At that moment, Eitri's heart transformed into an unprecedented tsunami of fanaticism and piety. He realized that he and the entire Dwarven race of Nidavellir stood before the greatest opportunity to change the fate of their people! To pursue such a being! Even a speck of dust beneath his feet would be the highest glory!
While the other dwarves were still groggy and stunned, Eitri sharply stepped forward.
Bang!
He knelt again, facing Lucci!
His voice carried the utmost sacrifice and loyalty, as if entrusting everything—himself and the future of his race.
"What a miracle!" Eitri's voice was hoarse, trembling with heat. "Forgive Eitri's foolishness! Only at this moment do I truly understand your greatness!"
"You are not just the god of forging! You are the God of Creation! You are the supreme existence walking this world!"
"I, Eitri, King of the Dwarves of Nidavellir, swear upon the Ring of Nidavellir and the names of my ancestors!"
"All of us—all the dwarves behind me—are ready to follow your footsteps for our entire lives!"
"We'll hold the hammer! Guard the forge! Sweep every speck of dust from your path!"
"Please, let us be your most loyal servants! Let us bask in your glory!"
"Please allow us to follow! Please!"
His words rang like thunder, awakening the dwarves from their daze. They gazed at their king, and in his unwavering stance, instantly understood his resolve.
Yes! Before such a great existence, what else could they do but follow and devote themselves?
To become the servant of the God of Creation itself was the highest gift!
"I will follow my God! Eternal life!"
"Please, accept this by the name of the gods!!"
Thousands of dwarves knelt in unison like a tidal wave, bowing their heads toward Lucci, vowing their loyalty in a wave of devotion.
At this moment, the proud and mighty Nidavellir race, standing tall in the universe, voluntarily and completely offered up their legendary forging skills.
Lucci stood quietly, holding the newborn "Path of Flame" sword, gazing at the kneeling dwarves. Thousands of thoughts surged through his mind.
His future path was to conquer the heavens and explore the mysteries of the universe. On this path, he needed followers who could handle all "mundane" matters on his behalf. And the Nidavellir dwarves—the greatest craftsmen team in this world—were undoubtedly the most suitable candidates.
They could build fleets for him, arm his followers...
This loyalty was exactly what he needed.
With that thought, Lucci no longer hesitated. He raised his hand and, with a gentle yet dignified force, helped Eitri up.
"I accept your loyalty."
With that, the covenant was sealed.
From that day forward, the universe's first race of craftsmen belonged to Lucci.
…
Asgard, Royal Palace of Valaskjalf.
As the cosmic resonance born from Nidavellir gradually faded, Odin withdrew his gaze. A trace of shock and emotion still lingered in his single eye.
Through Heimdall's all-seeing gaze, he not only witnessed the entire birth process of "Path of Flame" with his own eyes, but also saw the terrifying scene of Lucci erasing the fragment of the Uru at the causal level with a casual sword stroke.
"Unknowingly, this child... has grown so much?"
Odin murmured, his tone a mix of pride as a father and complex feelings as an old king before a rising star. Such power, such a realm—even the All-Father of the Gods himself felt his own brilliance diminished... He was shocked.
With these emotions, Odin walked to the backyard and found Queen Frigga trimming the golden apple tree.
"Odin? You look pleased, but... are you a bit restless too?"
Frigga put down her shears, gazing kindly at her husband.
"Frigga, you can't imagine what Lucci has done in Nidavellir!" Like a child showing off a treasure, Odin took Frigga's hand and vividly recounted the sequence of miracles: the reactivation of the neutron star furnace, the dwarves' submission, the forging of the artifact king, and finally, the miraculous birth of the "Path of Flame" sword.
Frigga covered her mouth in astonishment. "My goodness... severing karma? Erasing existence? Odin, are you serious? Even the legendary ancient gods couldn't do more, could they?"
She looked at Odin, then blinked teasingly, "Odin, tell me honestly… does Lucci's current power surpass yours?"
Odin wasn't angry at her teasing, only smiled wryly and sighed, looking into the void with a hint of relief. "Honestly, I feel the same. My divine power is still vast, but in terms of understanding and applying the laws, Lucci may already be ahead of me."
