"Hey, I thought you'd stay in Almighty City for several months this time, but I didn't expect you to come back after such a short time."
After Thor knocked on the door and entered, he looked expectantly at the few people who had just finished their discussion.
"How was your experience in Almighty City this time?"
"Is it true that there are powerful gods from countless star fields?"
"Is Zeus really as tall, mighty, powerful, and intelligent as in the legends?"
"Perhaps you don't know, but Zeus is my idol, the one I've always tried to emulate."
"A lot of what I do is based on his experiences."
"He has lightning and thunder, and I also have thunder."
"Is he also as rumored, with a very flamboyant and charming approach?"
It was clear that Thor truly admired Zeus.
The influence Zeus had on him was second only to that of Odin. This might also be linked to the Eternal Race.
When Thor was a child, he spent time with the Eternals, listening to them talk about other myths. The Eternals also had ties to the Greek pantheon and knew a lot about the Greek gods. Thor naturally learned more about them.
In addition, Zeus had an impressive track record, was a powerful warrior, and served as the host of Almighty City. In Thor's eyes, Zeus was an immensely great figure.
Thor had always thought that Zeus was an incredibly significant presence.
So, when Aaron led the team back from Almighty City, Thor immediately rushed to ask about Zeus.
Looking at Zeus with admiration and excitement in his eyes, Amora and the others exchanged puzzled looks. Their faces were filled with confusion.
Sif looked at Thor with complex eyes, almost as if seeing him for the first time.
"Thor, Zeus isn't as great as you think."
"He..."
Sif hesitated, unsure of what to say. She didn't want to shatter Thor's image, but the truth would likely devastate him.
Thor furrowed his brows, confused.
Amora, uninterested in Thor's feelings and eager to shift the conversation, jumped in. She had no good opinion of him and didn't care about his thoughts.
"This trip to Almighty City was the worst and most disgusting experience we've ever had."
"The so-called Zeus, the King of Gods, is nothing more than a coward obsessed with beauty, fearful of powerful enemies, and terrified of death!"
"No, not just him, but all the gods in Almighty City—they're unworthy of being called gods!"
"It's hard to believe that the one you've been idolizing is actually such a coward!"
Amora didn't hold back in her criticism of the gods.
Thor refused to believe it.
He couldn't accept what Amora said and didn't want to believe that Zeus could be so pathetic.
But the strange look on Sif's face made him uneasy. If Amora was lying to him, Sif wouldn't have stayed silent, would she?
Looking at the expressions of Qin, Wanda, and Gwen, who were sneering at Zeus, Thor's doubts deepened.
He turned to Aaron, hoping for clarification.
Aaron, still recovering from the fluctuation of the magic network's perception, nodded slowly at Thor's expectant gaze.
"How could this be...?"
Before Thor could react further, Sif recounted their experiences in Almighty City.
As Sif spoke, Thor's expression shifted from confusion to shock, then finally to disbelief.
He hadn't expected his idol to be so disappointing.
Zeus had turned out to be a "fat house"—cowardly and absurd!
Even the gods, all of them, were holed up in Almighty City, too afraid to step outside.
And the reason? Only a "God Slayer" had them cowering in fear.
Thor thought about the Mephistas of the dimensional universe.
When he learned that the gods had once again focused on Earth, he, Tony, and others discussed whether they could use the power of the gods to counter the Mephistas.
In Thor's mind, the gods, with their might, should be able to teach these "false gods" a lesson.
No need to send them all; a small army would be enough.
But now, hearing that the gods were reduced to mere shadows, too scared to face a god-slayer—how could they stand against the Mephistas?
"The gods have fallen so far!" Thor thought, his mind reeling. "No wonder my father rarely goes to these 'divine meetings' and never let me attend. He must've known the gods had lost their true strength."
Thor was struck with a sudden realization.
Although he had known of Almighty City's existence since birth, he had never truly experienced it.
On one hand, he was still young, and his manners hadn't yet been fully developed. On the other hand, the gods had retreated into Almighty City, no longer focusing on Earth but the Nine Realms.
Even if Asgard had been invited, they never considered the "young Thunder God."
Aaron's invitation to the city had been initiated by the Black Panther God's group, but otherwise, no one would've extended an invitation to Thor.
Because in their eyes, he wasn't yet worthy of such an honor.
Only the Odin group had earned that right.
Odin, of course, knew all too well what Almighty City had become, especially in recent years.
Thus, Thor had never been allowed to attend the so-called "divine meetings."
"Thor, compared to the Almighty City, your main concern right now should be the God Slayer, Gor. He's come!"
"He might even be in the Nine Realms already, potentially preparing to launch a surprise attack on Asgard."
Just as Thor was still grappling with this revelation, Aaron informed him about the God Slayer.
Before retreating, Hela had already reported her encounter with the God Slayer. They learned that a fierce battle had taken place, and in the end, the God Slayer had retreated.
