Marvel Magic Case Files.

Chapter 97 Calculation After Calculation

All the inhabitants of Asgard gathered in the vast Golden Palace. Suddenly, a roar of cheers, like a tidal wave, swept in from the palace gates, arms and shouts surging like a tide. Salomon saw a burly man in silver armor and a red cloak, wearing a silver winged helmet, walk from the end of the long red carpet. He raised his warhammer, and as all the Asgardian civilians cheered wildly, he grinned and waved his hands.

He tossed his warhammer into the air and caught it again with ease, as if this were not some grand ceremony, but a celebratory feast after an adventure, a time for carefree indulgence. Odin, the Allfather, did not show a single smile from beginning to end, nor did he even move his short, white beard; his single eye held only hesitation.

Standing on either side of the steps were Frigga, Loki, and Sif—the royal family, with Sif being Frigga's chosen wife for Thor. On the other side stood three warriors of Asgard, Thor's comrades and adventure partners: Fandral, Volstagg, and Hogan. At this moment, almost everyone's attention was focused on Thor as he slowly approached, for this coronation ceremony was one he had prepared for him, including Loki.

He did notice the rather mysterious Sorcerer Supreme and Salomon, but he didn't pay them any mind; his attention was still focused on his own schemes. Clearly, Odin hadn't told him about Kamar-Taj on Earth, otherwise he would have recognized the origins of the replica Agamotto crystal ball and another Agamotto artifact in the vault. Moreover, even if he only knew the origins of the Sorcerer Supreme and Salomon, he wouldn't care, because Asgard's position as the overlord of the land had made him overlook the origins of Earth's autonomy.

The Sorcerer Supreme and Salomon watched as Thor, surrounded by cheers, walked down the steps. He knelt on one knee, placed Mjolnir on the ground, removed his helmet, winked at his mother, and smiled at his companions. Odin, clad in golden armor, a golden horned helmet, and an eyepatch, rose from his throne. He tapped his spear Gungnir, the dull thud echoing throughout Asgard, silencing the cheering crowd. The Allfather looked down at Thor at the bottom of the steps, and the two ravens on either side of the throne, named Huginn and Munnn, also turned their gaze to Thor.

"Is he stupid?" Salomon asked the Sorcerer Supreme in a low voice. "He doesn't seem very bright."

"Perhaps." The Sorcerer Supreme nodded slightly, their voices completely inaudible to the others. It was just a small trick, copied by Salomon into the Kamar-Taj Library, and the Sorcerer Supreme would always check the new spells on it with a sense of novelty.

"Thor... Son of Odin. My heir, my eldest son." Odin's tone was calm, but the emotion within was palpable to all. "You have always wielded Mjolnir, Thor's hammer, forged from the heart of a dying star. Its power is immense; it is a weapon of destruction and a tool of creation. Only a king is worthy to possess it. From time immemorial, I have protected Asgard and the Nine Realms, saving countless lives. Although a new king is about to ascend the throne..."

"But you must not underestimate him." The Sorcerer Supreme dismissed Odin's boasting, knowing how brutal Odin's methods were towards his enemies. Or rather, as a king, he couldn't possibly sympathize with his enemies. The Sorcerer Supreme, also King of Midgard, fully understood the necessity of Odin's actions, and in necessary circumstances, his methods would be just as bloody. And that bloodshed would be borne by Salomon in the future. The Sorcerer Supreme said, "In the future, Thor will be King of Asgard, and you will inherit one of my titles. If you perform well, your position will be no less than his."

"I think I could bribe him with a case of whiskey, or throw him into a Jack Daniel's barrel," Salomon said, looking at Thor. "Reckless, impulsive, and acting without considering the consequences, coupled with the fact that Asgard has been peaceful for so long—I haven't seen any large-scale military operations there in the last thousand years—Thor's battles are more like adventures. The Allfathers' upbringing was vastly different from Thor's; it's difficult for the Allfathers' successors to make any progress."

Salomon didn't mention Odin's name because he was unaware of Odin's magical abilities. However, Odin was the one who created runic magic, so it was likely not much weaker than the Sorcerer Supreme. Facing such a being, no amount of caution was excessive; he felt Odin was even more powerful than the Queen of Sheba and Jubilees, whom he had previously encountered.

"I remember telling you about the origins of the Asgardian pantheon; I'm not so old as to forget," said the Sorcerer Supreme. "From Buri to Bauer, from Bauer to Odin, and from Odin to Thor, their potential was ever greater, their talents truly enviable. But your talents are in no way inferior to theirs. Don't be discouraged; your greatest talent is your knowledge."

Salomon knew the Sorcerer Supreme's teaching methods were poor, but he hadn't expected them to be this bad. One minute it was adversity-based education, the next it was encouragement-based education. If he were really just a rebellious fifteen-year-old teenager, he might be completely confused by this contradictory approach.

He had absolutely no interest in the coronation ceremony; this tedious spectacle held far less appeal for him than the spellbook in his hand or the game console in his bedroom in Kamar-Taj, for he knew perfectly well the outcome. And he wasn't the only one who knew; Loki was among them, as were the Sorcerer Supreme, Frigga, and Odin.

