"Oh? So I'm just a butterfly whose wings stir a breeze capable of overturning the entire multiverse?"
Axel clapped with a grin before giving Odin a thumbs-up.
Watching his playful expression, Odin slowly rubbed the armrest of his throne.
Ever since inheriting the throne from his father, Bor, and becoming the ruler of the Nine Realms, he had rarely enjoyed such an easygoing conversation.
As the years passed and his old companions gradually disappeared, there was no one left who could joke with him so naturally.
His enemies only cursed him with refined words before dying, while even his equals became restrained because of their positions.
So rather than feeling offended by Axel's shameless attitude, Odin instead felt an unexpected sense of nostalgia, along with a warmth he hadn't experienced in ages.
He remembered the countless battles he had fought alongside his comrades.
After a quiet sigh, Odin continued.
"Yes, Axel. You are that butterfly whose arrival creates unexpected changes.
"You've already met Bast, the Panther Goddess of Wakanda. She must have spoken to you about fate.
"Speaking of Wakanda... that is a place filled with old memories.
"Before Lucifer, the Ancient One, and Feng Ji arrive, allow me to tell you a story about those who came before you."
Odin looked toward the vaulted ceiling, though his gaze seemed to pierce beyond it, into a fracture in time itself.
"Axel, I imagine you're interested in hearing my story.
"After all, my world is merely fiction in yours, just as your world appears to be only another story from our perspective."
"I'm interested, very interested. Go ahead."
Axel raised his hand casually before taking another sip of wine.
Odin began in a nostalgic tone.
"This story truly begins with my grandfather.
"His name was Buri.
"My father, Bor, and later myself, inherited the role of Asgard's greatest warriors and rulers.
"Among all of Buri's sons, Bor stood above the rest. Because of that, my grandfather named him Crown Prince while he was still very young.
"On the day Bor became prince, Buri presented him with an extraordinary war hammer.
"And every event that followed began with that weapon."
"Oh?"
Axel leaned forward.
"The original royal hammer? Mjolnir?"
"No."
Odin smiled and shook his head.
"It was called Trajör.
"It wielded the power of frost and the northern winds.
"It was not Mjolnir.
"Naturally, once I became Crown Prince, Trajör should have become mine.
"Unfortunately, shortly before that day, it was heavily damaged during one of my father's wars against the Frost Giants.
"At the time, I foolishly believed the hammer's destruction meant it had rejected me.
"You understand what I mean.
"I was much like Thor is now, perhaps even more foolish.
"My friends repeatedly told me the hammer meant nothing.
"I refused to listen."
Odin chuckled softly as old memories resurfaced.
His aged face seemed to regain a trace of youthful spirit.
"Unable to let it go, I secretly stole several treasures from my father's vault and traveled alone to Nidavellir.
"Even then, Eitri ruled the dwarves.
"He was already one of my closest friends, just as he would later become one of Thor's.
"I offered him those priceless materials and asked him to forge another Trajör for me.
"But Eitri looked me straight in the eye and said something that completely changed my thinking.
"'Every weapon has a soul.'
"'Trajör is dead.'
"'What you need isn't another Trajör.'
"'You need a weapon worthy of Odin, the God of War.'
"I believed him.
"So together, we forged Mjolnir.
"We poured every enchantment and blessing we knew into that hammer.
"Especially the enchantments governing its ownership.
"I wanted to ensure no ordinary person could simply pick it up."
Axel suddenly burst into laughter.
"Hold on, that wording sounds incredibly questionable."
Odin blinked.
"...Questionable?"
"I guess it's just a joke from my world."
Axel waved him on.
"Keep going. This is getting interesting."
Odin nodded.
"In any case, I enchanted Mjolnir so only the most perfect king could wield it.
"And naturally, I believed I was that king.
"So when I reached for the hammer..."
Odin rolled his lone eye dramatically.
The Ancient One smiled knowingly.
Wu Fengji merely looked awkward.
Stroking his beard, Odin laughed.
"Imagine believing you had prepared against every possible threat, only to discover the obstacle was yourself.
"I was furious.
"I unleashed every ounce of divine power I possessed upon that stubborn hammer.
"Our battle nearly destroyed Nidavellir itself.
"In the end, Mjolnir simply flung me aside as though shaking off an irritating companion before flying to Midgard.
"Left with no choice, I pursued it to that insignificant world.
"Or rather... the world known as Midgard."
The Ancient One and Wu Fengji both straightened slightly.
Clearly, Odin had reached the part they truly cared about.
Axel settled deeper into his chair and continued listening.
"Midgard is no ordinary planet.
"Within it slumbers the Celestial known as Tiamut.
"But Tiamut is only one piece of a far older story.
"To understand it, we must begin with the First Celestial.
