Thor departed for the Middle East soon afterward.
If there was anything in the world capable of forcing a man to mature quickly, it was war. Ethan understood that better than most. Watching conflict up close would teach Thor far more about leadership and responsibility than any lecture ever could.
Of course, Ethan had no intention of sending the Asgardian prince into danger unprotected.
A full protection detail followed Thor to the region.
Twelve enhanced soldiers formed the escort team, and the group was personally led by Emil Blonsky. With that level of protection, even the most dangerous battlefield would struggle to threaten him.
Once Thor left New York, Ethan returned to the divine kingdom.
Deep within the realm stood the prison where Loki had been confined. The cell was completely white and devoid of decoration, a stark contrast to the chaotic illusion Loki had been trapped inside.
Inside that illusion, the Asgardian prince had been wandering through a snowy coniferous forest.
The condition he was in now was miserable.
Loki's face was pale, and his body trembled occasionally from exhaustion. He had attempted to survive within the illusionary wilderness, but it was obvious that the prince of Asgard had no real experience living in nature.
He had even constructed a fragile shelter made of branches and snow.
It looked like it would collapse at any moment.
Ethan observed the scene for a moment before reaching into his pocket.
He pulled out the cursed cloth given to him by the Ancient One.
Stepping closer, he tied the enchanted strip securely around Loki's wrist.
A portal opened beside them.
The next moment, Loki was transported out of the illusion and into Typhon Manor.
As the illusion shattered, Loki gradually regained awareness.
When his eyes focused and he saw Ethan standing in front of him, rage immediately exploded across his face.
"How dare you!" Loki shouted. "I am a god!"
He clenched his fist and prepared to attack.
But something felt wrong.
His power was gone.
Only then did Loki notice the strange cloth wrapped tightly around his wrist. He grabbed it and tried to tear it apart, but the enchanted fabric refused to move. It could not be untied or broken.
Ethan shrugged casually.
"I don't think we've been properly introduced," he said. "My name is Ethan Voss, from New York."
He spread his hands slightly.
"In this world, I'm also responsible for dealing with supernatural problems."
He looked Loki directly in the eyes.
"And right now, you're the supernatural problem."
"I am a god!" Loki snapped again.
Ethan laughed.
"What kind of god are you? The Frost Giant God?"
He tilted his head mockingly.
"A blue-skinned god?"
"A god who lives in an ice cave?"
"A god that I captured?"
Each question made Loki's face grow paler.
Ethan sighed.
"The throne of Asgard was never yours to begin with," he said calmly. "Why force it?"
Loki remained silent.
His lips moved slightly before he finally asked, "What else do you know?"
Ethan smiled faintly.
"I know that someday… you're going to regret all of this."
"Regret what?" Loki sneered.
"You'll regret hurting your mother. Your father. And your brother."
Loki's eyes flashed with anger.
"That's nonsense! I might hurt Thor. I might even oppose my father. But I would never harm my mother!"
Ethan's voice remained calm.
"Your mother dies later."
"And you become one of the reasons why."
"Ridiculous!" Loki shouted.
"No," Ethan replied quietly. "What's ridiculous is your belief that you understand everything."
He continued smiling calmly.
"Do you know why I'm telling you all this?"
Loki hesitated.
He had no answer.
"Because I know that even after hearing it… you still won't change."
Ethan leaned slightly closer.
"One day in the future, you'll suddenly realize that you've lost things you can never recover."
"Only then will you regret your choices."
He straightened again.
"And when that day arrives, I want your regret to be even stronger."
Because now, you already know it's coming.
Loki scoffed.
"You think you can scare me?"
"You're not worthy."
Ethan sighed quietly.
If Loki still possessed his full powers, he would probably sense that Ethan wasn't lying.
Even when Thor repeatedly tried to reach out to him in the future, Loki would fail to understand that the problem was never about words.
At the same time, Ethan knew something else.
If he forcibly changed Loki's personality now, countless future events might never happen.
And the fate of the entire Earth might change dramatically.
"Loki," Ethan said finally, "I'm not going to hurt you."
"You can stay here in the manor for now."
"When Thor regains his power, you can return to Asgard together."
After finishing their conversation, Ethan left Loki behind and walked outside.
