I’ve Been Watching You

Although the base had only just been established, it had everything it needed. Egghead was prepared for a prolonged battle—

After all, he would not have to fight personally.

Thor, in a terrible mood, dragged Old Wang off to drink.

Since they had nothing better to do, Old Wang pulled Captain America, Hawkeye, Black Widow, and the others into drinking with them.

Everyone could hold their liquor fairly well.

After three jars of Huadiao wine, those who needed the bathroom went to the bathroom, while those who needed to collapse on the floor collapsed on the floor.

Thor continued to sob and complain, occasionally boasting about his glorious past.

The guy had an incredibly high alcohol tolerance, but that did not help. His stomach was not storage equipment. After downing an entire jar of Huadiao wine, his bladder could not take it anymore, and he could only run for the bathroom.

Old Wang suddenly had a thought and looked up at the sky.

"What is it?" Miss Jane, who had been watching Old Wang all along, sensed that something was wrong. Director Wang’s gaze was so deep, as captivating as the starry sky, as though it might pull her in.

Oh no, I’m so scared!

Old Wang smiled. "Someone’s here."

The moment he spoke, Captain America walked in with a grave expression. "Director Wang, we detected a strange energy fluctuation. Someone has trespassed illegally!"

Thor brushed past Captain America and entered the bathroom to relieve himself.

"Midgardians are pretty smart. This is so convenient." The Prince sighed as he relieved himself.

"Asgard doesn’t have bathrooms? Do you like Midgard that much?"

A voice rang out. It was Captain America.

"Captain Rogers? Didn’t you just leave? You’re already back? Your bladder’s that weak? Look at me—I only come once in ages!" Thor recognized the voice at once and immediately began taunting him.

"Yeah, Midgardians really are pretty smart. Asgard really doesn’t have bathrooms this convenient." Another voice spoke up, somewhat unfamiliar yet strangely familiar.

Thor’s stream split from excitement—one went up, one went down, and another sprayed off to the side. He nearly soaked his pants.

He hurriedly shook himself off, then turned to Captain America. "Drop the disguise. What are you doing here, Loki?"

"Captain America" transformed into a man in a suit. Beneath his gloomy expression lurked an unrestrained, wicked arrogance.

Seeing that it really was his younger brother, Thor became wildly excited. He grabbed Loki by the shoulders and shook him around. "Is it about Asgard? Let me explain it to Father. That incident wasn’t what he thought it was…"

"Father is dead, Thor." Loki calmly stepped back and used magic to remove the water stains from his shoulder.

Thor’s lips twitched. His eyes widened, then narrowed, and he went completely blank. "W-what?"

Father was dead?

Odin, incomparably powerful Odin, Odin who intimidated the entire universe, was dead?

How… how was that possible?

"Father was already old. Your exile broke his heart. Stripping you of your divine power and placing an enchantment on Mjolnir consumed much of his strength. He entered Odinsleep early, and then… he never woke up."

Loki looked utterly heartbroken. "I tried to explain it to Father, but he would not listen. He hoped you could lift Mjolnir again and succeed him as king, but you could not lift it. Brother, there’s no time. The Frost Giants are planning a war. Asgard needs a king… and it can only be me."

Thor opened his mouth.

I was stripped of my divine power and exiled from my homeland.

And now you’re telling me that my throne… is gone?

You…

Fine. We’re family. It doesn’t matter who becomes king.

Then…

"Can I go home?" he asked. He looked so lonely and pitiful, like a wandering orphan.

"The truce agreement between Asgard and the Frost Giants includes your exile." Loki looked at Thor as though he were looking at a stray dog.

"Yes, I know, but is there any other way…"

"Mother agreed too, Brother."

Loki shook his head. "My first order cannot overturn Father’s final order."

Thor fell silent.

Loki, when have I ever seen you obey our father so well?

"It’s time to say goodbye, Brother."

