"Even if I want to work hard… these energy costs are insane…"
Aiden Cross nodded. "Fair."
Energy rewards scaled by threat level:
Wolf: 1–10Tiger: 10–99Demon: 100–999Dragon: 1,000–100,000Super-Dragon: 100,000–1,000,000God: 1,000,000+
On average, defeating a Dragon-level threat and handing in 50,000 energy would leave a member with about 5,000.
But Thor's cheapest upgrade—Mjölnir (A)—cost 100,000.
That meant killing roughly twenty Dragon-level threats.
Which was completely unrealistic.
Just then, the President's Ring chimed:
Ding. Pay 100,000 energy to unlock the "Alliance Dungeon" feature.
Farm monsters. Earn energy. Obtain special gear.
If Earth didn't have enough monsters—
Make a dungeon.
Grind long enough, and anyone could grow stronger.
Aiden Cross glanced at his remaining 70,000 energy.
Close.
"I'll handle that problem," he said calmly. "For now… why don't you try calling your hammer back?"
Thor's eyes lit up.
"Mjölnir!"
He raised his hand and called from the heart.
Nothing.
Awkward silence.
Thor's face stiffened.
Did I still not qualify?
"Maybe… timing?"
BOOM—
The hammer smashed through the training room entrance and shot into his palm.
The Association's walls were too tough to break through, so it had to come the long way around.
Thor gripped it, overwhelmed.
"My old friend… you came back too."
He turned to Aiden Cross.
"President, I need some leave. I want to return to Asgard and apologize to my father."
"Sure. Go."
Thor lifted Mjölnir and shouted:
"Heimdall! Can you hear me?! Open the Bifröst!"
Silence.
He frowned.
Without Heimdall, he couldn't reach Asgard.
And the Association's teleportation chamber fee?
Way beyond a broke Thor with single-digit energy points.
"Oh right," Aiden Cross added casually. "Heimdall can see the Nine Realms—but not inside Hero Association territory. It's shielded."
Thor stared at him.
You did that on purpose…
"Go outside and try again. And if you fly out smashing things, you'll be paying for damages."
Thor quietly chose to walk.
Once outside the boundary, he shouted again.
"Heimdall!"
A voice echoed in his mind.
"You have been exiled. Do not call me again."
"Please. I want to apologize to Father. Just once."
Silence.
"…Very well."
Light engulfed him.
The Bifröst opened.
Thor was pulled upward in a column of rainbow light—
Heading straight for Asgard.
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