Waiting is always painful.
Zemo and Brock Rumlow remained calm. The vibrations soon stopped, and aside from the sound of breathing, the only other noise was the crisp drip of water. After what felt like an eternity, the sound of footsteps echoed, and Cynthia Schmidt emerged from the dark passage, walking toward them. The woman's expression was calm, but she held a large, retro-looking old book in her hand. While Brock Rumlow seemed unfazed, Zemo saw the heat and excitement in her eyes. He knew she had found the answer she was looking for.
Zemo made a firm judgment. As for what it was, he wouldn't be curious or ask, because curiosity was often the factor that led to one's downfall. Standing at his current height, Zemo understood this. To his surprise, even though he suppressed his own curiosity, Cynthia Schmidt raised the large, old book in her hand.
"My father was the first to discover the truth of this world before all other humans," she said, her eyes burning with an undeniable fervor. "An incredible truth."
The fire in her eyes couldn't be hidden. It was a mixture of shock and expectation that came from discovering the truth of the world. The more she learned from it, the more she realized how small this world was, and how ridiculous all the struggles, wars, and interests were. Cynthia believed her father had initially failed to grasp the book's true value, but she had found the most important information within its pages.
"What do you want to do next? Don't forget your promise, Cynthia Schmidt," Zemo said, not caring about the book. He only cared about protecting himself.
"What I need is in a base my father built," Cynthia Schmidt replied indifferently, then left, with Zemo and Brock Rumlow following behind her. Neither of them noticed the subtle change in Cynthia Schmidt's eyes as she walked.
"The Book of Yggdrasil, the Hammer of the Eastern God."
"Mother, I trust my judgment. The so-called god of Midgard must be the Great Serpent. Midgard has always been so backward and ignorant. And now, after only a few years, not only has a god-king been born who can rival Father, but also warriors who can defeat my brother."
In the corridor outside the Crystal Palace, where Odin's wife Frigga resided, Loki spoke to his mother with a serious expression, as if his guess was correct. Thor was hesitant to speak; he had a good impression of Leon. More accurately, he respected all strong people, and he was impressed by Salina and the women. Although he had been beaten, he could see that each of them was as strong as he was, and he liked their fighting style. Sif stood silently in front of Frigga, not offering her opinion.
Frigga, Odin's wife and the mother of Thor and Loki, was gentle but possessed great power and prestige, second only to Odin throughout Asgard. She felt helpless watching her foolish son speak with such conviction.
"Loki," she said gently, waiting for him to finish. "I have always believed in your judgment, but some things are not as simple as you think. Perhaps you should not be so hasty."
While Frigga appeared gentle, she was very accomplished in magic. Loki's magic had been largely taught by her. As Odin's wife, she knew far more than her two sons. She was aware of Kamar-Taj, the Ancient One, and the rapidly rising power of Leon. She could also perceive the sacred timeline, so when Leon broke it, both Odin and she immediately took notice, as it was a matter concerning the future of Asgard and the future of Thor and Loki. She hadn't expected Leon to grow so fast. If they weren't careful, he would become a god-king on the same level as Odin. She had been observing and considering how to deal with Leon, but now her foolish son had jumped to the conclusion that Leon was the Great Serpent.
"Mother," Loki said, not truly foolish. Seeing Frigga's reaction, he immediately realized the situation was more complex than he thought. He frowned. "Do you know about the one in Midgard?"
"He is a miracle who breaks the rules, Loki." Frigga reached out and gently stroked Loki's face. "He is also a person your father admires. Many things require you and Thor to understand for yourselves. I told you that to understand everything, you need to know how to think and analyze, not just react blindly. If you want to confirm your ideas, go and make contact with him, and observe patiently. But do not be arrogant. No matter what, he is a god on the same level as your father. As long as he is not an enemy, you must show him due respect."
"The answers you seek must be found by you two brothers together. A disaster is destined to come, and you will be the ones to end it," Frigga finished, then walked away.
Thor, Sif, and Loki were left confused.
"My brother, what did Mother say?" Thor racked his brains, trying to recall and analyze his mother's words, but failed. Undeterred, he hugged Loki and asked with a smile. He had a wise brother, so why bother with his own brain?
Interrupted by Thor, Loki, still deep in thought, rolled his eyes. "Mother said my previous guess was wrong, and that we should contact the god-king from Midgard again," he said with disgust.
Thor's eyes lit up, and he hurried Loki to leave the Crystal Palace and go to Midgard. As a battle maniac, he had been so miserably beaten in Midgard. While he was convinced of their strength, he hadn't admitted defeat. Seeing Thor's eagerness, Loki sighed helplessly and looked at Sif, who also had a long-suffering expression, which comforted Loki a little.