Loki said, "The Asgardians are still waiting for me to return. I’m sorry, but there’s nothing I can do."

"I’m the one who should be sorry, Loki."

Thor was devastated, his eyes brimming with tears. "Thank you for coming to see me."

"Farewell."

Loki turned around and walked toward the center of the base with a faint smile.

No one could see him, as though he did not exist at all.

"Mjolnir…"

He walked up to Thor’s Hammer and reached out to grip its handle.

People said Thor resembled Odin in his youth: the same fiery temper, the same strength. Both possessed Asgard’s strongest physique and greatest power, blessed by Asgard and born with divine power that others could only dream of attaining.

As the second son, Loki was more like Asgard’s Queen, Frigga.

Frigga was always described as the "goddess of love and beauty" and the "god of fertility," but she was also the "goddess of war" and the "god of magic," the greatest spellcaster in all Asgard aside from Odin.

Loki had studied magic under Frigga since childhood.

He was far smarter than Thor.

In just fifteen hundred years, his mastery of magic had reached roughly the same level as his mother’s, far surpassing every Mystic Master on Earth except the Sorcerer Supreme.

Yet he had never received Odin’s recognition, nor had he received the recognition of the Asgardians.

Everyone believed Thor was the rightful heir, and that left him deeply unwilling to accept it.

At first, he had merely been unwilling.

But just days ago, he had gone with Thor to the realm of the Frost Giants and unexpectedly discovered that he was immune to their frost magic. After coming into physical contact with them, his skin had even changed to resemble theirs:

Equally cold, equally strange.

At the time, he had only suspected it.

But when Odin fell asleep and he went to the treasury to retrieve the Frost Giants’ divine artifact, the Casket of Ancient Winters, he finally understood after touching it:

I am actually descended from the Frost Giants!

With Odin asleep, perhaps only a handful of people in all Asgard knew the truth.

He went to see his mother, Frigga, and received the answer.

During the war a thousand years ago, Odin defeated Laufey, King of the Frost Giants, seized the Casket of Ancient Winters, and was ambushed by him, losing one eye.

And during that war, he had taken away not only the Casket of Ancient Winters, but also a baby.

The son of Laufey, King of the Frost Giants.

Perhaps because he had grown soft-hearted in his old age, or perhaps for some other reason, Odin deceived everyone. He used magic to disguise the baby’s identity, bloodline, and appearance, declared the baby to be his second son, and gave him a name:

Loki.

Being the son of Laufey, King of the Frost Giants, did not trouble Loki much.

Being born to someone was not as meaningful as being raised by them. He had long since developed feelings for Asgard, as well as for Odin and Frigga. All he wanted was to prove himself to his father and to the Asgardians:

I am more suited than Thor to ascend the throne and become king!

Odin was asleep, Thor had been exiled, and as the only heir, he naturally served as acting king. Yet hardly anyone paid him any heed.

Heimdall was indifferent, Sif had always disliked him, and the Warriors Three obeyed in public while defying him in private.

Even his mother repeatedly spoke of looking forward to Thor’s return.

And now, an opportunity to prove himself lay before him.

"Mjolnir!"

"I am the King of Asgard, master of Odin’s Scepter and Gungnir!"

"I command you to submit to me!"

Loki used every ounce of strength in his body.

Thor’s Hammer did not move an inch.

"Father, do you still refuse to acknowledge me?"

"My dear brother, as long as you are alive, Father will never think of me."

"Then never go back!"

"Your damned hammer won’t be going back either!"

Loki turned and left.

Then he froze slightly.

A young man who looked somewhat like one of the Vanir stood before him, watching him with an amused, unreadable smile.

"Y-you… when did you appear?"

He sensed an incredibly powerful energy fluctuation from the other man.

Since when had Midgard possessed someone so powerful?

Could he be…

From Kamar-Taj?

"From the moment you arrived on Earth, I’ve been watching you." Old Wang smiled faintly.