"Tohka, look over here!" Early the next morning, Tohka and Miku were touring Asgard together under the guidance of an assigned attendant.
But since this was Asgard, neither Tohka nor Miku bothered to hide their power—they simply released it openly. After all, this was a society steeped in magic: if you had strength, you could easily command respect. Just look at Odin and Thor, both of whom wielded enormous power.
"Um, are you sure this is, okay?" Miku looked at Tohka doubtfully. This was her first time acting so brazen. But there was a benefit: everywhere they went, they received looks of respect. If this were Earth, it would probably trigger chaos.
"It's fine, it's fine. That's just how people are here." This wasn't Tohka talking nonsense—back when Odin had invited the various Asgardian leaders to announce that she was a Guardian, she'd experienced it firsthand.
At first, she had done nothing—just sat there eating. But a bunch of self-important nobles buzzed around her like flies, doubting the claim that she was Asgard's Guardian. That was until Tohka unleashed her power across the entire hall. After she casually smacked down a few noisy idiots, nobody dared bother her mealtime ever again.
"Wait—that's the Dark Elves. They're here already?" But while they were enjoying some street food, Tohka suddenly sensed a surge of power. A moment later, several enormous blade-shaped ships flew overhead. At the same time, the palace raised a golden barrier—Tohka knew this was the palace's defense system. Even she wouldn't be able to destroy it in a short time.
"So this is what war between advanced civilizations looks like… it really gives off a Star Wars vibe." Watching the fighting in the sky, Miku couldn't help remarking. She'd seen aerial combat on Earth before, but that couldn't compare to this. Back then, it was more like a superhero's personal show than a real war between civilizations. And they had only controlled a very limited area and those big ships. In fact, many Chitauri troops had been rampaging all over New York. But this time—it was pure high-tech aerial warfare. Only now did she realize something: why didn't the Asgardians just fly into the sky themselves?
"Um, Tohka—why aren't these people flying around like Thor?" Unable to hold back her curiosity, she asked.
"Well…" Hearing her question, Tohka glanced at the Asgardian civilians scattering in panic and the tour guide—who'd clearly run off to join the fight—then continued, "Actually, very few Asgardians can fly. I don't know about Odin, but Thor mainly relies on his lightning powers. As for the others—I'm not sure."
"Seems like we'd better think about what to do next. But the Dark Elves can't be stupid. They must already know how dangerous this is. And once the Asgardians react, they'll be facing a vast army." Tohka knew Asgard wasn't as weak as it looked in the movies. Mainly, Odin hadn't stationed the army in the capital. The Dark Elves were relying on a surprise attack to catch them off guard. Otherwise, once Asgard mobilized, this small force wouldn't be worth mentioning. As for what exactly happened during Ragnarok—she wasn't too sure.
Sure enough, the moment she finished speaking, the palace barrier suddenly shattered.
"Wait—I remember…" Seeing the broken shield, Tohka finally recalled the original story. Without wasting time, she grabbed Miku and started running. As for why they didn't just fly—come on, with that intense battle in the sky, she wasn't about to expose herself to all the Dark Elves' attention. If she wanted to strike directly at their leader, it would be much harder.
"Damn it—looks like we're still a little late." When the two of them reached the palace, she realized she'd arrived too late. All that remained were guards helping each other up and a crowd of royal soldiers lying motionless—whether dead or alive, she couldn't tell. As for Thor and Loki—she had no idea where they'd gone.
"Forget it—I'd better go find Odin." Knowing she was late, Tohka didn't waste time. After asking where Odin was, she headed over.
"Wait here—Odin is inside. But it seems he doesn't trust you, so you'd better stay put." Tohka could already tell what Odin thought of Miku. That old man was simply too pragmatic. And as a God-King, it was impossible for him to trust just anyone.
"All right. If that's the case, I'll wait here." Hearing her, Miku only nodded without argument. Odin didn't like her—and honestly, she didn't care to see him either. Mostly, it was because the pressure he gave off last time was just too much.
"You really don't beat around the bush. So? What do you want from me?" As soon as Tohka stepped into the hall and approached the throne, Odin spoke first before she could say anything.
"Hmph—you old schemer." Tohka didn't bother with pleasantries and got straight to the point. "Clearly the Dark Elves are back. Their target is the Reality Stone."
"Yes—and?" Odin only nodded faintly at her words. He wasn't in a good mood at all. Though he showed little on the surface, Tohka knew—his queen must have already died.
"What are you planning to do? You should know—this is just the beginning. They're not going to give up so easily." She wasn't exaggerating. Since they hadn't found the Aether this time, the Dark Elves were bound to try again.
"Hmph—do you really think they'll be able to pull off another attack?" He wasn't bluffing. Now that they were prepared, that little Dark Elf force wouldn't be able to stir up much trouble. He had already redeployed the army. Right now, the royal city was like a fortress—more or less.
"I have a proposal—one that could completely extract the Aether." This was something Tohka had been considering from the start. And with the current situation, it was the perfect time. She didn't want to be stuck here forever, so she came straight to Odin to discuss it.