Ch: 71-80
Chapter 71 – Son of Ymir!
Hela wore winter furs, yet her regal air remained unmarred; her dark eyes shimmered with an obsidian gleam.
She studied the stranger with care.
Hades was wrapped in thick armor, plainly terrified of the bitter cold.
Only Satanich, shielded by hellfire, withstood the chill; his face was twisted into a savage snarl.
"Where do you come from?"
"The ninja soldiers you summoned—why do they resemble Linn's servants so closely?"
Lucifer's gaze was stern with authority.
He had to be sure this uninvited guest had no ties to Kamar-Taj; if so, the intruder must be silenced forever.
Mephisto's plan required the Frost Giants' cooperation to catch Kamar-Taj off guard, yet the appearance of ninja soldiers had set Lucifer on edge.
"Linn? You mean the Sorcerer Supreme?"
"He stole my magic! He and I are irreconcilable!"
"I hail from the Shadow Realm, name of Ninja. After breaching the magic barrier I found myself here."
"But… unless I'm mistaken, you are Lucifer? And Hela, Satanich, Hades…"
Linn's voice carried an arcane resonance.
Like a demon's timbre, the shadow mask had warped his tone and masked his true aura, yet he kept his reason and knew he must state his origin!
Otherwise the suspicious, deceitful Mephisto would never let him join the scheme, and the truth behind it all would stay hidden.
"The Shadow Realm? Ninja?"
"Such a dimension exists?"
Mephisto frowned.
Still, the enemy of my enemy is my friend.
He stepped closer to Linn, a smile tugging at his lips. "Ninja, is it? Welcome to the Hell Demon King Council. We need every blade we can get, and since you and Linn are mortal foes, he and I are as well."
"Because he murdered my son!"
Mephisto ground his teeth.
It made Linn blink for half a second.
"Your son?"
"You're Mephisto?"
Linn feigned surprise.
"Indeed, I am Mephisto! I came to Jotunheim for vengeance, to win the Frost Giants' aid and raze Kamar-Taj to the ground!"
Mephisto threw his arms up, his face twisted with malevolent glee.
Frost Giants!
Ever the sworn foes of Asgard.
Indeed, Odin's own son Loki had slain Laufey with his own hand, stoking the giants' hatred, while Mephisto sent Nightmare to weave dreams for the Son of Ymir.
Once the plan succeeded, the Frost Giants would march at Mephisto's every command!
"Flatten Kamar-Taj? Just what I desire!"
"I'll see Linn torn limb from limb—flayed, filleted, fried in oil, then fed to dogs!"
Linn's eyes blazed with ferocity.
Even Mephisto winced at the words.
"That brutal?"
"What grudge could warrant that?"
Mephisto, Satanich, Hela, Lucifer, Hades exchanged glances.
To them this Demon Lord was positively unhinged!
Flay, fillet, carve into a thousand pieces, then feed to dogs?
The very thought made their blood run cold.
After all, Mephisto had only meant to cut off Linn's head and lay it upon satans throne!
"What?"
"Just a beheading? Where's the satisfaction in that?"
Linn gaped.
Had he overplayed his part? Were these Demon Lords actually bumpkins?
"Still, your proposal intrigues me!"
"I say we give it a try!"
Satanich laughed heartily.
Yet to subjugate the Frost Giants they must first control the Son of Ymir!
Born amid the ice, that Son of Ymir had been massive from birth, crushing full-grown giants and near-unifying Jotunheim.
Even without the ancient winter coffin, his chill could freeze a whole celestial body!
"The Son of Ymir is that fearsome?"
Linn was secretly shaken.
If he gained the ancient winter coffin, wouldn't the Son rival the All-Father and freeze the Nine Realms?
"I hear Odin gifted the ancient winter coffin to Linn."
"This is our chance: persuade the Son of Ymir and we can flatten Kamar-Taj and make Linn pay in blood!"
Mephisto laughed wildly.
He loathed Linn to the core!
Killing Blackheart, seizing the soul contract, taking the Aether Particle—every scheme had been wrecked by Linn!
"We actually have to persuade the Son of Ymir?"
Linn looked doubtful.
Shouldn't the Son of Ymir charge forth the moment he learns where the ancient winter coffin lies?
"Because… the Son has other passions; he cares nothing for power struggles. He loves the art of painting. Only by rousing his malice can we make him our weapon."
Mephisto's expression was complicated.
Who could have guessed Frost Giants preferred peace and often went sketching in the wilds?
To turn the Son of Ymir into a savage Frost Giant, even the Demon Lords had been at a loss until Nightmare's dream-weaving showed results.
"Likes art?"
"The Son of Ymir is certainly unique."
Linn chuckled inwardly.
Suddenly he felt a storm sweep from afar, ripping through the realm.
The temperature plummeted toward absolute zero; even he felt a chill, and the roar of battle rang in his ears.
"Seems Nightmare has done his work and seized the Son of Ymir!"
"Now this is a Frost Giant!"
Mephisto's eyes lit with joy.
At the horizon loomed a ten-meter titan, skin of ice-blue plates, eyes crimson and mindless, swinging an iron club.
In an eyeblink he shattered the glacier!
Boom!
The earth quaked, and legions of Frost Giants appeared before Linn—tens of thousands, each broad and towering.
Their size rivaled the Abomination!
Once these elite Frost Giants reached Kamar-Taj, they would bring apocalypse, leaving only barren waste.
Moreover, their hides were thick, resistant to both steel and spell; even Arcane Arts might fail.
Above all, the Son of Ymir stood ten meters tall, limbs thick and corded, a shell of ice armor rendering him nearly invulnerable.
"Nightmare succeeded?"
"He actually controls the Son of Ymir!"
"Odin the old codger is in for pain!"
"Once Odin is dead, I shall be Queen of Asgard!"
Hela was radiant with glee.
She had meant to head for the Mariana Trench to rouse the sealed Great Serpent, God of Fear!
Her own uncle.
Named Cul Borson!
Before Odin's coronation, Cul had been the rightful heir—until Odin overthrew his brother and took the throne himself,
then cast Cul into the Mariana Trench and erased every trace.
Hela knew well that her uncle's fame as the sole god of fear in the Nine Realms was unmatched.
But with Nightmare commanding the Son of Ymir, there was no need to free Cul; tens of thousands of Frost Giants stood packed before her.
Even the Demon Lords showed a flicker of dread.
"Linn… your doom is here!"
Mephisto grinned.
Yet none noticed the ally called Ninja flick a fingertip.
At once a Mystic Gate yawned open.
A figure in the elder set, cloak of levitation billowing, appeared in Jotunheim wreathed in roaring flames.
"Linn?!"
"How did you come to Jotunheim?"
Mephisto, Satanich, Lucifer, Hades all stared wide-eyed.
"I anticipated your anticipation,"
"Mephisto."
"Using Frost Giants to make me pay in blood? How unimaginative—can't you be original?"
Linn smiled.
In truth it was merely an avatar!
"Just an avatar?"
"And you think that's enough to subdue us?"
"Linn, ever since you became Sorcerer Supreme you've grown ever more arrogant!"
Hela lashed out with barbed thorns, the first to strike; a desolate aura spread, for she felt scorned and insulted!
Chapter 72 – In the Name of the Vishanti!
"A mere avatar, and you think you can subdue a Demon Lord and a Frost Giant?"
"Linn, your arrogance knows no bounds!"
Lucifer laughed in fury.
At once, his palm oozed a filthy radiance that shaped into a spear; he hurled it to blast the avatar apart.
"Linn, I've never seen a Sorcerer Supreme like you—you're the disgrace of Kamar-Taj!"
Hades' eyes were full of contempt.
He had dealt with every Sorcerer Supreme, and the one he admired most was the previous venerable, Ancient One.
Yet the current venerable, Linn, had no sense of martial ethics at all!
No upbringing whatsoever!
"How amusing—villainous Demon Lords lecturing me on upbringing?"
"When you're torturing souls, why don't you bring up upbringing?"
"Frigging double-standard freaks."
Linn had a razor-sharp tongue.
Even though this was only an avatar, it carried the might of fifteen talismans!
The horse and dog talismans together meant true undeath.
As long as Linn didn't dispel the Arcane Arts, the avatar would persist; nothing could kill it. With a thought he remote-controlled it, raising a hand to unleash surging Fire!
Heat of twenty million degrees Celsius melted the glaciers of Jotunheim; the very air twisted and steamed.
Though the environment favored his foes, he could remake it to favor himself.
Woom!
Chaos Magic coiled round his fingertip, propping up an invisible domain; he shook the cosmic laws and shut the blizzard outside.
Even the Frost Giants showed pain.
They could endure extreme cold, but not searing heat; heat sapped their stamina and sent them into dehydration.
Their very bodies shrank rapidly.
Yet the Son of Ymir let out a roar, stood tall within the Chaos domain, and whipped up a storm that refroze the earth and turned streams into glaciers.
