However, Odin patiently asked, "Then why did you help Thor?"
"Why? Because he took a liking to me at first sight, because he took the initiative to become sworn brothers with me, because you provided me with food and lodging, there are many reasons. However, none of these are transactions, none of these are exchanges."
Hayden shook his head.
"This is neither a thank-you gift nor a transaction, but a present for you. I simply want to save Thor's life, and then see more of your country and people, to see how it lives, how it grows, and how it changes..."
...The way I'm saying this sounds a bit like Angela.
Hayden, somewhat surprised to realize this, continued, "So, it's just a gift, and gifts don't ask for anything in return."
Nevertheless, Odin's expression seemed to say the old adage, "What's free is often the most expensive."
Sigh, how embarrassing. Hayden now felt a pang of nostalgia for the time when he first met Angela. Back then, he was also worried that free things were the most expensive, and afraid that this unknown super robot Angela might demand something from him. But later, Hayden understood that there are indeed other principles in the universe.
Thinking about it this way, perhaps Odin's current hesitation is only natural. People are always afraid that a windfall might be poisoned, or that a wallet lying on the ground might be a scammer's trap. A completely free and unexpected good thing easily arouses suspicion; conversely, even a seemingly reasonable price can dispel many doubts... Aha!
Hayden suddenly had a great idea. He decided to make something up a little bit.
"How about this? I'll help you rescue Thor, and then I'll help you retrieve the Mjolnir hammer, saving the lives of Asgard." Hayden said with a smile, "The price is that one day you'll have to repay me with your lives."
This sounded rather alarming, so Odin became serious: "How will you repay me?"
"A long, long time later,"
Hayden spoke slowly,
"In an era where brothers kill each other, fathers and sons slaughter each other, and friends betray and turn against each other; in an era where cruelty reigns supreme, and people have become like wolves, seeing one another as prey, there will be a great war. It will be a battle between good people and evil ruling gods, the final war between good and evil."
"My demand is this: when that time comes, you must come and fight for me, give everything you have to fight alongside me against the evil god who rules the world—it's that simple."
“Odin, my friends, surely you can manage such a simple request?”
409: Odin didn't like the idea.
Odin could not possibly fully understand Hayden's words or his conditions.
How could he possibly know that Hayden's words, "the good people fighting against the evil ruling god" and "the final war between good and evil," were actually referring to themselves, corrupt and decadent, more than four hundred years later? It was simply impossible for him to have imagined it!
On the other hand, Hayden was unaware that Odin had secretly performed divination, attempting to predict Hayden's identity and future. The results of his divination were: [Struggle], [Death/Resurrection], and [Transcendence].
Odin didn't know the answer, but that didn't stop his imagination from running wild—what exactly was the war Hayden was asking them for? What would be the outcome?
To put it half-jokingly, any man with even a modicum of passion, any warrior striving to resist a tyrant and oppression—even though they themselves became oppressors more than four hundred years later, but at least Odin now is undoubtedly still such a person—such a warrior with dreams, upon hearing Hayden's promise and recalling the results of his divination, would inevitably feel a jolt in his heart.
A final war between good and evil.
For a soldier with ideals, this is something far more tempting than fine wine.
"Sometimes the word doesn't sound very pleasant."
Hayden continued,
“But I am not extending my hand from a superior position. Rather, I want to heal Thor as an equal to you and offer you some help in your time of need. And one day in the future, as a way of repaying my help, I hope that you will fight alongside me and fight side by side.”
This is by no means an easy task.
"........."
Odin fell into deep thought.
What is he thinking about? He might still be wondering who Hayden really is and what his intentions are.
If he really insists on dwelling on this and refuses to let go, then Hayden truly has no better way to persuade him.
But
Although Odin only had one eye, he could see Hayden's two eyes.
The gray, one-eyed creature stared into Hayden's green eyes.
Although he only has one eye, Odin can still see that Hayden's gaze is not fixed on the present, but on the future.
