I Will Pledge My Loyalty to You!

Asgard, the royal palace.

Fully armed, Odin stood atop Mount Asgard, gazing up at the sky above, where an intensely dark black gradually merged into the boundless blue.

The darkness that had been dormant for thousands of years revived in his time.

"Has Thanos's son really found the Aether?" Frigga's eyes were filled with worry. To be fair, she had a good impression of Beckett, whom she had only met once, especially his distinctive blond hair.

However, this doesn't mean Frigga could accept the fact that Beckett took the Aether. She had personally experienced that era, and if it weren't for the intervention of the former King of Asgard Bor, the Nine Realms might have fallen to the Dark Elves and become Malekith's territory thousands of years ago.

Therefore, she did not have a good impression of the Aether. She had always opposed Odin's decision to Aether to Thanos of the Centaurus Galaxy. However, the headstrong Odin simply did not listen, or rather, he never even considered listening.

"Even if he does find it, so what? As long as Malekith is alive, he will never allow anyone else to touch the Aether. It won't be so easy for Thanos's son to take the Aether away."

At this moment, Odin's face was completely devoid of the kindness and friendliness he had shown when facing Beckett. The coldness hanging at the corner of his mouth was enough to send chills down anyone's spine.

Even Frigga, who knew Odin quite well, couldn't help but Central City a chill when she saw the emotion in his eyes. "Aren't you worried?"

"Worry?"

Why worry?

As far as Odin was concerned, he could simply stand by and watch the battle between Beckett and Malekith, waiting until they had decided the victor before stepping in to reap the benefits.

Beckett won, Malekith lost, and Odin lost a major enemy on his path to conquest. What harm is there in giving him the Aether?

Beckett lost, and Malekith won't fare any better. Odin will then locate his daughter's coordinates and personally take swift and decisive action to finish off the injured Malekith, so it won't be a loss for him either.

Regardless of who wins or loses, Odin is the beneficiary, so why should he worry?

"But Hela is still with Beckett."

"Don't worry, Hela is our Asgard Goddess of Death." Odin couldn't help but smile with pride when talking about his most prized daughter.

Hela, who formed a connection with Asgard when she awakened her divinity, is an extremely special being in this kingdom. As long as Asgard exists, even Odin cannot eliminate Hela. It is precisely because of this that Odin felt at ease letting the young Hela lead an army to fight for the glory of Asgard in the north and south.

"Hey, are you dead or not?"

Svartalfheim, the Dark World.

Beckett took two more bottles of Nutrient Fluid from his bracelet and drank them down. His fatigue and injuries recovered quickly under the influence of the green Nutrient Fluid.

"I am the Goddess of Death of Asgard."

"No one can kill me, no one."

Lying on the ground, Hela stretched out his hand to wipe the blood from the corner of his mouth as he took a deep breath. His black combat bodysuit, engraved with mysterious patterns, was already tattered and worn, and his exposed snow-white skin stood out conspicuously in this Dark World.

Beckett remained noncommittal, glancing at The Other, who was huddled in a ball not far away. He frowned, trying to find the feeling of transforming into his blonde form, but still to no avail.

The Mind Stone seemed to be playing dead, giving Beckett no response whatsoever.

Boom!

Rumble!!!

The overwhelming power of the heavens did not cease; lightning, capable of killing ordinary soldiers of the Nine Realms, continued to indiscriminately attack every inch of the ground beneath Beckett's feet. Tentacles capable of draining life force lurked in the dark mist, causing Beckett's life force to drain away every second.

A mysterious magic circle appeared and disappeared beneath Malekith's feet, and the accumulated, immense life force surged into it under Malekith's command!

Click!

The seal set up by the former King of Asgard Bor of Asgard was officially broken at this moment, and a power that Malekith was extremely familiar with transformed into a stream of light and returned to his body.

All attacks from the Dark World ceased instantly. Beckett and Hela, exhausted from dealing with the situation, exchanged a glance, both feeling a sense of foreboding.

"Dark,"

"Descend."