"Linn, this is the Son of Ymir!"
"The clan-treasure of the Frost Giants—the Son of Ymir will reclaim it!"
Nightmare cackled.
ancient winter coffin!
When a Frost Giant holds the Winter Coffin, he gains limitless magic enough to freeze a Planet.
If the Son of Ymir wields the ancient winter coffin, he could freeze the Nine Realms!
Hearing the words "clan-treasure," the Son of Ymir exploded with rage; blood-red light flashed in his eyes as he swung an iron club straight at Linn.
Crack-crack!
A deafening sonic boom ripped the air; surrounding frozen soil shattered with a roar that made hearts despair.
"Nightmare."
"Looks like you're tired of living—want to be refined into a talisman?"
Lightning flashed in Linn's eyes.
Two laser beams shot out!
They struck the Son of Ymir's chest in an instant, blasting apart his ice armor and tearing open his breastplate; azure blood gushed from the wound.
Seeing this.
Nightmare felt a chill of dread.
How long had it been?
Linn's magic had doubled again!
"You want to refine me into a talisman?"
"I'm afraid you don't have the skill!"
Nightmare flicked his fingers as if pulling puppet strings, making the Son of Ymir cast a spell that froze ambient Water into spreading ice.
A terrifying arctic breath froze everything in the blink of an eye; a blizzard swept Jotunheim, turning the world silver-white!
"Linn! I'll have your life!"
An evil, furious voice exploded.
Mephisto was startled to see Lord Ninja weave Shadow into a dark cage that trapped Linn inside!
It instantly cut off all outside sight.
Yet fissures erupted across the dark cage; rays of brilliant light spilled out until it shattered with a boom!
Lightning crackled in Linn's eyes.
Inside the dark cage he had switched places; the avatar now wore the mask and his aura climbed step by step.
With a mere flick of his finger he froze both the Son of Ymir and Nightmare in place!
The blizzard halted!
After acquiring the Space Stone he had not ignored its worth; his grasp of spatial law had reached an inhuman level.
Using Levitation Power to stir molecules and atoms within the spatial plane.
He could stop all motion of matter!
It involved complex scientific laws, yet posed no difficulty for him; the strength of his soul had rocketed his mental intellect.
"The avatar… where did it go?"
"When did it turn into the real body?"
Cold light glinted in Mephisto's eyes.
At this moment he could clearly feel a terrifying aura spreading from Linn.
It nearly shook all of Jotunheim; glaciers cracked and the frozen soil hummed—the entire Planettrembled!
Yet no one had noticed when Linn completed the switch, and all marveled at his divine might, a sliver of dread rising in their hearts.
"Mephisto, you want to use Frost Giants to raze Kamar-Taj?"
"I've spoiled you too much. I thought you'd know when to stop—looks like I really have to crush you!"
Linn proclaimed with overwhelming might.
At once, the shadows of the Frost Giants rose like living things, controlled by the law of Shadow, and began to attack the giants themselves!
Shadow Giant and Frost Giant fought fiercely, almost equal in strength and sharing the same moves!
Tens of thousands of Shadow Giants shocked the Demon Lords; they sucked in cold breath, utterly unable to grasp how Linn had comprehended the law of Shadow!
"The lord of the Fear Dimension has this kind of power…"
"Could it be Linn slew the Evil Beast?"
Awe flickered in the eyes of Lucifer and Satanich.
The crux was that the Fear Lord could only control shadows, not give them life—this defied cognition and violated the law of life!
"Law of life?"
"It's one of my abilities."
Sharp light flashed in Linn's eyes.
His pupils turned octagonal, the pattern of a dark stone talisman, its surface bearing the image of a tiny mouse.
rat talisman!
It grants motion to the inanimate.
Used with the Shadow talisman, it can resurrect shadows as independent entities absolutely obedient to his command.
Even if a Frost Giant dies, the shadows will not vanish!
"What?"
"You can give life to shadows? You have that kind of power? That's no Arcane Arts of Kamar-Taj! I heard you obtained the darkhold—could it be from the darkhold?"
Mephisto's pupils shrank.
Even his own shadow twisted, but as his magic seethed he forcibly broke Linn's spell.
"Unbelievable—the lofty Sorcerer Supreme actually studies spells from the darkhold."
"You'll pay the price sooner or later!"
"Linn, your folly will cost you your life!"
Satanich, Lucifer, and Hades all burst into mocking laughter.
After all, the after-effect of the darkhold is mental corruption!
The soul would also fall under the manipulation of the death god.
Once you touch the darkhold you're doomed to become the death god's puppet—a demon among demons!
"Is that so?"
"If I told you I possess the book of the vishanti, how would you respond?"
A smile tugged at Linn's lips.
At once, the book of the vishanti blazed with radiant light, hovering above his palm.
Its cover shimmered with Arcane hues, spilling sacred luster as a tide of magic burst forth, striking terror into every heart!
"The book of the vishanti?"
"Impossible!"
"You have the darkhold and you found the book of the vishanti?"
Mephisto gasped, his voice rising, disbelief filling his eyes.
Then an incantation rang out.
"In the name of the Vishanti, shield me from evil!"
Linn's voice boomed like a bell.
Golden runes whirled and danced, forming a spherical shield of protection.
"By the seven Suns of Cyttorak, by the burning Flames of the Faltine, I call the stars that fall from the sky!"
Linn shouted.
In an instant.
Seven searing fireballs appeared above Jotunheim, blazing hotter than meteors, crashing viciously toward the Demon Lords!
Boom!
A mushroom cloud rose skyward!
Scorching waves of flame swept every direction, hurling the Demon Lords away and sending the Frost Giants howling in agony!
Chapter 73 – Swearing Allegiance to Venerable Lin En!
'Damn it!'
'You think owning the book of the vishanti makes you invincible?'
'With only this level of power, you can't kill a Demon Lord!'
A deafening roar rang out.
Satanich, shaking with fury, opened his cavernous maw; his body ballooned, driving the searing aftershock toward Lin En, eyes savage beyond description!
The spell from the book of the vishanti could grievously wound a Demon Lord, but it couldn't slay one.
These Demon Lords were offspring of the Omnipotent Goddess, born in prehistoric mythic times; to resurrect their mother they harvest souls and are already deathless and unending.
'Omnipotent Goddess?'
'I've heard that name—Nemesis?'
Lin En's eyes flashed.
Facing Satanich's assault, he merely chanted a line.
'Eternal Oshtur, Mother of Light, shield Thy faithful—Shield of the Seraphs!'
Lin En channeled his magic.
A blazing halo, inlaid with Arcane glyphs, materialised before him; though heat waves surged, it remained unbroken!
This was no longer mere Arcane Arts.
It ranked as a forbidden spell.
Every spell recorded in the book of the vishanti was forbidden.
They demanded limitless mana to cast.
Otherwise the Mystic Arts practitioner would be drained dry—yet for Lin En it was almost effortless.
'Lin En is alone; we six great demon lords can surely kill him!'
Lucifer's voice was cold and sharp.
Instantly his mana shaped a demonic claw, swiping at Lin En through the air.
Hela slashed with her Night-Sky Sword, Hades poured forth energy beams, Mephisto hurled hellfire, and Nightmare, commanding the Son of Ymir, swung an iron cudgel at Lin En!
One man against six great demon lords!
Countless Frost Giants in the distance sowed interference, yet Lin En's expression never wavered; his mana seemed bottomless.
As if it would never run dry!
'He has completely surpassed the Ancient One!'
'King of the Gods Odin in his prime was no better—how can a mere mortal deserve this?'
'He is only human!'
Hela's pupils contracted.
A mortal frame rivalling the Gods!
It filled her with dread; perhaps only by awakening the Great Serpent, God of Fear, could Lin En be slain and Odin's rule overthrown so she could ascend the throne.
The thought took root.
Hela chose retreat at once, heading for the Mariana Trench to free the Great Serpent and bring terror to the Nine Realms!
'She fled?'
'Where is Hela going?'
Lin En's gaze swept the field.
But he could not pursue; the Demon Lords' magic was already crashing toward him!
'By Hoggoth's ancient frame, Oshtur's primordial name, and Agamotto heeding our call…'
'Vishanti Seal of Ruin!'
Lin En intoned softly.
As he chanted, three phantoms appeared behind him: aged Hoggoth, Goddess of Light Oshtur, and Ancestor Agamotto!
He raised a hand and forged a seal.
Mountain-sized, solid and radiant with Arcane aura, it surged with divine mana.
It roared toward the Demon Lords and Frost Giants!
Every spell it met was shattered; spatial vortexes erupted, sealing all in place. Shockwaves cracked the very sky, pulverising the Earth in an instant.
Ragged fissures burst open, carving abyssal chasms, levelling glaciers as though a comet had struck the Planet.
'Stop!'
The Son of Ymir bellowed, eyes suddenly clear, breaking Nightmare's hold.
With both hands he heaved.
