49 - Mastery in the Making
The practice of magic had a way of making time slip away unnoticed.
Especially with abundant magical energy, the freedom to cast spells without restraint offered an unparalleled experience.
Unlike other Asgardian mages, Aaron faced no shortage of magic reserves. Nor did he share the concerns of Kamar-Taj's wizards, who risked side effects from borrowing demonic power.
He could hone and elevate his magic to his heart's content, and with his prodigious talent, he epitomized the concept of a natural genius.
Each day brought noticeable growth in strength.
Every hour unveiled new advancements.
Having stockpiled ample food beforehand, Aaron had no concerns about supplies in resource-scarce Jotunheim.
The sensation of rapidly increasing power, free from external interruptions, was intoxicating.
His attribute template had undergone a dramatic transformation:
[Name]: Aaron
[Lifespan]: 1000/5000
[Talent]: God Rewards Hard Work
[Skills]: Energy Absorption LV6, Materialized Magic LV5, Fighting Skills LV5, Swordsmanship LV5, Spear Skills LV5, Space Storage LV5, Psychic Barrier LV5, Telekinesis LV5, Energy Explosion LV5, Energy Shield LV5, Space Teleportation LV5, Psychic Magic LV5, Group Invisibility Magic LV5
[Attributes]: Intelligence 3, Strength 4, Speed 3 (4), Endurance 4 (5), Energy Strength 5, Fighting Skill 6
[Strength Evaluation]: Surface Level (First-Class Superhero)
Thanks to telekinesis, Aaron could achieve supersonic flight, raising his speed cap to 4.
His endurance fluctuated due to his energy shield. With his current reserves and level 5 energy shield magic, he could effortlessly withstand bullets and even missile strikes.
Compared to Asgard's Three Warriors and Sif, his defenses were markedly superior.
Even surpassing Loki's.
Though Loki often appeared underwhelming, his durability was remarkable.
Not everyone could endure multiple slams from the Hulk and emerge unscathed.
Nor could just anyone shrug off Hawkeye's explosive arrows without a scratch.
Loki bore the blood of the Frost Giant royal family. Even as a "flawed" specimen, his innate physicality outstripped that of ordinary Asgardians.
Of course, Loki's physical prowess had its detractors, like being overpowered by Time Variance Authority agents.
Logically, even if his magic were sealed, his physicality—rooted in his Frost Giant heritage—should remain intact.
Perhaps it was merely a plot contrivance?
Beyond speed and endurance, his energy strength had increased by 1.
Most notably, his strength evaluation had finally advanced from a second-tier to a first-class superhero.
He was no longer mere cannon fodder in the early stages. Seeing this, Aaron allowed himself a smile.
His attributes alone did not truly place him among first-class superheroes. Titans like Hulk, Thor, or Captain Marvel outclassed him in raw stats.
Even some second-tier heroes had comparable attributes.
But as a mage, his strength was not defined solely by numbers.
A mage's combat prowess hinged on their magic, which was notoriously difficult to counter.
Take Doctor Strange: his attributes paled beside Thor's, yet with borrowed magic and diverse spells, he could hold his own. He even bested Loki with ease.
For Aaron, the point was even clearer.
His pure level 5 magic spoke volumes.
For most mages, elevating a single spell to level 5 was a monumental feat, earning them renown as authorities in their field.
But Aaron?
He was a master across all fields!
Against second-tier superheroes, he was an instant kill.
Even among first-class heroes, he held his own.
In truth, with his current power, Aaron could conceivably defeat Thor.
At the very least, he could give Thor a grueling fight.
His repertoire of magic was vast and versatile.
He could easily outmaneuver Thor.
With precise execution, he might even deliver a fatal blow.
Thor's strength, defense, and vitality vastly outstripped Aaron's.
But Aaron's space teleportation, psychic magic, and materialized illusions could pose a lethal threat if wielded adeptly.
At his current rate of improvement, Aaron was confident he would soon rival Thor in attributes.
He anticipated surpassing Thor in energy strength shortly.
His fighting skills might even match Thor's!
And, of course, there was intelligence.
Aaron did not believe his intellect was inferior to Thor's.
He also held a trump card: his knowledge of the broader narrative.
It gave him a decisive edge over Thor.
"To keep advancing my strength, all I need is time!"
"But before pressing forward, perhaps I should consider enchantment."
Aaron retrieved his enchantment magic book. He had skimmed it once but set it aside.
Enchantment magic offered little direct boost to combat strength and demanded significant study time.
He had also realized that an enchantment's potency depended on the mage's energy strength and magical mastery.
Previously, even if he had learned enchantment, he could not have crafted a satisfactory artifact.
Now, things were different. With the near-infinite energy of the Fountain of Wisdom and his array of potent spells, he was confident in forging an artifact worthy of use.
Enchantment magic would now join his training regimen.
Asgard
Aaron's absence went unnoticed, his clone maintaining the facade seamlessly.
