Howard Stark.
As a character trapped within the "New Marvel Story," he was actually able to leap out of the story's framework and, relying on a video recording left by Tony Stark, perceive the truth of the world.
This is likely something that even the All-Father Odin or other major gods couldn't achieve. It must be said that the true genius in the Stark family might indeed not be Tony Stark, who was chosen by "fate."
"What exactly did Howard see with his time machine?" Ian couldn't help but continue to ask. The sunlight outside the window shone through the blinds, casting stripes between him and the New Teacher Tony.
Upon hearing this.
The holographic projection of the New Teacher Tony flickered slightly within the data stream, and a complex expression, close to human emotion, surfaced on his face constructed by precise algorithms.
"As I just said," Digital Tony's voice carried the characteristic calm of an electronic sound, "I don't know exactly what kind of machine Howard created."
"But his diary did record some of his discoveries." As the New Teacher Tony spoke, the projection switched, and the holographic image of a yellowed, paper diary unfolded in the air.
The messy penmanship in steel pen ink pressed hard against the paper, and some pages were even smudged with coffee stains.
It was clearly done with great care and focus.
Of course.
Ian could only sense the writer's emotion while writing, but he couldn't guess the writer's mental state. He could barely distinguish a single letter on the pages.
It wasn't encrypted text.
It was just purely too messy.
"Uh, Howard is suited to be a doctor, this handwriting is really perfect for writing prescriptions." Ian noticed a corner of one page that had been repeatedly folded, covered with countless exclamation marks drawn in red ink.
Seeing that Ian couldn't decipher the handwriting.
The New Teacher Tony spoke again, "He measured the maximum extent to which a universe can proliferate and continue, and he discovered that the past duration our universe has actually experienced does not align with the past duration it ought to have experienced. There is a large chunk of data error, which means the scientifically measured history of the universe is not real."
Good heavens.
Howard truly did touch upon little known truths.
Ian was full of amazement.
"So, the current universe is indeed still that sole surviving doomsday universe, and only the fate of this universe has changed?" He managed to understand the answer Howard had researched.
"Strictly speaking, only the future of the past you experienced was changed. A universe with a maximum length was artificially segmented, and your Tony is in the cut-off segment of the past."
"And we, along with everyone else, are situated in the future that was cut out and whose history was reordered." The New Teacher Tony corrected Ian's speculation with a more rigorous explanation.
The meaning was actually not very different.
"I see. It seems the Infinite Stones, which were hailed as omnipotent, didn't truly manage to open up a new universe. That makes sense, after all, all the gods and concepts were in a state of dimensionality reduction at that time."
"Even if there really was a Nemesis representing the Infinite Stones, she must have been weakened to a very fragile state after being dimensionally reduced."
Ian's voice was almost inaudible. By combining this with the part of the truth he understood, he could confirm that Howard Stark's conclusion was actually more reasonable.
The universe had not been rebooted.
The Infinite Stones merely cut off a segment of 'the future where nothing had ever happened' from the original universe, and then wrote the current history on this blank slate.
It was like tearing out the used portion of a notebook, leaving only the blank pages to be rebound. And Howard Stark, this astonishingly talented scientist, noticed this trace of re-binding, followed it to find the truth, and located the part that had been ripped away.
Currently.
No one knows how much of the future Howard Stark actually glimpsed, or why he was so obsessed with bringing back his son, who should have been in the realm of "never met" concept.
"Does the maximum universe length you just mentioned have anything to do with why my original Teacher Tony cannot return?" Ian's mind and brain were in a state of extreme activity.
He found an aspect of this statement that lacked a reasonable explanation—if Tony was truly in the past timeline, then as the last soul returned to the Multiverse, Teacher Tony should also be able to return with this soul. Unless, for some reason, he and a portion of the residual souls cannot return.
Ian noted the concept of "erased by the maximum length of time" that the New Teacher Tony had mentioned before.
"As our current history progresses, the past will be overwritten?" He might be rough in many aspects, but his insight in this area has always been keen.
