Thor's return was exactly the shot in the arm Asgard needed.
Everyone except the stiff-faced Loki crowded around the God of Thunder, poking and prodding him, clapping him on the back and peppering him with questions.
"Thor, you still haven't regained your divine power, but these fine fellows you brought... who in the Nine Realms are they? I've never seen their like!"
"Mm, just looking at them, this race has a real beauty to their killing efficiency."
"Exactly. They look like they were born for battle."
The people present had centuries of combat experience between them and had encountered countless species across the Nine Realms. Asgard's libraries also held records of civilizations far beyond those realms. Yet none of them could identify these creatures or explain why they had come with Thor.
"These are Xenomorphs... reinforcements I brought from Midgard!" Thor declared excitedly.
Reinforcements from Midgard?
The Asgardians exchanged doubtful glances. They knew Midgard had its share of powerful beings, but the realm of mortals was usually overlooked.
"Look at their bodies... those elongated heads must have incredible defensive strength, and their tall, powerful frames are clearly built for combat."
The burliest of them all, Volstagg, lit up with enthusiasm. He loved sparring with strong warriors, especially now that war had broken out.
Hogun, one of the Warriors Three and wielder of a heavy mace, wasted no time. He hefted his weapon and swung it at one of the more imposing Xenomorphs.
Whoosh!
The mace flew straight toward its target.
In an instant, the previously motionless Xenomorph reacted. It shot out an arm, caught the mace mid-swing, and whipped its razor-sharp tail forward in the same fluid motion.
Hogun's eyes widened in surprise. He freed one hand and seized the tail from the side.
But the next second, at point-blank range, the Xenomorph's jaws split open and the inner set of teeth shot out with terrifying speed... the kind of sight that unnerves anyone seeing it for the first time.
Hogun countered with a backhand strike from his mace, knocking the creature back.
"What strength! What a bizarre fighting style! Every part of this thing seems purpose-built for combat!"
Hogun couldn't stop praising it.
With his skill, he could have finished the Xenomorph one-on-one in short order, but numbers changed the equation... there were so many of them.
"Are they your followers, Thor?" Fandral asked, eyes gleaming as he stroked his neat mustache with refined poise.
"Not exactly. The entire Xenomorph race follows one man from Midgard. He even lifted Mjolnir... he's the new God of Thunder." Thor spoke calmly, having already come to terms with the truth.
His words hit the hall like a thunderclap.
"A Midgardian lifted Mjolnir?!"
"A new God of Thunder? Thor, you're not joking with us, are you?!"
"If that's true, it's unbelievable. And he has an entire combat race loyal to him?"
Every gaze swept over the Xenomorphs.
These were sharp-eyed veterans. While some felt bitter about Thor losing Mjolnir, they were genuinely glad to see his growth and the arrival of such reinforcements. They could tell that although Thor had lost his divine power, he had become far steadier, carrying the calm of someone who had weathered great storms.
Only Loki knew the real reason: Thor had been hit hard enough that calm was his only option.
At that moment, Loki's expression remained rigid. Deep down he regretted not bringing the Eternal Spear and Destroyer armor to Earth a second time to kill Adam outright.
Midgard's situation had exceeded his expectations. There were far more powerful beings there than he had anticipated, and now this Adam... who had claimed Mjolnir... left Loki deeply uneasy.
With Odin in a deep slumber and Frigga convinced to stay at his side, Loki couldn't count on easy intervention from her. If he acted rashly and lost the spear and armor on Midgard, the consequences would be dire.
He had no choice but to adjust his plans and choose a safer route: provoke a war between the realms.
"Loki, I've brought you a powerful army! You must already know about the Xenomorphs…"
Before Thor could finish, Loki cut him off sharply. "I haven't seen Heimdall. The Bifrost has stayed open! Exactly how many of these creatures did you bring back from that man?"
"About three thousand right now. We'll reach five thousand soon!" Thor's voice boomed with renewed confidence.
Five thousand?!
"Five thousand warriors this strong? Thor, you're incredible... and so is your friend, sending an army like this! Is he some kind of great king on Midgard?" Volstagg exclaimed.