Frigga's visits, under the guise of magic lessons, were deftly postponed without arousing suspicion.
She saw no reason to doubt him. His talent was prodigious, but magic mastery demanded time, even for a genius.
Loki's frequent visits to Aaron's residence were driven by his lingering belief in his superiority in invisibility magic.
The thrill of "mentoring" a prodigy like Aaron was irresistible, and he sought to relive it.
Aaron's clone swiftly quashed this, using invisibility magic to teach Loki a lesson.
Loki ceased his visits, granting Aaron's clone peace.
Thor and his companions invited the clone to drink, their enthusiasm for Aaron undimmed.
His sparse public appearances since the battle lent him an air of mystique, cementing his image as a diligent prodigy.
Public fervor, channeled through Thor's group, eventually compelled the clone to attend several receptions.
Aaron controlled the clone with minimal mental effort, avoiding slip-ups like before. No new excuses were needed to deflect Thor's banter.
Only Amora, among all Asgard, sensed something amiss.
As a Magic Academy teacher, she noted Aaron's repeated deferrals of Frigga's lessons.
How could a magic-obsessed prodigy forgo new spells?
The only explanation was a greater priority.
Recalling their interactions, Amora deduced that Aaron had likely entered Jotunheim through unknown means, seeking the Fountain of Wisdom.
The notion was terrifying.
Jotunheim's Frost Giants were a formidable force, even for Odin.
She had monitored the Rainbow Bridge, which showed no signs of activation.
Heimdall's loyalty to Odin was absolute; he would never permit Aaron's passage without authorization.
Thor might have swayed Heimdall as the future king, but Aaron lacked such sway.
How had Aaron reached Jotunheim? How could he locate the Fountain of Wisdom amidst endless Frost Giants?
Had he succeeded after all this time?
What power had he gained?
How strong was he now?
Amora's thoughts grew increasingly alarmed.
If Aaron had accomplished these feats, his power might be unfathomable.
She might never escape his influence.
Yet, a quieter thought emerged.
"If Aaron truly achieved this…"
"Serving him might not be so bad."
Amora murmured, a newfound respect for Aaron's strength taking root.
For a sorceress who dared defy Odin, only one surpassing him could command her loyalty.
Jotunheim
Aaron's training progressed relentlessly.
The Fountain of Wisdom's boundless energy fueled his rapid ascent.
His energy shield magic strengthened, bolstering his defenses.
His thoughts often turned to the Casket of Ancient Winters.
Acquiring it would permanently resolve his energy reserve issue.
Laufey, its keeper, was a feasible target.
The vendetta for his parents' deaths sharpened his resolve.
But caution was paramount.
The Casket lay in Laufey's lair, deep in Frost Giant territory.
Even with invisibility and portals, infiltrating undetected was risky.
He needed the perfect opportunity—perhaps when Loki's schemes, as in Thor 1, plunged the Nine Realms into chaos.
Until then, Aaron would harness the fountain's power, growing ever stronger.
His path to godhood was set, unyielding against Frost Giants or Asgardian kings.
The Galaxy
Ayesha's compliance with the Supreme Evolutionary masked her growing doubts.
The Sovereign's adoption of magic opened new horizons. The Magic Network's spread and tales of the God of Magic's feats reached their golden halls.
Betraying the Supreme Evolutionary flickered in her mind. The God of Magic's power—crushing the Matrix Tribe, humbling the Kree—rivaled or surpassed her creator's.
Such a move required meticulous planning. The Supreme Evolutionary's genetic control over the Sovereign was absolute. A single error could doom her people.
For now, she would deploy Adam Warlock as ordered, while covertly exploring the Magic Network's potential.
Earth
Zola's laboratory buzzed with activity.
His vibranium body, a compromise to evade the God of Magic, sufficed for his project: a parallel universe teleporter.
Kree, Dimensional Demon, and Space Stone technologies had brought him close to a breakthrough.
Escape from this universe—and the God of Magic's shadow—was within reach.
Unwittingly, his spatial experiments hastened the Magic Network's expansion.
Its tendrils, breaching universal barriers, took root in new realities, awaiting discovery.
Aaron sensed these shifts.
The network's autonomous growth outpaced his plans. He had intended to send apostles to other universes later, gathering Infinity Stones.
Now, he could act sooner.
An upgrade to the network's protocols was imminent, a task his intelligence of 7 would handle swiftly.
His mind rivaled the multiverse's greatest intellects.
Kang the Conqueror, languishing in the Quantum Realm, was no threat. A mortal with future tech, Kang's time manipulation was trivial against Aaron's intellect and magic.
Dismissing such distractions, Aaron focused on optimizing the Magic Network.
His goal was to become a multiversal god, wielding influence across countless realities.
But first, he would master enchantment, secure the Casket, and eliminate Laufey.
In Jotunheim's frozen heart, his ascent to divinity continued unabated.
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