Even Thor, directly involved in the matter, was at a loss. The gathered gods exchanged bewildered glances, unsure whether they should mourn Zeus's death or celebrate the ascension of a new leader. Despite their confusion, many decided to accept Thor as their new leader. After all, Thor hailed from Asgard, once one of the most powerful divine realms on Earth. He might be young, but his strength had clearly been proven—how else could he have defeated Zeus?
As soon as the first voice shouted his name, others quickly followed, filling the hall with a resounding chorus:
"Thor!"
"Thor!"
"Thor!"
"Seriously? Zeus just died, and they're already cheering like this?" Pietro muttered, shaking his head in disbelief.
"Maybe it's some kind of custom?" Harry Osborn suggested hesitantly. "Though, honestly, something's felt off about these gods from the start. A lot of them don't even seem that strong. I'd bet some of them couldn't even beat me back when I was just a modified super-soldier."
Harry wasn't boasting. It was simply the truth. Many of the so-called gods were only marginally more powerful than regular humans. In a direct fight, even a well-trained soldier might be able to defeat them. These weaker gods weren't warriors; their strengths lay in other areas. It explained why they were so quick to follow Zeus's commands and why they now clamored to show loyalty to Thor.
The divine hierarchy was divided into different tiers—major gods, regular gods, and subordinate deities. Those at the bottom knew their survival depended on aligning with the powerful. For them, losing their current lifestyle of luxury and safety was a greater fear than questioning the sudden change in leadership.
"Enough! Stop shouting!" Thor's voice boomed across the hall, cutting through the chanting. Unlike the admiration he received in Asgard, this praise felt hollow. These gods didn't know him, nor did he have any desire to lead them. Furthermore, he had already realized that Zeus wasn't as powerful as he'd expected. There was no way he would take responsibility for ruling Indigel.
"Thor! What's the meaning of this?" The voice of the Egyptian sun god Ra echoed angrily through the hall. His stern gaze locked onto Thor. "Are you saying you don't want to lead us?"
"Someone else can take the job. I'm not interested," Thor replied dismissively. "This whole situation is bizarre. Zeus suddenly died and handed me this responsibility out of nowhere. Doesn't that strike you as strange?"
"What's strange about it?" Ra scoffed. "Sure, Zeus mocked you a bit earlier, but that was just to motivate you. He may have died to his own weapon, but it happened in the middle of your duel. You must bear the responsibility for his death and lead Indigel in his stead!"
Ra's reasoning was utterly absurd, and his words left Thor momentarily speechless. Even the Avengers were dumbfounded.
"Wait... isn't this just typical anime villain logic?" Pietro whispered incredulously. "Next, they'll probably say Thor has to face endless divine retribution if he refuses."
"Enemy? Are you serious right now?" Thor finally snapped back, shaking his head in disbelief. "You gods really are something else. This whole thing reeks of a setup. Do you honestly expect me to clean up this mess?"
Thor had already begun regretting his visit to Indigel. He had hoped to find ways to strengthen himself and Asgard, but instead, he had walked into a political nightmare. The gods here were not nearly as powerful as he had anticipated, and now he was being dragged into their drama.
"Is Zeus really dead?" Diana's voice reached Robert through a private telepathic link. She shared Thor's doubts. Zeus's death seemed suspiciously theatrical—dying by his own weapon after a battle? That didn't fit the image of a cunning and powerful god she had grown up hearing about.
Despite his arrogance and flaws, Zeus was no fool. His command of divine magic and abilities rivaled those of Odin. Furthermore, the gods of Olympus were naturally long-lived. Zeus should still have been in his prime.
"Not at all," Robert replied with certainty. His senses had tracked Zeus's presence after the so-called god's death. Though Zeus had masked his escape skillfully enough to fool the other gods, Robert had memorized his unique energy signature and could feel him hiding in a distant part of Indigel.
"He's still alive?" Diana asked, her suspicion deepening. "So what's his plan? Is he trying to manipulate Thor? Or is he targeting us?"
"I'm not sure," Robert admitted. "He's with a group of other gods right now—probably allies of his. But they haven't made any moves yet. For now, it looks like they're content to observe from the shadows."
Diana pondered the situation. It didn't make sense for Zeus to willingly relinquish his power, especially here in Indigel. This divine realm united gods from many pantheons, including those who had been independent on Earth, like Ra and Bast. Yet, despite this diverse assembly, Zeus had managed to assert control.
"I don't get it," Diana mused aloud. "Zeus isn't the type to give up power easily. Why would he hand everything over to Thor?"
"Maybe he's scared of something," Robert speculated. "Something big enough to make him fake his death and hide."
Diana frowned. Robert's theory seemed plausible, but what kind of threat could drive a god like Zeus into hiding? And why hadn't they sensed any immediate danger in Indigel?
Perhaps... the threat Zeus feared wasn't external. Perhaps it was them.
"Thor! Either you assume leadership of Indigel or face the consequences!" Ra's booming voice interrupted their thoughts. The sun god's body shone with radiant light, his power bearing down on Thor.
"Why don't you take the job yourself?" Thor challenged, his eyes crackling with blue lightning. "If you care so much about who leads this place, then lead it yourself. I'm an outsider. What's the point of forcing this on me?"
Ra sneered. "Zeus was our leader. His final command was clear. If you refuse to honor it, you'll be treated as an enemy of Indigel!"
Golden light flared from Ra's hands as he summoned a radiant staff—the legendary Staff of Ra, imbued with the heat and power of the sun itself. The sheer intensity of the weapon's energy caused Thor's expression to harden. Though his own strength was formidable, Ra's divine weapon placed the sun god on another level.
Thor's grip on Mjolnir tightened. He couldn't help but reflect on how his once-mighty hammer now felt inadequate against the weapons wielded by other gods. Long gone were the days when Mjolnir alone was enough to crush any adversary. Here in Indigel, the stakes—and the power dynamics—were far greater than he had ever imagined.
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