Chapter 31: Anomaly Investigation
Mordo had just left, and Arthur picked up the copper monitor on the coffee table.
The needle was still trembling slightly, pointing toward Manhattan, the direction of the Sanctum.
"Honey." Arthur called out.
Wanda looked up from her book: "Hmm?"
"I'm heading out for a bit, I'll be back soon." Arthurpocketed the monitor. "I'm going to check out the Sanctumand see what's going on."
Wanda closed her book, looking a bit worried: "Now? It's almost dark."
"Now is the perfect time." Arthur walked over to her and patted her shoulder. "Don't worry, I'll just watch from afar and won't cause any trouble. You keep reading, and I'll be back for dinner."
Wanda nodded: "Be careful then."
"Count on it." Arthur grinned and raised his hand, tracing a circle in the air.
Golden sparks sizzled and erupted, rapidly expanding into a Portal. On the other side of the door was a dim alley, where the roof of the old Sanctum building could be seen in the distance.
Arthur stepped through.
The Portal closed behind him.
Wanda looked at the empty living room, took a deep breath, and reopened her book. Dark red Chaos Magicenergy flowed slowly at her fingertips, much steadier than before.
Arthur stood in the shadows of the alley.
This alley was two blocks away from the Sanctum, a hidden location, but his magic perception could clearly pick up the fluctuations coming from the direction of the Sanctum—they were stronger than before and a bit chaotic.
"Something's not right." Arthur narrowed his eyes, activating his Super Hearing.
The sound of wind, traffic, music from a distant bar, and also... the hum of energy colliding.
It was coming from the Sanctum.
With a tap of his toes, he leapt silently onto the roof of a nearby building, and with a few bounds, he approached the block where the Sanctum was located.
Crouching behind a water tower on the roof of an apartment building, Arthur saw the situation below clearly.
In the open space in front of the Sanctum, the Ancient Onestood, her deep yellow mage robes fluttering slightly in the night wind.
Opposite her were three... things.
Arthur couldn't find the right word to describe them. They looked humanoid, but the edges of their bodies were constantly distorting, as if looking at people through frosted glass, and their colors were messy, flashing purple one moment and green the next.
"Dimensional intruders." The term popped into Arthur's mind.
The three intruders lunged at the Ancient Onesimultaneously, moving so fast they left afterimages.
The Ancient One raised her hands, and a golden magicshield instantly unfolded, steadily blocking the attack. The colliding energy exploded into a visible Shockwave, but it was restricted within a few dozen meters of the Sanctumand didn't affect the street.
Arthur could feel that the Ancient One had set up a barrier to lock in the combat fluctuations.
"Master is trying not to disturb the neighbors." Arthurmuttered.
The battle continued.
The intruders' attack method was very strange; it wasn't a physical Shockwave, but more like energy erosion. Wherever their claws swiped, faint cracks appeared in space, and although they were quickly repaired by the Sanctum's own protective power, it was chilling to watch.
The Ancient One was clearly holding back, or rather, testing them. She blocked with her magic shield, entangled them with energy whips, and occasionally flicked out a few magic missiles, but she didn't deliver a killing blow.
Arthur watched for a while and understood.
The Ancient One wanted to capture them alive, or at least figure out where these things came from.
But the intruders weren't cooperating. One of them suddenly expanded, its body swelling like a balloon, with countless tiny cracks appearing on its surface, from which viscous black energy flowed out, heading straight for the Ancient One.
The Ancient One frowned, put her hands together, and prepared to use a powerful move to clear them out.
Arthur clicked his tongue on the roof.
"Master, you're being too patient with your testing."
He tapped his finger lightly in the void.
A golden thread, so fine it was almost invisible, shot from his fingertip, silently passed through the barrier, and precisely wrapped around the expanding intruder.
The thread tightened.
The black energy gathering inside the intruder's body suddenly stalled, and then, like a leaking balloon, it hissed and sprayed out from those cracks, causing the intruder itself to wobble.
The Ancient One paused for a moment, her peripheral vision scanning the direction where Arthur was hiding.
Arthur quickly shrank back behind the water tower.
This distraction gave the Ancient One an opportunity. She pushed her hands forward, and a huge golden magic array unfolded in the air, covering the three intruders like a net.
The intruders tried to escape, but their bodies were bound by the power of the array, and their movements were half a beat slower.
The Ancient One clenched her fingers.
The array contracted, crushing the three intruders into a ball of distorted energy. The energy ball struggled violently a few times, then popped with a sound, turning into specks of light and dissipating into the air.
The battle was over.
The Ancient One stood in place, sensing the surroundings to confirm there were no fish that slipped through the net, and then looked up toward Arthur's direction.
Arthur knew he couldn't hide anymore, so he jumped down from the roof and landed lightly on the steps in front of the Sanctum.
"Master." He scratched his head. "What a coincidence."
The Ancient One looked at him, with no expression on her face: "A coincidence?"
"Well, I was just out for a walk in the neighborhood, and I came over when I heard the commotion." Arthur bluffed with a straight face.
The Ancient One didn't call him out and turned to walk into the Sanctum: "Come in."
Arthur quickly followed.
The inside of the Sanctum was about the same as the last time he visited—ancient, quiet, and full of magic items and bookshelves. A faint scent of old books and spices drifted in the air.
The Ancient One walked to the fireplace in the living room, poured a cup of tea, didn't drink it herself, and handed it to Arthur.
Arthur took it: "Thank you, Master."
"Things like that have appeared three times recently." The Ancient One sat on the opposite sofa. "The energy signatures are very mixed, not like they come from the same source, but the goal is the same—to tear open the dimensional boundary and crawl in."
Arthur took a sip of tea: "Is someone playing tricks?"
"Not sure." The Ancient One shook her head. "But the dimensional boundary itself is becoming fragile, that's a fact. It's like a wall that used to be reinforced concrete, but now it's slowly turning into bricks, or even wooden planks."
"Why?"
"There are many reasons." The Ancient One said. "Earth's own energy cycles, the loosening of certain ancient seals, or... someone is chiseling hard from outside the wall."
Arthur put down his teacup: "So what should we do? Increase patrols?"
"I have already strengthened the Sanctum's protection." The Ancient One looked at him. "But since you are living in New York long-term, you can keep an eye out. You have enough strength, so if you encounter a large-scale invasion, you can react immediately."
"Understood, I'm basically an unofficial security guard." Arthur nodded. "By the way, Master, if we captured one of those things alive, could we get anything out of it?"
"It's difficult." The Ancient One said. "They are more like energy projections without complete consciousness. They dissipate when destroyed, so they can't be captured."
Arthur pondered for a moment: "Okay, then I'll keep a closer watch from now on. I'll report to you if there's anything unusual."
