Back in Asgard, even though I was only gone a few days, it felt like a long time had passed.
I had met the Kree, gotten to know the future director of S.H.I.E.L.D., added the strongest Avenger to my contacts, recruited Black Widow early, and most importantly—changed the ending of Avengers: Endgame.
The rest of the time felt much more leisurely. Maya Hansen was given an exclusive laboratory, with many excellent scientists assisting her. Minn-Erva, still imprisoned in the dungeon, had yet to show him a kind face. Thor, for his part, was too lazy to offer warmth to someone so cold.
Sif, on the other hand, behaved normally—often coming to Thor to train, chat, or drink. But Fandral and the others knew well that their relationship had already shifted.
Life calmed down, seeming much like before.
The only difference was that whether it was Sif, the Warriors Three, or even Odin, everyone noticed Thor's appetite had become enormous. The palace kitchens now consumed twice as many ingredients as before.
"Could it be that after Awakening, the body requires far more energy?" Odin muttered to himself.
Time flew. For the long-lived Asgardians, five years passed in the blink of an eye.
"Drip! Congratulations to the host for completing the task — Elegy of the Strongest! Reward obtained: The Power of Fat Thor."
"Drip! Congratulations to the host for completing the task — Eat, Sleep, Play Didi! Reward obtained: Master of Lies."
A burly, frighteningly large man let out a long breath.
After five years, Thor had finally completed the first mission of the year. He now resembled Avengers: Endgame's Fat Thor—perhaps even worse. Clenching his fists, he felt explosive power gathering within him.
No wonder he could withstand Thanos. With this strength, he might even be able to beat Hulk into hiding.
Oh, and he had completed the side quest of "beating his brother a hundred times."
During these years, Loki had suffered through the darkest period of his life. On average, he was beaten at least once every two weeks. If unlucky, he faced mixed doubles with Sif joining in. Could this even be called living?
Although Loki "died" every time, he always came back. Still, was a Loki who couldn't die not the very embodiment of mischief?
Not only Frigga, who overflowed with motherly love, but even Odin—who had never been especially fond of Loki—could hardly bear to watch anymore. "This is far too miserable," he thought.
But each time, Thor's actions were deemed "justifiable defense." Impeccable.
Minn-Erva even recorded Loki's "deaths" on her phone as evidence. (And no, the videos couldn't be edited…)
Two years earlier, Minn-Erva had fully surrendered to Thor.
Meanwhile, Maya Hansen successfully developed Extremis within three years. Thor gave her an improved formula to refine into an even better version. For Asgardians—naturally strong and resilient—the enhancements weren't dramatic. But the regenerative function made Thor more than satisfied.
The most affected, however, was Minn-Erva.
As a pure-blood Kree with dark blue skin, she had always carried herself with noble pride. Among Kree society, pure-bloods had once been considered superior, while mixed-bloods were relegated to slavery without rights. Later, the Supreme Intelligence discovered that pure-blood Kree genetics had reached a dead end. To compensate, they granted citizenship to half-bloods with Kree paternal lineage.
Extremis, however, unlocked Minn-Erva's genetic lock. It also altered her skin to a normal human tone—the very appearance she had once despised.
The change shattered her worldview. Overnight, her Kree pride collapsed. The very next day, she pledged full submission to Thor—starting as his maid.
As for Maya Hansen, her life in Asgard was softened by Thor's constant companionship. In time, distance and loneliness bridged into closeness, and their bond deepened.
Everything seemed fine—except for the unbearable Loki. He schemed in advance, planning the Frost Giants' invasion of Jotunheim, and even pushed Thor to provoke war without authorization.
Unfortunately for him, this Thor was far stronger than his cinematic counterpart. With the Power of Awakening Thunder, Thor was a one-man army. If Odin had not intervened, King Laufey of the Frost Giants might have met his end.
At this stage, Odin still intended for Loki to rule Jotunheim. More importantly, he needed this conflict to temper Thor and teach him the ways of a benevolent king.