Speaking of this, Odin's expression turned grave. He looked at Frigga solemnly, "Perhaps the time has come to consider... passing on Asgard."
Frigga was stunned. She placed her handkerchief aside, gazing at Odin seriously. "Handing Asgard to Lucci? Are you sure, Odin? This is no small matter. And... what about Thor? He's the eldest son."
Odin shook his head, a trace of helplessness in his eyes. "Thor... He's a good soldier—brave, fearless, loving. But he's too reckless and emotional. He still needs tempering. Now, with chaos in the Nine Realms, we need a stronger, wiser, and more capable crown prince to hold everything together."
"And Lucci fits this perfectly."
Odin held Frigga's hand, his eyes gentle. "Actually, I've had this thought for a long time, but I always felt Lucci was too young. Now, he seems fully ready."
"When Lucci succeeds Asgard and I lay down this heavy crown... I'll be with you, Frigga."
Hearing this, Frigga's heart melted instantly. She leaned gently on Odin's arm, her eyes sparkling with happiness.
"All right, listen to me: our Lucci will definitely become the strongest king in Asgardian history."
The two of them discussed the details of the upcoming coronation in soft voices, wrapped in a warm, beautiful atmosphere.
But they didn't notice, in the shadows at the garden entrance, a slender figure was trembling violently.
It was Loki.
A few moments earlier, Loki had arrived carrying unprecedented excitement and anxiety. Ever since Lucci had summoned him and challenged him to become the king of ice and shadows, Loki had experienced a long inner struggle.
In the end, he decided to try!
But just as he arrived to tell his mother Frigga, he overheard Odin's words.
"...Thor is reckless, but a strong warrior..."
"...Loki only plays with little tricks behind the scenes and cannot bear great responsibility..."
"...Asgard will be handed to Lucci..."
Loki's face, flushed with excitement, turned pale in an instant. The next moment, his features twisted with anger and jealousy.
So all along... In Father's heart, was I always the unbearable one? Just a clown who plays at being clever? Even that big oaf Thor, who only knows how to swing a hammer, is better in his eyes than me?
And Lucci... the noble man who now intends to take the throne that should be mine!
Jealousy, anger, self-doubt, low self-esteem... Every negative emotion gnawed at Loki's heart like poisonous snakes, completely killing the newborn hope that had sprung up in his mind.
"Hehe... clever? Tricks?"
Loki stared at Odin and Frigga in the shadows, tears of desperation and madness in his eyes.
"I see... very well!"
"If you look down on my tricks, if you think I'm unworthy—then I'll show you just how powerful real tricks can be!"
Loki gritted his teeth and turned away.
"You want to hand Asgard to Lucci? Hold a grand ceremony before all Nine Realms?"
"Then, I'll make sure this ceremony holds a surprise!"
…
The journey to Nidavellir ended safely.
Lucci led King Eitri and a dozen top Dwarven smiths onto the Bifrost, returning to Asgard. These Dwarven masters became the first "technical immigrants" to settle in the royal workshops of Asgard, tasked with equipping and maintaining Lucci's future army.
Lucci himself also absorbed the newborn artifact "Path of Flame" into his sea of consciousness to nurture it.
As the colorful rainbow light faded and Lucci's party appeared in Asgard, he was stunned by the scene before him.
The entire Asgard seemed to be celebrating. From the Bifrost to the golden palace, golden ribbons and flowers were everywhere. Joyous festival music filled the air, mingling with the fragrance of fine wine and barbecue.
Every citizen and warrior he saw was full of heartfelt joy, saluting him with respect.
"What's going on?" Lucci was a bit confused. Was there a big festival in Asgard lately?
Just then, a particularly loud laugh rang out.
"Ha! Lucci! My good brother! You're finally back!"
With heavy footsteps, Thor rushed over like a whirlwind, hugging Lucci and slapping his back excitedly.
Thump, thump.
Lucci helplessly pushed away this overly enthusiastic older brother. "What's with all the excitement?"
Thor's smile was as bright as a blooming chrysanthemum. "Don't you know yet? Father already gave the order! In three days, there will be a grand coronation in the Royal Palace of Valaskjalf, officially making you the Crown Prince of Asgard! The future God King!"
