Chapter 76: He Was Deeply Envied for Having a Tribe That Followed Him

Duncan had been pondering a fascinating question: what exactly does it take to reach the level of a Heavenly Father?

A Heavenly Father-level powerhouse signifies an earth-shattering transformation in one's lifeform, especially for a God-King within the bounds of the World Tree.

The most straightforward and brutal method? Use a Heavenly Father to capture a Heavenly Father.

Initially, Duncan planned to send Reynolds charging into Jotunheim to capture the Frost Giant King, Laufey, in one decisive move.

But after careful consideration, he judged the chances of success to be extremely low. Even a fully-equipped Sentry clad in Destroyer armor would struggle to capture a seasoned Heavenly Father who was already on guard.

Even if Laufey were defeated, he could still easily escape if he set his mind to it.

That's where Loki came in. The cunning trickster god excelled at using daring maneuvers to achieve his objectives when necessary.

"Aren't you afraid I'll take this opportunity to get rid of you too?" Loki sneered, pulling out a meticulously prepared artifact—the Casket of Ancient Winters.

This powerful artifact once belonged to Laufey, the strongest weapon of the Frost Giants, capable of fully unleashing their bloodline's icy might. However, Odin had seized it in battle and locked it away in his treasury.

Now, it was in Loki's hands.

Thor, who hadn't personally joined the frontlines, couldn't help but interject, "Loki, this isn't the time for jokes! We're allies—we've fought and bled together! And how could you bring the Casket of Ancient Winters to Jotunheim? If Laufey gets his hands on it, we're doomed! With that thing, he could even challenge our father at his peak!"

Loki's grin grew even more ruthless.

Duncan, however, remained calm as he looked at him. "How do you know that the one standing here is my real body? Couldn't I have cloned several bodies for myself? If the Xenomorph does not die, I do not die. If I were you, I'd think twice before acting recklessly—the consequences aren't something you can afford."

Loki's eyes narrowed. He couldn't tell if Duncan was bluffing.

But the trickster god had been closely observing Reynolds and Duncan's actions the entire time.

Laufey's doubts were the same as Loki's. Someone capable of forcing Dormammu to retreat—Sentry Reynolds—shouldn't be as unimpressive as he appeared now. That would be an insult to Dormammu himself.

Yet, Loki could now see the true dynamic between Duncan and Reynolds. Just a glance at Reynolds' mixture of fear and anticipation, combined with Duncan's words, was enough for him to piece things together.

"Interesting… You have the ability to transfer your soul, don't you? To you, a human body is nothing more than a disposable shell. So this is your true power. But even for you, soul transfer can't be done casually—there must be serious drawbacks and costs involved."

Loki gripped Gungnir in one hand and the Casket of Ancient Winters in the other. He genuinely seemed to be debating whether to take out both Duncan and Laufey in one fell swoop.

Yet, as he met Duncan's abyss-like, emotionless gaze, he ultimately chose not to act.

"Hurry up and make your move. You're the King of Asgard—you can't just sit this one out." Duncan urged him.

Loki hesitated no longer. Channeling his bloodline power, he activated the Casket of Ancient Winters.

In an instant, an unimaginably frigid force erupted, spreading wildly and freezing everything in its path.

Loki's attack was utterly ruthless—an indiscriminate assault.

At that moment, whether they were Frost Giants, Asgardians, or Xenomorphs, they were all engulfed by the terrifying frost.

Jotunheim was already a world of extreme cold, where Frost Giants thrived in sub-zero temperatures and suffered injuries in extreme heat.

But now, it was as if time itself had frozen. Every microscopic particle halted in place, locking all of Jotunheim in a deathly stillness.

A flicker of madness crossed Loki's eyes.

The Frost Giants were no better than filth to him—including his own father, Laufey.

But at the same time, most Asgardians—excluding Odin—were nothing more than expendable pawns to him. Even Thor's presence filled Loki with irritation and resentment.

Since he could never earn their approval, why should he care about their survival?

Having reigned as God-King for a while, Loki had grown increasingly restless.

The suffocating cold enveloped everything, dragging the entire world into an ice age. All present were sealed within thick layers of ice.

Loki had exhausted his divine power reserves in one burst. Panting heavily, he surveyed his surroundings, a manic grin spreading across his face.

Being powerful… is truly exhilarating.

To unleash power without restraint, to wipe out anyone who disgusts me—

Crack! Crack!

Of course, the Casket of Ancient Winters could never annihilate everyone outright.

Soon, one after another, powerful figures began to break free from the ice.