A future he was very certain of.
Although it only happened once, Odin had already used his own methods, including divination, to investigate Hayden.
If Odin truly touched upon Hayden's true nature at that time, even if only a little bit, then...
"……it is good."
Odin nodded.
“I swear by my spear Gungnir, once the final war between good and evil that you speak of truly takes place, I will lead the army of Asgard to fight against the ruler of the evil gods.”
Although he couldn't foresee the future more than four hundred years from now, Odin still managed to speak quite flexibly.
However, Hayden shook his head and said, "I don't need such oaths. I don't like oaths in the first place. Once an oath is written down, everyone will want to play word games. If everyone does that, it will ultimately tarnish the credibility of everyone's oaths and contracts. So I reject that kind of thing. I just want you to be true to your word and do what you say."
Odin remained silent.
After a moment of silence, he said, "Then, my friend Loki, let me, like Thor, swear a blood oath with you and become your sworn brother."
“The insistence on a contract is essentially due to insecurity; it’s the feeling that only a relationship and proof can ensure equality and provide a sense of security.” Hayden still shook his head. “But whatever, let’s leave it at that for now.”
They immediately swore an oath of brotherhood by blood, each dripping blood into a wine cup and drinking it together. Odin was older than Thor, making him Hayden's sworn brother.
After completing the ritual, Hayden was finally able to help the seriously injured Thor—which sounded rather pitiful to Thor. However, in practice, Angela simply blew on Thor and easily dislodged the poisonous ice shards embedded in the back of his neck.
Odin watched Angela's miraculous healing magic from the sidelines, speechless with astonishment.
“You’ll get used to it,” Hayden said calmly. “But Odin, don’t go around telling everyone about this. Just say that I helped with the healing spell.”
Odin nodded, but couldn't help asking, "What exactly is the principle behind this?"
“I advise you not to know,” Hayden replied. “Besides, there’s still the hammer issue to deal with first.”
Without the hammer, the weather in Asgard is rapidly deteriorating. If this drags on, people could freeze to death if they're unlucky.
Moreover, what Hayden feared most was what would happen if the Frost Giants and the Old Gods really launched a massive attack? He wasn't afraid to act as a strategist, handle logistics, or heal the sick, but as a person from the future, Hayden really didn't dare to directly charge into the fray and annihilate the army. That would truly be a troubling way for him to go down in history.
“The assassin severely wounded Thor with an ice blade, and now the attack is also from the frost. The one who stole the hammer must be a frost giant,” Odin continued. “They haven’t attacked yet. However, I’ve sent ravens to watch from a distance. They are gathering their forces, planning to achieve a great victory in one fell swoop. I’m afraid they will attack within half a month.”
Half a month sounds like a really long time. As the saying goes, speed is of the essence in war. With the enemy general and city defenses paralyzed, what are they doing not taking the opportunity to attack? Why drag it out for half a month? But if we consider the mobilization and organizational capabilities of feudal society, we will realize that this is actually not slow. Whether you are giants or gods, the organizational model and operation mode of society determine the efficiency of doing things.
The fact that they were able to gather a large army in just half a month was largely thanks to the fact that the old gods (who had fallen angel blood) were skilled in teleportation magic.
Thinking of this, Hayden added, "Speaking of which, Asgard shouldn't be invaded by the frost giants, right?"
“Not at all. It’s just the loss of [Mjolnir], not the loss of our entire magic system to the enemy,” Odin said. “The gods cannot teleport in or out of the entire Asgard region and a whole league outside the city walls. There’s absolutely nothing to worry about.”
"But the frost giants and the forces of the gods are gathering in the city of Thorem, the frost giant king. It is an ancient divine city, imbued with the magic of the gods. It is not a place that can be easily invaded. How do you plan to retrieve Thor's hammer from there?"
