Outside the laboratory, Leon walked slowly down the empty corridor, his expression calm.
"Shadow of home."
He gently chewed on the words in his heart.
Asgard was his current home.
He was referring to another home, a blue Planet in another World.
There, there were no gods, no magic, no aliens.
Only movies, comics, and household Super Heroes.
Leon shook his head and smiled faintly.
Of course, he hadn't lied.
He had indeed seen the Shadow of home in Tony Stark.
Not buildings, not scenery, but a spirit.
Stubborn, proud, arrogant, full of flaws, yet able to burst forth with brilliance at the most critical moment.
To be a mortal, yet comparable to a god.
This statement was simple to say, but how many could truly achieve it?
Leon had seen too many powerful civilizations, too many races that proclaimed themselves gods.
They possessed long lives and destructive power.
But they had long lost the instinct to fight.
They were accustomed to being high and mighty, accustomed to controlling everything, and thus became fragile and unaware of it.
Just like his foolish younger brother Thor, after being stripped of his divine power, he became a brute who could only arm wrestle.
But these Super Heroes were different.
They were born as humans, fragile, small, their lives as short as summer insects.
Yet, he relied on his wisdom and will to gradually forge himself into Iron Man.
This spirit of facing death head-on was the "Shadow of home" Leon truly missed.
The reason he chose Tony, the reason he helped him, was not just because he found it interesting.
It was also because he wanted to see it with his own eyes.
What would happen in this World with him in it?
For him, this was a Zhenren (Immortal) show.
And he was personally involved in it.
Thinking of this, Leon's mood became exceptionally pleasant.
He strolled to the top-floor open-air balcony, where the New York night breeze, carrying a hint of coolness, brushed his cheek.
Below, myriad lights twinkled, and traffic flowed like rivers of light.
"Jarvis," he said slowly.
"Some music. Classical, Chopin will do."
"Yes, Mr. Leon. Would you like some dinner? The kitchen just prepared some," Jarvis's voice sounded.
Leon lay back on the balcony's beach chair, stretching leisurely.
"Mm, send it all up."
Enjoying Jarvis's meticulous service and listening to the melodious piano music.
Leon felt things were getting more and more interesting... Meanwhile, in the new experimental area downstairs, it was another scene of bustling activity.
"No! No! No! The data is wrong!"
Jane Foster pointed at a holographic screen, excitedly shouting at Darcy.
"The energy particle decay rate exceeds one hundred percent... This will trigger a chain reaction! Increase the power of the confinement magnetic field by another five percent! No, seven percent!"
Darcy sat to the side, stuffing a doughnut into her mouth while watching it all.
She felt it was somewhat unreal.
A few days ago, they were still worrying about a meager research budget in the New Mexico desert.
And now, not only did they have the best laboratory in the World, but they had also become honored guests of billionaire Tony Stark?
All of this was because of the man named Leon.
Darcy glanced at the ceiling, as if she could pierce through the floorboards and see the figure leisurely enjoying life above.
What was this guy's background, anyway?
Well, he was a Prince of Asgard.
Did that mean he was more noble than the Queen of Britain's grandson?
Did that mean she was now working for a god?
This thought made the doughnut in Darcy's mouth feel sacred.
Professor Erik, meanwhile, was discussing a theoretical model of spatial folding with several Stark Industries engineers.
His face glowed with excitement.
As a theoretical physicist, nothing excited him more than putting his lifelong theories into practice.
And Tony Stark had provided them with the platform to achieve all of this.
"Alright, everyone take a break!"
Just as everyone was busy, the laboratory door slid open, and Tony walked in, carrying a tray full of champagne and food.
The playful smile had returned to his face, as if he wasn't the one who had been deflated by Leon earlier.
"Welcome to Stark Industries, ladies and gentlemen."
He placed the tray on the table and snapped his fingers with a flourish.
"From today, this is your home. You have the highest research authority and an unlimited budget."
