Asgard.
The already bustling God's Domain grew even busier as Thor's enthronement ceremony approached.
Cosmic gods from across the universe arrived one after another.
Under the guidance of attendants, the Yin Wang prison camp was activated.
This event was originally intended to follow standard ceremonial protocols.
But Odin hadn't anticipated that, because of Aaron, the ceremony would be elevated to a whole new level.
God's Domain itself isn't vast.
Asgard doesn't have a large population.
After countless battles over the millennia, the current Asgardian army only numbers in the tens of thousands.
Yet the arrival of an overwhelming number of lesser gods changed everything.
Many even brought their own attendants.
The Asgardians alone couldn't provide proper hospitality at such scale.
Odin was forced to urgently recruit help from other planets in the Nine Realms—Dwarves, Light Elves, Vanir, and even from Earth.
This barely allowed the ceremony to proceed smoothly.
The bustling diversity of races and visitors brought vitality to God's Domain.
It also stirred pride and joy in the hearts of the Asgardians.
But Odin was keenly aware that this grand scene was not due to himself or Thor—it was because of Aaron.
The gods had come to show respect and awe for Aaron.
If not for him, inviting even a handful of gods from other pantheons would have been considered an accomplishment, no matter the record of slaying gods.
Though Odin understood this, he was still glad for the current change.
Even if the gods hadn't come for him or Thor, they would still witness Thor's coronation.
After today, the name of the Aesir would echo across the cosmos.
Thor would finally be recognized as the king of Asgard.
Only...
Aaron was just too exceptional.
Odin's expression grew complicated.
"Father, what are you thinking? Isn't today supposed to be a good day?"
Wearing ornate armor, Thor strode into the Golden Hall, radiant with confidence. He soaked in the admiring glances of countless tribesmen and visiting gods, clearly pleased with himself.
But as soon as he saw Odin's furrowed brow, he became puzzled.
"Is something wrong? Everything's arranged, isn't it?"
Odin shook his head without explaining.
How could he admit to being envious of Aaron's incredible talents and power?
Just two years ago, Aaron had been a magician capable of defeating Laufey through cunning and trickery.
Yet since then, he had not only repelled the Dimensional Lords' alliance from Earth, but also driven them back to their realms—and even destroyed them.
Their strongholds and armies were annihilated.
Such power was unimaginable.
When Odin first heard the news, he didn't believe it.
But after repeated confirmation, everyone was left speechless.
"Everything's arranged. Everyone seems quite satisfied," Thor nodded. Over the past few days, he had mingled with many gods, training and exchanging ideas.
They all praised his strength—so much so that even he felt a bit flustered from the overwhelming praise.
"Where's Aaron? He's not here yet?"
Odin's question touched on the most important issue.
Aaron was the true centerpiece of the ceremony. Without him, the event would lose its momentum.
"I've already sent someone to notify him. He should be arriving soon," Thor replied promptly.
Relieved, Odin stood and said, "Let's go. It's time we made our entrance. We shouldn't keep the guests waiting."
—
At the Coronation Site
To accommodate the gathering of gods, Odin had the venue hastily expanded and decorated in gold.
The gods took their seats according to rank and stature.
When Odin and Thor entered, they were greeted with appropriate respect—
—but the gods' eyes didn't linger on Odin.
Instead, they cast subtle glances toward the venue's entrance.
Waiting for the true protagonist to arrive.
Not long after—
Aaron arrived.
The entire venue fell into silence.
Then, an uproar!
"God of Magic!"
"God of Magic!!"
Aaron and those around him received far more attention and enthusiasm than Odin and Thor.
Awe and fervor lit up every god's eyes.
In a place where gods gathered, nothing stayed secret for long.
While cosmic gods and the Dimensional Lords rarely interacted, they weren't entirely disconnected.
Some underworld gods from other pantheons were, in fact, Dimensional Lords.
Aaron's accomplishments in the dimensional universe were no secret.
Even more, their followers across the Galaxy had passed along the news.
He had nearly wiped out the Matrix Clan of the Kree Empire, single-handedly destroyed their trillion-strong army, and then returned to Earth to defeat the Dimensional Lords.
Then, he invaded the dimensional realms and uprooted the Dimensional Lords' alliance completely.
The feats were legendary.
All gods feared him.
But more than that, they were interested in the magic net.
Even those who weren't after energy wanted to know the secrets behind Aaron's strength.