Despite waiting for a while, Hela hadn't encountered the God Slayer again, which led her to let it go and continue spreading the magic network.
Hela's main focus now was on improving her strength—the temptation was simply too great.
Otherwise, she would've continued tracking the God Slayer, eager to kill the one responsible for slaying gods and adding another achievement to her wall of merit.
The God Slayer didn't continue to target the mighty Hela. In other words, his sights were still set on the gods of Asgard, including Aaron.
Aaron wasn't concerned about the God Slayer's threat, but Asgard, if unprepared, could suffer significant losses.
The current connection to the magic network was still new, and the people of Asgard were far weaker than the God Slayer. Without Heimdall's vigilance, Odin might not have noticed the threat in time.
It would certainly be a challenge.
Aaron didn't want to deal directly with the God Slayer. It was better to inform Odin and let him and Thor handle the situation.
Thor's current power, although not at its peak, should be sufficient to face the God Slayer.
However, Thor still lacked his Stormbreaker and wasn't at his full strength.
Even with the magic network's assistance, it was hard to say if Thor's frontal combat capabilities could match the might of the Ax God.
Overall, their combat strength was certainly superior. Thor's magic and energy far outstripped those of the Ax God.
Thor stiffened when he heard about the God Slayer—the being who had made all the gods retreat to Almighty City in fear. It seemed he was truly formidable.
"I understand. I'll go inform my father and Heimdall."
Thor's initial excitement faded, and his admiration for the gods, especially Zeus, evaporated.
After Thor left, Jane and Daisy walked in, and the discussions about Almighty City began again.
In Asgard, Heimdall stood in the Golden Hall, reporting to Odin.
"The King of Gods, the deities of Almighty City have once again set their sights on Earth. Nearly all the humans have chosen their own gods."
"There are still a few who have chosen us, but the numbers are small."
"Heimdall paused. "Should we continue to promote the glory of Asgard and fight for their faith?"
Odin listened patiently, then, after a brief silence, asked, "What about the worlds beyond the Nine Realms? Have they turned their attention to other star domains?"
"Yes," Heimdall responded, "more people are discussing the gods lately, and magic is no longer a secret. A new war... has begun."
Odin sighed heavily. When the invitation from Almighty City arrived, he had already known the magic network would stir a great sensation among the gods.
The world was about to change.
Though he had prepared himself for this moment, its arrival still weighed heavily on him.
The gods would now fight not only for their dominion over the Nine Realms, but also over resources in the greater universe. As new god-kings rose, there would be conflict.
Could Asgard survive these changes?
Odin hoped so, given that Aaron, the God of Magic, was aligned with Asgard. As long as Aaron didn't leave, things should be fine.
But Odin still felt a sense of helplessness.
He was simply too old.
Perhaps it was time to send someone to spread the glory of Asgard on an alien planet.
For the first time since the unification of the Nine Realms, Odin felt the desire to expand outward.
But with the gods so focused on maintaining their power, they couldn't afford to fall behind.
"Let Aaron go to Midgard..." Odin muttered. "At least we'll have one advantage over the gods! They can't come to Earth in their true forms, but we can. And there is a public base here—we still have the upper hand."
Odin continued, lost in thought, "But... beyond the Nine Realms... it requires careful planning."
Heimdall hesitated. "One more thing..."
"Recently, a woman calling herself the first apostle of the God of Magic, the Goddess of Death from Asgard, has appeared in the Milky Way."
"She's been spreading the magic net throughout the galaxy. She has traveled to at least a hundred planets!"
"Based on preliminary observation, it is indeed Hela."
Heimdall looked up to see Odin's astonished expression, matching his own shock—and fear.
Though Heimdall knew of Hela's past and the hatred between her and Odin, he had hoped to side with Odin against her. But now, the goddess was rapidly gaining power through the magic network.
And she had joined forces with Aaron.
She was the top apostle of the God of Magic.
Odin could barely hold his composure.
"Did she say anything else?" Odin asked gravely.
"Yes," Heimdall replied, "She seems to have mentioned that she will create a new world with the God of Magic."
"A prosperous magic net era."
Odin muttered, "The Era of the Magic Net?"
Suddenly, a thought occurred to him.
His expression lightened slightly. "Leave this for now, don't focus too much on Hela. She won't be returning."
"Why?" Heimdall asked, confused.
"Because she's set her sights on something far beyond what even Shendu can comprehend."
"And the only one capable of that is probably Aaron..."
"The Nine Realms can't contain their hearts."
"This world may not even be enough to hold them!"
Odin sighed, his words hanging in the air, his mind reflecting on the vast unknown.
His time was running out.
Hela had found a new goal, and though he couldn't fully grasp the scale of it, he knew one thing for sure: she was no longer a threat confined to Asgard.
And neither was Aaron.
Odin's old ambitions had faded, and with them, a sense of loss he could never recover.
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