Valerie danced around the battlefield with a regal poise, her golden aura radiating confidence and power. Every swing of the beasts’ colossal limbs missed her by mere inches, yet it seemed intentional, as though she knew exactly where they would strike long before they did.

“Is that the best you can do, mongrels?” she taunted, her tone dripping with aristocratic disdain. “A noble warrior does not fall to such clumsy brutes.”

The beasts roared in frustration, their cybernetic enhancements whirring and sparking as they recalibrated for another assault. One of them leapt high into the air, its claws glinting under the arena's fragmented lights. But Valerie, with her divine grace, sidestepped effortlessly, her future sight allowing her to anticipate its trajectory. The beast landed hard, cracking the stone floor beneath its weight.

—

Thor leaned forward in his seat, his eyes gleaming with admiration. “By Odin’s beard! Her battle sense is sharper than Laevateinn’s edge. Truly worthy of my praise!”

Beside him, Loki reclined lazily, a smirk playing on his lips. He said nothing, his gaze flickering with curiosity as he watched Valerie move with an elegance that rivaled even the gods. Finally, he turned his attention to Fiona, who stood nearby, her face a mix of awe and worry.

“Mortal,” Loki said smoothly, his voice low yet commanding. “Do enlighten me about the origins of that fascinating girl.”

Fiona hesitated, her hands clenched into fists. “I’m sorry, my lord. I don’t know much. She’s from a small town called Alvilla, and as far as I know, her only family is her dad.”

“Alvilla…” Loki murmured, stroking his chin thoughtfully. With a flick of his wrist, a book appeared in his hand, its cover glowing with an eerie green aura. The God of Mischief opened it, the tome flipped through the pages on its own, as though searching for some ancient secret.

---

In the arena, Valerie had shifted tactics. She no longer relied solely on her brute strength. As one of the beasts lunged at her, she sidestepped with ease, raising her glowing eyes. Twin beams of searing red light erupted from her vision, striking the creature’s metallic joint. The metal hissed and glowed, softening under the intense heat.

The second beast charged, but Valerie leapt backward with the grace of a dancer, unleashing another blast of laser vision toward its exposed arm. The alloy began to glow red-hot, matching the first beast’s condition.

As the third beast attempted to flank her, Valerie inhaled deeply, unleashing a frosty gale of ice breath. The supercooled air collided with the molten joints she had just heated, causing the alloy to rapidly contract and crack with a sharp, metallic shriek.

“Crude craftsmanship,” Valerie remarked with a smirk. “You should have knelt while you had the chance.”

The beasts faltered, their once-imposing forms now trembling as their damaged joints locked in place. Sparks flew from their cracked exoskeletons, and one by one, they collapsed, unable to move.

Valerie approached the fallen beasts, her golden eyes glowing with intensity. “Still alive, are you? How unfortunate—for you.” She raised her hand, preparing to finish the job, but backed off as she sensed something.

Thunder roared overhead as lightning crashed into the beasts, splitting the sky in a violent blaze of light. The creatures convulsed violently before turning into lifeless heaps, their cybernetic cores obliterated. The audience erupted into thunderous cheers, still believing the chaos was all part of an elaborate show.

Thor leapt from his seat, his boisterous laughter booming like the storm itself. He landed heavily in the arena, his massive form kicking up dust as he carried Mjolnir with casual ease. With a loud clang, he dropped the giant hammer beside him, the weight of it cracking the stone floor.

“What a brutish sight! Are you sure you’re a god? Such barbaric displays... and how dare you steal my kills?” Valerie said, her tone dripping with disdain as she inspected her nails like a queen unimpressed with a court jester.

Thor threw his head back, laughing heartily. “Steal your kills? Little one, you were dragging this out far too long. A god knows when to finish the job!”

Before Valerie could retort, Thor lunged forward with surprising speed, swinging his massive fist at her. Valerie’s instincts flared, and she stepped aside gracefully, avoiding his strike with ease.

“What is this? You’re actually attacking me? Without your hammer? How amusing,” Valerie taunted, her tone icy and imperious.