The Ancient One nodded and didn't say anything more.
Arthur sat for a while longer, finished his tea, and got up to say goodbye.
The Portal opened in his own living room.
Wanda was still sitting on the sofa, her book on her lap, but she wasn't reading, her eyes fixed on the door.
Seeing Arthur return, she breathed a sigh of relief.
"How was it?" She asked.
"A bit of a situation." Arthur walked over and sat down, briefly explaining what happened at the Sanctum. "Master was fighting some things trying to sneak in from other dimensions, the boundary hasn't been very stable lately."
Wanda frowned after hearing this: "Is it dangerous?"
"For ordinary people, as long as they stay away, they won't feel it." Arthur said. "But for those of us who can sense magic fluctuations, we need to stay alert. I plan to start systematically monitoring magic activity in New York from today."
"How will you monitor it?"
"I'll make a plan." Arthur brought the notebook over from the study and opened a new page. "Use the monitor to scan the whole city at fixed times every day and record the fluctuation points. Focus on the Sanctum and areas where incidents have occurred before. If I find anything unusual, I'll assess it remotely first, not just rush over. And I'll touch base with Master weekly."
He wrote as he spoke.
Wanda watched him write and suddenly asked: "What about me? What can I do?"
"You keep practicing your magic." Arthur didn't look up. "Getting your Chaos Magic under control is the biggest contribution. When the day comes that you really need to step up, you need to be able to coordinate with me, not just freak out when you get anxious."
Wanda bit her lip: "I will practice hard."
As they were talking, there was a noise at the front door.
Pietro rushed in carrying a supermarket bag, bringing in a gust of wind.
"I'm back!" He put the bag on the table and looked at Arthur and Wanda. "Why do you two look so serious? What happened?"
Arthur closed his notebook: "Nothing much, just realized that things aren't peaceful on the magic side in New York, so we need to step up monitoring from now on."
Pietro said "Oh" and took a carton of milk out of the bag: "By the way, I was shopping at the convenience store two blocks away just now and saw a black car parked at the door. There were two people inside, and they kept looking in the direction of our house. When I came out after paying, the car drove away."
Arthur raised an eyebrow: "Surveillance?"
"Looks like it." Pietro unscrewed the milk and took a sip. "But I was too fast, they didn't see me clearly. And the car didn't follow, it just drove off."
Arthur touched his chin, thinking, and looked at the words "Sanctum Incident" in his notebook.
"It might be related to what happened at the Sanctum." He said. "magic fluctuations have been abnormal recently, some forces might have noticed and are poking around. But since they left, it should be fine for now."
He stood up, walked to the center of the living room, and raised his hands.
Golden magic energy surged out again, not to reinforce the house this time, but like casting a net, spreading outward from the house, forming a thinner but wider sensing barrier.
"That should do it." Arthur clapped his hands. "From now on, whenever any malicious energy body or prying magic comes within 500 meters of our house, I'll know."
Wanda watched him finish all this and said softly: "So we... are officially in 'combat readiness' in New York?"
"Sort of, but don't be nervous." Arthur walked back to the sofa and sat down. "Just stay alert, keep eating and drinking as usual. You keep reading, Pietro keeps being a street wanderer, and I'll handle the monitoring. We have a clear division of labor, focusing on low-key development and waiting to see what happens."
Pietro raised his hand: "I request to add the duty of 'takeout food taster'."
"Approved." Arthur laughed.
Wanda also smiled and picked up her book again.
The New York night outside the window grew deeper, brightly lit.
Arthur placed the monitor on the coffee table, its needle pointing quietly toward the Sanctum.
He leaned back into the sofa, closed his eyes, and spread out both his Super Hearing and magic perception.
The "magic activity" of New York, from now on, officially entered his monitoring list.
And the dark red magic flowing at Wanda's fingertips, under the guidance of the ancient books, became steadier and brighter.
Chapter 32: The Gathering Storm
Arthur closed the notebook labeled "New York magicMonitoring Plan" and tossed it onto the table.
"A plan alone isn't enough; I need to take action." He muttered, walking into the living room to pick up the copper monitor from the coffee table.
The needle was still trembling slightly, pointing toward Manhattan.
But Arthur didn't look at the needle; he pressed his finger gently on the edge of the compass, inputting a sliver of his own magic energy.
The runes on the surface of the monitor lit up instantly, and the needle began to spin rapidly before slowing down, finally stopping to point in three different directions.
"Whoa." Arthur raised an eyebrow.
Wanda looked up from the sofa: "What's wrong?"
"I didn't know this thing could do this." Arthur turned the monitor to show her. "I just used magic to activate its deep scan mode, and guess what? In downtown New York City, there are at least three places where the dimensional energy is particularly 'thin,' unlike anywhere else."
"Thin?" Wanda didn't quite understand.
"It means it's easy to tear open." Arthur explained. "Like plastic wrap; other places are three layers thick, but these spots are just one layer—a single poke and it breaks. The Ancient One said the dimensional boundaries were becoming fragile, but it seems it's not an even weakening; there are 'weak points'."
Wanda put down her book and walked over: "Is it... dangerous?"
"Not dangerous for now, but we definitely can't just leave it alone." Arthur placed the monitor back on the coffee table. "Who knows if something might crawl through these weak points? I have to go take a look."
"I'll go with you." Wanda said.
Arthur turned to look at her: "Did you finish your book?"
"I finished the one about Earth energy adaptation." Wandasaid. "I feel much better now; my magic is more stable than before. Besides... I want to help. I can't just let you do all the work alone."
Arthur looked into her eyes and smiled: "Alright, my wife's awareness has improved. But don't go today; I'll go scout the path first and get a clear picture of the situation. You stay home and use your Chaos Magic to perceive the general situation of these weak points—think of it as... after-class practice."
Wanda nodded: "Okay."
Arthur didn't open a Portal; he changed into a normal jacket and left through the front door.
Wanda returned to the sofa and closed her eyes.
Dark red Chaos Magic energy radiated from her, spreading outwards like ripples in water.
Following the teachings in the book, she focused her perception on the three directions Arthur had mentioned.
The first was in Lower Manhattan; the energy fluctuation was very subtle, like an undercurrent hidden in deep water.
The second was in Queens; the fluctuation was slightly more obvious but intermittent.
The third...
Wanda frowned.
The third was in Brooklyn, not too far from their home, right by the dock area. The residual energy there was very fresh, and... it had an indescribable sense of restlessness.
She opened her eyes and looked toward the door.
Arthur was already gone.
Pietro rushed in from outside at that moment, kicking up a breeze.
"I'm back!" He carried a bag. "Bought some drinks. Hey, where's my brother-in-law?"