"Long ago, after creation itself, a terrible plague appeared throughout the cosmos.
"The Celestials called it the Cosmic Swarm.
"It embodied the universe's primordial corruption.
"Because its source lay within creation itself, even the Celestials could not escape infection.
"Not even the First Celestial was immune.
"Though the strongest among them, the corruption slowly consumed him.
"Seeking salvation for the universe, he journeyed across countless worlds until fate guided him to Midgard, where Tiamut rested beneath the planet's surface.
"He died long before fate could complete its design.
"But before his death, he left behind seeds of life.
"His blood became rivers and molten stone.
"His body became mountains and continents.
"And most importantly, he altered the world's future.
"He implanted within Midgard's evolving life the genetic potential to become a living vaccine against the Cosmic Swarm.
"That potential evolved through countless ages.
"The Celestials watched from afar as life changed.
"They observed the oceans flourish.
"They watched the age of dinosaurs.
"When they concluded those creatures could never become the answer they sought, the dinosaurs disappeared.
"Time continued moving forward.
"My own ancestors came and went.
"When Mjolnir finally led me to Midgard, humanity still lived as primitive tribes.
"Whether humanity had fully become that living vaccine remained uncertain.
"But many among them had already awakened remarkable power because of the First Celestial's gift.
"They were fearless.
"They were strong.
"And many powerful beings soon took notice."
Odin continued.
"Mephisto was among the first.
"He chose Midgard as a new source of souls and created what became the world's first Ghost Rider.
"Around that same era, the dragon Shou-Lao, weakened after battling the Phoenix Force, was slain by a powerful woman named Fan Fei.
"She consumed the dragon's heart and inherited its power, becoming the universe's first Iron Fist.
"As for the Phoenix Force, after its battle with Shou-Lao, it sought refuge within a remarkable woman.
"She was truly the most beautiful woman I had ever..."
"Your Majesty, honored guests, have I interrupted?"
Frigga appeared at the entrance carrying refreshments.
Odin paused before giving a resigned smile.
"My queen, please come in."
"As you wish."
Frigga gracefully approached.
After observing everyone's seats, she served Axel first, placing Asgardian fruit, pastries, and several bottles of strong liquor before him.
Axel immediately grinned.
"See? The Queen actually treats old Axel properly.
"This stingy old man wouldn't even share his wine.
"I had to steal the drink I'm holding.
"Frigga, just for bringing me food and alcohol, I've decided you're my favorite.
"Unlike Odin, you've got loyalty.
"He has such an incredible wife at home, yet he's still reminiscing about some beautiful woman.
"Feng Ji, I'm nothing like..."
"Can you honestly promise you've never been with another woman?"
Wu Fengji interrupted expressionlessly.
Axel smiled without hesitation.
"Of course.
"They were nothing more than tools to vent my emotions.
"I never treated them as anything else."
"So I'm just an exceptionally capable tool?"
Wu Fengji shot back.
Even her normally icy expression nearly broke.
She had never met someone this shameless.
Axel simply shrugged before turning back to Odin.
"Anyway, continue your story."
Odin cleared his throat.
"There was no romantic story.
"Only memories.
"Besides the first Iron Fist, the first Phoenix host, and the first Ghost Rider...
"I also met Agamotto, mentor of the Ancient One.
"I witnessed the first Black Panther discover the Heart-Shaped Herb under Bast's guidance and uncover Wakanda's Vibranium.
"And there was Starbrand.
"Among all of them, that silent giant impressed me the most.
"After meeting him, I dreamed of having a warrior just like him serving Asgard.
"Do you know who reminds me of him today?
"The Hulk.
"Only their skin color differs.
"In those ancient days, Mjolnir led me to Midgard.
"There I gathered companions, and together we faced the disasters that followed."
Frigga's arrival caused Odin to abandon much of his personal reminiscing.
His tone became steadier as he continued.
"Not long afterward, a Celestial named Zgreb the Sorrower arrived on Earth.
"He had reached the final stages of infection by the Cosmic Swarm.
"Unable to save himself, he chose another solution.
"He intended to sacrifice every living being on Midgard in hopes that humanity had already become a complete cure.
"My companions and I defeated him.
"But that victory changed nothing.
"More infected Celestials continued arriving.
"They devastated Earth.
"Nearly eighty percent of all life was wiped out.
"To oppose them, we united.
"We became the very first Avengers.
"Axel...
"If you had never appeared, those ancient Avengers would still have been destined to confront the Celestials one final time.
"Tiamut is nearing awakening.
"According to fate, each of us was supposed to die one after another.
"Our sacrifices would have guided Tiamut into choosing eternal slumber.
"But your arrival shattered that future.
"Now..."
Odin looked directly at Axel.
"It seems we may have no choice but to face Tiamut in battle ourselves."
===
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