DOTM: Chapter 357/358

Chapter 357: Trouble is Inevitable

The scene suddenly became awkward, and a few people weren't quite sure what to do.

Actually, the solution was very simple: just remove the Aether from Jane's body. The key was how to extract it. If the method was wrong, it was highly likely to trigger an excessive reaction from the Aether. Ethan wasn't afraid of the shock released by the uncontrolled Aether; the main problem was that if the Aether drained too much of Jane's life force, it could directly cause her death—which would be a serious problem.

"Maybe... we should leave here first?"

Everyone remained silent. In the end, it was Darcy who broke the silence first.

"Why leave here? I'm not leaving. The phenomena happening in this place are incredibly miraculous, and I want to figure out what's going on..."

"The convergence of the Nine Realms is causing some places on Earth to experience strange phenomena, such as spatial overlaps, energy turbulence, and gravitational anomalies... There's nothing worth studying. Even if you bring all your equipment, you still won't be able to figure out exactly what's happening. At most, you'll just gather a bunch of chaotic data."

"The convergence of the Nine Realms? What does that mean?"

Not only did Jane not understand Ethan's words, even Thor didn't know what the convergence of the Nine Realms was.

Ethan wasn't very knowledgeable about it either, and could only give a rough explanation.

"I don't know if Thor's ancestors used some special method back then... or maybe they just discovered the natural connections between these spaces, which led them to include these 'Realms' in their dominion. In short, the spaces where the Nine Realms are located share certain special connections."

It was hard to understand with just words, so Ethan used magic to condense nine energy spheres, each slightly different in color for distinction.

"Under normal circumstances, these Nine Realms are located in different regions of the universe, but at specific times, certain special energies connect them, causing a degree of spatial overlap."

As Ethan moved, a portion of the nine irregularly floating energy spheres were 'marked', and at the same time, a special 'disk' appeared in front of the group, displaying the nine marked parts simultaneously.

"You can think of the place we're in now as being at this point of overlap."

When nine different cosmic regions overlap in space, all kinds of strange phenomena are bound to occur. So it's not surprising that odd things happen in this area.

"How is that possible?"

"Why not?" Ethan casually opened a portal, this time using the teleportation spell from Kamar-Taj. Standing there, they could clearly see the scenery on the other side of the doorway. "This kind of teleportation can also be considered a type of spatial overlap."

Watching Ethan's demonstration, Jane didn't know what else to say. With Earth's current level of understanding, it was impossible to fully comprehend these strange phenomena. At most, they could collect some data.

"Jane, now is not the time to study these phenomena. If the energy inside you isn't removed soon, your body won't be able to withstand it."

Thor was thinking of taking Jane to Asgard to use Asgard's advanced equipment to eliminate this strange power.

However, before that, he thought it would be better to ask Ethan. If Ethan was confident he could remove the power, there would be no need for the extra trip.

"Ethan, can you remove this power from Jane's body?"

Ethan stroked his chin. He had been considering this question the entire time.

"Although it's a bit difficult, it's not impossible."

Thinking about it, the only concern was that Jane's life force might be drained by the Aether before he could extract it, leading to her death. But the loss of life force wasn't really a big issue for Ethan.

"Is it difficult?"

Thor felt a bit relieved hearing that Ethan had a way to clear the energy. But the fact that Ethan said it was difficult meant there was still risk, and he didn't want Jane to take that risk.

"Perhaps I should take her back to Asgard."

"Going now?"

Thor nodded. "The sooner it's dealt with, the sooner I can feel at ease."

Just like that, it was decided Jane would follow Thor to Asgard. Jane Foster, independent and strong-willed, didn't even get a chance to voice her opinion before her next destination was decided.

"Hey, don't you guys know you should ask for my opinion first?"

Ethan looked at Jane, somewhat understanding why these two would eventually break up.

Jane was a woman with her own strong opinions, always doing what she wanted, and she didn't like others interfering with her decisions or making choices for her. Thor, on the other hand, also had a strong personality. He was busy every day and rarely around. The two could maintain their relationship when they were apart, but if they spent all their time together...

A similar example was Captain America and Peggy Carter. Many people regretted that the two didn't end up together. But in a parallel universe where Captain America wasn't frozen and actually got together with Peggy, the two didn't live happily ever after as people had hoped—they broke up quickly.

