Marvel x Genshin: Mavuika, The Sun Goddess Rules Asgard — Chapter 65

Chapter 65: Myth Becomes Reality

It began at the roots of her hair. Strands of deep crimson started to lose their pigment, turning translucent as a golden-red light bloomed from within. In moments, it was as if every single strand had become a miniature, flowing vein of the sun itself.

The light was not blinding. It was a warm, glorious radiance that bathed the entire living room in a sacred atmosphere, casting long, soft shadows that seemed to bow in reverence.

Immediately after, a divine halo of pure crimson, as brilliant as a scorching star, slowly materialized behind her head. It was no physical object, but a continuously rotating wheel of light forged from pure energy. complex, ancient runes flickered across its surface, appearing and vanishing in a silent, cosmic dance that pulsed with a majestic and primordial aura.

The temperature in the room rose by a few degrees, not with an uncomfortable, dry heat, but with a gentle warmth that felt like the first rays of a spring dawn. On the coffee table, the surface of the tea in its porcelain cup trembled, its ripples spreading outward as if in response to the arrival of this hallowed power.

Howard Stark and his wife, Maria, shot to their feet, their chairs scraping against the floor as they took two involuntary steps back. Their eyes were wide, their breath caught in their throats. In that single, stunning moment, every shred of doubt they harbored simply evaporated.

No scientific instrument, no trick of light, no advanced special effects technology could ever hope to forge such a scene. This was not an optical illusion or a clever chemical reaction; it was the raw manifestation of an existence that transcended the very essence of physical law.

After a few seconds that stretched into an eternity, Mavuika retracted her divine power.

Her hair settled back into its familiar crimson shade, the radiant halo dissolved into nothingness, and the room’s temperature returned to normal. It was as if nothing had happened at all, save for the frantic, thunderous beating of two human hearts and the fine beads of sweat that had broken out on Howard and Maria’s foreheads.

“Just as you suspected,” Mavuika said, her voice a calm anchor in the storm of their shock. She picked up her teacup and took a gentle sip, her movements as natural and unbothered as if she had merely been tidying her hair. “Mythologies and legends are indeed real. It is merely that the long passage of time and the frailties of oral tradition have distorted or exaggerated many of the details.”

Howard Stark collapsed back into the sofa, a long, shuddering breath escaping his lungs. This was a man who had lived through two World Wars, who had been a key mind in the Manhattan Project, who had witnessed the birth of countless world-changing technologies. Yet, in this moment, he felt like a child watching real magic for the very first time.

“This… this is truly difficult to believe…” He shook his head, a bitter, awestruck smile touching his lips. He reached out for the teacup Maria offered him, his hand still trembling slightly.

Once the initial wave of shock receded, reason began to claw its way back. Howard Stark was, after all, Howard Stark. His brain, though reeling, immediately began to analyze what he had just witnessed: energy conversion efficiency, thermal radiation range, the specific wavelength characteristics of the light…

But he quickly realized the futility of his efforts. Using the existing framework of science to analyze the power of a deity was like using Stone Age tools to study quantum physics.

“If the myths are real…” Maria began, her voice still laced with a deep sense of wonder, “then does that mean… Ms. Mavuika, you… you are nearly a thousand years old?”

Mavuika inclined her head, her expression serene. “I am indeed over a thousand years old. I have forgotten the exact number; it has been too long to keep count.”

Howard and Maria exchanged another look, the sheer weight of her words leaving them momentarily speechless. Myth had become reality, and the two worldly, knowledgeable elders were utterly at a loss.

This was especially true for Howard. As one of the most brilliant scientific minds of the 20th century, he had always been a staunch materialist. He believed in mathematical formulas and physical laws, in the unwavering certainty that all phenomena could eventually be explained by science.

But now, staring at the woman whose hair had just burned with the fire of a star, Howard felt the worldview he had so carefully constructed not collapsing, but being forcibly expanded into an unmatched new dimension. He recalled the books on Norse mythology he had devoured in his youth—the legends of Asgard, of the gods, and of the World Tree, Yggdrasil. At the time, he had dismissed them as the romantic imagination of ancient peoples, a poetic but primitive attempt to explain the natural world.

But now…

“Does the Irminsul… does Yggdrasil truly exist?” Howard asked, the question slipping out before he could stop it. He realized only after speaking how childish it must have sounded.

Mavuika nodded, her expression perfectly serious. “It exists, though not as a ‘tree’ in the literal, biological sense. It is a multi-dimensional cosmic structure that connects the Nine Realms. Earth—or as we call it, Midgard—is situated at its center, which is why it is also known as the Middle Realm. The Bifrost is the conduit connecting the various worlds, and Asgard sits at the very apex of the World Tree.”

She saw the insatiable thirst for knowledge flickering back to life in Howard’s eyes and decided to elaborate. “From your perspective, Asgard exists on another dimensional plane. It is connected to your world, yet remains relatively independent. This is why we do not interfere in the affairs of Earth lightly; every realm has its own unique trajectory of development.”

Howard fell into a deep, contemplative silence. He reached for his teacup, only to find that its contents had long since gone cold. Maria, ever attentive, quietly took the cup and refilled it for him. Her movements were gentle, her eyes filled with a deep understanding and support for her husband as he grappled with this new, impossibly vast reality.

After a long moment, Howard seemed to regain his composure. The scientist within him began to convert shock into questions, and doubt into the fuel for exploration.

“Then…” He leaned forward slightly, lacing his fingers together over his knees, slipping unconsciously into his “work mode.” “Could you please explain the situation in Asgard and the Nine Realms in detail? And those aliens… the Skrulls. You seem to be very familiar with them as well.”

Mavuika offered him an appreciative look. To be able to adjust his mindset so quickly, to pivot from existential shock to focused inquiry—such mental resilience was rare indeed.

“Of course,” she said, setting her teacup down. Her voice was calm and clear, like a patient teacher beginning a lecture. “First, regarding Asgard and the Nine Realms…”

Seeing Howard glance toward the coffee table drawer, she gave a small gesture of assent. He immediately retrieved a notepad and a fountain pen—an old-fashioned habit, but he had always believed that the physical act of writing helped him think.

“Asgard is the guardian and administrator of the Nine Realms, ruled by my father, Odin,” Mavuika continued, waiting for him to be ready. “As for the Skrulls, they are a race from a distant galaxy, quite far from the Nine Realms. The most significant characteristic of this species is their ability to shapeshift. They can perfectly mimic any life form they have seen—and I do not mean just the appearance. Their DNA, biological markers, behavioral patterns, and even portions of their target’s memory can be copied.”

Howard’s hand froze mid-sentence. The nib of his pen pressed into the paper, leaving a deep, black dot of ink that slowly began to bleed.

“You mean…” His voice was low, stripped of all its earlier awe and now laced with cold gravity. “They can disguise themselves as anyone? Completely indistinguishable?”

“Almost,” Mavuika confirmed with a solemn nod. “Ordinary methods of detection are useless, as they can perfectly replicate the biological characteristics you would look for. Only a very few, specialized methods can identify them, such as perceiving the essential differences in their energy fields or using certain forms of magical detection.”

The atmosphere in the living room grew heavy. Outside the floor-to-ceiling windows, the sun was still bright, and the birds in the garden continued their cheerful songs, but a chilling shadow had fallen over the room. Howard Stark was beginning to understand that a threat of unimaginable proportions might have already taken root on Earth.

He set his pen down, resting his hands on his knees as his brow furrowed into a tight knot. The world had just become infinitely larger, and infinitely more dangerous.