Drift Of The Multiverse: [Marvel] [Resident Evil] [DC] [Bleach] [DB]-Chapter 206: A Little Favor

Odin's question came so abruptly that it caught everyone off guard. Thor had originally thought Odin would only bring up this matter after observing Ethan for some time. But Odin directly asked, his expression calm.

Ethan was equally surprised. Even though Odin wasn't releasing any pressure at the moment, and no matter how you looked at him, he appeared to be just an elderly neighbor in an extravagant costume, kind and approachable—no one would truly believe that appearance.

His strength was so formidable that even Thanos feared him. The aging Odin alone was enough to deter countless powerful enemies across the universe, allowing Asgard to remain firmly established.

Look at all those enemies—they only dared to act after Odin was dead. Ethan never believed that these people had done nothing before. Rather, they simply had no choice but to bide their time, waiting for Odin's death before daring to show themselves.

As the saying goes, comparison makes the difference clear. Hela, who had been suppressed by Odin, swept through all of Asgard the moment she was released. Surtur, capable of destroying Asgard on his own, had been forced to hide and play dead while Odin was still alive.

Knowing all this, any sensible person like Ethan would never treat Odin as just an ordinary old man next door.

Even with that understanding, Ethan did not hide his true thoughts. He held his head high and answered Odin's question directly.

"Yes, I hope to keep the Cosmic Cube."

Odin nodded. He didn't give a direct yes or no but instead asked another question.

"You are fully aware of what the Cosmic Cube is. I also learned from Loki that you've had close contact with the Mind Stone. As a mage, you must understand the true secret contained within the gem."

Odin paused for a moment, then fixed his one-eyed gaze on Ethan.

"I'm curious, what do you plan to do with the Cosmic Cube?"

There was no imposing pressure, no magic being cast, yet as Odin simply looked at him, Ethan felt as if this old man could see right through him.

"To elevate myself," Ethan answered.

"That's not a surprising answer at all," Odin laughed. His smile was genuine, not mocking. "You truly are a real mage."

Odin didn't press further on how Ethan intended to use the Cosmic Cube for his own growth. Nor did he care how Ethan planned to use the Space Stone, which contained the authority of one of the laws of the universe, after taking the cube to another world. He had already gotten the answer he wanted. Odin then slowly returned to his throne and sat down again.

"The two Infinity Stones should not be kept too close together. I had originally planned to send one of them to a safe place for storage. But since you wish to keep the Cosmic Cube, I no longer have to worry about where to send it."

Ethan hadn't expected Odin to hand over the Cosmic Cube so easily. Yet Odin immediately instructed Thor to give the cube to Ethan.

"I hope you take good care of it, my friend."

Thor trusted Ethan completely. Once Odin gave the word, Thor handed over the Cosmic Cube without hesitation or reluctance.

He knew exactly what the cube was and understood the power of the Infinity Stones. But Thor had no intention of keeping it for himself, nor did he feel there was anything wrong with giving it away. The reason was simple: because Ethan was his friend.

As a friend, Thor had nothing more to say—his trust was absolute.

Ethan felt a little panicked. The Cosmic Cube in his hand continued to release a steady stream of energy fluctuations, constantly reminding him that this was all real. It wasn't an illusion or some trick played by Loki, the god of mischief.

Seeing how casually Odin handed over the Cosmic Cube, Loki, who had been quietly pretending to be a bystander, couldn't hold back any longer.

"That's it? You're really going to hand over such an important treasure to a mage whose origins are unclear so easily?" Loki even suspected that the Odin before him was fake, thinking perhaps only Thor was real.

In Loki's eyes, it was perfectly in character for Thor to do such a thing. But for Odin to trust a stranger so easily—it was just too strange. Loki even began to wonder if Ethan was secretly Odin's illegitimate child.

"I sincerely hope that you'll show the same leniency when considering how to punish me," Loki said sarcastically.

Ethan turned his head to glance at Loki. It seemed that the topic of Loki's willingness to be exiled to another universe had been brought up again. Ethan suddenly felt a headache coming on. Was Odin using him as a test run for dealing with Loki?

The thought made Ethan nervous. If Loki really ended up tagging along on his journey, there wouldn't be a single peaceful moment.

