Chapter 90

Abel's acquisition of the Ice Treasure Box was an unexpected twist. Despite the immense power contained within it, Abel realized that holding onto it might complicate his relationship with Asgard, especially with Odin still alive, though asleep. If Abel wanted to maintain good relations with Asgard to potentially access their resources and magical knowledge, he would need to return the treasure. However, if Abel chose to sever ties with Asgard, he could claim the Ice Treasure Box as his own, trusting that the Ancient One could stand as a formidable force against Asgard, balancing any potential conflict.

Returning to his rented house, Abel lamented not being able to retrieve the remains of the multi-clawed serpent he had fought earlier. Its nerves would have made a perfect wand core, but both the serpent and its remains had been obliterated in the crossfire of frost and hellfire. Resigned, Abel took out the Ice Treasure Box from its metal case to study it in detail. Despite his magical prowess and knowledge inherited from both past lives and his time at Kamar-Taj, Abel struggled to fully understand the relic.

After some time, Abel admitted that his knowledge of magic was insufficient to crack the secrets of the Ice Treasure Box on his own. Thus, he conjured a small flaming circle with a hand seal, summoning the Ancient One's presence.

The Ancient One soon appeared through a portal, her expression slightly surprised as she examined the Ice Treasure Box. Abel couldn't help but tease her, asking, "Interested in researching the treasure of the Frost Giants?" The Ancient One acknowledged the box's significance, explaining how it had disappeared from history after the Frost Giants were defeated by Asgard. She asked how Abel had come to possess it.

"I defeated an Asgardian who called himself a god and took it from him," Abel replied casually. When she pressed for more details, Abel revealed that the Asgardian was Loki.

The mention of Loki's name caused the Ancient One to grow more serious. "If Asgardians call themselves gods, it's because they're powerful aliens. Only Odin could truly be considered godlike. The others, including Loki, fall short of that."

Abel, despite his confidence in Earth's defense due to the Ancient One's presence, asked whether possessing the Ice Treasure Box would cause issues with Asgard. The Ancient One reassured him. Asgard's intrusion on Earth, bringing such a dangerous item with them, was already a violation of their peace treaty. Moreover, with Odin asleep, Asgard had bigger concerns than retrieving the Ice Treasure Box.

Satisfied with her words, Abel and the Ancient One sat down to study the artifact. In less than an hour, the Ancient One had unraveled its mysteries, leaving Abel both impressed and slightly in awe of her capabilities. As she explained, the Ice Treasure Box was imbued with Ice Authority, a powerful force within the universe, which made its frost magic seem endless.

However, Abel lacked the ability to control this authority. Just as the Frost Giants could wield it due to their nature, Abel's own magic, though potent, was insufficient to command the ice power within the box. Abel realized that unless he acquired the necessary strength, the Ice Treasure Box would be of little use to him.

The Ancient One, however, offered a solution. "While you cannot control the entire Ice Treasure Box, I can strip away a trace of the Ice Authority for you to use. In exchange, I will extract some of the ice power for myself."

Abel agreed immediately, finding the idea far more practical than holding onto something he couldn't use. "Better to have a gold brick in hand than stare at an unclaimable gold mine," he quipped. With their agreement in place, the Ancient One began the intricate process of separating the Ice Authority from the chest, enlisting Abel's help to ensure success. Though it would be a challenging task, working together would make the process far smoother.