In the middle of the desert, Thor raised his head and called out to the gatekeeper of Asgard, Heimdall.
"We are ready, Heimdall—"
Heimdall, who could observe any being across the Nine Realms, was known for his extraordinary senses, combining the sight of a thousand-mile eye with the hearing of a whisper across the wind.
But at this moment, Loki had already frozen Heimdall and used the Bifrost to bring the King of Jotunheim to Asgard.
Loki had become the traitor leading the Frost Giants straight into the heart of Asgard. But he underestimated Heimdall, thinking ice alone could hold him. As the guardian of the Bifrost, Heimdall was far more than just eyes and ears—he was a warrior without equal.
Hearing Thor's call, the golden giant flexed his muscles and shattered the ice binding him. He then raised his sword with a roar. "Enough is enough!"
Unleashing the full power of the mightiest warrior in Asgard, he charged into the Frost Giant guards.
Despite suffering heavy injuries, Heimdall succeeded in activating the Bifrost.
A cascade of light fell from the heavens, drawing gasps from everyone present.
Thor and his friends stepped into the beam as it began to narrow. Just then, Liu A'dou suddenly dashed into the light. He suspected that Diana might have been taken to Asgard and volunteered to go with Thor.
It felt like riding a roller coaster. Outside the beam, stars and galaxies shifted around them as their bodies stretched and cracked, almost like a full-body massage.
Thor hadn't expected Liu A'dou to follow them into Asgard, but it was too late to send him back. Seeing the bodies of the fallen Frost Giants on the Bifrost, Thor knew Loki had done the unthinkable.
"It's Loki. He's brought the Frost Giants to Asgard," Heimdall said weakly.
"I'll stop him," Thor declared, spinning Mjolnir and flying off.
With Thor gone, Liu A'dou exchanged looks with the others.
"Let's move. We need to join the fight too," said Sif, turning to Liu A'dou. "You're coming with us."
Liu A'dou had already proven himself by defeating the Destroyer.
Since the warriors of Asgard couldn't fly, they mounted their steeds and galloped toward the palace along the Bifrost.
Liu A'dou marveled at the shimmering bridge beneath him, reflecting light like a rainbow, just as the legends described. Ahead stood Asgard—grand, majestic, and dazzling in its splendor. He rode on, the horse beneath him swift and powerful. The sensation was exhilarating.
None of them noticed the shadow that appeared behind Heimdall after they had left. The figure silently struck Heimdall down, took his sword, and redirected the Bifrost toward Jotunheim.
Meanwhile, the Frost Giant King stood triumphantly in the heart of Asgard. Odin, the one-eyed king, lay in his deep slumber, unaware of what was happening.
"I know you can see and hear me, old man. By the time you wake up, all Nine Realms will be under my control. The Frost Giants will rule the universe!"
The Frost Giant King reveled in his imagined victory, thrilled that his lifelong rival could do nothing but watch. It felt like he had violated a helpless maiden—he was practically trembling with excitement.
But the king never expected that his own child, Loki—bearing his blood—was already approaching from behind with a spear in hand.
Loki wanted Odin's recognition. He wanted to prove himself as a warrior like Thor by defeating the Frost Giants. He wanted Odin to finally see him as worthy.
With a cold cry, Loki drove the spear straight through his father's heart.
The Frost Giant King turned in disbelief, never expecting betrayal from his own blood. His ambition and joy were frozen on his face as he collapsed, unable to rest in peace.
"Loki," Frigga, Odin's wife and Thor's mother, embraced Loki, believing he had just saved Asgard. "My poor child, are you alright?"
"Loki!"
Before Loki could bask in her praise, Thor's furious roar echoed through the palace. Moments later, Thor's towering figure appeared at the door, his angry glare making Loki freeze like ice. "Loki!"
"You're back, Thor," Frigga whispered, letting go of Loki and rushing to embrace her son.
Loki took the chance to slip away. He still feared Thor, especially when Thor held Mjolnir. Loki knew he wasn't strong enough to face Thor head-on, so escaping was the wiser move.
He knew Thor would soon expose all his schemes, but Loki wasn't ready to give up just yet. He still held a winning card—the Bifrost. With its power, he could annihilate all the Frost Giants and declare himself the hero of Asgard.
Even now, Loki clung to his delusions, unaware that the biggest surprise was still waiting for him.
"Their king has been murdered by the despicable Odin! Now is the time for vengeance! Let us storm Asgard and soak its streets with their blood to honor the fallen King of Jotunheim! Kill them all—!"
