Thor Exiled, The God of Magic Belongs!

Heimdall wasn't watching Jotunheim.

He wasn't sure how Aaron had done it.

In the short time it took for him to report to Odin, Aaron had already struck Laufey hard, completely destroying his lair. Then, after everyone returned to Asgard, Aaron delivered the finishing blow.

Was this really beginner-level magic?

In all of Asgard, the only one capable of such a feat was the All-Father himself!

No—perhaps not even him.

Even for Odin, this would have been a challenge.

"Aaron? How did you do that? Wait—are you really Aaron? Could this be just a duplicate?"

Sif reached out and squeezed Aaron's arm.

The solid physical sensation reassured her—it was really him.

Aaron rolled his eyes. "Can't you see how weak I am right now? Your grip is not light, and you have no awareness of your own strength, do you?"

Sif squeezed a few more times. He winced—it actually hurt a bit.

He had no idea how this woman was built, but when it came to raw strength, she was probably stronger than Fandral.

As for him, he was stronger than the average Asgardian, but nowhere near Sif's level.

Not to mention, he had used up far too much energy. His body was already weakened.

"This hurts? A man can't say he can't do it!" Sif teased with a smirk, earning a glare from Aaron.

He had killed Laufey, after all. Shouldn't that count for something?

It hadn't been easy.

To take Laufey down, Aaron had to teleport back and forth twice to absorb magical energy. He had unleashed several large-scale spells in a row.

If it had been any other sorcerer, they wouldn't have had a single drop of magic left in them.

Let alone someone who had only been practicing magic for a short time. It was a miracle he was still standing.

Aaron ignored Sif and instead explained his strategy for defeating Laufey.

Of course, he conveniently left out anything related to the Fountain of Wisdom.

"Good job, Aaron!"

Although Thor hadn't landed the final blow himself, he still waved his hammer excitedly.

"You had all this planned—why didn't you tell me beforehand?"

"If we worked together, wouldn't it have been an even easier kill?"

"There was no need for all that trouble. You should have just told me. I could have cleared out the lesser warriors, created an opening, and gotten close enough to take Laufey down myself!"

Thor didn't doubt his ability to defeat Laufey.

After all, he had Mjolnir.

With Mjolnir in hand, he had the power of the gods.

Laufey was just another defeated enemy of Asgard—what was there to fear?

Aaron chuckled. "Honestly, I didn't plan it all in advance. At first, I thought a magic bomb would be enough to finish him off. I didn't expect Laufey to be so hard to kill.

"It was only after we were about to leave that I thought of using my duplicates to sneak back in and seize an opportunity."

"Still… it's a shame I didn't get to kill Laufey myself," Thor sighed.

If he had, the entire Nine Realms would have been in awe.

The nations that secretly mocked Asgard would have been forced to acknowledge its new ruler as a powerful and brave king.

"Thor, Aaron did this for revenge," Fandral reminded him. "Laufey died at our hands—it doesn't really matter who delivered the final blow."

"Exactly! No matter what, our mission was a success," Sif added. "The Frost Giants have learned their lesson. I doubt any other nation will have second thoughts about Asgard now."

Thor nodded. "That's true. They should all behave for a while. But Aaron, next time, leave that kind of opportunity for me, alright? You can't just take all the glory for yourself."

Aaron smirked. "Last time in Vanaheim, I let you handle all the enemies."

Thor chuckled at the reminder.

Meanwhile…

Even Odin couldn't help but admire Aaron's well-executed plan.

He had no issue with Aaron seeking vengeance against Laufey.

Everyone in Asgard knew that Aaron's parents had died at Laufey's hands.

Wasn't it only natural for a son to avenge his family?

Not everyone had the strength to do so, but Aaron had achieved it through his own skill and preparation.

The real problem… was Thor.

Odin turned his gaze toward his eldest son, his eyes filled with disappointment.

Thor's recklessness had nearly doomed Asgard's future.

If not for Aaron's exceptional magical skill and quick thinking, some of Thor's companions might not have made it back alive.

These were the elite warriors of Asgard.

Odin had chosen them carefully—each one loyal, each one brave.

Every life lost would have been a significant blow.

Thor, acting on impulse, had nearly squandered everything.

And now, although Laufey was dead, the damage was already done.

The hatred between Asgard and the Frost Giants had only deepened.

The Frost Giants would not forget. They would retaliate.

Without Laufey to hold them back, they would be even more united in their revenge.

Thor, oblivious to Odin's thoughts, continued speaking with excitement.

"With Aaron's help, we'll be even stronger against the other realms!"

"Anyone who dares defy Asgard—whoever tries to cause turmoil—we'll just kill their king and crush them again!"

"That'll show them the might of Asgard!"

"Enough!" Odin roared.

Thor fell silent, staring at his father in confusion.

"Father?"

Odin suppressed his rage and turned to Aaron and the others.

"Go and rest," he ordered. "Especially you, Aaron—you need to recover."

"Yes, All-Father!"

None dared disobey Odin's command.

As Sif and the others left, they shot Thor meaningful glances, silently urging him to hold his temper.

Aaron followed without protest.

He already knew what was coming next.

Odin was sending them away so he could punish Thor.

Even though the battle had been won—Thor had revealed too many flaws.

If left unchecked, those flaws would lead Asgard down a dangerous path once he became king.

Aaron had no intention of speaking up for Thor.

Right now, nothing would change Odin's mind.

And to be honest, Thor needed this.

Aaron preferred the future Thor—the one who had been humbled by failure.

As he exited, Aaron cast a glance at Loki.

Loki was acting strangely.

Aaron could tell—Loki had begun to doubt his own origins.

If he discovered the truth… that he was Laufey's son… what would he do?

Would he try to win Aaron over?

Or seek revenge?

Aaron wasn't worried.

Loki was intelligent.

And if there was one thing Aaron knew, it was that Loki's loyalty to the Frost Giants was nonexistent.

The moment the door shut behind them, Thor faced his fate.

Odin's wrath fell upon him.

His power was stripped away.

His godhood was taken.

He was cast down to Earth.

Less than a day later, all of Asgard knew.

The Frost Giants had broken the treaty, and Thor had defied Odin's orders, nearly bringing disaster upon them all.

But the bigger news?

Aaron Manningston—the young magical prodigy—had single-handedly killed Laufey, bringing Asgard its greatest glory in a thousand years.

His name spread throughout the realms.

And soon… Odin would make good on his promise.

A new God of Magic was about to rise.