Kull quickly realized the dire state he was in. He knew that to survive, he needed to break free from the vicious cycle of diminishing power. Desperation twisted his face into a savage snarl as he resolved to strike directly at the Asgardian citizens—the source of his predicament.
But it was too late.
By this point, Kull's strength had waned to such a degree that he was no longer capable of bypassing Thor and Loki's protection to harm the Asgardian people. In fact, his power had fallen so far that even Heimdall and the Warriors Three outclassed him.
Kull's fate was sealed.
The God of Fear—once seemingly eternal and indestructible—was nearing the end of his existence. His anger and resentment surged within him, but it was all in vain. With his strength continuing to dwindle, Kull's fear-inducing abilities could no longer affect his surroundings. What's more, the Asgardian citizens, who had once feared him so deeply, now stood unshaken. Their terror had vanished completely.
Kull could no longer draw power from fear. His wellspring of strength had run dry.
Earlier, when Kull had first arrived in Asgard, he could still faintly sense the fear-based power emanating from Earth's two Yellow Lantern rings. But now, he couldn't even detect the fear of the Asgardians surrounding him. The realization struck him like a hammer blow: there was no longer any source of power left for him to tap into.
"Was it really this simple?" Robert, observing the scene from a distance, raised an eyebrow. "If that's the case, perhaps Asgard owes us a thank-you," he quipped. "If it weren't for our earlier battles, Asgard's population would be much larger. If that were the case, getting rid of Kull wouldn't have been this easy."
Robert's comment, though sarcastic, carried a kernel of truth. Asgard's reduced population had limited Kull's ability to spread fear. Furthermore, the remaining Asgardians had repeatedly witnessed Kull's defeats at the hands of Thor and Loki, allowing them to shed their fear of him completely.
Ironically, Asgard's decline had paved the way for Kull's defeat. If this had been Asgard at the height of its glory, the widespread fear of Kull among its citizens would have rendered him truly immortal. In that scenario, he would have been nearly impossible to kill.
Robert didn't know exactly how Odin had foreseen Thor defeating Kull, but the outcome was clear: Thor had achieved his ultimate goal.
"No! I refuse to accept this!" Kull roared in defiance, his voice filled with fury and desperation. "I am the rightful King of Asgard! Everything here—your lives, your fear—should belong to me!"
"Perhaps," Thor replied calmly, nodding slightly. "But it's clear this is no longer your time."
As Thor spoke, a devastating combination of rune thunder, frost energy, and divine power from Heimdall and the Warriors Three struck Kull simultaneously. The immense energy engulfed Kull's weakened form, utterly annihilating him.
"BOOM!"
The explosion echoed across Asgard, leaving no trace of Kull behind. The Asgardian citizens looked around in astonishment, their gazes shifting to the spot where Kull had previously resurrected. This time, however, his figure did not reappear.
"Is he… really dead this time?" Heimdall muttered, his eyes glowing with divine light as he scanned the area. After a long moment, he found no sign of Kull's presence and sighed in relief.
"Yes, Kull is truly dead." Unlike Heimdall, who relied on his eyes, Thor—now King of Asgard—used his connection to the realm itself to confirm Kull's demise. Although Thor couldn't sense every corner of Asgard, he could perceive the state of the divine powers left behind by its past kings.
Odin's power, for instance, had already faded entirely. Now, the remnants of Kull's divine energy had also disappeared, signaling the final end of his existence.
"Finally! It's over!"
"We can stop living in fear!"
"We can go home!"
As Thor's confirmation echoed through the crowd, the Asgardian citizens erupted into cheers of relief and joy. The nightmare was over, and they had survived. For a people who had endured so much loss, this moment of victory was deeply cathartic.
Generations of Asgardians had grown weary of war. Odin's centuries-long period of peace had instilled in them a desire for stability, not conquest. They sought simple, fulfilling lives, free from the endless cycle of violence.
Thor watched the jubilant crowd, a small smile of relief gracing his face. But his expression soon turned serious as his gaze shifted toward a distant mountain peak. There, hidden from the crowd's view, Robert stood watching.
Through his connection to the World Tree and Asgard's divine energy, Thor could sense Robert's presence clearly. The sight unsettled him. While Robert's actions in bringing Kull and Hela to Asgard had forced Thor to confront these challenges, they had also endangered his people.
As King, Thor now bore the weight of Asgard's survival on his shoulders. He couldn't afford to ignore the potential threat Robert posed.
