While I still have some free time, I'll be releasing a super chapter. Hope you enjoy reading it!
Once I found a part-time job, I could only guarantee a stable output of 4,000 words per day.
The taverns in Asgard are nothing like the bars on Earth. There's no loud electronic music or the stench of alcohol. The patrons are Asgard warriors and court guards, who drink and chat with restraint, reflecting the millennia-old rules of the gods. On the tables are roasted meat and sweet dried fruit.
Thor, familiar with the place, carried over a barrel of wine and poured himself a large glass.
He said to Lynn, "Drink with confidence. It's royal mead, it won't harm your health and can even nourish your body."
Lynn nodded his thanks, but didn't dare drink too much. The Queen might summon him at any moment, and there was a banquet later; if he drank too much, it wouldn't just be him who lost face. He took small sips, stopping when he felt he had enough, and remained sober throughout.
Thor was quite relaxed. After all, he was a native prince of the God Realm, and his alcohol tolerance was far beyond that of ordinary people. He chatted with Lynn about interesting things in the God Realm and the secrets of the Nine Star Domains while drinking, passing the time.
The two stayed there from dawn until the sun was high in the sky, and before they knew it, it was noon. Thor put down his glass and patted Lynn on the shoulder.
"It's almost time. The royal banquet is about to begin; we should head over."
Lynn stood up and followed Thor out of the tavern, walking along the wide Jade Street toward the royal banquet hall.
Upon entering the hall, a magnificent scene immediately comes into view. The dome of the main hall is extremely high, and looking up, you can see epic murals depicting Asgard's thousand-year conquest, from the unification of the Nine Realms to the suppression of rebellions, each one bearing the marks of time.
Long tables were neatly arranged in the hall, with Asgard's core high-ranking officials seated on both sides. Generals clad in golden armor exuded a fierce aura, while court priests in elegant robes conveyed solemnity. Sif and the Warriors Three, Thor's confidants, were also prominently present. The tables were laden with roasted meat, honeyed wine, and rare fruits and pastries from all over the Nine Realms. Melodious classical music echoed throughout the hall, making this royal banquet both solemn and somewhat relaxed.
Thor led Lynn through the crowd and had a seat arranged for him next to his own—a seat of considerable rank, clearly reserved for royalty. Many high-ranking members of the God Realm noticed the unfamiliar Lynn, glancing at him with curiosity and doubt. No one knew the identity of this young man who had suddenly appeared at the royal banquet in the Midgard. To be personally led by Thor and seated in a VIP position meant he was clearly no ordinary person. While everyone was filled with curiosity, no one dared to ask, maintaining restraint and decorum throughout.
Lynn was not intimidated. She sat upright, with a calm expression, and quietly waited for the banquet to officially begin.
Not long after, steady footsteps echoed from the entrance of the hall. Odin, clad in a magnificent robe of a god-king, his single eye deep and imposing, exuded an aura as heavy as a mountain, walking slowly ahead. Queen Frigga accompanied him, wearing an elegant silver-white dress, her gentle and dignified demeanor radiating regal grace in every movement. The two entered the hall one after the other, instantly silencing all the noise and laughter in the room. Everyone simultaneously stopped talking, put down their wine glasses, and rose to their feet in a resounding bow.
Odin led Frigga slowly up the platform and settled firmly into the main seat. He picked up a gilded goblet from the table and gently tapped the rim of the goblet with his knuckles. The crisp sound echoed throughout the hall, instantly silencing the already quiet space.
Odin's gaze slowly swept across the entire hall, finally landing on Lynn below. His deep, resonant voice echoed clearly throughout the banquet hall.
"Today's banquet is to announce another important matter. Lynn, from Midgard, is a disciple of the Ancient One, the Sorcerer Supreme, and bears the heavy responsibility of protecting the Earth and restoring order to the world."
He paused, then spoke with resounding conviction, "Today, in the name of the King of Asgard, I hereby bestow upon Lynn the title of King of Asgard and grant him the Asgardian God-Force."
The moment the words were spoken, the entire hall fell silent. All the generals and priests present were visibly shocked.
The title of Asgard King and the power of the God Realm are honors that countless warriors of the God Realm could never attain in their entire lives, yet now they have been directly bestowed upon an outsider from Midgard.
Thor was the first to react. He paused for a brief half-second, then grinned, slammed his wine glass on the table, and raised it high in a salute to Lynn. His eyes were full of approval and genuine congratulations. As the God Realm prince of the Divine Realm and the future heir to the throne, Thor's attitude was the most authoritative endorsement. Although the high-ranking officials of the God Realm in the hall harbored doubts, the King of Gods' words were law, and the prince's initial approval meant no one dared to voice any objections. After a brief moment of astonishment, everyone rose to their feet, bowed, and greeted in unison, "Greetings, Lord Lynn."
