"Black Panther Goddess, Bast!"
Though Aaron had never met her in person, her familiar aura made it easy for him to recognize her.
"It's me. We met once through T'Challa," Bast said.
"At that time, I couldn't maintain my form, so I wasn't able to meet you properly. I hope you don't mind."
Bast's tone was humble.
Although Aaron was only the God of Magic in Asgard and technically just one of its many principal deities, his strength was rumored to have reached an unimaginable level.
Perhaps he had even surpassed the common god-kings.
Otherwise, why would Odin and Thor have relied on him to connect to the Weave and harness his power?
Moreover, Bast had thoroughly studied the Magic Weave.
She understood that the more people who connected to it, the stronger Aaron would become.
By now, it was widely believed that Aaron had gained mastery over all the magical energy within the Nine Realms.
And if the Weave had spread across the entire galaxy, even a small fraction of its power was enough to elevate him far beyond an ordinary god.
It was clear—the strength of the God of Magic could no longer be measured by mere titles.
And today, she had something to ask of him.
So naturally, her approach was respectful.
"Please, follow me. We've prepared a special seat for you."
After a brief greeting, Bast led the way toward an incredibly ornate throne.
"According to Zeus' rules, this is the section reserved for the Asgardian pantheon. This seat is usually Odin's."
"But today, you represent Asgard, so it rightfully belongs to you."
"As for your companions… Since they are with you, they may sit beside you as well."
There were additional seats on either side.
After all, each pantheon had multiple deities, and the Asgardian gods were among the most powerful.
Even though Odin rarely attended these councils, Zeus wouldn't dare deny them their due recognition.
Aaron nodded and motioned for Sif and the others to take their seats.
For them, this was a first—none of them, not even Sif, a valkyrie of Asgard, had ever attended the Council of Gods.
Gwen and Wanda, in particular, were fascinated, whispering to each other as they curiously observed their surroundings.
With Aaron beside them, they felt less intimidated.
Before coming, Aaron had reassured them that there was no need to be nervous.
From a traditional standpoint, they were mere mortals in the presence of divine beings—by status alone, they should not even be here.
But in reality, their powers far exceeded most of the gods present.
Their abilities were at least on par with a god-king.
Even if they were not deities in the conventional sense, they more than deserved their place at the table.
Bast chose to ignore their informal behavior and summoned divine attendants, instructing them to bring exotic fruits and fine wines to entertain the group.
Only after everything was settled did she reveal the true reason for approaching Aaron.
"God of Magic, before the council begins, perhaps we can discuss the Magic Weave?"
Aaron didn't say much.
He simply took out a contract and handed it to her.
Bast quickly accepted it and began examining the terms.
Even though the Almighty City existed in a space separate from the physical universe, the Magic Weave was still accessible here.
The gods could use it for power—but only if they were connected to the network.
"The God of Magic?!"
"Is he the one Bast mentioned—the god who can enhance divine power? He's sitting in Odin's seat…!"
"Is the Magic Weave truly as powerful as the rumors say? Even Odin himself draws strength from it!"
"If I can connect to it and grant its power to my followers, I might finally ascend beyond my current state!"
The surrounding gods, who had been waiting for the council to begin, turned their attention toward Aaron.
They had all heard whispers of the God of Magic and the Magic Weave.
At first, they dismissed the rumors.
How powerful could something created by a mere principal deity be?
In the Almighty City, every seated figure was a high-ranking god—some were even god-kings.
Compared to them, a simple god of magic was nothing.
Even Odin was merely one of their peers.
But when news of the Weave's true abilities began to spread, their opinions changed.
Word of mouth traveled quickly.
Soon, the entire pantheon of the Almighty City became intrigued.
And as more civilizations across the universe harnessed the Weave's magic to empower their people, the gods could no longer ignore it.
They had urged Zeus to extend an invitation to Asgard.
But Aaron refused.
As time passed and the Weave continued to grow, their impatience turned to desperation.
At last, after multiple invitations, Aaron finally appeared before them.
Now, the gods could no longer hold back.
Requests flooded in.
"Esteemed God of Magic, may I also examine the Magic Weave?"
"Of course."
Aaron glanced at the one who spoke—Elche, the goddess of the Spanish region.
A deity of moderate strength.
Aaron pulled out several more contracts and handed them to the interested gods.
More and more divine beings gathered, their curiosity overpowering their initial skepticism.
Even the god-kings, who had previously remained aloof, were now paying attention.
Within the Almighty City, few things remained secret for long.
And at this moment, a new force was shaking their world.
As the commotion grew, suddenly—
BOOM!
A thunderous roar echoed across the skies.
A dense cluster of storm clouds, crackling with golden lightning, materialized in the center of the hall.
Lightning arced across the chamber, spreading outward.
And from the storm, a golden throne slowly emerged.
The gods, sensing the shift, returned to their seats.
The booming voice of the assembly echoed throughout the hall.
"ZEUS!"
Amid the sea of voices, Wanda pursed her lips and whispered, "This is Zeus? No one told him his entrance was way too over-the-top?"
Aaron chuckled.
"That's just how he is. Zeus thrives on spectacle, and the other gods love it."
Indeed, among the gods, Zeus was a celebrity—an icon.
Even Thor admired him.
Much of Thor's behavior was inspired by Zeus, from his thunderous name to his larger-than-life persona.
But in reality, the Zeus of myth and the Zeus standing before them were vastly different.
And in Aaron's opinion, Zeus' entrance was far less interesting than the scantily clad attendants surrounding him.
One thing was certain—Zeus had excellent taste.
But knowing his reputation, Aaron quickly lost interest.
After all, Zeus was infamous for his... wide-ranging preferences.
Aaron considered himself well-qualified and attractive, but the idea of being targeted by Zeus?
Disgusting.
Zeus basked in the applause before raising his hand.
"ORDER! ORDER!"
The gods fell silent.
Zeus grinned, pleased with himself.
Then, he began his grand speech—the same one he had given for thousands of years.
"I hereby convene this sacred council of the gods!"
"We have pressing matters to discuss!"
"For instance… where shall we hold this year's grand feast?"
A stunned silence filled the hall.
Gwen and Wanda's jaws dropped.
"Wait… is he serious?"
"The gods are just rich elites who party all day? No, they're even worse!"
"This is disgusting."
Even Jean frowned in distaste.
"Aaron, let's just leave. This entire council is a joke."
Aaron, however, remained silent.
None of this surprised him.
In the eyes of the gods, mortal lives were insignificant.
But before he could respond, Bast interrupted.
"Zeus, before we continue, shouldn't we address a more important matter?"
"What matter?" Zeus frowned, visibly annoyed.
"Aaron, the God of Magic from Asgard, is here."
A wave of murmurs spread through the hall.
"I agree! Let's discuss the Magic Weave first!"
"Yes! Aaron should lead the discussion!"
Zeus' expression darkened.
The gods—his council—were rallying behind Aaron.
His authority was being challenged.
His spotlight was being stolen.
Zeus clenched his fists.
"Where is the God of Magic?"
His eyes locked onto Aaron.
"Since you're here, step forward."
"And tell us... what is this Magic Weave that even a god-king must bow to?"
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