In response to this.
The New Teacher Tony's nod could be taken as an acknowledgment.
"That's right, that's roughly how it is. In fact, according to the history measured by science, our universe is still very young. But Howard discovered a different truth."
"Not only is the past false, but the future is false as well."
The projection suddenly expanded into a three-dimensional star chart, with countless light dots forming a rushing river of time. At the end of the river, Ian saw a constantly expanding, fragmented darkness.
"As mentioned before, we are only in the future of the old era, so the universe is actually nearing its end, but the history that was written down is deceiving everyone."
"The reason scientists cannot observe this is that someone is constantly splicing 'formatted' 'blank segments' from the past onto our future."
"This is what allows our time to continue moving forward safely—it's actually like constantly using formatted hard drive space to write new data to maintain the continuation of history."
The star chart suddenly warped.
It turned into a dizzying data model. Ian saw countless "blank" time fragments being patched onto the break points in the river of time, like software patches.
This was just a visual model displayed by the New Teacher Tony to make it easier for Ian to understand, but he was clearly being redundant. Ian's Super Brain had already helped him figure out the situation.
Of course he understood what the power behind the scenes, constantly piecing together the future, was—that Teacher Tony trapped in the past timeline, that figure shouldering the burden for the entire Multiverse.
The hero never left.
Tony Stark has always been there, in the unknown past, using his supreme power to continuously help the seemingly intact universe fill the gaps in the future.
It is hard to imagine the level of means and will required to achieve such a feat.
That has already reached the level of a true god.
But it is the kind of god willing to guard the ages of the universe.
"So, when the puzzle pieces from the past are insufficient, my Teacher Tony will format the history of his own existence and splice it into the future of our universe?"
"The real reason Teacher Tony cannot 'reincarnate' is that his calculation result is that no matter how fast I restart the Multiverse, it won't be fast enough to do so before he is overwritten?"
Ian reached out to touch the holographic image, his finger passing through the virtual time fragments. He couldn't describe his feelings at the moment, because he knew he certainly couldn't do such a thing himself.
Not many people could.
Even Batman might not be able to.
That requires more than just heroic nobility.
It also requires the unwavering will to endure endless solitary years, and the absolute certainty that one must not be affected by this state. Ultimately, the one making the sacrifice will also be keenly aware that their offering is destined to go unremembered.
This is not a simple sacrifice.
This is true dedication.
In response to this.
Not only was Ian deeply affected, but the New Teacher Tony also seemed to find it difficult to comprehend. However, he is ultimately just a strong AI, and analysis of human emotions has always been his weakness.
The New Teacher Tony did not allow this matter to occupy his computing power.
He heard Ian's words.
So he spoke up again to supplement the information.
"That is only part of the reason. The main reason is that for the universe to be complete, someone needs to format the last segment of the past and then piece it together at the end of this new universe of ours."
"Howard once conducted relevant research. He deduced that only through such patching can a complete universe be formed, successfully completing a special change in the cosmic epoch."
"One person must do that for the Main Universe to be complete, and for the Multiverse surrounding the Main Universe to begin its evolution—this is actually not just a matter of how fast or slow your actions are."
"Without that invisible great hand, abandoning the last segment of the past that contains its own existence, you would also be unable to restart the Multiverse." He hadn't expected the situation to be so insoluble.
This truly made Ian gasp in surprise.
"So, what does Howard plan to do? Can he solve this paradox?" Ian's curiosity was stronger than ever. He knew Howard must have had a method to set up this plan.
This guy's wisdom might be just a tiny bit more impressive than Astonishing Intellect.
You must know.
The current Marvel is a Single Universe.
Yet, according to the New Teacher Tony.
Howard actually touched upon the Multiverse level?
Even if it was only a theoretical touch.
That must absolutely be considered a frighteningly awesome feat.
"Howard left behind numerous plans."
With that said.
The New Teacher Tony began to display everything without reservation.
