[Soul Scan / Molecular Energy Control]: You can easily see through objects at the molecular level and even perform limited scans or manipulations on that basis.
[Quantum Mastery (Basic)]: You have a rudimentary grasp of quantum power, enabling you to accomplish miracles beyond ordinary human imagination.
[Particle-Stream Control (Electromagnetic Mastery)]: A similar ability has been detected and fused. Your electromagnetic control has further improved; you can manipulate protons, neutrons, and other particles in the air and convert them into particle-stream attacks.
[Super Vision (Microscopic)]: A similar ability has been detected and fused. Your microscopic vision has been further enhanced—hardly anything in either the macro world or the micro world can escape your eyes.
[…]
Unobtrusively, Aaron gained several new abilities in secret.
Those above were just the biggest highlights in power-boost terms; there were many other duplicates or less important abilities as well—ones he might never use in his entire lifetime.
One had to admit, Asgard really did have a treasure trove of "good stuff": healing stones that can instantly mend injuries, "soul-refining furnaces" made with quantum generators that can shift energy at the molecular level… Some were technological, some magical, and in the end, they all became part of Aaron's arsenal. He even managed to gain a certain degree of quantum power.
That, in particular, was quite valuable.
In the Avengers stories, quantum technology was once used to build a "quantum tunnel," enabling someone to travel back in time—although doing so would create an alternate parallel universe, spawning a new timeline branch. On top of that, one would need to keep a low profile, avoiding major impacts on the world—otherwise, you might wind up getting a grand prize of trouble, attracting a whole conference of Kangs.
Aaron knew that, while he couldn't do the sort of time-travel mainstream theory described, he could harness quantum energy to more easily scan his environment and even become invisible at the quantum level—similar to Ava, the Ghost, from Ant-Man. Yet Ava's phasing was uncontrollable and prone to going haywire, whereas Aaron had no such risk. This ability would be as straightforward for him to manage as blinking, sticking out his tongue, or breathing; it was wholly his own. This was fantastic!
…
"You look quite pleased. Maybe we should go someplace more fun?"
Sif, still serving as his guide, winked at Aaron.
Nearby in the hospital, busy medics cast surprised looks at Sif and the complete stranger with her. They never imagined Sif could be so warm toward someone she didn't even know. And what about Thor? Wasn't he going to do anything?
Ten minutes later…
Aaron had thought Sif was taking him to a museum, but instead—
"The 'fun place' you mentioned…is a bar?"
Upon entering, Aaron was hit by a strong medieval tavern vibe: mercenaries drinking with abandon, barmaids in revealing outfits, a silent barkeep…
Then he spotted a familiar figure: Fandral, his arms around two barmaids, laughing and whispering in their ears.
Sif noticed him, too, narrowing her eyes.
"I figured you men all liked places like this. Fandral and Volstagg come here to spin their tall tales."
"Fine, I was just teasing you."
Seeing that Aaron was genuinely uninterested in this place, Sif pointed at another large building floating in the sky, straight ahead. "The museum you wanted is over there. Follow me."
"Maybe we should call an airship or find some horses to ride."
"It's just a pity the Valkyries' winged steeds have disappeared with the Valkyries themselves. Otherwise, we could be riding them through the skies."
A hint of regret colored Sif's words. She was called a Valkyrie herself, but she was different from the vanished Valkyrie legion. That legendary group of female warriors had died gloriously on some distant battlefield, apparently facing a frightening enemy. Sif had grown up hearing Valkyrie tales and always wanted to be one of them, yet no matter how she tried, Odin never intended to re-establish the Valkyrie Corps. Even her "Valkyrie" nickname was just something people called her because of her valor—she had the name but not the official position.
"You really want to be a Valkyrie?"
Aaron raised an eyebrow. His gaze hinted he might be testing a new ability—now seemed like a good chance.
Sif nodded. "But the All-Father doesn't appear to have any plans to revive the Valkyries."
Aaron already knew the reason. Under Odin's orders, the Valkyries had tried to keep Hela from escaping her seal, and only a single Valkyrie survived; the rest died in that place of confinement. The one survivor left Asgard forever, unable to face the painful memory. With the entire corps gone, Odin obviously wasn't about to re-form them—just the sight of a new Valkyrie legion would recall Hela's name, which would be terribly awkward.
But Aaron didn't find it awkward in the slightest!
He turned serious. "Sif!"
