Thor dashed through the palace, his lightning-fast strides drawing indifferent glances from the guards.
After all, Thor's antics were nothing new. Who would care?
Besides, he's the prince. Even if someone did care, which guard could stop him?
They were just ordinary Asgardian soldiers, without divine status or the legendary rune power. Even Thor's casual punch would overwhelm them.
To trade blows with Prince Thor, you'd need to be one of Asgard's berserkers from the expeditionary force!
Thus, Thor raced through the palace to the rear garden, where his father stood admiring the view.
"Father!"
He blurted hastily.
"I've found Loki! He's in Midgard. I must go to him!"
Odin's expression remained unchanged.
As a king reigning for five millennia, he'd seen too many storms.
He slowly nodded, not even looking at Thor.
"Go see your mother. Tell her about Loki, then meet me at the Bifröst."
"See Mother? Why? What's wrong with her?"
Thor was surprised.
Odin's tone finally carried a hint of annoyance. He turned, his deep gaze fixing on Thor.
Thor sighed helplessly.
Whenever his father looked like that, a lecture was coming!
Odin's next words confirmed Thor's fears.
"Thor!"
Odin scolded sternly.
"While you've been drinking these days, have you noticed your people's needs? Have you seen your warriors' fatigue? You've ignored your mother!
She's grieved over Loki's disappearance, yet you've done nothing!
Returning from Midgard, you've shown kindness—progress. But kindness hasn't curbed your love for praise and drink.
You can do better, but only if you do more!
See your mother. Tell her about Loki. Reassure her. Bring Loki back to her. Prove you haven't disappointed her!
Go now!!!"
Odin's words didn't intimidate Thor—he'd heard them before.
Now, his mind was on his woman and brother, leaving no room for anything else.
He replied hastily,
"Yes, I'll go. I'll do more. But hurry, Father. I'll meet you at the Bifröst soon…"
Before finishing, Thor had already flown off with his hammer, leaving Odin to sigh, his eyelids drooping.
He squinted at the clouds.
This son was too much to handle.
If loss matures a man, how much must this son lose to truly grow up?
Sigh…
Setting aside his thoughts, the aged Odin returned to the palace. He grasped Gungnir, his lifelong spear, and clenched his right fist.
With that motion, golden armor materialized on him.
To manipulate the broken Bifröst, he'd use the dark magic learned from the Vanir.
He approached such power with utmost caution.
Meanwhile, Thor flew to his mother's chambers, finding her sitting by the World Tree.
She looked up as he approached.
"This is your first solo visit since Midgard. No confusion on your face. You have news."
"Yes, Mother."
Thor knew his mother's wisdom. With her divine intellect and millennia of Vanir magic, she seemed to read minds.
Freyja's expression brightened. She smiled softly.
"Your father sent you. Loki's been found, hasn't he?"
"Yes, Mother. Loki's in Midgard. I'm going to him!"
"Wonderful. I hope for a family reunion. But I see you're eager to see your Midgard woman.
A man's love is sudden. I won't lecture you, but promise me one thing, Thor.
Protect your brother, no matter what!"
"Of course, Mother. He's my brother. And nothing in Midgard can harm an Asgardian prince!"
Thor seemed confident—his genuine belief.
Freyja disagreed but said nothing.
Hearing Thor, she shook her head.
"Child, call it Earth. It has a unique civilization, and its people named it so.
I've taught you: respect all intelligent races.
Earth has worthy warriors too."
"Yes, Mother. I'll remember. Don't worry, I won't start wars. I'll love Midgard… Earth's people as my own!"
"Good. Go to your father. You're eager. Remember my words."
"Will do!"
With his mother's farewell, Thor dashed to the Bifröst.
Seeing his son approach, Odin nodded.
He gripped Gungnir, slamming it into the ground!
Thud!!!
An invisible wind scattered Thor's hair as the Bifröst's energy surged.
Odin spoke.
"The Bifröst is the Nine Realms' greatest wonder. Even shattered, its remnants can serve as a teleportation core.
A complete Bifröst merely reduces energy consumption.
As my heir, Asgard's future king, learn to control it without Heimdall.
It's your final trump card, Asgard's core!"
"Don't worry, Father. Mother taught me the incantation. But isn't that dark magic? You said to avoid useless, harmful things!"
…
Odin sighed. He'd meant to build Thor's confidence in Asgardian rune power!
But Vanir and dark magic aren't meaningless!
You're always like this, so hopelessly dumb!
I tell you war is Asgard's foundation, and you become warlike and glory-hungry.
I teach kindness, and you think a king should only be kind!
I say Mjolnir's important, and you think it's your power source.
It's to suppress your power, teaching you control, not to make you a hammer god!
Why do you understand things only one way?
Seeing his expectant son, Odin wished to change the past.
Was his teaching flawed? Why do his heirs have so many issues?
A nightmare, even for a king!
…
Unfortunately, this Thor, untouched by future pain, remained single-minded…
He noticed none of his father's complexities, just awaited transport to Midgard.
Sighing, Odin chanted softly.
Moments later, a rainbow beam shot forth, carrying Thor away.
…
Two hours earlier, on Earth, as Heisenberg chatted with Tony and Pepper at Ehrenburg…
Aboard S.H.I.E.L.D.'s Helicarrier, Hill and her team were in chaos.
Banner sat at a computer, reporting to Hill.
"Damn, I don't know why, but the Tesseract's dormant energy is spiking!
If it goes wrong, it's my fault, all my fault, fuck fuck fuck!!!"
Banner's anguish was indescribable.
After Hill canceled the Pegasus Project and secured the Tesseract per his advice, it malfunctioned.
If it formed a black hole as he calculated, Earth was doomed!
Doomed!!!
Even the Hulk, long ignoring Banner, felt his rage. Banner's skin turned green.
Seeing this, Hill, discussing plans with Rogers, panicked.
She rushed to Banner, soothing him.
"Dr. Banner, don't panic!
It won't be that bad. Maybe just a minor issue. Recheck the data.
And we have a Kryptonian elder. Even if he's unlike my idol Superman, I trust he won't let his planet be destroyed!"
Her words gave Banner a spark.
He recovered, scrutinizing the data.
As for Heisenberg…
Sorry, Banner and Hulk ignored that name. They relied on themselves!
Seeing Banner calm, Hill relaxed.
She sighed, then tried calling Heisenberg.
No time for selfishness. If disaster struck, they'd never worry about the Tesseract again.
Because Earth would be gone!
But as she reached for her phone, Banner shouted.
"Wait! I've found it! In these seconds, the Tesseract's energy shifted!
Isotope sequence distribution—far more stable than we thought.
If a wormhole forms this way, it's not a wormhole but a highly secure portal!"
He suddenly remembered something, turning to Rogers and Natasha.
"Guys, I have good and bad news. Which first?"
"Damn, no jokes now! Speak!"
Hill cut off Banner's humor, leaving him sighing.
"Good news: The Tesseract won't explode.
Its energy's stable, forming a portal centered on itself to an unknown location!"
"Bad news?" Natasha asked.
Banner looked gravely at them.
"The portal connects two points!
Since we didn't open it, the opener must be from the other side!"
He swallowed.
"Someone's controlling the Tesseract from an unknown place. They're coming to Earth."
"Wait!"
Hill interrupted.
"If the portal opens centered on the Tesseract…"
Her expression twisted. She suppressed her emotions, continuing.
"We stored the Tesseract in a secret vault three kilometers underground, sealing the entrance with cement.
So, how will the intruder emerge from a fully sealed, nuclear-proof vault three kilometers down…?"