In a giant citadel floating in the middle of space, a middle-aged man rested his head on his fist as he listened.
"The magic density on Earth is at 20% of what it was 12 thousand years ago and it keeps increasing. Perhaps in a month, Earth will return to normal or even surpass that period," said a thin man with very peculiar shoes.
"Hm, we should go back and reclaim the place that rightfully belongs to us," Zeus pondered.
"But now Earth apparently belongs to the Asgardians," the man replied.
"Hermes, we were on Earth before Odin began his conquest with that crazy woman. Odin will yield, especially now that Asgard is at its weakest; he won't risk a war," Zeus said casually.
"We are also at our weakest," Hermes timidly pointed out.
Zeus couldn't respond to that as it was true.
"Anyway, it's best to return. I'm bored of this place, and I'm sure the others are too. Interesting things are happening on Earth, so let's go there," Zeus declared.
"Let the council of gods gather; we will discuss when to leave," Zeus said, looking at Hermes.
"Yes, sir," Hermes said before quickly leaving.
"Father, what about them?" a tall and muscular man beside Zeus inquired.
"They... just stop the search for now. When we settle back on Earth, we will find them again," Zeus said, lightning flashing from his eyes.
He hadn't forgotten the humiliation he had suffered years ago. They had entered his home, made a mess, and left casually as if they were nothing.
Even his beloved weapon was snatched from him by those bandits.
Zeus had since regained some of his strength, not at his best, but he wouldn't be defeated by that lamp lady.
"Should I go first to investigate everything?" the giant man asked.
"If you want, you can go. Be careful, son; we don't know what caused this change on Earth," Zeus said, looking at his son.
"I'll be careful," the man affirmed.
...
Damian was in the laboratory beneath the palace, just after bidding farewell to Jane. The scientist stood beside him, both examining the prototype of the Spartan G3 armor.
"They are really good. Try doing something to them," the scientist proudly suggested.
"Alright," Damian said, nodding before extending his hand, creating a magical circle.
''Without exaggerating,'' the scientist said, immediately regretting it, it would be unfortunate if his king destroyed the first prototype.
Damian rolled his eyes before shooting a basketball-sized fireball.
The empty armor was knocked several meters away, with a bit of black around the impact area, but it remained intact.
The scientist sighed as he quickly moved to put the armor back on its feet.
"And? What else?" Damian asked, looking at him with a slight smile.
"Besides the obvious improvement in durability and magical resistance, it enhances the physical abilities of current Spartans tenfold. Also, they are immune to mental control, of course, from certain types of beings downwards," the scientist explained, acknowledging there were exceptions.
Like his king, he was sure he could ignore the armor defense as if it did not exist.
"As for the enchantments, I have some plans, but I'll need your help with that," the scientist said, smiling shyly.
"Fine," Damian said, shrugging casually.
"Still, hurry up and change the color; it's almost painful to look at," Damian said, eyeing the golden armor.
It had changed a bit since the first generation, but the third generation looked more compact, and the joints were better protected, giving it a somewhat rough appearance. However, the armor had become more agile, allowing the soldiers to move freely.
"What color should we use?" the scientist asked.
"The same is fine, although let's add something that distinguishes them from others, like a symbol that the soldiers aspire to," Damian suggested.
"I understand; we could add some golden lines or a mark," the scientist said, nodding in thought.
"Anyway, I leave it to you," Damian said, nodding.
"How is the training of the Spartans going?" Damian asked.
"The magical statistic of all of them has increased to over 10," the scientist reported.
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"Hm, good. When their statistic reaches 100, do what we discussed; they can then learn to enhance their physical abilities," Damian instructed.
"To be honest, the boys are really excited about training," the scientist chuckled.
"It's normal; magic is truly fascinating," Damian agreed with a smile.
"Alright, that's all. I'll go talk to Cortana," Damian said, leaving the place.
In a few seconds, he arrived where Cortana was, who lately hadn't bothered him much and seemed quite busy.
"Hello," Damian said, smiling slightly as he saw her standing in front of her servers but still not saying anything.
"Oh? Master, forgive me, I didn't see you," Cortana said, laughing shyly.
"No problem. How is everything?" Damian asked.
"Quite well. People have been getting used to the situation, and many have started training their bodies. Seeing your progress motivates many," Cortana said.
"Little by little, they have discovered that the system is sensitive, and I've been asked several questions, although I only answer those I consider prudent."
"I feel like I'll be busier and busier," Cortana sighed.
"And I don't even have a body," she added with a playful tone, trying to drop a hint.
Damian chuckled before pulling out two large pieces of metal, one golden and the other gray.
"This is Vibranium, and this is Adamantine. I'm pretty sure you can create a high-quality body by playing with the reality stone and Vibranium. I'll give you the Adamantine in case you come up with a good idea."
"Experiment and create the body you desire. By the way, there's little Adamantine, so use it carefully," Damian said, chuckling.
"In the end, you just gave me more work," Cortana complained.
Various instruments appeared all over the place, and the metals Damian had taken disappeared.
With the reality stone, Cortana's experiments progressed rapidly. She found that cells could indeed easily bond with Vibranium; it turned out to be a very versatile material.
"Wow, it's true," Cortana said.
