Chapter 144: Chapter 139
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Of course.
All of this was just Tony Stark's own analysis, nothing more.
Thanos didn't steal the stones himself but instead manipulated Loki to do it, and the real reason behind this wasn't mentioned in the journal.
The assumptions about fearing Odin and the Ancient One were just Zhou Cheng's own speculations.
No definitive answer was provided!
However, since the Tesseract, or rather, the Space Stone, is so important,
it's always wise to strengthen its defenses.
Whether or not Loki will return or whether the Battle of New York will happen again, it's crucial for everyone to ensure that the Tesseract isn't stolen!
That's the most important matter.
Sadly, Odin's age is already catching up to him; he may not have many years left before he dies of old age.
The Ancient One, who seems to have lived for an age, no longer desired life and chose death after finding a successor.
Otherwise, who across the whole Earth, or the entire universe, could kill the Ancient One?
Kaecilius, the traitor from Kamar-Taj?
Don't be ridiculous!
The Ancient One simply desired to follow Eternity on her own!
If she had found a successor earlier, perhaps she would have departed long ago.
Death by old age!
Was Odin truly destined to die of old age?
This answer surprisingly caught Tony Stark off guard.
When he first learned of Odin's death from the journal, Iron Man wondered who could possibly kill a powerhouse like Odin.
Could it have been Thanos with one or all of the stones, or an even stronger being?
Whoever it was would have to be a formidable force!
But Iron Man now understood, nobody killed Odin; Odin died of old age!
Tony Stark was quite moved by this fact. Eventually, everything faces extinction, even a god king like Odin.
Then what about the so-called Primeval God, Eternity?
With a name that signifies undying, could Eternity truly be immortal?
And about the interdimensional demon Dormammu mentioned before, he transcends time itself.
If he is beyond time, does that mean he's immune to death?
But sadly, no one had answers for Iron Man regarding these questions.
After some musing, Tony Stark continued to read the journal, revealing his astonishment once more.
So, the Ancient One wasn't killed but chose not to live!
She "reluctantly" stayed alive solely because she didn't find a successor yet.
How many years had the Ancient One actually lived?
Iron Man couldn't possibly know that, but the might and miraculous aspects of the Ancient One were greatly showcased again.
In the entire universe, who could kill the Ancient One?
Wasn't this an indication that even if she conquered the whole universe, she would still be among the highest echelons?
More incredibly, was the Ancient One associated with Eternity, the Primeval God?
That certainly elevates her status to an unbelievable level, far beyond mortal comprehension.
However, one thing remained unclear: Why would following Eternity require death?
From the tone of the journal, it seems she didn't fake her death, but she couldn't have truly died either.
After all, how can one follow Eternity after death unless in the form of the soul or something else?
Having had the journal for so long, Iron Man had developed a different understanding of death.
At the very least, Tony Stark knew that the soul exists and can persist in some form after the body dies.
Such as the spirits in the Valhalla of Asgard, a place for the valiant Asgardian warriors after death.
So was the Ancient One's "death" a similar case?
Is that why she willingly died at the hands of the traitor from Kamar-Taj?
"Father died of old age?" Thor, reading another journal, relaxed slightly.
After subsequent verifications of spoilers from the journal, his anxiety was somewhat alleviated.
According to the journal, aside from Thor himself, all his family had died.
And just now, the journal had also revealed Loki's death: the unfortunate brother was strangled to death by Thanos.
Although the specifics of this life-and-death struggle weren't known to Thor, he was determined to stop Thanos.
Knowing the identity of the mastermind behind the scenes was good news.
But the journal was silent on the deaths of his father and mother, which worried Thor immensely.
At this moment, the journal finally divulged this critical piece of information.
This news gave Thor some relief: his father did not meet a tragic end but died peacefully.
Thinking about it, an entity like his father would have few, if any, equals in the universe.
How could he have been killed by someone?
Zhou Cheng really should have been clearer, causing Thor unnecessary worry.
However, Thor's relaxed expression quickly turned into a frown again.
Odin living only a few more years was certainly not good news.
"No, it can't be."
"It won't be so!"
Thor shook his head, unable to accept this revelation and unwilling to believe it in his heart.
Meanwhile, details he had previously overlooked or not noticed began to surface in his mind.
In recent years, there certainly were changes in Odin's behavior, and he did seem much older.
After considering Odin's age, indeed, he had lived a long life.
Still, it seemed unbelievable that he would die of old age in just a few years.
Impossible!
Absolutely not!
Thor inwardly screamed incessantly, his eyes fixedly staring at the journal, hoping to glean more relevant information from it.
Unfortunately, at this critical moment, the journal suddenly ceased updating, stopping abruptly without any warning.
This left Thor incredibly frustrated, yet utterly helpless.
"No, I must return to Asgard immediately."
He stood up swiftly, feeling an unprecedented urgency.