Thor grinned, his movements relentless. “A god needs no hammer to test his disciple!” He threw a series of punches, each powerful enough to shatter stone. Valerie weaved through his attacks, her future sight guiding her every step.

Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

“Disciple?” she mocked, sidestepping a wide swing that stirred the dust around them. “How can I call you my teacher when you can’t even land a punch on me?”

Thor’s eyes gleamed with challenge. “Oh, I’ll land a hit, my disciple. It’s only a matter of time.”

He feigned to her left, then swung with a right hook. Valerie blocked it just in time, but the sheer force of his blow sent her skidding across the arena. Her heels left deep grooves in the shattered stone as she regained her footing.

“Rude!” Valerie huffed, brushing the dust off her shoulder with exaggerated elegance.

The fight intensified. Thor’s attacks grew more calculated, and Valerie responded with precision, dodging, blocking, and countering. Her fists and laser vision struck true, yet Thor’s divine durability shrugged off every blow like a breeze.

“You’re quick and clever, my disciple,” Thor praised, his grin widening. “But strength alone won’t be enough!”

“Strength alone? Is that what you think I’m relying on?” Valerie shot back, delivering a kick that landed squarely on his chest. Thor barely moved, his grin unshaken.

“Enough play, my disciple!” Thor bellowed. With a flick of his wrist, Mjolnir flew into his hand, crackling with the energy of a brewing storm. “Let’s see how you handle the full might of a god!”

Valerie’s demeanor stiffened. She moved quickly, evading the hammer’s first swing, but the battlefield changed. With Mjolnir in hand, Thor’s attacks were faster, more precise, and far harder to anticipate.

Valerie dodged a swing but barely. The hammer’s force created a shockwave that staggered her, leaving her open for Thor’s follow-up strike. She managed to block with both arms, but the impact sent pain radiating through her.

Thor adapted quickly, analyzing her movements. His swings became less predictable, and Valerie began to falter, her defenses cracking under his relentless assault. Thor pressed the advantage, his attacks now relentless. Valerie evaded where she could and blocked when she couldn’t, but the hammer’s crushing force began to take its toll. Her defenses were wearing thin, and Thor’s adaptability made it harder to predict his moves.

Finally, Thor swung Mjolnir in a wide arc, and Valerie miscalculated. Her future sight failed to register the sheer speed of the blow. She braced herself, closing her eyes as the hammer descended.

But the impact never came.

When Valerie opened her eyes, a shimmering green barrier stood between her and Thor’s hammer. Loki, with his hand raised, stood protectively in front of her. The barrier flickered with an ethereal glow, runes dancing along its surface.

“That’s enough, brother,” Loki said, his voice uncharacteristically stern. His playful smirk was gone, replaced by an expression of icy resolve.

Thor halted, his hammer inches from the shield. He straightened, his face a mix of confusion and annoyance. “Loki, what is the meaning of this?!”

Loki’s eyes narrowed. “You’ve made your point, Thor. She’s proven herself worthy. There’s no need to break her—or worse.”

Thor lowered Mjolnir, his stormy expression softening as he looked at his brother. “Loki, she’s my disciple. Let me teach her the way of the gods!”

“Perhaps your lesson is over, Thor,” Loki said, his smirk returning as he turned to Valerie.

Valerie, still catching her breath, looked up at Loki, her golden eyes flickering back to crimson. “You… protected me?”

Before Loki could utter a single word, Valerie's body wavered. Her golden aura flickered like a dying flame, and her knees buckled. She collapsed to the ground, her silver hair returning to its usual sheen, her features pale and still.

Loki's smirk vanished, replaced by a look of alarm that he quickly masked. He moved to her side in an instant, scooping her up in his arms with an unexpected gentleness.

Thor watched in confusion as Loki’s expression darkened. “I said, what is the meaning of this, brother?”

Without answering, Loki shot Thor a disdainful glare. “You’re as oblivious as ever, aren’t you?” he said coldly. In a flash of green light, he disappeared with Valerie in his arms.