Like the whisper of a creator god, or the chant of a holy angel, Malekith, floating high in the sky, opened his arms, and the black mist that had enveloped Beckett and the others vanished instantly, allowing the fresh air of Svartalfheim to return to them.

[This is?]

Panting heavily, Beckett was filled with doubt and uncertainty. Before he could react, a thick torrent of energy erupted beneath his feet like a volcanic eruption!

Boom!!!

"I am the king of the Nine Realms."

Malekith opened his eyes and slowly landed on the ground.

With a wave of his right hand, Beckett and Hela's surroundings were distorted, and in the next second, they were forcibly transported to Malekith's side.

"Now, kneel before your king."

Enjoying a power far surpassing that of his former self, Malekith indifferently commanded the two immobilized figures before him.

An invisible pressure was constantly weighing on Beckett's spine, and with his physical abilities aging to a certain extent, he seemed completely unable to resist.

"Hiss..."

"Ah!!!!"

With veins bulging on his arms, Beckett's newfound power allowed him to instantly break free from Malekith's distorted reality. He roared and threw a powerful right punch, but it stopped short of reaching Malekith's forehead.

"Overestimating one's abilities."

Malekith, who stood with his hands behind his back, flicked his finger, and Beckett felt as if he had been hit by a meteorite in the chest. His battered body was sent flying backward, leaving a long trail on the Svartalfheim Plain!

"Your His Highness Beckett!"

The Other, who was huddled to the side trembling, could no longer sit still. He stood up and ran to Beckett's side, reaching out to help the battered Beckett up, but was pushed away by the latter.

"Get out of my way!"

With a hoarse voice and Beckett's movements, The Other stumbled, his dark pupils filled with a chilling rage.

"Your His Highness Beckett..."

The Other, staggering and falling to the ground, stared blankly at Beckett, who was giving him the last dose of the drug, his expression complex.

"You don't seem to treat your subordinates very well."

With great interest, Malekith watched Beckett push The Other away, then beckoned again, and Beckett's body reappeared before Malekith's eyes.

"Or is this your incompetent rage?" Malekith chuckled, in high spirits, thoroughly enjoying the long-lost surge of power.

He reveled in this supreme power, in the awe-inspiring ability to change the landscape with a wave of his hand.

Pfft!

At Malekith's command, the jet-black tentacles instantly pierced through Beckett's chest!

"Your His Highness Beckett!"

Crimson blood splattered all over the ground. The Other, who witnessed everything, suddenly contracted his pupils. Beckett, whose life force was rapidly fading, struggled but could not break free from the binding of the Aether energy.

Malekith's understanding and application of the Infinity Stones' power far surpasses that of Shafrin on U40 Planet.

"Chitauri, now I can give you a chance to choose again." Malekith, standing with his hands behind his back, turned his gaze to The Other, or more precisely, to the scepter in The Other's arms that was inlaid with the Mind Stone.

"In the name of the Dark Elf King, if you are willing to serve me as your master and lead your Chitauri Army to my command, you will be able to live. What do you say?"

With a smirk, Malekith trampled the defenseless Beckett under his feet and, in the name of the king, asked...

"Serving you as my master?"

Upon hearing this, The Other looked surprised and uncertain; he had no idea he was so sought after.

"That's right, what do you think of this suggestion? Leave this man who has no respect for you and come to me." Malekith twirled his right hand and stomped Beckett, who was still trying to resist, into the plain soil!

"Of course, you have to take that gem with you." Malekith squinted and pointed to the Mind Stone at the top of The Other's scepter.

"However, I don't have much patience. Now, tell me your answer."

"Tell me in the presence of the Son of Thanos."

The wounded Beckett was still struggling at Malekith's feet, while Hela, wielding her warhammer, was trapped in a virtual reality from which she could not extricate herself. The Other closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and made his decision.

"I see,"

"If that's the case, then there's only one answer!"

With his arm outstretched, the scepter inlaid with the Mind Stone, The Other suddenly opened his eyes and, as if offering a pledge of allegiance, snapped the scepter in half!

Click!

"I will be loyal to you!"

Thank you to [Book Friend 20170824071214105], [DouDou], and [Mr. L] for the generous donations!