Those time travelers that year

"What's going on? Where are they?"

Quantum teleportation, or spatial warp?

"Could it be that alien technology has advanced to the point where it can provide personal space teleportation devices?!"

"OMG..."

——————————Divider Line——————————

The distance of Apparition wasn't very far, but with Xia Er's effort, he still managed to move several thousand meters in an instant. Several thousand meters isn't far in modern society; on the contrary, it's quite close. Missiles could easily hit him in a flash! Therefore, for safety's sake, Xia Er used his limited magic power to teleport a sufficient distance several times before stopping and finding a spot under a rock to lie down.

Despite being severely injured and forcing himself to use magic, Charles felt his eyelids about to droop completely. However, before falling into a deep sleep again, Charles set up defensive spells and warning systems nearby. After confirming his safety, he dug away the sand at the bottom of the rock and used Polymorph to fix it in place, creating a well-ventilated, secluded, and relatively comfortable underground room. He also conjured a bed out of sand. After doing all this, Charles could no longer bear the feeling of falling asleep and collapsed onto the bed.

While in a deep sleep, recovering himself, Charles was unaware that in the outside world, the astronomical phenomenon he had just witnessed had attracted the attention of many interested people.

148. A turbulent world and the changes after waking up

The organization that has been hidden within human society for thousands of years, the organization that has protected Earth from extraterrestrial beings, has recently encountered a major problem. A traitor has emerged within this millennia-old organization, breaking their thousand-year-old oath of protection and deserting. If it were just a single mage, it wouldn't be so bad, but this deserter took some followers with him and also possessed certain forbidden knowledge within the sect—knowledge connected to an evil god from another dimension with whom the sect has long been entangled.

Instantly, the sect erupted into chaos, as if a pot had been boiled over. Much of the chaos stemmed from anger at the traitor; even without the Ancient One's command, many sorcerers spontaneously began pursuing the defector. Others, remaining somewhat sane, were much calmer. While dispatching men to hunt down the defector, they also sent messengers through the restored portal to inform the Ancient One of the events on Earth, especially the visitor from another dimension who had caused instability in Earth's spatial structure and was highly likely to exist.

Once the space stabilized, they urgently descended into the Middle Eastern desert through the now-stabilized portal. Using the power of the Vishanti, they created a mirror space to avoid appearing among ordinary people. The mage who came to scout the area ignored the dejected man who was overjoyed to see the helicopter land and take him back, and instead approached with a grave expression the spot where Shar had appeared in this world.

“The spatial structure here is extremely unstable. Before that, a powerful force forcibly tore the space around here apart. This force even affected the spatial structure of the entire Earth, causing the power of Vishanti to scatter in chaos…” A mage wearing an earth-yellow robe, concealing his appearance, said to his colleague who was dressed similarly.

"Could they be Asgardians?" someone asked doubtfully.

"I don't know, but they are the prime suspects..."

"The Rainbow Bridge can span the Kinlunga Gap, and its power is enough to slice a planet in half like butter. If the Asgardians were to use the Rainbow Bridge, it would indeed affect the stability of Earth's space."

"Are those Asgardians returning? Haven't they been gone from Midgard for thousands of years?"

"It's uncertain; they could also be visitors from other countries..."

"Let's conduct a thorough search of this area, though it won't be of much use."

"Raise the alert level. We'll await the Supreme Sorcerer's orders for detailed instructions!"

"I second that..."

……

Somewhere in the world, a massive aircraft carrier, never recorded in the archives of any country and known only to a select few individuals and organizations with global knowledge, is anchored in some international waters.

This aircraft carrier is far larger than the largest aircraft carrier currently in service with the US military, and even the new aircraft carriers that only exist on the blueprints cannot compare to it. And on this aircraft carrier, it carries the most technologically advanced machines on Earth today.

This aircraft carrier belongs to the world's largest violent organization, far surpassing the CIA and FBI. Even CIA and FBI agents are unaware of its existence; similarly, only a select few know of it…

It can be said to be the most powerful military organization on Earth, and its controller is naturally not a single country or individual. In fact, it was jointly established by the five permanent members of the UN Security Council. Some small countries with weak national power are not even aware of the organization's existence.

And now, aboard this aircraft carrier, people are also discussing the situation that occurred not long ago in the Middle Eastern desert.

"Coulson, what do you think that could be?" A black man wearing a black leather trench coat and a black eyepatch over one eye, exuding an aura of "I'm not a good person, I'm dangerous, I'm serious. If I'm not some dangerous villainous boss, then I'm the mastermind behind everything. If I'm not the leader of some terrorist organization, then I'm the leader of the world's largest intelligence agency." He seriously asked a smiling man who seemed to say, "I'm a good person, a really good person. I wouldn't do anything like forcibly taking your research data without explanation, or anything like that. So I'm not dangerous at all, at most I'm just bluffing."