"Is it true that distance makes the heart grow fonder?"

He wouldn't say this out loud. Whether the two stayed together or broke up in the end was their personal matter, and he didn't need to get involved.

While lost in thought, Ethan noticed Thor staring at him intently, which felt a little strange.

"Aren't you taking her to Asgard?"

Why are you still standing here spacing out? Shouldn't you run to an open space and shout, "Grant me strength! Heimdall!" And then a beam of light strikes down and takes the person away?

"The Rainbow Bridge causes too much commotion. I hope you can open a portal to Asgard for me."

So that's why Thor was staying put? He didn't want to cause a scene? He actually realized the Rainbow Bridge made too much noise?

Waving his hand, Ethan opened a portal. Thor took the somewhat reluctant Jane Foster and walked through it. Then, only Ethan and Darcy Lewis, the funny intern, were left.

"Now it's just the two of us."

Ethan waved at the woman who was looking at him with sparkling eyes, clearly scanning him up and down. "I'm leaving too. I suggest you don't stay in London during this time. If you have any relatives or friends, it's best to take them and leave."

"Is something going to happen in London?"

"Not necessarily, but during this period, all sorts of strange phenomena may occur. If you're walking down the street and suddenly find yourself on an alien planet, I can't guarantee you'll be able to walk back."

Though Darcy was a bit goofy, she wasn't stupid. Besides, Ethan had explained it so clearly. She secretly decided to go back immediately, pack her things, and leave London.

"Uh, thanks for the reminder. How about I treat you to a meal as thanks?"

"I'm leaving too. See you next time, if there's a chance."

Ethan opened another portal. This time, it wasn't to Asgard but to his residence in Los Angeles. Finally, after waving goodbye to Darcy again, he left the place.

Only Darcy was left standing in the vast, abandoned factory. She looked around, then decided it really wasn't a good idea to stay here, especially since it was getting late. So she called her intern Ian, and the two of them went back to pack their things, following Ethan's advice and leaving London.

Back at the mansion, Ethan appeared directly in his room and ran into a servant who was working. He asked about the others.

He learned that aside from himself, everyone else had gone out shopping and hadn't returned yet. Only Tony was still fussing over his appearance in the guest room—Ethan and Thor had already gone out and returned, yet this guy still hadn't finished getting ready.

Finding the guest room, Ethan waited outside the door. Fortunately, Tony had nearly finished and didn't keep him waiting too long. Soon, Tony appeared in front of him, fully dressed and with his hair neatly styled.

"Did I accidentally learn magic? Or did you cast a spell on this door?"

"Neither. I just got back."

"What? That fast?" Tony looked at Ethan, who didn't seem like he'd been in a battle at all. "Looks like you found Miss Foster easily and nothing interesting happened."

"Indeed, I found her quickly. As for interesting things..."

Ethan briefly explained the strange phenomena occurring in London. This top Earth scientist, like Jane Foster, was immediately interested and really wanted to go observe the phenomena in person.

"If you want to see miraculous phenomena, seriously study magic. You'll see far more of them." Ethan and Tony walked into the reception room. It was spacious and perfect for conversation.

"I'm seriously considering your suggestion. Once I finish with this busy period, I plan to study magic seriously."

Ethan nodded. Since Tony had made up his mind, he didn't need to worry about the rest. When he wanted to learn, both he and the Ancient One would be glad to teach him.

Moreover, with Tony's talent, he would only need guidance at the beginning. After that, he could handle most things through self-study.

"Back to the previous topic... you said there's a powerful energy inside Jane Foster?"

"Yes."

Tony wasn't Thor. His mind worked much faster.

"Do you know what it is?"

"Yes." Ethan had no intention of hiding it. "The Aether."

"The Aether? What's that?"

"The Reality Stone, one of the Infinity Stones."

Tony didn't recognize the name Aether, but when he heard "Infinity Stones," he immediately understood what it was—and what it meant.

"Do you think Thor will run into trouble?"

Ethan didn't even need to recall the plot of Thor: The Dark World to give a definite answer.

"That's almost certain. Interested in going to Asgard together?"

(To be continued.)

