Victory

Authors Note-

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Ivan possessed an immensely potent energy absorption ability. This power proved formidable against physical attacks, effortlessly nullifying kinetic energy from swords or bullets. Moreover, Ivan could directly absorb and convert the energy when facing energy-based attacks, even employing it for counterattacks.

However, despite the remarkable capability, a limitation exists—for instance, the hammer's lightning attack, almost solidified, challenges Ivan's absorption speed. While Ivan can eventually absorb this heightened energy, it requires several seconds—akin to a machine encountering a particularly reinforced stone during crushing, requiring repeated efforts.

The challenge intensifies with Thor's Hammer, whose powerful force closely follows the condensed lightning strike. The time Ivan spends absorbing the energy leaves a vulnerability. Recognizing this, Ivan swiftly decides to counteract by hurling a short sword directly at the adversary while preparing for the subsequent maneuver.

Thor responds with a slight head tilt, evading the rotating short sword. He then strikes Ivan's energy shield with the hammer, momentarily causing the sharp strike to pause on the shield. A flash ensues, resembling a punctured bubble, before Thor's Hammer relentlessly resumes its trajectory toward Ivan.

The shield managed to buy a brief respite for Ivan. At that moment, the short sword had soared over ten meters behind Thor. Ivan grinned, and with a sharp sound, he vanished entirely, leaving only a trail of sparks. Moments later, he reappeared more than ten meters behind Thor, swiftly seizing the flying short sword.

Thor, unable to restrain his strength, forcefully slammed the hammer onto the arena. A thunderous rumble ensued, condensed to its limit, and shattered. The intense thunderlight blinded onlookers, prompting a protective hood to materialize over the thunder platform, shielding spectators from the scattered thunder and lightning.

Once the blinding light dissipated, observers noticed a sizable pit, several meters in diameter, carved into the ring. The spectators, initially stunned, erupted into enthusiastic cheers. Asgard's largest arena, constructed from unique materials renowned for unmatched hardness throughout the universe, had never experienced such damage since its construction.

While the crowd celebrated, Odin, the king of gods, sighed inwardly, whispering,

"Failed"

"Yeah, I lost," Frigga, standing behind him, concurred with a nod. In truth, given Thor's current capabilities, achieving the level of thunder and lightning power condensation exhibited was impossible. Changing its form required a colossal amount of mental power beyond the capacity of someone with an athletic physique like Thor. Frigga, secretly manipulating Thor's Hammer, had already deduced Ivan's ability and found a countermeasure. Yet, executing this plan was challenging for Thor at his current skill level.

When Frigga agreed to the wager, she had devised a strategy. While the contenders prepared for battle, she discreetly cast an enhancing spell on Thor's Hammer, aiding in the concentration of thunder power. This allowed Thor to alter the form proactively. However, the spell had its limitations—it could only be used once and would dissipate after that. Faced with an inability to defeat Ivan, this opportunity became the deciding factor for victory or defeat.

Ivan's sudden disappearance startled Thor in the ring, but he quickly sensed a presence behind him. Swiveling around, he spotted Ivan not far away. Without hesitation, Thor grabbed the hammer and charged forward. Along the way, he sought to condense thunder power into a strike as before—an effort facilitated by Frigga's covert assistance. Despite the thunder and lightning's gathering, it failed to shape as precisely as before. Nonetheless, Thor, a bit anxious, pressed on with his assault.

Ivan remained unaware of the secret, although he doubted Thor's ability to wield the hammer. He refrained from confronting it head-on to err on the side of caution. Pointing ahead, he shouted, "Diffindo."

A beam of light struck the ground in front of Thor.

As Thor charged forward, he felt a sudden trip, involuntarily causing him to fall on. Ivan seized the opportunity, arriving swiftly to slash at Thor from the side with a sword.

Thor's reaction, however, was remarkably swift. He manipulated Thor's Hammer to float, stabilizing himself. With a forceful and mechanically unconventional body twist, he countered with a mighty hammer strike.

Fearful of Thor utilizing the lightning strike again, Ivan opted not to confront it directly. The short sword clashed with Thor's Hammer, and Ivan leveraged this impact to retreat swiftly.

Thor, uplifted by his successful move, pursued Ivan energetically, shouting as he advanced. To ensure his safety, Ivan distanced himself and employed magic for remote attacks.