"He went out." Wanda said. "Brother, did you see anything strange when you were over at the docks earlier?"
"The docks?" Pietro thought for a moment. "No, I just ran past there; everything was normal. Wait..."
He put down the bag: "Now that you mention it, I think I smelled something... like burnt rubber mixed with rotten eggs? Right behind an abandoned warehouse. I was running too fast at the time and didn't look closely."
Wanda's heart tightened.
She immediately focused her mind, trying to contact Arthur using magic, but it seemed Arthur had blocked remote communication—likely to avoid interference.
She could only wait.
Arthur was currently crouching on the roof of an abandoned warehouse at the Brooklyn docks.
Below was the place Pietro had described.
There was indeed a strange smell in the air, but more obvious was the residual energy—pale purple, like fluorescent powder sprinkled on the ground, visible only with magic vision.
The traces were very fresh, less than two hours old.
Arthur followed the traces forward, walking to an open space behind the warehouse piled high with shipping containers.
The traces ended here.
No, they didn't end.
They converged.
Arthur looked at the distorted air in the center of the open space, like heat waves on a road in summer, but the color was dark purple.
"Dimensional rift." He tutted. "Someone is really daring enough to open a door here."
As soon as he finished speaking, the distorted air suddenly split open.
A claw reached out from inside.
The claw was dark green, covered in scales, with sharp, long nails.
Then came a second claw.
Then a head poked out—like a mix between a lizard and a bat, with murky yellow eyes.
The creature crawled entirely out of the rift, stood in the open space, looked left and right, and made a gurgling sound in its throat.
Arthur watched from the roof, not moving.
The low-level creature didn't seem to notice him; it sniffed the air and then started walking toward the edge of the docks—the direction of the residential area.
"Well, it really does want to enter the city." Arthurjumped down from the roof, landing lightly in front of the creature.
The low-level creature was startled, jumped back, bared its teeth, and made a hissing, threatening sound.
Arthur didn't waste words with it; he raised his hand and snapped his fingers.
A thin ray of golden light shot from his fingertip, lashing out like a whip against the creature.
The low-level creature didn't even manage a scream; its body scattered like a pile of sand, turning into a puff of black smoke and vanishing.
The rift remained.
Arthur walked over and traced a circle around the edge of the rift with his finger.
Golden runes lit up, stitching the rift shut like needle and thread.
A few seconds later, the distorted air returned to normal, and the strange smell dissipated.
Arthur crouched down to examine the purple energy residue on the ground.
"Same source as the disturbance at the Sanctum, but more... hidden." He muttered to himself. "It's like someone is intentionally using low power to test the waters here, to see if they can slip in."
He took out his phone—not a regular phone, but the magiccommunicator given by Kamar-Taj—and sent a short message to the Ancient One: "Small rift and low-level creature discovered at Brooklyn docks; handled. Energy signature is of the same source as the Sanctum incident, but weaker and more hidden. Suspected exploratory infiltration."
Less than a minute after the message was sent, a reply came.
The Ancient One's voice sounded directly in his mind: "It is not exploratory."
Arthur was taken aback: "Master?"
"The weak points you discovered, including this rift, are all related to the loosening of the same ancient seal." The Ancient One's voice was calm, but the content was not light. "The seal is located deep within Earth's dimensional boundary; for the past few months, its power has been waning. This is not a natural phenomenon; someone is exerting influence from the outside."
"Who?" Arthur asked.
"I do not know yet." The Ancient One said. "But the opponent is very cautious, using this low-intensity method to infiltrate first to avoid triggering large-scale alerts. Your monitoring direction is correct, Arthur; strengthen the protection of New York. The effects of the seal loosening will manifest first in New York, where the population is dense and energy converges."
"Understood." Arthur said. "Then I need to put a'shield' over New York."
"You may." The Ancient One affirmed his idea. "Use a Warning Magic Array to cover the main urban areas. Once dimensional energy exceeding the threshold invades, the array will sound the alarm immediately. Setting up the array takes time; you can have Wanda assist. Her Chaos Magic is very sensitive to energy flow, making it suitable for constructing the array's core."
"Is she up for it?" Arthur was a bit worried.
"You know her recent progress better than I do." The Ancient One said. "Give her the opportunity."
The communication ended.
Arthur stood up, brushed the dust off his hands, and turned to head home.
When he got home, Wanda and Pietro were both waiting in the living room.
"How did it go?" Wanda asked immediately.
"Took care of a small monster." Arthur briefly recounted the matter at the docks and then relayed the Ancient One's words. "Master said we need to set up a large Warning Magic Array for New York, the kind that covers the whole city. And..."
He looked at Wanda: "Master specifically named you to help, saying your Chaos Magic is suitable for this."
Wanda's eyes lit up: "Really? What can I do?"
"The core part of setting up the array requires very precise energy guidance and stabilization." Arthur said. "My magic is 'harder,' suitable for fighting and defense. Your Chaos Magic is'softer,' more suitable for this kind of delicate work. We'll be a perfect match."
Pietro raised his hand: "What about me?"
"You'll be the Sentinel." Arthur said. "When setting up the array, there will definitely be energy fluctuations. Although I will try my best to suppress them, if any curious guys are drawn in, you'll be responsible for clearing them out or leading them away."
"No problem!" Pietro got excited. "I guarantee not even a fly will be able to get in!"
No sooner said than done.
Arthur took Wanda up to the roof.
New York's night sky was quite bright, with heavy light pollution, but the view was expansive.
"The core node of the array will be set here, on our roof." Arthur pointed beneath his feet. "Using this as the center, we'll spread the magic energy out like a net, covering Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens... covering all the main urban areas."
"How do we do it?" Wanda asked.
"I'll start by creating the framework." Arthur raised his hands, and golden magic energy surged from his palms, like countless tiny light-serpents, shooting out in all directions into the night sky.
The light-serpents extended and intertwined in the air, slowly forming a huge and complex three-dimensional magic network framework that shrouded most of New York's sky. But this framework was ethereal, visible only with magic vision.
"The framework is done; now we need to fill it with stable energy to make the array 'come alive'." Arthur had a bit of sweat on his forehead. "If I do this part, it'll be too rough and prone to loopholes. Wife, try using your Chaos Magicto—like... like knitting a sweater—fill in the gaps between these light-serpents, letting the energy flow evenly."
Wanda took a deep breath and closed her eyes.
Dark red Chaos Magic energy rose from her, more docile and stable than ever before.
She stretched out her hand, her fingers gently flickering.
Those dark red energies floated out like silk threads, precisely wrapping around the nodes where the golden light-serpents intertwined, then spreading along the light-serpents, filling every gap.
The process was slow.
Wanda was fully focused, sweat also breaking out on her forehead.
