An old man suddenly appeared in his office.
No one would react calmly to that.
So Nolan reacted directly.
"Red Queen! Activate the defense system!"
In the next second, the entire office unfolded into a weapons system.
Rifles and heavy guns extended out from hidden compartments in every corner of the room.
Not only that, several Slaughter Mechs appeared beside Nolan.
Faced with such a terrifying scene, Odin did not panic.
He simply smiled and said,
"Mr. Locke, reputation does not compare to meeting in person. Now that I see you, I understand that what Ancient One said was indeed true."
At the mention of the Ancient One, Nolan's vigilance eased slightly.
At least on the surface.
As for how many defenses he still had running in secret, only he himself knew.
"You know the Ancient One?" Nolan said coldly. "Honestly, she has caused me quite a few problems. I still suspect she is watching me from somewhere, even though she is supposedly dead."
Odin did not get angry at the rude tone. Instead, his smile deepened.
The Ancient One, although she lived fewer years than him, was undoubtedly a cunning old fox.
Their relationship was never as friendly as outsiders imagined.
It was more like allies and rivals at the same time.
After all, their positions were different from the start.
For Odin, Earth was his second home.
Even though he lived in Asgard, Earth was where he was truly born.
Because of this, traces of the Asgardian gods were left across Earth, even worshipped as deities by humans.
But as Earth gradually rose, they were "pushed out," though not through a bloody process.
That was why Odin held Earth in such high regard.
Not only did he place Thor's trials there, he also guided Loki's development on Earth.
But…
Earth had produced one variable.
Nolan Locke.
Nolan's actions exceeded both Odin's and the Ancient One's expectations.
He nearly killed Loki and eventually banished him into the vast universe.
However, under the Ancient One's control, Loki's situation had always been under Heimdall's surveillance.
And now Odin had come to see Nolan because he understood something.
The world was about to enter a new era, and in this era, Nolan Locke would be a name impossible to ignore.
"Please believe I have no ill intent," Odin said calmly. "You should have already met my two sons. Their immaturity has caused you quite a bit of trouble."
Hearing this, and seeing Odin's sudden appearance in his office, Nolan immediately understood.
"You're Odin. Thor and Loki's father."
Nolan felt a sudden chill in his heart.
Trouble had come knocking.
He had not only beaten Thor, but also exiled Loki. At this point, Loki might still be lost in some corner of the universe.
With the Ancient One gone, things were no longer the same.
Or "dead," at least on the surface.
Either way, Odin now had a reason to settle scores.
Nolan felt a faint sense of danger rising.
Just as he prepared to respond, Odin casually sat down on the sofa as if he were an ordinary old man.
"Sorry, I'm getting old. Do you mind if I sit for a while?"
"Of course not." Nolan replied, expression strange.
Odin did not look like he was here to cause trouble.
And… old?
No one knew better than Nolan that Asgardians did not simply weaken with age in the normal sense.
Their physical strength might decline, but that was not what mattered.
Asgardians relied on magic and inheritance, and that inheritance only deepened with time.
In other words, Odin at this stage was at his peak.
At this level, even Thanos would need to be cautious. And if the Ancient One fought him outside Earth, she would hesitate as well.
Otherwise, Thanos would have already come himself instead of sending the Chitauri to probe.
As for the Ancient One's deterrence, a Supreme Sorcerer bound to Earth could not compare to an interstellar ruler who had lived for thousands of years.
As long as he was not here to fight, Nolan could accept it.
After all, picking a fight with someone who might die of old age soon was not a smart move.
Nolan calmly poured a cup of tea for Odin.
"Tea?"
Odin paused slightly.
"You know this drink?"
"Of course. When I met the Ancient One, she often served tea. Though I never got used to it."
Nolan replied smoothly.
"Ah, I forgot," Nolan added. "Just like coffee, some Earth drinks are not for everyone."
"What brings you here?"
As he spoke, Nolan was already analyzing the timeline.