They believed he had discovered divine-level magic.
It had to be this mysterious power that allowed him to dominate the dimensional universe.
Especially the Heavenly Father–level gods.
What they lacked wasn't energy, but methods to defy the cosmic order.
With their wisdom and cunning, they deduced that Aaron must have found a way to wield such vast energy without depletion.
Otherwise, how could he contend with and defeat Dimensional Lords in their own realm?
Even after absorbing immense power, Aaron remained unaffected.
The magic net was likely his source.
That's why so many Heavenly Father gods attended the coronation.
Normally, an event like Thor's coronation wouldn't even cross their radar.
But this time, they were here.
As Aaron entered and took his seat—prepared specifically by Odin—his status was apparent.
Although only titled the God of Magic, he sat among the Heavenly Father gods.
And not just anywhere—he was seated at the very front.
With that, the coronation ceremony officially began.
—
During the ceremony, a message caught Aaron's attention.
Hercules—who had been exiled to Earth and fought alongside Asgard against the God Slayer—had mysteriously vanished.
The God Slayer had already been captured.
Logically, Hercules should have arrived in Asgard by now.
But recently, all traces of him had disappeared.
Zeus was reportedly furious.
Had it been only this, it might have been brushed aside. Hercules had already been exiled, and his own pantheon cared little for him.
Several minor gods had also gone missing.
None of the other gods found this alarming.
After all, they were mostly insignificant figures.
But Aaron frowned slightly.
He sensed something was off.
Hercules may not be the strongest, but his power was on par with Thor's former self.
For him to vanish without a trace—only a few beings could pull that off.
If Aaron's suspicions were right, this could be serious.
If Hercules truly had been targeted, the next might be the Olympus pantheon.
Aaron knew this well.
If Amatsu-Mikaboshi wasn't a fool, his targets would be gods unconnected to the magic net.
And the Olympus gods, thanks to Zeus, were one of the few pantheons that had remained apart.
That made them prime targets.
Still, these were just speculations.
The truth would emerge once news arrived from Almighty City.
In any case, Aaron had no love for Zeus, and the two had their differences.
Even if he wanted to warn them, Zeus wouldn't listen.
After all, who would believe that a mere Amatsu-Mikaboshi could outplay a Heavenly Father?
Let alone threaten an entire pantheon.
It seemed impossible.
—
Aside from the disappearance of Hercules, the coronation went smoothly.
First, the God Slayer was punished before all.
Then, with divine blessings, Thor officially ascended the throne.
With the formalities completed, it was time for the real show.
Aaron stepped up, greeted by thunderous cheers.
He raised both hands.
Silence swept the venue.
Odin, watching from the side, glanced at Thor. Seeing no jealousy or resentment in his son's eyes, he was relieved.
Aaron's speech was brief.
He touched on the future expansion of the magic net.
Then outlined updated changes to its structure.
He clarified how gods would continue to manage their followers.
He also dispelled concerns about Hela and the apostles.
After the Matrix Clan war, Hela, Nebula, and others had become widely known.
Everyone knew the God of Magic commanded a force called the Apostles.
They were spreading his name and influence through the magic net.
They'd already infiltrated the Galactic core.
This created uncertainty among many gods.
Aaron's speech cleared the air.
In essence:
"I won't limit your power. You don't need to worry. Just follow me, and everyone eats well!"
Crude? Maybe.
But it was exactly what the gods needed to hear.
Their worries melted away.
The coronation concluded perfectly. Everyone left satisfied.
At the meeting, Aaron also shared valuable knowledge.
He revealed rare, off-spec magic.
With dedication, anyone could rise to his level.
In modern times, such grand promises are dismissed.
But for the pampered gods?
They believed.
Even Odin was tempted, wondering if he should revisit the magic net and see what secrets might benefit him.
—
But not all were happy.
In Almighty City, Zeus sat in a silent hall.
The venue felt empty.
He felt betrayed.
Most of the prominent gods had departed.
Left the city.
Left Olympus.
He had lost completely.
And now Hercules was missing too.
Enraged, Zeus dismissed all maids and guards, drinking alone.
Until someone appeared—someone who would change everything.
When Amatsu-Mikaboshi appeared before him, Zeus was delighted.
At least someone still respected him.
Perhaps not everyone had turned their back.
But he didn't yet realize...
The arrival of Amatsu-Mikaboshi meant far more than it seemed.
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