บท 349: Chapter 349: Trump Card and Defeat
With a buzz, Robert condensed an Energy Circle Slash in his hand, striking towards King Odin, who had already witnessed the power of this technique and slightly narrowed his eyes. A burst of divine power erupted from him, trying to push Clark back, but how could Clark give him such a chance?
Clark firmly grasped the Eternal Spear, preventing King Odin from retreating even slightly, aiding Robert in locking onto Odin's position. At that moment, the Energy Circle Slash roared through the air, aiming straight for Odin's head! Even though Odin had discovered during the battle against Frigga that she was not afraid of fatal injuries—as long as Asgard existed, she would not die—Robert still habitually aimed for the critical spot...
But just as the Energy Circle Slash was about to hit Odin's head, one of Odin's eyes, previously hidden under an eyepatch and thought to be blind, suddenly emitted a terrifying divine light! The eyepatch vanished, and within that eye, a mysterious power shimmered as if a towering tree was shining inside. With the release of this divine light, everything around seemed to slow down or even stop entirely. However, amidst this stillness, Odin merely glanced at the current state of Asgard, the again wounded Frigga, and then at Clark and Robert, his expression shifting from anger to sorrow before he slowly closed his eyes.
With a snap, the flow of time returned to normal. The Energy Circle Slash shattered instantly, and Odin's face seemed to age. Clark and Robert were forced back as if some force had repelled them.
"Huh?!" Both Clark and Robert were shocked. Clark seemed to have seen something profound, while Robert sensed a force. After they were pushed back, everything reverted as if nothing had happened. Odin still wore his eyepatch, and aside from the disappearance of the Energy Circle Slash and their retreat, it seemed like the previous events hadn't occurred.
"Let it end here, Kryptonian," Odin spoke calmly, looking at Clark and Robert. "Continuing this fight would only lead to mutual destruction. I might not be able to kill you, but killing both of them is still within my capabilities..."
"End here? Are you content with that?" Clark paused upon hearing Odin's words. He hadn't been particularly worried about his own safety, nor about Robert's, because even though he wasn't sure what Robert had gone through, Robert's strength might even surpass Carol's now, ensuring his survival.
The only outsider in Asgard that needed concern was Diana, who came to assist and whose power was the weakest among all capable fighters present...
However, after witnessing the mysterious power Odin had just used, Clark became wary. Facing Odin's suggestion of a truce, Clark was somewhat tempted because continuing the fight seemed unlikely to kill Odin, not to mention the risk of Odin's trump card potentially killing Robert and Diana.
Yet, how genuine Odin's desire for a truce was remained uncertain to Clark. The current state of Asgard was truly dire, bringing Robert into battle in Asgard rather than sending him to a spatial domain had definitely been a mistake, even more grievous than starting the battle with Clark and Robert.
Firstly, Asgard's gateway was nearly destroyed, with one wall completely shattered, exposing the chaotic void of space.
Secondly, the Rainbow Bridge, once a solidified rainbow, now lay in fragments due to Robert's bombardments, and the protective river below Asgard had been severed, altering its course...
Lastly, the casualty issue in Asgard was severe. Clark didn't know how many had died at Robert's hands, but the absence of even a single soldier-like figure, coupled with various severed limbs and weapons scattered around, suggested that Asgard's fighting force had likely been annihilated by Robert.
This didn't even include Heimdall, a formidable figure previously encountered, nor Loki and Frigga's vendetta, all of which added up to a situation where even Clark felt it unlikely that Odin would let go of this grudge, especially with Odin still holding a trump card.
From Clark's perspective, since the battle had already escalated to this point, there was no need to hold back anymore. They should just fight it out to see who was superior and could survive.
However, Clark had overlooked one thing; compared to Odin, he was 'barefoot,' and Odin was 'wearing shoes.' Odin had much more to lose, fighting on his own turf. Continuing this fight would only result in two outcomes.
In the first, Odin might achieve a pyrrhic victory, managing to kill Clark and his companions at a great cost, but Asgard would undoubtedly not survive intact. With Robert's destructive capabilities, if unchecked, Asgard's demise was merely a matter of time.
In the second, even more tragic scenario, Odin might use his trump card but fail to defeat Clark, possibly even getting killed himself, leading to Asgard's total destruction.
Either outcome was unacceptable to Odin
: the first was a bitter victory starting from scratch, and the second was Asgard's complete extinguishment, leaving only Heimdall, Loki, and a brainwashed Thor on Earth, with Frigga likely not surviving long without Asgard.
"I am Odin, and I do not go back on my word," Odin finally said, even with his anger and reluctance, realizing he had no other choice. This was also why he had appeared sad earlier.