"What?" Lucci was a bit surprised. This news was indeed unexpected.
"What? So happy you're speechless?" Thor draped an arm over Lucci's shoulder and winked. "This is a great thing!"
Seeing Thor even happier than himself, Lucci couldn't help but ask, "Making me the crown prince? Why are you so happy?"
Normally, Thor would be the one expected to inherit the throne, right?
"No way!" Thor waved his hand with a look of disgust. "I used to want to be king, thought it sounded impressive. But when I really thought about it—what's so great about being king? Sitting on that cold chair all day, listening to ministers nag, dealing with endless trivialities, and having no free time at all!"
"Hey, I'm most afraid of trouble! I just want to wield my weapon, go on adventures in all the realms, defeat evil, and be a free warrior!"
Thor looked sincerely at Lucci. "Besides, Father said you're smarter and stronger, and more suited for the job than I am. I think he's right! So, I'll leave the burden to you and enjoy my freedom! Of course I'm happy!"
Looking at Thor's carefree face, Lucci was momentarily speechless. Should he admire his broad heart or call him a fool? But it was a good thing—at least it avoided the bloody struggle between brothers.
"By the way, here's a gift for you." Lucci waved his hand, and the formidable "Stormbreaker" appeared before Thor, radiating overwhelming force. Thor's eyes went wide as he felt the call of his bloodline—a power hundreds of times more violent than Mjolnir!
"This is... Stormbreaker?"
Thor gripped the axe, trembling.
Boom! Thunder exploded, and he felt as if he held an entire thunderstorm in his hands!
"So strong... so cool! Ha ha!"
Thor was like a child with a new toy, swinging it twice and feeling as if he could split all of Jotunheim with a single blow!
"Thank you, brother! This is amazing! I'm off to test it on the Warriors Three!"
Unable to contain his excitement, Thor grabbed the axe and dashed away.
Lucci shook his head as he watched Thor go. He looked around, then stopped a few palace maidens.
"Where's Loki?"
If Odin wanted to make him crown prince, he needed to be wary of Loki.
The maids saluted respectfully. "Your Highness, Prince Loki... hasn't been seen for several days. It's said he's in seclusion, practicing."
"In seclusion?" Lucci's lips curled into a playful smile. Retreating at such a crucial time? Looks like seeds of unrest are already sprouting in some people's hearts.
He directly contacted Heimdall through their spiritual connection.
"Heimdall."
"Your Highness, I am here."
"Heimdall, pay extra attention to Asgard's security these days... especially the treasury. And keep an eye on Loki."
"Understood, Your Highness. Please rest assured." Heimdall was a bit confused, but Lucci's orders were absolute.
After explaining all this, Lucci led Eitri and the others toward his palace with a calm expression. Whether Loki was truly sulking in seclusion or secretly plotting trouble, he wasn't worried. Even if Frost Giants were let in—against a group of overgrown ice men, he wouldn't even break a sweat.
…
Soon, Asgard welcomed its grandest and most solemn day in millennia.
The coronation of the Fourth Prince, Lucci, as Crown Prince was officially held in the main hall of the Royal Palace of Valaskjalf.
The entire palace was lavishly decorated. King Odin wore his most resplendent golden armor, holding the eternal spear Gungnir, a symbol of rule over the Nine Worlds, pride shining in his single eye. Queen Frigga sat by his side, smiling gently, radiating happiness.
On both sides of the hall, Asgard's elite legionaries stood solemnly in heavy armor. Respected ministers held their scepters, paying homage. Envoys from Vanaheim, Alfheim, and other allied realms were present, witnessing the dawn of a new era in Asgard with curiosity and awe.
As the passionate and sacred horn sounded through the sky, the entire hall instantly fell silent. All eyes turned to the entrance.
Lucci appeared.
He wore a set of black and gold ceremonial battle armor forged overnight by Nidavellir's master dwarves. The lines were smooth and powerful, adorned with understated yet mysterious star patterns. Behind him billowed a blazing red cape, symbolizing the royal glory of Asgard.
His expression was calm as still water, his eyes deep as the night sky. He walked the long red carpet of glory and responsibility, heading toward the highest throne.
…