"Huh?" She turned around, confused.
A ball of energy shimmered in Aaron's hand. "In the name of the gods…or rather, of Asgard's forebears, I, Aaron, grant you Asgard's honor!"
Sif was stunned, and the glow in Aaron's hand had already merged into her body. Moreover, further radiance gathered from all corners of the realm—Asgard's fundamental energy, the source of the Aesir. Successive God-Kings had drawn power from it. Now, with Aaron invoking his authority as "King of the Gods," that energy converged into a so-called "divine core" within Sif, causing her power to surge dramatically.
"This…"
Sif was shaken by the changes inside her. If she wasn't mistaken, that force felt like a blessing from Odin—but it was Aaron's blessing instead! That was exclusive to a God-King!
While she looked around in disbelief, Aaron waved again, conjuring a white horse. Not an ordinary Asgardian steed or an Earthly mount. Its physique could easily handle powerful forces at extreme altitudes. From the Primordial Furnace, Aaron pulled data on frigatebirds, peregrine falcons, gyrfalcons, swans, etc., fusing their wing characteristics into this "lucky" white horse. After a moment's thought, inspiration flooded in, and he added the Tablet of Life and Time's evolutionary trait, enabling the horse's species to advance further. It also gained remarkable adaptability—able to survive for short periods in space—and some degree of antigravity, so it could keep flying even if its wings were damaged.
"This is your winged horse. It's not quite the same as the old Valkyries' mounts, but I promise it's even better!"
Aaron gestured for her to try it. Sif was already in shock, staring at him with awe in her eyes.
"I…this…"
Aaron saw her dazed expression and leapt onto the horse, pulling her up into his arms. The horse trotted gracefully, flapped its wings, and shot into the sky with the two of them. In mere seconds, it reached sonic speeds. Sif had to cling tightly to the reins to keep from falling off.
Despite never having ridden a horse before, Aaron handled this winged steed as if he'd done so for years. With no protective gear, he used one arm to hold Sif, the other for the reins, and the horse followed his thoughts, maneuvering in any direction at will.
"Heavens, we're leaving Asgard behind!"
Sif exclaimed, looking down at the rapidly shrinking Asgard, her heart pounding. At this altitude, Asgard was quite a sight—like a ring-shaped island surrounded by swirling mist and cosmic seas. The air was extremely thin, yet the horse remained perfectly fine. Only Sif was gasping for breath, though still exhilarated.
"Do you like it?" Aaron asked.
Sif nodded emphatically.
"This winged horse…doesn't even have to flap its wings?"
"Because I gave it antigravity control. In theory, it can adapt to virtually any extreme combat environment. Though…if you try riding it underwater, never mind."
Aaron explained briefly.
Sif was speechless with astonishment. In the tales, no Valkyrie had owned a steed quite so formidable. She wondered if she herself could measure up to its capabilities. Probably not, right?
"From this moment on, you are truly this generation's Valkyrie!" Aaron declared. "And I can guarantee you're stronger than any Valkyrie before—after all, it's my gift!"
Where Odin had to worry about cosmic balance, Aaron did not. It was his first time fully exercising a "Skyfather" power, and he'd generously overdone it. Sif, at least several times stronger than before, had suddenly become a Valkyrie second only to the royal lineage. Meanwhile, Aaron himself, who possessed the pseudo–Celestial body combined with Aesir might, had also gotten a substantial boost. Even relying solely on physical strength, he felt he could handle both Thor and the Hulk—maybe more.
Sif's emotions were complicated—her lifelong dream had come true so suddenly. Even though Odin hadn't acknowledged her, she was, in practice, a real Valkyrie: blessed by a "God-King," favored by Asgard, with a winged steed of her own…
"Oh, right! One more thing."
Aaron took her sword and shield from her back, quietly chanting. Though her blade was already formidable, it gained even greater power under Aaron's handiwork.
"I did a casual enchantment today—this sword's now a bit stronger than before, and it can fly and return to you on its own. Maybe later, I can add better features."
It was his first time trying to enchant a weapon outside the Primordial Furnace's system, but it was still a cut above ordinary. It was high-grade Uru metal, and Aaron had deliberately integrated new functions that Sif herself would need time to explore.