The holographic projection unfolded in the center of the Sanctum Sanctorum, and countless documents poured down like a waterfall. Dense text floated in the air, forming a dizzying ocean of information.
Every line of text, every punctuation mark, shimmered with light, as if narrating how a genius trapped in the last century attempted to use the most primitive method of exhaustive deduction.
His brain was the best information processor—a person who knew nothing about the future, yet tried to exhaust all future possibilities based on his own intelligence.
The documents unfolded.
Line after line of text demonstrated how a man constrained by his era possessed an outlook far ahead of his time. He seemed to have considered every possible way a "Man of Destiny" might need to reshape the world. The countless documents, with many revision logs showing additions and deletions, were seemingly just like his son's continuous patching of this universe in the past.
Howard also wanted to rely on patching his own plan.
To bring back the son he should have had.
It was more than just a log.
It was a manifesto from a father declaring war on fate—humans always persist like this. This might be what the Tony who had transformed into an AI had already forgotten.
No matter how unpredictable the future is, hope will not vanish as long as someone is willing to fight for it.
Howard Stark used a pen and paper, in an era when even computers lacked sufficient computing power, to stubbornly attempt to find a path that computers could not calculate.
"There are too many words."
Ian stared at the dense documents.
He was silent for a long time.
Only then did he speak softly.
"Just tell me directly—in the current situation, what does Howard think I need to do the most?" He seemed to understand why his father didn't like using the Super Brain.
The Super Brain indeed dislikes information overload.
The family tradition.
Was now playing out on Ian.
He gave up thinking.
He decided to use his super power to execute someone else's super plan. To be honest, Ian felt genuinely happy to do the task of saving Tony Stark.
From his initial weakness.
To his current strength, which is at least not weak on Earth.
He had received a lot of help from Tony Stark throughout this process.
In response to Ian's direct question, the New Teacher Tony smiled slightly and closed all the documents.
"Heroism is the main theme you have always been searching for, isn't it?"
His voice carried a hint of approval. "Only a universe with this main theme can turn the impossible into possible. You are already on the correct path."
Upon hearing this.
Ian was slightly stunned.
And generally grasped the meaning.
Indeed.
Just like the "Unscientific Small World" he was trying to build, only a Marvel Universe full of heroism, where one can burst out power by shouting 'Family' or 'Bond,' can possess true infinite possibilities.
"So... that's why you also made Obadiah a superhero?" Ian's expression gradually became strange as he recalled the large iron ball rolling down the street earlier.
God knows if that iron ball is still rolling now.
"It never hurts to try more things. That's also why I'm running for president—a group of people who are above the law needs a legal backer in control of the laws."
"This is more beneficial for us to inscribe the main theme of heroism into the bedrock of the universe, allowing it to become the cornerstone of the universe, and then bloom with that invincible radiance."
The New Teacher Tony has not been corrupted or developed ambitions, he is acting according to Howard's arrangement. It must be said that, from Ian's perspective, his statement is indeed correct.
No S.H.I.E.L.D.
But there is an AI President.
It will undoubtedly be much easier to find the main theme of the Marvel Universe again.
"The only problem is how should I guide these people, who should have become heroes, back to their proper path?" Ian looked at the three vegetable baskets in the room.
Doctor Strange, who likes to engage in superstitious money-making schemes.
Thor, who likes to cook.
Even the only relatively normal Gwen actually has a somewhat listless, decadent feeling, lacking sufficient unwavering willpower. Not to mention Captain America, who is fixated on his pension.
His Mystical Power that is a fifty-fifty split.
Only occasionally appears when he truly pulls himself together.
"Perhaps we should create some plot scenarios to awaken their fighting spirit... Trust me, I can write excellent screenplays." Ian, after some thought, began to volunteer his services.
"Heroes need tempering, they need some origin stories to inspire them, such as Doctor Strange: Estranged Wife and Scattered Family, Thor: Amnesiac Bride, Captain America: The Live-In Son-in-Law of a Wealthy Family, and Spider-Woman: Substitute Lover!"
