Upon seeing the man, Ophelia, Salina, and Lisa all knelt on one knee, bowing their heads in a show of profound respect. Leon waved a hand, and the three women rose. His eyes were fixed on the two brothers, Thor and Loki.
An invisible pressure filled the air. The two brothers' hearts pounded in their chests, but they gritted their teeth and held their heads high, driven by Asgardian pride. Loki was still incredibly nervous. He regretted trying to save face after Thor was beaten, but since they were in this situation, he had no choice but to stand firm.
Seeing their defiance, Salina could not hold back. "How dare you be so arrogant in the presence of my God?" she scolded. A scarlet halo bloomed on her fingertips, ready to give the two men fourteen Scarlet Poison Needles each, to let them feel a pain that would pierce their hearts.
Loki's forehead began to sweat profusely, but Thor, facing Salina's rebuke and the cold stares of Ophelia and Lisa, remained fearless. He held Mjölnir in his left hand, his right hand on his chest, and said, "Your strength and greatness deserve my respect, but I, a son of Odin, will not abandon my honor."
Leon raised his hand, and the scarlet halo on Salina's fingertips immediately dimmed. She stepped aside, her attack halted.
"The pride that comes from the blood of the Odinson family is indeed worthy of praise." Leon's voice was calm, but Loki was no longer just sweating—he was drenched. The more he listened, the more wrong everything felt.
His heart trembled. Although this man, who did not seem very old, was not outwardly exerting any force, the invisible pressure made Loki's instincts scream at him to run, to get as far away as possible. But Loki didn't act on the warning, because he knew he couldn't escape.
What about Thor's hammer?
Leon took a step, walking slowly toward Thor and Loki. With each step, a sharp, ringing sound echoed in their ears. The pervasive pressure grew stronger with every stride. By the time he was a few feet away, the pressure had become a tangible force, making them both bend over, sweat dripping from their foreheads.
Loki had completely given up, succumbing to the pressure. Thor, however, refused to submit. He gritted his teeth and roared, clutching Mjölnir tightly, trying to straighten his back. Lightning flashed across his body, but under the invisible pressure, his divine power was compressed back inside him like a receding tide, completely out of his control.
His heart beat wildly, the blood in his veins felt thick, and his face was flushed, as if he might burst at any moment.
Fear welled up in Loki's heart—a powerful fear, stronger than he had ever felt. He had only experienced this kind of pressure once before in his life, when he had completely angered the Allfather. Odin's fury had felt like it could tear the sky apart. He had felt as if his body and soul were about to be ripped to shreds. He never felt that way again, until now.
Now, this man walking toward them slowly made him feel it once more. Damn it, he's a god on the same level as the Allfather! Who is this person? Could it be the Serpent, the Allfather's brother and the previous God King? No, that's impossible. He doesn't have the blood or aura of the Odinson family. But why would such a powerful god appear on Midgard? Loki's mind screamed in despair. He felt that he and Thor were going to die in this place. The fear and despair clouded his famed wisdom, leaving him unable to think.
The distance was short, but it felt like time stretched infinitely. During this prolonged moment, the world around them seemed to twist and collapse. The horrible torment continued, threatening to completely break their will and annihilate them.
Thor's will was incredibly strong—so strong that no matter the pain, he refused to give in and kept fighting, even though the man in front of him was so powerful he could incapacitate them just with the pressure of his aura.
Loki's situation was worse; the continuous, intensifying pressure drove him to the brink of despair. He even vaguely saw the realm of the dead. He knew that if he died now, he wouldn't even be worthy of entering the Soul Castle.
Surrounded by despair, Loki's heart was like a lit match, igniting a flame of anger and defiance. He didn't want to die, and he definitely didn't want to die in such a humiliating way. He was Loki, the unique Loki. He wanted to surpass Thor and show the world that he was the one truly fit to rule Asgard—the strongest king, greater than Odin. This humiliating death was something Loki could not accept.
Two different but equally strong obsessions fueled them with courage. Under the unbearable pressure, their bent bodies began to slowly straighten.
Crunch! Crunch!
Their bones groaned loudly in the silent hall. Their stubbornness made Ophelia, Salina, and Lisa look on with a hint of admiration.
"Not bad."
The two brothers felt as if ten thousand years had passed. Just as their defiance was about to give way, the overwhelming, terrifying pressure vanished like a gentle breeze, and their bodies relaxed. The familiar, peaceful voice returned to their ears. The two subconsciously straightened their bodies, looking at Leon, who was now standing in front of them. Their eyes were dazed.
"As expected of the Odinson family's bloodline. You are excellent, even better than I thought." Leon did not hold back his praise. He looked at Loki in particular. "You surprised me the most. I originally thought you would be in a much worse state."
"You..." Thor and Loki looked at each other, confused. What did he mean?
"How do you feel?" Leon asked. The two brothers then realized that their bodies felt an unprecedented comfort. Their bodies and souls felt cleansed, and the divine power surging within them was more active than ever.