Trax's mastery of war psychology reached its peak as his words stirred the Frost Giants into a bloodthirsty frenzy. They roared as they charged forward, utterly fearless, eager to tear Asgard apart.
"Trax, how could you—?!" Loki never imagined his so-called ally would betray him like this, leading the Frost Giant army straight into Asgard's heart.
The Bifrost was now flooded with blue-skinned, frost-breathing giants. The scene was horrifying.
"Loki, looks like you've lost control," Trax sneered as he stood at the head of the invading army. "I knew you'd screw this up. You and your petty schemes are laughable. You don't understand. In this world, power is everything. And you—without power—you're destined to fail. Now get out of the way. Weaklings don't belong on the battlefield."
Trax drew his sword and shouted, "Forward! Burn Asgard to the ground! With me—kill them all—!"
The strength of Ares and the cunning of Hippolyta burned in him.
The Frost Giants surged forward, trampling everything in their path. Loki was shoved aside like trash, falling from the Bifrost into the endless void of the cosmos.
Thor, who had chased Loki, was shocked to find that the Frost Giants had already invaded and were now battling the Einherjar.
Rushing back, Liu A'dou immediately noticed Trax. More importantly, he saw the Lasso of Truth hanging from Trax's belt—Diana's weapon. His instincts were right—Diana was in Asgard. Though Liu A'dou didn't know who that silver-haired man was, one thing was clear—he was no friend.
Igniting his Microcosmos, Liu A'dou unleashed his signature move, Rozan Shō Ryū Ha. A dragon the size of half the Bifrost roared across the battlefield, shattering the Frost Giants' ice armor and scattering them like leaves in the wind.
Compared to the orderly swordplay of the Einherjar, Liu A'dou's wild energy attacks stood out as pure chaos. Yet, he became the anchor of the battlefield. Asgard's warriors rallied behind him, striking down their enemies with renewed fury.
"??" Trax squinted at Liu A'dou, surprised by this unexpected disruption.
Things weren't looking good. From the distance, Thor was already returning, and despite the Frost Giants' numbers, they would eventually be wiped out. But Trax always had a backup plan.
"Come forth, Destroyers!"
Having secretly learned the control spells from Loki, Trax unleashed over ten Destroyers from Asgard's vaults. These metal behemoths surged into battle, surrounding Thor, Liu A'dou, and the others.
"Yes! Let the bloodbath begin! Feed me more power!" Trax roared as his strength swelled with every scream and drop of blood spilled. "Slaughter them all! Avenge your king!"
The sudden pincer attack overwhelmed even Liu A'dou. The Destroyers' heat beams seemed to target him specifically, firing relentlessly and forcing him to dodge without pause.
The pressure shifted entirely onto Thor as Liu A'dou struggled to retaliate.
The Einherjar joined the fray, but as the fight dragged on, the Frost Giants—empowered by Trax's war magic—began to gain the upper hand.
"Ah!" Liu A'dou was finally struck. Crossing his arms to shield himself, he felt the searing heat—energy akin to the power of the sun itself. Quickly channeling his Microcosmos, he used Ripple to draw the invading energy down through his body and into the ground.
Cracks spiderwebbed beneath his feet as the floor of Asgard buckled under the strain.
"Ahhh—!" Though Liu A'dou's body held strong, his clothes weren't as lucky. His sleeves and pants began to burn away, disintegrating into ash.
He hadn't been killed, but the humiliation of standing naked on the battlefield felt worse than death. He cursed himself for not having armor. As the fabric continued to vanish, Liu A'dou realized he was seconds away from total exposure. Desperate, he clenched his fists.
"Burn, Microcosmos!" He tried to will his energy to protect what little dignity he had left, but it was useless. His clothing kept disappearing.
Just as Liu A'dou prepared to throw himself off the Bifrost out of sheer shame, a radiant blue beam shot out from deep within Asgard. It was like the ocean itself had come to life, crashing down upon the battlefield and wrapping around Liu A'dou.
BOOM—
The air was sucked away, leaving a vacuum around him. The shockwave blasted away all nearby enemies, hurling them off the Bifrost into the endless void.
The battlefield fell silent. Both friend and foe turned to look.
From the heart of the brilliant light emerged a warrior clad in shimmering blue crystal armor, wielding a long sword made of pure sapphire. A towering, jewel-like crown sat upon their head, a flawless white cape draped over their shoulders, and gleaming blue crystal boots graced their feet.
They stood alone at the center of the battlefield, radiant and untouchable, their very presence commanding the gaze of all.