WebNovels

Chapter 91 - Chapter 91

Odin's hand tightened around the Eternal Spear as he spoke in a low, solemn voice.

"I've always treated him as my own son. But if he hadn't been so obsessed with competing, Isshin wouldn't have ended up like this. What surprises me is that someone in Midgard—of all places—was strong enough to hurt you, Thor. You're half-god, born above men in every way."

Thor's jaw flexed. "He's a Mutant, Father. But not like the others. His power goes beyond what we've seen before. That's why I failed. But this isn't about my loss. It's about Loki. Are we just going to let his death go unavenged? Asgard stands above all nine realms—if we stay silent now, that pride means nothing!"

Odin closed his eyes briefly. "He lost, Thor. That has nothing to do with that Mutant."

Thor slammed his fist down. "He was killed by that Mutant! If we do nothing, the other realms will lose all respect for us! The Giants of Jotunheim, the Dark Elves—they'll unite and strike at Asgard! You remember last time, when Jotunheim's invasion interrupted my coronation? I won't let that happen again!"

"Do you know why I never let you inherit the throne?" Odin's voice turned cold, though his eyes remained steady. "Because you're rash. You speak before you think, act before you understand."

"So Loki just died for nothing?" Thor growled.

"There's more than one kind of death worthy of guilt," Odin replied quietly.

Thor froze. "You're saying… he deserved to die?"

"I know he was my son!" Odin's roar shook the golden hall as he struck the floor with the Eternal Spear. "But Loki brought ruin upon himself! Death is mercy compared to what he's done!"

"Even if he deserved death, it should've been by Asgard's hand—not a Mutant's!" Thor's eyes burned with fury. "We defended Midgard when Jotunheim's Giants invaded. Without Asgard, humans would still be crawling as slaves! They owe everything to us!"

Odin's expression softened just slightly. "Thor… you think I don't know that?"

"Then why hesitate? What are you afraid of?"

"Afraid?" Odin chuckled darkly. "I fear no one. But I am aware of balance. If we march against Midgard now, Jotunheim and Svartalfheim will pounce the moment our armies leave. If Asgard falls… so do the other realms. And then—darkness will swallow everything."

Thor's face twisted in defiance, but Odin's tone left no room for argument.

Unable to bear it, Thor turned on his heel and stormed out, lightning flickering faintly in his wake.

Odin's shoulders sagged as the echo of his son's steps faded. "Still so immature," he muttered, staring into the stars beyond the palace dome. "How can I entrust the throne to a boy who knows nothing of patience?"

The All-Father stood silent beneath the cosmos, lost in thought.

Meanwhile, at the Axville Mutant Academy, laughter echoed through the dorm halls.

Ever since Magneto's crew had left, the tension around the school had finally lifted. Music blared, lights flickered, and the students—mutant and human alike—partied like there was no tomorrow.

Maybe because, deep down, they all knew war was coming.

By ten o'clock, the party had fizzled out. The halls fell silent again as students stumbled back to their rooms.

Ryuuto flopped onto his bed, hands behind his head, a faint grin on his lips. "Man… that was a good night. But damn, I think I drank too much. My head's spinning."

[You seem to be having a great time, Host. Was the wine that good?]

Ryuuto chuckled, closing his eyes. He was used to Shion's voice echoing in his head—half comfort, half annoyance.

"You wouldn't know. You've never actually tasted wine, have you?"

[Nope. I've only downloaded descriptions from the database. Some say it's heavenly, some say it tastes like poison. But judging by how much you drank, it had to be good.]

"Depends on your mood. Wine tastes better when you're happy."

[So you're in a good mood tonight?]

"Yeah. Everyone was laughing, no one was trying to kill me for once. I'd call that a win."

[Good. I was worried that business with Thor might've soured your mood.]

Ryuuto snorted. "Please. That overgrown thunder jock doesn't bother me. I could knock him down again right now if I wanted."

[Heh. Big talk for a guy who can't share his sense of taste with his AI assistant.]

"Hey, that's your loss, not mine. If I could share it, you'd finally know what wine tastes like."

[No thanks. If I got drunk, I'd just end up nagging you all night. You'd go crazy.]

"Hah. Maybe I'd enjoy that."

[You'd think it's fun. Until I start singing inside your skull.]

"Fair point."

A pause passed, filled with that familiar, teasing static that always came before Shion's next question.

[So, Host… between Natasha, Susan, Jean, and Katie Dee—who do you actually like?]

Ryuuto cracked one eye open. "...What, jealous now?"

[Just curious. Purely scientific data collection.]

"Uh-huh. Sure." He smirked. "Alright then—Natasha's dangerous, Susan's classy, Jean's… terrifyingly hot, and Katie Dee—well—"

[Don't. You. Dare.]

"What?" Ryuuto grinned wickedly. "I was just saying, Katie Dee's only sixteen, yeah—but she's mature for her age. You saw her that day when I visited her place—pajamas and all—don't tell me you didn't notice."

[I did! And that's exactly the problem! She's a minor, Ryuuto!]

"Wow. You sound like some old-school teacher. Relax, I wasn't saying anything weird."

[Oh please! I've seen your thoughts! They're dirtier than a sewer pipe! And you called yourself a gentleman!]

Ryuuto laughed into his pillow. "You're too easy to tease, Shion."

[And you're too hopeless, Host.]

The banter faded into quiet laughter, the night air thick with the hum of the academy's neon lights outside.

Somewhere in the dark, thunder rumbled faintly across the clouds.

Ryuuto closed his eyes, smirking. "Sixteen, huh? Guess that means trouble's just getting started."

More Chapters