He caught the Vishanti Seal bare-handed; frozen soil cracked beneath his feet and half his body sank!
Seeing this.
Lin En frowned and, moved to pity, dissolved the forbidden spell mid-stroke.
Thus the Son of Ymir was not crushed.
Yet the surrounding Demon Lords paled; without the Son of Ymir they would have been finished!
A Demon Lord's soul is deathless.
But its body can perish, and rebuilding the vessel demands countless materials.
'Sorcerer Supreme Lin En, the Frost Giants offer surrender and renounce the ancient winter coffin—spare us further slaughter.'
The Son of Ymir dropped to one knee.
The Frost Giants around him, stunned for a heartbeat, followed in reverent prostration.
[You have defeated the Son of Ymir: 5000 opportunity gained.]
[You have quelled the rebellion: item blind box gained.]
'It is not I who seek slaughter; the Demon Lords pressed too far.'
'Mephisto.'
'I give you one chance—cease your schemes and I will let the past rest.'
Lightning flickered in Lin En's eyes.
The source of the trouble was Mephisto!
Remove him and the rest would be nothing—mere rabble.
'Then a truce.'
'Venerable Lin En, your magnanimity will be remembered.'
'I shall leave Midgard; from now on we keep to our own waters.'
Mephisto narrowed his eyes.
He could not overcome Lin En, nor could Lin En truly end him.
Yet once he found the self gem and inherited the Omnipotent Goddess's power, he would grasp the truth of the Universe and become magic's omnipotent avatar!
He would quit Midgard and devote himself to seeking the self gem!
'Then you may go.'
'But the rest of you Demon Lords—set foot in Midgard again and suffer the consequences!'
Lin En proclaimed with regal authority.
He chose compromise to settle other troubles; the Demon Lords were deathless and commanded law-level might.
He would defeat them one by one—only that could bring lasting peace.
'Agreed…'
'Venerable Lin En, I too tire of strife; beyond Earth civilisations await—I will leave the Planet.'
Lucifer's eyes glinted coldly.
It was only a delaying tactic; once healed he would return, seeking the corpse of the Progenitor Celestial.
Progenitor Celestial—its blood spilled into the oceans, birthing species and intelligent life.
If he could find it and raise it through sorcery, he would rival God in might.
'Venerable Lin En, let this quarrel end in friendship; you are the first Sorcerer Supreme to earn my respect!'
Satanich said, his tongue thick with fatigue.
His frame was battered; had the Son of Ymir not intervened, half his life might have been lost.
'Break your oath and I will show no mercy.'
Lin En's gaze was ice.
He watched the Demon Lords slice open veils of space and teleport to distant Planets, then finally exhaled.
'Venerable Lin En, forgive my earlier offence; Nightmare misled me.'
The Son of Ymir spoke in shame.
He had never sought to rule the Nine Realms, nor cared for the ancient winter coffin; he only wished the Frost Giants to rise above savagery—yet trouble had come knocking.
'Jotunheim is poor in resources.'
'But I have developed Rune Technology that can supply energy to the Frost Giants, bringing light and power to Jotunheim.'
Lin En smiled.
He produced a device shaped like a reactor, pulsing with Arcane energy, able to provide clean power.
Solve energy and you solve everything.
'Rune Technology?'
'Venerable One, you would truly gift this to the Frost Giants?'
'Then in their name I pledge a pact of friendship and peace with Kamar-Taj!'
The Son of Ymir declared, voice shaking.
To cripple the Frost Giants, Odin had seized the ancient winter coffin and razed much infrastructure—ruins still unrepaired.
With Rune Technology, Jotunheim could rebuild its civilisation!
'A friendly peace pact?'
Lin En frowned.
'Venerable One, should you ever need us, the Frost Giants will answer your call.'
The Son of Ymir vowed.
Jotunheim and Kamar-Taj stood as state to state.
Frost Giants and Lin En stood as man to man.
As long as the Son of Ymir ruled, he would remain loyal to Venerable Lin En!
Chapter 74 – Warlock's Eye!
Linn paused long enough to teach a handful of sorcerers how to build a Rune Reactor.
Some Frost Giants were also gifted in magic.
As the reactor hummed to life, laughter once again echoed through Jotunheim. The ancient winter coffin had never been merely a tribal relic; it was the realm's very source of power.
Now the Rune Reactor had replaced the coffin—without posing any threat.
If this trend continued, the Frost Giants would grow strong again and become a force no one could ignore.
"Your Eminence, thank you for your aid."
"The Frost Giant people will lay down their lives for you."
The Son of Ymir bowed in reverence.
As monsters of legend, the Frost Giants had never known kindness; even the King of the Gods, Odin, had worked to keep Jotunheim down.
Yet Linn had done the opposite—he had offered help when it was needed most. To them, he was a savior.
"As long as your people keep to your own borders and do not start wars, I will be content."
Linn inclined his head.
Whichever side the Frost Giants chose could tip the scales of war, so he might as well bring them into his own camp.
He even planned to send Giant children to Kamar-Taj; through education he would guide them toward kindness and remove the threat forever.
"That would be our greatest honor."
The elder Giant wept.
They even carved a statue of Linn and set it in the heart of the palace as a token of reverence and worship.
But Linn narrowed his eyes.
A rainbow beam streaked across the Nine Realms and slammed downward.
Thor gripped his god hammer, his expression complicated as he watched Linn and the Frost Giants getting along. A trace of melancholy crept into his voice.
"Linn, it's been a while."
"My father wishes you to come to the Heavenly Palace."
Uncertainty flickered across Thor's eyes.
The King of the Gods, Odin, was furious at what Linn had done.
Kamar-Taj and Asgard were bound by eternal alliance.
Yet in the blink of an eye Linn had made a pact with Jotunheim—was that not aiding the enemy?
[a-rank opportunity mission: successfully convince Odin to obtain the Warlock's Eye.]
[SS-Rank Opportunity Mission: suppress the Great Serpent, God of Fear, to obtain the Eternal Spear.]
"Hm?"
"The Great Serpent, God of Fear?"
Linn raised an eyebrow.
He knew this god of fear.
Asgard's former King, Cul Borson, was Odin's own brother. After a brutal reign he had been overthrown by Odin and imprisoned in the Mariana Trench.
He was still alive.
Could it be… Hela, Goddess of Death, meant to free the god of fear and use the Serpent's power against the Heavenly Palace and Kamar-Taj?
"Then let's go."
"Let's see Odin."
Linn sliced open a Mystic Gate and stepped through first, arriving directly in the divine realm.
Asgardian Guards in full armor flanked the path, their gaze cold and sharp.
He walked into the great hall.
There Odin stood clad in golden mail, the Eternal Spear in hand, his left eye covered by a patch of gold. His fury shook the realm itself.
"Linn."
"How dare you aid our foes—giving Rune Technology to the Frost Giants?"
"Do you want them to return and take vengeance on me?"
Odin's face was livid; his words were blunt. He clenched Gungnir so tightly that, were Linn not Sorcerer Supreme, the spear would already have flown.
"Lord Odin."
"The eternal alliance between Kamar-Taj and Asgard does not forbid Kamar-Taj from making a pact with Jotunheim."
"Both Asgardians and Frost Giants are friends of Kamar-Taj; gifting them Rune Technology is for the peace of the Nine Realms."
Linn remained neither servile nor arrogant.
"The Frost Giants are savage, violent, and bloodthirsty. Now that they possess Rune Technology, they will rebel and start wars sooner or later."
"You never fought in the Battle of Tønsberg—Gu the Ancient One and I did!"
Odin's single eye widened.
His dread of the Frost Giants had never waned; as he aged, that dread only grew.
After all, he would one day pass away and Thor would inherit the throne.
He did not believe Thor could keep the Frost Giants in check.
"Lord Odin, rather than fear the Frost Giants, you should heed Hela. She crossed the magic barrier and appeared in Jotunheim."
"Yet she vanished midway. I suspect she went to the Mariana Trench."
Linn let the words hang.
At mention of the Mariana Trench, Thor showed no reaction, but Odin's pupils shrank to pinpricks and a sudden dread cooled his rage.
"Are you certain, Linn, that Hela would go there?"
Odin's gaze was grave.
He had sealed the former King, Cul, in the Mariana Trench, yet by his senses the god of fear still lived.
Cul was fear incarnate, feeding on human dread; wherever fear bloomed, his power grew.
That power had twisted him into a terrible tyrant—hence Odin's rebellion against him.
"Linn, the Mariana Trench? Why would Hela go there?"
Thor scratched his head.
Like a simple country squire, he knew almost nothing of these ancient secrets.
"It seems Lord Odin has kept Cul's existence hidden?"
"The god of fear, also called Jörmungandr the World Serpent, lies in the Mariana Trench. He shares your surname, Lord Odin."
"His name is Cul Borson."
Intelligence glinted in Linn's eyes.
The God of Hammers' own eyes widened.
"Cul Borson? He's my uncle?"
Surprise filled Thor's face.