"His name is Adam. And not all Xenomorphs are this physically imposing…"
Thor explained the different types of Xenomorphs but left out the facehugger implantation and chestburster growth process.
Even so, five thousand was an astonishing number given their combat effectiveness... especially as a private force sent by a single Midgardian. According to Thor, the numbers could grow even higher with time.
"I'm starting to want to meet this Adam myself. He sounds like a generous and righteous lord. How should we thank him?"
"This isn't the time to discuss rewards," Thor said. "We need to focus on the war."
As time passed, more Xenomorphs arrived through the Bifrost. They stood silently outside the palace like dark statues, radiating a terrifying, murderous aura.
No matter how critical the inspection, the army was flawless: powerful, disciplined, utterly obedient, and numerous.
Anyone who saw the sight was left speechless.
Even ordinary Asgardian soldiers who had been ordered not to attack couldn't help whispering among themselves, eyes burning with excitement. Anyone with half a brain could guess that this mysterious force was likely Asgard's reinforcements.
"Loki, my brother, you should announce this army to all of Asgard and share the good news with our people," Thor suggested sincerely.
To Loki, the words grated like nails on stone. Was Thor giving orders to the king now?
Ever since Thor had appeared, he had stolen every bit of attention.
It was no surprise. Asgardians, who prized boldness and martial spirit, would never warm to a scheming, shadowy ruler.
"My brother, what a tremendous surprise you've given me... and such an army besides… So, where is the Xenomorphs' master, Adam?" Loki asked, already calculating how to arrange the man's death on the battlefield.
Truthfully, Loki coveted the Xenomorphs himself. Who wouldn't want a loyal, terrifying army with such staggering growth potential? With high-quality hosts, even stronger variants could be born.
"He won't join the fighting directly. He's staying on Midgard to coordinate the forces. Loki, I know there's history between you two, but trust me... he's a good man," Thor said gravely.
"A good man? That's the first time I've heard you describe anyone with anything other than 'warrior,'" Loki replied, a hint of mockery in his tone.
That gullible brother of his was probably being played for a fool and helping count the coins.
Under countless watchful eyes, Loki took up the Eternal Spear and began reviewing the troops. As he walked among the Xenomorphs, open desire flickered in his eyes. He tried to communicate with them, hoping to claim them for himself.
Killing Adam was one thing; controlling the Xenomorphs was another. The two goals didn't conflict... especially since these creatures were genuinely magnificent.
"Sss!!"
The response was a short, sharp hiss.
"…"
Loki didn't understand a word.
The people who had been preparing to cheer according to ritual stood awkwardly, unsure what to do.
Fandral stroked his mustache thoughtfully. "Their language system is entirely different from ours, a self-contained structure similar to the floral colossus race of Planet X. I propose we establish a dedicated subject in the future: Xenomorph Linguistics."
As Asgard's elite, they were of course accustomed to extensive education. Thor himself was fluent in the languages of many prominent cosmic races.
"Well said. We must do this. It is a mark of respect for these comrades who crossed worlds to aid us! Everyone who sheds blood for Asgard should be remembered forever," Thor declared loudly.
And just like that, a new course was decided.
Loki stared at the ever-silent Xenomorphs, his face expressionless.
Asgard's soil could hardly withstand the corrosive power of their acidic blood.
The war erupted in full.
As expected, news of Odin's death sent unprecedented shockwaves through Asgard's vast territories.
Even when Odin was alive, Thor frequently led campaigns to suppress rebellions across the stars, leaving garrisons behind. With Odin now gone, chaos engulfed not only the Nine Realms but Asgard's own domains, tying down huge numbers of Asgardian troops.
Everyone had assumed Jotunheim would seize the chance for an aggressive offensive... perhaps even that the Celestial-level Laufey himself would lead the charge straight into Asgard.
Instead, Asgard struck first. They mobilized forces and rapidly escalated the war against Jotunheim.
Battles ignited across multiple worlds lying between Asgard and Jotunheim.