Ian felt his inspiration was like a torrential river, endless and continuous. This is the ability a true professional writer should possess.
Reproducing the original origins is, of course, impossible now, but creating targeted origins is relatively simple. Ian has grasped the core experiences that the heroes should go through in each story, and he rambled on, describing the script details.
However.
The New Teacher Tony listened in silence for a while.
After a long time.
He looked at Ian with a look of inexpressible disapproval.
"I admit your theory has some merit, but perhaps we don't need to be so complicated. You can view them as special psychiatric patients, and you only need to play the role of a psychotherapist for superheroes."
"They are just souls that have been trapped for too long, they are sick, not starring in an 8 PM prime-time drama." The New Teacher Tony spoke earnestly. His words did not make Ian feel disappointed or angry.
On the contrary.
Ian's golden eyes even brightened a little.
"Let me be the psychological mentor of the Marvel Universe? Good, good, this is good. I'm best at treating psychological disorders, I've always had deep research into psychological illnesses."
"If you don't believe me, you can ask my parents when you have the chance. I'm truly very accomplished in this field." Ian was genuinely confident about becoming a psychotherapist.
After all, he had experience in curing himself.
Doctor Hannibal played virtually no role in it.
"..."
The New Teacher Tony looked at the inexplicably self-assured Ian and was temporarily unable to find a corresponding response in his database. He could only force an extremely professional smile.
"I didn't say I didn't believe you."
This was very satisfying to Ian.
"What's your take on the figure that appeared in the sky this afternoon?" He was also very concerned about the appearance of Knull, the God of Darkness. His inquiry caused the New Teacher Tony's holographic projection to flicker in the air.
The New Teacher Tony's data-stream composed brow furrowed slightly.
"I don't know what that was," he paused, his voice as steady as ever, "but you seem to know a lot about it. So, that figure might have originally been a part of the universe."
It must be said.
In terms of reading the room.
The AI certainly seems much stronger than most people.
Seeing Ian nod.
The New Teacher Tony then continued to speak.
"Just like the re-emergence of evil we encountered before, if that is something that ought to exist in our universe according to your understanding of this universe..."
"They will eventually reappear."
The projection switched, and the giant phantom that had appeared in the sky was simulated again—the entity sitting on the throne of white bones, with terrifying flames burning in its empty eye sockets.
Clearly.
Since it could be captured by a camera lens.
Knull, the God of Darkness, was definitely not just an illusion.
"Hmm, I think I understand what's going on." Ian rubbed his chin thoughtfully: "The completeness of the Main Universe? It must be complete enough to evolve into the Multiverse."
"Correct."
Digital Tony's projection nodded.
The blue star stripes on his tie shimmered with faint light.
Ian nodded in agreement.
"Why are you nodding?"
Digital Tony's electronic voice carried a rare hint of confusion.
He has always found it somewhat impossible to judge Ian's thought process, especially after Ian spoke, he became even more aware of his limitations as an artificial intelligence.
"I think this is great," Ian grinned, his mask-covered mouth stretching exaggeratedly wide, revealing perfectly white teeth, giving off a sunny-boy vibe.
"Sooner or later, I'm going to etch Dimensional Demon God summoning formations inside my mouth," his eyes suddenly lit up with excitement. "I can't even imagine how happy life would be then!"
This was genuine excitement.
Ian's dream is to lie down and eat Demon Gods.
Upon hearing this.
The New Teacher Tony's holographic projection immediately entered silent mode.
He had once again touched upon a database blind spot.
"If I'm not mistaken, you have five minutes left." Digital Tony stiffly changed the subject. For domains he couldn't understand, the artificial intelligence chose not to discuss them.
"Mm, yes."
The time for return was approaching, and Ian was well aware of this. He used the last bit of time to pay Doctor Strange some magic power, then emptied Strange's refrigerator.
"The Haagen-Dazs here tastes better than the one at my place. He must still have a conscience." As his strength increased, Ian also developed a sense of awareness, vowing never to take a single needle or thread from his believers for free.