He had never heard the name before.
Clearly, just as Hela had been erased, Odin had erased all memory of Cul.
"When I sealed Cul away, Hela had only just been born. If she now breaks that seal and lets him see the sun again,"
"I fear no one will stand against him."
"Linn, it seems you have foreseen this future?"
"I beg you—aid Asgard and seal Cul away."
Weariness showed in Odin's eyes.
He entrusted the task to Linn; beside the threat of extinction, every other grievance paled.
"Linn! When do we leave?"
"To the Mariana Trench—Hela must be stopped!"
Thor blurted, urgent and impulsive.
Yet Linn looked at Odin, the corner of his mouth lifting. "Lord Odin, to seal the god of fear I will need a magic artifact—the Warlock's Eye from your vault. Lend it to me."
The Warlock's Eye?
Odin was half amused, half exasperated.
"You never leave Asgard empty-handed, Linn."
"First the orb of agamotto, then the ancient winter coffin, now the Warlock's Eye."
"Why not… just take the Eternal Spear as well!"
Odin was speechless.
The Sorcerer Supreme behaved like a bandit.
"Exactly what I hoped."
"Lord Odin, if I seal the god of fear, grant me Gungnir—I need it."
Linn's skin was as thick as a city wall.
Odin suddenly wished he could take back his words.
"Done!"
"If you succeed, this King will keep his word!"
Odin swallowed his regret and gave the oath.
"Deal."
"And don't forget the Warlock's Eye, Lord Odin."
Linn reminded him.
At once an Asgardian Guard entered the vault, brought out the Warlock's Eye, and set it before Linn.
It was an orb-shaped magic artifact.
Brilliant light spilled from its surface.
It brimmed with mystery; wielding the Warlock's Eye granted true sight, piercing illusion and revealing the future.
"I slew a Great Demon to win that eye. Treat it well—do not disappoint me."
Odin's words carried weight.
[You have convinced Odin and obtained the Warlock's Eye.]
A line of text bubbled up.
Linn couldn't help but smile.
A vertical slit opened on his forehead, unfolding into a third eye.
Chapter 75 – Heavenly Hammer Emissary Colossus!
The Third Eye!
Linn swept his gaze and saw the essence of things, the structure of spatial planes, the dance of molecules and atoms.
His perception of cosmic law had reached an inhuman level; it was as if the fog in his brain had lifted and he'd switched on a god's-eye view!
"You've actually opened a Heavenly Eye?"
"It's the Pupil that Perceives Truth."
"Linn, even though I hold the Warlock's Eye, I've never reached that realm. Your mastery of magic is already beyond imagination."
Odin drew a sharp breath.
His single eye flickered with shock; he had sacrificed his left eye to obtain the Warlock's Eye.
Yet to win its recognition one needed wisdom rivaling the gods, or the burden of the Heavenly Eye would crush the bearer.
The Warlock's Eye was spoken of in the same breath as the eye of agamotto, and in piercing illusions it was the stronger of the two.
As for its origin, that involved a secret from prehistoric mythic ages.
"What secret?"
Linn's face showed curiosity.
A moment later the third eye vanished, becoming a faint vertical line he could open at will, and he had mastered a new ability:
'Visual Deprivation!'
He could temporarily rob an enemy of sight.
"When you return to Asgard I'll tell you that secret. Right now you must stop Hela—under no circumstances can the Great Serpent break free."
Odin's voice rang with majesty.
A premonition of dread rose in him; suddenly his mind reeled, and from the Mariana Trench in Midgardcame a surge of divine power!
A voice thundered across the entire divine realm!
"Odin, I have returned. I am Cul, the true King of Asgard!"
"I will make you regret casting me down. I will slay your heirs with my own hand, cast them into the abyss of darkness, and let you taste my torment!"
An ancient, white-bearded projection appeared in the sky.
Cul saw the sun again, Hela at his side, her gaze fixed on Odin, murder dripping from her eyes.
With a wave of Cul's hand, eight hammer-shaped meteors streaked across the heavens and fell unerringly toward Midgard.
"Those are the heavenly hammers Cul forged…"
Odin looked stunned.
Clearly he had not expected the God of Fear, the Great Serpent, to awaken and hurl the hammers to earth.
heavenly hammers.
Forged from uru metal, bearing Rune Magic; whoever lifts one gains the power of the hammer!
They become Cul's loyal hounds.
They will spread fear and calamity, drown the World in ruin and topple even the Heavenly Palace.
"heavenly hammer Emissaries?"
"Are they like mjolnir?"
Thor's face was dumbstruck.
Could mjolnir have been inspired by these hammers?
"Exactly. Even a mortal who lifts a heavenly hammer gains its power. We must not let the Great Serpent feed on fear again."
Odin's eyes showed dread.
When he had overthrown Cul he had been at his peak, aided by the Prehistoric Avengers—only then could he imprison Cul!
But the Prehistoric Avengers were gone; relying on Linn alone, victory seemed impossible.
"Though the Prehistoric Avengers are gone, the legacy of Superheroes remains."
Linn smiled.
After bidding Odin farewell he returned directly to the New York Sanctum.
Bleecker Street.
177A.
From outside came the sound of shattering, as if something heavy had smashed down; cars on both sides of the street blared their horns.
"Linn, it looks like a hammer fell,"
Wanda said, blinking her beautiful eyes.
Seeing Linn and Thor appear together in the Sanctum, she quickly explained.
"A hammer?"
"A heavenly hammer landed here? Was it deliberate or random?"
Thor's tiger-bright eyes flashed.
He pushed open the Sanctum doors and saw a powerfully built man seize the hammer's haft and hoist it high.
Armor surfaced over his body, runic lines covering him; his eyes blazed with madness, his skin sheened silver.
"Colossus?"
"What's he doing here?"
Linn's pupils shrank.
This World had the X-Men!
He had never met them, but the man before him matched Colossus in power and appearance—no doubt at all.
"Peter!"
"What's happening? Does that hammer have magic? Is it affecting him?"
A youth wearing ruby-quartz goggles spoke tensely, quickly sensing something wrong.
"We came to visit the Sorcerer Supreme…"
"and caused a disaster instead."
Jean Grey, tall and red-haired, flashed a worried look. The X-Mansion and Kamar-Taj had long known of each other.
Yet Colossus's rampage was trouble.
Colossus swung the heavenly hammer, blazing light erupting as he slammed out a wave of energy that split the street and shook the New York Sanctum.
"Trying to destroy the Sanctum?"
Wanda rose into the air, hands weaving as scarlet energy spilled from her fingertips.
In an eye-blink it became a shield that blocked the blast, but her face showed strain.
Clearly the Heavenly Hammer Emissary's strike was no light thing to catch.
"Sorry, you must be Wanda, master of the New York Sanctum. I'm Jean Grey from the Xavier Estate."
"This was just an accident."
Jean's face held apology.
All because of Colossus and his cursed curiosity!
If he hadn't lifted the hammer he wouldn't have turned into a monster.
"What's done is done; we have to find a way to keep him from destroying the Sanctum."
Linn narrowed his eyes.
He raised one hand skyward, and prism-like fragments swiftly enclosed the block.
trapping Colossus inside the Imprint Dimension!
Yet Colossus's eyes glowed red; it was as if he recognized Linn, and with a roar he charged, hammer raised!
"Sorcerer Supreme? I'll kill you and offer your head to my Master!"
Colossus bellowed; his entire body was living steel, flesh unbreakable. Even Arcane Arts spells could not pierce that armor.
Moreover, the power of the heavenly hammer had bestowed divinity, enhancing his inborn gifts; one stamp of his foot shattered the ground and set nearby buildings swaying!
[s-rank opportunity mission: defeat the Heavenly Hammer Emissary to claim the heavenly hammer.]
A line of text bubbled up.
Linn's expression turned playful.
heavenly hammer.
It could grant mortal might; if bestowed on a Mystic Arts practitioner it would make that practitioner stronger.
And with the artifact-refining method he commanded, he could re-forge the hammer's runes and bend it to his will!
"This isn't a disaster—it's a gift!"
Linn curved his lips in a smile.
With a flick of his fingertip, Levitation Power stirred the void, whipping up a vortex of energy that locked Colossus in place!
He reached for the hammer, but Colossus erupted with a war-cry, sound-waves battering Linn's ears.
A sharp ache stabbed through his eardrums.
"Die, God of Hammers!"
Thor's face was alight with excitement.
At last he had a chance to pass the title "God of Hammers" to someone else!
Crack-crack!
Thunder boomed and rolled.
Clouds gathered, lightning danced like silver serpents across the sky, roaring without cease.
He hurled mjolnir; in an instant the space around them was webbed with arcs of electricity!
Yet Colossus merely sneered, swung the heavenly hammer, and smashed the lightning to pieces!
"You're the God of Hammers…"
"Thor!"
Colossus's eyes blazed.
A whirlwind sprang up around him; scattered stones were ground to dust, forming a torrent of energy.