Arthur watched from the side, not disturbing her.
A few minutes later, the dark red energy and the golden light-serpents completely fused together, forming a giant, slowly rotating, red-and-gold intertwined three-dimensional array, suspended above New York.
Ordinary people couldn't see it.
But everyone with magic perception could feel it at this moment—New York's "sky" had been covered by an invisible but solid energy dome.
"It's done." Arthur let out a sigh of relief and lowered his hands.
Wanda also opened her eyes, looking at the massive, slowly rotating array above her head, disbelief in her eyes: "This... I did this?"
"We both did it." Arthur put his arm around her shoulder. "Great teamwork; from now on, you're my exclusive array mage."
Wanda smiled and leaned against him.
Just then, the array suddenly vibrated slightly.
It wasn't being attacked, but like sonar, it had captured some kind of intense energy fluctuation coming from afar and produced a resonant feedback.
Arthur and Wanda looked toward the west at the same time—far beyond the scope of New York.
"That direction is..." Wanda was unsure.
"New Mexico." Arthur narrowed his eyes.
The array's vibration continued, and the feedback information was very clear: it wasn't magic energy, but an extremely massive, violent, and pure non-magic impact.
Like something had slammed down hard from the sky.
Chapter 33: Thunder in the Distance
"New Mexico." Arthur stared to the west, his brows furrowing.
Wanda was still leaning against him, also looking in that direction: "What is that? It feels... very violent, but it is not magic."
"It is not magic, it is something else." Arthur let go of her and took out that copper monitor.
The monitor's needle was no longer pointing at Manhattan; it was shaking wildly toward the west as if having a seizure, and the few runes on the dial were slightly hot.
"The feedback from the Warning Magic Array is very clear. The energy level is ridiculously high, but the nature is very 'pure,' unlike the messy stuff from dimensional rifts." Arthur handed the monitor to Wanda to see, "The commotion caused by this thing crashing down will probably be picked up by monitoring equipment across half of Earth."
Wanda took the monitor, and as soon as her fingertips touched it, a wisp of dark red Chaos Magic energy emerged on its own, brushing against the heat on the monitor's surface.
Her fingers recoiled.
"It... is reacting to me?" Wanda was a bit surprised.
Arthur glanced at her, quickly running through the Marvel script in his mind.
"Mjolnir." He let out a breath, "The eldest prince of Asgardwas banished to the mortal realm, and his mjolnir fell down with him. That thing is called mjolnir; it is an artifact that comes with the power of thunder."
Wanda blinked: "Asgard? The one from mythology?"
"Yes, but the mythology is real." Arthur jumped down from the edge of the roof and landed on his balcony, "Those Norse gods live in another dimension called Asgardand occasionally come to Earth to visit. This mjolnir that fell is the exclusive weapon of their heir to the throne—Thor."
Wanda jumped down after him, landing beside him: "Then... is this a big deal?"
"For Earth, yes." Arthur turned and walked into the house, "Mythology has become reality. An alien (or rather, extra-dimensional) prince has dropped his artifact right on our doorstep. There will definitely be a bunch of trouble afterward."
Wanda followed him into the house: "What are we going to do?"
Arthur walked to the living room and pulled a thick notebook from the bookshelf—not a magic grimoire, but the "Marvel Major Events Memorandum" he had compiled himself.
He flipped to a middle page, which had the words "Thor 1" written on it, with a few key points listed below.
"According to the original plot, after the mjolnir falls, S.H.I.E.L.D. will immediately seal off the site to investigate." Arthur pointed at the notebook, "Then the banished Thor will go to find the mjolnir, discover he cannot lift it, go through some hardships, eventually regain his worthiness, use the mjolnir to defeat the Destroyerarmor sent by his brother Loki, and return to Asgard to inherit the throne."
Wanda leaned in to look: "It sounds... like a fairy tale."
"It is one." Arthur closed the notebook, "But there is a problem now. The Warning Magic Array we just set up is reacting strongly to this energy shock. Also, I just sensed it; the energy fluctuations caused by the falling mjolnir have a very subtle resonance with the fragility of the dimensional boundaries that the Ancient One mentioned."
"Resonance?"
"It means that the impact of the mjolnir hitting the ground might cause the already fragile dimensional boundaries to crack a little more." Arthur walked to the window, looking at the night view of New York outside, "Although the mjolnir itself is not a magical object, the energy it contains is too strong, and the spatial ripples it causes might affect the stability of the magic side."
Wanda thought for a moment: "Then are we going to New Mexico? To deal with the mjolnir?"
"Not for now." Arthur shook his head, "Asgardian affairs are very troublesome and involve their internal power struggles. If we rashly intervene, it will be easy to get ourselves into trouble. The Ancient One once told me that the principle for dealing with Asgard is 'observe but do not interfere,' unless they make a move on Earth first."
He walked back to the center of the living room and raised his hands.
Dark gold and dark red intertwined magic energy surged from his palms. This time it was not to set up an array, but like a thin film of light, it spread outward along the windows and walls, slowly merging into the giant Warning Magic Array that had just been set up.
"I will add a layer of 'buffer' to the New York barrier first." Arthur said while operating, "To prevent the energy ripples caused by the mjolnir from traveling over and affecting the weak points of the dimension here."
Wanda watched him cast the spell and suddenly asked: "Then... can I help with anything? We can't just watch forever."
Arthur didn't stop his movements and turned his head to look at her: "You want to help?"
"I do." Wanda nodded, "I think I did pretty well with the array last time. Besides, you said I can't always hide behind you."
Arthur laughed: "Alright, your awareness has certainly increased. In that case, we won't go to the mjolnir in person, but we can 'remotely monitor' it. Use your Chaos Magic in coordination with the Warning Magic Array to try and sense and track the spread of those energy ripples. Just treat it as... practical sensory training."
"How specifically?"
"Very simple." Arthur finished reinforcing the barrier and lowered his hands, "Sit on the sofa, close your eyes, and use magic to 'touch' the Warning Magic Array. The array is now like a huge sensor net. The energy shock in New Mexico is like a stone thrown into water, and the ripples are expanding outward in circles. You go and sense the intensity, frequency, and whether these 'ripples' are interacting with magic energy."
Wanda immediately sat on the sofa and closed her eyes.
Dark red energy gently wrapped around her, then like tentacles, extended upward and touched the red-gold array floating above New York.
In an instant, a massive amount of information flooded in.
The center point of the energy shock (the New Mexicodesert), the scope of the spread, the gradient of decay...
Also, near the impact point, many artificial energy sources suddenly appeared—vehicles, equipment, and personnel wearing uniform gear were rapidly assembling.
