Support me and be 30 chapters ahead of webnovel:
patreon.com/Draco_
For every 5 Patreon memberships I receive, I'll release 15 chapters all at once. Your support means a lot to me.
*****
In May, the weather in New York had already begun to turn hot enough to make people irritable.
Fortunately, the arrival of a small holiday finally came to Phinney's rescue, allowing him to stay at home in peace, basking in the air conditioning while sipping on an ice-cold cola. It was an incredibly cozy existence.
However, while he enjoyed the comfort, he did not slack off on his training. Every day, he remained as consistent as clockwork, traveling to Kamar-Taj to practice while also honing his other skills.
This was especially true for his 'Explosion Magic.' After a period of bitter, hard work, he had already gained a masterful grasp over its power levels and the precision of the detonation point. If nothing else, he could easily walk onto any construction site and work as a professional building demolition expert right now—and he wouldn't even need to bring tools or explosives.
This served as ample proof that his talent for magic was actually quite reliable; it just happened to be ill-suited for the specific style of Kamar-Taj.
As evening fell and the sky grew dark, Phinney opened a portal and arrived at Kamar-Taj.
The early morning air at Kamar-Taj was free from the sweltering heat of summer. A gentle breeze brushed against his face, making Phinney's mood exceptionally pleasant. Of course, it would have been even better if he could have conveniently kicked the guy standing in front of him out of the temple.
"What is it?"
Looking at Kaecilius before him, Phinney asked in a flat, indifferent tone.
"Sorcerer Kaze asked me to come and get a few Fried Chicken Rolls from you."
Kaecilius spoke with an equally expressionless face.
Having been at Kamar-Taj for nearly half a year, Kaecilius was finally no longer in a state where he refused to interact with anyone. Through his daily training, he had eventually made a few friends, though his haughty and cold personality meant his social circle remained quite small.
Phinney frowned as he looked at Kaecilius. He was certain that the man could sense his dislike, yet he had still come looking for him. Was there some kind of ulterior motive?
Phinney didn't like to speculate about others with the worst possible intentions, but ever since the incident with Tony, he was no longer willing to be easily fooled.
However, he couldn't sense anything out of the ordinary at the moment. He casually summoned three 'Violet Fried Chicken Rolls' and handed them over. Watching Kaecilius turn and walk away without even offering a word of thanks or a backward glance, Phinney felt that perhaps he was just overthinking things.
After finishing his morning practice, Phinney noticed the Ancient One, who had made a rare appearance to inspect the grounds today. After a moment of thought, he walked over to chat with her.
"Master, do you know much about Asgard?"
"Asgard!?" The Ancient One walked slowly with her hands behind her back. "In the Nine Realms, they are known as a race of gods, and Odin is the All-Father. Why do you ask? Do you wish to go there?"
"I heard they happen to be having a grand banquet recently!"
"A banquet!?" Phinney was momentarily stunned, but then he reacted instantly. Could it be that they were preparing for Thor's coronation!?
He hurried to ask further, "Then, what is our relationship with them like?"
"About a few hundred years ago, there should have been some communication, I believe. But later, because their lifespans are so incredibly long, the contact gradually faded away."
The Ancient One answered without withholding anything.
"You haven't been in touch with them either?"
Phinney looked at her with a face full of suspicion. He wouldn't believe for a second that Odin didn't know of the Ancient One's existence, or that he would simply ignore her.
The Ancient One stopped walking and turned to look at Phinney with a look of helplessness. "So, what exactly is it that you want to ask?"
Phinney replied sheepishly, "I just heard that Asgard rules over the Nine Realms. Is that true? And what exactly is their relationship with Earth?"
"While saying they 'rule' is a bit of an exaggeration, it is true that Asgard maintains the security of the Nine Realms," the Ancient One explained calmly. "A thousand years ago, the Frost Giants of Jotunheim attempted to invade Earth, and it was the Asgardians who helped drive them out."
"They even left Asgardians behind, which started the history of Norse mythology. But essentially, they do not interfere excessively in the development of the other realms."
"So, even though they call themselves the rulers, they're actually more like a property management security team? To enjoy the convenience they provide, no one bothers to argue with the title, right?" Phinney summarized while stroking his chin.
"Their authority is significantly greater than that of a security guard." The Ancient One looked at Phinney helplessly and continued to explain, "Asgard can teleport their armies anywhere within the Nine Realms at will. That is likely the reason they claim to rule the Nine Realms."
"The Bifrost..."
Phinney thought silently to himself, and then he suddenly asked out of curiosity, "Then, can you stop their army from teleporting to Earth?"
The Ancient One merely offered a silent smile and did not provide an answer.
At that moment, a thought suddenly flashed through Phinney's mind. Why was Thor exiled to Earth by Odin instead of somewhere else in the Nine Realms? Could it be because Odin knew the Ancient One was here and knew that Thor definitely wouldn't come to harm on this planet?
And what about the Ancient One? It was possible she had seen the future of Thor and Loki and realized that their actions would lead to the destruction of the Bifrost—Asgard's most powerful weapon. Therefore, she intentionally chose not to make contact.
While Asgard claimed to be the protector of the Nine Realms, no one wanted their front door to be a place where others could enter and leave at will with their own keys. Especially since the Odin of those years wasn't quite as benevolent as he appeared now.
When Phinney thought of this, he felt a bit uneasy in his heart.
Originally, he had been considering whether or not to go to New Mexico to see Thor and Mjolnir up close. But if he did that, would it interfere with the Ancient One's plans?
Phinney felt conflicted, but he was also too embarrassed to ask the Ancient One this question directly. Speculating about his teacher's thoughts with such malicious intent and then saying it out loud would just be incredibly stupid.
Most importantly, the Ancient One had just said that Asgard was currently hosting a banquet. This indicated that the time until Thor's exile was very close—perhaps even just a few days away.
This was clearly a sign that she was secretly keeping an eye on Asgard, wasn't it!?
Even after he left Kamar-Taj, Phinney hadn't made a decision. On one hand, he felt he didn't need to worry too much about the Ancient One's thoughts, and besides, she might not even be that kind of person.
On the other hand, he felt that meeting Thor didn't seem to offer much benefit. Thor would be stripped of his divine power and exiled; at that time, he would be nothing more than a particularly strong mortal man. As for Mjolnir, given Phinney's level of magic, there was a high probability he wouldn't be able to break the enchantment or lift it anyway.
As for the Destroyer that Loki would eventually summon—if he were to destroy it, the consequences would be vastly different from Thor destroying it.
After all, he was a person of some status now. If Thor smashed the Destroyer, it was a family matter. If Phinney were to get involved, it might very well turn into an interstellar diplomatic incident.
If Odin decided to act like a shameless old man and pin the blame on him, trying to shake him down, he would be at a massive loss.
Although the possibility of such a situation occurring was very, very, very small—after all, this was the King of Asgard and the All-Father, so he shouldn't be able to do something so shameless.
Of course, the more important point was that Phinney wasn't currently some big shot, so why would anyone bother trying to frame him?
But given his identity as a sorcerer of Kamar-Taj, getting involved in this matter could be a convenience, but it could also be a major headache. The outcome ultimately depended on Asgard's attitude.
After thinking it through seriously, Phinney decided not to get involved in this Asgardian family affair. While this might lead to Loki ending up with Thanos, if he thought about it carefully, even if he prevented Loki from going there, there was no guarantee that some other "Loki-like" figure wouldn't take his place.
Thanos's pursuit of his dream was absolute. It was impossible for him to give up on the Infinity Stones on Earth, so he would definitely continue to test the situation step by step.
(End of Chapter)