In the original course of events, Odin should have been imprisoned on Earth.
But now, Loki's situation was uncertain.
One thing was clear though.
Loki was still alive.
Otherwise Odin would not be sitting here so calmly.
A schemer.
That thought flashed through Nolan's mind.
Odin had likely observed everything he had done. Even Loki's exile might have been part of Odin's test.
Odin spoke again.
"My two children have caused you trouble. I came to ask you to help them."
Nolan's smile faded instantly.
"Sorry. If you know how things ended between us, then you should know why."
"I do not think I did anything wrong."
"In fact, if not for your existence, Loki would not have survived."
"Now you come to me asking for help?"
"Even if the Ancient One is gone, that does not mean you can pressure me."
"If you insist, try killing me and then summoning my soul to serve you. I assume you have that ability."
In an instant, Slaughter Mechs stepped forward, weapons locking onto Odin.
A G5 combat unit appeared at Nolan's side, blade gleaming coldly.
At the same time, a magical surge spread through the room, sealing the entire space.
Alarm systems blared throughout the building, and the entire tower began to shift into combat mode.
Even in the heart of New York, Locke Tower had enough force to become a fortress.
If it came to war, so be it.
Nolan had never been afraid of it.
From Charles the mob boss, to cannibal gangs, to every enemy he had ever faced…
Once marked as an enemy, they were all dead.
Portal energy flickered as Nolan placed his hand on the Apostle Armor.
The living armor began to spread across his body.
But Odin remained calm.
"Mr. Locke, I am not here to fight. I will not take anything without giving compensation."
"If you help guide my two children, I will offer a reward that will satisfy you."
Hearing this, Nolan's cold expression shifted again.
"I was only joking."
The alarms stopped.
But the portal did not close.
And Nolan's hand remained inside the Apostle Armor, fully connected to its control system.
He smiled again.
"Children are always troublesome. Thor is simple, just a head full of muscle."
"But Loki is more complicated. I think he has already stepped onto a dangerous path without realizing it."
Odin did not respond.
He simply watched Nolan quietly.
Damn it.
Nolan cursed inwardly.
This was the advantage of true power.
"So what do you want me to do?"
Odin finally spoke.
"Very few people know this, but I have a third child. Her name is Hela."
"My firstborn."
"She inherited my power, and more importantly, her life is bound to Asgard itself."
"The stronger Asgard becomes, the stronger she becomes."
"Now, my power is at its peak, Thor is awakening his divine strength, and Loki has inherited the Frost Giant lineage."
"Asgard has never been stronger."
"Hela was sealed long ago because of her brutality."
"But I can feel it. She has never given up on revenge."
"And now, my time is approaching."
"If I enter eternal rest, she will break free."
"And neither Thor nor Loki can stop her."
"In that outcome, I see only one future."
"Ragnarok."
Odin's voice grew heavy.
"This is my mistake from long ago."
"And now, I have no way to fix it."
"Only one solution remains."
"Destroy Asgard itself, and weaken her power through Ragnarok."
"But I do not want that future."
"Until I met you."
Odin's eyes brightened slightly.
"You are the only variable."
"If you are willing to help, perhaps Ragnarok can be avoided."
At the same time, far away in Muspelheim.
Thor led his army into battle against the Fire Giants.
Surtur had already been waiting.
The battlefield erupted in chaos.
Even the Asgardian elite forces struggled under the overwhelming flames.
Thor, however, charged forward alone.
"Might of Asgard will not retreat!"
But he had overestimated the situation.
Soon, he was surrounded.
Surtur raised his flaming blade.
"You have already glimpsed the future, son of Odin."
Thor smirked.
"In my vision, you burn Asgard to ash."
Surtur laughed.
"When I wield the Eternal Flame and the Twilight Sword, I will become unstoppable."
Thor paused slightly.
Then struck him down with a single blow.
"Thanks for the information."
"I'll be taking you back to Asgard."