A cheer erupted in the laboratory.
Darcy was the first to rush over, grab a glass of champagne, and flash Tony a brilliant smile.
"Thank you, Mr. Stark! You're like Santa Claus in a suit!"
Tony was amused by her analogy.
"Just call me Tony, kid."
He glanced at Jane Foster, who was still immersed in data and hadn't noticed his entrance, and shook his head helplessly.
Then, he picked up a glass of champagne and walked over to Professor Erik.
"Professor, how does it feel?"
"Incredible," Erik exclaimed sincerely.
"Tony, this place is a scientist's paradise."
"Of course," Tony said without modesty.
"After all, I am the Lord of Paradise here."
The two exchanged a smile and clinked glasses.
"However..." Erik hesitated, then lowered his voice and asked.
"That Mr. Leon, he..."
The smile on Tony's face faded by half.
He glanced at the ceiling and shrugged.
"Don't worry about him. Just think of him as a landlord who likes to watch the show and has rather special abilities."
He paused and added, "A landlord we can't afford to offend for now."
Erik nodded, not asking further.
He knew that someone like Tony Stark would never be content to be constantly suppressed.
Behind this seemingly harmonious cooperation, there must be intense undercurrents.
And for scholars like them, caught in the middle, the only thing to do was focus on their research and not become victims at the center of the storm... Time passed day by day in this strange atmosphere.
Tony's Iron Legion project progressed rapidly.
In just half a month, he had iterated the brand new Mark V and Mark VI.
Whether it was armor material, weapon systems, or flight speed, there was a qualitative leap compared to before.
He even began designing remotely controlled Iron Soldiers.
And Jane Foster's research also made breakthrough progress.
With the equipment support of Stark Industries and the clash of Tony's inspirations.
Her understanding of Bifrost Bridge radiation had deepened to a new level.
She even began to attempt to construct a theoretical model for short-distance space jumps based on Leon's hints.
Everything seemed to be developing in a good direction.
Leon remained idle.
His daily life consisted of sunbathing, enjoying gourmet food, occasionally watching TV, and complaining about entertainment programs.
He never inquired about the research progress downstairs, nor did he interact much with Tony and the others, seemingly truly just here to enjoy his retirement.
Until one day.
Leon was lying on a lounge chair on the balcony, enjoying a rare sunbath.
Suddenly, he opened his eyes.
In his golden pupils, a brilliant seven-colored pillar of light was reflected.
The target of the light pillar was clear.
It was New Mexico, the desert that had recently experienced a major battle.
"Oh?"
Leon became interested.
He slowly sat up and picked up a bunch of grapes from the ice bucket beside him.
"It seems my foolish younger brother finally couldn't resist coming out?"
He knew that Thor had successfully thwarted Loki's plot in Asgard.
And now, he should be here to pick up Jane Foster.
"Tsk tsk, what a touching love story."
Leon shook his head; he wasn't interested in watching two people act out a scene of separation and reunion here.
He was more interested in...
He turned his head, his gaze piercing through the floorboards, looking at the figure working downstairs.
He wondered what expression Tony Stark would show when he personally witnessed another being from the realm of gods?
How to put it, it was time to stir up some trouble.
He spoke lazily to the air.
"Jarvis."
"Yes, Mr. Leon. How may I assist you?"
"Broadcast the live footage of the recent weather anomaly over New Mexico to Tony's laboratory."
"Oh, and," he added.
"Remember to use high-definition quality and add background music."
"Yes, Mr. Leon."
...In the laboratory downstairs.
Tony was arguing with Jane about an energy application formula in front of a holographic screen.
Suddenly, all the screens in front of him changed.
Suddenly, a vast, boundless desert appeared before their eyes.
Immediately after, a pillar of colorful light descended from the sky, fiercely striking the ground!
"Boom!!!"
Although no sound could be heard, the destructive impact in the footage still shocked him!
