Liu A'dou unknowingly became the center of attention. He pointed out that Thor had been sealed. Thor agreed, "So, is there a way to break the seal in the myths?"
Thor couldn't stand being powerless.
Liu A'dou shook his head. "I don't know, but trials are just about correcting the flaws within you—greed, lust, gluttony, envy, sloth, pride, and wrath. Tell me, which of those flaws do you have?"
"…" Thor thought about it. His flaws? He didn't think he had any. "The things you're talking about, I don't have any of them."
Liu A'dou shook his head. "Your gaze may not be malicious, but it carries an innate pride. You refuse to listen to advice, and that's arrogance. Yesterday, you just arrived in a new place and started shouting, which is wrath. Even after being banished to the mortal realm, you're still obsessed with your divine power, and that's greed. So, at least three of those flaws apply to you. And yet, you claim you have none? If you don't face these flaws, you might never regain your power."
"I can't lose my power! I am Odin's son, the future king of Asgard," Thor said, looking at Liu A'dou. "You have to help me."
"No problem!" Liu A'dou hadn't yet found out where Diana was, so he decided to help Thor. Perhaps he could gain some unexpected benefits in the process.
"What should I do?"
"The first step is for you to tell me the story of how you were banished to the mortal realm. Only then can I make a specific plan."
So, Thor sat at the edge of the crater and told Liu A'dou how brave he was and how his father refused to acknowledge him. Then he explained how he and his friends ventured into the land of the Frost Giants, causing chaos and leading to casualties among his friends. In the end, Odin had banished him.
Clearly, this was a punishment from his father for his mistakes. As long as Thor realized what he had done wrong in his pursuit to prove himself, Odin would forgive him.
"Do you think you made any mistakes?"
"Of course not! I'm Odin's son, the future king of Asgard. I must have enough accomplishments to earn the recognition of others. Just like my father, defeating the Frost Giants and eradicating them was the best way to prove myself. I want to follow in my father's footsteps. What's wrong with that?"
Thor's concern was simple: he was afraid he wouldn't be able to prove himself. So, he desperately wanted to prove that he had the same abilities as his father. It was a typical immature child's way of thinking.
"I think I understand," Liu A'dou said, stroking his chin. "It seems like a lack of proper education. You won't be able to inherit Odin's position because you don't understand why your father stopped you from going to war with the Frost Giants."
"Why wouldn't he let me go to war? The Frost Giants were the ones who first infiltrated Asgard!" Thor said passionately. "I was just giving them a taste of their own medicine."
"If you just want to be a warrior, then what you say is true. For the sake of Asgard's dignity, it would make sense to act. But as the ruler of Asgard, you have to consider the cost of going to war with the Frost Giants. Every citizen of Asgard is Odin's child. War may bring honor, but it will also bring casualties. For Odin, war isn't a way to gain honor; it's the final roar to protect Asgard's dignity. War is not a game," Liu A'dou explained.
"As Odin's son, the heir to Asgard, my people should live and die with me. My honor is also Asgard's honor. Honor is above all, more valuable than life itself. Without honor, what's the point of surviving?" Thor disagreed with Liu A'dou's words, as he had been taught that Asgard's honor was above everything else.
"Do you want your people to die in battle while Asgard remains in turmoil?" Liu A'dou asked.
"As long as I regain my divine power, the Frost Giants are nothing," Thor replied.
"Stop talking big." Daisy couldn't listen anymore. "You were defeated by the Frost Giants and lost your armor. That's why Odin banished you, and now you're acting all tough saying they're nothing. You're just boasting."
"…" Thor was embarrassed to be called out by a woman.
"I think Liu's right," Jane added. "War is pointless and only hurts innocent people. Anyone who starts a war, even if they become a king, is a tyrant."
Professor Eric spoke up, "Imposing your will on others is wrong. Young people should think carefully before acting, especially when it comes to something as serious as war."
The three of them were all opposed to war. For the first time, Thor began to reflect. "But sometimes, I just can't control myself. My father gave me powerful divine abilities, and I can wield Mjolnir, the hammer of the gods. I am the first warrior of Asgard, born to fight."
"Having power is meant to protect Asgard, not to lead it to destruction. Can't you understand that? Have you ever wondered how many wars Odin has fought in his life?" Liu A'dou continued.
Thinking back, it was true. Odin hadn't fought many wars in his life. He always hoped for peace among the Nine Realms and rarely made enemies. Thor didn't know that Odin had even adopted Loki, the child of the Frost Giants, hoping that Loki would bridge the gap between the two races and help resolve their ancient hatred.
Odin knew that war only brought endless suffering, and that honor meant little in the face of such suffering. He carefully tried to protect Asgard and the Nine Realms, hoping his son would understand this.
"Try again," Liu A'dou told Thor. "Raising the hammer is about raising your great will. Why do you want to lift Mjolnir? To become a general on the battlefield, or to be a king who ensures the peace and prosperity of Asgard and its people? Remember this: the lives of your friends are far more important than honor."
Thor shook his head, still reflecting. "No, I shouldn't. If what you're saying is right, then I definitely can't go back. Because it was my fault they were hurt. I should accept the punishment." The other reason was that Thor was afraid he wouldn't be able to lift the hammer again and didn't want to embarrass himself.
"We need more instruments to examine this hammer," Eric said, confirming that Mjolnir was no ordinary object. "Thor, you don't mind, right?" he asked, democratically checking with the owner.
"As long as you don't break it," Thor replied.
"Don't worry, I'm just doing some tests. If I can take a sample, I might break off a tiny piece to study. Don't worry, it'll be very small, smaller than an ant. I'll make sure I don't damage it."
Thor shrugged, knowing that mortals could never destroy the hammer.
The three scientists went off to examine the hammer, and Liu A'dou took the opportunity to ask Thor, "Do you know if anything unusual has been happening in Asgard lately? Has anyone entered or left, or has anyone recently come to Earth?"
Thor didn't know. His thick-skinned nature kept him focused on showing off his strength, leaving little time to pay attention to the goings-on in Asgard.
But Liu A'dou's intuition was spot on—Diana had indeed been captured and taken to Asgard.
More courageous than Ares, more intelligent than Hippolyta, this was their son, Trax. After Ares died, he became a half-war god and began using every opportunity to stir up wars. For him, war meant power, and it could elevate him to become a true war god.