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[Frost Giant, Norway]

At this moment, Odin found himself overwhelmed dealing with both Mangog and Laufey simultaneously. Seeing Laufey depart, he brandished the Spear of Eternity but said nothing, allowing Laufey to take a band of Frost Giants through the portal.

The figures of the Frost Giants vanished into the space gem's portal, which then swiftly closed and disappeared.

[Midgard, Earth]

By AD 965, according to the Gregorian calendar, the Kingdom of Norway had settled into its feudal monarchy under Harald I, ending the era of clans.

Norway, situated on the continent's northwest edge, boasted a vast coastline that sustained its people—whether fishermen, pirates, sailors, or their rulers.

On a serene day, a small fishing vessel bobbed gently in the calm waters off Norway's southwestern coast. Fishermen aboard the boat were busy at their tasks. A burly man with a beard swung his arm, casting a net into the sea.

Casual conversation often accompanied their labor.

"How far is it to England from here, brother?" a young man on the boat asked the burly fisherman.

"You're thinking of England?" the burly man replied.

"Yeah. By the way, I heard English girls have fairer skin than sheep. Is that true?" The boy chuckled.

"You're a romantic, but it's time you thought about settling down. After this trip, I'll speak to my father."

"Me...?" The boy blushed.

The burly man smiled knowingly.

After a pause, the boy queried again, "I heard England still has wizards. Is that true?"

"Seems so. A friend of mine saw wizards from England, part of a group called the Sanctum of the Most High. They're powerful—swordsmen who could best a lion with a single stroke!"

"Wizards with swords?" The boy was surprised; it defied his expectations of wizards.

"Why not? Men should wield swords," the burly man dismissed the boy's doubt, "Besides their swordsmanship, the Sanctuary's wizards can open portals, transporting scores of people across vast distances."

"Portals? Really?" The boy's eyes widened.

The burly man frowned, turned to look, and froze.

In the distance, a misty portal materialized over the sea, revealing a starkly different landscape on the other side—ruined walls and scattered debris.

"What in..." The burly man was dumbfounded.

From the portal emerged a figure clad in ice-blue, standing stark against the clear sky. Laufey, the Frost Giant king, had arrived on Earth from Asgard, holding a blue cube in his left hand and an ice-blue square box in his right.

Laufey's presence instantly chilled the surrounding seawater, freezing it where he stepped onto the newly formed ice sheet.

The portal, initially suspended in the air above the sea, vanished as Laufey solidly landed on the ice.

Behind him, Frost Giants followed, exuding a menacing aura.

"Midgard," Laufey surveyed, nodding, "Soon to become our second Jotunheim."

The ice rapidly spread outwards from Laufey's feet, encroaching towards the fishing vessel.

Though the burly man couldn't comprehend the situation fully, he sensed danger. This was something akin to an invasion.

Their resistance was futile. In despairing cries, the two young fishermen transformed into ice sculptures on the sea, much like the fish and shrimp in their nets—forever frozen in that moment.

"After the apocalypse, are there any other powerful beings on Earth?" Laufey inquired.

"No, Your Majesty," replied a Frost Giant beside him.

"In three days, eliminate any remaining threats on this planet," Laufey commanded.

"We pledge by our lives, Your Majesty," affirmed the Frost Giants.

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