“Perhaps our playboy knows more…” Agent Coulson cautiously replied, “...but I think it should be some outsider.”

"Outsiders? There are too many people in this world. We don't need outsiders who might bring bad intentions." The one-eyed man tapped his fingers on the table with an air of superiority and said, "Have someone keep an eye on that desert. Also, what conclusions have our researchers who freeload off funding come to?"

"The conclusion is that there is no conclusion, sir!"

"what?"

“Oh, while they did detect unexplained magnetic field distortions and inexplicable astronomical phenomena over there, people elsewhere wouldn’t have seen them at all unless they were there or had satellites,” Coulson replied. “So, our veteran researchers believe that either some extraterrestrials came to this world through methods we don’t understand. For example, the Einstein-Rosen bridge…”

"Or it's just an illusion, um, a mirage or something..."

Upon hearing this explanation, the one-eyed man's face darkened, though since his face was naturally dark, no one could tell. He'd wanted to shoot those stubborn, condescending researchers in the head more than once, but after thinking it over, he'd dismissed the idea. He didn't want them to give him an incredibly long scientific report next time, turning a common cold into a global pandemic…

“Alright! Keep a close eye on the intelligence over there, and have our men keep a close watch.” One-Eyed Dragon said with a disgruntled tone, rubbing his temples. “By the way, Coulson, go and meet our playboy. He probably knows more. Try to get some useful information out of him.”

"Yes, sir!"

——————————Divider Line——————————

When Ciel woke up again, it was already night.

In the desert, the temperature difference between day and night is enormous; it can be unbearably hot during the day and unbearably cold at night. Similarly, in the mornings, which are almost like a no-man's-land for life, but after the temperature drops at night, many desert animals emerge from their damp and comfortable burrows to search for food.

The desert at night is no safer than during the day; in fact, it's often more dangerous. However, for Ciel, who has regained some of his power, Earth is not dangerous at all. Thanks to his heroic physique, Ciel's regenerative abilities are now far beyond human imagination. After a good night's sleep, his various injuries have healed to some extent, and the restored magic power greatly increases his chances of survival.

After all, for someone like Xia Er who knows nothing about this Earth, and who doesn't know whether this world is a purely technological world or some other kind of world mixed with all sorts of messy elements, it's best to keep a low profile.

After stabilizing his injuries and regaining some strength, Ciel began to reassess his condition.

Now, compared to the extremely bad situation when he first woke up, the injuries he sustained from being ganged up on by seven [Heroes] have mostly healed. However, the aftereffects of the Abyss and the Primordial Flame merging into his body to prolong his life are still unpleasant. Many sounds and spectra that are normally inaudible and invisible are frequently appearing before Xia Er.

Moreover, Xia's mental state is not quite right. Suddenly, he can sense all the movements of the desert rats that have been out searching for food hundreds of meters away, and suddenly even the rocks beside him seem blurry.

Moreover, sometimes, in his eyes, the world around him became distorted and chaotic, the whole world appearing as a grid of tangled threads and turbulent ripples. Crazy, low voices echoed in his mind, as if trying to drive him mad, but he didn't go insane; his mind remained remarkably clear. Instead, his skin was covered in cracks, but no blood flowed from them; instead, they reflected the twilight's glow, and even his every movement sent sparks falling to the ground.

If one had to define him now, then Charles felt as if the whole world was showing him its true face, as if the truth was right beside him, and countless thoughts, ideas, and ideas, whether realistic or crazy, were constantly appearing in his mind.

149. The Strengthening of the Mutation

This situation made Charles feel uneasy, but he couldn't quite put his finger on what was wrong. Moreover, he had always relied on unorthodox methods, acquiring much of his knowledge and power through underhanded means. He was essentially forced into this position, so no matter how much he grew and became stronger, it was undeniable that he had always been a poor student.

However, it seems that the situation is now turning around. In this strange state, much knowledge that was incomprehensible or only superficially understood under normal circumstances, as well as various spells, techniques, rituals, and miscellaneous knowledge from the Type-Moon world, including alchemy and potion-making techniques from Harry Potter, were rapidly learned and mastered by Ciel in a short period of time.

Even the warlock's abilities to manipulate souls, fel energy, and shadow have gained a new understanding. Although his power hasn't returned to its peak, Sharl feels a little different now. With a thought, his chaotic spirit becomes clearer, and an invisible force field surrounds him. Everything around him—the wind, the sand, the animals surviving in the desert—all sorts of information clearly floods into Sharl's consciousness. But this massive flow of information, enough to overwhelm a computer, is now like a gentle breeze to Sharl.

Charles even had a sense that he could perceive what had happened on this land. Time seemed to rewind before his eyes, and strange scenery and strange realities were reflected in his pupils. His dark golden pupils became clearer and brighter than ever before, as if the sand covering them had been brushed away.