Lynn was taken aback, but he didn't have time to think about it. He stood up, bowed to Odin, his movements swift and his expression calm. No matter what he was thinking, he couldn't lose his composure.
"Thank you for your kindness, God King."
After speaking, he picked up the wine glass in front of him, tilted his head back and drank it all in one gulp, accepting this exceptional honor with decisiveness and composure.
With the investiture finalized, the atmosphere in the hall relaxed again, and the banquet officially began. A group of high- God Realm God Realm King. Lynn handled the situation calmly, his manner perfectly measured.
The royal banquet lasted for more than three hours. From noon to afternoon, the air was filled with the aroma of wine and laughter, until the sky began to set in the west, at which point the guests slowly dispersed. Lynn declined the invitations to join the others for a follow-up gathering and returned alone to the temporary residence that had been specially arranged for him in the God Realm.
The sleeping quarters were spacious, with walls made of light golden divine jade. The windows were open, letting in light from outside, and the air was filled with a faint floral fragrance, making it much more comfortable than any dwelling on Earth.
He had just stepped inside and casually closed the door behind him, not even having time to shut it properly, when he heard soft footsteps behind him. Lynn turned around to see Queen Frigga standing quietly in the doorway. She had changed into a simple, plain-colored long dress and had come alone without any attendants.
Frigga walked straight into the house without any unnecessary pleasantries or small talk, getting straight to the point.
"I've known about your origins the Ancient One. You are a visitor from beyond the realms, unbound by the rules of the Nine Star Domains, and one of the very few truly free people in this world, unfettered by fate."
She looked at Lynn calmly, but a hint of heaviness was hidden in her eyes.
" Odin and I have ruled God Realm for a thousand years, and we foresaw the coming of Ragnarok. We have tried countless methods and deduced countless possible future paths, but in every outcome, Asgard ultimately could not escape its fate of destruction."
She paused briefly, looking steadily into Lynn's eyes, her tone gentle yet each word solemn.
"I would like to ask you to try and stop Ragnarok."
Lynn fell silent. Only one thought occupied his mind... Ragnarok? Even Odin and Frigga couldn't solve it, so what gave him the right? He hadn't even dealt with his own side effects yet, so where did he get the confidence to control the fate of the people of the God Realm?
After a moment of silence, he spoke frankly, without the slightest hint of bravado.
"Your Majesty, you overestimate me. I haven't even fully resolved my own limitations; I'm barely able to take care of myself. Where would I get the confidence to stop a catastrophe of Ragnarok's magnitude?"
Frigga's expression remained unchanged, as if she had anticipated his answer. She showed no surprise and exerted no pressure whatsoever. She simply nodded slightly, changing her perspective in line with his words.
" The Ancient One told me and Odin everything about your situation. Your brain's processing power can't keep up with your energy consumption, and your body's carrying capacity is insufficient. This is your biggest constraint. And Asgard happens to have something that can help you solve this problem."
Her gaze was sincere as she offered her stakes.
" The Eternal Flame. A supreme primordial treasure of the Nine Realms, containing creation-level power. Odin personally controls its essence to temper your body, maximizing your physical strength and raising the limits of your brainpower."
"I don't expect you to completely reverse the fate of Ragnarok. I only hope that, at the moment of catastrophe, you can save as many innocent divine beings as possible within your power. That's all."
Lynn quickly calculated in his mind. The Eternal Flame tempering could directly solve his biggest weaknesses: insufficient computing power and an overloaded brain. This level of benefit was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. As for Ragnarok, he never intended to stubbornly resist fate. He would first secure the benefits and strengthen himself. When the cataclysm came, he would save as many as possible while ensuring his own survival, which would also fulfill his promise.
Having figured this out, he no longer hesitated and nodded solemnly.
"Can."
Seeing his agreement, a hint of relief flashed in Frigga's eyes, and she nodded slightly. " Odin has already arranged the tempering matters. Now, come with me."
Deep within the vault, Odin was already waiting. Thor stood to the side, arms crossed, unusually quiet. Seeing Lynn enter, he merely nodded, saying nothing more. He knew better than anyone how dangerous the Eternal Flame was.
Inside the special divine-patterned container at the center of the treasure vault, a deep red flame burned silently. Unlike ordinary flames that leap and dance, it was thick and heavy, almost solidified, like a mass of molten lava compressed to the extreme, quietly lurking, constantly emanating a terrifying primal aura of destruction and rebirth.
"Go up," Odin said in a deep voice.
Without wasting words, Lynn simply took off his shirt, took a deep breath to suppress the tension in his heart, and steadily walked to the stone platform in front of Odin, where he slowly lay down.