How he wished he could immediately appear before Odin to check on the condition of his father, the king.
Moreover, Thor couldn't stand idly by and watch Loki destroy Jotunheim!
None of the Warriors Three knew about it, and given Loki's notoriously devious nature, even they would be no match for him.
Thor had to return in person.
But the key issue was, even now, Thor was unable to lift his hammer.
Of course, the method to lift the hammer had been outlined in the journal.
One must pass the test of character and be without blemish.
But how could he ensure that his character was flawless?
With Thor's intelligence, it was unlikely he would figure out an answer anytime soon.
Nonetheless, he couldn't just do nothing.
Without any hesitation, Thor once again hurried to his hammer to make another attempt at lifting it.
The result, unquestionably, was the same as before: the hammer remained as heavy as a mountain to Thor, immovable.
"Father, why are you doing this to me?"
Thor felt like he was on the verge of a breakdown. Was there a problem with his morality? No, there wasn't!
He, Thor, had always contributed enormously to the peace and stability of the Nine Realms, quelling countless insurgents.
How could there be a blemish in his morality?
Was it because he argued with his father and called the old man senile?
But he already recognized his mistake!
Why couldn't he succeed?
Thor couldn't begin to express his urgency; he was desperate to return to Asgard to stop Loki!
However, what Thor couldn't imagine was that even if he could lift his hammer, he would not be able to return.
...
In Asgard, on the Rainbow Bridge.
Tingling clang!
Bang, bang, bang!
The crisp sounds of metal clashing reverberated, accompanied by the whishing of air and the thuds of punches and kicks.
A group of fully armed Asgardian warriors were attacking five individuals.
Which five?
The Warriors Three, the lady warrior Sif, and Heimdall!
Their actions were already known.
These four had secretly descended to Earth to bring back Thor and usurp the throne.
They also defeated the Destroyer alongside the man who could lift the hammer, foiling Loki's plans.
Loki certainly wouldn't let them off.
As for Heimdall?
Loki had long been at odds with him, even using the Casket of Ancient Winters to freeze Heimdall solid!
This was to sneak Laufey and other Frost Giants secretly into Asgard.
But Heimdall was truly formidable, managing to break free even when encased in ice and slay the Frost Giants guarding the Rainbow Bridge.
He then managed to transport the Warriors Three and Sif back.
In the original movie, Thor returned with the Warriors Three, which allowed them to control the situation.
But now?
Only the Warriors Three returned, hardly making any significant impact on the overall situation in Asgard.
They couldn't even leave the Rainbow Bridge before Loki ambushed them with his troops.
Indeed, they were strong, but regardless, there were only a few of them.
The severely injured Heimdall was unable to fight, relying only on the Warriors.
However, they only managed to hold off for a moment before inevitably being defeated and captured by the Asgardian warriors.
"How interesting, the famous Warriors Three and lady warrior Sif."
"Oh, and of course, we mustn't forget the legendary Heimdall - a man my father respected deeply."
"Sending such esteemed individuals to prison is amusing to say the least."
Loki approached with his characteristically sly smile, regarding the captives with indifference.
"Loki, even if you ascend to the throne through despicable means, you'll never win the hearts of Asgard's people!"
"Thor will return, sooner or later!"
Sif, with her fiery temper, glared at Loki and shouted angrily.
"No, it won't be long before I am a king beloved by all."
"When that time comes, no one will remember Thor—only my great achievements will be celebrated."
"Keep your eyes peeled and watch!"
Loki was brimming with confidence.
"Loki, there could be danger for King Odin, for Asgard!"
"Indeed, I dislike you, but this isn't about us—it's about the entirety of Asgard, and I implore you to take it seriously!"
Volstagg, the voice of reason among them, recalled Thor's warning and urgently cautioned Loki.
Something stirred within Loki.
Did Volstagg know something?
According to his plans, danger indeed loomed over Asgard.
His beloved father Odin was also in jeopardy!
But time was of the essence, and Loki's scheme was about to commence.
Despite his doubts, he had no time to investigate further.
After his grand plan succeeded, there would be time for interrogation.
"Take them away! Lock them up!"
Loki coldly commanded the Asgardian warriors, disregarding Volstagg's words.
"Loki, I'm not spouting nonsense; you must believe me."
"Loki!"
Volstagg kept shouting after Loki.
But in the blink of an eye, Loki's figure turned into a ray of light and vanished.
It's true.
The Loki before them wasn't the real Loki but merely a projection cast by his magic.
So where was the real Loki at this moment?
Undoubtedly, he was lurking in Odin's chambers.
He merely intended to create the illusion of Laufey attempting to assassinate Odin; he didn't want his father to actually die.
So after letting Laufey in, he kept a vigilant watch over Odin's room.
Just as he captured the Warriors Three and Heimdall, Laufey had successfully infiltrated and even wounded Loki's mother, Frigga.
Everything was unfolding according to the plan.
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