He could easily discern what had happened in the vicinity over the past few days and what might happen in the next few days. He even seemed to be able to perceive, to varying degrees, the constants of the surrounding space, changes in the magnetic field, and the structure of molecules and atoms.

It's as if, at this moment, in this vicinity...

He is omniscient and omnipotent!!!

Flames spread out, accompanied by a black mist enveloping Xia's entire body. The next moment, green and twilight-colored flames intertwined, and Xia emerged from the swirling vortex of fire, standing beneath the moonlight. Unknown material structures began to form a new body upon him. It was armor… strange armor, seemingly ordinary and simple. However, at this moment, Xia noticed something else. One of the loot he had amassed in the Dota world—the Soul Equipment—had completely vanished during the fusion process.

It was as if all of this had been in vain, but that feeling quickly vanished. Charles could sense that the soul equipment hadn't disappeared entirely; instead, it had been completely integrated into him in a different way. In other words, the external power provided by that equipment had been forcibly converted into a part of him. Just like those aura powers, now, if Charles wanted them, those aura powers would appear directly on his body.

As Charles pondered, the armor on his body continuously shifted, until finally, its appearance ceased to change. This light armor, now resembling some kind of high-tech weapon, felt weightless despite being fully armored, almost as if it didn't exist. And that wasn't all?

For no apparent reason, Charles threw a punch into the air. Instantly, a sonic boom resounded, and the force of his punch transformed into a blade, sending the surrounding sand flying. With a slight movement, he transformed into a jet-black shadow, instantly covering a great distance. How to control his body, how to unleash its potential, how to engage in close combat… these were originally Charles's weakest aspects, but now, in this strange state, they suddenly became different.

This body of his is so powerful that even within the Type-Moon universe, most of the True Ancestors pale in comparison. Now, Charles could easily defeat most enemies with a single punch using only his physical strength. Even back in the Dota world, facing a melee-focused hero like the [Wandering Swordsman], Charles felt he could blast him away without using magic. It's like… suddenly switching from a fantasy style to a Hong Kong comic book aesthetic.

"What's going on? Even with the corruption of the abyss, it shouldn't be like this!" He spread his arms, his mind still a bit muddled, but Xia Er felt something was definitely wrong with the current situation. After all, before this, he had never learned how to fight in close combat, but now, relying on that chaotic yet clear inspiration and ideas, he had suddenly learned how to control his body and unleash his maximum power. He had instantly transformed from a close-combat weakling into a martial arts master! ???

No! It's not just about close-quarters combat...

With a wave of his hand, azure and white soul energy gathered in Xia Er's hand, and then a semi-transparent greatsword appeared in his right palm. Gently gripping the hilt, Xia Er's right hand trembled slightly, and several flashes of light appeared in mid-air—sword light… Clearly, that transformation didn't just make him an expert in hand-to-hand combat; in fact, any combat technique that could be acquired through extensive practice and training could be easily 'calculated' under this chaotic inspiration and idea.

Having dispelled the soul greatsword in his hand, Charles raised his head and looked up at the moon in the sky.

He then took a deep breath, and jet-black mist emanated from his body, gathering behind him and transforming into a cluster of demonic wings that resembled shadows and black mist.

boom!!!!

The sand beneath his feet exploded, and through some inexplicable inspiration, Sharl modified all the magical knowledge he had learned. He, who had never learned how to fly before, suddenly and inexplicably learned to fly. Creating a powerful gust of wind, Sharl soared directly from the desert into the sky.

"What on earth happened?" Suspended in mid-air, Charles was incredulously experiencing everything. This sudden transformation into a genius didn't excite him. On the contrary, he felt a deep malice in this kind of effortless gain. Not the kind of malice that wanted to kill him, but rather a feeling of being played on someone, although this feeling of being played on someone was extremely unpleasant.

The chaotic sounds around him were gradually fading away, and the various phantoms, grid lines, and ripples before his eyes were also gradually receding. Looking up at the moon, the moon that emitted a pure white light, in the hallucination, there was a strange eyeball in the very center of the moon, also watching Xia Er.

Soon, everything slowly disappeared...

The last hallucination that appeared before Ciel was a field of countless radiant spheres and a girl with long, silver hair, a single ahoge (a cowlick on her head), and a strange smile. However, soon, along with all the hallucinations vanished, the inexplicable inspiration and ideas, the chaotic yet clear thoughts, receded from Ciel's soul and disappeared without a trace. Gone with them were the memories of most of the hallucinations, including the last one he saw…

150.......Folk Songs

Asgard, the realm of the gods, is ruled by Odin, the Father of the Sky. Nine kingdoms, an endless cosmic expanse, and countless civilizations have heard of this world to varying degrees. The renowned and war-hardened Asgardians have won victory after victory through their bravery.