"Thor, listen to Loki. Don't be so anxious for now," Sif said, stopping Thor, who was about to rush to Midgard to fight Salina. Thor was reluctant but stopped.
"My dear brother, don't forget that the most important thing right now is the Great Serpent," Loki said, suppressing his impatience and trying to appear calm. This statement brought Thor back to reality. Yes, fighting was a matter for the future. The main priority was dealing with the Great Serpent.
"Mother said that the Great Serpent was indeed sealed on Midgard by Father, but countless years have passed. Midgard has undergone many changes, and the original seal site is no longer there. It may be buried deep in the sea." Loki continued, and both Thor and Sif nodded. "We need to think differently."
The two continued to nod like bobbleheads. Loki looked at them and felt exhausted. But on second thought, Thor's lack of a brain was a good thing. This situation was an excellent opportunity for him to prove he was the most suitable king for Asgard. His motivation returned, and his tone became slightly excited.
He extended his hand, and a green light flashed, and an ancient, retro book appeared. He opened it, pointed to a page, and said to the two, "The ancient and powerful tyrannical God-King, after his failure, saw his loyal messengers die with him. But the messengers' mission was not complete. When he is saved, he will gather his loyal messengers again and spread fear and disaster to the world."
As Loki read the text, Thor and Sif looked thoughtful. "Messengers?"
"Yes, messengers. The Serpent once had eight followers, who were also his most powerful warriors. They followed the Serpent and brought disaster to the Nine Realms," Loki explained. "If anyone wants to save the Serpent, it would undoubtedly be these messengers. The Book of the World doesn't mention their identities, but it does say they hold hammers and are called the Lords of the Sky Hammer."
"Hammers? The Lords of the Sky Hammer?" Thor was stunned for a moment and glanced at Mjolnir in his hand. Was there a connection between the two? After a moment of thought, he couldn't come to any conclusion, scratched his head in frustration, and finally gave up. "Alright, my brother, what should we do?"
"We must find this hammer. I think it might be related to the Serpent breaking his seal," Loki said patiently, this was his time to shine. "Let's go find Heimdall. He is the guardian god of Asgard; perhaps he has information about this hammer in his memory."
Thor made an immediate decision, then patted Loki on the shoulder with a hearty laugh. It was a good thing to have a smart brother.
Antarctica.
In an abandoned base, as the door opened, a group of people rushed in. They were Cynthia Schmidt, Brock Rumlow, Zemo, and ten others. The base was completely deserted and frozen. The instruments and equipment were covered in frost. Their goal was not the equipment but the deep center of the base, where Cynthia Schmidt led them.
This was a wide-open area, and on the ground was a frozen hammer. Upon seeing it, Cynthia Schmidt's eyes lit up, and she quickly walked forward. The air was frigid, and she felt the cold invading her body just by standing in front of it. Even her thick down jacket couldn't block the terrifying cold, and she was not an ordinary person but an enhanced one, which was why she was in good health even in her sixties and seventies.
"What you're looking for is a hammer?" Zemo was dumbfounded. He could see that the old equipment in the base was designed for detection and maintenance, and what it was detecting was the hammer on the ground.
"This is a divine hammer. It possesses power that only gods can possess. The first to hold it will become..." Cynthia Schmidt said, bending down to grasp the handle of the hammer, then shouting the last word: "God!"
Boom!!
The moment her hand touched the handle, a surge of energy burst out from her and the hammer. A series of blue lightning bolts intertwined, colliding and exploding, forcing Zemo, Brock Rumlow, and the HYDRA soldiers to retreat. Everyone stared at the woman in the center of the lightning with wide eyes.
Then they saw the woman lift the hammer from the ground. The down jacket she was wearing was replaced by a never-before-seen suit of armor—a green robe, bright silver shoulder guards, wrist guards, and leg guards glowing under the electric light. The down jacket disappeared. She held the long hammer in both hands, and a biting cold air slowly spread. Whether it was Zemo, Rumlow, or the other HYDRA soldiers, they all shuddered.
The silent woman next to Rumlow looked at the familiar yet strange figure with a worried expression. "Cynthia..." she finally couldn't hold back her worry and called out her name, but got no response.
Then she saw Cynthia hold the long hammer in both hands and say in a cold voice, "I have been reborn, Father." She turned around and looked at the people behind her. Everyone was shocked because Cynthia's once-pretty face, under the cold, began to crack, revealing a hideous, red head with a black whip-like appendage on top. The skin was exactly the same as the Red Skull's.
"Mortal..." the being who was once "Cynthia" said, looking coldly at everyone present, her gaze lingering on the worried woman for a second longer. She then crouched slightly and pushed off the ground with a powerful "boom." She broke through the base's ceiling, and rubble rained down as she completely disappeared.
"Cynthia!" the worried woman screamed, her voice heartbreaking.
(End of Chapter)
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