With a sweep of his arm he sent it crashing toward Thor; even lightning could not stop it, and Thor was struck unconscious on the spot.
"Thor?"
"Looks like the heavenly hammer is special—it's given Colossus the power of law. This is going to be tricky."
Linn frowned.
At once he dispatched several ninja soldiers to carry Thor back into the Sanctum.
Cyclops and Jean Grey stepped to his side, apology written on their faces.
"Venerable Linn, please don't hurt Peter."
Chapter 76 – Annex the X-Mansion?
Jean Grey possessed telepathy, yet she couldn't read Linn's thoughts; the Phoenix Force, however, was sounding an alarm.
That meant Linn's power absolutely surpassed her imagination.
Linn, in turn, looked at Jean Grey. Faced with the host of the Phoenix Force, he felt genuine curiosity; he hadn't expected to meet her this way.
'Don't worry—I won't harm Colossus.'
'I'll only seal the heavenly hammer.'
Lightning flashed in Linn's eyes.
Immediately, two golden beams shot out, spreading terrifyingly intense heat that twisted and tore the air.
Even Cyclops's pupils dilated.
'The Sorcerer Supreme can do that? Could Professor X be right—could the Sorcerer Supreme also be a Mutant?'
Cyclops was secretly shocked.
Part of the reason he'd come to the New York Sanctum was to exchange pleasantries; the other part was to investigate whether Venerable Linn was a Mutant!
With the Mutant Registration Act in force, the situation for Mutants was growing worse.
Agents of the Sentinel Task Force were even showing up frequently at the X-Mansion, making Professor X eager to secure the Sorcerer Supreme's aid.
After all, wearing Cerebro, Professor X had already sensed that Linn carried the x-factor.
'That's right—Linn has the x-factor. Pietro and I do as well; we're all Mutants.'
Wanda's beautiful eyes blinked.
She openly acknowledged her Mutant identity and, using her Chaos Magic, anticipated Cyclops's anticipation.
'It seems…God still favors Mutants; we can only hope Venerable Linn will help.'
Joy appeared on Jean Grey's face.
She believed the savior of Mutants had to be Linn!
[a-rank opportunity mission: Prevent the Mutant Registration Act and receive 1,000 opportunitypoints.]
A line of text bubbled up.
Linn pondered.
'Stop the Mutant Registration Act? That's easy—just get Tony Stark and Nick Fury to say the word.'
Linn's lips curled.
He spun a wheel of light and slammed it toward Colossus, but Colossus raised the heavenly hammerand unleashed a torrent of energy that crushed the magical shield!
The hammer blazed, and in an instant the air cracked, leaving Linn no room to dodge.
'Not good!'
Cyclops and Phoenix cried out.
Wanda, however, waved her hand. 'No worries. As Sorcerer Supreme, Linn masters many Arcane Artsand the Zodiac Divine Powers; the hammer doesn't scare him.'
'Zodiac Divine Powers?'
Cyclops frowned slightly.
The twelve animals of the Eastern zodiac actually held magical might?
'Perhaps the Zodiac and the Phoenix Force are on the same level.'
Brilliant light shimmered in Jean Grey's eyes.
The next second!
Linn raised his hand; his pupils shifted into an octagonal pattern resembling a dark stone sigil.
Its surface bore the image of a small ox.
His muscles bulged, his frame doubled in size, his fingers became dragon-like claws, and he grabbed the hammer!
Crack, crack!
Fissures erupted across the hammer, as though it couldn't bear the pressure and would soon shatter.
'Forget it.'
'I'll just crush it.'
Cold light flashed in Linn's eyes.
He clenched his fingers—
Crack!
The hammer exploded into shards, instantly losing its luster and divinity, turning to scrap metal, and Colossus came to his senses.
'What happened?'
'Did I black out?'
Colossus scratched his head.
He'd lost a chunk of memory; his mind was blank—no impression at all.
'Peter, you lifted the hammer and got possessed. Fortunately, the Sorcerer Supreme stepped in and brought you back.'
Cyclops and Jean Grey wore extremely complex expressions as they stared at the fragments, emotions surging.
They'd never imagined the legendary Sorcerer Supreme could dominate in close combat!
His strength rivaled the Hulk's!
He'd crushed the heavenly hammer bare-handed!
Was he even human?
'Venerable One, the hammer's shattered—but there isn't just one. Whoever lifts a hammer becomes a Heavenly Hammer Emissary?'
'Who exactly scattered these hammers?'
Worry showed in Jean Grey's eyes.
If the Sentinel Task Force got hold of a hammer, the consequences would be unthinkable!
It would spell doom for Mutants!
'The hammers come from Asgard. The former All-Father Cul is feeding on fear through them; we must gather every hammer.'
Linn flicked his fingers.
Using Levitation Power he gathered the shards, grasped the handle, and blazing Fire erupted from his palm!
In an instant he reforged the hammer, engraving it with his personal runes so it blazed gold and would never again rob its wielder of sanity.
'Colossus, this hammer is returned to its rightful owner.'
'Only you are worthy of its power.'
'The hammer chooses its master.'
Linn handed over the weapon, smiling.
Now the hammer had no side effects; the moment Colossus gripped it he felt divine energy flood every cell!
'I'm still a Heavenly Hammer Emissary? But I have to guard the Nine Realms!'
Colossus was elated.
The hammer amplified his powers and coated him in golden light, but he had to use it to banish demons if he wished to keep it.
'Exactly. I have an idea—why don't the X-Men all join Kamar-Taj and learn Arcane Arts? Only benefits, no downsides.'
Linn proposed on the spot.
He clearly intended to annex the X-Mansion!
He would even turn it into a Kamar-Taj branch campus.
'Is that appropriate?'
Cyclops and Jean Grey felt conflicted; the proposal seemed excessive.
The X-Mansion as a Kamar-Taj branch?
They doubted Professor X would ever agree.
[s-rank opportunity mission: Annex the Mutant Academy and receive 10,000 opportunity points.]
Another bubble popped up.
A playful glint flashed in Linn's eyes.
The only difference between Mutants and humans is the presence of the x-factor.
The key is that the x-factor originates from the Cosmic Celestials!
It's a beneficial compound of infinite mutation.
Even in practicing Arcane Arts, Mutants would surpass humans.
The Sorcerer Supreme of Hells Border is Illyana Rasputin—codename Magik! She and Colossus are siblings.
Clearly, in the realm of magic, Mutants are born with spiritual roots.
'You haven't asked Professor X—how can you know his answer?'
Linn sliced open a Mystic Gate.
It led straight to 1407 Greymalkin Lane, Westchester County—the Xavier Estate.
An European-style manor appeared, ivy climbing its walls and a pond glittering emerald.
Many children were running and playing.
Yet the Mutant Registration Act kept Professor X awake night after night.
The act demanded Mutants reveal their identities and powers, accept government oversight, and live in segregated communities!
How was that different from a concentration camp?
Professor X, brow furrowed, wanted to stop the act through persuasion.
His old friend Magneto, however, planned to go to extremes—
Turn humans into Mutants, and the act would be pointless!
'Hmm?'
'You must be Venerable Linn. The Ancient One and I were close; hearing she retired truly shocked me.'
Using telepathy, Professor X sensed Linn entering the grounds and wheeled over to meet him.
Immaculately dressed in suit and tie, he looked every inch the gentleman.
Known as the giant in a wheelchair, the spiritual mentor of the X-Men!
'Mr. Charles Xavier.'
'There was a small interlude, but it's resolved for now. Still, seven hammers remain out there—we must stay vigilant.'
Linn nodded.
In his current status he needed to bow to no one; simply coming to the X-Mansion was already giving Professor X face.
If that face wasn't appreciated—well, he could just as easily take it back.
'Venerable One, you wish to turn the X-Mansion into a Kamar-Taj branch? May I ask what benefits that would bring the school?'
Professor X looked troubled.
He had no intention of trading away the only home Mutants had left.
Chapter 77 – x-factor Is Holy Blood!
'What good will that bring?'
'Professor X, do you really think blocking the Mutant Registration Act will end the Sentinel Task Force's hostility?'
'You're being naïve.'
Linn's eyes glinted with mockery.
Even if the bill were stopped, the Sentinel Task Force would still build combat robots and wipe every last Mutant off the planet.
He could already tell: his current timeline was the 'Old History World'.
The X-Men Universe splits into two chapters.
In the Old History World, Mutants perished at the hands of sentinel robots. Wolverine reversed the future, sending his soul back to the 1973 Paris Peace Forum to stop Mystique from assassinating Bolivar Trask.
Thus, the New History overwrote the Old.
As Sorcerer Supreme, he could never allow that to happen; it would fracture the Temporal Invisibility Force and create a terrifying paradox.
Just like a server reset, everything he knew would be unrecognizable.
The Old History World would cease to exist.
'sentinel robots will exterminate Mutants? Impossible!'
