CHAPTER 1
Inside Asgard, a grand banquet was being held. The frescoes adorning the palace walls bore witness to the peace treaties Odin had forged with major civilizations. "A toast to the God-King Odin!"
"A toast to the peace of the Nine Realms!"
"A toast to the Queen!"
"A toast to the prince who is soon to be born!"
The sound of laughter, clinking glasses, and congratulatory cheers filled the banquet hall, creating a relaxed and joyous atmosphere.
Yet, in one corner of the hall, a handsome, slender man with black hair and dark eyes stood alone, his gaze cold and piercing as he observed the festivities. His attention was particularly drawn to the one-eyed old man seated high on the throne, drinking heavily—the God-King Odin himself.
This man was Ragna, the second son of Odin and the second heir to the throne of Asgard. However, no one ever expected him to ascend to power. Especially now, with the Queen pregnant once more.
Ragna was weak—far too weak. As a prince, he had inherited neither the formidable physique nor the divine power of Odin, nor the immense magical abilities of the Queen, who hailed from the race of fairies. Despite his relentless training and tireless efforts in battle, Ragna's strength in both combat and magic was no greater than that of an ordinary Asgardian soldier.
For an average citizen of Asgard, such strength might have been sufficient to live a comfortable life. But for a prince, a ruler expected to command the Nine Realms, it was a crippling inadequacy. As a member of the royal family and one of Odin's heirs, his weakness was a source of embarrassment—not just for him, but for all of Asgard, a realm that revered strength above all else.
"Ragna, come, let us drink! Let us celebrate the peace of the Nine Realms!" Heimdall, noticing Ragna standing alone in the corner, approached and clapped a hand on his shoulder. With a knowing smile, Heimdall winked at him. "There are many beautiful goddesses here tonight. Would you like an introduction? I know a few of their secrets—enough to give you an advantage."
The young Heimdall was far from the mature and stoic guardian he would one day become. He was Ragna's only true friend.
Once, Ragna had many friends. Many believed he might one day ascend to the throne, as he was Odin's only son at the time. But as Ragna grew older and his strength paled in comparison to Hela's legendary military prowess, his fate seemed sealed. And now, with the recent news that the Queen was pregnant with a powerful prince, the people of Asgard had all but forgotten Ragna's existence.
Only Heimdall, with his all-seeing eyes that could peer across the Nine Realms, knew how tirelessly Ragna had trained to become stronger. Yet, despite his efforts, Ragna's progress had been negligible.
Ragna forced a smile. Recent events had left him in no mood for celebration.
"Is this truly the right thing to do? She is her own daughter," Ragna whispered to Heimdall.
Heimdall's expression immediately darkened. He glanced quickly at Odin, who appeared to be his usual self on the throne, and replied in a hushed tone, "It is for the sake of peace. This is the will of the God-King."
"The God-King," Ragna sneered.
Five hundred years had passed since the birth of Asgard—exactly five hundred years. When Ragna was born, he had known this was Marvel, this was Asgard, and he had been smug in the knowledge that he was a prince.
And then came the disappointment of realizing that no matter how much he trained, he remained weak. Finally, there was the despair of knowing everything but lacking the power to change it.
No one truly knew what Ragna had experienced over the past five hundred years. Even Heimdall, whose gaze could span the Nine Realms, did not keep his eyes on Ragna at all times. Some memories from his previous life had even grown hazy in this one.
Yet, thanks to being born a god, even a weak one without Awakening power—unable to earn a title—he was still a member of the Protoss. The memories of his five hundred years of life remained vivid.
When he was born, Odin was still waging war across the Nine Realms. By the time Ragna was a hundred years old, he had seen his father only five times. In his youth, Odin had shown him some affection, but it was fleeting. Odin was the God-King, after all, consumed by his ambitions to conquer and rule the Nine Realms. Ragna understood that his father was busy.
However, as Ragna grew older and failed to inherit any divine power or abilities, Odin's disappointment in him grew. Eventually, Odin began to ignore him entirely. Over the course of five hundred years, if not for the commoners who still respectfully addressed him as "Prince," Ragna might have forgotten he even had a father—a father who was the God-King.
Ragna and Heimdall fell into silence, and the once-cheerful banquet hall grew quiet.
"My son, Ragna," Odin's voice boomed from the throne, his single eye fixed on Ragna. "Are you dissatisfied with me?"
In the great hall, nothing could escape Odin's notice. The guests followed Odin's gaze, their attention now focused on Ragna, who had nearly been forgotten.
**[Charge complete. The God-Level Selection System is now activating!]**
**[10%—40%—80%...]**
**[Activation complete. Detecting that the host is facing Odin's reprimand. Beginning selection!]**
**[Option 1: Boldly express all your dissatisfaction with Odin. Reward: Awakening of Solar Power!]**
**[Option 2: Silently accept Odin's questioning. Reward: Magic Ability +1]**
**[Option 3: Submit meekly, claiming you dare not defy Odin, to win his favor. Reward: A random treasure from Asgard.]**