Chapter 247: The New King

Thunder and flame tore wildly through Thor's body; amid an indescribable agony, his will rose higher—the more intense the conflict, the faster it climbed.

Just as he was about to breach the barrier of a single universe, the fusion of lightning and fire completed, and a new force of light emerged within Thor.

Fused with the cosmic lightning and the fire of civilization, the God of Light Thor was born.

The first lightning of the universe fell into his hand, merging with the spear; the flame of civilization settled upon his shoulders, becoming a fluttering cloak.

Thor floated above the cosmos, a blinding halo behind him, one hand holding thunder, the other fire—just as the gods of Asgard had proclaimed upon assuming their divine roles, Thor's voice echoed through the universe:

"I shall hold the first lightning of the cosmos, igniting fire for all civilizations. I am the pioneer in darkness, the guardian in prosperity. I shall preside over all light in the universe—thunder, flame, and light shall be upon me; past, present, and future shall become one."

"As long as light endures… I endure."

Across the Nine Realms, in Asgard, every Asgardian looked up—they heard this oath, and with it, new branches sprouted from the World Tree.

Then leaves danced, flames surged, and all Asgardians knelt halfway, hearing from Odin's slumbering palace the low voice of the Allfather: "New King."

"New King?"

"New King…"

"New King!"

In the realm of Hel, filled with darkness and destruction, a female figure draped in the River of the Dead let out a faint sigh: "…New King."

Cold, solitary smoke rose slowly over this land steeped in death; the white mist grew thinner and thinner, and as the incense thread ascended, ash fell—soft clicks echoed in the room as pieces landed on the board. Doctor Strange sighed: "It seems Asgard will have a powerful new king."

The Great Luo of All Worlds

Strange sat across from her and asked: "So Loki came to you, asking you to take him to Sakaar—just for this?"

"Not just Loki—it was Odin's will too. Had Odin not approved, I would never have allowed his two sons to roam so far."

Strange placed a stone and asked: "So you knew all along?"

Doctor Strange shook her head: "Odin knew the truth of Ragnarök long ago."

"What truth?"

"Asgard has taken too much from the cosmos. One day, they must repay it. Ragnarök is their repayment for the debt they owe the universe."

Doctor Strange gave another slight shake of her head: "The strength of the gods is not without cause. Like all debtors, their creditors are far stronger."

"I recall you once said Ragnarök is inevitable—is that true?"

Doctor Strange sighed: "It has nothing to do with humanity. It is the gods' fate—unavoidable."

"But now Thor has taken on a new divine role…"

Doctor Strange shook her head again: "The God of Light is not a new role. Odin's true eldest son, Balder, once held the title of God of Light."

A hint of confusion colored Doctor Strange's tone: "Thor's inheritance of the God of Light role is strange. Balder's God of Light represented spring and joy, the deity of sprouting and rebirth—but Thor has nothing to do with that."

"And even if he ascended to true godhood, he should have inherited the Thunder God's role, not the God of Light's."

Doctor Strange pinched a stone: "In Asgard, the God of Light role is far inferior to the Thunder God's. And compared to the God of Light role, Odin had already granted Thor the Thunder God's power—wasn't that easier to claim?"

The High Priest was equally puzzled. Though he understood Asgard's divine hierarchy, the distance from Asgard meant he did not know the difference between the God of Light and Thunder God roles. He only knew Odin was the Thunder God—so his son should be too. Why had the role changed?

When Thor landed, he appeared utterly ordinary, showing none of the near-creation-level power he had just unleashed. Only the lightning flickering along his spear revealed his strength had returned.

"You ascended?" High Priest asked Thor.

"Almost." Thor shrugged. "I hit the barrier."

"That means you're far from it." High Priest sneered. "If so, I won't trouble you, and you won't trouble me. You can't kill me anyway."

"But you hurt Loki."

"I hurt him????" High Priest raised his voice. "He teamed up with Mephisto to swindle me out of a fortune—and then dares show his face here? I didn't kill him already out of respect for your father!!"

Thor scoffed: "As if you could even beat the Allfather."

"Hmph." High Priest snorted. "You underestimate me—and overestimate Odin. I don't bother with him because your Asgard is destined to one day…"

He paused, then fell silent, opened a portal, and left—clearly conceding defeat.

Thor's spear dissolved into lightning and vanished. He walked to Loki's side.

Loki had awakened. He lay on the ground, eyes vacant, staring at the sky. Seeing Thor approach, he turned his gaze to him.

Thor loomed over Loki, his shadow covering him. Loki looked away again and said: "What are you going to do? Beat me up? Like you used to after I tricked you?"

"No." Thor's expression was calm. Loki frowned, struggling weakly in place—but he could not move. Without his divine power or role, his injuries left him utterly immobilized.

He saw Thor kneel, unfasten the chains from Loki's wrists, tear off the iron links, and fasten the iron cuff around his own wrist.

Then, with that hand, Thor gripped the spear turned to lightning and drove it into his own shoulder.

Blood splattered across Loki's face. He widened his eyes, staring at Thor.

Thor winced, pain flashing briefly across his face. He braced himself on his knee and looked at Loki: "I apologize for ignoring your plight. I apologize to every Asgardian who was overlooked because they were not strong enough or could not fight."

"Our civilization should not be built on violence and destruction. The fault lies not in the world—but in us."

"My eyes should not have seen only battle honors and glory. Not only those wounded on the battlefield deserve Asgardian honor."

"If the rot of outdated dogma has sunk into the marrow of every Asgardian…" Thor dropped his spear, placed his hand over his shoulder wound, blood seeping between his fingers: "…then this scar and this chain shall forever remind me of the cost of narrow vision."

Loki clenched his eyes shut, turning his head aside, his face twisted with resentment. One hand gripped the dirt—squeezed hard—but held nothing.

Thor stared at Loki: "I do not believe Ragnarök is inevitable. I must lead Asgard beyond this fate. So I need your help. I beg you, Loki…"

Loki pressed his lips tight, his chest heaving with pain.

He realized: whenever he obtained what he wanted—or thought he wanted—the feeling within him was never joy, but deeper resentment.

Thor bowed to him, apologized, even begged for his aid—yet Loki felt no joy.

Because this Thor had truly become Asgard's rightful heir.

Loki never believed the old, arrogant, blind Thor deserved his status. He mocked, scorned, dismissed him.

But now that Thor truly deserved his station, Loki's heart filled with bitter resentment—if Thor was worthy, then Loki was merely the shadow-dwelling schemer, the clown.

Thor's unworthiness had been Loki's perfect excuse for his cruel pranks. But now that Thor was worthy, Loki realized he lacked Thor's magnanimity—he could not bring himself to sincerely repent.

He saw he was far more despicable than Thor. He used every trick, exhausted every means—and still lost. In bloodline, kinship, ability, and character—he was utterly defeated.

Seeing Loki's silence, Thor said: "I swear to you—past, present, future—I shall forever forgive you…"

Thor's final words pierced Loki's heart like a blade.

"If Ragnarök truly is inevitable, at least I can promise—I will die before you, my brother."

After the storm passed, the clouds above Sakaar vanished. Sunlight, split open by lightning, poured down more fiercely. The brilliance made Loki unsure if he was weeping.

Yet in the end, on the ruined, desolate land, the young prince's voice faded with the wind, growing ever more distant.

"…New King."

————Extra Notes————

Bonus chapter for ten thousand monthly votes

Exhausted to the point of coughing blood

My real job isn't done—I'll probably stay up all night

Howdy! (laughs)

The joker has become the joke

I get it now