American Comics: Heaven's Reward

As far as Aaron knew, defensive magic was a rare thing in Asgard.

This scarcity likely had something to do with Asgard's unique physiology and the properties of Uru metal.

Asgardians were renowned for their extraordinary physical strength. Their bodies were among the strongest in the entire Milky Way.

And Uru metal? Its properties were legendary.

Even Thor, despite his god-like strength, had been stabbed by Loki's dagger.

And then there was the cursed warrior—he had once struck Mjolnir, a weapon capable of defeating even the Hulk, yet he was pierced by an ordinary Uru spear!

Gamora, the adopted daughter of Thanos, wielded a god-killing weapon, one designed specifically to kill Asgardians.

These examples spoke volumes about the strength of Asgardian defenses, which were acknowledged throughout the galaxy.

Furthermore, the Nidavellir dwarves—the greatest artisans of the universe—had forged countless artifacts to enhance Asgard's power. As a result, Asgard had no shortage of magical tools.

However, this abundance of artifacts and physical might had an unintended consequence: it hindered the development of defensive magic. In Asgard, defensive magic was practically non-existent.

Aside from a few rare displays, such as the Golden Hall's energy shield during the dark elf attack, defensive spells were seldom seen.

So, when Amora used a defensive spell to block his attack, Aaron found it fascinating.

An idea instantly struck him—I must learn this magic!

Aaron's Psychokinesis ramped up, intensifying as it pushed against Amora's shield. His focus wasn't just on stopping her from flying away—it was also about using his daggers to test the limits of her defense.

The standoff didn't last long. As Aaron's Psychokinesis reached level 3, Amora's shield shattered completely. Uru metal—sharp and unforgiving—forced her to move even less freely.

Amora's face turned pale. She hadn't anticipated Aaron's rapid growth in strength, especially after only a week of training. It was truly outrageous!

The Psychokinesis she had taught him, the very same skill she'd deemed useless, was now being used against her—both to break her own shield and to control the daggers attacking her.

Aaron had also unleashed an energy explosion combined with an illusionary duplication magic that decimated a group of stone titans in a flash.

Boll, indeed!

When she first taught Aaron magic, it was with no real intent to guide him. She had only shared spells that she thought were irrelevant or ineffective. Her approach had been dismissive—after all, she didn't see any potential in these magics.

To her, there were far more practical spells out there—illusion, shapeshifting, mind magic, and teleportation—spells that were far superior to Psychokinesis and energy blasts.

Yet, now, she saw the unimaginable power these "useless" spells had in Aaron's hands.

How could this be? Was it possible for him to be a magic genius after all?

Unfair. Unreal.

Amora's frustration reached its peak as she realized that she had no chance of winning.

Aaron's abilities were pushing her to her limit, and if he truly went all-out, she'd be dead in no time.

Escape!

With a swift motion, Amora summoned a portal—a green, glowing doorway that shimmered before her.

Without looking back, she rushed through the portal, her heart pounding with relief.

She had made it out. Finally, I've escaped...

She couldn't believe it—Aaron wasn't just a master of the mind; he had also learned teleportation magic!

But there was a nagging voice in her head. You're still too impatient, Aaron. If only you'd focused on your learning, you would surpass me...

Amora allowed herself a bitter smile. But if you don't catch me today, you won't have another chance.

"Just what?"

A familiar voice, calm and certain, rang out in her ears.

Amora turned stiffly, and there he was—Aaron, standing right behind her.

"How... How did you—?"

She froze. She had clearly teleported away just moments ago. She'd even closed the portal herself. How was Aaron here?

Did he learn teleportation too?

She racked her mind, but the only explanation was that he had somehow learned to track her teleportation and immediately follow her.

But Aaron didn't wait for her to unravel her thoughts.

"Don't bother trying to figure it out. You really thought that when you teleported, you left your location?"

Amora blinked, confused, before it hit her like a ton of bricks.

Was she still inside the illusion this entire time?

The teleportation had been fake. It was nothing more than a fragment of a hallucinatory reality created by Aaron. She hadn't left at all.

She had been trapped in a mental construct this whole time, unaware that Aaron had carefully manipulated her perception.

Her senses had been completely blinded.

"Aaron... this... this is impossible!" she stammered.

"Can you finally listen to me now?" Aaron asked, his voice calm but commanding.

Aaron had cracked through all of Amora's defenses, both magical and mental. His mastery of the illusion was so complete that he could control everything.

Amora knew she was at his mercy.

Her life could be taken at any moment.

She understood the gravity of the situation, but there was something even more terrifying in her mind.

With any other person, Amora would've known exactly what would happen next. But Aaron wasn't just anyone. He was a master of illusion and magic.

No one would even notice her death. Aaron could easily use duplication magic to replace her in the world, leaving her disappearance unnoticed.

No one would suspect foul play, and eventually, her absence would be explained away as some accident or "reasonable" cause.

Amora knew she had been bested.

She let out a sigh, resigned to her fate. After a moment's thought, she finally nodded.

"Today, I'm done. Just tell me what you need. As long as it's in my power, I'll do it."

Aaron's lips curled into a faint smile. "Wise choice."

He stepped closer, his piercing gaze locking onto her emerald eyes.

"I need you..." he began, the words hanging in the air, full of weight and consequence.