Translator's Note:
First, I would like to sincerely apologize for not uploading the chapters as scheduled, and second, for not informing you all beforehand about the delay.
I understand that many of you look forward to regular updates, and I take full responsibility for failing to meet those expectations. I promise this will not happen again.
Moving forward, even if I cannot upload for a day, I will make sure to inform you all about any delays in advance.
Thank you for your patience and continued support.
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"It's likely something of immense power," John murmured, his gaze fixed on Jane. "And it feels... familiar." He then raised his voice, calling out to Daisy and her intern, "You two should stand further back."
Daisy took a few tentative steps away.
"Even further," John said, his tone leaving no room for argument.
Understanding the gravity in his voice, Daisy grabbed her intern and scrambled for cover, not stopping until they were huddled behind the red car they had arrived in. Jane watched, confused, a knot of dread tightening in her stomach. What was John about to do?
John turned to Thor. "A word of warning. This is purely a demonstration of the danger she's in." He felt it was a necessary precaution; he didn't want Mjolnir flying at his head for what he was about to do.
Thor, equally perplexed, simply nodded.
John raised his right hand. With a violent screech of metal, the car Daisy was hiding behind was wrenched from the ground by an invisible force and sent hurtling directly toward them.
"Jane!" Daisy shrieked in terror.
Thor's muscles tensed, his body coiled to intervene, but John placed a firm hand on his chest, holding him back.
For a split second, Jane's mind reeled with betrayal. The car grew larger, a metal projectile aimed straight at her. Just an instant before impact, a violent surge of dark red energy erupted from her body, striking the vehicle with concussive force. The car was sent flying, tumbling through the air before crashing dozens of meters away. The world spun violently around Jane, and she collapsed to the ground, dizzy and disoriented.
Thor stared, dumbfounded by the display of raw power.
John shrugged nonchalantly. "See? Quite dangerous."
"Jane!" Thor rushed to her side, helping her to her feet.
As Thor tended to her, John casually pulled out his phone, typing a quick, encrypted message detailing the event and the broader implications of the Convergence before hitting send.
"I need to get you treatment," Thor said, his voice laced with urgency. He understood now that this was a power beyond Midgard's comprehension. He turned to John, his expression earnest. "John, I need your help."
At that moment, intricate, scorched patterns began to burn themselves into the ground beneath their feet. John recognized the signs. A trip to Asgard would be a valuable learning experience, especially given his recent research into dimensional travel.
With a deafening roar, a colossal pillar of shimmering, rainbow-hued light descended from the heavens, engulfing the three of them in its brilliant energy.
From their hiding spot, Daisy and her intern could only stare, their jaws agape. Miles away, the sharply dressed agent watching from his vantage point lowered his rifle, equally speechless.
The journey through the Rainbow Bridge was a breathtaking torrent of cosmic energy. It was John's first time traversing the Bifrost, and as the universe streaked past in a blur of color and light, his eyes shifted into their vertical, draconic pupils, rapidly analyzing the bridge's esoteric mechanics.
Back in London, after the blinding light had faded, Daisy stared at the mangled heap of metal that used to be her car.
"Was that our car?" she asked her intern, her voice hollow with disbelief. The intern could only manage a shaky nod.
Suddenly, the silent factory yard was filled with the rumble of engines as a dozen sleek, black cars swarmed the area, surrounding them. Daisy wisely threw her hands up in surrender.
Mycroft Holmes stepped out of a black SUV, his sharp suit immaculate despite the damp surroundings. He spared a brief glance at Daisy and her intern, who were doing their best to become invisible, before issuing a curt order to his men. "Lock down the surrounding streets."
"What about S.H.I.E.L.D.?" one of his aides asked, adjusting his glasses. "A commotion of this magnitude will not have escaped their notice."
Mycroft replied with icy calm, "This is Great Britain."
The aide understood immediately and began to coordinate the lockdown. Daisy, seeing a potential opening, tried to sneak away with her intern, but Mycroft, without even looking up from his phone, stepped into their path.
"Let's have a talk about your discovery here," he said. After a moment, he looked up, the information from John's message clearly processed. A smile touched his lips, but it held no warmth, sending a chill down Daisy's spine.
