Asgard.
In the repaired, towering, epic royal palace, there lingered a silent sense of defeat, of twilight years.
The great hall of the royal palace was vast and empty, resplendent in gold and jade, luxurious and magnificent. Odin slumped upon the throne, leaning against its backrest, his single eye gazing blankly at the murals on the vaulted ceiling. Even Gungnir, the Eternal Spear held in his left hand, seemed powerless.
Outside the hall, Thor's black armor was drenched in blood. His face still bore the bloody remnants of bloodlust and slaughter. Gripping Mjolnir stained with blood of several colors, he strode quickly into the hall, his scarlet cape billowing behind him.
Ever since Odin had been defeated by He-El, ambitious figures throughout the Nine Realms under Asgard's rule had repeatedly stirred up conflicts, seeking independence from Asgard and bloody dominion.
Many evil spells and divine arts existed across the Nine Realms. They could be nourished with the blood or souls of living beings, using the creatures of the Nine Realms as heartlessly as objects. There were also ambitious men eager to become kings and hegemons, rule their own domains, and do as they pleased.
When the Rainbow Bridge had been broken and Asgard had struggled to reach the Nine Realms, numerous uprisings had already occurred, all of which Thor had personally led troops to suppress.
And now, it was even worse.
He-El had openly defeated Odin at the center of the Convergence, utterly ruining Odin's prestige and plunging Asgard's reputation to rock bottom.
Using Odin's alleged unfitness to rule as their pretext, the ambitious figures had once again launched wars.
Thor had just returned from Alfheim in the Nine Realms. The land inhabited by elves had erupted in the most powerful rebellion, and they were preparing to unite other powerful