Chapter 174: Dark Elves (Part 1)

"I understand, it's okay, Jane. Trust me." Seeing Jane retreat as he approached, Thor immediately comforted her gently.

Jane still seemed worried about what had just happened and signaled Thor not to come closer. Just as Thor stopped, Jane started to say something but suddenly collapsed. Thor quickly stepped forward and caught her.

"Jane, are you alright?" Daisy, ignoring her soaked clothes, ran over to check on Jane.

"I'm fine, just feeling really tired." Jane stood up from Thor's arms. Seeing that Thor was unharmed this time, she didn't distance herself from him but signaled Daisy not to touch her. Daisy, having witnessed the previous incident, refrained from contact despite her concern.

"Would you like to go to Asgard?" Thor asked Jane after a moment of thought.

"Me? Of course!" Jane's excitement was evident. The legendary Asgard, even if it was just an alien realm and not a mythical place, thrilled her.

With Jane's agreement, Thor signaled Daisy to move away, then raised his hammer to summon Heimdall and the Bifrost.

"Wait." Seeing that Thor was about to leave, Daniel Davis immediately called out. If Thor and Jane left now, he would have no way to save the Queen of Asgard.

"What is it?" Thor put down his hammer and looked at Daniel in confusion.

"I want to see Asgard too, if that's alright," Daniel stated directly. Straightforwardness was the best way to deal with Thor.

"I'd like to visit as well, if that's okay," Tony Stark added politely, eager to see Asgard.

Nick Fury opened his mouth to speak but ultimately remained silent. Although he was curious about Asgard, he knew his position wouldn't allow it.

"Alright." Thor nodded, motioning for Daniel and Stark to join them. Once they were all together, Thor raised his hammer, and the Bifrost's rainbow-colored beam enveloped them, transporting them away and leaving a circular mark on the ground.

"This is amazing." Inside the rainbow beam, the group seemed to be traveling through a tunnel of dazzling light.

Moments later, they arrived in a large metallic hall. Thor supported Jane, who quickly regained her balance after a few steps. Daniel steadied himself after a brief wobble, but Stark stumbled forward several steps before collapsing on the floor.

"Hello." Jane greeted the man in the hall, standing before a strange device, clad in metallic armor and with dark skin. This was Heimdall, the guardian of Asgard.

"Greetings, friends of Thor. I am Heimdall. Welcome to Asgard." Seeing Stark get up from the ground, Heimdall greeted them.

"Is this portal..." Stark began, but Daniel interrupted with a loud cough, signaling him to be mindful of their surroundings.

"Hello." Stark smiled at Heimdall, understanding Daniel's warning.

"Let's go." Thor, supporting Jane, led the way out of the hall. Daniel smiled and nodded at Heimdall before following with Stark.

"Wow, this is the Bifrost. What's below it?" Stark marveled as they walked on the seemingly endless bridge suspended in the void.

"It's the void. Be careful not to fall off," Thor warned Stark as he neared the edge.

"Why not build a railing? This is dangerous." Stark retreated to the center of the bridge, looking uneasy.

"Asgardians don't need one."

"You might meet King Odin soon. Behave yourself," Daniel advised Stark. Stark's casual attire didn't seem appropriate for the occasion.

Without his Iron Man suit, Stark would be vulnerable in any upcoming conflict.

"Asgard has repaired the Bifrost without the Space Stone. Odin is indeed powerful."

"Asgard is truly remarkable." Standing on the bridge and looking at the unique Asgardian architecture and the beautiful waterfalls in the distance, Daniel couldn't help but be impressed.

Despite encountering unique islands in the One Piece world, visiting Asgard in person was a different experience.

"Couldn't they have provided a vehicle? We're guests, after all," Stark complained after walking a long distance. But Thor, absorbed in explaining Asgard to Jane, didn't hear him.

"Mother." Thor led Jane directly to Queen Frigga upon entering the palace, hoping she could diagnose Jane's condition.

"Greetings to the esteemed King Odin." Daniel performed the Kamar-Taj salute to Odin, who sat on the throne.

"The Sorcerer Supreme." Odin's expression changed as he focused on Daniel. The title brought back memories of his own encounter with a formidable opponent on Midgard (Earth).

In his many conquests, Odin had rarely met his match, but on Earth, he had faced a Sorcerer Supreme who had stymied him with mirror dimensions and portals, preventing Odin from utilizing his full power.

Even Thanos and Ego didn't concern Odin as much as the Sorcerer Supreme, who had thwarted him without direct combat.

"You're friends of Thor. Perhaps he can show you around." Despite his disdain for the Sorcerer Supreme, Odin didn't hold it against their successors. Just as he was about to speak to Stark, a maid approached and informed him that the Queen had summoned them.

"Come along." Odin led Daniel and Stark to the room where Frigga was examining Jane.

"The Aether? How is this possible?" Odin's voice rose as he heard Frigga's explanation.

"Father, what's wrong with Jane?" Thor asked anxiously.

Odin led Thor away, then called Daniel and Stark to join them in a hall where he recounted the history of the Dark Elves and their use of the Aether to plunge the universe into darkness. Odin's father had fought and defeated the Dark Elves, sealing the Aether away.

Odin explained that Asgard had no means to separate the Aether from Jane without harming her, emphasizing the difficulty of dealing with it.

"So the Aether has these properties. Good thing I didn't encounter it," Daniel thought, relieved.

The Aether drained its host's life force for power. Even with his current strength, Daniel knew he wouldn't stand a chance against the Reality Stone.

"Could someone have awakened the Aether? Perhaps the Dark Elves aren't completely gone," Daniel suggested after a moment of silence.

"Impossible. My father eradicated them all," Odin retorted.

"Not necessarily," Stark interjected.

Bang.

Odin struck the floor with his spear, Gungnir, causing a loud reverberation.

"I said, it's impossible."

Stark, taken aback by Odin's forcefulness, held his tongue.

"Stubbornness of a king," Daniel thought, understanding Odin's refusal to believe outsiders over his father's legacy.

"That's the situation. Since you're Thor's friends, stay for a couple of days and then return." Odin left, intending to keep Jane in Asgard to prevent the Aether from causing further harm. He planned to retrieve the Aether once Jane died.

"Jane." Worried about Jane's condition, Thor ran to her, leaving Daniel and Stark in the hall.

"This is something else," Stark remarked, unsure of what to say.

"Don't think about learning their technology. Asgard's runic science is incompatible with your current knowledge."

Stark's curiosity about Asgardian technology was natural, but their technological systems were fundamentally different. Asgard applied quantum knowledge in what they called the Soul Forge.

"Do you think we could travel to other planets from here?" Stark asked, thinking of advancing Earth's technology to prevent future alien invasions.

"Even if they agreed to send us to another planet, how would you acquire advanced technology? We don't have money. Would you resort to stealing?"

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