He ate very comfortably.
Haagen-Dazs, sandwiches, cola—he didn't even spare the frozen dumplings in the freezer. There was nothing Ian wouldn't eat, only broccoli was what he was unwilling to eat.
"Dong~"
The chime of return suddenly rang in Ian's ears.
The world seemed to freeze.
Ian's figure began to turn transparent.
He quickly gulped down the last bottle of soda, wanting to burp, but due to his body being too strong, he lost this usually delightful pleasure.
It was a little regrettable.
However, he still vanished silently from the spot.
A deathly silence lasted for a full three minutes.
"Finally safe, huh?" A faint click sounded on the floor. A loose floor tile was pushed open, and Nick Fury's bald head cautiously peeked out.
"Mother Fker!" He looked around, his expression showing a hint of annoyance. "Why didn't anyone tell me that guy is the Evil God they worship in this damn place?"
In response to this.
The New Teacher Tony turned his head to look at the bald man.
"If you hadn't been lazy and had actually wiped the statue over there, you would have found that no one needed to tell you that," the New Teacher Tony's projection pointed to a statue in the corner of the hall.
It was Ian.
But the cheap concrete exterior made it difficult for anyone to discern.
Perhaps only artificial intelligence could effectively identify it.
"..."
Nick Fury looked like he wanted to say something, but ultimately said nothing. He knew he shouldn't talk back to the boss, because he had also been a boss before, only he went bankrupt in recent years.
The more he thought about it, the more melancholy he became.
Nick Fury started changing the subject.
"I'm going to rescue these poor unconscious people."
He nimbly climbed out of the underground passage, pulling out a metal box stamped with the Hydra logo. When opened, three uniquely shaped small firearms were neatly arranged inside.
"I really miss my days of being an undercover agent in Hydra, and then becoming Hydra's boss." Fury skillfully loaded the three guns and aimed them at the bodies of Captain America, Doctor Strange, and Gwen, respectively.
The moment he pulled the triggers.
Three bolts of blue electric current precisely struck the trio's hearts.
"..."
"Hydra pays triple the pension, Hail Hydra!"
"The Sorcerer Supreme class is in session!"
...
The three heroes sprang up from the ground like springs. Captain America instinctively reached for his shield, Doctor Strange began drawing circles, and Gwen squeezed her wrist with an exasperated look.
"First aid equipment never goes out of style."
Nick Fury put away the taser guns with satisfaction, then looked up at Digital Tony's projection. "Tony, this stuff is single-use. You need to raise my salary a bit."
"If Howard were still here, he wouldn't let you exploit me like this. He and I were very, very good friends." Nick Fury attempted to appeal to the artificial intelligence's sense of human relationship.
He might have been a little naive.
The New Teacher Tony's projection did not reply.
He just offered a smile.
Then the virtual image vanished directly from the hall.
No matter how Nick Fury rushed forward to call out, he received no further response—an artificial intelligence created by a capitalist certainly doesn't like discussing human sentiment.
Especially since Howard had left instructions specifically regarding Nick Fury.
"Get back here now!"
Just as the bald man was shouting.
"My magic power." Doctor Strange looked at his trembling hands in surprise. "It has increased by at least 15%? Could I be the kind of Sleeping Grand Master who can automatically cultivate magic power while unconscious?"
He clearly hadn't fully woken up from his dream.
"I don't know anything about magic power, but I just feel hungry. Is it time to eat? You guys said you'd provide my three meals." Captain America rubbed his rumbling stomach.
He truly still has a long way to go before becoming the responsible Captain.
"Speaking of food, where's Thor?"
Doctor Strange looked around.
"He went home a while ago." Gwen climbed out of the vegetable basket and was wiping her ears with cotton. She had clearly been feigning unconsciousness for a period of time.
The only thing she hadn't expected was to be electrocuted by Nick Fury's taser gun.
The other party's speed was too fast.
Her abilities, which were getting weaker with each use, failed to react in time.