As soon as Odin finished speaking, Angela added in Hayden's mind, in a way he couldn't hear: "Master, Azazel might be in that city. And He knows me, so it might be inconvenient for me to go there in person, lest He see me."
Azazel, in an ancient language, means "the power of God." This name already hints at the "power" of this fallen angel. He possesses immense "power" capable of moving mountains and overturning seas, and is the progenitor of all giants (nephilim) on earth.
Threm, the Frost Giant King, is probably His son or grandson.
Angela could easily defeat Him instantly if she went over and beat Him up, but if a fallen angel saw her in this era, it might cause a lot of trouble...
Hayden stroked his chin and pondered, "Brother Odin, if you were to do this, to find a way to get Thor's hammer back, what would you do?"
“Steal if you can.” Odin’s answer was straightforward. “First of all, we can’t reveal our identities. I’m also skilled in shapeshifting, and I’ve infiltrated the territory of the gods before to steal their magic and artifacts. There are a large number of gods gathering now, so it shouldn’t be difficult to shapeshift, disguise myself as a god, and infiltrate.”
"Furthermore, the evacuation route must be well planned. If things don't go smoothly, there should be no hesitation; retreat immediately and try a different approach. Timing is also very important. That's all for now."
These words reveal Odin's distinct personality traits.
So Hayden nodded and shared his thoughts: "I did think of a similar method, but you probably wouldn't like it."
“Whether I like it or not is irrelevant,” Odin replied. “There’s nothing I wouldn’t do for Asgard, for the sake of reclaiming Mjolnir. Tell me your idea, as long as it’s a good one.”
"Okay. Then I'll get straight to the point."
So Hayden said,
"Azazel, like Asmodius, was one of the earliest extraterrestrial gods to interbreed with humans and give birth to the giant gods."
He doesn't dare to say the word "fallen angel" to Odin yet, nor is it necessary.
"Especially Azazel. Asmodeus spreads lust, but Azazel is controlled by lust, especially lustful, and easily tempted by human women, thus giving birth to a large number of Nephalem (giants) among the Old Gods. At the same time, he is also the true master of Thorem. Whether or not the frost giants presented Thor's hammer to Azazel, he would definitely know where the hammer was."
Upon hearing this, Odin had a very ominous premonition: "Brother Loki, what exactly are you trying to say?"
“I was thinking,” Hayden said slowly, “that you should transform into a beautiful young woman, a human sorceress… and then we’ll figure out a way to trick Thor out of his hammer—after all, you’ve done it before by transforming into a woman to trick people with your magic. What do you think?”
410: Hayden and Odin's Journey to the Land of Giants
The next morning,
Hayden waited near a city gate in Asgard, waiting for Odin to be ready so they could go to the giants' city to steal Thor's hammer together.
Although Angela couldn't go with them, she waited at the city gate with Hayden.
"Master, why did you think of having Odin transform into a woman to deceive Azazel?" Angela asked curiously before Odin arrived. "Over the past few years, you've come to know far more about fallen angels than most humans. You should be more adept at deceiving Azazel than Odin, right?"
Hayden retorted, "Do you want me to become a beautiful girl to seduce fallen angels?"
“I don’t really want to,” Angela answered honestly, “but I’m curious about your thought process. You’re not trying to make things difficult for Odin, are you?”
“Of course not.” Hayden shrugged. “First of all, he’s better at transforming into a woman than I am, and secondly, he has more experience in deceiving people by transforming into a woman. Besides, I don’t know how to use [Seth].
"But the most important thing is, I want to see if Odin is really serious, if he truly has the determination and perseverance to sacrifice himself for Asgard. There are plenty of leaders in the world who claim to be for their country, their organization, and their people—but if he doesn't even have the determination to dress up as a woman, infiltrate enemy lines, lure the enemy leader, and steal back a vital national treasure, how can I believe he has the determination to sacrifice himself for the people? Even if it's just the people under his rule?"
Hayden spoke with great conviction.
