"You're the one who's gone too far, Thanos."
Cosmic Calendar, Year 404, July 7
Twilight, Svartalfheim
Odin, King of Asgard, thundered across the twilight plains on horseback, spear raised, whip cracking.
A majestic, airborne steed—its mane rippling with divine wind—descended from the skies, bearing Hela upon its back.
At the heart of Svartalfheim, the surging energy of the World Tree stirred as though it had found its true master. Streams of emerald light flowed into Odin, and behind him shimmered the spectral image of the divine realm of Asgard.
With a gesture, Odin summoned his long spear from where it had been buried in the ground. Fully armored, he turned his gaze to the looming figure stepping from the iridescent haze—Thanos.
Purple skin. Golden armor. Gold-plated boots.
A gauntlet of gleaming gold on one hand.
A helmet of the same hue pressed tightly to his brow.
His face was a map of deep creases. His expression stern. His aura exuded raw menace. Every inch of his form radiated danger.
The massive blade that had previously streaked through the sky to strike Odin's spear now quivered beside Thanos, stirred by his will, then floated gently back to his side.
"Is that so?"
"I disagree."
Thanos flicked a finger.
The blade surged forward with chilling silence—no wind, no sound.
In that same instant, the Dark Elf King's head was severed. There was no blood. Just a clean, terrible silence.
Laufey's ice crystals—strained to their limit by Lothar's surging power—shattered like diamonds.
A silver-white flash of blade light zipped through the air. Had Laufey not reacted in time, he would have been split open like a waterskin, blood pouring out, his life snuffed in a heartbeat.
"There was no clause in our alliance, Thanos, about destroying the entire world of Svartalfheim."
The radiant phantom of a divine realm surged before Lothar, fueled by esoteric energy. Waves of destructive force were absorbed completely into it.
A bestial roar shattered the heavens.
"ROAAAAR!!!"
Its sound echoed through the hearts of all beings across the Nine Realms.
Anger. Hatred. Resentment.
Each listener heard in that roar the emotion closest to their soul.
The emerald light that had flowed into Odin now reluctantly retreated, slipping from his chest and returning to the core beneath Svartalfheim—where it truly belonged.
"Huff..."
Sweat trickled down his stern face. Reflected in his green eyes were the sparks in Odin's palm. At that moment, a sudden burst of shockwave erupted at Lothar's feet, and his body landed beside his adoptive father—Thanos.
Golden hair fluttered behind him.
"Father."
"Your performance exceeded all expectations, Lothar."
The great blade returned to its master, embedding itself in the ground at Thanos' feet.
The Titan surveyed the ruined battlefield—the desolation, the devastation—until his eyes settled on his blood-smeared son. Satisfaction glimmered in his gaze.
"But..."
"Nidhogg is not pleased."
"Nidhogg?" Lothar frowned, having never heard the name. Hela, still seated atop Odin's flying steed, turned pale.
"It's a venomous dragon that's gnawed at the World Tree's roots since time immemorial. Legends say that the day it severs those roots, the Nine Realms will fall into ruin. A calamity even the gods cannot escape…"
"That's enough, Thanos." Odin's voice cut through the conversation, halting the impromptu mythology lesson.
Nearby, Malekith—saved from death by last-minute sorcery—and Laufey clung to each other, battered and wary.
Three factions stood in deadlock, watching one another with suspicion.
"Had your attack gone through, the damage to Svartalfheim's world core would've been irreversible. That would've weakened the World Tree's power—fatally."
"But Odin blocked your strike. That's why Nidhogg is enraged."
CLANG!
The Divine Spear clashed against the Tyrant Blade.
A flash of lightning. A thunderclap echoed across the broken land.
The clash of metal reverberated through every soul present.
"I said enough, Thanos."
This secret, buried beneath centuries of cosmic dust, had resurfaced from Thanos' lips.
"No, Odin. You've overstepped."
Thanos replied calmly, asserting his stance.
This was never meant to be Odin's battle. It was a confrontation between Lothar and the ruler of Svartalfheim. Odin, as the Lord of Asgard, had no right to interfere—especially not to strike his adoptive son.
"He'll destroy the Nine Realms."
Odin looked around—the panting Laufey, the bloodied Malekith.
The land beneath trembled and cracked. The sky above rumbled and split.
Had he not arrived when he did, Svartalfheim might already be torn asunder.
With one realm gone, the World Tree would be unbalanced. The equilibrium of the cosmos would collapse.
"Our objective has always been clear."
Thanos' gaze locked onto the wounded Malekith.
"Surrender the Aether. Now."
Ptui!
Malekith spat blood onto the ground and crushed it beneath his boot. His defiance was unmistakable.
"Odin, this is a matter for the Nine Realms alone!"
Struggling to his feet, Malekith turned toward Odin, pleading.
"I won't repeat myself a third time."
"Hand over the Aether."
Thanos' calm tone made Hela stumble as she dismounted. Her expression was conflicted, almost confused.
That phrase—she had heard it so many times recently.
Lothar often said it.
The Tyrant Blade shimmered coldly as Thanos drew it from the ground and slowly approached Malekith and Laufey.
The Dark Elf's weakness was evident. Odin made no move to stop the Titan.
He simply watched.
"No!"
"Odin!"
"Why?!"
"Why are you just standing there?!"
"Thanos wants to destroy the Nine Realms! He wants to free Nidhogg!"
"Laufey! Help me!"
"We're allies!!"
Malekith's broken body could no longer carry the pride of a Dark Elf King.
He unleashed all his power and all his words in one final, desperate plea.
But it was useless.
His last scream ended abruptly.
A flicker of light in Thanos' hand—and Malekith's head dropped to the ground.
Blood gushed forth.
Thanos turned slowly, his gaze falling on Laufey—just a step away.
"This time, there'll be no illusionary doubles. No fake deaths."
Laufey stared at the blade in Thanos' hand.
It felt tyrannical.
A blade that brooked no argument. That answered no questions.
Pure, unyielding force.
Black liquid energy—mingled with blood—spilled from Malekith's corpse.
The Aether, stripped of its host, sought a new master—flying toward Odin by instinct.
But halfway there—
A giant maw snapped it from the air.
Massive tentacles gently pulled the struggling Aether into the mouth of an orange creature.
"Meow~"
Licking its pink paw pads, the chubby tabby cat tilted its round head and blinked at the stunned Thanos and Odin, eyes wide with innocence.
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