Mercer used Kotoamatsukami to place Thor under an illusion, making him firmly believe that he could lift Mjolnir and that no one else could.
This had only been an experiment, and Mercer had not held out much hope. After all, the seal had been placed by All-Father Odin himself.
Who would have thought Kotoamatsukami would actually pull it off? It had altered Thor's thinking, even though he had yet to experience sacrificing himself for others.
His subconscious now compelled him to act that way, something the old Thor had never possessed.
It was precisely the emergence of that quality that had allowed Thor to lift the hammer again.
"Whew, thank goodness. I suppose this brings the timeline back to something I'm reasonably familiar with."
Mercer gazed up at the sky. Thor had picked up the hammer now, but there was no telling what was happening with Loki.
After Mercer had driven him off, there was no knowing what kind of attack he would launch if he returned.
"Judging by what just happened, that guy certainly isn't the forgiving type."
That alone had prompted Loki to bring an army to attack Mercer. What he might try next was anyone's guess.
Forget it. I'll take things as they come, Mercer murmured inwardly. He looked at Thor and asked, "What do you plan to do next?"
Thor hefted the hammer in his hand and looked up at the sky. "I need to return to Asgard. Now that I've regained my divine power, I have to get back immediately. Otherwise, who knows what Loki might do?"
"Fair enough." Mercer nodded. With Thor there, that brat probably wouldn't be able to stir up much trouble.
"Thank you." Thor gave Mercer a long, meaningful look, saying something that left everyone else puzzled.
Seeing the unusual gleam in Thor's beautiful eyes, Mercer smiled. "Until we meet again."
"Right!"
With that, Thor stepped back some distance and shouted toward the sky, "Heimdall!"
The next moment, the light of the Bifrost descended once more and transported Thor away.
Only after watching this female version of Thor leave did Mercer breathe a sigh of relief. This matter was finally settled.
He had barely had time to relax when a woman's voice suddenly sounded behind him.
"It seems I came all this way for nothing. I hadn't expected you to drive off Loki's army single-handedly, Mr. Alex."
The elegant British accent carried an air of refinement and nobility. Mercer turned to see the speaker and raised an eyebrow.
"Ancient One, what brings you here?"
The woman who had appeared before him was Earth's Sorcerer Supreme.
If Loki is already this powerful, the Ancient One in this world must be even stronger, Mercer thought.
"I'm surprised you recognize me, Mr. Alex." The Ancient One sounded somewhat astonished. "With Loki bringing the Royal Guard to Earth, naturally, I had to come take a look."
"Well, it's settled now. You can leave," Mercer said flatly.
"If you have some time, Mr. Alex, why not come to my humble abode for a cup of tea?" The Ancient One asked with a faint smile.
The Ancient One in this world was still bald and had no eyebrows. On anyone else, that appearance would have looked strange, but it suited her surprisingly well.
Tea?
They were complete strangers, yet the Ancient One had invited him over for tea right off the bat.
"This tea you're offering-is it really just tea?" Mercer asked.
The Ancient One paused, then smiled. "Rest assured, Mr. Alex. It really is just a cup of tea. I'd also like to have a chat with you."
With that, she raised the hand wearing the magical artifact known as a Sling Ring and traced circles beside it with her other hand. A golden portal opened, and she gestured for Mercer to enter.
Mercer gave it no further thought and stepped through.
The Ancient One smiled and nodded to Jane and Daisy, then followed Mercer into the portal.
Only Jane and Daisy remained, staring at each other.
"They just left, just like that..."
"What does it matter? Everything I saw today completely changed how I see the world. It was worth it."
"True. Then let's go... I wonder when Thor will be back."
Neither woman knew that the next time they saw Thor, it would be in the midst of a great battle.
They emerged on the other side of the portal.
It was a somewhat old study. The interior was spotless, though the furniture still bore the marks of age.
"This tea comes from plants I grew myself, brewed with mountain spring water. Have a taste."
The Ancient One's voice came from beside him. Mercer turned and saw her seated at a tea table, faint wisps of steam rising from the cups.
Mercer watched her for a few seconds, then walked over and sat down. He picked up a cup and drained it in one gulp.
The fragrance of the tea instantly filled his mouth and lingered. Its aftertaste held a faint sweetness, heightened by delicate traces of bitterness.
Although Mercer knew nothing about tea, he still blurted out after drinking it, "Good tea!"
Smiling, the Ancient One lifted the teapot and refilled his cup.
Neither said much. They simply drank their tea in silence.
After three rounds of "drinks," Mercer set down his cup and looked at the Ancient One. "Why exactly did you invite me here? Surely it wasn't really just to taste your tea."
Finishing the tea in her cup with a sip, the Ancient One smiled faintly. "Tea was part of it. Mostly, I wanted to see what sort of person you are, Mr. Alex."
"Have you figured it out?"
"I have," The Ancient One said with a faint smile. "You aren't a bad person, but you aren't exactly a good person either."
Her ambiguous words made Mercer raise an eyebrow. He tipped his chin toward her, signaling for her to continue.
"You can absorb others to acquire their abilities and memories, and you possess that tremendous power of lightning. To be honest, in all my years, I've never seen anyone with abilities like yours.
"And you seem very familiar with me, Mr. Alex, as well as with other people in this world.
"You gave Nick Fury information from the future, brought out a transforming automobile that doesn't belong to this world at all, and called me by name the moment you saw me. All of that suggests you are quite extraordinary. An ordinary high school student wouldn't know such things."
Her words were calm, but they revealed a great deal.
None of what Mercer had demonstrated could have come from his original identity.
If an ordinary high school student suddenly gained these superpowers, that could be chalked up to good fortune.
But remaining utterly composed in the face of Loki's army and identifying the Ancient One at a glance were another matter. Unless the power he had acquired was prophecy, he could not possibly have known such things.
"So, what are you getting at?" Mercer asked with a smile, his expression unchanged by her words.
"What I wanted to ask was..." A gleam flickered in the Ancient One's eyes. She stared at Mercer without blinking and spoke slowly.
"Mr. Alex... would you tell me which universe you come from?"
Before you continue