Caught

During the day, Zane explored Asgard and its surrounding territories, while at night, he immersed himself in comprehending the laws of death.

He could feel that after embedding the Time Stone, his foundation was rapidly ascending at a visible pace, nearing the pinnacle of five-dimensional life. I

t might be just a few days or even the next flash of insight before he reached the full potential of the fifth dimension. 

With ease, Zane could then ascend from a lower god to a mid-level god, reaching the status of a six-dimensional being, akin to the members of the Celestials.

However, the closer he got to this critical moment, the more cautious he became. A man must stay calm—that's the way to go!

In an unknown space within the Nine Realms, the reawakened Dark Elves arrived at the battlefield where they had suffered a crushing defeat. As Malekith looked upon the battlefield's ruined walls and the bones half-buried in the yellow sands, a deep-seated hatred flickered in his eyes.

Thousands of years ago, just as Malekith was about to plunge the Nine Realms into darkness using the Aether, the sacred weapon of the Dark Elves, the Asgardians, led by Odin's father Bor, launched a surprise attack on their stronghold through the Bifrost. Not only did they seize the Aether, but they also shattered the thousand-year dream of the Dark Elves.

Back then, the ruthless Malekith ordered most of the Dark Elves to perish alongside the Asgardian army, leaving Asgard weakened for centuries. But for Malekith, that wasn't nearly enough.

He wanted to plunge the entire universe into darkness, creating a paradise for the Dark Elves. He aimed to reduce Asgard to ashes, completely erasing the myths that had been passed down since ancient times.

As Malekith's gaze remained fixed on the battlefield, the flames of hatred in his eyes nearly bursting forth, his lieutenant slowly approached him.

"I will sacrifice myself, become one with the darkness, and break Asgard's defenses," the lieutenant declared with resolve. "I will give you a new universe!"

Malekith's eyes, once filled with hatred, now flashed with sorrow. This lieutenant had been by his side for thousands of years, and their relationship had long since surpassed that of mere leader and subordinate. They were more like brothers.

Malekith knew exactly what his lieutenant meant. The Dark Elves had certain unique advantages that allowed them to contend with Asgard.

Beyond their unmatched stealth technology, they possessed an array of advanced weaponry, such as black hole grenades that could create miniature black holes, and dark matter reactors. But they had another technology, one that could allow a Dark Elf to turn the tide in critical moments—the Dark Particle Core.

By crushing the Dark Particle Core, the power of the Dark Dimension would descend upon the bearer, granting them unparalleled strength. However, the cost was equally immense.

The bearer's lifespan would accelerate at an exponential rate, even for a Dark Elf with a lifespan of thousands of years. After crushing the Dark Particle Core, they would barely survive a week before turning to ash, completely vanishing from existence, leaving not even a soul behind.

The Dark Elves referred to these warriors as Cursed Soldiers. This was why Malekith felt such pain, but with their remaining strength, this was the only way to retrieve the Aether from Asgard.

Malekith turned to face his lieutenant, pressing his forehead against his. "I will be with you," he whispered.

In the next moment, he thrust the blade in his hand down...

The next day, the lieutenant, now wearing a specially crafted mask to conceal his appearance, removed everything related to the Dark Elves. He donned a set of armor that gave him the look of a ruthless bandit and then left the Dark Elf clan on his own. He went to one of the territories under Asgard's control and stirred up some trouble. 

As expected, Asgard, being the leader of the Nine Realms, sent soldiers to suppress this troublemaker. After a little resistance, the lieutenant quickly surrendered, allowing the Asgardian soldiers to take him into custody. A glint of satisfaction flickered in his all-white eyes. 

His plan was simple: once imprisoned in Asgard, he would crush the Dark Particle Core hidden within his body, transforming into a Cursed Warrior. This would allow him to completely dismantle Asgard's defenses from the inside, coordinating with Malekith, the Dark Elf leader, outside to destroy Asgard and reclaim the Aether, fulfilling their clan's highest ambition that had persisted for millennia.

Everything proceeded according to the lieutenant's plan. He was escorted by soldiers through the Bifrost and brought to Asgard. However, what happened next left the self-sacrificing lieutenant completely stunned.

The soldiers escorting him nodded at Heimdall, the guardian of the Bifrost. The next moment, Heimdall, after shutting down the Bifrost, fixed his all-seeing eyes on the masked lieutenant, attempting to see through the mask to reveal his true identity. But strangely, Heimdall's normally infallible vision couldn't penetrate the bone mask.

"Remove his mask," Heimdall commanded coldly, his expression stern.

Immediately, the two Asgardian soldiers holding the lieutenant down kicked his knees, forcing him to kneel. They then roughly grabbed the menacing bone mask's horns on his head and began to yank it off. Asgardians were never known for showing mercy to prisoners; the fact that they were allowed to live was already generous.

The lieutenant, who had planned to infiltrate Asgard, was now completely baffled. What was going on? This wasn't part of the plan! They were supposed to throw him into a cell for decades, not rip off his mask right away. Was Asgard's law this strict now?

The newly awakened Dark Elves had no idea that five years ago, King Odin had been forewarned by Zane and had taken precautions against them. Sensing the imminent Nine Realms Convergence, Odin had immediately ordered a thorough inspection of all outsiders, precisely to prevent infiltration tactics like the one the lieutenant was attempting.

With Heimdall guarding the Bifrost, no outsider could escape his gaze. By the time the bewildered lieutenant realized what was happening, it was too late. The soldiers had already yanked off his mask with the force of uprooting a stubborn weed. 

His pointed ears, characteristic of the Dark Elves, and his snow-white hair and eyebrows were fully exposed to Heimdall. Upon seeing the lieutenant's true face, Heimdall's pupils narrowed sharply. 

In an instant, Heimdall turned and drew the guardian sword from the control center of the Bifrost, pointing it directly at the lieutenant. 

"Did you come alone, or are you here with the remnants of your clan? Speak!" Heimdall demanded in a cold voice.

Kneeling on one knee, the lieutenant, now fully aware of his predicament, let out a bitter laugh. With a sudden burst of strength, he broke free from the soldiers' grip. Then, with a swift punch to his abdomen, he shattered the Dark Particle Core hidden within him.

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