Nine Realms and the magical dimension. It is only right that we help."
Odin quickly moved to the matter at hand.
"Mage Russell, your intervention in Jotunheim has put considerable pressure on the realm. You've demonstrated the power of a true mage."
"I've been thinking," Odin continued, "of sending Thor and Loki to Kamar-Taj to learn magic. I've already discussed it with Master Gu Yi. I wonder what your thoughts are, Mage Russell?"
Russell blinked in surprise and glanced at Gu Yi. He wasn't the Supreme Mage yet; shouldn't Gu Yi be the one to make such decisions?
Master Gu Yi explained, "Russell, you're the future Supreme Mage, so you naturally have a say in matters like these. And we'd also like to know what Thor and Loki think your opinions matter as well."
Odin, being their father, usually made decisions for Thor and Loki, but the Ancient One, as an outsider, was more considerate of their input.
After hearing Gu Yi's explanation, Russell nodded, agreeing: "I have no objections."
Loki, without hesitation, also agreed: "I don't mind either."
The agreement was no surprise. Russell and Loki had already discussed Loki's stay at Kamar-Taj, and now it seemed like an ideal opportunity.
Thor, watching Russell and Loki agree so easily, was momentarily baffled.
'Loki, whose side are you on?' Thor thought, still trying to wrap his head around it.
After a brief pause, Thor nodded, agreeing as well.
"Very well," Odin said with a satisfied nod.
It was a good sign for the next generation of leaders to be in harmony, ensuring the stability of Asgard's alliance with Kamar-Taj.
Odin had also heard a revealing secret from Gu Yi: Russell wasn't a Midgardian. His lifespan was much longer than that of an Asgardian, so the alliance between Asgard and Kamar-Taj would remain stable for centuries to come.
"And to motivate Thor and Loki to work hard," Odin continued, "I've entrusted Master Gu Yi to evaluate and score your progress."
Loki's face suddenly shifted as he turned his gaze toward Odin, seeking confirmation.
Odin met Loki's eyes and nodded slowly.
Loki's expression faltered.
He had always sought to compete with Thor, especially in areas where Thor excelled. Now, his father was offering him the chance to compete in something Loki could truly excel at magic.
Loki's mind raced, unsure of how to feel.
Frigga stepped forward, giving Loki a pat on the shoulder. Her gesture was meant to comfort him, even if it came off as encouragement.
"Study hard at Kamar-Taj," Frigga said. "Prove yourself to your father."
Thor, ever the simple one, didn't think too much of the assessment. He didn't see anything wrong with it.
Though Thor often came across as carefree, even naïve, he wasn't ignorant. Raised to be the Prince of Asgard and trained as the future ruler, Thor was quite knowledgeable.
In Avengers: Endgame, Thor was even able to understand Groot's language a sign of his impressive intellect.
However, his 'super brain' always told him that sometimes, it was better to focus on using his immense strength.
Russell, still amused, gave a thumbs-up to Thor's intelligence, even if it wasn't the first thing he relied on.
But, speaking of strategy, was this situation a "buy one, get one free"?
Russell considered the possibility of recruiting Thor into the Supreme Mage Group.
"Wait, Thor is a warrior, not a mage," Russell thought. But it didn't matter. As long as a Supreme Mage could fight, that was enough.
After thinking it over, Russell decided against directly recruiting Thor. When Odin's soul eventually returned to the Hall of Valor, Thor would take Odin's place as King of Asgard.
As king, Thor's primary responsibility was to rule, not to dwell in the magical realms. Russell envisioned Thor supporting the Supreme Mage Group on occasion, helping when magic-related threats arose, but still tending to his duties as a king.
Thor could become a valuable external ally to the Supreme Mage Group.
Once the formalities concluded, Odin and the Ancient One left, as elders don't typically linger at a drinking table with their younger counterparts.
Frigga, however, stayed behind with Thor and Loki, offering advice and reminding them of what to keep in mind during their time at Kamar-Taj.
Despite being over a thousand years old, to Frigga, they were still children just exceptionally long-lived ones.
---
Earth, Sakura Island.
Matt's investigation moved swiftly. The morning after telling Irene he was heading to Sakura Island for research, he was already on a plane.
Things were progressing more smoothly than Matt anticipated.
The Hand, as a secretive society, operated openly on Sakura Island, running businesses that appeared legitimate. They were a multinational corporation by day, but their true nature was much darker.
Matt's findings shook him to his core.
The Hand had been around for nearly 500 years and its leadership had never changed.
As it modernized, the Hand rebranded its criminal activities and now went by the name "Snake Root."
"Snake Root" was an infamous group of ninja assassins operating out of Japan, widely feared and respected.
The group specialized in hand-to-hand combat, swordsmanship, espionage, disguise, medicine, and explosives. Their willpower, endurance, and combat capabilities were far beyond those of normal humans.
Their services were frequently contracted by warlords, wealthy elites, and anyone in need of a deadly professional.
If Russell hadn't already identified the Hand, it's likely that Matt's research would have pointed to "Snake Root" as the true organization behind these events.
The Hand had completely distanced itself from its darker roots.
"Snake Root" maintained multiple hidden bases on Sakura Island. Matt had already investigated several of them and was planning to continue his mission that night.
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