In the golden domed building, Deathstroke and Odin stood facing each other, with Heimdall standing motionless behind Odin, leaning on the Great Sword.
He was like a sculpture, or a mannequin in a store window, completely lacking presence.
On the other hand, Secret Guest and the others, pressured by Odin's aura, were secretly preparing for battle.
Hamill had already discreetly contacted The Ancient One just in case. He knew some of The Ancient One's plans but couldn't be sure if Odin was truly reliable.
"I have seen it. Everything in the Nine Realms will be relayed to me by the Crows. Your agreement with Hel is also within my tolerance."
Odin spoke calmly and was even polite enough not to use ancient language.
If it were Thor, it would be difficult for mortals to understand him when he speaks, as if he's always burdened with the weight of being an 'idol', keeping people at a distance.
The essence of gods is idols, which is not wrong, but being an idol is just a step in the process of creating gods. Constantly emphasizing one's status as an idol has no benefits.
Because the followers of the Nordic Gods are not like Japanese idol fans who think their idols don't even need to go to the bathroom. What kind of existence the Nordic Gods really are is crystal clear from past stories, and everyone knows it.
Belligerent, fond of drinking, and inescapably tragic destiny—these labels are all attached to the Aesir Race. It's like when people mention Olympus on the DC side, they all know it's an ethical drama.
If, in the American Comics World, high martial intelligence and charm are the first elements needed for survival, then the second is, if you want to live long, don't believe anything the gods say.
Odin often hangs the term Lord of Nine Realms on his lips, and Nine Realms is also the cosmos's general term for Asgard's territories.
But who knows that there are actually ten worlds in the Nine Realms?
Except for some more advanced beings or old-time Lords of Hell like Mephisto, many people don't know the story of the Tenth Realm.
The Tenth Realm was once called Havenheim by Asgardians, also known as the paradise, celestial kingdom, Angel Realm.
Back then, the Asgardians and the Vanir Race were at war. This big war finally ended with the marriage of Vanir's Frigga and Odin. However, both sides' battles affected Midgard, so Odin asked the Birdmen of Haven to prevent the pointless spread of war fires.
But the leader of the Jotunheim, the Frost Giant Realm, Laufey, spent big money hiring Angels to counterattack Asgard, so the Angels betrayed and even captured Odin's daughter Altidrife, leading to a series of events that caused Odin's daughter's death.
In a fit of rage, Odin wiped out the Angel Army, and to retaliate against them, he cut off the celestial kingdom's connection with the World Tree, causing them to fall into the cosmic abyss.
Havenheim disappeared in the vast cosmos, seemingly disintegrating into ashes.
In fact, Haven did not perish; instead, they developed highly advanced technology and Altidrife didn't die.
The Birdmen of Haven, though identical in appearance to God's Angels, are essentially goblins with white-feathered wings. They indeed have eyes only for profit but are not shortsighted.
Altidrife, being Odin and Gaia's eldest daughter, is the first in line for Asgardian succession.
Later, Hel came through time and became the eldest daughter, but the Angels had already severed all external connections with the World Tree, thus remaining unaware.
For the broader immense benefits, the Birdmen raised and brainwashed Altidrife, renaming her Angela. In the future, she would lead the Angel Army in a counterattack against Asgard, with various forces stepping into action, marking the War of the Ten Realms.
In the end, of course, Odin won, but things were unresolved because he recognized Angela was actually his daughter, revealing a plot laid out by the Angels over tens of thousands of years.
Haven was also prepared: 'The Eldest Princess of the Immortal Palace intends to take revenge on her father. We Angels were just mercenaries, entirely unaware of the affair. The Xi'a Empire can vouch for us.'
The dead were already too numerous, and Odin, even knowing the Angels lied, couldn't risk starting a war with the Xi'a Empire, so he had to leave it at that.
But once Angela's identity was exposed, she was truly homeless, having lost her value to the Angels and incapable of fitting into Asgard after killing too many people.
Thus the 'kind-hearted' Star Lord seized the opportunity to recruit her; after all, there can never be too many strong tanks. For him, a regular guy with just two laser pistols traversing the cosmos, there needed to be someone to take the hits, right?
Hence, in the future, Angela joins the Guardians of the Galaxy, taking on the role of a second tank behind Drax the Destroyer while Groot, for various reasons, becomes a sapling, earning the nickname 'Immortal Palace Assassin'.
Indeed, true assassins use long swords and giant swords. Those like Gamora and Nebula playing with daggers belong to evil cults.
Su Ming snapped back to attention, realizing his thoughts had unconsciously drifted to the future as depicted in the comic version. What was happening?
He slowly removed the helmet from his face, smiling at Odin: "Loki doesn't like riding horses, so what about His Majesty the God King? Does the contract need to be revised?"
Odin, holding a long spear, sat by a windowsill, calmly stroking his beard and answering, "I don't know what you're talking about."
Su Ming instantly realized something.
"Heh, the God King's memory is quite poor. Let's talk about the contract details again. First, I need..." Su Ming laughed while taking some papers from his pouch and approaching Odin, still talking about the contract, before abruptly stating unrelated words: "Shoot him, Divine Gun."
The Godslayer, strangled in secret, was directed instantly, transforming into a slender long sword and expanding rapidly at extremely high speed. The attack was silent, with only a barely perceptible trace.
The blow, capable of killing Transformers, was merely a probe this time. The target was not Odin but Heimdall, standing aside like an outsider.
The bright weapon instantly pierced through his chest, pinning him against the golden wall.
However, there was no blood, no sound or feeling of penetrating flesh, no substance.
Heimdall still stood there as if nothing had happened, like he was unaware of what transpired, but he spoke.
"How did you discover it?"
Su Ming tilted his head, signaling Wade to get ready, and directly answered Odin's question.
"Details determine success or failure. Honestly, stories are always just stories and cannot compare to what you see with your own eyes. This is your greatest weakness."
The Odin in disguise faded away, revealing the one in green battle armor, Loki himself, wearing a golden long-horned helmet and holding Heimdall's long sword.
And alongside, Heimdall dissipated as if he were a phantom.