Chapter 76 Since ancient times, spearmen have had bad luck.
Finney didn't doubt that Nick Fury might try to fool him with a fake; unless Hydra was behind it, he was unlikely to do so.
Closing the box, Finney didn't keep him in suspense and asked Nick Fury, "Do you know anything about Norse mythology?"
"What do you mean?"
Nick Fury answered seriously.
"Uh!"
Finney paused, unsure how to explain, and could only scratch his head. "Never mind, it's nothing. Just know that Norse mythology originated from the Asgardians."
"And you can think of Asgard as an alien civilization, quite famous in the universe."
"They call themselves gods, just like in mythology, but their lifespans far exceed ours, and they possess various abilities, making their individual strength extremely powerful."
"Like that hammer, if you can't gain its approval, or break the magic on it, it's difficult to lift."
"How can a hammer gain approval?" Nick Fury frowned, interrupting. "And you're talking about magic?"
"Why can't a hammer gain approval? Some stones require sacrifice. Their civilization combines technology and magic." Finney sighed.
Sometimes he wondered if Thanos would never be able to collect all the Infinity Stones if Gamora were killed.
But then he thought it unlikely. The Soul Stone required the sacrifice of a loved one; without Gamora, she might become Nebula. He couldn't just kill everyone around him.
Moreover, Thanos could simply have someone else bring him the location if he knew it, so this method was completely unworkable.
Pulling his thoughts back from their wanderings, Finney continued, "If all else fails, you can think of it as genetic technology, facial recognition, or something similar—anything very advanced technology."
Nick paused slightly, then asked in a deep voice, "So what was Thor's purpose in bringing his hammer to Earth? And how did he do it?"
"Before that, let me explain the relationship between Asgard and Earth,"
Finney said. "In Asgard's division, there are nine star regions. Earth is called Midgard, and Asgard is the administrator of the nine star regions."
"So, we're actually being kept?"
Natasha interjected.
"You can't say that," Finney looked at Natasha and shook his head. "It's like you're responsible for maintaining world security and stability, but can you say Earth belongs to you?"
"In fact, their duties are quite similar to your S.H.I.E.L.D.—to ensure the stability of the nine star regions."
Finney's answer clearly didn't reassure Nick Fury; instead, it made him feel even more threatened. He realized for the first time that aliens had always been so close to them.
"There's a Rainbow Bridge in Asgard that can instantly teleport an army to any location in the nine star systems. It can also be used as a planet-destroying weapon. So I advise you not to think about dealing with them for now unless you're absolutely sure."
Finney didn't mind the danger Asgard mentioned; this should deter Nick Fury from his reckless actions. He should be prepared for the possibility that Fury might decide to capture Thor and dissect him.
Finney's words made Nick Fury's dark face darken even more, and Natasha's expression also turned serious.
"However, you don't need to worry about Asgard for now."
Finney, afraid of going too far, reassured him, "Asgard is now peace-loving, and Odin is in his twilight years and won't have the energy to wage war."
"Thor came to Earth this time because he made some mistakes and was banished by Odin."
"So, our Earth is like a labor camp in Asgard!?"
Nick Fury's expression darkened further; most importantly, the enemy's strength far exceeded his expectations.
The most powerful weapon Earth currently possesses is a nuclear bomb, but those require a target. They don't even know where Asgard is, while the enemy has already locked onto them and is using planet-destroying weapons.
In war, they'd lose before even meeting.
"You can't say that. This is their prince, the future ruler of Asgard. It shows they trust Earth, which is why they sent him here for some modifications."
Although he somewhat agreed with Nick Fury's statement, he still had to explain on the surface.
Nick wouldn't entrust his safety to someone else's mercy, nor did he want Earth to need anyone else's protection. But now he needed to confirm one last thing:
"How can I guarantee what you're saying is true?"
Nick Fury stared intently at Finney; he needed to ascertain whether Finney's words were true or false.
"This…"
Finney hesitated. He didn't really have a good way to prove it. He couldn't very well ask the Ancient One to open a portal and send Nick to Asgard for a sightseeing tour.
Or perhaps he could try calling Heimdall and see if he'd open an elevator!
"If nothing unexpected happens, Thor should have already contacted others. You can investigate. Asgard won't stand idly by."
"They'll probably send more people down. Just keep an eye on it. If all else fails, just go and interrogate Thor directly. He's definitely near the hammer; after all, this is our territory."
After thinking for a moment, Finney said nonchalantly. Even if Nick didn't believe her, it wouldn't matter. He had already said everything he needed to say; it was all just to reach a deal.
"Alright, if there's nothing else, I'll be going."
Picking up the box, Finney prepared to leave. Now that she had the item, all she needed to do was study it and make sure it posed no danger to Skye before helping her awaken.
"Wait a minute."
Nick Fury called out to Finney, "Between you and Thor, who's stronger?"
Finney paused, stroked his chin, and hesitated before answering, "Probably fifty-fifty, but we haven't actually fought, so I'm not entirely sure."
Though he said that, Finney secretly felt that Thor was currently slightly stronger, thanks to the weapon bonus from Mjolnir.
Speaking of weapons, 'Haunted by Demons' was actually a longsword, and when transformed into armor, it also came with a weapon called Redback Shrike, which he felt he could summon almost soon.
However, he didn't quite like its appearance.
Redback Shrike was a spear, but not a firearm; it was a long spear, a melee weapon.
Finney had never used such a weapon before, and he didn't intend to learn. Human energy was limited, and his current fighting style wasn't suited to this type of weapon.
For a mage like him, wearing armor was one thing, but wielding a spear would probably make him forever a knight.
Besides, spearmen have always been known for their E-rank luck, while archers are often B-rank; he didn't want to be unlucky.
Of course, the most important point was that this weapon offered almost no improvement to his strength; he still needed to rely on 'Explosion Magic' for damage output.
Therefore, even though he was almost ready to use it, Finney felt no anticipation whatsoever, and didn't even plan to try it out—what if it affected his next draw?
(End of Chapter)