Angela nodded in agreement: "Simply put, it's about making Odin abandon his honor and pride to show the extent to which he's willing to sacrifice for the people? That's understandable."
Her statement seemed somewhat impolite. However, Hayden still replied, "Compared to protecting the people, I don't think the self-esteem and honor of a ruler are worth a single penny. A true leader should be able to throw away self-esteem and feed it to the dogs, and should pay more attention to the interests and losses of the people."
"You are really harsh on the rulers."
“The rulers should be held to a higher standard than the people.”
As the master and servant chatted, the person they were talking about finally appeared.
She was a stunningly beautiful woman, dressed in a flowing white Greek-style robe. Her waist-length honey-colored hair swayed gently in the wind. She appeared to be in the prime of her youth, and even through the robe, her full breasts and slender waist were visible, radiating a vibrant energy. She was truly an unforgettable beauty. Even in the icy, knife-like snow, her beauty remained undiminished.
If other Assamese saw this beautiful young woman, they would surely exclaim in surprise, "Ms. Eden, what brings you to the city gate so early in the morning?"
Because this beautiful girl is exactly the same as Eden, the great sorceress and healer of Asgard.
Although, she was actually Odin in disguise. He used magic to make himself look exactly like him.
"Excellent!" Hayden nodded approvingly. "This will definitely fool those giants!"
Odin's lips twitched. "Thank you for the compliment. But I'm curious why you don't transform yourself? Your shapeshifting skills must be pretty good, right?"
“I have no practical experience as a con artist,” Hayden replied seriously. “I’ve never been a woman. And I don’t know how to use [Seth].
These words made Odin's expression turn very ugly.
He disliked the Loki brothers' idea, very much so.
...But Hayden's words were also true. Odin's transformation into a woman was more effective than Hayden's, and he also had more experience in deceiving people by transforming into a woman. Although Hayden was indeed a very successful conman, he had no experience in transforming into a woman and using a female image to deceive people.
However, Odin really exists.
Hayden once said (although that was during his last interaction with Freya) that in the Norse/Germanic magic system there is a type of witchcraft called the "Vazlock Spell," also known as the "Sez Spell," which can only be used by witches and is a spell that is good at bewitching and enchanting people.
Long ago, Odin transformed into a woman to deceive other goddesses and obtain the secret knowledge of the Sez spell—but this spell can only be used by women.
If a man uses it too much, he will turn into a woman.
So although Odin tricked his way into knowing the knowledge of the Sez spell, he didn't dare use it normally. He would only use it when absolutely necessary.
In the future, Freya will join the Aesir, and they will create a special race of female warrior gods called the Valkyries—but right now, in this era, Odin does not yet have these resources.
Now, it's clear that the time has to be used.
So Hayden really didn't mean to make things difficult for Odin, really not—it's just that the [Sez spell] is best at charm, illusion, deception, and necromancy.
If you want to infiltrate the giant city where the gods gather, steal back Thor's hammer, and protect the people of Asgard—then isn't it only natural to have Odin transform into a woman and cast the [Sez Spell]?
Besides, Odin also has a history of transforming into a giant to deceive young goddesses, using sweet words and acting as a con artist to seduce them into bed, then stealing their magical wine... In other words, Odin is far more experienced than Hayden in being a con artist. How terrifying!
“I told Eden I was going to transform into her and steal the hammer from the giants,” Odin sighed dejectedly. “She lent me her clothes and jewelry.”
Indeed. Odin now not only resembles Eden, but he also wears Eden's rings, gold jewelry, and her most exquisite and beautiful clothes, making him look radiant.
Hayden secretly thought that Eden's willingness to provide Odin with clothes and jewelry after learning about it was probably because Eden herself was quite capable.
"In short, I've now perfectly transformed into Eden's likeness. Loki, what's your next plan?" Odin sighed and asked, "How are we going to infiltrate the giants' city like this?"