This is an eternal realm, a world forever bathed in light. However, within this realm, some know that darkness constantly threatens the safety of the Nine Realms. For millennia, the Asgardians have styled themselves as protectors of order within the Nine Realms. This darkness has ravaged the world of the Dark Elves, who once brought terror to the universe, leaving them devastated, their race annihilated, forced to flee in disarray with only a few survivors to eke out a living in the dark corners of the cosmos.

Later, in Midgard, the world of Midgard thwarted the ambitions of Laufey, the king of the Frost Giants, seized and sealed away the artifacts of the Frost Giant race, destroyed the entire Frost Giant kingdom and civilization, and forced them to be forever trapped on the frozen planet Jotunheim.

Asgard is undoubtedly one of the most powerful forces in the universe.

But like a benchmark, because of its great reputation, Asgard in this world also has many dangerous things that are constantly watching this land of light.

For millennia, Odin, the Father of the Gods and ruler of Asgard, had grown old. Years of conquest and countless bloody battles had taken their toll, and even the gods of Asgard were increasingly weary. But no matter how weakened his body became, no longer possessing the fierce and fearless spirit of his youth, this seemingly frail old man, Odin, the King of the Gods, still inspired deep fear in many dangerous figures.

As long as this old man remains standing, no one in Asgard will dare to underestimate him.

Today, the King of the Gods, unusually, did not sit upon his golden throne, but instead walked alone into the depths of the palace. In his hand, he still held the spear that symbolized the supreme power of Asgard and possessed unparalleled strength—Gungnir, the Spear of Eternity. Thus, this King of the Gods, who looked more like an old man than a valiant warrior, walked on foot to a spring, the Well of Mimir, the legendary Well of Wisdom in Middle-earth. There, a giant, now only a head, opened his eyes, brimming with wisdom, after Odin's arrival.

“Odin, King of the Gods…” Mimir, the giant who represented wisdom and whose only remaining part was his head, said in a weary voice, “My old friend, in all these years, I have never seen you look so worried when you came here.”

“Mimir! My old friend!” Odin’s voice was full of majesty, but also of weariness. He asked Mimir, whose head was now nothing but a skull, “You know, I am very worried about that prophecy…”

“Ragnarok!!!” Mimir interjected, “But, my old friend, that was all in the past. Prophecies change once they become known to others…”

"But what has changed is only the process, not the outcome!"

“…Yes, old friend!” Mimir sighed. “So, what do you intend to do, Odin?! King of Asgard!?”

"I would like to ask whether my successor is capable of maintaining order in the Nine Realms and upholding the throne of the King of the Gods in Asgard after I am gone."

“Thor and Loki…” Mimir said helplessly, “One is brave and fearless, the other clever and quick-witted. If both of these qualities could be combined in one person, then Asgard would usher in a new era of glory. But, my friend, only one can sit on the throne, and as the saying goes among the mortals of Midgard, ‘Uneasy lies the head that wears a crown.’… Putting aside everything else, those two children are not yet ready to wear the crown. They are not ready!”

“Alas!!!” Odin sighed wearily. “The gatekeeper told me that for a short period not long ago, he couldn’t see Midgard. A strange force was distorting the space and dimensions of Midgard. These are turbulent times; the Nine Realms are not at peace. Laufey is still like a venomous snake, constantly threatening Asgard. In the kingdom of the fire giants, Surtr’s ambition is no less than Laufey’s, but he is more intelligent and more cunning.”

"So, my friend, what have you thought of my proposal?" Mimir inquired.

"Let me think about it some more, think about it some more..." Odin said hesitantly.

“Old friend! Before you were a father, you were the King of Asgard, the ruler of the Nine Realms, and the maintainer of order.” Mimir loudly questioned, “Do you want to be a good father, or the King of Asgard, the one who bears the responsibilities of the gods!?”

Odin's body trembled, and his face immediately turned bitter.

"I……"

Suddenly, Odin and Mimir both paused, then simultaneously turned their gazes outside the palace. Or rather, at that moment, the gazes of the two 'gods' transcended the palace and Asgard, turning towards the Midgard world—Earth.

“Runes’ wisdom tells me that something new has happened in Midgard, my old friend.” Turning his gaze away, Odin looked solemnly at Mimir, the giant of wisdom who now only had a head. “Perhaps I should inform the Gatekeeper, or perhaps send Hugin and Munin to Midgard.”

“My divine authority, Wisdom, has taught me so much, my old friend!” At this moment, Mimir also turned his gaze back, revealing an expression of inexplicable admiration. “Just now in the Midgard world, in Midgard, a Midgardian shed his mortal body and officially embarked on the path to immortality leading to the realm of the gods.”

"What!?" Upon hearing Mimir's words, the King of Gods, the King of the Dead, the God of War, the God of Power, and the God of Magic, was utterly astonished. "You mean, a new god has been born in Midgar?"