Marvel: Umbrella Corporation-Chapter 164: Asgard

Thor, being the straightforward man he was, didn't catch the meaning behind Jane's words. He simply walked toward the refrigerator.

"This mortal body is too weak. I need food."

After saying that, he opened the fridge to search for something to eat.

Earlier, he had seen the others take drinks from the fridge, so he knew it was a place where food was stored.

However, Jane and her two fellow astronomers weren't exactly great cooks, so naturally, there wasn't much worth eating inside.

Eric, who had been reviewing some data, frowned as he watched Thor make himself at home, crossing his arms in exasperation.

Had they just invited a deity into their home?

Still, recalling the photos they had captured the previous night, he couldn't help but be intrigued by what Thor had said about this "mortal body."

It seemed like something only a non-human would say.

Eric Selvig was the only man among the group of amateur astronomers, somewhere in his forties or fifties, with strands of white hair peppering his head.

Watching Thor rummage through the fridge as if he were about to tear it apart, Eric finally sighed and said, "I'll take you out to eat."

But as he glanced at his nearly empty wallet, his heart ached.

As amateur astronomers—perhaps "astronomy enthusiasts" was a more accurate term—they had no formal jobs or stable income.

They made a living by capturing images of meteors, full moons, and other celestial phenomena, then selling the rights to their photos or submitting them to websites and newspapers for a small fee.

Follow curr𝒆nt nov𝒆ls on fɾeeweɓnѳveɭ.com.

Their earnings were just enough to scrape by, far from extravagant.

.......

Meanwhile, in the distant realm of Asgard...

Odin stood with Gungnir in hand, his face deeply furrowed as he gazed ahead.

His vision seemed to pierce through the vast expanse of the cosmos, reaching Midgard, scanning the land below.

Moments ago, he had sensed someone attempting to lift Mjolnir, yet that person was not Thor. Alarmed, he had swiftly used his immense power to deter the would-be wielder.

Although the individual had ultimately relented, Odin couldn't shake a growing unease.

Frigga, noticing her husband's troubled expression, walked over to him.

"What is it, my king?"

Odin withdrew his gaze from Midgard and turned to his wife.

"It's nothing. I just felt someone trying to lift Mjolnir—but it wasn't Thor."

Frigga raised a curious brow. "Is that not to be expected? You always said that anyone with a noble heart could lift the hammer. This only proves that there are good people on Midgard."

Odin shook his head and said in a low voice, "They must also possess the blood of Asgard's royal lineage..."

Frigga immediately rolled her eyes.

Wasn't that just another way of saying only Thor could wield it? After all, aside from Odin and Thor, who else bore Asgard's royal bloodline?

But then, as if recalling someone, her gaze dimmed slightly.

Odin, understanding his wife's thoughts, gently took her hand in his own and reassured her, "Do not worry. Once Thor has learned his lesson, he will understand my intentions. He will return soon enough."

"...Alright."

.......

In Asgard, Odin and Frigga weren't the only ones concerned about Thor.

Fandral, Hogun, Volstagg, Sif, and Loki were also troubled.

Fandral was a blond-haired warrior standing at about six feet tall, wielding a two-handed sword with expert skill.

Hogun, with his long black hair, stood just under six feet and fought with a spiked mace.

Volstagg, towering at nearly six and a half feet, was a burly, bearded warrior with long brown hair, favoring a double-bladed battle axe.

Sif, a striking beauty with long chestnut hair, stood at around five foot seven. Her gleaming white legs and well-endowed figure made her presence commanding.

She wielded a single-handed sword, clad in a short breastplate and fitted battle pants that left much of her pale skin exposed. Her metal boots accentuated the strength in her long legs, exuding both grace and power.

She was known as Asgard's "Shieldmaiden," though the title was somewhat honorary.

She was Heimdall's sister, not one of the legendary Valkyries—those warriors had perished long ago, leaving only one surviving somewhere in the vast cosmos.

The four of them paced restlessly in a grand chamber, lost in thought. Some sat in golden chairs, others leaned against the walls, all pondering the same question:

How could they bring Thor back?

Finally, Volstagg, who had been sipping from a golden goblet, let out a guilty sigh.

"We should never have let him go."

By "him," he meant Thor.

When Thor had first decided to venture to Jotunheim, they had been the first ones he turned to.

Instead of stopping him, they had eagerly joined his reckless mission—leading to the disastrous events that followed.

Sif, seated in another golden chair, said in a low voice, "No one could have stopped him."

Having grown up alongside Thor, she knew better than anyone how stubborn he was.

Like a bull charging forward, once he made up his mind, nothing could turn him back—not even Odin himself.

Hearing their dispirited conversation, Fandral, who had been pacing the room, snapped impatiently, "He was banished, not killed."

Hogun, who had been listening quietly, finally spoke. "Had Heimdall not informed Odin of our departure, we might all be dead."

As the guardian of the Bifrost, Heimdall had the authority to oversee all travel in and out of Asgard.

At that moment, Loki, who had been standing silently against the wall, glanced down at his arm.

He still remembered how, in Jotunheim, he had been surrounded by Frost Giants—only to suddenly manifest the same powers as them.

That moment had planted a seed of doubt in his mind.

Who was he, really?

Rumors had long whispered that he was not Frigga's trueborn son but had been found elsewhere.

After all, when Frigga gave birth to him, she had never been pregnant. One day, a child had simply appeared, giving rise to endless speculation.

Volstagg, deep in thought, suddenly asked, "How did Heimdall know where we were?"

Loki, seizing the moment, smirked. "I told him."

The others stared at him in shock.

"Why?"

"I told him to inform Odin of our journey the moment we left. He was too slow. He should have done so before we even reached Jotunheim."

Hearing Loki's smug tone, Volstagg finally lost his patience. "You betrayed us!"

Loki remained unfazed. "I saved all of us. Including Thor."

He hesitated briefly before adding, "I just... didn't expect Father to banish him."