Now, Asgard no longer resembled the commanding realm that had once instilled fear across the universe. Odin even wondered if reducing Asgard's military to its current state, aiming for a utopian peace, had been the right decision after all...
But now, there was no time left to ponder these questions; he could not allow the battle to continue. The number of Asgardian soldiers and nobles killed by Robert, while significant, was relatively small compared to Asgard's larger civilian population. Odin was unwilling to risk the lives of his remaining subjects in this battle...
"Let it end here?" Robert raised an eyebrow at Odin's statement, his trust in Odin's credibility not exactly high, given their history of conflict not being instigated by them, whether it involved Mjolnir, Thor, or the catalyst Loki—all stemming from Asgard.
"I will no longer set foot on Earth, and anything that happens on Earth hereafter will have nothing to do with me," Odin took a deep breath, addressing Robert, now recognizing the threat Robert posed, capable of destroying Asgard.
"Earth's affairs no longer concern you?" Clark was surprised by Odin's statement. From the intelligence available, Odin had been Earth's protector in the cosmos. Although it was impossible to credit Asgard entirely for Earth's stable development, it certainly had played a role.
Clark detected the undertone in Odin's words: Earth was no longer under Asgard's protection. That said, the protection itself was somewhat irrelevant, especially considering Asgard's defeat at the hands of the Kent brothers; claiming to still be Earth's protector would be somewhat presumptuous.
However, Clark quickly thought of another issue—Thor and Mjolnir were still on Earth. Was Odin really planning to abandon them too?
"Thor will return to Asgard after his trials and will no longer set foot on Earth," Odin seemed to anticipate Clark's thoughts, taking another deep breath and making another concession.
Even without a clear victor in the current conflict, Asgard and Odin were undeniably at a disadvantage. Robert had the capability to destroy Asgard, but Odin couldn't hope to destroy Earth, not with the Ancient One guarding it...
Thus, as humiliating as it seemed, Odin had no other choice but to send Clark and his companions away, ending this battle he had initiated somewhat anticlimactically.
At this moment, Odin felt his earlier decision to avoid further wars wasn't wrong after all, as just one defeat had plunged Asgard into such dire straits. Who could guarantee that Asgard wouldn't lose a battle in thousands of years of warfare?
Now, Odin felt the only true mistake he had made was starting this war with Clark and Robert in the first place, and, looking even further back, failing to properly guide Thor and Loki. Had he succeeded with either of them, this current situation might have been avoided...
"This is the end?" Robert, hearing Odin's words, felt somewhat unsatisfied inside. He had finally reached a Super Saiyan-like state and had yet to fight a true powerhouse, and now it was ending, which was somewhat anticlimactic.
But, if it were the previous state of anger, Robert might have charged at Odin to battle, attempting to truly transform into a Super Saiyan.
Now, however, Robert was no longer in that enraged state. He could easily overpower Frigga, yet he was still no match for Odin, only capable of posing a slight threat with his attacks.
The decision to continue or halt the battle thus rested with Clark and Odin alone.
"Then let's cease hostilities. But how shall we return?" As Robert muttered, Clark nodded at Odin and asked.
"I can use the Rainbow Bridge to send you back..." Odin paused, looking at the Eternal Spear in his hand, his sadness more apparent.
Nearby, the newly revived Frigga also showed a sorrowful and reluctant look but didn't stop Odin, not only because Asgard's decisions were indeed up to Odin, but also because she knew that Asgard had fallen too far to seek revenge.
"Honestly, we don't quite trust the Rainbow Bridge's transport capabilities..." Clark shook his head at Odin's offer. With the Rainbow Bridge under Odin's control, who knew where Odin might send them?
It's wise to be cautious, especially since they were now enemies with Odin. They were only ceasing hostilities because their strength had made Odin wary, unwilling to escalate to a fight to the death, but their trust in each other wasn't high.
"I can contact the Ancient One!" Odin's expression
didn't change, but he tightened his grip on the Eternal Spear, offering Clark a solution.
With a hiss, a circle of fire appeared in Asgard, and the Ancient One's figure emerged, looking around at the damaged surroundings in astonishment.
The Ancient One had been to Asgard before, and as Earth's protector and a Supreme Sorcerer, had a reasonably good competitive and cooperative relationship with Asgard.
Thus, she clearly remembered what Asgard had once been like. The current devastated environment, showing signs of significant weakness in the realm, undoubtedly demonstrated Asgard's defeat in this battle and meant she had to fulfill a lost wager with Wanda...
"Why bother?" the Ancient One sighed, looking at Odin.
Odin didn't respond. What could he say? He could only admit that when he had learned of Loki's troubles, he had acted impulsively, along with Frigga.
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