Chapter 358: Insist on Spoilers

Tony was very interested in Ethan's proposal. He had long wanted to visit outer space, and this opportunity to help might allow him to get a good look at Asgardian civilization and technology... or perhaps even other civilizations.

He had already begun to consider his upcoming schedule, while Ethan, at this moment, contacted Loki in Asgard through magic.

"What made you think of contacting me?"

"I just wanted you to ask Thor for me if he needs my help over there."

This was also why Ethan didn't mind Thor going back directly. Now that Loki had returned to Asgard, he could contact him at any time.

This long-distance communication spell wasn't particularly difficult. The only drawback was that both parties needed a certain level of magical ability, which was why he didn't choose to speak directly with Thor.

Loki seemed to be with Thor, and after a moment of silence, he gave his reply.

"It seems he does need your help. What's inside that young lady... is quite troublesome."

Hearing that last part, Ethan knew that Odin had discovered the Aether inside Jane. The fact that it was an Infinity Stone wasn't the issue. The key problem was that this object could attract the covetous gaze of the Dark Elves.

Of course, the current Odin believed the Dark Elves had been wiped out by his father, King Bor.

"Tell Thor I'll get ready and head over."

As soon as he finished speaking, Loki ended the communication first. Ethan wasn't surprised and didn't take offense. After nodding to Tony, Ethan began considering whether he should bring Logan along this time.

The main element of the plot in Thor: The Dark World was the Aether, and the sole enemy was the Dark Elves. Their leader, Malekith, intended to use the power of the Aether to transform the Nine Realms into a realm of darkness during the Convergence. In such an environment, the Dark Elves would become the sole rulers, while most life forms in the Nine Realms would be unable to survive.

In Ethan's view, if Malekith in the original story had simply chosen a random planet to transform after obtaining the Aether, he probably wouldn't have faced such trouble afterward.

If it didn't involve the Nine Realms, Asgard, which had recently been heavily damaged, wouldn't have reacted at all.

And not stirring up trouble on Earth wouldn't have attracted the attention of the Avengers, let alone drawn out hidden powerhouses like the Ancient One.

So, throughout the entire story, this guy Malekith was just digging his own grave.

His ambition was too great. He actually dared to transform all Nine Realms into a dark world in one go, without considering that, with only two or three surviving Dark Elves, how could they possibly control such a vast territory?

Of course, ambition itself wasn't necessarily a bad thing. Preparing enough territory in advance would mean they wouldn't have to worry about living space once the Dark Elves developed in the future.

Unfortunately, his strength didn't match his ambition. Even with the Aether, he could only fight Thor to a draw—and that was Thor who hadn't even fully mastered his thunder powers. With strength like that, how had he fought Thor's grandfather? Or had he just barely survived King Bor's hands through sheer luck?

Thinking about it, if this guy attacked Asgard now, even though Odin's health wasn't at its peak, with someone like Loki around, he would likely be beaten badly.

This trip wasn't particularly dangerous. Bringing Logan and Selene would allow them to fight at full strength and gain a clearer understanding of their current abilities.

Among the companions, only Logan and Selene could participate in battles of this level. Ada's strength was still insufficient.

While chatting casually with Tony and making preparations, Logan and the others quickly returned.

People like Evelyn and O'Connell were quite interested in modern cities. With Logan guiding them, they explored the city, saw what a modern metropolis looked like, and bought a bunch of things. Since someone else was paying, they could shop to their heart's content.

By the time they returned, Tony and Ethan were already ready and waiting. After briefly explaining the situation, Logan simply nodded and said it was fine.

"Let's go then."

"Don't you need to prepare anything?"

Logan extended his hand and showed off his combat bracelet. "My gear's all here. I don't need to prepare anything else."

Besides, Logan had always relied on his own body as his main weapon. As long as he could move, he could fight even without equipment.

It was the same for Selene. Her combat gear was always with her, so no extra preparation was needed.

The only surprise was that Laura also wanted to come. After thinking about it, Ethan agreed.

Logan didn't want to bring her, but Ethan patted his shoulder. "Laura isn't a kid anymore. Besides, she's been training to fight. If she doesn't get real combat experience, she'll never become a true warrior. It's better to let her gain some experience."

"Are the enemies this time troublesome?"