"Well done, my son. I acknowledge you. What could be more satisfying than, as the King of Asgard, luring all the Asgardians to our realm and wiping them out in one fell swoop? Of course, these Xenomorphs will also become our spoils of war."

Laufey easily broke free from the ice and strode forward.

Loki's face turned cautious as he listened to the continuous sounds of ice shattering. He wasn't surprised—his own power alone wasn't enough to wield the Casket of Ancient Winters for long.

"I have fulfilled my promise to you," Loki said in a low voice, clutching the Casket tightly. "I helped you deal with these people and proved that I am worthy of inheriting your bloodline."

A playful expression appeared on Laufey's face. "That's right, my son. I promise that you shall rule Asgard forever. After all, that place isn't well-suited for Frost Giants to live in."

"Then at this point, you should bring out your backup forces to take care of the remaining troublesome ones," Loki suggested.

Laufey looked at Loki's cunning expression and let out a strange chuckle.

In the next second, all across the vast expanse of Jotunheim, giants of various kinds began to emerge—Ice Giants, Frost Giants, Wind Giants… These were the true inhabitants of Jotunheim.

Of course, as Jotunheim's All-Father, Laufey primarily relied on the Frost Giants, just as the Asgardians primarily fought against them.

"I must admit, you have surprised me by bringing such a large army. But this is Jotunheim. My forces are far greater. They will clear the battlefield, slaughter all the Asgardians, and capture every last Xenomorph."

Laufey stepped in front of Loki, looking down at him from his towering height.

"In honor of our reunion, I offer you the Casket of Ancient Winters. This was your weapon to begin with, was it not?"

Loki slowly lowered his head and respectfully raised both hands, presenting the Casket.

Laufey instinctively felt something was off. From what he knew of Loki, the trickster was never this obedient. Yet, he still reached out to take the artifact.

After all, he was an All-Father. Surely Loki couldn't outmaneuver him?

Swish!

In the next second, Laufey's hand passed right through the Casket—along with Loki himself.

"An illusion? You really think performing cheap tricks on your own father is a good idea?"

Laufey immediately realized he had been fooled.

Loki's illusions were exceptionally lifelike, indistinguishable from reality.

The real Loki had already moved, his expression ruthless as he thrust Gungnir—the Eternal Spear—straight toward Laufey's chest. The Frost Giant king barely managed to step back, but the spear still pierced his abdomen.

Odin's most treasured and powerful weapon erupted with deadly energy, ravaging Laufey's body and destroying his cells one by one.

"Tricks? Anyone else might call them that, but not you," Loki said coldly. "If you hadn't abandoned me back then, I would have been standing by your side."

"And yet, you chose to stand with Asgard. Odin is already dead. Even with his weapon in hand, you won't kill me in a single blow," Laufey sneered. Despite the agony, he fought to push the spear out of his body and seize control of the divine weapon.

Using a powerful artifact to kill an All-Father? A fool's dream.

"What a pity," Duncan murmured as he shattered the ice around him with divine lightning. "This Laufey is stronger and craftier than I expected. A deviation from the usual script."

In other universes, how did Laufey usually die? That was an interesting question. Because in most cases, he was killed by none other than his own son, Loki.

Loki was no match for Laufey in a direct fight. That much was true. But Loki excelled at deception, and he would eventually use Gungnir to stab Laufey in the back, securing his first All-Father kill and achieving an incredible victory against the odds.

"Failure was always part of our plan," Loki said.

"But that doesn't change the reality of your failure," Laufey countered. "Perhaps I should consider dealing with you as well."

Loki merely chuckled darkly. His figure flickered rapidly, splitting into dozens of identical illusions that danced through the battlefield, dazzling and disorienting his enemies.

"Wasn't this your choice? Killing him outright would have been easier, but you insisted on capturing him alive. Before the war even started, you had already decided to make him your host, hadn't you? You're the real madman here."

As for Loki's true form, it was likely no longer among them.

Laufey raised his foot and stomped toward Duncan.

He had no fondness for this Xenomorph's master—the one who wielded Mjolnir.

"Looks like it's time to bring out my contingency plans again..."

Duncan's expression remained unchanged. In the next moment, the Sentry lunged forward, positioning himself between Duncan and Laufey. He stood motionless, golden energy shimmering across his body as he blocked the Frost Giant King's attack.

Of course, this wasn't Reynolds acting on his own—it was Duncan controlling him.

"Is it starting again? Just like last time?" Reynolds felt heat surging through his body. He relished the idea of earning the glory of defeating an All-Father without having to do much himself. At worst, he'd need some time to recover after the battle.

For someone like Reynolds, who loathed risk but enjoyed reaping benefits without putting himself in harm's way, Duncan's decision only made him more excited.

