The collision between Odin and the great Serpent shook the entire galaxy. It was a rare confrontation between two absolute, all-powerful celestials, and they were among the very best in the universe. This conflict was not confined to Asgard alone. All the major cosmic powers received news of it.
Although Earth's technology was gradually developing, it was still far behind the truly advanced civilizations in the universe. These powerful civilizations had accumulated millions, tens of millions, or even billions of years of history. The technological gap was immense. Today, Earth was still in the stage of launching rockets to explore the moon, but for those other civilizations, interstellar colonization and travel were common practices. They had long mastered wormhole jumps across countless light-years, faster-than-light warp drives, and more.
Asgard, as a once-feared civilization, had maintained a low profile under Odin's rule over the years, rarely engaging with the wider universe. But no one dared to underestimate them. They all paid close attention to Asgard's affairs.
This all-out war between Odin and the Serpent naturally caught the attention of all the top civilizations. They were particularly surprised that Odin, who was widely believed to be aging, had once again displayed his terrifying power, which seemed to have even surpassed his peak. They were reminded of the time Odin had ridden his eight-legged divine horse, Gungnir in hand, leading the Asgardian army to their very doorstep. Those painful memories of the past sent a chill down their spines.
The war had come without warning. In a conflict of this magnitude, few dared to venture to the center of the battlefield. Any technology, any being, that entered the epicenter of that energy collision would be instantly annihilated. These leaders of the top civilizations held a meeting to analyze the situation and discuss their future policy toward Asgard.
Asgard's reckless past had created countless enemies throughout the universe. After Odin had defeated these powerful civilizations, their attitude toward Asgard had been a mix of fear and anger. Over time, that hatred had gradually faded, and as Odin grew older, their attitudes became more ambiguous. After all, Asgard's vast wealth and power were coveted by many. They were only afraid of Odin, the All-Father. They believed that once Odin died of old age, they would descend on Asgard like a pack of hungry wolves. Any sign of weakness would be met with a violent backlash.
This war, however, completely shattered their ambitions. Odin was still the same Odin who had single-handedly challenged eleven other gods. He was still just as powerful, still untouchable. The leaders of these top civilizations were now in a rush to celebrate that they hadn't acted on their previous ambitions.
In a vast, unknown star system, countless spaceships and warships of various sizes stood guard around a massive, planet-like mothership. Inside, a dim central hall held a man with purple skin, a large, ridged chin, and a muscular body. He wore blue and gold armor with golden shoulder pads, golden boots, and a blue and gold helmet inlaid with gemstones. He stood with his hands behind his back, looking out a huge transparent viewport at the starry sky. His light gray-blue eyes were deep and dark, and no one could guess what he was thinking.
"Father," a man with gray skin and a wrinkled face, dressed in elegant golden and light-blue robes, said, bowing humbly.
"Ebony Maw, what is the result of your investigation?" a low, majestic voice asked.
"Father, Asgard is in turmoil. The cause is unknown, but we believe it stems from an internal rebellion. Asgard has suffered heavy casualties. Odin himself has taken action to face another All-Father," Ebony Maw replied.
As he spoke, Ebony Maw held out his hand, and a blue sphere appeared in his palm. A holographic projection shimmered to life from the sphere. In the frozen image, a man in armor, riding an eight-legged divine horse, wielded the Eternal Spear, Gungnir, and summoned thunder. He was fighting a massive, terrifying monster with wings, talons, a serpent's body and head, a ferocious face, a gaping mouth, and scarlet eyes.
The man, who Ebony Maw called "Father," turned to look at the projection. When he saw the huge monster fighting Odin, a flash of confusion and doubt appeared in his eyes.
"That's Asgard's former God-King, Odin's brother, Cul Odinson. He was defeated and sealed away by Odin," the man said in a low voice.
Ebony Maw wasn't surprised that his master knew. The man before him was Thanos, one of the most powerful beings in the universe, a great existence who possessed both wisdom and power. With his vast knowledge, he could see through all things.
"Father, you seem to be perplexed," Ebony Maw noted. As Thanos's adjutant and messenger, Ebony Maw was also one of his "sons." Having spent day and night together, he could naturally detect the doubts and confusion in Thanos's eyes.
Thanos stared at the frozen holographic image, deep in thought. "The universe has its own set of rules. It's like a rigid machine, always running. Fate is sacred and cannot be violated. The appearance of the Serpent doesn't surprise me. But this isn't right. Someone has broken the rules of its operation."
Thanos wasn't an All-Father; he was just a sub-celestial being. But his wisdom and vision allowed him to see things that even the All-Fathers couldn't. He vaguely knew that this universe had its own laws and was aware of a sacred timeline. However, he couldn't see everything on that timeline, only occasional fragments.
The appearance of the Serpent and the turmoil in Asgard were events that were supposed to happen and run their course on this timeline. Yet, for some reason, he felt that an "accident" had occurred, that someone had broken this timeline. This was what confused and perplexed Thanos. It made him feel an unprecedented sense of fear. He had believed he could see through everything, understand fate, and comprehend the rules of the universe. But now, an "accident" he couldn't explain had occurred, and he was afraid of the unknown.
(End of Chapter)
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