Asgard's bold, almost reckless determination left Jotunheim unsettled.
"Asgard should be gripped by fear and disorder. Why are these people showing even greater aggression? Could my cunning offspring have manipulated them so thoroughly?"
Laufey found it difficult to understand.
Assuming Odin was truly dead, Hela was sealed away, and the newly crowned Loki... his own offspring... had invited the invasion. Every advantage lay with Jotunheim. What could Asgard possibly bring to the fight?
Thor? That dutiful son wasn't even worth mentioning.
Until Laufey noticed a strange new race active on the battlefield... savage, patient, willing to endure extreme hardship for a single lethal strike.
Their streamlined bodies were built for war, their natural exoskeletons incredibly tough. Their blood could corrode even hardened alloys and inflict serious damage on Frost Giants.
Standing at least two and a half meters tall, they feared neither death nor injury. They were perfectly willing to trade lives with Frost Giants, even by deliberately spilling their own corrosive blood. They moved with the discipline of veteran soldiers.
Most importantly, there were thousands of them, each possessing superb combat instincts.
Even Laufey had never encountered such a species.
"Where did this race come from? Find out! I want to know which world, which planet they hail from!"
Laufey frowned, gazing toward Asgard's position in the depths of space.
Asgard's summoned reinforcements? Who would dare involve themselves in a war between two realms?
What puzzled Laufey even more was how eagerly this race captured prisoners. They could have killed Frost Giants outright, yet they accepted greater risk and heavier losses to take them alive.
Every captured Frost Giant sent back to Asgard's territory eventually vanished without a trace.
Even with his Celestial-level intellect, Laufey couldn't figure it out.
Genetic experiments? Divine bloodlines were infused with divine power that acted as a natural encryption lock. Otherwise the universe would be overrun with cloned gods.
Unless someone of extraordinary genius had cracked the divine power seals.
"In this short time since the war began, 429 Frost Giants have been killed or captured by these creatures."
Laufey monitored the progress of battles across many worlds with his vast divine power.
Even though over fifteen hundred Xenomorphs had fallen, that only highlighted their strength... their opponents were Frost Giants, a renowned divine race equipped with advanced technology, ice magic, and superior physiques even compared to the Aesir.
Yet the Xenomorphs' kill-to-loss ratio improved dramatically over time.
The Frost Giants were no fools. Their elite warriors studied the new enemy, learned their patterns, and prepared countermeasures. At worst, they could clear paths with technology and magic.
Still, the Xenomorphs were merely an annoyance to Laufey. What truly irritated him was that any race would dare aid Asgard and undermine his authority.
It was like the time Odin had barely defeated Surtur, only for Muspelheim to rise again under Queen Sindr, another Celestial-level ruler, leading the Fire Giants in continued opposition.
A blemish on what should have been a perfect victory was always displeasing.
Laufey turned his full attention to Asgard proper.
The All-Father, the mightiest God-King Odin... had he truly died quietly as Loki claimed?
"Even if Odin and Loki have set a trap, it's worth the risk! Asgardians at the end of their era... even Odin... must be at one of their weakest points. For someone as proud as Odin to resort to deception already proves his frailty and lack of confidence."
Kill Odin. Wash away the shame and shadow he had cast. Use the All-Father's head to cow the Nine Realms!
Laufey slowly closed his eyes and waited patiently.
The closer Jotunheim's armies drew to Asgard, the more certain he could be of Odin's condition.
As for the newly appeared race… well, they had certainly caught his interest. He could see at a glance that they were born for war. No ambitious Celestial would turn down such a force.
Meanwhile, on Earth.
"Just as I expected. Before they evolve further, equal numbers of Xenomorphs still can't match these divine races."
Adam monitored every Xenomorph's movements and followed the war's progress perfectly.
"So I need to send far greater numbers to Asgard to secure enough raw material for me. Then I can use the finest facehuggers to implant the divine captives, steadily decipher the secrets of their divine power, and then…"
A flash of intense heat burned in Adam's eyes.
His ultimate goal in this war had never been any particular god.
It was the source of all that divine power... the World Tree itself.
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