Beside the World Tree's root system, Lucci still sat quietly, as if his body had merged with the surroundings.
In his perception, the formless long river called "time" was becoming clearer and clearer.
It was no longer an abstract concept, but like a higher-dimensional flow of information carrying every thing's "past" and "future," streaming beside him.
He could "see" the positions of dust motes in a moment of the past.
He could "see" how a leaf above his head would fall at a moment in the future—even the slight deflection caused by wind not yet formed along its path.
It was a profoundly mysterious sensation, like a two-dimensional figure in a painting becoming a three-dimensional observer who could not only see the whole painting, but even glimpse the pages before and after it.
[Your comprehension defies the heavens; you have sensed the flow of time…]
[You are attempting to touch fragments of "past" information…]
[You are capturing branches of possible "future" outcomes…]
[You have gained insight into the operational mechanism of time as a fundamental law of the universe…]
Boom!
In Lucci's mind, a new door to a supreme realm appeared—and swung open with a thunderous sound.
[Congratulations! Through comprehension, you have successfully grasped Law of Time (Beginner)!]
Though it was only an introduction, in that instant Lucci felt his very level of existence undergo a subtle leap.
He still sat here, but his perception was no longer limited to the isolated time-point called "now."
He could look back at the growth trajectory of the tree beside him—like flipping through pages of a book.
He could also forecast, like reading a weather report, the most probable "future" within the next minutes or hours.
"Interesting."
The corner of Lucci's mouth curved slightly. With a thought, he activated the time power he had just comprehended.
In his "eyes," images of the future flashed frame by frame like film clips.
He saw Asgard's loyal guardian saint, Heimdall, appear at his palace with confusion and a trace of expectation.
He even "saw" the unmelting melancholy on Heimdall's face and the question he kept turning over in his heart about the meaning of "watching."
"Perfect timing."
To test his control of time's power, Lucci did nothing. He only calmly turned his head to the palace entrance and waited.
The palace maids assigned to attend Lucci were deeply puzzled.
"Your Highness… what are you looking at? There's no one at the door," a young maid whispered.
"I don't know. Maybe he senses something," an older maid replied politely, eyes full of confusion. "The Fourth Prince's actions are beyond guessing."
None of them had ever seen Prince Lucci show a posture of "waiting." He was always calm, as if nothing in the world concerned him.
Time passed minute by minute.
Just as the maids began to think this was another one of his trance-like states—
Steady, powerful footsteps truly sounded from the courtyard entrance.
A palace guard led a tall figure in heavy golden armor forward.
It was Heimdall.
The maids' eyes widened in shock.
His Highness… was really waiting for someone!
Does His Highness have prophetic power?
Their hearts pounded, and the awe in their eyes as they looked at Lucci only deepened.
Heimdall stepped into the courtyard and saw the youth looking at him with calm composure.
Their eyes met.
Heimdall was startled.
With eyes that could see through the Nine Realms, he saw no surprise in Lucci's gaze at all.
Those eyes were calm and deep, like an eternal starry sky—almost as if…
Lucci already knew he would come, and had been waiting here for a long time.
The absurd thought flashed through Heimdall's mind, but he quickly rejected it.
Impossible.
He came only after hearing Thor's words.
In all of Asgard, he alone knew of this decision.
Prince Lucci couldn't have known in advance.
"Prince Lucci," the guard said respectfully, "Lord Heimdall requests an audience."
"You all may leave," Lucci said, waving to the guard and maids.
Everyone withdrew. When only the two of them remained in the courtyard, before Heimdall could speak, Lucci's unhurried voice was already heard.
"You want to ask about the meaning of watching over?"
Boom—
Heimdall froze as if struck by lightning.
His iceberg-like expression shattered, revealing shock and fear beyond compare.
His mind went blank.
The very words he had repeated in his heart again and again were crushed by that single sentence.
"Prince Lucci, Y-you… how do you know?" he blurted, his voice trembling—his honorific even changing unconsciously.
Lucci smiled indifferently, raising his gaze to the World Tree roots intertwined overhead. Then he spoke a sentence Heimdall couldn't understand—yet could feel contained ultimate truth.
"Time told me."
Time… told him.
Heimdall understood only half, and had no energy to dig into the meaning at this moment.
A chill ran from his spine to the top of his head.
The boy before him became more mysterious and unfathomable than the cosmic abyss within Heimdall's own heart.
One thing was certain: this enigmatic Fourth Prince possessed unimaginable power—power beyond measure.
Perhaps…
He truly could resolve Heimdall's doubts.
With that thought, the last trace of hesitation in Heimdall's heart vanished.
He cast aside pride and restraint, bowed deeply to Lucci, and asked humbly in the most sincere tone.
"Your Highness, you are correct."
"My eyes see everything that happens in the Nine Realms, yet what I see is always only an irreversible outcome."
"I don't understand. Day after day, year after year, I stand here and watch countless tragedies unfold."
"What… is the meaning of watching?"
PS: Bonus chapter at 100 Power Stones