53 - Thunder and Trials

"I do!" Aaron affirmed, then continued, "Besides the invisibility cloak, I crafted a throwable item."

"Throwables?" Fandral asked, intrigued.

"The explosive kind."

Aaron produced a small, round object, removed a pin, and hurled it far.

It detonated on impact, leaving a shallow crater.

"I heard of a Midgard weapon called a grenade. I combined it with energy explosion magic to create this—magic grenade. Its power scales with the magic infused," Aaron explained. "This is the smallest version. I have larger ones."

The group's reaction was tepid compared to the invisibility cloak.

As Asgardians, revered as gods by Midgardians, they carried an innate sense of superiority.

Learning the grenade's inspiration came from Midgard dulled their interest.

To them, Midgard symbolized backwardness.

What could it offer worth noting?

Moreover, the magic grenade's displayed power was unimpressive.

Any Asgardian soldier, clad in enchanted armor, could shrug off such damage.

"Anything else? That's it?" Thor asked, glancing briefly at the crater.

"Of course. Try hitting me with your thunder," Aaron said, pointing to himself.

"What? Attack you with thunder?" Thor balked. "Aaron, I don't strike my friends!"

"You're one of my best allies!"

Aaron sighed, summoning a physical clone and equipping it with armor. "Fine, target this. Safe now?"

Thor hesitated, eyeing the clone—identical to Aaron—with reluctance.

"First, explain what you're testing."

"The armor's enchanted defense. I imbued it with a small energy shield. By my calculations, normal attacks won't breach it," Aaron said. "Just don't go all out."

A startled voice cut in.

"Wait, energy shield? You mean energy shield magic? How do you know that? Mother never mentioned…" Loki blurted, then caught himself, coughing. "I mean, you haven't consulted the Queen lately. When did you learn this?"

Aaron raised an eyebrow. "The Queen said I could seek guidance from any Magic Academy teacher."

He avoided naming Amora.

Her reputation was toxic among this group.

Mentioning her would spark a lengthy debate about avoiding her influence.

Loki frowned, sensing control slipping further.

He'd assumed lingering near Frigga would reveal Aaron's magical advancements.

He'd overlooked Aaron's privilege to consult other teachers.

Without his knowledge, Aaron had mastered a spell even Loki hadn't—energy shield magic.

Impossible to predict!

Aaron, you're my magical nemesis!

Loki's head throbbed. Aaron consistently defied expectations, delivering surprises in the most unforeseen ways.

After Loki's interruption, Thor relented.

He trusted Aaron's magical prowess. Attacking a clone posed no real harm, and even if the shield failed, no one would be hurt.

Raising Mjolnir, Thor summoned a crackling bolt of thunder.

It streaked toward the clone.

As it neared, the armor's enchantment triggered, deploying a golden barrier that deflected the strike.

Thor's interest piqued. "Again!"

He amplified the output.

A larger thunderbolt, a serpentine arc, slammed into the shield.

The barrier held, but the impact staggered the clone.

No damage.

"Impressive! It blocks that level? One more!" Thor's competitive streak flared.

His prior failures fueled his determination. This time, he unleashed nearly his full might.

The sky darkened, clouds swirling under his divine influence.

Thunder danced wildly, converging into a colossal bolt.

Guided by Thor, it struck with devastating force, shattering the energy shield.

The blast's momentum persisted, hurling the clone and armor backward.

As expected, Thor's near-full-power strike obliterated the unprotected clone.

Only the battered armor remained.

Aaron's heart skipped. This is Thor's unawakened strength? Once he awakens, he can overpower Hela briefly with a full assault.

"Level 5 energy shield is too weak," Aaron mused.

"Only a level 6 or 7 shield could withstand Thor's thunder."

Typically, an enchantment's potency was inferior to the caster's own magic.

But Aaron, blessed with God Rewards Hard Work, could imbue objects with magic matching his own level.

The clone's armor shield was identical to Aaron's personal energy shield.

If he had faced that strike, without evasion, he'd be dead.

Of course, as a mage, Aaron would never clash head-on with Thor.

Thor's thunder, a divine force, surpassed ordinary magic in quality and quantity.

Aaron's magic hadn't reached divine tier.

Only further mastery could elevate him to god-level magic.

Asgard

The coronation preparations reached a fever pitch.

Aaron's display had served multiple purposes.

It reinforced his image as a diligent mage, quelling suspicion.

It also planted a distraction. Sif's report to Odin might shift focus from Aaron's deeper plans.

Loki's unease was palpable, his suspicion of Aaron's growing power evident.

Let him fester.

Aaron reached the Magic Academy, seeking Frigga's tutelage.

Her spells would bolster his arsenal, while proximity to Loki allowed him to monitor the trickster's moves.

The coronation was imminent.

The Frost Giants' incursion, orchestrated by Loki, loomed.

Aaron would let the chaos unfold, striking when the opportunity arose.

Jotunheim

Aaron's time at the Fountain of Wisdom had forged him into a first-class superhero.

His level 5 skills, fueled by boundless energy, were formidable.

Enchantment magic promised to amplify his potential further.

An artifact imbued with his spells could redefine his capabilities.

But the Casket of Ancient Winters was his immediate goal.

Laufey's death was personal; the Casket, his path to limitless energy.

The coronation's chaos would be his opening.

The Galaxy

Ayesha's mages reported breakthroughs in the Magic Network.

Its power offered a path to sever the Supreme Evolutionary's control.

The God of Magic's legend fueled her ambitions.

Adam Warlock's mission was a facade; her true focus was the network.

The Supreme Evolutionary, obsessed with 89P13, remained oblivious.

The network's influence reshaped the galactic order.

Earth

Zola's teleporter neared completion.

His experiments unknowingly accelerated the Magic Network's multiversal spread.

Its roots spanned realities, primed for activation.

Aaron, sensing this, finalized his network upgrades.

The multiverse awaited, but Asgard's chaos demanded precedence.

Asgard

At the Magic Academy, Aaron studied under Frigga, absorbing new spells.

He kept Loki in his peripheral vision, tracking his subtle maneuvers.

The coronation was days away.

When the Frost Giants struck, Aaron would be ready.

The Casket would be his, and Laufey would answer for his crimes.

In the Golden Palace's festive fervor, Aaron moved unseen, a strategist poised to turn chaos into triumph.

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