It was then that they understood that this was the work of the man in front of them. They clenched their fists and bowed their noble heads. "Thank you very much for your help, respected God King." Having personally experienced the terrifying power of the man before them, they now placed him on the same level as their Allfather Odin.
"You should thank yourselves. If you couldn't endure it, you would have died."
The two brothers gulped, offering an awkward smile. Having narrowly escaped death, they dared not offend him again. The stubborn Thor also realized his arrogance. Not only had he trespassed into a place where others were training warriors, but he had acted without respect in front of their ruler. At this level, that was suicidal stupidity. Thinking back on it now, they were terrified.
Fortunately, they had survived. Otherwise, they would have truly perished. Thor had no doubt about the man's words.
In truth, Leon had exerted a powerful pressure, but not enough to kill them. If they had failed his test, they would not have died, but would have been severely injured at most. Leon was not afraid of Asgard, but he was wary of the old man Odin.
"Old Deng" was a time bomb. Unlike other gods whose bodies would decay over time, Odin's life force grew stronger. But the increase in Odin's power began to outpace his body's ability to contain it. He had to enter his "Odin Sleep" from time to time to digest this immense power. But this was only a temporary measure. Eventually, the imbalance would be complete, and Odin would have to actively disintegrate himself, otherwise the massive energy would cause his body to burst, destroying countless galaxies in the process.
Odin was at his peak now, but this peak would not last forever. Whether he won or lost a fight, he would eventually be gone. He was a trigger-happy time bomb. If someone truly angered him, he would act without a care for the consequences. He himself might not die, as he could simply enter the Soul Castle, but his opponent would definitely be finished. Even Leon thought he couldn't handle that. Thanos, for example, waited until the Ancient One and Odin were gone before he dared to come to Earth to begin his "family planning," because he found both of them too dangerous.
Leon had a clear vision and plan for himself. Before he could fully surpass the power of a Main God, knowing when to act and when to show caution was an important part of his strategy. He was not arrogant enough to ignore "Old Deng." There was no need.
Leon looked at Salina and Lisa and said softly, "Thank you for your hard work, Salina, Lisa."
"It is our duty," the two women said, kneeling on one knee with a tone of excitement. Leon made no motion, but an invisible power lifted them up. After a few more words of advice, Salina and Lisa left the temple.
Watching the two women depart, Leon walked toward the temple terrace, with Ophelia following behind him. The brothers, Thor and Loki, looked at each other and hurried to catch up. The terrace was very wide, located on the highest floor of the temple. There were no guardrails, offering a direct view of the entire city of Madripoor below. At night, the moon was bright, and the lights of the city glittered like stars. The sounds of car horns and the general hustle and bustle made it a city that never slept.
The four of them stood in a line, with the wind blowing gently. Leon looked out over Madripoor, and with his eyesight, he could see the various emotions of the residents in the streets and homes. Some were lazily watching TV on their sofas, some were holding hands and watching a game, some were praying silently at their dining tables, and some were mothers scolding and teaching their misbehaving children. It was a complete microcosm of life.
If he had any regrets, it was that he was still too young to feel them. Everything he had was a mix of hard work and good fortune. While he had put in the effort, countless people in the world worked just as hard but could never reach his level. The current state of Madripoor was largely thanks to Ophelia and Melina. As for him? He was just a deterrent, a nuclear bomb. He focused on cultivating himself at home, enjoying time with his family, and didn't involve himself in every detail. He felt a sense of accomplishment in having turned a swamp of a nation into a developed city-state that countless people in the world now yearned to live in.
"It's a beautiful place. I never expected it to have developed to this point." Loki was the first to speak, then began to flatter Leon with both subtle and overt praises. "I believe this must be because of your kindness. In the past, Midgard was full of sickness, hunger, and suffering."
During his years of war, he had seen many backward civilizations. They were not developed, and basic necessities like food, clothing, and peace were rare. Sickness, famine, and hunger were the norm. Midgard, which was supposedly ruled by Asgard, was no different. Seeing such a vibrant city, Loki's words were not entirely a lie.
Thor looked left and right, nodding in agreement as if he had just realized something. Ophelia looked proud. She had put a lot of effort into this place. She also felt a pang of guilt, remembering her past role in Madripoor.
Leon chuckled and turned to face the two brothers. "You're here for the Serpent?" He had noticed their arrival the moment they activated the Bifrost and had observed everything that had happened since. He knew their purpose was clear.
"Yes, Your Majesty. Not long ago, I dreamed of a disaster of fear spreading across the Nine Realms, and that the Serpent was about to be revived. Loki and I came to Midgard hoping to find the source, because Heimdall had detected an abnormally powerful energy here. Our arrival caused a misunderstanding. Please forgive us," Thor explained earnestly, his expression growing serious as he spoke of the Serpent.
"The Serpent..." Leon murmured, then said with a hint of meaning, "A destined ring of fate has been activated."
"Your Majesty, since you are on Midgard, have you found anything?" Thor asked respectfully. He knew that if a god on the same level as Odin was here, they would surely have noticed something. At that level, they were almost omniscient and omnipotent.
(End of Chapter)
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