Aaron seemed to have changed his mind.
But before the trial began, the waiting process was anything but pleasant.
Hela was deeply frustrated with this feeling.
Even though she knew things could take a turn for the better, she couldn't shake the discontent.
Just as she was about to speak up, Aaron interrupted her.
"Would you like to go to other places to promote the existence of the Magic Net for me?"
"Huh?" Hela froze, her brow furrowing in confusion. "You mean you want me to leave the Nine Realms and go somewhere else?"
"Yes, I want you to travel beyond the Nine Realms, into the depths of the universe. There's no need to stay confined to the small realms we know."
"You see, the resources in the Nine Realms have already been divided. Until you have enough power, you won't be able to break the established order here."
"Either you can offer me something truly worth my while, and in return, I will grant you more power..."
"Or you can break free from this small circle and venture to a much wider place."
Aaron presented Hela with two choices.
His perspective had changed. The Magic Net had been limited to the Nine Realms up until now, but with its expansion across the universe, Aaron needed messengers—apostles—to spread its influence, to bring more beings into the fold.
Hela was the first apostle he chose.
She had good foundational strength, once a prince of Asgard, and had encountered many races. She was a very suitable candidate.
But the real question was whether Hela would accept this offer.
Hela had an intense attachment to the throne of Asgard. She also harbored immense resentment toward Odin.
After hearing Aaron's words, Hela fell into deep thought. The first instinct in her mind was a definite refusal.
Leaving the Nine Realms to go elsewhere? Wasn't that a sign of fear? Fear of Odin, fear of Aaron?
For someone as proud as her, it felt like a humiliation to abandon Asgard and flee to some unknown place. It went against everything the Warrior's Code stood for.
But Aaron wasn't wrong.
All the planets with life in the Nine Realms had been divided between Odin and Loki. Only Earth, with its mixed bag of civilizations, remained. Even Earth was split among dozens of factions, including groups like the Avengers, the Bureau of Magic, and HYDRA.
Thor and the Avengers, in particular, had mounted a relentless campaign against her. It was clear that reclaiming her territory in the Nine Realms would not be easy.
Only absolute strength could topple them, but right now, that was an unattainable goal.
"Damn Odin, just wait!" Hela muttered, knowing Thor's actions were all directed by Odin.
Odin's goal was clear: to prevent her from regaining her power and to eliminate her before she could become a threat.
Hela knew what kind of man Thor was, and it wasn't him, but Odin—the cunning old fox—who was behind the whole thing.
"The Nine Realms are too small; your vision should be broader."
Aaron's voice cut through her thoughts as he opened his hand, summoning a stunning projection of the starry sky.
He first revealed the solar system, highlighting Asgard, Vanaheim, and Jotunheim. When the Nine Realms were displayed together, Hela's eyes sparkled with awe.
Then, Aaron expanded the star map, shifting to reveal the entire Milky Way galaxy.
"This," he said, "is the Milky Way. I'm sure you're no stranger to it."
"But there are countless civilizations and empires within just this one galaxy."
"Empires like the Skrulls and the Kree, each with trillions of souls."
"Think about it—if you could convert even one in a thousand of them, the power you could command would be unimaginable."
"Not only that, we need to think bigger."
Aaron continued, gesturing as the map of the Milky Way collapsed into a wider view of the cosmos.
The galaxy faded, replaced by an endless field of colors, each more dazzling than the last.
And then, just as quickly, everything faded into nothingness.
Hela stood in stunned silence, unsure of what was happening. Before she could react, another image appeared.
This time, the display wasn't of the galaxy, but of various parallel universes.
"Do you know Kamar-Taj? They guard the magic side and protect the universe from Mephista's invasions, fighting across dimensions."
"In these dimensions, there are countless creatures, each with their own world, each world more complex than the last."
"But that's not all."
Aaron's tone grew more intense. "Outside of our universe, there are countless parallel universes."
"Some are branched from certain timelines; others exist in different timelines or spaces altogether."