It was like aliens descending, making it feel like a special effect.
"Wait, look, isn't that the Bifrost Bridge?!" Darcy pointed at the screen, her potato chips falling to the ground.
Jane's pupils instantly dilated.
"Bifrost Bridge, it's Bifrost Bridge radiation! It's completely consistent with my observation data!"
Her voice became excited.
Tony didn't speak.
He stared intently at the slowly dissipating colorful pillar of light on the screen, and the figure within the pillar, holding a warhammer and wearing a red cape.
All the clues instantly connected in his mind.
Odinson.
Asgard.
Bifrost Bridge.
Brother... So, everything Leon said was actually true!
There really were gods in this World!
And more than one!
Just then, Leon's voice echoed through the laboratory via Jarvis's loudspeaker.
"How about it, Mr. Stark?"
"My brother's entrance was quite magnificent, wouldn't you say?"
...Magnificent?
Tony Stark felt his vocabulary suddenly become impoverished.
He couldn't find a suitable word to describe his current mood.
If Leon's existence had subverted his cognitive limits of individual power, like something from a higher dimension.
Then, the man on the screen, shrouded in lightning, showed him what it meant for myth to become reality.
Not special effects, not holographic projections.
More like a mighty force tearing through the sky.
Tony had no doubt that if that colorful pillar of light had landed in the center of New York City instead of the desert, the damage caused would definitely be no less than a large bomb.
And this was merely the other party's entrance?
Tony's eye twitched uncontrollably.
He remembered what Leon had said earlier.
"A foolish younger brother, stripped of his divine power by my father and thrown to Earth to experience life."
"The other one is a chuunibyou-ridden brother-complex, currently figuring out how to get rid of his brother."
Now it seemed, the one before him should be that foolish younger brother.
A guy who could cause such a commotion even after being stripped of his divine power, how ridiculous must he have been before he was stripped of it?
And that chuunibyou-ridden younger brother, actually wanted to wipe out this kind of monster along with Earth?
Tony suddenly felt that his troubles, like palladium poisoning and Military pressure, were mere child's play compared to this family.
What kind of monsters were these?!
He took a deep breath, suppressing the turbulent waves in his heart, trying to make his voice sound less flustered.
"Magnificent? No, I think 'extravagant' is a more fitting description."
Tony leaned against the workbench, arms crossed, and complained to the broadcast system.
"How much energy is wasted digging such a big pit in the ground? That amount of time is enough for me to power Manhattan for a week. Do you Asgardians all like to relieve yourselves anywhere?"
Leon on the other end of the broadcast seemed amused by his analogy.
"No choice, Mr. Stark. My brother here is all muscle in his head; he never thinks before he acts."
"However..." His tone became playful.
"Isn't that the direction you need to strive for?"
"Look at him, then look at your tin toys. Don't you feel your Iron Legion project still has a long way to go?"
Tony's face darkened.
This guy always managed to say hurtful things in a gentle tone at the most opportune moment.
That's right.
He had just been smug about upgrading his Mark armor.
But now, compared to the guy on the screen who could summon rainbows and lightning, his proud armors indeed looked like toys.
This feeling was terrible.
Unlike Tony's frustration, the others in the laboratory presented an entirely different scene.
"Thor!"
The moment Jane Foster saw the figure on the screen, she could no longer suppress her emotions.
She dropped the datapad in her hand, covered her mouth with both hands, and tears and joy appeared in her eyes.
It was him!
It really was him!
He came back!
He didn't lie to her!
Alright, the love-struck brain had arrived, successfully occupying the high ground.
Now she no longer cared about scientific theories or energy radiation; all of it had been cast aside.
She wasn't an astrophysicist; she was just an ordinary girl waiting for her beloved to return.
"I have to go find him!"
Jane's body trembled slightly, and she turned to run out.
"Hey! Calm down, Jane!"
Darcy was quick-witted and grabbed her.
.....
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