This work is finished; you can read all the advanced chapters on my patreon: https://www.patreon.com/GGS6395
Thor laughed heartily at the news. "It's rare to see such emotion on your face, Eitri!"
Eitri wore a helpless expression. "There's just too much, far too much. By the way, what do you mean by 'baby'? Do you already have children?"
"...No, more like a pet?" Arthur wasn't sure how to describe it.
"Oh, I see. So it's a pet. I love animals too. Here's what I'll do: the other items are too complex, and they require too many rare materials. So, I can only agree to a few of the things you mentioned."
Eitri paused before continuing. "I'll forge you a single blade, and for firearms... well, let's go with a pistol. I'll craft one for you. As for your little pet, I can forge it full body armor!"
Arthur sighed in disappointment. "Alright, that'll do."
"What about your little pet?" Eitri asked.
Arthur summoned Abomination.
The two small giants stared at each other for a moment before Eitri turned and fled. "Goodbye!!!"
The Dwarf Chieftain fled in disarray. Arthur and Thor exchanged glances. "Did I hurt his fragile little heart?" Arthur asked.
"...I think you're just in the habit of hurting everyone," Thor shrugged.
Arthur retracted idiot and said, "Alright, forget the pet suit. But add a sniper rifle. Different types of weapons will inevitably have different effects."
"That shouldn't be a problem," Thor said, then hesitated. "As long as you don't intimidate him."
"...I didn't."
"Summoning Abomination already counts as intimidation."
"..."
...
For the next few days, Arthur remained in Niðavellir.
Eitri's emotions flared up and subsided quickly. Once he learned of Arthur's decision, he immediately agreed to help forge the weapon, his determination unwavering.
Thor, after becoming familiar with Arthur, returned to Asgard.
Arthur's stay in Niðavellir served not only his original two objectives but also a third: to establish a large-scale teleportation array. This undertaking would require a substantial amount of materials and complex experiments that couldn't be easily understood.
However, he didn't need to complete the entire array. He only needed to finish the core components; the Dwarves could handle the rest by following the blueprints.
This idea wasn't a spur-of-the-moment decision. It stemmed from the tragic fate of the Dwarves in the movies. With such a teleportation array, they could seek refuge in Asgard during critical moments.
Before coming here, plans had already been drawn up for constructing the teleportation array in Asgard. Once they returned from Niðavellir, they could begin setting it up, though it would primarily depend on acquiring sufficient materials.
As a result, the entire Niðavellir was bustling with activity. Arthur was busy, the Dwarves were constantly working, and Eitri was even busier.
After testing Arthur's abilities, Eitri realized that forging a weapon capable of fully withstanding Arthur's maximum output would require an immense amount of mental effort and resources. The initial design phase alone would take a considerable amount of time.
Of course, their hard work wasn't without reward.
For Arthur at least, he had learned a great deal from the Dwarves. Their knowledge and craftsmanship left him deeply impressed. He immediately shared what he learned here with Camp Lehigh.
Meanwhile, he kept a close eye on the war between Earth and Hydra.
Hydra, already reeling from Camp Lehigh's relentless assault, had no chance of fighting back after Steve and the others returned to Earth. The entire operation was resolved with almost no doubt.
The only uncertainty was whether Hydra had truly been eradicated completely. If any survivors remained, undocumented and hidden, they would inevitably resurface one day.
In response to Arthur's concern, Natasha assured him that global surveillance would be maintained. Any potential threat would be extinguished at its source, before it could ignite into a full-blown rebellion.
Later, Tony sent Arthur a communication request. Arthur had just finished a long day and was resting against the headboard in the Dwarf's massive chamber.
When he opened the communication, Tony's slightly haggard face appeared before him. Though weary, his eyes were sharp and alert.
The moment he saw Arthur, Tony grinned. "It feels like a century since I've seen you."
"Trust me, it won't take another century. I'll appear right before you," Arthur said with a smile. "How do you feel?"
"Not bad," Tony replied, shaking his head. "You know, they're no match for me."
Arthur nodded, and a moment of silence fell between them.
After a while, Tony spoke again. "Compared to Hydra, it's the governments of various nations that are more troublesome. Although the public remains unaware of the power we've displayed this time, they've inevitably caught wind of it. We've limited the exposure and linked all the information to the Avengers Alliance, confirming that Camp Lehigh hasn't been compromised. Still... this whole affair is giving me a headache."
"Mm," Arthur agreed. If governments around the world hadn't noticed the battle against Hydra, it would only mean they'd selected blind fools for their intelligence agencies.
The moment Arthur agreed to go to war with Hydra, he knew this was inevitable. So he wasn't overly surprised by Tony's words.
"You knew?" Tony paused, studying Arthur's expression. He lowered his head in silence for a few seconds, then looked up and asked, "I'll focus on my research and be careful. I won't take any risks, I promise."
"I trust you," Arthur said with a smile. "Good luck. I'm looking forward to your results."
"Don't worry," Tony replied with a grin. "Leave it to me."
The communication ended there. Arthur chuckled softly, a strange feeling stirring within him.
Tony's words today were somewhat clumsy, but what he truly meant to convey... was an apology, wasn't it?
Because of the war with Hydra, Camp Lehigh had been partially exposed to certain individuals. As an apology, I'll strictly adhere to your research standards in my future work and absolutely avoid any risks.
That was the true message, wasn't it?
(End Of This Chapter)