Odin's Invitation

Russell had made this BB Pager by imitating the Spider Totem he had created for Gwen, using quantum mechanics.

As long as it was pressed, Russell could sense it, learn the coordinates, and open a Portal to provide support.

Unlike the Spider Totem, which had been split into two passive halves and would trigger when it sensed danger, this one required active activation.

In other words, if the BB Pager's holder was instantly killed and had no time to press it, Russell would have no way of knowing, much less rescuing them.

"How did you do this? Russell can really get here just by pressing it once?"

Eileen asked curiously. The little girl was undoubtedly an excellent spokesperson, voicing the question Matt had been wondering about.

The speed of Russell's support concerned his safety. He could not afford to be careless.

Russell smiled slightly. Instead of directly answering Eileen's question, he said,

"Eileen, it's getting late. Shouldn't you be going home?"

As soon as he finished speaking, sparks flickered before him, and a Portal leading to Eileen's bedroom slowly formed.

"Wow~"

Eileen cried out again. "Russell, can you teach me?"

"You want to learn?" Russell asked.

"I do." Eileen nodded like a pecking chick.

"Nope. Go home and sleep." Russell refused, then burst out laughing at the way Eileen's face instantly fell.

Once someone learned Kamar-Taj's spells, they became part of Kamar-Taj and had to fight against the Magic Dimension's encroachment upon reality.

It was dangerous.

Eileen had a happy family. There was no need for her to join Kamar-Taj.

Kamar-Taj's sorcerers were mostly orphans or people with no family ties.

The former included Russell and Mordo; the latter included Tony, as well as the future Stephen Strange.

"Eileen, you should head back first. Training is over for today."

Matt, who had been quietly pondering at the side, nodded and told Eileen to leave first.

Though he could not see, he could sense that Russell had just opened a door to another space.

With that ability, Russell really could support him at any time.

"Russell, you said you became a god. What does that mean?"

Matt asked curiously.

Hearing Matt's question, Eileen stopped reluctantly and wanted to hear more about these extraordinary matters.

"Exactly what it sounds like," Russell replied calmly.

The Attribute Panel's evaluation of his rank was Divine Race. Didn't that mean he had become a god?

"Tch~~" Eileen curled her lips, deeply dissatisfied with that answer.

Russell glanced at Eileen and snapped his fingers.

The Portal swiftly shifted, transporting Eileen, who had been standing there preparing to keep eavesdropping, back to her room.

Matt fell silent. He felt that Russell's words carried a deeper meaning.

Exactly what it sounded like meant that Russell could do most of the things gods did in legends.

This time, he had really sought help from a god!

"Russell, send me back too. You know the address."

Matt said. He wanted to experience what it felt like to pass through a Portal as well.

Snap!

A Portal appeared before Matt too.

Matt walked straight in. Though his eyes could not see, the smells and environment on the other side of the Portal were completely different from those here. For Matt, identifying the direction was naturally no problem.

Before the Portal closed, Matt thoughtfully turned back and glanced at Russell.

He "saw" Russell smiling at him, and he smiled too.

The conflict between Matt and Russell stemmed from how to deal with Kingpin.

Matt believed he should be tried by the law.

Russell believed he should simply be killed, once and for all.

Matt knew that, in this matter alone, Russell might have been right.

But if a person disregarded the rules, the dragon-slaying youth would become a new dragon.

Now he understood. Russell had always been following rules.

It was just that the rules they followed were different.

Gwen, who had not spoken until then, asked curiously, "Russell, do you and Matt have some kind of story?"

"My story with Matt? Well, that's a long story."

Russell gently put an arm around Gwen. Space shifted, and they arrived in an unnamed stretch of sky.

He gestured for Gwen to sit on a cloud and watch the setting sun.

Russell slowly began telling the story of Daredevil Matt Murdoch and himself.

Halfway through the story, a consciousness arrived and listened in from nearby.

Master Ancient One?

Did he like listening to stories too?

It was not strange. The few times Russell had visited him, he had been watching movies.

Asgard.

A continent floating in the depths of space.

God King Odin.

A ruler on the brink of death.

"Midgard's Protective Barrier has opened, and the Sorcerer Supreme has returned. Send the invitation and invite her to Thor's Coronation Ceremony," Odin instructed a guard.

"Yes."

"And bring Thor to me. I have things to tell him and Loki. Have the brothers come together." After pondering for a moment, Odin gave another guard his orders.

"Yes."

Odin's twilight was approaching. His Divine Body could no longer bear his ever-growing power. It was time for him to consider what came after.

Yet neither his eldest daughter nor his two sons was a suitable heir.

His eldest daughter, Hela, the Goddess of Death, was both wise and brave, but her desire to conquer was too strong. Asgard might be vast, but those who loved war were bound to perish. This was a truth Odin had realized while conquering the Nine Realms.

After conquering the Nine Realms, Hela rebelled and slaughtered the Valkyrie army sent to suppress her. Odin had personally sealed her away.

More than a thousand years of imprisonment had long since exhausted Hela's filial affection for her father.

His eldest son, Thor, was valiant and skilled in battle. He enjoyed great prestige in Asgard, and nearly everyone supported his succession.

But he had problems as well.

He acted on impulse, disliked using his head, and was easily deceived.

Moreover, although Thor had fought countless battles large and small, campaigns to suppress rebellions could never compare in intensity to wars of conquest.

Once Odin returned to Valhalla and Hela broke free, Thor would most likely be no match for Hela. He had to truly become King of Asgard, allowing the Odinforce to awaken and grow within him, before he could surpass Hela.

As for his second son, Loki, he was adopted—the son of Frost Giant King Laufey. There was no need to mention him.

"Alas~~"

Odin let out a long sigh.

He suddenly had a feeling that Asgard was finished.

He only hoped that when the time came, the powers friendly with Asgard would lend it a hand.

At the very least, they should not kick it while it was down.

Nepal, Kamar-Taj.

The Ancient One received Asgard's envoy and accepted the invitation.

"Thor Odinson's Coronation Ceremony? Is Asgard's divine royal authority being handed over?"

The Ancient One muttered to himself.

Asgard was the nominal ruler of the Nine Realms, protecting them from threats beyond. A change in Asgard's God King was undoubtedly a major event for the Nine Realms.

Earth, Midgard, was also one of the Nine Realms.

"I should bring Russell. Once he succeeds me as Sorcerer Supreme, he will inevitably have to deal with Asgard's God King."

As he pondered, the Ancient One sent a mental connection to where Russell was.

At that moment, Russell was telling Gwen the story of himself and Matt. Sensing the Ancient One's arrival, he showed no reaction at all.

Was this young man bringing workplace reform all the way to Kamar-Taj?

His teacher had arrived, and he did not even offer a greeting.