"Asgard has not moved yet, so it seems the news is true: the Bifrost they used for transportation was destroyed in the previous battle."
"Now is a great opportunity to mobilize!"
"If we can break into Asgard, we can reclaim the Eternal Fire!"
Surtur couldn't wait. He had expected this moment to come. Odin is old, and the destruction of the Bifrost is a sign of Asgard's weakening. The mighty Asgard had been steadily losing power over time, and now he would fulfill his destiny and destroy the land of the gods.
"I'm sorry, but I don't think you'll be able to achieve that," a strange voice interrupted.
Surtur looked up sharply and saw Aaron emerging from the portal. The familiar armor, the unpleasant smell, and the radiant appearance.
"People of Asgard!" Surtur stood, eyes burning with anger. His fiery body felt like an active volcano, ready to erupt.
"Who are you? Just you?" he demanded. "Where's that old man Odin? And his son—why isn't Thor here? Why are you the only one sent?"
Aaron slowly walked forward, his magical power surging around him. "My name is Aaron. Remember it."
"Hahahaha! Just you?" Surtur couldn't help but laugh. "You're still the same, full of arrogance. Thousands of years have passed, and Asgardians are no different than they were before, without any progress. Odin couldn't kill me back then, so what makes you think you can? Remember, I will not die. My mission is to destroy your homeland! My time is coming. When my crown bathes in the Eternal Fire again, I will regain all my strength and send you and all Asgardians to their graves!"
Surtur raised the Twilight Sword, and the titans of the valley looked to him. Like a signal, they rushed forward, their agile skills and powerful bodies allowing them to scale cliffs and leap from heights greater than ten meters. Titans surrounded Aaron from all directions, hoping to tear him apart.
At the same time, a giant beast broke free from its chains, spewed fire, and flapped its wings toward the scene. It was Surtur's pet, a Flame Dragon from Muspelheim.
"No matter how many ants there are, they are just ants," Aaron said. "All will disappear."
Aaron made no visible move. A thin, invisible energy field surrounded him. Any titan that crossed into it was instantly wiped out, without even a scream.
The sight was so strange that the titans trembled, but their fear was quickly suppressed by their loyalty to Surtur. They continued to charge, but every titan that tried to approach disintegrated into dust.
In the sky, the Flame Dragon hovered, sensing the immense danger below, unwilling to land. It only dared to spew flames from hundreds of meters above, hoping to burn Aaron. But Aaron didn't move. He allowed the flames to fall, and as they neared, they disappeared.
"Magic?" Surtur asked. "Are you the god of magic that's been spoken of in Asgard?"
He pushed a few flame titans away and moved slightly back from the energy field. It was a safe distance, proven by the lives of thousands of flame titans.
"Your magic is impressive, but you're still facing the most powerful Titan King in the Nine Realms!" he declared. "Death is your fate!"
Surtur raised the Twilight Sword again, releasing an intense flame that seemed to burn everything. The air rippled with the heat.
Aaron didn't dodge. Under Surtur's shocked gaze, he began to absorb the flame energy. After a while, Aaron spoke in dissatisfaction, "Can you make it bigger? This energy isn't enough."
Surtur was humiliated. "You mock me!" he roared. "Damn it! If not for the Eternal Fire, how could you be so arrogant? I'll kill you!"
The Eternal Fire was the source of Surtur's power, but it had been stolen by Odin. Since then, Surtur had been hiding in Muspelheim. Yet, none of that allowed any Asgardian to insult him.
Surtur's fury burned even brighter. "Come on!" he shouted, unleashing all his power.
It was the strongest attack he could muster, powerful enough to split oceans and reshape the earth. But Aaron, still unsatisfied, commented, "Is this all you've got? Honestly, you're bigger than I thought. But without the artifact, you're nothing!"
The energy from the Twilight Sword began to wane. Realizing there was no more to absorb, Aaron raised his hand and gently waved it.
With a single motion, the surrounding energy transformed into a 360-degree wave, sweeping in every direction and obliterating everything. The titans, the Flame Dragon, and even Surtur himself were reduced to ashes. The lava flowing through the mountains and rivers was also consumed.
