Reborn as the God-Emperor in Marvel

"What a pity," Solomon said mockingly. "I thought a god fallen to Earth would be tempting enough for you to mobilize your military forces to capture him."

Nick Fury wasn't that foolish. Solomon had already explained Thor's status in Asgard and Odin's incredibly long lifespan, which was enough to reveal many issues within Asgard. However, Fury also mentioned internal problems in Asgard, like whether anyone might oppose Odin—only to be ridiculed by Solomon, who thought Fury, the so-called king of spies, had been brainwashed by the USA's ideas of freedom and democracy. After all, the very existence of organizations like S.H.I.E.L.D. was the USA's greatest infringement on human rights, because in this world, only strength allows someone to speak. Asgard was no exception.

In fact, when Solomon first brought up the issue of the throne, Fury was slightly tempted. Thor was destined to be the next King of Asgard, and if S.H.I.E.L.D.—or perhaps the United Nations—could assist, Earth might gain access to alien forces, catapulting its technological level forward.

But Fury quickly calmed down. Contests over thrones were always bloody; human history had countless examples. Not even Solomon could guarantee Thor's survival. If S.H.I.E.L.D. bet on the wrong side, it could mean complete failure, possibly even implicating humanity.

Hurting Thor was absolutely out of the question; there were too many uncertainties. Fury had already foreseen numerous unforeseen consequences. He was the director of S.H.I.E.L.D., not some politician in the White House who could say anything to win votes. As an agent, he would never blindly make enemies. Caution was key.

Even if the World Security Council learned of the matter, Fury could find a way to gloss it over. Even if those five members were fools, they would still know what to do.

As a result, Fury decided to remain neutral in this incident. If possible, he would seize some benefits from the situation. And those potential benefits were right in front of Solomon now—some of those blood samples were Thor's, though, sadly, Fury knew he would never get his hands on them.

Fury also understood the underlying message in Solomon's words. The mystic had brought up Carol Danvers again to remind Fury that he knew about his trump card—or rather, most of his cards. There was no need to feign ignorance in front of him; clear communication was the best approach.

"I'm no fool," Fury said. "And I think you and I share the same goal: keeping these troubles far from Earth. Otherwise, how do you explain your location in Old Bridge Town? Tracking a phone call isn't as hard as you think."

"You actually got it right," Solomon said, curling his lip. He did harbor ill will toward the Aesir. Their lineage was more monstrous than divine. As they probed each other, Fury and Solomon began to understand one another. Oddly, their communications were more frequent than those of love-struck teenagers. Fury's psychological profile of Solomon was even more detailed than that of the Sorcerer Supreme.

Fury had learned of Solomon's disdain for all non-human creatures, and Solomon had grasped Fury's commitment to protecting human safety. The two of them had very similar approaches and philosophies. Solomon even had some admiration for Fury—not for his specific role, but because Solomon knew that Fury was genuinely willing to sacrifice everything for Earth's safety.

Although S.H.I.E.L.D. often leaned towards the USA's interests, Solomon believed that once S.H.I.E.L.D. was dismantled, Fury would understand what truly mattered. And when Solomon finished decoding all the documents related to the Holy Shield Brotherhood, he would hand them over to Fury. It was better for ordinary people to handle the real-world threats while Kamar-Taj focused on magical ones.

"So, tell me, what's the situation in Asgard now?" Fury asked. "Who's in charge? Odin?"

"Loki," Solomon said as he inspected the blood samples. "Odin's adopted son, second in line for the Asgardian throne. Don't trust the myths too much. I learned that the hard way."

"And what is Loki's stance on Earth?"

"He's a god."

"Got it," Fury replied, thinking for a moment and realizing Solomon's point—gods don't care about human opinions. He continued, "So, what will Thor face on Earth? The potential threat you mentioned—was that Loki? According to you, they're rivals for the throne."

"Yes," Solomon said, omitting some details—things Fury didn't need to know or things he couldn't be bothered to explain. "If Loki causes Thor's death, it has nothing to do with Earth. As for Thor's challenges—he'll probably just learn how to be a responsible king."

"And how does Thor view humans?"

"Do you think someone who can party in a Viking longhouse, surrounded by the stench of animal dung, drinking mead, could be all that bad?"

"Alright," Fury said. "Tell me, will Loki's schemes against Thor harm humanity? I don't think a god would care about the people beneath him, and I don't want innocent lives lost because of their squabbles. I know you, Solomon. I trust we can agree on this point."

"If I were you, I'd be mobilizing the military right now," Solomon replied. "Though the USA often tests nukes in the New Mexico desert, that won't work this time because Thor is currently mortal. You can try any military force you want, except nuclear bombs. Isn't this what you want? A comparison between human and alien military strength?"

"So, does that mean we'll be drawn into Asgard's conflict? What if we lose?" Fury sensed Solomon had another warning, perhaps about the second phase of the Avengers Initiative.

But now wasn't the time to explore that.

"Loki won't care. Neither will Odin. Human military power is insignificant compared to Asgard's weapons. Besides, Kamar-Taj is the only real government on Earth. When the time comes, we can just claim you were a rebel force and have already been wiped out."

Solomon packed the blood samples with ice into a sealed bag, wrapped it in foam, and stowed it in a dimensional pocket. He then poured alcohol into a clogged sink.

"If things get out of control, Kamar-Taj will step in as rulers. Even though Asgard is Earth's suzerain, they can't act recklessly here. Humans are not completely subjugated like the Vanir gods."

Solomon implied that S.H.I.E.L.D. could freely test Asgard's military strength since Kamar-Taj was Earth's real ruler. In the eyes of the Asgardians, S.H.I.E.L.D. was just a roadside gang of robbers. Even if they failed, the Sorcerer Supreme could easily distance themselves from the matter.

"I just hope you weren't bluffing, Solomon," Fury said, feeling tempted by the mystic's proposal. This action would allow him to demonstrate alien technology to the World Security Council, advance his own plans, and test humanity's military capabilities against extraterrestrial powers. It could also foster international cooperation. It was a win-win situation.

With a grave expression, Fury said, "Now, tell me, where is Thor? I'll find him, and I'll handle everything from there."

"Right now? I have no idea. Probably having lunch," Solomon laughed. Fury had finally fallen into his trap. Solomon's proposal was one Fury couldn't refuse, especially as he was pushing the second phase of his plan.

This delighted Solomon. "But don't worry—he'll come to you."

"Why?"

"When have you ever seen the god of hammers without his hammer?" Solomon tossed a spark into the sink, where blue and orange flames danced across the water. He threw the remaining blood samples and papers into the fire to prevent S.H.I.E.L.D. from getting Thor's DNA. After doing so, he left the room and activated the fire alarm. "You should start evacuating people now."

Fury moved quickly. In New Mexico, there were at least three military airbases, and with S.H.I.E.L.D.'s authority, he could have fighter jets on standby. His actions drew the attention of his superior, Alexander Pierce. Fury reported the situation truthfully, omitting only Solomon's involvement, merely saying that his intelligence source had informed him of the events.

Alexander Pierce squinted, not because of the news of gods arriving but because Fury had an intelligence source he wasn't aware of. Though concerning, it wasn't enough to derail Pierce's plans. Still, Hydra's intelligence agents needed to investigate and identify this source. Fury could not be allowed to slip out of their control.

"I don't know why mythological figures are appearing in reality," Pierce said, "but I trust you can handle this."

"I have a foolproof plan," Fury replied, constrained by their pact, unable to explain too much to his old boss. "But I'll take care of it."

"I believe in you," Pierce said. "I always have."

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