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*****
The battle had lasted for a full two hours, and by the time it concluded, it was nearly noon.
Although Thor had lost and was internally seething with indignation, he ultimately kept his complaints to himself and invited Feny along for lunch.
Word of the battle's outcome spread quickly through the Asgardian populace. While some were reluctant to believe that their Prince had actually been defeated, many more accepted the result after having witnessed the terrifying spectacle of Feny's Explosion magic firsthand.
After all, Thor was currently only a Prince, and a young one at that. If Feny had defeated Odin in battle, that would have been a cataclysmic event shaking Asgard and the entire Nine Realms.
Even so, it was easy to imagine that the name "Feny Halsey" would once again sweep through every corner of Asgard—though Feny couldn't help but wonder if the rumors would still insist he was some sort of knight.
The Royal Palace of Asgard
Despite there being only six of them, Thor had ordered a massive spread. The long dining table, spanning several meters, was completely covered in dishes—truly the act of a "dim-witted son" from an incredibly wealthy family.
The group sat together, discussing the morning's duel as they ate.
"How exactly do you fly like that?" Fandral asked Feny curiously. In the recent fight, Feny's victory was largely attributed to his nimble and proficient mastery of Sky-Walking.
"It's a spell called Sky-Walking," Feny explained simply. "It allows me to manipulate the energy around my body to achieve flight."
"Mjolnir can fly too!" Thor interjected stubbornly. During the fight, he had indeed caught up to Feny a few times thanks to the hammer, but for the most part, he had been stuck in a state of being "kited" across the sky.
"Speaking of which, what was with that state you were in earlier?" Sif asked, looking at Thor with curiosity. They had campaigned with Thor for years but had almost never seen him with those glowing, lightning-filled eyes.
"I'm not entirely sure myself," Thor replied, shaking his head with a touch of confusion. He looked at Feny and added, "I just suddenly felt a surge of power constantly erupting from within my body."
Feny blinked, looking at the clueless Thor. He couldn't help but wonder if Odin had secretly lent his son a hand from the shadows. After all, if awakening divine power were that easy, Thor wouldn't have spent fifteen hundred years relying solely on Mjolnir to channel lightning.
Furthermore, if Thor had truly and fully awakened his Thunder God powers, Feny was certain he wouldn't have won. The state Thor had displayed seemed more like a "semi-awakened" transition.
This led to his suspicion. This was Asgard, Odin's territory, and Feny knew very little about the true extent of the All-Father's power. It wasn't impossible for a father to pull a few strings to help his son win a fight.
While Feny maliciously speculated on this possibility in his head, he said aloud, "You should really look into that. I suspect that is where your true power lies."
Thor nodded instinctively. In that state, he had felt a level of strength he had never known before; it was just a pity he had come so close to winning only to fall short.
Thinking of this, Thor looked at Feny again and suddenly declared, "Next time, I will definitely win!"
"I welcome the challenge anytime," Feny replied with a raised eyebrow. Secretly, he hoped Thor would challenge him every day.
Defeating Thor in that sparring match had granted him thirty experience points—the equivalent of nearly a month of solitary cultivation. If he could have harvests like that every day, his ninth skill draw wouldn't be far off at all.
However, he knew that was wishful thinking. First, Thor couldn't maintain that level of power indefinitely. Second, if Thor got even a tiny bit stronger, Feny truly wasn't sure he could pull off another victory.
But even if the next time didn't yield as much experience, Thor's base strength ensured he was far more lucrative than the Warriors Three.
After eating his fill, Feny dragged his slightly fatigued body back to the library for the afternoon. Meanwhile, Thor joined the Warriors Three in their training, already preparing for the next rematch.
On his way to the library, Feny noticed that a great number of people were discussing the morning's battle. At this moment, his fame in Asgard had truly reached its peak. Beyond simply beating Thor, the sheer scale of his Explosion magic had left a deep, lasting impression on everyone who had seen that massive crimson magic circle.
Fortunately, while many had watched the fight, they were still a small fraction of the total Asgardian population. Not everyone recognized his face yet, so he managed to walk the halls without any major incidents.
Time slipped away silently.
In the blink of an eye, Feny had been in Asgard for over a week. Today, he finally received word: the star map Odin had commissioned for him had been brought back.
Filled with anticipation, Feny found Frigga and saw the map in her hands.
"It contains the coordinates and descriptions of almost all existing cosmic civilizations in the known universe," Frigga explained. "It also highlights known dangerous zones."
She opened the star map and demonstrated its operation before handing it over to Feny.
"Thank you so much for your hard work!" Feny accepted it joyfully and immediately began inspecting it.
Though it was an interstellar map, the device itself was a small, exquisitely crafted circular apparatus. When activated, it projected a flat display filled with a dense amount of data and markings.
"This is amazing, thank you," Feny said again. While the device looked simple, the sheer volume of information stored within suggested that a massive amount of effort had gone into its creation.
"I am glad you are satisfied," Frigga said with a smile. She had heard the rumors about Feny over the last few days. As the person closest to Odin, she understood some of the All-Father's thoughts regarding the boy, which was why she treated him with such kindness.
"Very satisfied," Feny nodded.
Technically, with the star map in hand, his goal was complete and he could return to Earth whenever he wished. However, he wasn't quite ready to leave yet. He looked at Frigga and said, "I'd like to learn a bit more about Asgard, and perhaps visit the other realms in a while, if that's alright?"
"Of course," Frigga agreed without hesitation. "However, because of the previous issues with the Bifrost, the other realms are not yet entirely safe. You would be wise to stay in Asgard for a bit longer."
"I understand," Feny nodded. With his current strength, there wasn't much in the Nine Realms that truly threatened him, but since Frigga was merely showing concern, there was no need to argue.
For a while after that, Feny's life in Asgard was quite fulfilling. He spent his mornings browsing the markets and reading, his afternoons sparring with Thor or the Warriors Three, and his evenings being dragged into various banquets.
However, this peaceful routine didn't last long. Soon, news of war arrived again. Thor and the Warriors Three were to be deployed to quell the rebellions.
Hearing the news, Feny found himself conflicted. He was debating whether or not he should tag along.
(End of Chapter)