"Leon—how is my father?"
After eliminating the Frost Giant strike force, Thor regrouped with Leon on the Bifrost, Loki in tow.
"He and your mother are fine," Leon replied with a grin. "Sleeping peacefully."
"Thank you!"
Thor pulled him into a bear hug.
Off to the side, Loki quietly exhaled in relief.
At that moment, an aged yet steady voice sounded behind them.
"My children… you have done well. You protected me, the Bifrost, and Asgard."
They turned.
Odin, clad in golden silk robes, walked slowly toward them with Frigga at his side.
"Father!" Thor called out.
Loki, seeing his parents again as a prisoner, felt both shame and grievance well up inside him. His eyes reddened.
"Father… I could have done better!"
"No."
Odin's gaze swept across the still-bloodstained bodies of Frost Giants on the bridge. His eyes were heavy with sorrow.
"Loki… it is I who erred."
He looked toward the heavens and sighed.
"Is this the end of one war… or the beginning of another?"
"Simple," Leon interjected casually. "Keep the good guys. Kill the bad ones."
Odin looked at him and smiled gently.
"You resemble her… yet you are not the same."
"I am old. The future belongs to you."
With that, Odin turned and walked away alone, his back tinged with quiet melancholy.
Frigga stepped forward, embracing both Thor and Loki.
Then she took Leon's hand.
"Child. Come with me."
"…Alright."
Though confused, Leon followed obediently. He was unfamiliar with Asgard, after all.
Thor and Loki, meanwhile, headed toward the Asgardian dungeons.
No matter Loki's regret—or his parents' affection—his crimes against Asgard were real.
Odin was fair.
He would not wrong the innocent.
Nor would he spare the guilty.
Even if that guilty one was his son.
…
Frigga led Leon to the royal dressing chambers.
A dozen lightly dressed attendants immediately descended upon him—
Stripping off the battered Destroyer Armor and prying Gungnir from his stubborn grip.
"Hey! Hey! What are you doing?"
"These are my war trophies!"
"Hey—!"
"And that's my divine spear, alright? It's way thicker than that skinny Gungnir—are you blind?!"
Chaos ensued.
Within moments, Leon was stripped down to nothing but his Ultra-Elastic Fiber Boxer Briefs.
His sculpted musculature—arms thick and long, physique reminiscent of a Greek statue—drew flushed faces and breathless gasps from the attendants.
"Child," Frigga said with a soft smile, "these are relics of the past. You deserve something better."
With a casual wave of her hand, Leon's "trophies" vanished—magically stored away somewhere.
Regret flickered across his face.
But anticipation quickly replaced it.
…
Soon, Leon was dressed in a ceremonial outfit similar in style to Thor's armor—but with fewer heavy metallic components, more refined and regal.
Led into the grand hall of Asgard's palace—
The first thing he saw were two colossal statues of fully armored Asgardian warriors, each towering dozens of meters high.
At their center—
Odin, now clad in full divine regalia, sat upon the throne with Gungnir in hand.
Frigga stood at his right.
Thor, fully armored, stood at his left.
Below them stood Heimdall, the Warriors Three, Lady Sif, and Asgard's elite.
A golden path stretched from the hall's entrance to the foot of Odin's throne.
On either side—
A sea of Asgardian citizens and soldiers.
The attendant bowed and withdrew.
Before she left—
Leon gave her a firm "Leon Grip" squeeze.
Strong enough that her knees nearly buckled.
She bit her lip, barely maintaining composure as she hurried away.
"Hmph."
"You don't get to take advantage of me for free."
He'd collect interest later.
With that—
Leon stepped into the hall.
The moment he appeared—
Thor raised Mjolnir, lightning crashing around him.
"LEON!"
And the crowd roared in unison—
"LEON!!!"
"LEON! LEON! LEON!"
The sound nearly ruptured his eardrums—
Fortunately, Arcee had already dampened the audio via Bluetooth.
After 2.5 seconds of mental preparation—
Leon put on his signature, radiant smile.
He waved gracefully as he walked down the golden path.
The adoration—
Felt almost identical to Earth.
Experience gave him poise.
Strength gave him confidence.
As he strode toward the throne with utter swagger—
Thor covered his face.
Because—
Leon winked at Frigga.
A direct homage to Thor's coronation entrance in Thor (2011).
Frigga smiled warmly.
This child…
He had Thor's boldness.
Hints of Hela's decisiveness.
And Loki's sly possessiveness toward divine artifacts.
The more she looked—
The more pleased she became.
Love by association.
Even if he wasn't hers—
She couldn't help feeling affection.
Odin struck Gungnir against the floor.
BOOM.
Silence fell instantly.
"Leon Stark."
"You aided Thor in reclaiming his power. You exposed Loki's scheme. You saved me from peril."
"All Asgard acknowledges your deeds."
"I, Odin Allfather, grant you one boon."
"As long as it lies within my power—and does not disturb the peace of the Nine Realms."
"State your wish."
…
Leon's brow twitched.
Absolute Thought Acceleration activated.
Time seemed to slow as his mind raced a thousand times faster.
One wish.
Too little.
His adult greed wanted more.
One into two.
Two into three.
But push too far—
And Gungnir might push back.
Was there a loophole?
Some exploit that wouldn't trigger divine admin punishment?
His thoughts stormed.
The Dao that can be spoken is not the eternal Dao…
For reasons unknown, lines from the Tao Te Ching surfaced in his mind.
And then—
A spark.
Leon lifted his head, face solemn.
"I have wandered half my life in vain, lamenting only that I had not yet encountered a true God-King."
"If Odin does not reject me—"
"Leon wishes to take you as my sworn father."
"?!" ×N
The hall fell into stunned silence.
Wait—
What?!
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