"Someone has arrived." Wanda said with her eyes closed, "Many people, with equipment, have surrounded the place where the mjolnir fell and are setting up tents and fences."
"S.H.I.E.L.D." Arthur also sat down beside her, placing his hand on the coffee table.
A screen of light appeared on the surface of the coffee table, showing the scene Wanda was "seeing" through the array—in a desert, a crater, with a square-headed, short-handled mjolnir stuck at the bottom. Around it were busy Agents and a rapidly constructed temporary base.
"This speed of action, as expected of S.H.I.E.L.D." Arthurcommented, "Discovering an anomaly and immediately sealing the site; they are very familiar with this procedure."
Wanda continued to sense: "The energy ripples are still spreading, but they have been blocked outside New Yorkby your new barrier. However... I discovered something."
"Speak."
"My magic and that thunder energy seem to... resonate." Wanda's brows furrowed slightly, and the dark red energy at her fingertips flickered uncontrollably, emitting a faint crackling sound, like small electric sparks.
Arthur immediately looked over: "Control it, don't let the resonance deepen."
Wanda took a deep breath and focused.
That flickering dark red energy slowly calmed down and returned to a docile flow.
She opened her eyes, a little sweat on her forehead: "For a moment just now, I felt my magic really wanted to 'rush over' and clash with that thunder power. But I suppressed it."
"Well suppressed." Arthur patted her shoulder, "Chaos Magic is one of the primal forces of the Universe, and the power of Thor is also a kind of high-level energy. It is not strange for the two to resonate, but you cannot let them make contact right now; it is easy to lose control."
"Mm." Wanda nodded, then looked at the mjolnir in the light screen, "Then are we... just watching now?"
"Yes, watching." Arthur leaned back on the sofa, "Watching how S.H.I.E.L.D. studies the mjolnir, seeing when Thor comes to find it, and watching how things develop subsequently. This is Asgard's internal affair; we won't get involved."
He paused and added: "However, I must report this to the Ancient One."
Arthur closed his eyes and used the Kamar-Taj mystic arts to contact the Ancient One.
A few seconds later, the Ancient One's calm voice echoed directly in his mind: "Arthur."
"Master, a big guy fell down in New Mexico, Mjolnir." Arthur said in his heart, "The energy shock is very strong; my Warning Magic Array received it. And I discovered that this shock has a resonance with the fragility of the dimensional boundaries, which might aggravate the instability of the boundaries."
The Ancient One was silent for two seconds and replied: "Your judgment is correct. The spatial tremors caused by the fall of Mjolnir are indeed affecting the dimensional boundaries. Monitoring at Kamar-Taj has also shown abnormal fluctuations."
"Then should we do something?"
"Not for the moment." The Ancient One said, "Odin has banished his son to Earth; this is a trial. We should not directly intervene in Asgardian affairs. Continue to observe and ensure that the situation does not affect the innocent. If Loki or other forces attempt to use this event to disrupt the dimensional balance, then you shall act."
"Understood." Arthur said, "Then I will continue to squat in New York and watch the show remotely."
"Very well." There seemed to be a hint of a smile in the Ancient One's voice, "Additionally, I sensed Wanda's resonance with the power of thunder just now. She controlled it very well, which is beneficial for her understanding of the 'boundaries' and 'traits' of her own magic. You may let her continue similar sensory training at a safe distance."
"Alright, thank you, Master."
The communication ended.
Arthur opened his eyes and found Wanda looking at him.
"What did the Ancient One say?"
"Much as I thought, she wants us to watch the show and not get involved." Arthur stretched, "But the Ancient One praised you, saying you controlled it well just now, and that you can do more of this kind of sensory training at a safe distance, which is good for understanding yourself."
Wanda's eyes brightened: "Really?"
"Of course, my wife is amazing." Arthur grinned.
He glanced at the light screen; S.H.I.E.L.D.'s temporary base was already set up nicely, with a large amount of equipment and personnel moved in, surrounding the mjolnir tightly.
"Alright, the monitoring is on, let's do what we need to do." Arthur waved his hand to disperse the light screen, "The mjolnir won't be going anywhere for a while, and it will take some time for Thor to find it. Let's eat first, then you continue practicing your magic, and I will ponder how to optimize the sensitivity of this Warning Magic Array."
Wanda stood up from the sofa and looked in the direction of the west.
In the distance, that violent thunder power was still as conspicuous as a lighthouse in the dark night.
But she felt much steadier inside.
Because her husband was by her side, and because she had controlled her power this time.
Moreover, she vaguely felt that her understanding of the dark red magic inside her body seemed to have deepened a little.
"What do you want to eat for dinner?" Arthur was already walking toward the kitchen, "I don't know where that brat Pietro has run off to play, so we will have to handle it ourselves."
"Anything is fine." Wanda followed him and casually turned off the living room lights.
The night in New York was still bustling, brightly lit.
But only a very few people knew that tonight, a myth had fallen in the distance.
And on some people's monitoring lists, there was another "key target" that needed long-term observation.
Chapter 34 Dimensional Ripples
This base looks like it's been taking growth hormones."
Arthur stared at the image on the light screen on the coffee table and smacked his lips.
Wanda sat beside him, also watching. The light screen displayed the crater in New Mexico. A few days had passed, and the temporary base of S.H.I.E.L.D. no longer looked "temporary." The fence had expanded several times over, several prefabricated buildings had been added, various large pieces of equipment were moving in and out, and the number of uniformed Agents had clearly increased.
"Are they planning to settle down here?" Wanda asked.
"Looks like it." Arthur swiped his finger across the light screen, zooming in. He could see more detection instruments set up around mjolnir at the bottom of the crater. "They can't move mjolnir, and they can't stop the research, so they have no choice but to expand on-site. S.H.I.E.L.D.'s execution is truly top-notch."
Wanda's attention, however, was not on the base. She closed her eyes, and a wisp of dark red energy at her fingertips twisted gently like a small snake, connecting to the Warning Magic Array floating above New York.
"Honey," she suddenly said.
"Hmm?"
"Something's not right… here in New York." Wanda opened her eyes, her brows slightly furrowed. "The feedback from the Warning Magic Array shows a point in Queens where the energy fluctuation is at least 30 percent stronger than yesterday. And… it's very unstable, like the feeling of water boiling and about to bubble over."
Arthur immediately sat up straight. "Exact location?"
Wanda gave him the coordinates.
Arthur tapped his finger in the void, and another small light screen popped up, displaying the magic energy distribution map of Queens, New York. One of the points was flashing with a striking red light, and the energy reading curve was jumping wildly like an abnormal ECG.
"A dimensional weak point." Arthur's expression darkened. "The energy ripples from when mjolnir crashed down have traveled here. Although most were blocked by the barrier, this bit of residual resonance happened to hit the most fragile spot, 'adding fuel to the fire.'"