Storm, Ororo Munroe, was stunned.
She had fought sentinel robots; they weren't capable of genocide. Yet the Sorcerer Supreme never lied.
There was no need for deception.
'It's true. The Sentinels will upgrade, share and copy the x-factor, turn your own power against you; even magnetism becomes useless.'
'There's only one way to prevent extinction: X-Mansion merges with Kamar-Taj as a branch campus.'
'To be blunt, Mutants weren't born by chance—they come from the Cosmic Celestials.'
'The x-factor is holy blood!'
'Unlock it and you master the Arcane Arts, skip borrowing power; the x-factor fuels the spells.'
Linn spoke with blunt honesty.
He revealed the origin of Mutants: a species engineered by the Celestials, present on Earth since prehistoric mythic times.
The first Phoenix, a flame-haired woman, had been a Mutant!
'Flame Hair?'
'The Phoenix Force existed in prehistoric times?'
Jean Grey's beautiful eyes trembled.
She had believed she was the Force's sole host.
'The Phoenix Force stands equal to Chaos Magic; both emerged with the Big Bang across the Multiverse.'
'You are not the only host.'
'So, to escape extinction, you must accept my proposal. Refuse if you like—but I will stop the future from being rewritten.'
Linn's gaze was shrewd.
His words were brutally frank.
The entire X-Men fell silent.
They were shaken and terrified by the thought of ultimate Sentinels and Mutant extinction.
Crucially, Professor X and Beast Hank already suspected as much; following the clues, they saw Venerable Linn En's prophecy was no fantasy.
'The x-factor is holy blood?'
'Becoming a Kamar-Taj branch doesn't sound so bad.'
Professor X's mind churned.
Children care about right and wrong; adults care about cost and benefit.
Since the Sorcerer Supreme promised to teach them Arcane Arts, that magic could shield them from the Sentinels!
Besides, Kamar-Taj was no longer a secret.
Every major power knew of it, and their fear of it grew daily.
Without Mystic Arts practitioners guarding the magic barriers, Demon Lords and Hell Lords would break into the Reality Dimension.
How could mere robots stand against devil kings?
So, if Professor X agreed and clung to Kamar-Taj's leg, the Sentinel Task Force would drop its foolish genocide plan.
In short, Mutants would have a backer.
'Venerable, I have a question; please enlighten me.'
Professor X smiled.
'What is it?'
Linn already understood.
He could see the Professor's resolve was wavering.
'Since the Cosmic Celestials created the Mutant race, why haven't they appeared to protect their handiwork?'
'What purpose do the Celestials truly serve?'
Suspicion flickered in Professor X's eyes.
Until now he had assumed the x-factor was a product of natural evolution—genetic mutation.
Yet Linn's claim that it came from the Gods was staggering.
'The Celestials act on whim; they have no grand purpose. Creation is merely a test. They didn't only make Mutants—there are also the Eternals, the Mutated Race, and the shapeshifting Skrulls...'
Linn's expression was calm.
The Sorcerer Supreme's records detailed four Celestial visits to Earth.
All Earth life originated from a single Progenitor Celestial.
In other words, every creature on Earth is a child of the Gods.
This is why Midgardians mutate so easily: a spider bite, a plunge into an electric pool, a serum injection—and Captain America appears.
Of course, Mutants are the most extreme; born with the x-factor, their powers awaken in adulthood.
Talent levels simply differ.
A rough scale of one to five: ninety percent of Mutants are Level One—little power, odd looks—hence public fear.
Yet the Mutants at X-Mansion look normal; they are the elite of the elite.
Professor X himself is a bona fide Level Five; with Cerebro he can monitor the globe, read and rewrite memories.
Though he sits in a wheelchair, that's a later injury—nerve damage caused by Magneto's mistake.
'Kamar-Taj's system is crude,'
Professor X muttered.
Epsilon, Delta, Gamma, Beta, Alpha—
that is how Mutants classify themselves.
Above Alpha stands Omega: God-like, all-powerful, immortal—God-tier Mutants.
X-Mansion houses three such Gods.
Storm, Phoenix, and Iceman.
Dubbed humanity's ultimate threat by a Fobole agent.
'So we go from one to six—what's the difference?'
'Since Professor X has agreed, I will dispatch a Master of the Mystic Arts to teach.'
'Ms. Ororo Munroe.'
'If I'm not mistaken, you carry magic in your bloodline?'
Linn's eyes flashed.
He saw at once that Storm possessed life-magic.
'Yes, my magic comes from my ancestors—Kenyan priestesses—but Africa also hosts demons, and they cost my mother her life.'
Storm's voice was heavy with grief.
When she met Professor X she was already an orphan; demonic retaliation had claimed her family too soon.
'Demons?'
'What demons?'
Linn pondered.
'Two and a half million years ago a Vibranium meteor struck Africa, its radiation warping plants and animals and turning proto-humans into demons.'
'Those demons still plague Africa, stirring trouble whenever they can.'
Storm spoke grimly.
Prehistoric apes turned demon, lingering like ghosts, ever drawn to Vibranium.
Wakanda built its dome barrier to hide and protect itself.
'X-Mansion and Wakanda sometimes exchange scholars and hunt Vibranium smugglers together, though lately the smugglers have acquired alien gear.'
'If a smuggler lifts a heavenly hammer...'
'even Wakanda could fall.'
Jean Grey said seriously.
Seven hammers were still unaccounted for; any might land in Africa.
[a-rank opportunity mission: defeat the Heavenly Hammer Emissary Money-Leopard to obtain a heavenly hammer.]
A speech-bubble popped up.
A dark glint flashed in Linn's eyes.
'Money-Leopard?'
'Sounds like Wakanda's in trouble. Kamar-Taj and Wakanda are on the same side.'
'With luck we can score a few tons of Vibranium to build combat dolls.'
Linn's lips curved.
Wakanda
holds ten thousand tons of Vibranium.
A few tons is nothing.
combat dolls forged from Vibranium will be nigh-indestructible.
Chapter 78: Uprising in Wakanda!
Wakanda.
A hidden kingdom of Vibranium.
The dome-shield flared to life.
Outside the barrier
swarmed grotesque, ravenous demons, hurling themselves against it in a frenzy.
A tall, grim figure stood motionless, clutching a long hammer, his body blazing with light as though commanding the horde; beside him waited a Vibranium smuggler.
Alien weapons clung to the barrier, draining its energy until the glow flickered and dimmed.
'Killmonger—so you really are Wakandan royalty,'
'and you actually lifted that hammer!'
The smuggler Ulysses Klaue flashed a vicious grin; his ancestors had trafficked Vibranium for generations, and his own parents had died at Wakanda's hands—he hated the nation as much as Killmonger did.
When Killmonger first sought him out, Klaue could scarcely believe it.
Yet Killmonger revealed his bloodline and asked the smuggler's help to seize the Wakandan throne.
In return, he promised Klaue all the Vibranium he could carry.
'This heavenly hammer has given me its power. I will serve the god of fear and bring terror to Wakanda!'
Killmonger's eyes blazed.
Clad in battle armor, he wielded the hammer's gift to command the demons—prehistoric apes transformed into monsters of impossible strength whose fists hammered the dome.
Ripples spread across the shield with every blow.
As the alien device activated, a crack split the dome; smugglers and demons poured straight into Wakanda.
'Killmonger?'
'You're one of us—why side with Vibranium traffickers? Why lead demons against your own tribes?'
A voice of authority rang out.
Black Panther T'Challa led the Border Tribe in a tight phalanx, the city at their backs.
Armored rhinos, the tribe's pets, stamped across the savanna—living battering rams.
'Your father murdered mine,'
'and Zuri betrayed him!'
'Tell me—would you forgive?'
Killmonger gripped the hammer, hatred burning to execute T'Chaka's heir.
'Your father allied with smugglers and brought disaster. You feel no shame—only hunger for the crown?'
'I bear the panther god's blessing; you cannot win.'
The Black Panther narrowed his eyes.
He sprang like a beast, claws flashing, uniform woven from Vibranium thread—nearly unbreakable.
But the demons roared; sonic shockwaves hurled him through the air.
'I am the Heavenly Hammer Emissary!'
'This hammer is heaven's gift. Even your Vibranium cannot stand against it!'
Killmonger's face twisted.
He swept the weapon downward; a vortex of energy carved the plain into a chasm that raced toward the city.
Once the hammer is raised, one rivals the gods—and he was already a super-soldier.
Even the heart-shaped herb and the panther god's favor could not match a deity.
'Damn it!'
T'Challa clutched his ribs.
He prayed for the panther god to appear.
Crackle—crackle.
Sparks of sorcery spiraled.
A Mystic Gate flashed open; hope leapt in T'Challa's chest, then dimmed when he saw it was not his god.
'Disappointed?'
Linn raised an eyebrow.
The panther god?
Might not overcome the Sorcerer Supreme.
Even the King of the Gods, Odin, treated him with respect—calling him a mortal god was no exaggeration.