Laufey, at the very least, understood one thing now—Duncan actually wanted to capture him alive and make him a host for the Xenomorphs?

Not even Odin had dared to speak such madness. The All-Father had only meticulously planned his assault and seized the Casket of Ancient Winters in battle.

"Capturing an All-Father alive is nearly impossible—but not entirely. You're already wounded, your abdomen pierced by Odin's weapon. That must be quite painful, isn't it?"

The next second, Duncan swung Mjolnir, preparing to charge. But in Laufey's vision, the Hyper Xenomorph suddenly dashed in, hoisting Duncan onto its back and sprinting toward the world's edge.

Laufey first frowned, then looked bewildered—before suddenly realizing the truth.

"It seems your method of soul transference has a range limit. You're worried that, if you're in Midgard, you won't be able to properly transfer your soul into this so-called Sentry." Laufey instantly grasped the situation and moved to kill Duncan before he could escape.

But Reynolds was already soaring through the air, rapidly increasing his power under Duncan's precise control.

"AAAAAAAHHH!!!"

Reynolds threw back his head as a surge of energy erupted from him. In that instant, Duncan's consciousness fully descended into his body.

But that alone wasn't enough to take down the wounded Laufey—so, naturally, Duncan had prepared more.

The Destroyer armor burst free from the frozen battlefield, rocketing toward Reynolds and fusing with him.

"So that's how it is... This is the version of you that once challenged Dormammu. A body that decays, but a soul that endures?"

Laufey could see clearly—Duncan had now fully transferred his mind into Reynolds, controlling his body for combat.

But it wasn't over yet.

Duncan suddenly reached into his own chest and pulled out the Xenomorph embryo containing Thor's genetic material. At the same time, he manipulated Reynolds' body to do the same—removing the embryo within him and swapping them.

Laufey couldn't comprehend what was happening right away.

But Loki, watching from a distance while clutching the Casket of Ancient Winters, understood—and his expression twisted in shock.

"He can do that? He's actually using this method to gain more power?"

Loki knew that Duncan's ability to wield Mjolnir came from the Xenomorph embryo carrying Thor's bloodline.

Now that embryo had been implanted into Reynolds. Which meant...

ZAP!!

Mjolnir, which had been hovering behind Duncan, suddenly changed course, crackling with electricity as it shot straight toward Reynolds. With a thunderous snap, Reynolds caught it firmly in his grasp.

Lightning cascaded down from the heavens, heralding the birth of a new God of Thunder.

Sentry + Destroyer Armor + Mjolnir—at this moment, the Sentry was not only wielding the power of a million exploding suns but also channeling divine energy in an endless supply.

The two forces clashed violently within him, unleashing a terrifying wave of destruction that pushed his body to its limits.

But that didn't matter. Strength was all that mattered.

"Defeating an All-Father is difficult. Killing one is even harder. But the most difficult feat of all... is capturing one alive. Lord Laufey, you should consider yourself honored—you will be the first All-Father in Yggdrasil's history to be taken prisoner by me."

Reynolds' long hair whipped wildly around him, his eyes burning with an endless golden light. Yet the voice that emerged from his mouth was unmistakably Duncan's.

"So now, you are Duncan... I see."

Laufey finally understood. He stared at the being before him in shock, unable to believe what he was witnessing.

Was this the true potential of the Xenomorphs? Had his past understanding of them been completely wrong?

This was the man who once fought Dormammu. No—perhaps he had grown even stronger. After all, from what Laufey knew, Duncan had never wielded Mjolnir back then.

"You even held back when dealing with a demon god like Dormammu?" Laufey stared at him in disbelief.

"Of course. My favorite thing is to create contingency plans, and I have an insatiable curiosity for anything that falls outside of them. In my plan, you either die by my hands or become a part of me. It's that simple."

Laufey's expression darkened as he tried to locate Loki. If he could just get his hands on the Casket of Ancient Winters, he could return to the peak of his power—the same power that once allowed him to challenge Odin at his prime. Unfortunately, Loki was well-hidden.

Boom!

Duncan, controlling Reynolds' body, launched a fierce attack. At this moment, he was stronger than ever before.

In order to capture Laufey, a true All-Father, Duncan was going all out—more than he had even against Dormammu.

"You should feel honored, Lord Laufey. If Dormammu knew about this, he might even be relieved."

Duncan spoke, but his strikes were merciless. He wielded Mjolnir, spinning it at high speed before suddenly hurling it toward Laufey.

Laufey, unarmed, swatted the hammer aside with one hand. But in the next instant, Duncan—wearing the Destroyer armor—was already upon him, delivering a flying kick straight to Laufey's chest.