"Will something go wrong?"
"Something has already gone wrong." Arthur stood up. "The readings show low-level energy reactions seeping out from that point. Although it's very weak, if we leave it alone, the rift will definitely expand. By then, it won't just be small fry crawling out."
He glanced at Wanda. "I have to go over, plug the hole, and see what's going on."
"I'm going too," Wanda said almost simultaneously.
Arthur turned back to look at her.
Wanda's eyes were very serious. "I did okay setting up the array last time. This time, I want to try… real combat. Just on the perimeter, not close to the dangerous areas. You've taught me barrier magic, and I can try to isolate that area to prevent energy leaks or anything from escaping."
Arthur didn't agree immediately.
Wanda continued, "You can't just keep me like a canary in a cage forever. There are some things I have to face myself to truly grow. Besides, if you handle things inside and I provide support from the outside, isn't that safer?"
Arthur looked at her for a few seconds, then suddenly smiled. "Alright, my wife even knows how to use professional terms like 'provide support' now. It seems those magic tomes weren't read in vain."
"So you agree?"
"I agree, but with conditions." Arthur held up three fingers. "First, you stay only on the perimeter, at least two hundred meters from the rift. Second, your task is to construct an isolation barrier; don't worry about anything else. If there's any anomaly, withdraw immediately; don't try to be a hero. Third, follow my commands. When I tell you to stop, you stop."
"No problem!" Wanda's eyes lit up.
"Pietro!" Arthur shouted upstairs.
With a whoosh, Pietro appeared in the living room, still chewing on half a piece of bread. "What's up?"
"We're going out to take care of something, you watch the house," Arthur said. "Keep watching New Mexico, and record any new developments. Also, keep the communication lines open."
"Me watching the house again?" Pietro muttered, but seeing the expressions on Arthur and Wanda's faces, he still nodded. "Fine, fine. You two be careful."
Arthur took Wanda's hand, and with his other hand, he drew a circle in the air.
Golden sparks burst forth. On the other side of the Portalwas a quiet street in Queens. It was evening, and there was no one around.
The two of them stepped through.
The Portal closed.
The location was still some distance from the target point. Arthur didn't teleport directly next to the rift for fear of alerting the enemy.
"Right here." Arthur pointed to the roof of an old apartment building. "You go up and set up the barrier here. The range doesn't need to be too large; just cover the block in front and the vacant lot behind. The priority is to prevent energy leaks and anything from escaping."
"Understood." Wanda nodded. Dark red magic began to flow around her, steadier and more solid than ever before.
Arthur glanced at her, turned around, and disappeared around the street corner in a few leaps.
Wanda took a deep breath and leapt onto the apartment roof. She held her hands out flat, and dark red magicsurged out, not in an offensive form, but like a huge, flexible net, slowly spreading over the area Arthur had indicated.
Soon, a translucent dark red energy membrane formed, like an inverted bowl, covering that area. Shimmering light moved across the surface of the energy membrane, isolating most of the restless dimensional energy fluctuations inside.
"Done." Wanda let out a sigh of relief, maintaining the barrier while focusing her attention on sensing what was inside.
By this time, Arthur had already arrived at the core of the energy fluctuations—a vacant lot at a small, abandoned freight station.
Above the vacant lot, the air was twisting even more violently, like looking at something through a layer of shimmering oil. On the ground, several pools of viscous, faintly glowing purple liquid were wriggling, and nearby were a few… charred skeletons that could barely be identified as small canine creatures.
"A few have already slipped in, only to be taken out by the world's 'rejection reaction.'" Arthur swept his gaze over the area and locked his eyes on the center of the lot.
There, a dark purple rift about a meter long and less than ten centimeters wide was slightly opening and closing, like an ugly wound. Each time it opened and closed, thin energy mist smelling of sulfur seeped out.
At the edge of the rift, one could still see faint, golden remnants of energy, like some kind of mark.
Arthur walked closer and reached out to press his hand in the air above the rift.
His magic perception scanned it carefully.
"Something's wrong." He muttered, "The expansion speed of this rift is faster than what normal energy ripples would catalyze. Something is 'helping' it."
He caught those wisps of golden energy remnants, carefully stripped and collected a small cluster using magic, and sealed it in a small crystal vial.
Just as he was collecting the sample, the rift suddenly widened!
Three low-level dimensional creatures that looked like skinned monkeys, but with sharp claws emitting black smoke, darted out and hissed as they pounced toward Arthur.
"In a rush to reincarnate?" Arthur didn't even turn his head, swatting his hand backward.
An invisible magic impact slammed over like a wall.
The three creatures exploded into three clouds of black mist in mid-air and dissipated.
Only then did Arthur turn around. He formed seals with both hands, and brilliant golden magic runes flew from his palms, pouncing toward the rift as if alive, covering, wrapping, and tightening layer by layer.
The rift struggled violently, but it couldn't resist the sealing power of Supreme Magic. It was forcibly stitched shut, leaving only a faint scar that soon disappeared into the air as well.
The restless energy in the vacant lot calmed down.
Arthur picked up the small vial containing the golden energy sample and sensed it carefully.
"This feeling… heavy, ancient, with a hint of… metal and thunder?" He narrowed his eyes. "Asgard? mjolnir's energy residue can actually drift this far and even get mixed up with dimensional disturbances?"
He remembered the "resonance" the Ancient One had mentioned.
It seemed it wasn't just simple spatial ripples. Asgard's divine power seemed to have some special "catalytic" or "interfering" effect on Earth's dimensional structure.
He had to report this to his master.
He turned and gave a "done" gesture in Wanda's direction.
On the roof, Wanda saw the gesture, let out a sigh of relief, and began to slowly retract the isolation barrier. Throughout the process, the barrier remained stable, not letting a single shred of anomalous energy leak into the residential area.
Arthur teleported back to her side.
"How was it?" Wanda asked. There was a little fine sweat on her forehead, but her eyes were very bright.
"Done. A few small monsters slipped in, and I cleared them out while I was at it." Arthur shook the crystal vial in his hand. "But I discovered something new. Let's go, we'll talk when we get home."
The two of them teleported home.
Pietro was staring at the light screen. Seeing them return, he looked up. "You two were fast. Nothing much has changed over there, except it looks like the S.H.I.E.L.D.people have moved a few more truckloads of equipment in."
"Got it." Arthur sat on the sofa and took out the crystal vial and the communicator.
He contacted the Ancient One first.
A few seconds later, the Ancient One's voice resounded in his mind: "Arthur."
