The Asgardians, who had moments ago been cheering for Hela's defeat, gradually fell silent.
Hela was not wrong.
Aside from the sorcerers of Kamar-Taj, no one in Asgard truly had the power to stop her.
The warriors instinctively turned their attention to Thor, who was still holding Frigga and murmuring softly, "It's good that you're not dead."
Only after his mother cleared her throat did Thor realize how inappropriate the moment was. He quickly released her, straightened his armor, and coughed awkwardly.
"Ahem… well… we can lock her back in that place, that…"
"Helheim," Loki supplied calmly.
"Right, Helheim," Thor said quickly. "Just like Father did."
He clapped his hands together, glared at Hela with forced confidence, then turned and smiled stiffly at the gathered Asgardians.
"At least she cannot remain in Asgard. What do you all think?"
Before any warrior could respond, Hela let out a sharp, mocking laugh.
"And how exactly do you plan to lock me in Helheim, little darling?" she said coldly. "A fool raised under Odin's shadow does not even understand what Helheim truly is."
Thor froze.
He glanced at Hela, then at the warriors around him.
She was right. He genuinely had no idea where Helheim was.
Thor finally leaned toward Loki and whispered, "Loki?"
Loki rolled his eyes. "Give it up. You cannot even defeat her. How do you plan to suppress her in Helheim like Father once did?"
After Odin's death, Loki had finally begun calling him Father again. Sometimes, even the deepest wounds between parent and child only began to heal after one side was gone.
Thor thought about Loki's words and reluctantly admitted they made sense.
Lowering his voice further, he asked, "Then what do you suggest we do?"
Loki replied flatly, "Whoever is the King of Asgard should know."
Thor grew anxious. "Loki."
Loki exhaled slowly, then tilted his head toward the group of Kamar-Taj sorcerers who had been watching everything unfold in silence.
Thor followed his gaze, blinked once, then his eyes lit up.
"Aha."
Thor smiled broadly and pointed at Loki, clearly impressed. Loki was still the smarter one.
Thor remembered now.
Before his death, Odin had instructed him to listen to the Sorcerer Supreme.
He had seen Malrick fight with his own eyes. He remembered how the Frost Giant army from Jotunheim had been annihilated with terrifying ease. He also remembered Malrick's heat vision, powerful enough to destroy the Casket of Ancient Winters.
"Sorcerer Supreme!" Thor shouted loudly, abandoning all restraint expected of a God King.
"Please help. Please lock Hela in Helheim, or anywhere else. Even make her work as a miner if needed."
Malrick finally understood.
Even with his newfound power, Thor was still painfully straightforward.
Creating illusions for these two brothers earlier might have been unnecessary.
"All right," Malrick said calmly, looking down at Hela kneeling before him. "That will not be difficult."
Only then did Hela truly notice him.
She frowned and examined Malrick carefully. On the surface, there was nothing remarkable about him, yet a deep sense of unease settled in her chest.
Thor hurried behind Malrick, glaring at Hela like a hound emboldened by its master, even summoning Mjolnir and swinging it threateningly.
Hela's fury exploded.
"The Sorcerer Supreme?" she sneered. "What a ridiculous title."
She turned toward the warriors and shouted, "The God King of Asgard begging a Midgard barbarian for help. And you accept him as your King? Are all of you fools?"
No one answered her.
Hela stared at the Asgardians as if they were mad, yet their gazes toward her were just as strange.
Perhaps they had never witnessed Odin in his prime.
But every one of them had seen Malrick's terrifying power.
They saw nothing wrong with Thor seeking his help. In truth, many of them had hoped for it.
"Is it not a waste to lock her back in Helheim?" Malrick said casually.
Thor blinked. "Then where should she be sent?"
"Odin once sent Loki to Earth for reflection," Malrick replied. "He learned quite a bit from it."
Malrick reached out and calmly removed the dark crown from Hela's head.
Not far away, Loki's eyes lit up, as if he already sensed what was coming.
"How can someone who disregards life and holds no respect for it be worthy of the title God of Death?" Malrick continued.
"True Death views all beings in the universe equally."
Holding the crown, he spoke softly, "In Odin's name, I revoke all of Hela's authority."
"From this moment onward, any being who respects life and acts with compassion may wear this crown and wield its power."
Hela's brow twitched.
She sneered. "What nonsense is this? You speak in Odin's name?"
She sneered again, then suddenly froze.
Her expression drained of color.
"My power… my power is fading?"
"This is impossible! I am Hela, the God of Death! In Asgard, my power is endless!"
Her divine energy poured out of her like water from a broken dam. Strength drained from her body as if mortality itself was claiming her.
She stared at Malrick in disbelief.
This Midgard sorcerer was dismantling her power.
"Nothing is impossible," Malrick said calmly. "Although… the current God King is Thor."
He paused briefly, then continued.
"In Thor's name, I banish you from Asgard. You will live on Earth."
The Bifrost descended, engulfing Hela in radiant light and tearing her away toward distant Earth.
With a casual flick of his wrist, Malrick tossed the crown into the Bifrost as Hela's screams faded into nothingness.
Nearby, Loki clenched his fists, trembling with satisfaction.
"Yes… let her experience mortal life on Earth."
Thor stood beside Malrick, eyes wide with disbelief.
"Wait… you can actually strip Hela of her power?"
"How is that even possible?"
Thor felt his own divine power move moments earlier, activated without his awareness, and then vanish just as quickly.
Malrick had already used it to banish Hela.
Thor realized that even if he poured every ounce of his power into the attempt, he could never have done the same.
And yet Malrick had done it effortlessly.
For the first time, a terrifying thought crossed Thor's mind.
Was the man standing before him truly just the Sorcerer Supreme?
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