'T'Challa, this is the Sorcerer Supreme.'
The X-Men stepped through the gate; Cyclops introduced him, and T'Challa's heart raced—he had heard the title, the name Linn.
After the Battle of New York and the Nine Stars Alignment, who hadn't?
'Wait—why does Colossus carry a hammer too?'
T'Challa exclaimed.
There stood the steel mutant, hammer in hand. After Killmonger claimed his, he had become a devotee of the god of fear; how could Colossus resist?
'Relax. I reforged that hammer; Colossus is on our side.'
Linn hovered mid-air, hood shading half a smile.
He turned toward Killmonger in the distance; he would reforge every heavenly hammer into a guardian artifact.
A Heavenly Hammer Emissary rivaled Thunder God Thor—perfect to strengthen Kamar-Taj.
Yet the Great Serpent, God of Fear, stayed hidden, biding his time—an uneasy thought.
'Asgard's former king... can be sealed, not slain.'
'I don't accept that.'
Lightning flashed in Linn's eyes.
The next instant
two blazing golden beams swept the demon ranks
and blasted them apart.
Monsters birthed by Vibranium radiation, survivors of prehistory, had plagued Africa long enough—time to end it.
'Sorcerer Supreme?'
'A brat who hasn't grown all his hair thinks he can meddle in Wakanda's affairs?'
'This is between me and T'Challa—stay out!'
Killmonger roared.
Uncertainty flickered; he knew the might of a hammer-bearer, the X-Men's reputation—if they ganged up, he would lose.
There was only one path: single combat against the Black Panther.
'Single combat?'
Linn snorted.
Yet T'Challa drew a deep breath and accepted.
'I will defeat you openly, Killmonger.'
He stepped forward.
Linn barely stopped himself from cursing aloud.
'He fell for such an obvious taunt? Is his brain half-developed or not at all?'
He was speechless.
Relying on the heart-shaped herb alone against a hammer-bearer was suicide.
'Venerable Lin En, this is Wakandan tradition,'
Cyclops said awkwardly.
Now they could only trust the Black Panther.
'Fine.'
'I'll grant you power.'
Linn traced a sigil; light dripped from his fingertip.
Fifteen totems flashed in sequence, twisting into runes that matched each zodiac sign.
The monkey totem locked in place!
It settled over T'Challa; his pupils shifted into the shape of the monkey talisman—his sign was indeed Monkey.
Through the monkey totem he gained the power of transformation.
'What is this?'
'I feel... omnipotent!'
T'Challa spread his hands; divine light danced above his palms as though he could rewrite genes, become any form.
In an instant
his spine arched, feet warped into paws, Vibranium weave sprouted fur—he became a 3-meter-tall anthropoid panther!
A blood-thirsty beast radiating lethal menace; even Killmonger froze.
'magic? Witchcraft?'
'He can shapeshift?'
Killmonger narrowed his eyes.
He feared nothing; no matter the shape, none could stand against a heavenly hammer.
The weapon had chosen him—that said it all.
Boom!
A violent arc of power lashed out.
Killmonger struck; shockwaves cracked the air.
But the panther's stats had rocketed; after-images trailed as he blink-stepped aside in a second.
'My brother, you should never have raised that hammer against your own.'
T'Challa roared.
Claws tore a hurricane across Killmonger's chest, ripping through armor.
'Even if my father erred, death was not the price!'
'Do you know what I endured all these years?'
Killmonger's eyes bulged.
He had been orphaned, endured racism, clawed his way up alone.
This debt demanded blood.
Chapter 79 – Tony's rune armor!
'Blinded by hatred.'
'It keeps you from seeing the truth.'
T'Challa moved like lightning, blinking behind Killmonger—only for a blast of energy to slam into him mid-teleport!
'Finally found my opening!'
Ulysses Klaue's eyes bulged.
The alien weapon fired a pulse that locked T'Challa in place.
Killmonger swung the heavenly hammer, smashing it down as if to end the Black Panther once and for all.
Tradition? Honor?
Villains don't believe in such things.
'As expected.'
'I knew it would play out like this.'
With a flick of his fingers, Linn sent Levitation Power sweeping through the arena like an invisible hand, freezing Klaue and Killmonger in place.
ninja soldiers darted in, dragging T'Challa to safety.
Then fire blazed in Linn's eyes; he had never shown mercy to villains—villains were villains.
Anyone with a shred of conscience wouldn't commit crimes.
The fire condensed into a spear. Linn gripped it, thrust once, and pinned Klaue through the chest, incinerating every organ.
He burned the man into a cinder while he still breathed.
Next, Linn dove at Killmonger, seized the heavenly hammer, and squeezed.
Cracks webbed across the weapon—snap, snap—until it shattered.
Killmonger stared in horror; never had he imagined the Sorcerer Supreme could crush a heavenly hammer bare-handed.
[You have defeated Killmonger and acquired the heavenly hammer.]
'How is this possible?'
'You actually shattered the heavenly hammer!'
Desperate, Killmonger tried to reassemble the shards, all arrogance gone, a heart-rending wail escaping as bloody tears slid down his face.
'Surprised?'
'So in your eyes the Sorcerer Supreme isn't a god?'
Linn let out a cold laugh.
Levitating the fragments, he bathed them in fierce fire, reforged the hammer on the spot, and etched a rune of Arcane Arts upon it.
Then he simply handed the weapon to the Black Panther.
'Use it to defend justice and protect Midgard.'
Linn spoke calmly.
Throughout, his tone never wavered.
To him, Killmonger had been nothing but a clown juggling for his amusement.
'Sorcerer Supreme, allow me to offer sincerity—Wakanda's Vibranium reserves stand near ten thousand tons. I believe you will have use for it.'
T'Challa resumed human form, fist pressed over his heart.
Without Venerable Linn's aid, demons and Vibranium smugglers would have leveled the city.
'Five tons of Vibranium and a few heart-shaped herbs will suffice.'
Linn nodded inwardly.
His trip to Wakanda had not been wasted; Black Panther T'Challa certainly knew how to show gratitude.
Border Tribe warriors delivered the five tons of Vibranium and freshly picked heart-shaped herbs to Linn.
With a wave he stowed them in his storage space.
He had already sensed another heavenly hammer choosing its Master.
'Where is the other hammer?'
T'Challa and the X-Men tensed.
The power of a Heavenly Hammer Emissary was obvious—disaster and danger would follow, swelling faith in the god of fear and restoring the Great Serpent to his peak.
Hela and the god of fear were the true masterminds, everything done for revenge!
To overthrow Odin's rule and conquer the Nine Realms.
[You have annexed X-Mansion, gaining 10 000 opportunity.]
[a-rank opportunity mission: defeat Dr. Killian to acquire a heavenly hammer.]
A line of text bubbled up.
'Dr. Killian?'
'The creator of Extremis?'
'How could he be the one to lift the hammer? Doesn't that mean Tony Stark is in trouble?'
Linn narrowed his eyes.
He sent the X-Men back to their estate, hoping they would support the Sanctum while he handled the hammer crisis.
With the Three Sanctums destroyed, the magic barrier would vanish.
More lords and demon kings would invade the Reality Dimension, and Linn suspected Mephisto was still scheming—just in a different way.
'Rest assured, Venerable Linn, X-Mansion and Kamar-Taj are grasshoppers on one rope; we're inseparable.'
Professor X smiled.
He personally welcomed Master Hamir, who would henceforth teach Arcane Arts to the mansion's Mutants.
The x-factor is sacred blood!
It reacts with energy naturally.
Even Linn benefited, constantly absorbing light, radiation, and cosmic energy to strengthen every cell in his body.
Light and radiation had long since forged him into living steel.
'I'm off.'
'Let's hope Tony Stark hasn't been attacked yet.'
Linn nodded.
He was genuinely glad for Professor X's cooperation; the man might be a saint, but at least he had a brain.
Better to face a godlike foe than a piglike teammate.
...Stark Tower.
Laboratory.
Tony's eyes were sharp as he ran simulations, planning to use soul isotope to create a super-AI.
One that could command his Iron Legion.
Yet every simulation failed, leaving him dispirited.
He stepped onto the balcony for air when his phone buzzed; the moment he answered, his face turned ashen.
'What? Pepper's missing? Happy, why am I only hearing this now!'
Stark's eyes bulged.
'Boss, I called you a hundred times—this is the first one that went through!'
Happy Hogan sounded exasperated.
On the way to headquarters, a band of highwaymen blocked the road and abducted Pepper.
But Happy noticed one thug's collar bore the AIM logo.
'AIM? Advanced Idea Mechanics?'
'Why would they kidnap Pepper?'
Stark frowned.
Sparks of magic suddenly danced in front of him, forming a Mystic Gate.
Seeing the uninvited guest step through, Tony grinned—his savior had arrived.
'Linn, perfect timing. Help me find Pepper; your Arcane Arts should be able to track her, right?'
Tony lifted an eyebrow.