"So, my body won't be some kind of cyborg?" Cortana asked.
"Maybe," Damian chuckled.
"I'll make sure to create the most beautiful body. Just wait; you'll be stunned," Cortana said animatedly as she shifted her attention away from the system, letting it process in the background.
"Have fun," Damian said, smiling gently before disappearing.
....
"Let's go for a walk," Jane said after placing her suitcase down and surveying the room.
"How about you change your clothes first? My mother prepared these Asgardian garments," Thor suggested, opening a closet displaying various types of clothing.
"Sure, I was planning to buy some clothes to take home anyway," Jane said, clearly delighted with the wardrobe.
"Then I'll wait for you outside," Thor said, smiling at her happiness before leaving.
Jane approached the closet and looked at several dresses. Quickly undressing, she put on one of the dresses—a toga with multiple waves that had a vintage appearance. It looked quite good in her opinion.
The fabric was unlike anything she had seen before and seemed to maintain a comfortable temperature. After twirling in front of the mirror, she smiled satisfied before leaving the room to meet Thor.
"You look very beautiful," Thor said, smiling at her.
"Thank you," Jane replied, a faint blush on her cheeks.
"Let's go then," Thor said, smiling as he took her hand.
Jane smiled as they walked together.
"These clothes are really comfortable," Jane commented as she walked alongside Thor.
"They're magical, maintaining your temperature and being very comfortable. They're also very resilient," Thor explained, looking at her.
"Hm, I can feel it," Jane nodded.
They strolled through the palace gardens, with a small lake reflecting the artificial sun. They stopped at a wooden bench by the lake, and Jane noticed several marks on the wood.
"Loki liked to leave his name, especially when he played pranks," Thor chuckled, seeing Jane looking at the marks.
"Loki, huh?" Jane chuckled.
"By the way, I heard he was captured by someone you know," Thor said, looking at Jane.
"Oh yes, by Monica's mother. I don't know if you remember her, the one who saved us from the Destroyer back then," Jane laughed.
"I remember. It's no wonder she's so strong considering her father," Thor laughed.
"Speaking of parents, I haven't met yours yet. I wonder what they're like," Jane said, looking at Thor.
"My mother is very kind; I'm sure you'll get along well. And my father... well, my father is a bit grumpy," Thor said in a low voice, smiling slightly.
"Don't let your father hear you say that," Frigga laughed softly, suddenly appearing behind them.
''Mother...then you wonder why Loki likes to sneak away," Thor said after jumping to his feet with a start.
Jane was more at ease, as there was someone at her home who liked to sneak around and tease people.
"Jane, let me introduce you to my mother, Frigga, the queen of Asgard," Thor said, smiling.
''Mother, this is Jane, a princess of Midgard," Thor said as he introduced them.
"Nice to meet you, dear," Frigga said, giving her a gentle hug.
"Hello, nice to meet you too," Jane said, smiling.
"I hope I'm not interrupting. I just knew you were arriving today and was curious to meet you," Frigga said, smiling.
"Oh, of course not. We were just chatting about trivial things," Jane said, laughing softly.
"So I suppose you don't mind if I join you for a while?" Frigga said, smiling before sitting on the bench.
"Sure," Jane nodded before sitting back next to Thor, who had a helpless expression.
"So, Jane, tell me, how is Earth now? Heimdall mentioned that it has changed a lot," Frigga asked, looking at her.
"Mom," Thor sighed, looking at her.
"It's hard to explain, but now there's a system on Earth, and people can see their own statistics," Jane said.
"I also know that almost everyone on Earth has magic, although they don't know how to use it. Still, it's very possible that many will become wizards in the future," Jane said, smiling slightly.
"Wow, Earth seems to have become something really different," Frigga said.
"By the way, have you eaten anything? What if we go to lunch? It's a bit early, but we can chat while we wait," Frigga suggested, smiling.
"Sure, I only had some fruits. I'm excited to try Asgardian cuisine," Jane agreed.
Thor could only shake his head while sighing; his mother had ruined his date. He could only nod and go along with the women; he would have many more days ahead to be alone with Jane.
The three of them arrived at a small dining area while continuing their conversation.
Frigga seemed amused as she told stories about Thor. As he was over a thousand years old, there were indeed many stories to share.
"Yes, I can still remember his arrogant expression the first time we met. It must have been tough for you," Jane nodded, laughing.
"Being a mother is really tough," Frigga smiled, shaking her head, especially when Odin wasn't a very good father.
"Still, it makes me happy to see the man he has become," Frigga said, smiling at Thor.
"In fact, you made a pretty good man," Jane added, appreciatively looking at Thor, making him blush.
Frigga chuckled softly, finding Jane increasingly likable.
She seemed like a fun, straightforward, and confident girl who didn't take the fact that they were gods too seriously.
Frigga couldn't blame her, considering the person she grew up and lived with.
She had spied a bit on Midgard after learning that Heimdall couldn't see a certain man. When she saw him, she was very surprised.
Using a simple scrying spell that was a bit more invasive than Heimdall's passive surveillance, to her surprise, the man suddenly looked at her, giving her a scare. Those crimson eyes full of power gave her all the information she needed.
In every way, she considered Jane a good match for Thor.