Silence reigned in the stone hall, only the sound of Níðhöggr gnawing at the roots of the World Tree deep underground, like a death knell, reminding the two God-Kings of the Sword of Damocles named 'Ragnarök' hanging over the heads of all beings.
Odin's one-eyed gaze fell upon the calmly composed figure across from him.
He broke the silence, his voice like a sharpened stone, carrying undeniable authority:
"Your demands are as greedy as Fenrir trying to devour the sun. Now, Narcissus, show me your chips. Let me see on what basis you think Ásgarðr will agree to such extortion."
'Narcissus (Hades)' slightly raised his eyes, his gaze as calm as a deep lake, without a ripple.
He did not answer directly, but simply raised his hand gently.
In an instant, above the stone table in the center of the hall, light and shadow distorted, and three clear scenes appeared:
The first showed countless points of light, like frozen stars, suspended in an absolute, dark void.
Each point of light radiated an aura familiar to Odin—these were the souls of the Æsir warriors under his command who had fallen in the war!
Their number made Odin's one-eyed pupil narrow slightly.
The second scene showed the figures of Freyr and Freyja.
Freyr stood in a golden field, and the sun seemed brighter because of him;
Freyja sat in a radiant glow of magic, the Brísingamen necklace on her neck shining brightly.
They were the treasures of the Vanir and the key pawns that Odin had reserved for the finale.
The third scene showed a mountain of weapons and equipment, gleaming with cold light and magical runes unique to dwarven craftsmanship.
This was the vast arsenal that the Vanir had captured during the war, along with their own reserves, enough to arm a powerful legion.
"My chips are all very simple." 'Narcissus's' voice was as cold as dripping ice water.
"All the souls of the fallen Æsir. Freyr and Freyja can 'visit' Ásgarðr as a bridge of peace and... future security."
He deliberately paused on the word 'visit', making it clear that this was not permanent ownership, but the duration and conditions of the visit were part of the negotiation.
"And this batch of equipment can be partially returned to alleviate Ásgarðr's post-war situation."
These three chips, like three precise daggers, struck at Odin's vital points.
The souls of the warriors were the foundation of the Æsir clan and an indispensable force in 'Ragnarök'.
Without them, Ásgarðr's defense and the capital for the final battle would be greatly weakened.
Freyr and Freyja were the necessary pawns for him to deal with the end.
He had to ensure that they were on the side of Ásgarðr, or at least inclined towards it.
This equipment was desperately needed; the ongoing war had greatly depleted Ásgarðr, and this equipment could quickly restore some of its military strength and stabilize its interior.
Odin's knuckles turned slightly white from tension.
He could not refuse these chips, especially the first two.
But he could never accept the other party's initial proposal.
"Even a greedy raven knows when to stop." Odin's voice suppressed anger.
"The Elder Futhark, absolutely impossible! That is the sanctuary of wisdom, beyond your reach! The Valkyries are involved in the management of Valhalla, so do not act rashly! As for Týr..."
He paused, as if weighing his words: "He is the sword of the Æsir; how can he be given to outsiders?"
He began to 'bargain', trying to preserve his core interests.
"Then the war is not over,"
Narcissus replied indifferently, making a motion to stand up.
"The underworld still has vacancies that can accommodate more heroic souls."
"Wait!" Odin called out softly, a flash of light in his eye.
He could not let the negotiations fail.
"The Runes, I can share... an understanding of some basic runes. The Valkyries can send a small team to Vanaheimr for temporary service as couriers for technical exchanges. Týr... He needs to stay in Ásgarðr, where his oath and glory lie."
This was clearly far from 'Narcissus's' demands.
It was then that Hades began his second round of smoke screening.
He made 'Narcissus' frown slightly, as if engaged in a difficult psychological struggle, and then said in a tone that seemed to yield but actually presented a more serious bait:
"Since you consider the complete secret of the Runes your life... Very well, I can take a step back."
Narcissus's gaze seemed to involuntarily glide over Odin, with a hint of temptation.
"I can even give up most of my claims regarding Rune knowledge... The number of deployed Valkyries can be reduced."
Odin's heart grew cold; instead of relaxing, he became more vigilant.
How could the other party so easily give up on the most important interests? There must be a larger plan!