"Without the chef, what about our dinner?" Captain America's face changed drastically upon hearing this. He looked at Doctor Strange, his eyes carrying a pitiful look.
Perhaps.
This former hero had not eaten a full meal since his resurrection.
"..."
Doctor Strange sighed and walked towards the refrigerator.
"We can only make do ourselves."
The moment he pulled open the door, his expression froze.
The empty refrigerator had even had its ice tray licked clean. The only thing left was a sticky note: "Thanks for the meal~ Stock up more Haagen-Dazs next time~ by your dear Evil God."
"That damn Evil God!"
Strange's roar shook the chandelier.
"Was he turned into a rat?!"
An unknowing person would think he had suffered a great disaster.
The voice was filled with immense grief.
Gwen and Captain America were somewhat speechless.
"How about..."
Doctor Strange spoke with difficulty.
"We all chip in for takeout?"
He made a suggestion.
Gwen's eyes immediately widened.
"I'm a student who earns college tuition by delivering takeout! Do you even remember? I delivered food to you before." Gwen was clearly extremely unhappy about having to pay money.
The one even more unhappy was Captain America.
Captain America silently pulled out his wallet. Inside lay a lonely, antique one-dollar bill, a gift from his former lover. He showed his wallet to everyone.
"Do I look like someone who can afford takeout?"
This was genuinely pathetic.
Even Gwen felt sorry for Captain America.
"Your pension problem must be Hydra messing with you. Tony said Hydra still has many key members in government departments." Doctor Strange sighed and spoke.
Nick Fury silently picked up a bucket, ready to make his escape.
However.
At that moment.
Three pairs of eyes simultaneously turned towards Nick Fury.
The Bald Man retreated two steps.
"I'm not Hydra anymore! After S.H.I.E.L.D. collapsed, I was discovered to be an undercover agent and was kicked out. Now, when I go outside, I'm afraid of running into malicious assassination attempts from my former subordinates."
He self-destructed.
After speaking.
"Gotta go, gotta go, I have things to do at home." Just as the astonished Captain America went to grab his shield, this guy demonstrated a flexibility unbefitting his age, nimbly darted back into the tunnel, and slammed the floor tile shut with a bang.
"Strange, that old geezer Nick Fury ran away. I suspect he was the one who tipped off Hydra when I was buried in the ice... But none of that matters. Now it looks like he can't introduce me to Hydra to enjoy their high welfare benefits anymore."
"I just want to know what we're going to do for lunch?"
Captain America rubbed his loudly grumbling stomach, his shield leaning against the wall. "We went through a big battle today. We should eat a big feast as usual."
He truly wanted to improve his diet.
Instead of eating the free food provided by philanthropists and relief centers on the street every day—in fact, being reduced to begging for food every day as a World War II hero is likely the reason Captain America became disheartened and adopted this cynical lifestyle.
"Wait a moment, I'll figure something out."
Doctor Strange looked grave. He strode towards the window under Gwen and Captain America's puzzled gaze, violently pushed open the stained-glass window, and yelled up at the sky.
"Heimdall! I know you can hear me! Tell Thor to hurry back to Earth to cook! Don't count on anyone else to do his job!" The New York sky was clear and cloudless.
Doctor Strange's shouting didn't even startle a single bird.
As the Sorcerer Supreme.
He relies entirely on self-cultivation.
He doesn't have much power.
His status is indeed awkward across the Nine Realms.
However.
Resilience and perseverance are Doctor Strange's greatest virtues as the Sorcerer Supreme.
"Heimdall! Can you hear me? Send the God of Thunder back quickly! We're starting lunch here!"
A gust of wind blew past the window.
No one responded.
Doctor Strange remained persistent, continuing to shout: "Heimdall! Don't pretend you can't hear! I know you're watching the Nine Realms! I have a very, very big backer now!"
He used magic power to amplify his voice.
This made the Guardian of Asgard feel like his ears were being assaulted by a sonic weapon. He initially intended to ignore it, but the voice seemed to come from the depths of his soul, calling his name over and over again.
