Support me and be 30 chapters ahead of webnovel:
patreon.com/Draco_
You can also read on my website:
tlmasters.xyz
I'd really appreciate your support. Every membership helps keep me motivated to continue translating and releasing chapters consistently.
*****
Early the next morning, Thor made his request to depart. After experiencing the banquets of Vanaheim, he had no further regrets.
Moreover, he had brought Fenyx along in secret, and he still had no idea how Odin would choose to deal with him once the truth fully settled. He figured it was best to get Fenyx back to Asgard as soon as possible.
While coming to Vanaheim had been a hassle, the journey back was far simpler.
Once the Vanaheim escort saw them out of the Royal City, Thor sought out a wide, open clearing. He raised Mjolnir high and bellowed toward the heavens, "Heimdall! Heimdall!"
Whoosh!
A brilliant beam of light descended from the sky, instantly enveloping him and Fenyx. Through the Bifrost's teleportation conduit, the two were swiftly whisked back to Asgard.
"Long time no see, Heimdall!" Fenyx offered a greeting to the Gatekeeper, whose attire remained as unchanged as ever.
He and Thor had spent nearly a month in Vanaheim. While that might be a mere blink of an eye to an Asgardian, for a human from Earth, it was a significant stretch of time.
Heimdall nodded, his gaze shifting between the two. "I have seen that the chaos in Vanaheim has largely subsided. The people are beginning to recover."
"That's good to hear!" Thor grinned. He stepped forward to give Heimdall a brief hug before whispering, "How is Father's mood today?"
"The same as always," Heimdall replied flatly.
Fenyx found the exchange slightly amusing. Seeing Thor's lingering trepidation, he spoke up. "Don't worry. I'll be the one to explain things to the All-Father."
Thor's expression finally eased. As they prepared to head toward the palace, Heimdall didn't forget to give Fenyx a parting reminder: "Do not forget what you promised."
"Rest easy. I'll come find you tonight," Fenyx said with a wave. Inwardly, however, he was already plotting his next move. Now that Vanaheim was crossed off the list, which of the other realms would be the most suitable to visit next?
Because they had summoned Heimdall ahead of schedule, there was no formal welcoming party. Thor, still fearing Odin's wrath, hurried Fenyx directly to the throne room.
"You dared to take a guest to the battlefield without permission? Is this how a Prince of Asgard treats hospitality?"
Upon their meeting, Odin's voice boomed as he reprimanded Thor. However, Fenyx could hear that while the volume was high, the genuine anger behind it was thin.
After all, if Odin had been truly enraged, he would have sent soldiers to bring Fenyx back the moment they disappeared, rather than waiting until the war was over to demand accountability.
"I am sorry, Father," Thor said, hanging his head in a show of contrition. He, too, had picked up on the fact that Odin was mostly putting on a performance, and he felt a wave of relief.
While everyone involved knew the reality of the situation, the formalities had to be observed. Looking at the "incensed" Odin, Fenyx stepped forward.
"Forgive my intrusion, All-Father. It was at my own insistent request that Prince Thor took me to Vanaheim. I hope Your Majesty can overlook his actions."
Odin predictably took the offered exit. He stopped glaring at Thor and turned his gaze toward Fenyx. "And why were you so determined to go to the battlefield?"
In truth, Odin was still curious about Fenyx's motivations. If it were purely for Thor's sake, their friendship didn't seem quite that deep yet. If it were a simple lust for battle, it felt like a bit of a stretch. Odin suspected there was more to it.
"I have always wanted to see the conditions of the other realms," Fenyx replied smoothly. "Though the circumstances were unusual, it didn't conflict with my original goal. Furthermore, Prince Thor is my friend; it is only right to help one another."
Odin's single eye lingered on Fenyx for a moment, but he chose not to press the issue further. He glanced back at Thor, who looked bored now that the tension had broken, and a flicker of genuine irritation crossed the All-Father's face.
"Though there were reasons for your actions, it was still he who led you away, violating Asgardian etiquette. Therefore, Thor, as punishment, you are forbidden from attending the victory banquet."
"But Father—"
Thor opened his mouth to argue, but Odin waved him off dismissively. "Leave us."
Fenyx didn't see the point in intervening further. Besides, being "punished" with the inability to attend a party didn't exactly seem like a harsh sentence to him.
On the way back, seeing Thor's long face, Fenyx offered a bit of comfort. "It's just a banquet. You just finished attending one in Vanaheim anyway."
"Yeah..." Thor sighed. His habit was to resist any form of punishment, but in truth, he wasn't really in the mood for a party.
The moment he stepped back onto Asgardian soil, his thoughts had drifted back to his girlfriend on Earth. As long as that situation remained unresolved, the celebratory atmosphere of a banquet only served to dampen his spirits.
"I'll admit I lost this time, but I'll win it back eventually!" Before they parted ways, Thor acknowledged his performance on the battlefield hadn't measured up to Fenyx's. Unfortunately, this kind of admission didn't grant any experience points, so Fenyx didn't pay it much mind.
Fenyx shook his head as he watched Thor walk away, then headed back to his own quarters.
Lying on his bed, Fenyx reviewed his gains from Vanaheim. Setting aside the "White Butcher" title he had managed to unlock, the haul was quite impressive.
After nearly a month of combat, the experience bar for his ninth skill draw was nearly half-full. This pace was incredibly fast; if he had stuck to his daily skill practice alone, it would have taken over a year to reach this point.
Beyond experience, he had acquired the 'Pearl of the Ocean.' While its direct utility seemed minor for now, the insights he'd gained from Njord regarding Odin's potential motives were a valuable prize in their own right. He had also successfully verified the speed and method of time-leeching with the 'City of Devouring Time.'
His only lingering regret was that he still couldn't confirm if eliminating enemies on a massive scale resulted in diminishing experience returns.
However, Fenyx was certain the Nine Realms wouldn't stay peaceful for long. There would be more opportunities to test his theories—at the very least, Thanos's Outriders were still waiting for him in the future.
That evening, Fenyx skipped the library. Instead, he summoned the Blue-Eyes White Dragon and went to find Heimdall, intending to fulfill the promise he had made before his departure.
At the Bifrost observatory, Heimdall stared at the massive, majestic dragon beside Fenyx. "Is she... female?"
"Yes," Fenyx nodded. He briefly wondered if he should find some sort of armor or clothing for her, but realized such things wouldn't transform with her when she reverted to a card.
"I have never seen a creature like her in the Nine Realms, or even the wider universe," Heimdall remarked, his eyes fixed on the dragon. "There is a fire dragon in Muspelheim, but it is a vicious, berserk beast. It is nowhere near as beautiful as she is."
"The Land of Fire?" Curiosity piqued in Fenyx. That was the realm that stood in stark contrast to Jotunheim, and the birthplace of Surtur—the being who, in the original timeline, destroyed Asgard with a single sword stroke.
"Yes." Heimdall's gaze shifted toward the deep, shimmering expanse of the stars. "A place entirely consumed by flame and chaos."
(End of Chapter)