Chapter 100: The Oprah Show, Part Two

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Link carefully scanned the surroundings, ensuring no potential threats or dangerous incidents could arise, such as a terrorist attack. Using his X-ray vision, he confirmed everything was safe before relaxing his gaze.

As the host, Oprah took the stage first, signaling the start of the live broadcast. She began with an introductory monologue before formally inviting the Avengers to join. The music played, and Link, along with Steve Rogers and Natasha Romanoff, stood and made their way onto the stage.

Captain America led the way, followed by Black Widow in the middle, with Link bringing up the rear as they entered the live studio. The audience's enthusiasm nearly blew the roof off with cheers and applause until Steve raised his hand, calming them down. After all, he had faced far larger and louder crowds during his time.

"Welcome to all three of you! I notice your outfits look a bit different. Are these your official uniforms?" Oprah asked, standing beside them.

Steve nodded. "Yes, these are newly designed suits using advanced technology."

"What kind of technology?" Oprah inquired.

Steve turned toward Link. "Link, would you mind showing them?"

Without a word, Link tapped the side of his helmet, and the nanotechnology retracted like water, revealing his face.

"Wow…" Oprah and the audience gasped in astonishment as Link explained, "This is nanotechnology. I'm sure many of you have seen it in sci-fi films, but it's not just fiction."

"For now, it's not available for commercial use but is exclusive to the Avengers."

"That's incredible! Please, take a seat, and we'll dive into today's conversation." Oprah expertly guided the flow of the program, despite knowing there was no strict time limit for this episode. The ratings were already through the roof, with over a billion viewers watching from around the world. Advertisers had paid top dollar, but the Avengers were indifferent to the money, so the network was more than happy to cooperate.

After sitting down, Oprah began with the first audience-sourced question. "We've gathered questions from viewers worldwide, and one of the most common concerns is: do aliens really exist?"

Steve was slightly exasperated, and Natasha gave a small smile, but Link answered directly. "If people still doubt it at this point, I'd say humanity is just too fragile psychologically."

"The evidence is right in front of you. Those massive alien creatures are still lying in New York, and cleaning them up has been no easy task."

"The existence of extraterrestrials isn't something that changes based on human belief. They're there, whether we acknowledge them or not."

"And just like they invaded Earth, they didn't ask for our permission—they simply used force. As terrifying as that may sound, it's reality."

Link paused to let his words sink in, allowing the audience to process the hard truth. The atmosphere grew heavy as many already knew this deep down but didn't want to admit it.

Oprah, prepared for this, waited a moment before asking, "Why, then, did aliens attack Earth? Was this planned long ago, or did it happen suddenly?"

Link responded, "I need to clarify something. Aliens didn't just suddenly arrive. They've been here many times before. In fact, if you look at the history of human civilization, you'll find traces of their influence."

"You all saw a man during the Battle of New York—he wore armor, had a cape, and wielded a hammer. He could fly and control lightning. His appearance should be familiar—he's Thor from Norse mythology."

"Thor?" Oprah exclaimed in surprise. "So, you're saying the gods of Norse mythology were real?"

"Exactly," Link confirmed. "Thor hails from Asgard. He's the son of Odin, the All-Father, and, yes, a real prince."

"However, you could also think of them as aliens. A long time ago, frost giants attempted to conquer Earth, but Odin led the Asgardian army to defeat them."

"That's where Norse mythology comes from. These beings really visited Earth and protected it. In fact, among the advanced civilizations in the universe, Earth falls under the protection of Asgard."

Link's earlier revelations had shocked the audience, but his mention of Earth's protection from Asgard calmed them slightly.

Oprah thought for a moment before asking, "So, are they truly gods?"

"By some definitions, yes," Link said. "Asgardians live for about 5,000 years, which might seem godlike to us. But they're not immortal."

"It all depends on how you choose to define divinity. What's clear is that while Asgard could've ruled over Earth, they didn't."

"Thor has mentioned that Asgard governs several other planets, yet Earth was never one of them."

Steve interjected, "We've asked Thor about this too, but even he doesn't seem to know the reason. Only Odin understands the full picture."

"So, it seems there's some mystery behind it," Oprah mused.

Link nodded. "Absolutely. And if I had to guess, the reason Odin hasn't taken control of Earth is that Asgard isn't the only entity protecting it."

A collective gasp echoed through the studio. "Wait, are you saying there are *other* protectors of Earth?" Oprah asked, visibly puzzled.

"That's something we can't confirm," Link admitted. "If there are other protectors, they're ancient—far older than modern civilization. Our current societies have only been around for a fraction of the time the universe has existed."

Link spread his hands in a gesture of uncertainty. "Your suspicions are correct—governments worldwide have kept many secrets about alien civilizations from the public."

"And yes, there is a global organization responsible for handling these matters. The Avengers were formed because this organization recognized the need for our help."

"The reasoning was simple: if an alien invasion occurs and we can't stop it, we'll at least ensure they pay a heavy price for attacking Earth."

Oprah furrowed her brow. "That sounds incredibly grim. With so much protection, why does it feel like we're still vulnerable?"

"No matter how advanced Asgard or any other protectors might be," Link explained, "they don't interfere with human development. We've received no guidance from them."

"To them, we're still an unknown variable."

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