Just a second before Odin raised his hand, golden runes lighting up his fingertips, about to unleash the Eternal Flame, Lynn suddenly realized something: he had forgotten to remove the three replica gems from his chest.
He was about to call for a halt, but it was too late.
The deep red Eternity Fire surged into his body instantly.
A burning sensation instantly swept through my entire body, as if I had been thrown into a furnace, every bone was shattering, and every nerve was being torn apart. My consciousness rapidly blurred.
Just as the body was about to give way, the three dormant replica gems in the chest were forcibly activated by this domineering external force. The three gems did not possess the original cosmic authority, but their essence was the same. As the Eternal Flame surged forth, they were simultaneously triggered, their three colors intertwining as they began to contend with the Eternal Flame.
The domineering and destructive Eternal Flame, intertwined with the energies of time, space, and Mind Stone, collided violently within Lynn's body. Tearing, colliding, and reforming... bones shattered and grew back, nerves severed and reconnected. The pain was real, like being thrown into a furnace and forged a thousand times, but every inch of his body was indeed being reforged.
Lynn had almost lost consciousness. The narrow riverbed in his mind was being repeatedly eroded by the flood, expanding inch by inch.
The burning sensation suddenly subsided, replaced by an indescribable comfort, like soaking in warm water, where every pore on my body opened up, and the previous fatigue was washed away little by little.
The transformation of the body was clearly perceptible. The divine power bestowed by Odin before was more like wearing a well-fitting glove, an external blessing. But the Eternal Flame was different; it burned from the bones outwards, completely renewing the entire body.
The most noticeable change came from his brain. The hazy feeling he used to have was gone, and recalling anything was as clear as turning the pages of a book. For the first time, his brain had caught up with the rate at which his abilities were being depleted.
After an unknown amount of time, the power of the Eternal Flame slowly receded, and the tempering process was completely over.
The light from the three gems on his chest gradually faded, settling back into his skin. The yellow of the Mind Stone deepened, the green of the Time Stone became purer, and the blue of the Space Stone became brighter.
They are still the weakened versions, lacking the original underlying authority, but their output power is significantly stronger than before.
Lynn propped himself up on the stone platform, feeling relaxed and refreshed, as if he had never felt so comfortable before.
Odin looked at him, a hint of emotion flashing in his eyes.
"I walked through this fire back then, which laid the foundation for my later God-King status. Now it's your turn." He paused, his tone turning serious, "Remember your promise; when the calamity comes, don't forget today's agreement."
Lynn slowly got up and stretched his limbs. The divine power and gem energy intertwined and flowed within his body, and he could feel that his body was indeed different—not the kind of excitement of a sudden surge in strength, but more like the feeling of suddenly unloading a fifty-pound weight that he had been carrying all along. He felt very light and very stable.
He didn't get caught up in the novelty; his expression quickly returned to seriousness.
"King and Queen, I am very grateful for your gifts. I will remember this kindness and will certainly fulfill my promise to help you in the future."
He abruptly changed the subject, saying without any hesitation, "However, things are still unstable on Earth, and new troubles could arise at any time. I dare not stay abroad any longer and plan to return immediately. I hope you two will understand."
Odin gave him a deep look, his eyes showing no displeasure, but rather a hint of appreciation.
Frigga nodded gently and said softly, "Remember your heart, act within your capabilities, and don't put too much pressure on yourself."
"Thank you, God-King; thank you, Queen." Lynn bowed again, bidding farewell solemnly.
Thor stepped forward, about to call upon Heimdall to open the Bifrost, when Lynn raised his hand to stop him.
"No need to trouble yourself, it's more convenient for me to go back by myself."
He raised his hand and sketched in the air, pale blue spatial patterns unfolding in his palm, slowly forming a portal. Behind the portal lay the familiar mountain path of Kamar-Taj. Now, the replica Space Stone had been tempered by the Eternal Flame, greatly enhancing its performance. His technique for opening portals was much more stable than before, and he had long since mastered short-distance interstellar teleportation.
"See you on Earth later." Lynn waved to Thor and stepped into the portal. A flash of blue light, and the portal closed instantly, leaving him nowhere to be seen.
The holy light and spiritual energy of Asgard were left behind, replaced by the familiar mountain breeze and calming incense of Kamar-Taj. The tranquil forest remained serene, the wind rustling the leaves, isolating all the strife of the star system from the outside world. Lynn steadied himself, straightened his clothes, and slowly walked toward the Ancient One's tea room.
The wooden door remained ajar, and the aroma of tea wafted out from the crack. Lynn raised his hand and knocked twice on the door.
"Come in." The Ancient One's voice came from inside the house, calm and undisturbed, as if she had known he would come again.
