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Lightforged Demon

After the Mangog incident, Odin, nearing his six-thousandth year, had long shed his warlike spirit. Coupled with Asgard's weakening, he favored avoiding conflict whenever possible.

Naturally, he couldn't foresee the disaster Thanos would unleash upon Asgard and the universe.

"Your Majesty, precisely because we cherish peace, we must act," Forseti argued.

"Thanos and his forces are on a path of unchecked expansion, growing stronger by the day. If we sit idle, we'll inevitably suffer the consequences... Do you believe Thanos intends to peacefully coexist with Asgard?" Forseti pressed.

Odin frowned. "If Thanos invades Asgard, we must defend ourselves resolutely. However, initiating a war unjustly and unwisely is not our way."

Seeing Odin's reluctance to initiate action, Forseti fell silent briefly before changing tactics. "You're right. Starting a war isn't ideal. Instead, we can participate in defensive wars, aiding those invaded by Thanos and helping them defend their homes."

"In this way, we neither initiate hostilities nor allow Thanos's unchecked expansion," Forseti concluded.

Odin pondered.

Thor interjected, "Father, I agree with my brother-in-law. The Eternals have long been our adversaries, and Thanos will surely come knocking sooner or later. Rather than idly waiting, we should take action and teach him a lesson!"

Thor punctuated his statement with a determined fist pump.

Observing Thor's eagerness, Odin sighed softly. After a moment of contemplation, he relented. "Very well, Forseti. Proceed as you've proposed. Asgard will dispatch troops to aid the civilizations under threat and resist the invader, Thanos."

"Hela will oversee this operation, with Forseti serving as her adjutant."

Forseti acknowledged, "Yes, Your Majesty."

Thor eagerly asked, "And what about me, Father? And Loki—shouldn't we also join the fight?"

Loki blinked in surprise.

After a pause, Odin decided, "You will follow Forseti's lead and await his orders."

Leaving the Golden Palace, Forseti traversed the Rainbow Bridge to Antarctica's Hearth Valley, intent on mustering reinforcements from the Silver Hand.

Upon arrival at Hearth Valley,

A colossal figure on the training grounds caught his eye.

Standing five-dimensional and three-thick, with a robust physique, he wore a farmer's straw hat and puffed on a cigar, skillfully exhaling smoke in intricate shapes.

Upon closer inspection, Forseti recognized the figure.

"Huss!"

The Roshan-like figure was none other than Hus, the demon detective who had left hell with Forseti. Hus turned at the sound of his name, visibly surprised to see Forseti.

Forseti scrutinized him and exclaimed, "Have you completed the Lightforging process?"

"Yes," Hus replied, flashing a smile as he finished his cigar. "The process was unforgettable, intermittent, only recently finalized. But thanks to the Holy Light, I am free of my demonic past!"

Witnessing Hus transformed by the Holy Light firsthand left Forseti in awe.

"Have you mastered sacred magic?" Forseti inquired.

Hus shrugged. "Not yet, I lack a Holy Deed."

For paladins, the Holy Deed held significant importance—it symbolized their status, served as a guide for learning, and aided in casting sacred spells.

During Forseti's time trapped on Vormir, he'd passed the hours crafting imitation Holy Deeds, even utilizing the Tome of Retribution, the Tome of Sanctity, and the Tome of Protection.

"Choose one. You should be familiar with the differences between the three from your time in Hearthglen," Forseti offered.

"The Tome of Retribution," Hus declared.

Forseti smiled, handing him the Tome of Retribution. "Welcome to the Silver Hand as a Retribution Knight."

Hus's induction into the Silver Hand was cause for celebration.

The Holy Light's transformation didn't diminish Hus's power. As a Level Seven Great Demon and former hell detective, he ranked among the strongest within the Silver Hand. Besides Forseti and the long-serving Thor, no one rivaled him.

The guardian ancient tree, Tedis, possessed considerable strength while rooted in Hearthglen. However, its mobility diminished once uprooted, leaving it vulnerable.

Accompanied by Hus and other Paladins, Forseti returned to Asgard to meet with Hela and organize their forces, formulating battle plans.

Thanos, following the destruction of the Shiar Empire—one of the universe's three technological bastions—had expanded his dominion over 10,000 light-years, commanding countless legions.

In addition to surface troops, Thanos deployed formidable space forces, engaging in near-constant conquest across hundreds of planetary battlefields.

Despite Odin's acceptance of Forseti's proposal, he allocated few troops—merely a thousand from the Silver Hand—insufficient for every planetary battlefield.

Consequently, Forseti and Hela selected key operations on dozens of planets, dispatching multiple units to assist native populations in repelling Thanos's incursions.

Though Asgard's contingent numbered few, their impact was swift. Dozens of Thanos's invasions were repelled, halting his rapid expansion.

Yet, Thanos, known for his ruthlessness, showed no signs of retreat. The struggle between aggression and resistance would undoubtedly endure.

One such conflict played out on Centaurus 4.

Across a desolate wasteland, two armies clashed fiercely.

One side comprised blue-skinned humanoid warriors, while the opposing force consisted primarily of green-skinned lizardfolk. Despite their grotesque appearance, their sheer numbers granted them a clear advantage.

"Fire—"

A sharp whistle echoed, as an arrow streaked through the air, puncturing the heads of a dozen lizardfolk, blood staining the ground.

"Rot in hell, you filthy Bedouins!" barked a blue-skinned man with a crimson crest.