"Master, I have a new discovery." Arthur quickly recounted the situation with the rift in Queens and the discovery of the Asgard energy residue. "…I feel that this isn't just a coincidence. mjolnir's energy seems particularly prone to 'prying open' the dimensional points that are already fragile on our side."
The Ancient One was silent for a moment before replying: "Your perception is very keen. Asgard's power system originates from the world Tree and has an ancient connection with Earth's dimensional foundation. This connection is usually stable, but when the boundaries are fragile, it can indeed become a 'catalyst' that exacerbates instability."
"Then what do we do? Every time someone from Asgardcomes or drops something, do we have to follow behind and patch up the holes?"
"Monitor it closely," the Ancient One instructed. "This incident is an important observation sample. Record all data on the interaction between Asgardian energy and Earth's dimensions. This is crucial for our understanding of cross-dimensional influence and for dealing with similar events in the future. As for the repairs, that is your duty as the Guardian of New York."
"Got it, I'm just a professional pot-mender." Arthurchuckled. "Alright, I'll record the data and report to you if there's any situation."
The communication ended.
Arthur put down the communicator and found Wandawatching him.
"What did Master say?"
"She said we've discovered a new research topic, and we need to pay more attention to the relationship between Asgard and the dimensional wall of our home from now on." Arthur put away the crystal vial. "However, you did well today. The barrier was very stable; you didn't drop the ball."
Wanda smiled, a hint of smugness in her smile. "I told you I could help."
"Yes, yes, my wife is the best." Arthur ruffled her hair. "But real combat isn't something where one success means everything; you have to practice more. If there are any more 'high safety factor' jobs like this in the future, I'll call you."
"Okay!"
Pietro chimed in from the side: "What about me? What can I do besides watch the house?"
Arthur glanced at him. "You? Continue being your high-speed human surveillance camera. When the day comes that someone needs to go to New Mexico for 'close-range observation,' you'll be the first one I send."
"Really?" Pietro perked up.
"Fake." Arthur picked up his water glass and took a sip. "The water over there is too deep for you to handle. Stay put."
Pietro: "…"
Wanda watched her husband and brother bickering, then felt the Chaos Magic flowing steadily within her.
Today, she was finally no longer just waiting and worrying at home.
This feeling was pretty good.
Arthur leaned back on the sofa, his gaze sweeping over the light screen showing the New Mexico base, and then looked at the crystal vial containing the golden energy sample.
Mjolnir, Asgard, dimensional rifts… the threads behind these seemingly independent events seemed to be slowly tangling together.
He had to sort these loose ends out.
After all, his mission was to protect this home, and the world where this home was located.
Any potential threat, even if it was just a distant "resonance," had to be watched closely in advance.
Chapter 35: Thor Descends
Arthur placed the crystal vial containing the residual golden energy on the coffee table and tapped the side of the bottle with his finger.
"Wife, do you see anything?"
Wanda leaned in, staring at the golden energy slowly swimming inside the bottle, a hint of dark red flickering at her fingertips.
"It's very... heavy." She frowned. "It doesn't feel like a simple Shockwave, more like... a mark, or perhaps an authorization? It seems to be repelling the spatial structure around it."
"Bingo!" Arthur snapped his fingers. "My wife's perception is on point now. This thing is a'specialty' of Asgard, a type of high-level energy that isn't quite compatible with the underlying code of Earth's dimension. When it fell, it didn't just create a crater; it was more like shoving a brick that didn't belong to this building right next to our foundation."
Wanda looked up: "So the sudden expansion of the rift in Queens was caused by the resonance of this 'brick'?"
"Exactly." Arthur leaned back. "The energy ripple from the mjolnir crashing down was a physical Shockwave; this, on the other hand, is a magic-side—no, a divine-art-side—problem. When it touches our fragile dimensional boundary, it reacts violently, like acid hitting a base."
No sooner had he finished speaking than Pietro swept into the living room like a gust of wind, holding a tablet in his hand.
"Big news! New Mexico! A fight broke out over where that mjolnir is!"
Arthur and Wanda looked at him simultaneously.
"What's the situation? Did S.H.I.E.L.D. start fighting with the mjolnir?" Arthur asked.
"Not with the mjolnir, with a blond muscle man!" Pietroplaced the tablet on the coffee table. The screen showed a shaky, stolen video, likely filmed with a telephoto lens from a distant hillside.
In the video, a muscular man in civilian clothes with long blond hair was rushing toward the crater surrounded by S.H.I.E.L.D. Agents. He was shouting something, and when a few Agents stepped forward to block him, he brushed them aside with ease, his movements too crisp to be those of an ordinary person.
But when he jumped into the crater, grabbed the handle of the mjolnir with both hands, and pulled with all his might—
The mjolnir didn't budge.
The expression on the blond muscle man's face shifted from confidence to bewilderment, then to unwillingness and despair. The sky timed a clap of thunder perfectly, and it started to rain—a truly fitting accompaniment.
Immediately after, more Agents swarmed in, took him down with non-lethal weapons like stun guns, and dragged him away.
The video ended.
"This guy... is the Thor?" Pietro blinked. "He looks tough, but he can't even lift his own mjolnir? That's just too pathetic."
"He isn't Thor right now." Arthur stared at the frozen frame. "Odin sealed his divine power, and the mjolnir has a 'password' added to it. He's just an ordinary person with a bit more strength right now, basically a 'mortal experience card'."
Wanda's focus was different: "Should we go over and take a look? It seems like he's been captured by S.H.I.E.L.D."
"No need to go personally." Arthur waved his hand. "We can 'watch the live stream' from home. Wife, I have a new task for you."
"Hmm?"
"Use your Chaos Magic, combined with the Warning Magic Array, to create a 'high-definition, uncensored remote observation window'." Arthur gestured. "When I use my magic for this, the image tends to glitch with static, it's unstable. Your Chaos Magic energy has a'softer' nature, making it better suited for this kind of precise energy weaving and signal stabilization. Want to try?"
Wanda's eyes lit up: "How do I do it?"
"Simple." Arthur pointed at the ceiling. "The Warning Magic Array is currently an energy sensing network covering nearly half of the United States. The energy fluctuation in New Mexico is strongest, like a giant lightbulb. Use your magic as a 'fiber optic cable' to connect a 'line' from the array, 'pull' the images and energy information from around the 'lightbulb', and project it into our living room."
"I'll try." Wanda took a deep breath and closed her eyes.
Dark red Chaos Magic energy radiated softly from her body, devoid of its usual restlessness, appearing gentle and condensed. The energy extended upward, touching the suspended Warning Magic Array, and then, as if it had a life of its own, probed a thin but stable dark red "thread" toward the southwest—the location of New Mexico.
The thread crossed the vast distance and precisely "latched" onto the restless energy field above the crater.
