"Loki is Asgard's new king! The fact that he wields Gungnir means he bears the supreme glory of Asgard!"
Although Laufey was gravely wounded, the natural pressure emanating from him remained terrifyingly intense. Thor clenched his teeth and forced himself to stand firm, refusing to let his body sway and betray any weakness. His voice rang with conviction.
"Loki may have fallen into your hands because he wasn't strong enough to defeat you, but his stance tells me—and every god of Asgard—that he has not lost!"
"Even at the final moment, he continued to uphold the dignity and honor of a king. As his brother and as a son of Asgard, I am proud of him!"
The gods of Asgard behind Thor fell silent once again.
They said nothing, but the way they looked at Loki was no longer the same. Their gazes quietly changed in a way even they failed to notice.
High above them, Thor's firm and powerful words also reached Loki's ears.
Loki opened his eyes and stared down at the tall figure below. Thor was dressed in a plain Midgardian coat, his entire body battered and disheveled from the fighting. Loki's lips seemed to curl in disdain, yet the corners of his eyes had turned almost imperceptibly red.
"That's enough, Your Highness. Spare me this meaningless speech."
For reasons even Laufey couldn't explain, Thor's words filled him with growing irritation.
He impatiently interrupted Thor. "What exactly are you trying to do?"
"It's very simple. I'll exchange my life for Loki's."
Thor smiled faintly. The words left his mouth as though they were nothing of consequence, yet they instantly caused an uproar around him.
"Your Highness, you can't!"
The gods behind him hurriedly tried to stop him.
Although Thor had been exiled, stripped of his divine power, and deprived of the strength he needed to continue protecting Asgard, the reputation he had built by leading from the front for a thousand years could not be shaken so easily.
Loki's actions had certainly improved their opinion of him. However, once Thor himself was placed on the other side of the scales, there was no question which of the two held more weight in their hearts.
The Frost Giants also erupted into a commotion.
The name of Thor, God of Thunder, resounded throughout the Nine Realms. Naturally, they were no strangers to his reputation. He might be a mere mortal now, but who could guarantee that he would never regain his power?
Exchanging an expendable Loki for Thor was an extraordinarily profitable bargain.
Laufey also understood perfectly well which of them was more valuable. Yet the offer had come so easily that his naturally suspicious mind made him hesitate.
"Why?"
Laufey frowned and cautiously tested him.
"You should understand that no matter how inadequate Loki might be, the man in my grasp is still the king of Asgard."
"But you..."
Laufey paused with a frown before continuing, "You're merely a mortal who has been stripped of his divine power. You're weaker than even the frailest Asgardian. Why should I exchange him for you?"
"I don't think your true objective is Loki at all. What you really want is Gungnir, isn't it?"
"No, Laufey. You're mistaken!"
Thor immediately cut him off.
"You are the king of Jotunheim. You should understand better than anyone that a king must not be humiliated."
"I am the son of Odin and the former crown prince of Asgard. I am fully qualified to take Loki's place."
"Besides, there is no point in playing these games with me. Gungnir, the Spear of Destiny, never misses when thrown and always returns when recalled. No matter where in the universe it might fall, Gungnir can return to my father's hand whenever he desires. Possessing it would mean nothing to you."
"You're right. No one but Odin can truly wield that spear."
As one of Odin's oldest enemies, Laufey naturally understood his weapon extremely well. As he spoke, he glanced at Loki.
Even in his current predicament, Loki refused to release the spear. Unfortunately, he was incapable of unleashing its true power.
Loki heard every word being spoken around him, yet there was no longer the slightest ripple in his eyes. He merely stared blankly at Thor, who was trembling uncontrollably beneath Laufey's pressure but still forcing himself to remain composed.
"More importantly, Laufey, whether you admit it or not, you have lost!"
Seeing Laufey waver, Thor hurriedly pressed his advantage.
"You're gravely wounded. Now look at what remains of your defeated army. The Frost Giants already struggle to reproduce, and now you have lost so many warriors in a single battle. Is this truly the outcome you wanted?"
"With Fenris here, your ambition to overthrow Asgard has already failed, whether you choose to admit it or not."
"Since the war has reached this point, why don't we each take a step back? Take me and leave Asgard. Once you are safely away, my life will be entirely in your hands."
"After all..."
Thor glanced toward Fenris and continued quietly, "Fenris and I are friends. If you hold me hostage, he won't attack you. But Loki's injuries were inflicted by Fenris himself. If you continue using Loki as a shield, one mistake could easily kill both of you."
"So it was him?"
Laufey immediately understood. The doubts that had been troubling him instantly disappeared.
No wonder...
No wonder Loki had suffered such severe injuries. Otherwise, with Gungnir in his hands, Loki would only have needed to throw the spear. Laufey, weakened as he was, would have had no chance to resist and would have been killed in a single strike.
"Very well!"
Thor's explanation had clearly dispelled Laufey's final reservations. Without wasting any more time, he decisively agreed.
"I accept. I will exchange Loki for you."
"And I won't kill you. You will ensure that we leave Asgard unharmed. Once Odin awakens, I will use you as leverage to secure a peace treaty between Jotunheim and Asgard."
Even if Laufey refused to acknowledge it, he had no choice but to accept his defeat.
Thor's mysterious friend had single-handedly reversed the course of the battle. Fenris had completely overturned what Laufey had believed to be a guaranteed victory and cost him his finest opportunity to conquer Asgard.
What a pity I failed to obtain the Casket of Ancient Winters. If only I had...
Laufey's eyes flickered with lingering resentment.
With the Casket of Ancient Winters, it wouldn't matter if Jotunheim's army had been reduced to a few defeated survivors. Even if Laufey stood alone, he could freeze all of Asgard and transform it into a second Jotunheim.
"Then release Loki first!"
Seeing Laufey finally agree, Thor breathed a sigh of relief.
"He's too weak to wield Gungnir now. You don't need to worry about him attacking you."
"...Very well."
Laufey hesitated for a moment before finally nodding and placing his hand upon the solid ice.
The ice encasing Loki began to melt. Before long, Loki was free, but his entire body trembled as he used Gungnir to support himself.
"Laufey, I'm coming."
Thor glanced back at Fenris and sent him another subtle signal with his eyes before turning and walking toward Laufey.
Laufey nodded and descended from the sky with Loki. He seized the violently trembling Loki by the neck and hurled him heavily in the opposite direction.
Clink—
At that exact moment, a clear chime came from Loki's body, followed by an eruption of extreme cold.
"The Casket of Ancient Winters!"
The instant that familiar aura appeared, Laufey's hand froze just as he was reaching for Thor. His eyes widened in disbelief.
"Mine!"
(End of Chapter)
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