The Grand Arena - Asgard
Ernst possessed a terrifying ability.
He could absorb raw energy.
Physical attacks were trivial. Kinetic force from swords or bullets simply vanished into his cells.
Energy attacks were fuel. He could consume them and fire them back.
But there was a biological limit to his processing speed.
Thor's lightning was heavily compressed. It was almost solid.
Ernst could absorb it, but it required precious seconds.
It was like a machine trying to crush reinforced steel. It took time.
Thor's hammer made the equation worse.
The physical blow followed the lightning strike instantly.
Ernst recognized the vulnerability.
He needed to buy time to process the energy.
He threw his short sword directly at Thor's face.
Thor barely tilted his head. The rotating blade missed him by an inch.
Thor brought Mjolnir down hard against Ernst's energy shield.
The shield held for a fraction of a second.
Then, it popped like a soap bubble in a flash of blue light.
The hammer continued its deadly path.
But the shield had done its job. It bought Ernst exactly one second.
The thrown short sword was now ten meters behind Thor.
Ernst grinned.
With a sharp crack, he vanished. He left nothing but a trail of sparks.
He reappeared instantly behind Thor, grabbing the hovering short sword from the air.
Thor couldn't stop his momentum.
He slammed Mjolnir directly into the arena floor.
A deafening rumble shook the foundations of Asgard.
The condensed lightning shattered.
Blinding white light flooded the stadium.
An automated magical hood materialized over the platform, shielding the spectators from the lethal backlash.
The light slowly faded.
The crowd gasped.
A massive crater, several meters wide, scarred the ring.
The arena was forged from materials renowned across the universe for their unmatched hardness. It had never been damaged.
The spectators erupted into wild cheers.
High in the royal box, Odin sighed inwardly.
"He failed," the God-King whispered.
"Yes. He lost," Frigga agreed, nodding slowly.
Frigga knew the truth. Thor lacked the mental discipline to condense lightning to that extreme degree on his own.
She had intervened.
Before the battle, she had discreetly cast an enhancing spell on Mjolnir.
It allowed Thor to alter the lightning's form proactively.
But the spell was a one-time use. It had just dissipated.
Thor had missed his only window to secure a victory.
Down in the ring, Thor spun around.
He sensed Ernst behind him.
Thor gripped his hammer and charged.
He tried to condense the thunder again, but without his mother's secret spell, the energy remained wild and untamed.
Thor pushed forward anyway, anxiety fueling his assault.
Ernst didn't know about the secret spell.
He still respected the hammer's lethal potential.
He refused to face it head-on.
Ernst pointed his free hand at the ground.
"Diffindo."
A sharp beam of light carved a trench into the stone directly in front of Thor.
Thor tripped.
He stumbled forward, his balance broken.
Ernst closed the distance instantly. He slashed at Thor's exposed side.
Thor's reflexes were divine.
He manipulated Mjolnir, halting his fall mid-air.
With a violent, unnatural twist of his spine, Thor countered with a sweeping hammer strike.
Ernst didn't risk it. He clashed his short sword against Mjolnir and used the recoil to launch himself backward.
Thor felt a surge of confidence.
He roared, pursuing Ernst aggressively across the ring.
Ernst kept his distance, relying on ranged magical attacks.
The battle dragged on.
For half an hour, neither combatant landed a decisive blow.
To the crowd, it looked like a tense stalemate. They cheered, believing their Prince was matching the alien wizard.
In reality, Ernst was just playing it safe.
He was vastly more powerful, but the evasive maneuvers were wearing on his patience.
Cruelty began to well up within him.
He decided to take a risk and end the charade.
Ernst accelerated his casting. He unleashed a barrage of rapid-fire energy beams.
Most missed. A few clipped Thor's armor.
Thor trembled from the impacts, roaring in defiance. The crowd cheered his resilience.
But Thor was losing his temper.
The one-sided harassment made him irrational.
