581

Primary School Thor

**Soul Mark: Arthas Menethil, imprinting on deceased targets to release Lay on Hands, enabling resurrection with some of Arthas's powers and characteristics. Resurrected individuals exhibit a tendency towards corruption and gain some of the Lich King's powers.**

Looking at this description, Forseti couldn't help but frown.

Could the resurrected become the Lich King?

This could be troublesome.

Illidan might be considered an "anti-hero" akin to Punisher or Venom, but the Lich King is an unambiguous villain, steeped in corruption and evil.

If someone resurrected with this soul mark eventually degenerates into the Lich King, Forseti would have to stop them, essentially negating the resurrection.

Forseti glanced at the other two rewards.

**Experience Tome: Sylvanas Windrunner**

This s experience tome...

If only the reins could be let go, or something...

**Spell Tome: Repentance**

Also included is a Level 6 spell, Repentance, which has a chance to turn the target from darkness to light.

Looking at the Repentance spell tome, Forseti couldn't help but be intrigued.

Perhaps this spell could be used alongside Arthas's Soul Mark?

If a resurrected individual were to degenerate into the Lich King, they could attempt repentance first. If successful, physical intervention might be unnecessary.

Which Marvel character would be most compatible with Arthas?

...

Queens, New York.

A slender, blond boy with a schoolbag slung over his shoulder walked alone through the streets of New York. He had a noticeable limp due to a disabled leg, using a cane to aid his movements.

"Haha, Cripple Black!" Two boys around his age raced past him, shoving him roughly and nearly knocking him over before darting ahead, their faces twisted in mockery.

As a seasoned victim of schoolyard bullying, Donald Blake was accustomed to such treatment. He continued on silently, bowing his head without a word.

Powerless to fight back and too ashamed to confide in adults, he endured silently, knowing it would only invite more bullying.

This experience made Donald more withdrawn and mature for his age, fostering a disdain for those with physical strength and simple minds...

Donald was late for school due to his handicap, arriving a few minutes after the bell.

But no one paid him any mind. He quietly entered the lively elementary school classroom and took his seat in the last row, tucked away in the corner.

Pulling out a book, he waited for the teacher, out of sync with his boisterous classmates.

"I heard we're getting new transfers today."

"Boy or girl?"

"I dunno, just heard it from the office teacher..."

The students chattered excitedly, anticipating the arrival of a new classmate. Donald Black eavesdropped on the discussion nearby while flipping through his book, though he soon lost interest and resumed reading.

Ten minutes later.

The teacher entered the classroom, followed by a shy, brown-haired boy who immediately captured everyone's attention.

"We have a new student joining us today." The teacher smiled, then turned to the brown-haired boy. "Introduce yourself to the class."

"Hi everyone." The brown-haired boy seemed uneasy in his new surroundings. "I'm Peter Parker."

"Welcome, Peter Parker." The teacher applauded, and the students followed suit.

The teacher then pointed to the empty seat beside Donald. "Peter, you can sit next to Donald. There's a seat available there."

Peter nodded and settled beside Donald, still wearing his backpack.

Having a new classmate at his side caught Donald off guard. He scooted closer to the wall, feeling uncomfortable, but couldn't resist surreptitiously observing Peter.

"Hello, I'm Peter Parker. Are you Donald?" Peter finally broke the silence and whispered during class.

"Yes." Donald nodded, recalling the basics of human interaction from his textbook. "Donald Black. Nice to meet you... um, why'd you come here?"

Before he could finish, he noticed Peter Parker's expression darken.

This startled him, wondering if he had said something wrong.

"My parents left me," Peter hesitated, then explained. "So I had to move in with my uncle, and that's why I transferred here. It's closer to my uncle's place."

"Your parents left you? Where did they go?"

Peter sadly shook his head. "I don't know. They vanished suddenly, and my uncle won't tell me where they went."

A somber silence fell between them, broken when Donald patted Peter on the shoulder. "I get how you feel. I'm an orphan too, never knew where my parents ended up."

Peter looked at him in surprise, sensing genuine empathy.

Their shared experiences quickly bonded them, revealing similar personalities—reserved, precocious, and intellectually ahead of their peers, both were model students.

By the end of the class period, Donald and Peter had become fast friends.