"Imagine if the Magic Net could spread to these realms... think about the scale of that!"
Hela, lost in the swirling images of endless dimensions, felt a sense of awe. The worlds before her were unlike anything she had ever imagined. Her mind began to race with possibilities.
"Is that what you're aiming for?" she asked, her voice soft.
"To spread the brilliance of the Magic Net across the entire universe—and beyond?"
Hela's thoughts swirled. No wonder Loki had told her that Aaron had never shown any interest in Asgard or the Nine Realms.
It became clear: the Nine Realms were not enough to contain Aaron's ambition.
Hela felt a chill run through her. Aaron was more terrifying than Odin, more terrifying than herself.
She had thought Loki's claims about Aaron's ambition were just exaggerations. But now, she saw the truth. Aaron wasn't interested in ruling a single universe—he wanted to transcend them all.
The thought terrified her, yet something within her stirred.
Hela was no stranger to ambition. She had always wanted to conquer, to make Asgard great again. But what Aaron described... it sounded like something beyond her wildest dreams.
If Aaron succeeded in his vision, she too could grow stronger—much stronger. She could become a god like never before.
The possibilities were beyond comprehension.
She had heard of the Eternal Legendary, a being said to exist at the center of the universe. The Eternal granted wishes to those who could find it, but no one had ever succeeded.
And perhaps, with Aaron's magic network spanning the multiverse, she could surpass even the Eternal.
"So, will you join me as my apostle and help bring this vision to life?" Aaron asked, his voice filled with confidence.
It was an offer too tempting to ignore.
Hela's ambitions could now be realized on a far grander scale. As an apostle of the Magic Net, she could claim the power she had always craved—far more than she could in the Nine Realms.
"Why not?" she replied, her voice filled with pride.
"It's a great honor!"
"I'm in!" she declared.
Though Aaron would be her master in this endeavor, the rewards were beyond her imagination.
The process of assisting Odin to conquer the Nine Realms seemed small in comparison to what lay ahead.
As more and more realms and civilizations were brought into the fold, Hela's power would grow exponentially. At that point, Odin and the Nine Realms would be nothing to her.
"Wise choice," Aaron said, a satisfied smile crossing his face.
He transferred a copy of the star map into Hela's mind.
"This is the map of the Milky Way, and it shows the reach of the Magic Net. Let's begin our journey and build a new era together."
"The Era of the Magic Net," Hela whispered to herself, the clarity in her eyes sharper than ever.
She felt a spark of new resolve ignite in her chest, stronger than when she had faced the Nine Realms.
As the first apostle, Hela was given not only more authority but also a gift—a piece of the Eternal Fire.
With this, she could revive her Warrior's Pet.
It was clear that this would be a long journey of conquest, and Hela knew she couldn't do it alone.
Once the Eternal Fire was in her possession, she returned to the base.
"Failed? I told you, if you want power, you have to pay the price. Or you could listen to me and manage this base. I've got plans. There are smaller countries nearby, their people are ignorant and weak... we can..."
"Okay, shut up!" Hela interrupted Loki's endless rambling.
She looked at him with disdain.
"Go handle these plans yourself. I'm done with you."
"Huh?"
Loki frowned, following Hela's gaze. The change in her demeanor didn't escape him, and an idea crept into his mind.
"Sister, are you really giving in to Aaron?"
"Giving in? No, it's a deal! We're going for a win-win!"
"He'll get what he wants, and I'll get what I want," she said proudly.
Loki, however, could barely believe it.
Had Hela truly fallen under Aaron's spell? Was she really willing to give up everything for power?
"Does that mean Aaron's now a contender for the throne?" Loki mumbled to himself.
"You're not serious, are you?" he asked tentatively.
"The throne?" Hela scoffed. "That's nothing compared to what we're doing. We'll build a new magic net era. Let others fight over thrones."
While Loki felt a sense of relief, he couldn't shake the feeling that something was off.
He had no idea what was happening, but he couldn't help but wonder—had Asgard's greatest warrior truly been seduced by Aaron's vision?
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