Asgard
Heimdall, the ever-watchful guardian, stood sentinel at the entrance to the Rainbow Bridge. Thor and Jane materialized first from the receding light. Jane was giddy with excitement, having finally experienced the legendary Bifrost.
Heimdall's golden eyes, however, were narrowed in concern. "Thor," he rumbled, his voice deep and resonant. "Your friend."
Thor turned back. "John?"
"He is coming now."
As he spoke, John's form solidified on the platform.
Thor looked puzzled. "How did you..."
"He lingered within the Bifrost for a moment," Heimdall explained, giving John a profound, penetrating look.
John met the guardian's gaze, his own vertical pupils analyzing the unique, all-seeing quality of Heimdall's eyes. It was a silent acknowledgment between two beings of extraordinary perception.
"Welcome to Asgard, Jane Foster," Heimdall greeted, his tone softening for the mortal.
John's attention was drawn to the greatsword Heimdall wielded—the key that activated the Rainbow Bridge. Heimdall, sensing his interest, shifted his stance almost imperceptibly, blocking John's view. John gave a silent, internal scoff. It's just a Bifrost. He had his own methods of travel, after all.
If Thor hadn't been in such a hurry to get Jane to the healers, John would have gladly taken some time to explore the golden city. They escorted her to a healing chamber, where Asgardian healers began an examination using technology that blended science and magic.
John wasn't worried. He knew Jane's condition better than anyone.
"Where's your brother?" John asked Thor conversationally.
"Locked away," Thor replied curtly, his focus entirely on Jane. He turned to a female healer. "Is this a non-terrestrial substance?"
"I have never seen its like," the healer admitted, her brow furrowed. "But the energy churning within her is potent enough to be fatal."
John watched the healers' equipment with keen interest, particularly a device they called the Soul-Forge. It projected a holographic image of Jane, revealing the restless, chaotic energy swirling within her. He made a mental note to record its design for Helen Cho.
"Don't worry, she won't die. Not yet," John said, attempting to reassure the anxious prince. Thor gave a distracted nod, his eyes never leaving Jane.
"Do my words fall on deaf ears, like wind through an empty hall?"
An imperious voice cut through the chamber. An uninvited guest had arrived. John's gaze shifted past Thor to the figure standing in the doorway. White hair, a golden eyepatch, and an aura of immense authority. There was no mistaking the All-Father, Odin. Seeing him in person, however, gave John a strange, unsettling feeling.
Upon seeing his father, Thor quickly explained, "Father, she is ill."
"She is mortal," Odin stated dismissively, striding into the room. With a wave of his hand, he deactivated the Soul-Forge. "Mortals are fragile. They fall ill."
"I brought her here because we can help her," Thor insisted, standing protectively between his father and Jane.
"She does not belong in the halls of Asgard," Odin declared, his tone sharp and absolute.
"How can he..." Jane muttered under her breath, defiant even in her weakened state. "Who do you think you are?"
John stepped forward calmly. "He is Odin. All-Father. King of Asgard and Protector of the Nine Realms." Interrupted, Odin turned his sharp, one-eyed gaze on the speaker. John met it without flinching and added, "...and Thor's father."
"You..." Odin's gaze lingered on John, analytical and piercing. "You are no mortal."
"That depends on your definition," John replied evenly. "Do you define 'mortal' by lifespan? By power? Or perhaps by the capacity for emotion?"
Odin stared at him, a silent battle of wills passing between them.
Jane, hearing the litany of titles, finally understood who she was facing. "Uh... I'm..." she began, attempting a formal introduction to her boyfriend's father.
Odin cut her off impatiently. "I know who you are, Jane Foster." It was clear the old king was well aware of the mortal who had captured his son's heart. He wanted her gone and immediately ordered his guards to escort her from the palace. The sheer arrogance of the god was suffocating.
"You don't want to do that," John said, a look of grim amusement on his face.
The moment the guards laid a hand on Jane, the dark red energy erupted once more, blasting them back with incredible force.
Jane collapsed to the floor, and Thor rushed to her side. Odin himself was taken aback, his one eye wide with shock.
A nearby healer murmured in confusion, "The substance... it is protecting her."
"No," Thor said, cradling Jane in his arms as he looked up at his father. "It's protecting itself."
[Chapter Complete]
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