Feeling her heart pound, Sif watched Aaron's earnest side profile. She recalled how Thor had wanted to introduce him to her. She'd found it a bit abrupt then; now she was receiving an enormous gift from him, and besides herself, she had nothing to offer. She also suspected Odin and Frigga planned to pair her with Thor to make her the next queen, but she and Thor weren't romantically involved—more like "brotherly" or "comrade-in-arms." Since Aaron arrived, crushing Loki and Thor so handily, a much stronger, more handsome figure had entered her world. His gestures of kindness further solidified that impression. He had Odin-like might, a bravery Thor couldn't match, wisdom Loki couldn't surpass, and he was younger, stronger, more considerate.
Sensing the warmth at her back, Sif's mind momentarily blanked, and she shot forward to kiss him. Then she pretended not to care. "That's my thanks. We Asgardians never hide our feelings. If you find it inappropriate, don't fret too much."
"Hmm?"
Aaron blinked. Wow. She'd just caught him off-guard. How humiliating!
"Woman, you've definitely caught my attention!"
He reached out, forcibly turned her face his way, and kissed her back. Then he conjured a field powerful enough to shield them from outside eyes.
Meanwhile, at the Bifrost's central hub, Heimdall stood impassively, gaze fixed on the Nine Realms, unmoving like a statue. Yet his bright eyes held confusion and shock. He could no longer see through them with his all-seeing sight!
…
Inside the royal palace, Thor and Loki hung their heads, enduring their "father's" lecture. Mid-speech, Odin abruptly paused, looked upward, and muttered, "Oh dear, my future daughter-in-law is gone."
Thor and Loki, who hadn't felt paternal warmth in ages, quietly glanced up—and met Odin's piercing gaze. It terrified them.
"Father, I truly messed up!" Loki exclaimed, dropping instantly to his knees.
Thor looked away haughtily, chin high—a true warrior doesn't kneel so easily, nor apologize. Not happening!
"Thor!"
He, too, promptly sank to his knees, head bowed. Odin eyed them both, tempted to use Gungnir to let them experience his fatherly love. But in the end, he just sighed. "Both of you—out!"
"Yes, Father!"
They fled in haste.
"Loki, what do you think Father's planning?" Thor asked, resuming his free-spirited manner.
Loki glanced at his clueless face and took a step away, remembering his mother's warning not to stay too close to idiots or risk being infected by their foolishness. "Who knows?"
He looked skyward again, then back at Thor, his expression turning strange.
"That is… Aaron and Sif?!"
They saw a black speck streak above the palace, heading off. Loki glanced at Thor again. "My foolish brother, you're being cuckolded."
Yet Thor stared after the distant speck, grinning. "I told you Sif and Aaron would make a good pair. Maybe I've got a talent for matchmaking."
Loki slapped a hand to his forehead. Hopeless.
…
In the palace:
"Odin," Frigga said worriedly, approaching him. "I just saw Aaron and Sif…"
Odin shook his head. "Let them be. Thor doesn't like Sif that way anyway."
"But…Aaron—are you sure this is worth it? Are you certain he's of Asgardian descent?"
"Does certainty matter?"
Odin lifted his gaze skyward. "At the very least, he truly commands Asgard's authority, wielding a power only the All-Father should possess. Whether or not he's really my brother, for all eyes, he is an Asgardian god. That's enough."
He wasn't senile. In truth, he wasn't sure of Aaron's real identity. A king off fighting faraway wars having a short-lived affair with a woman of another race? Perfectly plausible. Back in his day, he'd gotten drunk in taverns or at parties, tangled with noblewomen… So who could say whether or not "toothpick meets giant vat" had once happened? It might also be some other origin, maybe from a different universe. Either way, Aaron couldn't completely separate himself from the Aesir. After the upcoming feast, the Nine Realms would know he was Odin's brother—Thor and Loki's uncle.
Odin's lone eye turned to the golden gates, seeing the sun's rays fading just like Asgard itself. He murmured, "Nightfall already…"
"Frigga, how are preparations for the celebration?"
Supporting the frail Odin, she fretted. "I've sent urgent words to every realm—this is going to be an unprecedented gathering. Asgard will be welcoming a grand new god."
"Quick, then—time's short."
Indeed, Aaron was busy—busy dealing with the ardent new Valkyrie. Sif had inherited the passionate fire of Norse women. Even though it was her first time, she wanted to ride wildly like she was on a battlefield. Unfortunately, she had overestimated herself and underestimated Aaron. A knight doesn't always stay the knight; sometimes she becomes… the mount.
~~~
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