Thor stood alone in the battlefield, his massive frame casting a long shadow over the broken arena. Fiona stumbled toward him, panting, her face streaked with worry.

“What just happened? Where’s Val?” she demanded, her voice cracking.

Thor frowned, his brow furrowed deeply. “That, young one, I do not know,” he admitted, his usual booming confidence replaced by bewilderment.

---

Loki reappeared in the medical wing of the university, materializing with a swirl of emerald energy. The sterile room, filled with busy nurses and doctors, fell eerily silent as the god placed Valerie gently onto a bed.

“Make way,” Loki commanded, his voice low but absolute. The medical staff parted nervously, their gazes darting between the unconscious girl and the trickster god.

Loki knelt beside Valerie, brushing a strand of hair from her face. There was an uncharacteristic softness in his tone as he murmured, “Poor child. You’ve no idea what dwells within you. The seven deadly sins… A skill that is both a curse and a gift, both untamed and unkind.”

His fingers lingered on her cheek for a moment longer. “When the time comes, I will teach you to wield it—not as a burden but as a weapon.”

With a final glance, Loki stood, his usual mischief returning to his expression as he turned to the nurses. “Tend to her. Let no harm come to her—or you’ll have me to answer to.”

As suddenly as he’d appeared, he was gone, leaving the staff in stunned silence. They quickly rushed to work, monitoring Valerie’s vitals and ensuring her condition stabilized.

---

In the control room, the professors huddled around monitors, their faces pale and drawn. The air was tense, their discussions frantic and disjointed. Then, with a flash of green light, Loki materialized before them, his presence sending a ripple of panic through the room.

“Dean Thorne,” Loki said, his voice like ice.

The dean jumped, nearly knocking over a stack of papers. “Y-yes, my lord! How may I be of service, your grace?” he stammered, bowing low.

Loki’s piercing gaze locked onto him. “Only one, Dean,” he said, his voice carrying an unspoken threat. “Valerie Nordin is to be treated as a queen. You will provide her with every resource she needs. You will ensure her safety. Is that understood?”

The dean swallowed hard, sweat beading on his brow. “Yes, my lord. I will ensure it personally,” he said, his voice trembling.

Loki’s lips curled into a faint smirk, though his eyes remained cold. “Good. Do not fail me, mortal.”

With that, he vanished, leaving the professors staring at the empty space where he’d stood.

Dean Thorne sank into his chair, his hands shaking as he wiped his brow. “What have we gotten ourselves into?” he muttered.

—

Kian groaned as he stirred awake, the cold bite of metal around his wrists and ankles jolting him fully into consciousness. His eyes darted around the dimly lit room, shadows dancing from a single, flickering bulb overhead. The air was heavy with the metallic tang of machinery and the faint scent of damp concrete. He tugged at the chains binding him to the chair, but they didn’t budge.

“Where am I?” he muttered, his voice hoarse.

“Hello, Kian. Remember me?” A voice rang out from the shadows, smooth and laced with mockery.

His head snapped up. “Who are you? Show yourself!”

The voice chuckled, soft footsteps echoing as a figure emerged from the darkness. Kian’s eyes widened in disbelief as the faint glow from the overhead bulb revealed the familiar face.

“Professor Kohn? What… What are you doing here? Where are we?” he asked, his voice tinged with both relief and confusion.

The woman—Professor Kohn—smiled, but it wasn’t the warm, reassuring smile of a mentor. It was cold, calculated, and sent a chill down Kian’s spine. She stepped closer, her arms crossed, exuding an aura of authority and menace he’d never seen before.

“We heard,” she began, her voice measured, “that Futuroganti had taken an interest in you. So we decided to act first. Consider it... proactive measures.”

“Futuroganti?” Kian repeated, his brow furrowed. “What are you talking about? I don’t know anything about them!”

Professor Kohn tilted her head, studying him as though he were a specimen under a microscope. “Oh, come now, Mr. Drexler. Let’s not waste each other’s time with lies. What are you hiding?”