After the destruction, Aaron absorbed the dissipated energy, replenishing his own power—gaining even more than what was used.
"Done. Time to call it a day!" Aaron said, satisfied. He looked at the flattened capital of the Flame Titans, picked up the only crown left by Surtur, and opened a portal to return.
Meanwhile, Heimdall, who had been watching the battle in Muspelheim, stood in stunned silence. "Is this Aaron's true strength?" he thought. "Wherever he goes, nothing remains. It's as if the very earth turns to ash. This is nothing like the battle with Thor—this is terrifying!"
Heimdall couldn't help but wonder if Odin, who had once fought against the Nine Realms, had this power.
"Aaron, are you finished?" Sif asked uncertainly when Aaron returned, the Flame Titan crown in his hand. "That was fast! The number of flame titans was no less than before, and Surtur seemed even stronger."
Aaron nodded. "Surtur was a crippled version of himself. He couldn't even stand up to me."
Sif looked at Heimdall, who was about to speak, but Aaron cut in, asking, "So, is Vanaheim next?"
Heimdall nodded, then paused. "No, Vanaheim will be handled by Thor. You're only needed for Muspelheim."
"What about Jotunheim?" Aaron asked. "They're still making noise."
"Don't worry about them. They've lost their king and leader. There's nothing to fear."
Aaron was satisfied with that and said, "Alright, I'll check out the library and get to it later."
Heimdall and the others exchanged glances, then agreed to wait for Thor. For now, Thor needed reassurance more than anything else. Aaron, meanwhile, was free to wander as long as he didn't head straight to Midgard.
In the Golden Hall, Frigga, surrounded by maids, admired the garden's beauty, before Odin approached and waved the others away. He shared his thoughts with her.
"Odin, is Aaron's magic level really this high?" Frigga asked, surprised.
Odin sighed. "I think he absorbed the Energy Absorption from the Casket of Ancient Winters and perhaps other energies. That would explain his rapid increase in power."
"I have a hunch that even if I confronted him, I wouldn't stand a chance."
Frigga, picking flowers, paused. She saw the seriousness in Odin's eyes. The once all-powerful God King now believed that Aaron might be stronger than him.
"You've trained a magic monster," Odin lamented, shaking his head. "He's become a god-level powerhouse!"
Frigga nodded. "Perhaps... but you need to draw him in while also being cautious. His strength is something to be watched."
Odin frowned. "I fear if we don't, we'll regret it later."
Just then, Thor rushed in, raising an unusual question. "Father, why is Aaron's ability stronger than mine? Could it be...?"
Odin's eyes widened, and he suddenly grew enraged. "Thor, get out! Go back and think about why you've been surpassed by an ordinary being!"
Thor hesitated, then left quietly, knowing better than to argue.
Sighing, Odin muttered to himself, wondering why his children never seemed to measure up. Even though he was the greatest king in Asgard's history, it didn't seem to help his children's futures.
Just as Odin was lost in thought, Heimdall entered and shared what he had seen.
Aaron had destroyed the Flame Titan capital in an instant. Odin closed his eyes, realizing Aaron's strength was something that couldn't be ignored.
He finally said to Frigga, "He's grown stronger again... I can't believe it."
Frigga nodded. "He's grown far too fast."
Odin was silent, but he knew one thing: Thor would have to be trained before he faced any more challenges. "Thor, get to Vanaheim. When I return, we will train. You must master your strength first!"
With that, Odin sent Thor to Vanaheim, unable to wait any longer.
Aaron had come to the library with a different purpose: to find a certain sentence from Amora.
Amora, wearing an emerald green dress, greeted Aaron with a flirtatious smile. She poured him wine, but he stopped her with a wave of his hand.
"I'm here for business," Aaron said, and Amora nodded graciously, offering him the books he needed.
Aaron quickly examined the books, using his materialization magic to create duplicates, preparing to study them later.
He wasn't staying long in Asgard.