He ignored the incoming magic. He gripped Mjolnir with both hands and charged, seeking a mutual defeat.
He brought the hammer down on Ernst.
Ernst's body shattered like glass.
It was a phantom illusion.
The real Ernst stepped out of the air right beside Thor.
He brought the flat of his short sword hard across Thor's jaw.
"Ow!" Thor yelled.
A dizzying wave of nausea hit him. Gold stars exploded in his vision.
A shrill scream of pain escaped the Thunder God.
As the dizziness cleared, Thor froze.
The cold edge of Ernst's short sword was pressed firmly against his throat.
The fight was over.
Absolute silence fell over the massive arena.
The spectators stared in horror. The second-strongest being in Asgard had just been defeated.
Ernst lowered his sword and stepped back.
Thor staggered to his feet. He looked utterly defeated.
He had fought longer. He had felt himself growing stronger. But it wasn't enough.
He had disappointed his people. He hung his head in shame.
Odin stood up from his throne. His voice echoed across the silent stadium.
"Failure is not terrible," the Allfather spoke solemnly.
"Everyone will face failure."
"What is truly dreadful is refusing to confront yourself after you fail."
Odin stared down at his son.
"I am disappointed by your current demeanor. I see cowardice within you."
"I ask you now," Odin demanded.
"Do you wish to wallow in self-pity? Or will you rise, cultivate your strength, and become a fearless warrior?"
Thor looked up. The shame in his eyes ignited into fire.
"I aspire to be a fearless warrior!" Thor shouted.
"I will intensify my practice! I will carry the shame of today until I forge it into a future triumph!"
Odin's inspirational words worked.
The crowd erupted. They cheered for Thor as if he had just won the war.
In a dark corner of the arena, Loki watched.
He kept his face perfectly neutral.
But inside, his mind was a storm of envy, jealousy, and hatred.
Thor failed, yet he still received the glory.
Loki looked at Ernst standing victorious in the ring. The God of Mischief began to calculate.
Odin formally declared Ernst the victor.
He dismissed the crowd.
Soon, the arena was empty, leaving only Ernst, the Royal Family, and the four warriors.
Odin nodded to Frigga.
The Queen descended the steps and approached Ernst.
She handed him a polished, golden badge.
"This is a royal certificate," Frigga explained.
"It grants you access to almost all of Asgard. No one will impede you."
"You may study our texts and access our materials freely."
Ernst accepted the badge, bowing his head respectfully.
"Thank you for your generosity," Ernst said.
"I will cherish it."
"It is yours by right," Frigga replied.
"I will arrange your accommodations. If you require anything reasonable, simply ask."
Frigga stepped aside.
Ernst carefully placed the badge in his pocket.
Then, he reached into his bag.
He retrieved the vial of Phoenix Blood Potion.
He held it out with both hands, offering it directly to Odin.
"This is a gesture of gratitude from my heart," Ernst said.
"Please accept it."
Odin's single eye narrowed. His expression turned ice-cold.
"What are you implying, Ernst Shaw?" Odin demanded sternly.
"Are you insulting Asgard?"
"We honor our wagers. You owe us nothing. Are you attempting to bribe me?"
Ernst didn't flinch.
"Your Majesty, please do not misunderstand," Ernst clarified quickly.
"I mean no disrespect."
"This is a token of my appreciation."
"I believe Asgard's knowledge is incomparably more valuable than my potion."
"I gained a massive advantage in our wager. I simply wish to offer compensation."
"Consider it payment for my room and board during my studies."
Ernst spoke with absolute sincerity. He met Odin's intimidating gaze without hesitation.
Odin stared at the human for a long moment.
He looked at the glowing red liquid in the vial.
He turned his head and looked at his wife.
Frigga closed her eyes briefly, sensing the intent in the air.
She nodded.
"I sense the truth in his words," Frigga said softly.
"Accept it, my King."
"I have a strong feeling it will prove useful in the future."