Armor pieces streaked through the air, snapping into place one by one.
The suit was a rebuilt and upgraded Mark 42, gold-and-red plating etched with runes that radiated Arcane energy—clearly enchanted.
'Behold my latest invention: the rune armor.'
'What do you think?'
Tony sounded like a kid showing off a new toy, the imposing rune armor making him look like a knight blending tech and sorcery.
A true hybrid of magic and martial might.
Cursed by knowledge, the undeniable super-genius cracked magical isotopes and unleashed a wave of inventions, culminating in the rune armor.
It fell squarely under the umbrella of Rune Technology.
'So-so.'
'Hardly up to your usual standard. I expected the rune armor to be far more awesome.'
Linn smirked.
rune armor.
The design echoed the Destroyer, clearly inspired by Odin, yet still sported Tony's signature gold-and-red flair.
'Just so-so?'
'One day I'll blow your mind!'
Tony bristled.
His rune armor rated only that?
Even prepared for criticism, he still felt stung.
'Right, I came to tell you: the former king of Asgard, the Great Serpent, God of Fear, has awakened and hurled eight heavenly hammers to Earth.'
'Dr. Killian, founder of Advanced Idea Mechanics, has lifted one and kidnapped Ms. Potts.'
'Warn Captain America to watch for the other five.'
Linn spoke bluntly.
Tony stared, stunned.
'heavenly hammers? That earthquake on Bleecker Street was related?'
'And the god of fear—part of Thor's family?'
Tony looked puzzled.
Linn nodded.
'Exactly. Odin overthrew the Serpent to take the throne, but the Serpent has broken free—disaster is coming.'
'Where's Dr. Banner?'
'Let's hope he doesn't get near a hammer.'
Linn's gaze sharpened.
If the Hulk picked up a heavenly hammer, it'd be like cutting a live wire with a cleaver—sparks flying every step of the way!
Chapter 80 – Heaven-Reaching Talisman! Drawing Runes Bare-Handed!
"Banner? Went to see his cousin, and the heavenly hammer?"
"What is this thing?"
Tony's eyes gleamed.
Maybe he could try to lift the heavenly hammer, claim the divine power it holds, and research its isotope!
"You really dare to dream. Once you lift that hammer, you'll lose your mind—odds are you'll end up a lunatic."
"We have to hurry and rescue Miss Potts."
Linn slashed open a Mystic Gate.
In the next moment, he stood on a freighter's deck.
Swarms of Extremis soldiers, healed by Dr. Killian's experiments that regrew lost limbs, had kidnapped both Rhodes and the President!
Their goal: put the Vice-President in power and seize the highest federal authority.
But Linn and Tony's arrival made Dr. Killian's face twist in fury; in his hand he gripped a heavenly hammer, blazing with blinding light that granted him the hammer's might!
"Tony!"
"And… Venerable Lin En?"
"Dr. Killian's staging a coup—watch his hammer!"
Colonel James Rhodes hung from the mast; the Iron Patriot armor was now worn by Dr. Killian.
He was armed to the teeth!
This Mark II suit, upgraded by the Military, carried heavy firepower and resonated with the heavenly hammer, gaining a spark of divinity.
Dr. Killian's face burned with rage.
He still remembered the night in the 1990s, freezing alone on a rooftop—Tony had betrayed his hopes and humiliated him!
"What do you mean?"
"I don't think we've ever met."
Tony looked awkward.
The 1990s? That's some serious grudge!
It's 2012 already and he still hasn't let it go?
"Tony, thanks to you I met Dr. Hansen; using bio-electric tech we created Extremis and cured my body."
"But only your death will give me peace."
Dr. Killian snarled.
He blasted skyward in the armor; the heavenly hammer erupted in a torrent of light that slashed out a shockwave!
The air warped and cracked with a thunderous roar that left Tony stunned.
Luckily, his gear had been upgraded; the rune armor blazed, and when the wave hit it merely hummed and dispersed the impact.
"My rune armor, solid, right bro?"
Tony looked smug.
But Dr. Killian, enraged, switched to close combat; the hammer arced through the air and slammed Tony!
It sent him flying!
He smashed into a stack of containers.
"That packed a punch. No more low profile—time to throw a house party!"
Tony clapped his hands.
At once the Stark orbital station opened its bays and launched hundreds of iron man armors, pods trailing.
Moments later.
A hundred suits descended on New York Harbor.
The pods snapped together into a heavy armor shell over the rune armor, bolts locking every joint.
In the blink of an eye.
The Veronica armor debuted—Tony and Dr. Banner's close-quarters rig, endlessly resupplied, maxed out for power and defense!
Though lacking rune enchantment, its output was off the charts!
"Heavenly Hammer Emissary? Think you're Thor?"
"You dared to kidnap Pepper—the love of my life!"
"And tried to murder the President?"
"Did you even ask my opinion?"
Tony's face was full of contempt.
He thought Dr. Killian unbelievably stupid—assassinate the President so the VP can take over?
S.H.I.E.L.D. and the Security Council would never allow it!
"You trust S.H.I.E.L.D. and the Security Council?"
"Looks like you don't know Secretary Pierce of the Security Council is a HYDRA spy!"
"Even your father, Howard Stark, died at HYDRA's hands!"
Dr. Killian sneered.
He charged Tony, but Tony grabbed him with Veronica and blasted a repulsor point-blank!
The blast left Killian dazed.
"What did you say?"
"HYDRA spy? And who killed my father?"
Tony's face went livid.
He'd always thought his father died in an accident—turned out it was murder!
"Tony, you live in lies; the allies you think you have may not be allies at all."
"You could have worked with me!"
Dr. Killian's eyes bulged; heat surged through his body as Extremis vented furnace-level temperatures. In an instant he tore free of the armor and melted Veronica apart.
He swung the heavenly hammer!
Splitting the Hulkbuster armor, which crashed into the sea; the icy water pouring in sobered Tony up.
He had to uncover the truth!
And personally avenge his father!
[s-rank opportunity mission: Avengers Civil War. You have two choices.]
[1. Side with Steve Rogers and receive 1,000 opportunity.]
[2. Side with Tony Stark and receive 1,000 opportunity.]
"The rewards are identical?"
"Both give 1,000 opportunity."
Linn narrowed his eyes.
He flicked Levitation Power to swat away a sneaking Extremis soldier and weighed the pros and cons.
Because either side was meaningless, he wondered what would happen if he chose neither.
A few seconds later.
A celestial chime rang out.
Linn's eyes sparked.
[s-rank opportunity mission: Prevent the Avengers Civil War and receive an item blind box.]
"So… not choosing has perks too?"
"An item blind box!"
"And I still haven't opened the last one I got."
Linn's lips curved.
A cardboard box appeared in his palm; tearing it open revealed a skill book.
[Heaven-Reaching Talisman (Basic): No altar, qi-circulation, or paper needed—cast talismans bare-handed instantly.]
"First I got Divine Mechanism Hundred Refinements, now Heaven-Reaching Talisman?"
"Me and the Eight Extraordinary Arts sure have karma!"
Linn smiled.
Heaven-Reaching Talisman.
Just as described—no tedious steps, draw talismans bare-handed, stack different moves, double the critical damage!
It thrilled him.
He already mastered fifteen talismans and grasped the mysteries of Arcane Arts glyphs—he excelled at drawing and casting!
"Might as well push it straight to high-grade."
"The value of Heaven-Reaching Talisman rivals Divine Mechanism Hundred Refinements; both listed among the Eight Extraordinary Arts—proof of their worth."
Linn's eyes shone.
He began to upgrade the talisman.
A blinding golden light flared.
The description changed dramatically.
[Heaven-Reaching Talisman (High-Grade): Inscribe talismans on anything, attack with runes, stack curses without limit.]
"Whoa."
"Unlimited curse stacking?"
"talisman on anything?"
"That's basically bare-handed enchanting!"
Linn sucked in a breath.
High-grade Divine Mechanism Hundred Refinements made him the grandmaster of craftsmen.
Equally high-grade Heaven-Reaching Talisman turned him into the Rune King!
Even his senses sharpened; opening his third eye he saw molecules and atoms moving like living things—elements were runes!
With a grab he could seize an element and enchant any object!
Tracing a finger, a twisting rune lit up and branded the sling ring.
The sling ring erupted in golden radiance, wrapped in tides of mana, transformed into Rune Technology.
With that rune it could fire a laser to shatter Extremis soldiers!
Boom!
The sling ring locked onto Dr. Killian; after a brief charge it unleashed a torrent of energy that blasted Killian aside!
"What is this?"
"Who are you?"
Dr. Killian gaped, fear on his face.
He was shocked to find the damage from the sling ring couldn't be healed by Extremis.
What was going on?
"chaos runes…"
"are tearing your body apart."
Linn hovered in the air.
He had inscribed chaos runes onto the sling ring.
Now Kamar-Taj's spatial artifact could deal lethal, irreversible damage!