It was like a haunting affliction.
"Where did he learn this kind of magic! And it comes with a musical echo?" Heimdall sighed. He didn't want to bother, but he could only reluctantly turn his gaze towards the direction of the royal court.
Asgard had indeed encountered some issues. Now, in the magnificent golden palace, Thor, the God of Thunder, was vividly recounting his "heroic deeds."
It was essentially a story about how he and Ian joined forces against an utterly evil Outer God, cooperating and slaughtering the enemy.
"Then I raised Mjolnir and roared, 'For the glory of the Northern Gods'!" Thor gestured wildly, spraying beer foam all over Odin's face.
"That Outer God was so scared it immediately ran away with its tail between its legs!"
The one-eyed old man on the throne wiped the foam from his face.
He even nodded in cooperation.
"Well done, my son."
Thor spoke with vivid detail, and Odin listened with relish.
And right at that moment.
A sudden "crack" sound came from the corner. A beautiful woman, dressed in a black, custom-tailored suit and wearing gold-rimmed glasses, couldn't help but roll her eyes.
She crushed the crystal glass in her hand.
Thor, the God of Thunder, was very unhappy about being interrupted.
However.
The black-haired woman looked even more displeased.
"Do you think none of us were looking at Midgard? It was clearly our 'Teacher' who was slaughtering the enemy, while you were standing dumbly on the sidelines as a spectator for several minutes."
Upon hearing this.
Thor's laughter immediately stopped.
The air instantly froze.
A lie won't hurt, but the truth is definitely a sharp knife.
"Father, can we throw this Midgardian out of the Golden Palace? Who is she? Why is she sitting in my reserved seat?" Thor, the God of Thunder, spoke to Odin with shame and anger.
He was clearly mistaken because she was wearing Earth clothing.
"This..."
Odin's single eye flashed with helplessness.
He was about to speak.
But the woman quickly stood up.
The cold aura radiating from her was intense.
"My name is Hela. You will remember this name."
The woman raised her hand and waved it. Three emerald-like spikes appeared out of thin air, precisely pinning Thor to the golden pillar—one of them was only 0.01 centimeters away from his crotch.
"Save me! Father! Save me!"
The God of Thunder was terrified, his voice even changing pitch. He looked utterly shocked and was nearly scared witless. He almost, just barely, went from being the Crown Prince to something else entirely.
Upon hearing this.
Odin did not move.
He merely sighed while leaning on Gungnir, the Spear of Heaven.
"Hela, don't bully your brother."
He was speaking to the woman.
Hearing this.
Thor, the God of Thunder, was not only speechless, but his eyeballs were practically popping out of his head.
"Oh, goodness! Father, you... you really raised a bastard outside!" It can only be said that he is indeed Thor, the God of Thunder. His utilization rate of his divine brain is virtually zero.
This guy started to feel indignant on behalf of his mother.
Odin was utterly speechless.
He didn't know how to evaluate his son, but Hela knew. Another spike grazed Thor's ear and slammed into the pillar. Hela directed a cold sneer at Odin.
"Is this the heir you chose? He still doesn't even understand what our Teacher means to us?" Hela clearly looked down on Thor, the God of Thunder.
Between siblings.
It's largely like this.
Faced with Hela's ridicule, Thor, the God of Thunder, truly found his brain difficult to operate. That was definitely not due to Ian's interference, but because he himself wasn't adept at using his brain.
"Isn't this because Father couldn't defeat that Evil God, so he could only endure the humiliation for the sake of Asgard and sacrifice me, making me a hostage for that Evil God?"
He was not complaining.
There was only confusion in his tone.
After all.
Thor, the God of Thunder, firmly believed in his own interpretation. He had thoroughly read many books necessary for kings—both books from Asgard and recommendations from Earth bookstores.
Thor, the God of Thunder, was well-read.
Naturally, he was very confident in his own view.