Ethan looked up at Odin sitting on the throne. The King of the Gods didn't spare his adopted son a glance. After a brief hesitation, he waved his hand, signaling the guards to restrain Loki with chains and escort him to prison first.

Of course, Asgard's prisons weren't some dark, damp dungeons filled with straw and no beds. Their prison facilities were top-notch, with each cell comparable to a standard single hotel room, complete with books and other amenities to prevent boredom. Aside from being unable to leave, the prisoners lived far better than many ordinary people. If Earth's shut-ins ever found out about this place, countless people might flock to Asgard just to commit crimes and land themselves in one of these cells.

After Loki was taken away, Odin continued his conversation with Ethan regarding the Cosmic Cube.

This time, with Loki and the guards gone, only Ethan, Thor, Odin, and Diana—who had remained silent until now—were left in the hall.

"If I'm not mistaken, this lady is also one of the gods," Odin said, glancing at Diana.

"Yes, she is the daughter of Zeus, king of Olympus, from another universe," Ethan briefly introduced Diana's background. He left it to her to share her name herself.

"I am Diana of Themyscira. It is an honor to meet you, Your Majesty," Diana said respectfully.

"You are also welcome to Asgard, Diana," Odin replied, once again adopting the demeanor of a kind old neighbor. He even chatted casually with Diana for a while.

But as Ethan listened to their conversation, his eyelids kept twitching. He realized that Diana, still somewhat naive, had inadvertently revealed too much about her background.

For example, she mentioned that the gods of Olympus in her world had fallen. The last god of war, Ares, had been killed by her own hand not long ago. She now lived with her mother. Paradise Island was beautiful, filled only with women, though they were not gods themselves.

Ethan began to worry that if this went on, Odin might soon find out embarrassing details like how old Diana was when she last wet the bed. Unable to listen any longer, Ethan rudely interrupted their "pleasant" chat, deliberately steering the conversation elsewhere to shift the old man's attention.

"Your Majesty, I have traveled across many worlds in search of knowledge. I wonder if Asgard's knowledge is open to outsiders?"

Odin was briefly taken aback, as if there were no clear rules on this matter. "Asgard's knowledge is not restricted, but certain areas involve Asgard's secrets. Those are not for you to access."

The implication was clear: ordinary knowledge was available for Ethan to read freely, and that alone would be enough to satisfy most of his needs.

The Asgardians were an immortal race. Their nation and civilization had existed and developed for countless years. Thor was already fifteen hundred years old and was still considered young. Sif had once complained that the most advanced technology on Earth was outdated junk that Asgard had long since abandoned.

Ethan didn't expect to fully grasp all of Asgard's knowledge right away. What he hoped for was a clear direction, something that could help him better integrate everything he had learned so far.

"Thank you very much, Your Majesty," Ethan said respectfully.

"You're welcome, young mage. In fact, I also hope you can do me a small favor," Odin replied.

Ethan's eyelids twitched again. He could already guess that this so-called small favor would not be so easy.

But from the moment he arrived here, Odin had been very accommodating, agreeing to almost all of Ethan's requests. If Ethan were to refuse now or show reluctance, it would not only risk offending Odin but also disappoint Thor, who might begin to doubt whether Ethan was truly reliable as a friend.

So, no matter how he looked at it, Ethan couldn't refuse this request. In fact, he had to agree cheerfully and even make a show of being eager to help, so that everyone would be satisfied.

"As long as it is within my ability, I will do my best," Ethan answered after some thought.

With this, he expressed his willingness to help while subtly implying that if the task was beyond his capability, he couldn't be blamed for failing.

He wouldn't refuse outright. Even if it was difficult, he would give it his best shot. After all, he had already received a great deal from Odin, and it was only right to return the favor.

Of course, the best-case scenario would be that Odin's request was something he could handle with all his strength, allowing him to repay the favor in one go and also solidify their friendship.

"Don't worry, I won't ask you to do anything beyond your abilities," Odin said with a smile. He glanced at Diana, then at the Cosmic Cube in Ethan's hand.

"I believe that with the combined strength of you and Diana, it won't be difficult to handle one disobedient child."

(To be continued.)