After leaving the Magic Academy, Aaron put aside any distractions and headed straight back to his residence. His only focus was to practice magic.
The thrill of unlocking his Gold Finger for the first time made him unwilling to waste even a second.
Time is power.
Others might hesitate to put in effort, fearing that hard work wouldn't always pay off. But for Aaron, every ounce of effort brought real, tangible growth. The harder he worked, the stronger he became. Under these circumstances, who wouldn't be eager to push themselves further?
However, just as he stepped out of the academy's gates, a familiar voice called out to him.
"Hey, Aaron! So it's true—you really came here to learn magic!"
The voice was loud and full of energy.
Turning around, Aaron saw a familiar figure—blond hair, broad shoulders, and a confident grin. It was none other than Thor.
Since awakening his consciousness as a time traveler, Aaron had been carefully planning for the future. Learning magic was one part of the plan, but getting on good terms with Thor and his group was just as important.
At least in Asgard, having Thor's friendship would make many things much easier.
Thor might seem arrogant and overly confident—an egomaniac by human standards. But in Asgard, that same confidence was seen as a mark of strength and leadership. He was, after all, their future king, the strongest warrior besides Odin himself.
If Aaron wanted to navigate this world properly, befriending Thor was a logical step.
He had already taken action on this front. Using a certain drinking party as an opportunity, Aaron had successfully inserted himself into Thor's small circle. Now, his relationship with them was fairly solid.
Aaron greeted Thor and the group behind him with a friendly nod.
"What brings you all here? Don't tell me you were waiting for me?"
Standing behind Thor were Loki, the three warriors of Asgard—Fandral, Hogun, and Volstagg—as well as the renowned female warrior, Sif.
Everyone, except for Loki, greeted Aaron with friendly smiles.
They had a good impression of him—he was easygoing, hardworking, and didn't carry himself with arrogance despite his clear talent.
Thor laughed, giving Aaron a hearty slap on the shoulder.
"Of course! You're our friend—we had to wait for you!"
Then, as expected, his true intentions were revealed.
"Come on, let's go have a drink. But first—why in the Nine Realms are you studying magic? Loki's already a magic genius, isn't that enough? What more do you need?"
Hearing this, Loki smirked, but Aaron could tell he wasn't particularly pleased.
Aaron had actually considered asking Loki for guidance before.
Loki's reputation as the top magician in the Nine Realms was exaggerated, sure—but there was no denying that his magical knowledge was vast. His magic was also extremely versatile, covering a wide range of applications.
That said, asking Loki to teach him magic? That was just asking to get tricked.
Loki was the god of mischief and deception. Even asking him a simple question could end with you caught in some elaborate prank. If Aaron wanted to learn from Loki, he needed to be strong enough to protect himself first.
There was also another factor—Loki's true bloodline. As the son of a Frost Giant, something about him made Aaron instinctively wary.
Of course, he wasn't about to say any of this out loud. It was far too early to start making enemies. Instead, he maintained his usual easygoing tone.
"No need to trouble Loki," Aaron said, shaking his head. "I just got curious about magic, that's all. I can't expect Loki to waste his time on my temporary interests."
"Waste?" Thor scoffed. "We're friends! Friends help each other! Right, Loki?"
He grinned, elbowing Loki in the ribs.
Loki's smile remained intact, but Aaron could tell he was getting annoyed.
Loki was already dissatisfied with the idea of spending his time and energy on Aaron. But hearing Thor outright volunteer him for the job? That was pushing it.
If Loki didn't know his brother well, he might've suspected Thor was doing it on purpose.
Thor, however, was oblivious to Loki's reluctance.
Laughing, he continued, "See? That settles it! You should just learn from Loki. He might not be any good in a fight, but his magic tricks are at least decent."
The word tricks clearly struck a nerve.
Loki's smile faltered for a moment before he regained his composure.
"Oh? So my magic is just a trick to you?" he mused. "Maybe I should turn you into a frog, then. Let you experience my tricks firsthand."
"And that is exactly why your magic is just a trick." Sif crossed her arms, frowning. "Other people use magic to fight enemies. You use it to prank your friends."
The three warriors of Asgard nodded in agreement.
They were elite warriors, and they had always found Loki's habit of playing tricks irritating. Even if they respected his intelligence, they couldn't fully trust him because of it.
That said, they had no issue with Aaron learning magic.
Unlike Loki, Aaron was reliable. More importantly, he had earned their friendship through his own strength and ability.
After all, Thor's group didn't just accept anyone. Being able to drink wasn't enough—you had to prove yourself in some way.
And Aaron had.
Even though the three warriors and Sif weren't as strong as Thor, they were still some of the mightiest fighters in Asgard. They didn't befriend just anyone.
Sif was the strongest female warrior of her generation.
Fandral was a master swordsman, skilled enough to earn even Thor's praise.
And Volstagg—though his appetite had led to an impressive gut—was once known for his overwhelming physical strength. Even now, his sheer durability made him the toughest of the three warriors.
Loki, seeing he was outnumbered, gave a small sigh.
"Fine, fine," he said. "You're all against me, as always."
Then, turning to Aaron, he added, "Magic is a profound discipline. Without the right talent, trying to learn it will only waste your time. After all, not everyone can be a great magician."
His meaning was clear—he was implying Aaron didn't have what it took.
At that moment, a group of young magician apprentices exited the academy, their chatter filling the air.
Seeing Aaron and Thor together, some of them gasped in recognition.
"No wonder Aaron's magic is so strong! He's friends with Prince Thor!"
"With his talent, he'll probably become a powerful magician and fight alongside the prince!"
"We shouldn't be surprised. Even Teacher Irene seemed jealous of his abilities."
A few of the girls stared at Aaron in admiration, whispering among themselves.
Hearing this, Thor and the others turned to Loki with amused expressions.
Loki's face darkened slightly.
"It's only the first day," he muttered. "They don't understand the difficulty of magic yet."
But his words were ignored.
No one was interested in arguing with Loki anymore.
Instead, they were far more entertained by what the apprentices had said—and the way Loki was now trying to downplay Aaron's talent.
Loki, for once, was the one being overlooked. And he hated it.
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