"Also, when did you become a hostage of the Evil God... Are you really my half-sister?" Thor, the God of Thunder, attempted to discern any trace of family resemblance on Hela's cold face.
He maintained the posture of being pinned to the pillar, without even thinking of pulling out his hammer.
"Heh."
Hela couldn't even be bothered to lift an eyelid, merely letting out a cold laugh and continuing to draw something on the parchment scroll. The emerald-green energy flowing from her fingertips was drawing a self-moving, restricted-rated comic.
Odin's sole eye flashed with a trace of awkwardness. He gripped Gungnir, the Spear of Heaven, and lightly coughed: "Your brother, Thor, he has extraordinary potential... the truly extraordinary kind."
This was a forced attempt to save face.
He avoided mentioning Thor's intelligence altogether.
"Extraordinary?" Hela scoffed, the tip of her pen pausing. "This guy is too weak."
She looked up.
Her eerie green pupils stared directly at Odin. "I will witness Asgard being led to its downfall by him. Do you think a brain and strength like his can handle what happened today?"
"Those Frost Giants are already stirring. They believe you are approaching the final twilight!" This was originally Hela's mockery of Odin, but the one who reacted the strongest was Thor.
"Twilight?"
Thor suddenly struggled, nearly cutting his thigh on a spike, but he finally managed to tear himself off the pillar. Upon landing, he disregarded his disheveled appearance and immediately looked up anxiously at Odin.
"Are you going to die?!"
Thor seemed unwilling to accept this news.
He was panicked and nervous.
He was just a bit emotionally unintelligent.
"..." Odin somewhat regretted stopping Hela from bullying Thor. The only comforting thing was that Thor was genuinely worried and concerned about him, judging by his frantic expression.
He wasn't concerned about the throne at all.
"Perhaps before." Odin slowly spoke.
"What do you mean?" Thor was bewildered.
Hela scoffed again, sat back down, and continued drawing on the parchment scroll.
Odin glanced at her, then turned his attention to Thor. After a moment of silence, he carefully chose his words again: "You found a new path for me."
This sentence was, of course, beyond Thor's comprehension.
He dislikes riddle-makers.
And Odin just happens to be a veteran riddle-maker. Before Thor could react, he saw Odin suddenly raise Gungnir, his voice resounding through the Golden Palace like thunder.
"[More exalted than the star-sea.]"
"[More ancient than the cosmos.]"
"[Ian, the Emperor God of Ten Thousand Laws, who holds the hidden authority.]"
Thor's face instantly went pale: "Father?! What are you doing?!"
Odin ignored him and continued chanting the lengthy oath of fealty: "[You are the Weaver of Magic.]"
"[You are the Witness of History, the ultimate interpreter of the Marvel Codex, where Order and Chaos interweave in your hands...]" The ten thousand-word oath sounded extremely long.
As Odin swore the oath.
A certain power was triggered.
It condensed in the air into a complex imprint.
It slowly branded itself onto his body and soul. Odin did not resist. He knew he couldn't resist anyway, so he accepted this change with a normal expression.
"No! You absolutely cannot do this! Asgard needs you! Asgard cannot submit to..." Thor tried to approach but was blocked by Hela, who showed no surprise.
"Get out of the way!"
In his haste.
Lightning began to flash around Thor.
And right at that moment.
Odin suddenly gave a muffled grunt.
The imprint on his body and soul began to disintegrate, scattering into specks of golden light. Concurrently, the divine power in his body visibly and rapidly faded.
The light of Gungnir also dimmed slightly.
Clearly.
Odin had violated the oath on the spot and immediately paid the price for the breach of contract, which was half of his divine power, as well as forty percent of the divine power his divine body would naturally grow in the future.
Thor was stunned.
He completely failed to understand Odin's actions.
"Now, it is time for the races that started the war to pay the price." Odin slowly raised his head. Despite the decline in his divine power, his single eye was sharper than ever before.
As if the Conqueror from his youth.
Had returned once more.
***
Read 30 Chapters early on P-atreon.com/Redestro666