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When Homelander arrived at the school corridor, he noticed some unusual movement.
He moved silently through the corridor and arrived at the school's wide plaza.
Along the way, the passing students lost their minds with excitement upon seeing the Homelander himself.
"My God! It's Homelander!"
"God, he's really in the school!"
"Mr. Principal! Can I take a photo with you?!"
The crowd immediately surged forward, surrounding him completely.
"Of course, no problem." Homelander stopped in his tracks, the smile on his face switching on instantly.
A few upperclassmen girls with blonde wavy hair were even bolder; they rushed up screaming, scrambling to hug Homelander's arms, their curvaceous bodies pressing tightly against him.
"Homelander! I love you!" The girls' faces were flushed with excitement.
"Careful, girls. There's enough for everyone."
Homelander didn't push anyone away, happily complying with all requests and skillfully flashing a charming smile at their phone cameras.
He patiently signed every notebook handed to him, showcasing his impeccable approachability to the fullest.
Until the warning bell for class rang again.
Only then did the surrounding students reluctantly let go, unwillingly heading toward their respective classrooms.
The bustling plaza gradually became empty.
Homelander stood in place, the smile on his face gradually fading into a look of calm.
"You've been watching for so long, don't you plan to come out and say hello?" Homelander spoke flatly.
Homelander slowly turned around.
Under a giant oak tree ten meters away from him, an old man stepped out from the shadows.
He wore an ordinary beige casual suit, had white hair and a white beard, and wore a light-gold leather eyepatch over his right eye.
Though he was dressed like an ordinary old man from Earth,
Homelander saw through the vast divine power beneath that shell at a single glance.
The newcomer was none other than...
...the ruler of Asgard, the All-Father, Odin.
"You have a tight grip on Midgard, Homelander." Odin walked over slowly. "Your power and methods remind me of my youth."
Homelander held his hands behind his back, meeting Odin's gaze without backing down in the slightest.
"Oh, the All-Father is here," Homelander said with a casual smile.
"Instead of finding a rock on a cliff in Norway to sit and watch the sea, why have you come to a campus in New York?"
"You seem to know many things, Homelander." Odin narrowed his eyes slightly, scrutinizing the young man before him.
Homelander smiled without speaking, just standing there quietly, waiting for Odin to continue.
Odin didn't dwell on the matter and got straight to the point.
"Recently, many troubles have occurred in the Nine Realms. The flames of war have spread to almost every realm."
"And I am well aware that the root of all this is Loki."
"He used a very effective tactic, creating unrest in other realms to draw all of Asgard's elites away from the Royal Palace, even including his Mother, Frigga."
Odin paused, seemingly mocking himself.
"Then, taking advantage of the weakened defenses, he sneaked back into the Royal Palace, used mental magic on me, blocked my memories, and exiled me to a nursing home in Midgard."
Homelander let out a light chuckle.
"So, he's currently wearing your face, sitting on the throne of the Royal Palace and acting with such arrogance."
Homelander followed up with a question, "But you are clearly conscious and know everything; why did you let him succeed?"
"Because my life is coming to an end." Odin didn't deny it, his tone calm and filled with a sense of acceptance. "Ragnarok is also about to descend. That golden realm will eventually cease to exist."
Homelander raised an eyebrow and smiled. "That doesn't sound like something a king should say."
"Loki has always craved the throne." Odin also smiled slightly.
"Letting him actually sit in that position and experience the weight of being a king is good for him. It also helps him develop a true sense of belonging to Asgard."
"After I am gone, the future of Asgard will depend on those two brothers..."
Homelander sneered and shook his head, noncommittal.
"Your way of educating your children is truly unique."
"So, you didn't come all this way just to complain to me about your family education problems. Tell me, what is your purpose?"
"Hela." Odin remained silent for ten seconds before speaking again.
"My first child, Asgard's Goddess of Death, and Thor's older sister."
Homelander pricked up his ears and didn't interrupt.
"Back then, she accompanied me in conquering the Nine Realms, and our power was unstoppable. But her ambition was too great; she wanted not just the Nine Realms, but the entire Universe. Her bloodlust was completely out of control."
"I couldn't kill her, so I could only use the vast majority of my power to seal her in Hel."
"Now, my life force is about to be exhausted. Once I die, the seal will break, and she will be set free."
"Her power stems from Asgard itself. As long as the land of Asgard exists, her power is infinite; she cannot be defeated, nor can she be killed."
"Is that why you said Asgard will cease to exist?" Knowing the plot well, Homelander asked knowingly.
"Yes." Odin nodded in admission. "That is the only way."
"The Ragnarok of Asgardian prophecy is at hand. I have already sent Thor to Muspelheim to seize the crown of the fire giant Surtur."
"Once the Eternal Flame returns to the crown, Asgard will, as the prophecy says, perish completely in the flames of the Twilight Sword."
"You are also a part of Asgard."
"I hope that at this juncture, you can also contribute."
"What do you want me to do?" Homelander spread his hands. "Help you fan the flames even higher?"
"No." Odin shook his head.
"After Asgard is destroyed, my people will lose their home. They will come to Midgard." Odin explained, "Long ago, I included Midgard under the protection of the Nine Realms for the purpose of making it Asgard's final retreat."
There was a rare hint of entreaty in Odin's tone.
"I hope you can look after the people of Asgard on Earth."
"Heh." Homelander laughed heartily and waved his hand dismissively. "That's a small matter. Protecting the people is already my responsibility."
Then he changed the subject, saying regretfully, "It's just a pity that such a fine place as Asgard will be destroyed just like that."
Odin's expression was calm, unmoved by Homelander's words.
"As long as she lives, she will only bring endless disaster to the Universe... and true destruction to the people of Asgard."
"Only by destroying Asgard and cutting off her source of power can she be killed."
"Truly a heartless royal family..." Homelander mocked. "Scheming so hard just to kill your own biological daughter. You really are a 'competent' father."
Odin didn't refute; he had long since ceased to care about bearing such infamy.
Homelander stared at Odin, his eyes sparkling with sharp light.
"How about we make a bet, Your Majesty Odin?"