Mjolnir arced through the air in a wide loop and returned, striking the ground with a thunderous impact. Lightning erupted, sending waves of extreme heat rippling outward, melting the surrounding ice and snow.

Of course, an attack like this wasn't enough to bring Laufey down. With his massive hands, he grabbed Duncan by the leg and, with a swift motion, slammed him deep into the ground.

Had they been on an ordinary planet instead of Jotunheim, that single blow would have buried Duncan into the planet's core.

But Duncan emerged unscathed, rocketing out of the ground and ramming Laufey into the sky.

Endless golden light tore through the frozen world, and boundless divine power surged into the abyss of space.

The two figures flashed across the battlefield, their clash spreading destruction throughout Jotunheim, leaving behind deep scars that would mark the land for generations.

How powerful was an All-Father? To put it simply, even a lesser All-Father, when fighting at full strength, could shatter a planet—a power level known as "Star-Breaking." And a true All-Father?

They were beings capable of shaking an entire galaxy.

Take Odin, for example. At his peak, if he truly unleashed his full might, he could warp the timeline of the entire Milky Way, dragging the entire star system into an abyss of ruin.

Duncan didn't know if he could fight Odin yet, but right now, all his focus was on taking down Laufey, the King of the Frost Giants.

Their battle was brutal. Neither relied on advanced technology to maintain their All-Father-level strength—it was pure, overwhelming power.

Each exchange of blows sent shockwaves rippling through space, distorting time itself. Every clash shook Yggdrasil, the World Tree, to its core.

Divine energy surged toward the heavens, and unimaginable power swept across the battlefield.

The battle had begun with an earthquake that shook an entire world—volcanoes erupted, glaciers shattered. But that was only the beginning. The divine forces unleashed would ripple across Yggdrasil's branches, shaking the entire cosmos.

Everyone knew that when All-Fathers fought, the consequences were devastating. But even among those witnessing the battle, expressions of shock and disbelief were unavoidable.

From the sheer intensity of the divine energy waves, it felt like two All-Fathers were locked in a deadly struggle.

But that wasn't the case.

"One of them is the King of Jotunheim. But the other... he wields the power of the Aesir, yet his energy burns as brightly as a star. So it's him. And if I'm not mistaken, he's even stronger than he was not long ago."

"Didn't he just team up with Midgard's Sorcerer Supreme? They barely managed to force Dormammu out of Yggdrasil. And now he's already fighting Laufey? No... more importantly, how did this battle escalate so quickly? And this time, there's no Sorcerer Supreme to help him."

"Interesting. It took me a great deal of effort to figure out what's been happening on Midgard lately. Turns out, Odin secretly banished Thor to Midgard! And then Mjolnir somehow ended up in the hands of this Midgardian powerhouse. Absolutely hilarious!"

"Thor lost Mjolnir and has been fighting in the war against Jotunheim as an 'Xenomorph Commander,' never stepping onto the front lines."

"But Midgard is supposed to be a world of mere mortals. How could someone this powerful come from there?"

"That's not the point. The real shock is that this guy is fighting in other realms of Yggdrasil."

Across the World Tree, countless divine consciousnesses exchanged thoughts. Contrary to popular belief, the gods were not just brutes who relied on brute strength—they also developed advanced technology. Divine power had even been harnessed into god-tech, allowing even those of lesser strength to monitor the war from afar.

Duncan's actions had drawn widespread attention.

Ever since Dormammu's defeat, his name had begun to spread throughout Yggdrasil. Even those who didn't know his name could instantly recognize his forces—whenever they saw the Xenomorphs, they knew who they belonged to.

The alliance between Asgard and the Xenomorphs against Jotunheim was no secret. Not only was it well known among the Nine Realms, but even other divine pantheons beyond them—such as Olympus and Da Luo Tian—had taken notice.

A Midgardian this powerful was cause for concern. They had no choice but to treat him with caution.

At the same time, the sheer power of the Xenomorphs—despite their relatively recent emergence—was deeply unsettling.

After all, war was the main theme of Yggdrasil. Across countless universes and endless eras, from the rise of the Creator Gods to the brutal war between the Four Great Ancient Gods and the second-generation deities, down to the modern, mass-produced divine pantheons—the cycle of war never ended.

Naturally, the smartest among them had already begun considering how to make contact with Duncan. At the very least, many would be more than willing to do what Asgard had done—borrow an army of Xenomorphs, whose numbers were vast and whose combat strength was undeniable.

After all, the Xenomorphs had managed to invade Jotunheim itself, battling against the Frost Giants and other giants under Laufey's rule. And now, their leader, Duncan, had boldly sent an invitation to the entire cosmos.