The exchange between the two lacked intensity, lasting for half an hour with no clear winner. Due to Ivan's apprehension about Thor's potential big move, the battle seemed tied, masking Ivan's actual advantage. The people of Asgard cheered excitedly, believing their prince was on the verge of victory.

Despite being more potent than his opponent, Ivan felt aggrieved. Forced into evasive maneuvers, impatience and cruelty welled up within him. Opting to take a risk and conclude the fight, Ivan accelerated his magic attacks, unleashing successive energy beams. While most missed, a few landed on Thor, causing his body to tremble and eliciting roars yet inflicting no severe damage. Thor's roars reassured onlookers of his resilience.

Thor, finally succumbing to the one-sided beating, became irrational. Ignoring Ivan's magic attacks, he swung the hammer, seeking a mutual defeat.

Ivan, however, had other plans. As Thor's hammer descended, Ivan's figure shattered like a bubble. It was merely an illusion, with another Ivan appearing beside Thor. The short sword struck Thor's face at an angle.

"Ow!!" Thor felt a dizzying sensation, and his vision filled with gold stars. A shrill scream escaped him.

As the pain subsided, Thor regained his senses, finding a short sword at his neck, signaling the end of the fight. Silence enveloped the onlookers, struggling to accept the defeat of their second-strongest in Asgard.

Upon retrieving the short sword, Ivan stood victorious. Thor, with a look of defeat, staggered to his feet. He had persisted longer than before and felt the improvement in his strength but ultimately failed to alter the outcome. Thor, burdened with a sense of disappointing the expectations of Asgard's people, regretfully acknowledged his mother's advice.

At this moment, Odin took the stage, gazing at Thor, and spoke solemnly, "Failure is not terrible; everyone will face failure. What's truly dreadful is if, after failing, one refuses to confront oneself. I am disappointed by your current demeanor and the cowardice within you. Now, I ask you: Do you wish to wallow in indulgence and cowardice or rise, cultivate, and become a fearless warrior?"

"Of course, I aspire to become a fearless warrior. Despite this loss, I will intensify my practice, striving to become stronger, and I'll carry the shame of today into a future triumph."

Thor nearly shouted in the end, reinvigorated by Odin's inspirational words.

Witnessing Thor's response, the spectators cheered and applauded as if he were the victor.

Loki, who had maintained a low-key demeanor in the corner, observed the scene. Though outwardly indifferent, deep inside, he felt profoundly unbalanced. Envy, jealousy, and hatred for Thor surged within him. Loki began calculating in his heart as he glanced at the victorious Ivan in the ring.

Standing on the ring, Odin officially declared Ivan's victory and instructed everyone to disperse, leaving only Ivan, Thor, Loki, Frigga, the four warriors, and others.

Odin nodded to his wife, Frigga, who immediately stepped forward, presenting a badge to Ivan. She said, "This is a certificate; you can access most places in Asgard. Except for a few secretive locations, no one will impede you. You can study with others and access materials freely."

Ivan respectfully accepted the badge with gratitude, expressing, "Thank you for your generosity; I will cherish it."

"It is rightfully yours. I will arrange accommodation for you and provide some basic knowledge about Asgard. If you need anything, feel free to express it. As long as it's reasonable, I will likely agree." After Frigga's words, she stepped aside.

Ivan carefully examined the badge, stowed it in his pocket, and then retrieved a bottle of Phoenix Blood Potion from his belongings. Holding it with both hands, he offered it to Odin, saying, "This is a gesture of gratitude from my heart. Please accept it."

Odin's expression turned cold, and his tone was stern, "Lord Ivan Xiao, what do you imply? Are you insulting Asgard? We will acknowledge the outcome of this game, as we stated. There is no need for you to offer us anything. Are you trying to covet something from us?"

Ivan quickly clarified, "Your Majesty, please don't misunderstand. I meant no disrespect. This is a token of my appreciation. I believe Asgard's knowledge is incomparably more valuable than my potion. I gained a significant advantage in the previous bet, and I wish to make a gesture of compensation. Please accept it as a contribution towards the cost of my accommodation during the study period."

Ivan spoke sincerely, facing Odin's inquiry without hesitation. After contemplating for a moment, Odin looked at the potion in Ivan's hands and then turned to Frigga.

Frigga nodded and said, "I sense the sincerity in his words. Accept it. I have a feeling it may prove useful in the future."