"I understand, Crystal."
After returning, Crystal quickly told Black Bolt and Medusa what Artoria had said. Upon hearing this, Black Bolt and Medusa pondered for a moment. After communicating through telepathy, they understood the meaning behind Artoria's words. They hadn't thought of this initially, only feeling that something was missing, but now they understood. It was time for all the Inhumans to return. After all, constantly popping up in front of others was not only tiring for them but likely annoying for the other party as well. To avoid causing resentment, it was better to maintain a certain distance. Recently, Black Bolt had been studying Earth's culture, and this situation could probably be described as 'distance creates beauty.'
"Does Crystal like Earth very much?"
Looking at the recently cheerful Crystal, who had a smile on her face all day, Black Bolt's expressionless face also relaxed slightly. His meaning was conveyed to Medusa through telepathy, which startled her. She looked closely at her younger sister and, seeing the joy she couldn't hide, Medusa also revealed a smile. The past two days had exhausted the two of them, as they constantly had to mediate discordant voices within the Inhumans and ensure they didn't clash with ordinary citizens. Now that Miss Artoria had a new suggestion, the two of them could finally have a good rest.
"Yes! Earth is more vibrant than we believed. There are mountains, water, and trees here. It's not just Crystal; even I have come to love this place. If we were to truly live here, I think I wouldn't want to leave for the rest of my life."
Medusa opened her heart to her husband about her feelings. This vibrant Planet was incomparable to The Moon. Even if they were used to living on The Moon, they couldn't help but be attracted by the diverse natural scenery of Earth. Medusa's words made Black Bolt very happy; it meant their efforts were not in vain. He reached out and held his wife's hand, the two of them silently sharing a tender moment. Perhaps they were quite warm and cozy.
However, in Crystal's eyes, there was a hint of weirdness. What was going on? Wasn't this a meeting? I've finished reporting; aren't you going to say a few words? You two are just being all lovey-dovey now. What's this? Seeing this scene, Crystal felt an instant sense of fullness in her stomach, even feeling a bit bloated.
"Go back and rest for a bit, Crystal."
Only then did Medusa notice those big, watery eyes staring at them. Medusa spoke to Crystal with some embarrassment, giving Black Bolt a slightly reproachful glare. 'If you hadn't started the topic, would I be this embarrassed?' Black Bolt spread his hands in a gesture of helplessness, as if to say, 'Is this my fault?'
Hearing Medusa's words, Crystal politely bid farewell to Black Bolt and Medusa. Taking Lockjaw with her, she left the Royal Hall, leaving Black Bolt and Medusa alone to quietly share 'whispers' that belonged only to them—words no one else could hear or know.
"What's wrong, Gaea?"
Artoria, who was eating to replenish her internal magic, looked curiously at Gaea, who had suddenly become motionless. She didn't know what was wrong; it was as if Gaea had suddenly lost power. Artoria reached out and touched the other's breasts. Hmm! Very soft, but there was still no reaction. Artoria didn't dare continue, not knowing when Gaea would come to. She sat aside and continued to observe. After a short while, Gaea snapped out of it, but her brow was tightly furrowed.
"What happened?"
Artoria acted as if nothing had happened and walked up to Gaea. She didn't know if Gaea had felt her 'attack' just now. Even if she did, Artoria had to pretend nothing had happened. After all, her behavior just now was a bit like taking advantage of someone while she was out of it. Fortunately, she was in a female body now, so Artoria's little action wouldn't be called being a rogue.
"I just felt the divine power of that King of Asgard right here on Earth. Although it's very weak, I still felt it. It should be something he sealed, and the seal is starting to fail."
Gaea hadn't noticed Artoria's little move. She had put all her attention into searching, checking if any extraterrestrial visitors had arrived on Earth. In the end, she didn't find any aliens, but she did find an abnormal space. It must be something sealed by a powerful divine force. Although Gaea was curious about what was inside, she didn't enter. She simply noted the location and returned to her body.
"The King of Asgard?"
Hearing Gaea use such a title, Artoria's mind didn't register it for a moment. She muttered it to herself and then understood. Wasn't she talking about the All-Father, Odin? His seal... how many seals did he leave on Earth? Isn't it just the Aether Particle that the Dark Elves treat as a sacred object? Its true form is the Reality Stone.
"Has the Reality Stone finally appeared!"
At this thought, Artoria's eyes lit up. Hadn't she been waiting all this time for this thing to appear? While the seal is failing and hasn't yet caused spatial distortions, wouldn't it be perfect to just go in and take the Reality Stone? As for those Dark Elves, they can just stay wherever it's cool and stop jumping around here. They were guys who had been phased out by Odin long ago.
"Where is it? Take me there."
Just as she was preparing to properly clean the dragon egg, Artoria suddenly grabbed her hand. This surprised Gaea but also made her happy. Was this girl preparing to get intimate with her? She had never seen Artoria so proactive. Gaea was very happy in her heart, looking at Artoria with affectionate eyes. As a result, Artoria's next sentence killed that joy.
"It's right there. Be careful; after all, something sealed by a God King-level person could be very dangerous."
With Gaea, the 'Global Positioning System,' Artoria and Gaea instantly arrived at a deserted, abandoned place. There was an unfinished building here that had been abandoned for unknown reasons. Gaea pointed at the building and spoke to Artoria, hoping she would heed her warning and be careful. She also knew she couldn't stop Artoria, so she might as well protect her from the side. She had originally planned to come alone to clean up, reinforce the seal, or destroy the contents, but unexpectedly, she had blurted it out as soon as Artoria asked. It was her own doing. She wasn't exactly afraid of a God King; she could do most of what a God King could do.
"I understand."
Upon hearing Gaea's words, Artoria nodded to her, indicating she was well aware. Even at a time like this, she couldn't let her guard down. Who knew if some change would occur? Logically speaking, Odin should know the true face of this Aether Particle. The fact that he didn't use any guardian beast to protect it showed he didn't have much interest in the Infinity Stones. But the fact that he had the Infinity Gauntlet in his vault proved that he might have once wanted to collect them and gave up for some reason.
She hoped Odin hadn't tampered with the Aether Particle (Reality Stone) this time. Given Artoria's current strength, she might not even be able to see through the other party's methods. So, being careful was not wrong. Following Gaea's advice, Artoria suppressed the excitement in her heart, calmed her racing spirits, and entered the unfinished building while maintaining her vigilance.
"Is that seal finally failing? Is the flame of war about to rise again?"
At this moment, Odin sat in an unknown space, quietly watching the cracked 'world tree seed' before him. After a long period of gestation, Odin had used his surging divine power to irrigate this seed, and now it had finally sprouted. That rich aura of life was also transmitted to Odin, but at this moment, he didn't feel a hint of joy. His seal was gradually disappearing; he could feel it. That is to say, once that item emerges, the flames of war will inevitably burn toward Asgard. This was something Odin was unwilling to see.
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