Sensing Thor's scrutiny, Robert simply shook his head. "Relax. Now that Kull and Hela have been dealt with, I have no intention of interfering in Asgard's affairs. Focus on growing stronger. Your rune power has immense potential, and I look forward to the day we can test it against each other."
With that, Robert's figure vanished, leaving Asgard and returning to Earth. He had no further interest in Asgard's internal struggles. Kull was dead, and Hela had retreated to Helheim. As long as Earth wasn't her target, Robert saw no reason to concern himself with her eventual return.
Feeling Robert's departure, Thor let out a sigh of relief. But his thoughts were interrupted as Loki suddenly knelt before him, holding Gungnir in both hands. "Hail, King Thor," Loki said, his voice solemn and sincere.
"Loki? What are you doing?" Thor asked, caught off guard by his brother's gesture.
Loki's actions were more than a sign of respect; they were a declaration of loyalty. By kneeling before Thor, Loki was publicly renouncing any claim to the throne, proving that he had no intention of challenging Thor's rule.
Thor felt a wave of emotion. He knew how much Loki had once desired the throne. This gesture of submission was a significant sacrifice for his brother, and it reminded Thor of how much he himself had changed since becoming king.
"Hail, King Thor!" Heimdall and the Warriors Three followed suit, kneeling before Thor.
The Asgardian citizens, realizing what was happening, joined in. One by one, they knelt, acknowledging Thor as their new ruler. Even Eitri, King of the Dwarves, and his people bowed in respect.
Thor took a deep breath, his voice ringing out with authority. "Rise! My father has fallen, and my mother has joined him in Valhalla. Tonight, we will honor their memory. Tomorrow marks the beginning of a new era for Asgard! I promise to lead us to a brighter future!"
His words filled the crowd with hope. For the first time in years, they believed in the possibility of a better tomorrow—one where Asgard could thrive without fear of destruction.
Later, within the halls of the palace, Thor unexpectedly pushed Loki into the throne. "Loki, I have my first command for you as King."
"What's this nonsense?" Loki protested, sitting awkwardly in the seat of power. He had occupied it once before, during Odin's Odinsleep and Thor's absence, but this time felt different. Thor's demeanor carried the weight of genuine authority.
"You don't need to be nervous," Thor said, placing a hand on Loki's shoulder. "No matter what happens, we're brothers. We've been through too much together."
"I'm adopted…" Loki muttered under his breath.
"Don't interrupt!" Thor snapped, glaring at him. "You know as well as I do that Asgard still faces threats—Hela, and…" Thor didn't mention Robert by name, but Loki understood his meaning immediately.
Loki's expression grew serious. He knew the path ahead would be fraught with challenges.
"That's why I need to focus on growing stronger," Thor continued. "I'm not cut out for administrative work. When I tried to establish New Asgard on Earth, it was a disaster. But you, Loki—you're different. You're clever, well-read, and far better suited to managing Asgard's affairs. So, I'm appointing you as my Regent. Handle the rebuilding and governance of Asgard. Only alert me if a major threat arises."
"What?! You're dumping all the work on me?" Loki exclaimed, his disbelief evident.
"Well, unless you'd rather trade places? You focus on training to protect Asgard, and I'll handle the paperwork?" Thor countered with a smirk.
Loki's jaw tightened. He knew Thor had a point. Compared to Thor, Loki was far better equipped to manage Asgard's recovery. And while his new powers as the Frost God were formidable, he lacked Thor's natural aptitude for combat.
In the end, Loki accepted the role of Regent. Under his guidance, Asgard began to rebuild, its people working toward a brighter future while remaining vigilant against the potential return of Hela.
Meanwhile, back on Earth, Robert was greeted by Tony Stark and the Avengers, who immediately brought up the matter of the rogue Yellow
Lantern rings.
"Fear energy?" Robert raised an eyebrow. "No need to keep searching. The source of the disturbance was Kull—the so-called God of Fear, sealed in Asgard. He's dead now, so the rings should stabilize."
"Kull was the God of Fear?" Kara said, her eyes widening in realization. She had encountered Kull briefly during her time in the Hell Dimension but hadn't known his true identity. If she had, much of the team's recent anxiety could have been avoided.
______
(≧◡≦) ♡ Support me and read 20 chapters ahead – patreon.com/INNIT
For every 50 Power Stones, one extra chapter will be released on Saturday.