Lynn pushed open the door and walked in, taking a relaxed seat on the wooden chair opposite her, as if nothing had changed. The Ancient One put down her teacup, her deep gaze falling on him, scrutinizing him for a moment before a faint smile appeared on her lips.
"It seems your gains from this trip to the God Realm have been even greater than I anticipated. Your body has been completely tempered and reshaped by the Eternal Flame, and you have obtained authentic Asgardian God-Force and three Infinity Stones."
She paused, a knowing glint in her eyes, "If I'm not mistaken, you've also agreed to Frigga and Odin's request to get involved in the destiny of Ragnarok, haven't you?"
Lynn scratched the back of his head sheepishly and grinned.
"I am still aware of my limitations. Even Odin and Frigga couldn't resolve this destiny; I don't have the ability to forcibly intervene. I only promised them that when the cataclysm arrives, I will do my best to save as many innocent divine beings as possible within my power. I will do my utmost and not fail their gift."
The Ancient One nodded slightly, a hint of approval flashing in her eyes. "You haven't gone astray, you've stayed true to yourself. It's rare to find someone who remains so clear-headed and insightful."
She looked up at Lynn and asked directly, "So, what trouble have you come all this way to see me about?"
Lynn's smile faded, and his expression turned serious.
"My overall strength has improved too much. I don't know where my current limit is, nor am I sure if the new energy combination will cause new problems. I dare not try it anywhere else, because if something goes wrong, the destructive power is unpredictable. Only here with you can I completely let loose and test it."
The Ancient One shook her head helplessly. She raised her hand and waved it gently, and the surrounding space instantly distorted and fluctuated. The Mirror Dimension unfolded, completely isolating the entire tea room, creating an independent world that was completely isolated from the real world, eliminating any risk of leakage.
"Since we're going to test it, let's go all out. That'll be the fastest and most direct way to get results."
The Ancient One looked at him, his tone calm and composed, "Activate all your abilities, don't hold back. The Mirror Dimension is yours to manipulate as you please, without any external interference."
"Good."
Lynn stopped wasting words. This time, he didn't activate the magic circle in his mind first. Instead, he relied entirely on his tempered physique and expanded brain to simultaneously activate the three upgraded replica gems on his chest.
Three distinct energies erupted instantly: yellow Mind Stone energy, green temporal energy, and blue spatial energy, combined with his own pale white abilities and golden divine power. The five colors of energy intertwined and flowed slowly around him. The five energies blended harmoniously without any conflict, operating steadily and continuously.
Lynn stood quietly in the center of the Mirror Dimension, focusing all his energy on maintaining his output and feeling the new energy circulation pattern within his body. The Ancient One watched quietly from the side, monitoring his energy fluctuations and physical condition throughout.
For the first ten minutes, my condition was perfectly stable, my energy output was even, and my brain worked smoothly without any sluggishness. For the next fifteen minutes, I remained as stable as ever, without experiencing the usual backlash, dizziness, or mental blocks.
Around the twentieth minute, Lynn's body swayed slightly, and his brow furrowed. A sense of fatigue crept into his mind, his brain began to overload, and the familiar pressure slowly resurfaced.
He gritted his teeth, trying to hold on, when the Ancient One's voice rang out, calmly stopping him.
"That's enough, stop now."
Lynn immediately withdrew all his power. The five-colored light around him instantly faded and returned to normal, and the surroundings returned to calm. He let out a long sigh and looked up at the Ancient One.
The Ancient One lowered his head and pondered for a moment before slowly speaking.
"The newly replicated Space Stone doesn't completely eliminate the side effects of your abilities. However, it makes your energy manipulation more refined and stable, helping you avoid most of the risks of losing control."
"The reason you were able to maintain a stable state for twenty minutes without activating the magic array this time is not due to the gem, but rather the greatly expanded brain capacity after being tempered by the Eternal Flame. The brain damage caused by your past long-term overload computing has been completely repaired during this body tempering. Now, your thinking speed and energy carrying capacity have been completely transformed."
Her tone was fair, offering a precise conclusion. "In your current state, if you exert all your abilities, fifteen minutes is your limit. Within that time, your body and mind can withstand it safely. But once you exceed that time, the side effects will still be present. So, don't push yourself too hard."
She paused, then added, "Since you're always thinking about the remaining Infinity Stones, I won't try to persuade you further. Just take it slow and do what you can."
After saying that, the Ancient One waved her hand and casually added, "If there's nothing else, go back now. It's about time; I should also start making some plans for Strange's matter."
Lynn understood instantly. He didn't bother him any further, scratched his head, gave a simple, silly smile, and obediently bowed to take his leave.
"Then I won't bother you any longer. Goodbye, Master The Ancient One."