Pregnant

Although he did not fear death, the consequences of his death were something Thor could not bear.

First off, if he were to die, Zane would undoubtedly sever ties with Asgard completely. And as for Thor's girlfriend, whom even Odin couldn't heal, Zane definitely wouldn't help either.

Having witnessed Zane resurrect numerous superheroes on Earth, Thor couldn't imagine anyone else in the universe capable of saving his girlfriend, who had been possessed by the Aether.

Thor had also seen Zane, from light-years away, obliterate the entire Chitauri civilization in an instant. At this moment, Thor seemed to foresee a future where Asgard was littered with corpses, with the cries of the dead echoing through the land.

He would be Asgard's eternal sinner!

Just as this critical moment was about to unfold, a long, powerful right hand seemingly appeared out of nowhere in the void. It grabbed Bastis by the scruff of her neck mid-air and whisked her away, vanishing into the void.

At the same time, a rich, magnetic male voice echoed from the living room:

"Little Thor, if you have something to discuss, come inside..."

With the imminent danger passed, Thor took deep, relieved breaths. His hands, still gripping Mjolnir, began to tremble slightly.

It took him a while to calm his mind.

Respectfully, Thor placed Mjolnir outside the door and stepped into Zane's room, closing the door behind him.

If Loki had seen Thor like this, he would have surely mocked him for being overly serious. When had Thor, the brute, ever been this polite?

Thor, still anxious, walked slowly into the living room. He saw Zane, dressed casually, holding Bastis, who had almost killed him moments earlier. Zane was gently stroking Bastis's sleek, shiny fur, and the once ferocious feline was now purring softly in his lap, completely relaxed.

Purring like that was a sound only cats made when they were comfortable.

Thor glanced nervously at Bastis before turning his attention to Zane, humbling himself as never before.

He had just realized that, in Zane's eyes, he—a prince of Asgard—was nothing.

Zane and his people had no fear of Asgard. In fact, with Odin nearing the end of his reign, it was Thor and Asgard who should be afraid.

So Thor completely set aside his pride before Zane.

"Lord Zane, forgive the intrusion, I..." Thor began respectfully, but Zane cut him off halfway.

"No need to explain, I already know," Zane said calmly, his tone indifferent.

Without any further words, Zane stood up.

Thor's eyes lit up with joy, and he quickly stepped out of the room, leading the way.

Unseen by Thor, a small, excited smile tugged at the corner of Zane's lips.

'The fifth one. '

'Just one more to go. It's close, so close...'

As Zane followed Thor, who was almost running, into Asgard's medical facility, he saw Jane Foster lying nervously on the Asgardian Soul Refining Apparatus (Quantum Generator).

Above her, countless orange particles swirled, forming a humanoid shape roughly matching her own. Within the virtual humanoid figure made of particles, Zane could clearly see a stream of blood-red particles flowing like water, coming together and dispersing repeatedly.

When Zane arrived, still holding Bastis in his arms, Odin approached him, speaking in a low voice only the two of them could hear: 

"Kid, what you want has come right to you." 

"I don't care what you do with the Aether, but I need you to guarantee that the girl remains unharmed."

Zane glanced at Odin, who had a brief flash of joy deep in his eyes. In the original timeline, Odin had barely even acknowledged Jane Foster, a mere Earthling. Now, his attitude had shifted dramatically, as if Jane Foster was more important than the universe's treasure, the Aether itself.

Seeing the confusion in Zane's eyes, Odin, beaming with happiness, explained, "She's carrying Thor's child."

At this moment, Odin looked like a giddy child. Had there not been so many people around, he probably would have burst out into gleeful laughter. He was going to be a grandfather! Asgard would have an heir! In his waning years, nothing delighted him more than the continuation of his bloodline.

"Wait, what?" Zane was dumbfounded by Odin's revelation. 

Damn, that's quite a bombshell! 

Though Asgardians and humans look quite similar on the outside, genetically, they are entirely different species. Yet somehow, they managed to have a baby? Thor's aim must be legendary! Zane couldn't help but compare the situation to a lion somehow getting a sheep pregnant. How could he not be astonished?

The truth was, in a way, Zane had played a significant role in this miraculous pregnancy. Don't get the wrong idea—he hadn't given Thor any "help" directly. Five years ago, Zane's intervention had prevented Thor from destroying the Bifrost, unlike in the original story.

So, for the past five years, Thor and Jane Foster hadn't endured the painful long-distance relationship of the original timeline. With the Bifrost intact, Thor frequently visited Earth to see Jane during their early romantic phase. And with so many visits, "efforts" were bound to pay off.

Thor, Odin, and even Jane Foster herself had only just discovered the existence of this miraculous child. This was why Thor, despite knowing how terrifying Zane could be, had been so anxious earlier.

Thor had just found out that he was going to be a father—it was a shock that threw him off his usual composure. Jane was no longer just his girlfriend; she was Odin's chosen future Queen of Asgard, the mother of the next heir after Thor.

Zane, after a moment of surprise, regained his composure. Jane Foster's pregnancy was, after all, a matter concerning Odin's family, not his. Still, deep down, Zane couldn't help but silently give Thor a thumbs-up. Thor, you really are something!

At the same time, Zane's mischievous side surfaced, briefly wondering if Jane might have cheated on Thor while he was away. But then he dismissed the thought—it was highly unlikely.

Not to mention, with Heimdall, the All Seeing, constantly monitoring Jane Foster, there was no chance she could have cheated. Asgard's technology was no joke either—there's no way they couldn't verify if the child was Thor's.

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