"As long as she doesn't go up against their leader, the rest are just cannon fodder."

Besides, Laura had inherited Logan's ridiculous regeneration. What was there to worry about?

"Let's go then."

Compared to Ethan and the others' casual clothing and laid-back attitude, Tony looked quite special.

Wearing his Iron Man armor, he was also accompanied by a strange device floating behind him—his 'logistics station'. Tony had successfully modularized his Iron Man armor. If a part was damaged or ran out of ammo, he didn't need to replace the whole suit. He could just swap out the damaged part, replace the weapon bay, or attach new components.

At the same time, the logistics station not only carried replacement ammo and armor but also a few weapons that were too bulky to be directly installed in the suit. This way, they could be temporarily assembled when needed.

"It's still too much trouble."

"I'm researching nanotechnology. If I succeed..."

"Even if you succeed, at best it means your armor and some basic functions can be carried with you. Are you going to use nano-tech to assemble disposable weapons like missiles?"

"Uh..."

"You could study the combat bracelet I made. If you can figure out its spatial principles, you might be able to solve those problems."

The five of them, plus the floating device, walked into the portal together. Ada was staying behind to watch the house. As long as Jonathan didn't sneak out and bring home some strange item, there shouldn't be any problems.

When Ethan and the others emerged from the portal, the first Asgardian they saw was their old acquaintance, Loki.

"So many people came?"

Loki glanced at the fully armed Tony and suddenly thought of something.

"What do you think is going to happen?"

"Just like the Tesseract once attracted you to Earth, I don't think what's inside Jane won't attract someone's attention."

Loki wasn't worried by Ethan's words. In fact, he thought it was a good thing. He could properly show his strength in front of his father.

Those so-called rebellions were nothing. He couldn't even go all out, and those weaklings couldn't even withstand a casual blow from him.

If some powerful figures actually showed up, he would definitely give them a good welcome.

As long as it wasn't Thanos.

Thinking of Thanos, Loki suddenly recalled the Infinity Stones. Thinking of the Stones, and then the Aether... Even though Odin hadn't explicitly said the Aether was the Reality Stone, it wasn't hard for someone as sharp as Loki to guess.

"Could it be... him?"

"No, he won't make a move against Asgard yet."

Loki knew Thanos was wary of Odin. As long as Odin was alive, even if his condition wasn't great, Thanos wouldn't declare war on Asgard lightly.

As they were talking, Ethan and the others had already entered the great hall. Odin was still waiting for Ethan here, but this time, besides Thor, Jane Foster was also present.

"Ethan, can you solve the trouble with Jane?"

"Don't worry, Thor. I've already figured out how to safely remove that thing from Jane." Ethan patted Thor's shoulder, signaling him not to worry. "I need to talk with the All-Father first."

Odin looked at the people behind Ethan. He had seen Logan before. His life force had grown stronger, but that wasn't anything special.

Selene, in his eyes, was just a relatively unique humanoid life form.

The only thing that caught his attention was the Arc Reactor on Tony Stark's chest. The technology within it had clear traces of the Tesseract.

"Is there a problem?"

Odin remained warm and polite toward Ethan, curious about what he wanted to say.

"All-Father, what's inside Jane has already been confirmed, hasn't it?"

"The Aether..."

Odin briefly explained the situation regarding the Aether. He had already told Loki, Thor, and Jane earlier, so this time he skipped some details and added a few things he hadn't mentioned before.

"Also, the Aether is the Reality Stone among the Infinity Stones." Odin looked at the calm Ethan in front of him. "You should know that."

"Yes."

Ethan didn't deny it. He had never intended to hide that, and there was no need to.

"You want to take the Reality Stone?" Odin didn't agree. "Having two Infinity Stones in close proximity is not a good idea."

"I don't want the Reality Stone. I have no use for it."

He truly had no need for the Reality Stone. The Space Stone could extract energy from the Marvel Universe and help him study the nature of spatial energy. But once the Reality Stone left this place, it would be useless. Why would he want it?

"Then what is it you want?"

"I just wanted to remind the All-Father that the Dark Elves have returned."

After thinking for a long time about how to phrase it, Ethan finally couldn't resist—he started spoiling things again.

(To be continued.)