Odin asked, "Have you sworn to protect the Nine Kingdoms?"

"I swear," Thor answered without hesitation.

Odin asked, "Do you swear to maintain peace?"

"I swear," Thor said without hesitation.

Odin finally asked, "Do you swear to set aside your personal ambitions and strive for the well-being of the Nine Kingdoms?"

"I swear!" Thor laughed as he lifted Mjolnir.

"So today... I, Odin, the Allfather, declare..." Odin said, his remaining eye suddenly turning to the side, looking at the Sorcerer Supreme, "The Frost Giant!"

It had happened! Odin stared intently at the Sorcerer Supreme; everything was exactly as the Sorcerer Supreme had predicted. Long before this coronation ceremony, the Sorcerer Supreme had spoken to Odin about this situation, including all the possible consequences and the risks Thor might face. Odin knew that Thor was not a suitable heir; he was too impulsive and had various flaws. However, Thor had to inherit the throne because only Thor could lead Asgard through Ragnarok.

As the Queen of the Gods, Frigga was aware of this possibility. Before the Sorcerer Supreme appeared, Frigga, the goddess of the sky and the earth, was the greatest sorcerer in the Nine Realms. Later, this title was taken away after the battle between the Sorcerer Supreme and Odin. Although the Sorcerer Supreme, who possessed the Eye of Agamotto, could not completely defeat Odin, Odin was also helpless against the Sorcerer Supreme.

After the Sorcerer Supreme arrived in Asgard with Salomon, while Salomon was being led to his room in the palace by his handmaids, Odin, Frigga, and the Sorcerer Supreme had a secret conversation. The content of this conversation is known only to them, as Frigga had all the handmaids leave the room and refused entry to anyone, not even Thor and Loki.

"That's your successor? The holy son who descended to Earth? The one connected to Heaven?" the Allfather asked. "He looks a lot like Loki. Are all magicians this calculating?"

"Huh?" Frigga's eyes widened. Odin had never said anything like this when she used magic to trick Odin's golden statue.

"Yes, the heir to my real power." The Sorcerer Supreme picked up his wine glass and drank it down in one gulp without expression, as if it were not a strong liquor but a light tea.

"Why not let Thor interact with him?" Odin said. "Perhaps they'll become good friends, and he could join the ranks of Asgardian warriors?"

“No, even if I agreed, he wouldn’t be happy,” the Sorcerer Supreme said. “We are mages; we need to learn, not to engage in aimless adventures. He can’t just wield the power in his bloodline at will.”

"Look, it's all repeating itself," Odin said. "The naive king of Asgard and the gloomy wizard of Midgard. Are you sure he can hold onto Earth's place?"

"He might do better than me, and I believe in his abilities," His Holiness said. "At least he hasn't been overwhelmed by that knowledge yet. He's adapted well to life in Kamar-Taj and isn't going insane because of it."

"I'm sorry, old friend, you understand my predicament." Odin brought up another matter, "My time is coming to an end, you know what to do."

"I have already made my plans. I am but a mortal, and such a long life and heavy burden are somewhat unbearable for me. Now that my two successors have been chosen, all I have to do is nurture them," said the Supreme Master. "Now, you may begin your plans."

The coronation ceremony was interrupted, and Odin led his soldiers to the treasury. Queen Frigga was unsurprised; this was one possibility, and she knew who was behind it all. She glanced at Loki beside her and ordered the remaining soldiers to evacuate the civilians, while also arranging for the guards within Asgard to ensure no one escaped.

"See? I told you, this coronation ceremony will be spectacular," the Sorcerer Supreme said, pointing to Thor, who was burning with rage and following Odin away. "Now you can start planning how to deal with this King of Asgard."

Those worried about the protagonist's growth rate can rest assured, there's still plenty of time. My big events won't just involve the Infinity Gauntlet, and the Purple Potato Spirit isn't the only enemy. The foreshadowing of the Ark of the Covenant has already been laid. The true function of the protagonist's cheat ability will only be revealed during the first Battle of New York; memories are just one aspect.

However, due to the chaotic comic book versions and the inclusion of mutant characters, I had to make some changes—it felt like writing a script for Marvel Studios.

Then, I discovered that many people misunderstand the nine factions. For example, Lawful Good isn't a saintly figure; it's Neutral Good, the benevolent faction, that's the saintly one. This lack of understanding of the nine factions can lead to incorrect judgments about the protagonist's faction. Therefore, I will place the nine-square grid and its explanation in the section related to the work. As for when? Of course, when I have time!

One more thing: the book is going to be released at the end of the month, so I need to reduce the word count now. That means, aside from today's situation, there will only be one update until the release. The good thing is, there might be a burst of updates after the release.

Finally, it's time to vote! Remember to click the little heart; it's uncomfortable to see anything that isn't a whole number.

Also, this book was reported by some lunatic -_-#

(End of this chapter)