In the open grounds of the estate, he removed an object from a portal.
Thor's hammer.
Mjolnir rested quietly on the grass.
Ethan stared at it thoughtfully.
The day the hammer finally flew back into the sky would mark the moment Thor reclaimed his destiny.
…
Meanwhile, inside Noah Town within the divine kingdom, Blade slowly opened his eyes in a hospital room.
Ethan was already sitting nearby.
"You're awake," he said calmly.
Blade glanced around the unfamiliar environment.
"Where am I?"
"This is my divine kingdom," Ethan replied. "You can think of it as a special secret realm."
Blade processed the information for a moment before something else came to mind.
"Frost," he said quickly. "What happened to the Blood God? Did he succeed in summoning it?"
"He did," Ethan replied.
Blade's expression changed immediately.
"Where is he now?" he asked urgently. "We can't let him go. If he has the Blood God's power, he'll bring disaster."
Ethan waved his hand casually.
"I arrested him."
"He's being held here."
Blade stared at him in disbelief.
"You captured him?"
"Then why didn't you kill him?"
Ethan smiled slightly.
"Oh, I'm planning to redeem his corrupted soul."
Blade blinked.
"Killing someone is the laziest form of punishment," Ethan continued calmly. "True justice lies in redemption."
Blade didn't know how to respond.
The idea sounded absurd, but at the same time there was something strangely humane about it.
After a moment, he asked another question.
"My mother… is she here too?"
Ethan nodded.
"What do you want to do about her?"
Blade froze.
Silence filled the room.
After a long time, he finally spoke.
"She hunted people."
"She killed them."
Ethan leaned back slightly.
"People are allowed to be biased," he said thoughtfully. "Bias means you still have emotions."
"And if you still have emotions… you're still human."
He gestured toward the outside of the hospital.
"She can stay here in this secluded realm."
"I can provide artificial blood for her."
"She won't harm anyone here."
Blade remained silent for a long time.
Eventually, he gave a faint nod.
Ethan understood his decision immediately.
"There's something else I mentioned before," Ethan continued. "I told you I have a method to eliminate vampires completely."
"Would you like to join me?"
Blade understood the implication immediately.
The method Ethan had mentioned before was classified information. Inviting him to participate meant welcoming him into the inner circle.
Blade thought about Whistler.
His old friend had died not long ago.
If he had accepted Ethan's offer earlier, perhaps things would have turned out differently.
Blade nodded.
"I'm willing to join."
"Excellent," Ethan said.
He began explaining the plan.
The concept came from an old idea.
The Progenitor Virus.
The goal was simple.
Find Dracula.
The original ancestor of all vampires.
Once his genetic structure was obtained, scientists could design a virus specifically targeting vampire DNA.
Every vampire in existence ultimately descended from Dracula.
If his genetic code became the foundation for a weaponized virus, it could wipe out the entire species.
Dracula himself had been asleep for centuries, hidden somewhere inside an ancient temple.
No one knew the exact location.
Ethan planned to assign Blade a full task force.
Several enhanced soldiers would accompany him, along with an entire research and analysis team.
Their mission was to study ancient myths, legends, and folklore in order to locate Dracula's resting place.
Once they found him, the vampire eradication project could finally begin.
Blade listened carefully before frowning slightly.
"I've heard the stories about Dracula," he said. "But I don't know where he's sleeping."
Ethan smiled.
"If anyone knows the answer… it's other vampires."
Blade understood immediately.
His hunt would continue.
But now it had a clear purpose.
Ethan continued explaining.
"I own a company called Future Individual Defense and Weapons."
"They'll provide you with the best equipment available."
He added one final point.
"And when the blood hunger becomes unbearable, you can return to this realm periodically."
"It's far more effective than your suppressant serum."
Blade nodded.
Ethan stood up and began walking toward the door.
Just before leaving, he turned back once more.
"Next time," he said firmly, "report your actions before charging into danger."
"My power is far greater than you realize."
With that final warning, he stepped out of the room.
Blade remained alone in the hospital bed.
After a moment, he nodded quietly to himself.
.....
Join my p@treon and read ahead by more than 60+ chapters.
Link : [email protected]/InfinityWeaver
Free members can read the next two chapters for free on my p@treon