"Have you read Norse mythology?" Peter asked.

Donald nodded. "Years ago. Woke up one day to find several books on Norse myths in my room. Read 'em all."

Interested, Peter asked, "Which Norse god do you like best?"

"Loki," Donald replied after a moment's thought.

"Why?"

"Smart, funny—even as the trickster god," Donald said. "What about you, Peter? Which Norse god's your favorite?"

"Thor, definitely," Peter answered without hesitation. "Bravest, most powerful Norse god. Odin's favorite son. I remember reading how Thor's the only one who doesn't walk the Rainbow Bridge—his heavy footsteps'd destroy it."

Donald shook his head. "To me, Thor's impulsive, reckless. Big and simple. Maybe he skips the Rainbow Bridge 'cause he'd ruin it, not 'cause he's too important."

.....

Tony Stark reclined on the sofa, engrossed in various reports, speculations, and conspiracy theories about Iron Man in the newspapers.

Pepper Potts, his trusted secretary, leaned over to change the gauze on his wound, her tone tinged with concern. "Last night was too risky..."

Tony waved it off with a smile. "It's all under control now. You're being a bit melodramatic."

Pepper fell silent for a moment, then straightened up, her expression serious as she prepared to impart a lesson.

Tony felt slightly uneasy. Despite his nominal position as Pepper's boss, in reality, she often called the shots, even reprimanding him when necessary.

Trying to lighten the mood, Tony changed the subject. "Haha, look at these reports. CNN is claiming—"

"Tony, many people are now speculating that you're Iron Man," Pepper interrupted.

"Speculation comes with the territory," Tony shrugged.

Pepper fixed him with a serious gaze. "This could cause serious issues. Your identity and last night's events—Stark Industries needs to minimize the fallout during your upcoming press conference."

"Got it," Tony nodded.

At that moment, a man in a suit and slightly receding hairline entered, holding a handful of cards. "Alibi."

Tony was taken aback.

He reluctantly took the card. "Alright, Agent Coulson."

"These are statements from the port authority, along with testimonials from fifty guests confirming you were on your yacht in Avalon all night," Coulson explained.

Tony casually skimmed through the cards. "Honestly, it was just me and Pepper on the island."

Coulson smiled politely. "The yacht alibi is solid. Stick to the script."

Tony frowned slightly as he continued to examine the cards. "What about Obadiah?"

"We've handled it," Coulson replied calmly. "He's taken an extended vacation and tragically died in a plane crash. Small planes, you know, they're notoriously unreliable. Many celebrities have met their end in such accidents."

Tony's brow furrowed. "Honestly, Coulson, these prepared statements sound... far-fetched."

"This isn't S.H.I.E.L.D.'s first rodeo. Trust the process. Mr. Stark, it's time for your press conference."

Tony sighed, then donned his coat with Pepper's assistance. After exchanging a few playful remarks, he headed out to face the press.

"Mr. Tony Stark has a prepared statement and will not be taking questions, thank you," Colonel Rhodes announced before stepping aside for Tony.

Tony held up the card. "There have been speculations about my involvement in the recent incidents. I want to set the record straight—"

Unexpectedly, a reporter interjected, "Mr. Stark, do you honestly expect us to believe these official explanations? A bodyguard in a high-tech suit just happened to appear?"

Tony felt a flicker of annoyance. "I understand your skepticism. It's your right to question, but remember, questioning isn't the same as speculation. If there are discrepancies in the reports, you're accountable. I'm not a superhero, and there's no reason to believe otherwise."

"I never said you were a superhero."

Tony hesitated for a moment, recalling Coulson's advice. Taking a deep breath, he decided to veer off-script.

As the press conference threatened to become another mundane affair, Tony suddenly found the act of reading from the card rather absurd. He frowned.

This is ridiculous!

Playing this charade feels like a child's amateur theater.

He lingered for nearly a minute, but the hesitation lasted only half a second. Tony looked away from the card, met the gaze of the media, and calmly declared, "Actually... I am Iron Man."

The silence that followed was brief but explosive. The media erupted with questions.

"Mr. Stark!"

"Are you really Iron Man?"

Tony felt a wave of relief wash over him as he smiled and turned away from the podium.