And indeed, 'Narcissus's' next words made Odin's one eye suddenly sharpen:
"In exchange... I ask for Thor to come to Vanaheimr as an 'ambassador of peace'."
Thor!
This request struck Odin like a thunderbolt.
Thor, Ásgarðr's strongest combat force, the controller of thunder, the nightmare of giants, perhaps Odin's more beloved son (more so than Týr)!
In the prophecy of 'Ragnarök', Thor is the main force against the Midgard Serpent Jörmungandr and an indispensable pillar in Ásgarðr's defense system.
On ordinary days, the peace of the Nine Realms, especially the containment of giants, mainly relies on Thor's unparalleled combat prowess and the thunder of Mjölnir.
Without Thor, Ásgarðr's strength would instantly plummet, and the giants would be ready to act immediately.
On a personal level, Odin's feelings for Thor were also more complex.
Thor's recklessness, straightforwardness, and love of battle, although sometimes a headache for Odin, also carried a sense of immense power that he himself lacked in the early Æsir.
Compared to Týr's thoughtful and sometimes even questioning decisions, Thor's absolute loyalty and execution undoubtedly held greater emotional value.
"Absolutely impossible!" Odin almost immediately roared without hesitation.
"Thor is the thunder of Ásgarðr, an irreplaceable guardian! This request is even more absurd than asking for the Runes! Do not even think about it!"
His reaction was so intense and swift that it perfectly matched Hades's expectation.
"And indeed..." Hades's will recorded coldly.
"Thor is his core target, the main combat force and emotional support that cannot be touched. In contrast, Týr... seems to be 'negotiable'."
"Tsk, look at him rushing, his one eye is about to pop out~♡" Metis's consciousness again burst forth with the joy of watching the performance.
"Darling ♡, answer quickly ♡ hurry hurry~♡"
'Narcissus' showed 'regret' and 'helplessness after being firmly rejected' on his face, and was silent for a moment, as if reassessing the situation.
This silence gave Odin a psychological cue to strengthen his position of 'protecting Thor'.
"In that case..." 'Narcissus' finally spoke again, his tone softening slightly, with the compromise of a 'forced plan adjustment'.
"Since Thor is your untouchable scale, I will not insist further. But my concessions must be compensated accordingly."
His gaze sharpened again, refocusing on his original target:
"Rune knowledge—I can only ask for the interpretation of the seven most basic runes. The Valkyries—I need all of them, and their military commander Týr personally lead them to Vanaheimr for coordination and communication, until trust is fully established."
He mentioned Týr again, but this time as an 'accessory' to the Valkyrie team, a condition added 'to ensure smooth communication flow'.
It seemed that since he couldn't get Thor, he needed to score this 'secondary' goal to compensate for the loss.
Odin's one eye narrowed slightly, his mind rapidly calculating.
He had indeed given up on Thor... It seemed he also understood that this was my core bottom line. Now, Týr and the Valkyries again... Using a part of the basic rune knowledge and the Valkyries in exchange for Týr's temporary departure?
In Odin's view, this was still a strategy: the other party actually wanted the Runes, and Týr and the Valkyries were meant to ensure the 'safe transmission' of Rune knowledge as 'insurance' or 'hostages'.
After all, if Ásgarðr dared to manipulate the Rune knowledge, then Týr and the Valkyries in Vanaheimr would become targets of revenge.
Furthermore, within the vague period of 'temporary departure' and 'until trust is fully established', there were many opportunities for manipulation.
In Odin's mind, as long as he survived 'Ragnarök', everything could change.
Týr, although important, was almost doomed in the prophecy of Ragnarök.
Using a war god destined for sacrifice and sometimes not very 'obedient', in exchange for the return of warrior souls, the 'access' rights to Freyr and Freyja, the return of some equipment, and... preventing the other party from continuing to covet Thor and the complete runes... This was a deal worth considering.
Especially since the other party had 'given up' on Thor and most of the runes; if he remained rigid on the issue of Týr to the end, he feared the negotiations would truly fail.
Odin sank into a deeper silence, the light in his one eye flickering.
He weighed, calculated gains and losses, and sought the path most advantageous to Ásgarðr within the hints of fate.
The three Norn goddesses (Nyx) by the lake sighed softly, and then the waves of fate rose again.