Wanda held her hands out in front of her chest and slowly pulled them apart.
An oval light screen with dark red edges and gold trim unfolded steadily in the air before her. The image in the screen was ten times clearer than the stolen video Pietrohad found, and it provided a 360-degree, god's-eye view with no blind spots.
In the image, the temporary S.H.I.E.L.D. base was brightly lit. The blond muscle man—Thor—was locked in a special transparent detention cell, soaked to the bone, with a dejected expression, looking like a completely different person from the muscle man who had charged in the video earlier.
A few Agents in suits, who looked like leaders, were observing him from outside, discussing something.
"Whoa, this resolution, it's 4K Blu-ray quality." Pietroleaned in. "Sis, your skills are impressive. We won't need to buy memberships for movies at home anymore."
Wanda ignored him, fully focused on maintaining the observation window. She discovered that by using Chaos Magic to perceive that area, besides the image, she could also feel many subtle energy flows.
Especially the mjolnir at the bottom of the pit.
It sat there quietly, but in Wanda's magic perception, it was like a sleeping sun, containing an unimaginably vast power within. That power carried an ancient majesty, as well as... a clear seal of shackles.
Her Chaos Magic seemed curious about that power, unconsciously wanting to get closer and touch it.
At the edge of the observation window's light screen, the dark red energy fluctuated slightly, emitting a faint crackling sound.
"Steady." Arthur's voice rang out nearby. "Perception is fine, but don't actually touch it. That is the Odinforce; its level is too high, and your current level of control isn't enough to play with it."
Wanda immediately regained her focus, smoothing out that trace of restless magic. In the very moment she regained control, she suddenly gained a clearer understanding of the "boundaries" and "temperament" of her own Chaos Magic.
It was like crossing a river while blindfolded; now, she could clearly see the positions of the stones under her feet.
"I think... I know how to control it better now." Wanda said, somewhat surprised.
"Normal." Arthur looked at Thor, who was locked up in the light screen. "Only after seeing a higher mountain do you realize how steep the slope you're climbing is. Understanding the forms of high-level energy is beneficial for mastering your own power. This is called... well, broadening your horizons."
At this moment, Thor in the light screen seemed to sense something and looked up abruptly, staring into the void—exactly in the direction of the observation window. A hint of confusion appeared on his face, but it quickly turned back to frustration, and he lowered his head.
"Did he sense it?" Wanda asked.
"A vague sensation, perhaps. He doesn't have his divine power right now, so his perception is limited." Arthurstroked his chin. "But the foundation of an Asgardian is still there. Alright, that's enough for now. Wife, you can close the window; you'll get tired if you keep it up for too long."
Wanda nodded and brought her hands together. The dark red observation window flickered and quietly dissipated.
She let out a breath, a few beads of sweat on her forehead, but her eyes were bright. "Success. And... it really feels different now."
"That's my wife for you, worth two of anyone else." Arthur smiled and handed her a glass of water, then his expression turned serious. "However, did you see the stability of the energy field around the mjolnir earlier? The fluctuations are more regular than they were a few days ago, but the intensity hasn't decreased. This isn't right. The mjolnir landing alone shouldn't cause such continuous, regular ripples."
He took out his magic communicator: "I need to ask the Ancient One."
The communication connected, and the Ancient One's voice rang out directly: "Arthur."
"Master, new situation. Thor has arrived at the mjolnir, couldn't lift it, and has been captured by S.H.I.E.L.D.Wanda and I watched the whole thing remotely." Arthurreported quickly. "But I noticed that the energy fluctuation pattern around the mjolnir has changed; it's more like a continuous... seal fluctuation?"
The Ancient One was silent for two seconds, then replied: "Your observation is very accurate. The banishment seal Odin placed on Thor is not static. As Thor moves on Earth, especially when he approaches the mjolnir, it generates regular fluctuations. This fluctuation is penetrating the dimensional boundary, creating a superposition effect with the weak points you discovered earlier."
"So the rift widening here in New York isn't just from the mjolnir crashing down, but mainly because his dad's seal is 'flexing its presence'?"
"That is one way to understand it." The Ancient Oneaffirmed. "Odin's sealing power is of an extremely high level, and its Shockwave on Earth's dimensional structure is more profound than a simple physical Shockwave. Continue monitoring, but keep observing. This is Asgard's internal affair, and also Odin's trial for his heir."
"Understood, we'll just be responsible for recording data and tightening the screws that got loosened by the shaking." Arthur understood. "Then I'll go ahead and thicken the barrier around New York by two more layers to withstand this wave of continuous 'aftershocks'."
"Very well. Additionally, I noticed Wanda's perception and control of the Odinforce earlier. She did very well." The Ancient One's voice carried a hint of approval. "This kind of safe, remote contact is beneficial for her."
The communication ended.
Arthur put down the communicator and raised his hands.
Brilliant golden magic runes surged from his palms, flew out the window, and merged into the giant Warning Magic Array enveloping New York. The light of the array brightened slightly, its structure seeming to become denser and heavier, more effectively isolating the regular dimensional ripples coming from afar.
"Done." Arthur clapped his hands. "Now, as long as that mjolnir doesn't explode, or Odin doesn't come down personally, New York should be stable."
"Then what do we do next?" Wanda asked. "Just watch S.H.I.E.L.D. keep that Thor locked up?"
"Yes, watch." Arthur sat down on the sofa and crossed his legs. "The story has only just begun. Thor still has to experience some 'hard knocks from society', meet a few Earth friends, and complete his spiritual growth before he can pick up the mjolnir again. If we intervene now, it's equivalent to ruining the 'reformation program' his dad arranged for him, which wouldn't be appropriate."
Pietro interjected: "What if an accident happens? Like that guy getting dissected and studied by S.H.I.E.L.D.?"
"S.H.I.E.L.D. isn't stupid. They must be confused right now, busy testing that mjolnir and this super-strong man, but they won't dare to do anything reckless." Arthur was very certain. "Besides, when it really comes to a life-or-death moment, there will naturally be someone who intervenes. As for us..."
He glanced at Wanda: "Raise the monitoring level to the maximum. Focus on recording all data on the interaction between Asgardian energy and Earth's dimensions. This stuff might be 'reference material' in the future."
Wanda nodded, feeling the Chaos Magic within her becoming more handy.
She hadn't gone out today, but it felt like she had gained more than if she had gone out and fought a battle.
Arthur looked at the crystal vial on the coffee table, then looked toward the west.
Thor descending, seal fluctuations, dimensional instability... these threads were becoming clearer and clearer.
He had to ensure these troubles didn't burn his own backyard.
As for that Asgardian Crown Prince currently experiencing mortal life?
Wish him a pleasant life on Earth.