It was only a matter of time before someone responded.

After all, who could refuse the Xenomorphs?

Even the gods were not immune.

"Loki? How did I end up here? What have you done? You actually froze everyone? Stop recklessly using the Casket of Ancient Winters! Where is everyone else? Wait… in the distance, that's Reynolds and Laufey…"

The ice covering Thor's body was gradually melting. Honestly, if Loki hadn't deliberately controlled the power of the Casket, Thor—without his divine strength—would have long since frozen to death.

"Shut up. I just saved your life, not invited you to complain." Loki was visibly irritated.

Though he and Thor had arrived at the outskirts of Jotunheim, their focus remained fixed on the fierce battle raging at the world's center.

Everyone knew—the war had reached its final moments.

If Duncan won, the outcome was clear. The best-case scenario would be capturing Laufey alive, making him a trophy of war. This would mean that Duncan's power would expand even further, granting him a remarkable surge in strength.

Though Loki doubted how much of Laufey's strength Duncan's xenomorphs could inherit—after all, Laufey's divine power had been forged through countless years of honing rather than simply being a genetic trait—there was no denying that slaying a Skyfather would cement Duncan as a powerhouse within the World Tree's domain, an indomitable figure whose influence was established through war.

More importantly, Duncan was not a lone warrior. He commanded an entire species, a vast force that served as both his strength and his foundation.

The gods of the World Tree could handle a single Skyfather alone. But a Skyfather leading an army of formidable warriors? That was an entirely different matter.

Even if Laufey won, and Duncan either fled or perished, Laufey's fate wouldn't improve much. At best, he'd merely return to where he started—because Odin was undoubtedly watching everything unfold.

"If my guess is correct, Duncan isn't just after strong xenomorph subordinates," Loki murmured, frowning deeply. His mind remained fixated on his responsibilities as a ruler, already troubled by how Asgard would deal with this unpredictable force in the future.

But then, Loki's expression shifted. He turned toward Thor, who stood beside him, and let out a bitter, mocking laugh.

Of course—there was no "future" for him anymore.

No matter how bold and carefree the Asgardians might be, they would never allow a Frost Giant to rule them.

Not when his divine power was fundamentally different. Not when his bloodline and very being stood apart from them.

No matter how this battle ended, Loki knew he had no place in Asgard's future.

Not just in Asgard—he had no place anywhere in the World Tree. Not a single world would be his to call home.

"We should help Duncan. You still have Gungnir, don't you? Why not lend it to him as a proper weapon—" Thor began, eager to assist his newfound ally.

Loki felt like his head was about to explode.

"He already took your Mjolnir! And now you want me to hand him Gungnir?! If I were Father, I'd strike you down with it first!"

"What are you saying? Father is dead. You're the one leading Asgard now. Your priority should be defeating Laufey and conquering Jotunheim! Once you've done that, you can return to Asgard as its rightful king. Every Asgardian will respect and honor you!"

Thor knew Loki's situation. He genuinely wanted to help him—though his plan was so crude that Loki could hardly stand it.

Loki felt like he was discussing tactics with a talking, slightly intelligent ape.

"After this battle, I will leave Asgard. I will leave the World Tree—if I'm still alive, that is."

Raising Gungnir, Loki conjured a protective energy barrier, blocking an incoming blast of divine energy. Then, as if speaking to himself, he added,

"That would be the best outcome for both of us. You should realize what will happen if I don't. Do you really want us to reach a point where either I kill you, or you kill me?"

Since he would never find acceptance within the World Tree, he would leave for the vast, uncharted cosmos.

With his divine power and magic, he would carve out a place for himself. Even in the worst case, he would claim a world of his own.

And when that time came, he would recruit followers and build his own forces—just like Duncan had done on Midgard.

Loki loathed Duncan. Yet, at the same time, he envied and resented him deeply.

Because Duncan wasn't alone.

He had an entire species utterly loyal to him.

Even a god of mischief could envy that kind of devotion.

If Loki had such unwavering followers, would he still be in this position? Would he still be tormented, still care about whether Asgardians despised him?

"Xenomorphs… Xenomorphs…" Loki muttered.

These creatures had started from nothing. Yet, under Duncan's leadership, they had ascended to such terrifying heights in such a short time.

"I will have my own people. My own loyal, powerful followers. And they will be stronger than xenomorphs!"

Loki clenched his jaw, nearly breaking his teeth in frustration.

But where would he find such followers?

Would he have to start from scratch—conquer a world, cultivate an entire race?

"I will find them. The universe is vast. The World Tree is but a mere fraction of it. There must be stronger species out there."