Chương 102: Chapter 102: The Pathetic Kaecilius 

Offering a polite smile to the remaining attendees, Luke smoothly settled back into his seat. Loki watched him sit down, shot a deeply amused, highly condescending glance at the terrified Frost Giant King, and officially resumed his place at the head of the table. 

"Now then, are there any other matters that need to be officially announced or discussed before the summit concludes?" Loki asked, signaling that the floor was open. 

Eitri, the Dwarf King, naturally had absolutely nothing to say. If he hadn't been formally summoned by Asgard, he would have infinitely preferred to remain in Nidavellir, hammering away at his forge. 

Eleanor Addison, the elegant Queen of the Light Elves, gently raised her hand. "Recently, several unidentified, heavily armed cosmic fleets have been repeatedly probing the outer borders of Alfheim. We formally request Asgardian military assistance to deter them." 

Loki nodded. "Understood. I shall immediately dispatch a Royal Guard fleet to issue a formal warning. If they dare violate your borders again, inform me immediately. I will authorize full military action to annihilate them." 

"Hey!" Luke suddenly stood up, startling Queen Eleanor. Her initial impression of Luke had been permanently colored by the brutal, sadistic way he had just tortured the Frost Giant King. 

"I'll help you wipe out those fleets! But in exchange, could you send some of your agricultural experts to Earth to help us improve these fruits?" Luke clapped his hands. 

Instantly, two Shadow Ninjas materialized directly beside Queen Eleanor, respectfully presenting a platter of assorted Earth fruits. 

"Ah..." Eleanor gingerly picked up an apple, examining it closely with her profound magical senses. "These biological specimens could indeed be significantly improved. If you are willing to personally assist in driving away the hostile fleets, then I would be honored to accept your proposal." 

Wow, these Elves are actually incredibly reasonable and kind. 

Luke nodded in satisfaction. "Excellent. Consider those fleets dealt with." 

Eleanor nodded gracefully, officially sealing the trade agreement. Luke happily sat back down, eagerly awaiting the next petitioner. 

The representative of the Vanir was a rather unremarkable, elderly man. Clearly a minor political figure, he stood up nervously when it was his turn to speak. "Recently, a massive, violent rebellion has erupted across Vanaheim. We formally request Asgardian military intervention to suppress the insurrection." 

Hearing this, Luke's interest instantly evaporated. 

While the Vanir were technically considered a 'godly' race like the Aesir, they were significantly less impressive. Aside from possessing physical constitutions superior to ordinary humans, they hadn't really achieved anything remarkable. If Asgard hadn't been constantly protecting and subsidizing them for millennia, they would probably still be living in medieval-style city-states. 

Luke had absolutely zero interest in personally suppressing a civil war for them. 

However, he realized this was a perfect opportunity to outsource some labor! He could easily hand this mission over to the various Earth delegations! Those politicians and secret agents were currently sitting in Asgard with absolutely nothing to do. He might as well give them a 'side quest' to keep them busy and encourage them to start looking beyond their own tiny planet! 

The universe is unimaginably vast! Why are they all so obsessed with fighting over a single mud-ball?! 

Thinking of this, Luke eagerly interjected before Loki could respond. "If you require military assistance, I highly recommend you contact the various Earth delegations currently residing here in the palace! They have highly trained strike teams and would likely be extremely interested in accepting this kind of... 'mercenary' work." 

The elderly Vanir representative nodded happily and sat down. 

Finally, it was the Frost Giant King's turn to speak. 

The new King shot a terrified, highly cautious glance at Luke before clearing his throat. "Jotunheim currently requires no military assistance. However, we desperately wish to establish formal trade routes with the other realms to purchase essential resources and sustenance." 

After his brief, humiliated statement, the King hastily sat back down. 

Loki nodded in satisfaction. "If there are no further matters, I formally declare this High Council summit concluded. Any realm wishing to negotiate trade agreements with Jotunheim may do so now." 

With Loki's dismissal, the formal meeting ended. 

The elderly Vanir representative breathed a massive sigh of relief and quickly hurried out of the chamber, desperate to find the Earth delegations. The other Realm Lords immediately converged on the Frost Giant King. 

Despite lacking arable land and vegetation, Jotunheim was incredibly rich in rare, highly magical minerals and unique, resilient flora that possessed potent alchemical properties. While these resources couldn't fill an empty stomach, they were highly valuable across the Nine Realms. 

Eitri, Eleanor, and even Loki surrounded the Frost Giant King to negotiate. Luke thought for a moment and decided to wander over as well. 

As Luke suddenly appeared directly in front of him, the Frost Giant King literally flinched, his massive body trembling involuntarily. Clearly, Luke had inflicted an incredibly deep, lingering psychological trauma. 

Rubbing his chin, Luke asked casually, "Could you send me a comprehensive list of your primary export materials? I'd like to take a look and see if Earth needs anything." 

The new King was clearly caught off guard by the polite request, but he nodded frantically. "I... I will have my subordinates deliver a complete inventory to your quarters immediately!" 

Luke nodded and turned to leave the chamber. 

The grand Asgardian banquet was scheduled to last for the next three days. He didn't need to rush off to Alfheim to destroy those hostile fleets immediately; he had plenty of time to enjoy the party first. 

As for building a positive relationship with Eitri? He had already laid the groundwork during the meeting. Pushing too hard right now would seem overly desperate. 

Luke strolled onto a massive balcony and gazed up at the breathtaking Asgardian night sky. He realized that due to severe light pollution and the massive network of artificial satellites, he could rarely see the stars this clearly on Earth. When I get back, I really need to mandate stricter pollution controls. And maybe shoot down a few redundant satellites so they don't block my view. 

As he admired the cosmos, Frigga sent a magical message informing him that the Dragon meat was finally ready. Luke immediately headed toward her private lounge. 

Meanwhile, in the guest quarters assigned to the Earth delegations... 

Inside the suite occupied by S.P.E.A.R., the four Chinese representatives hadn't left to scout for intelligence. Instead, they were gathered near a large window. 

Clairaudient had been listening intently to the entire High Council summit from afar. As he relayed the conversation word-for-word, Captain Zhao meticulously transcribed the intelligence into a notebook. 

Once Clairaudient finished the transcription, he nudged Clairvoyant. "The doors to the Council Chamber just opened. Tell us what you see." 

Clairvoyant nodded. He stood by the window, channeled his internal Qi, and the color of his pupils shifted dramatically. 

"An elderly man just hurried out. Based on the descriptions, he should be the representative of the Vanir. The other Realm Lords are currently surrounding the Frost Giant King, likely negotiating trade deals." 

Captain Yang nodded in understanding. He hadn't opened his 'Divine Eye' because his ability was primarily focused on analyzing microscopic details and energy flows, not long-distance surveillance. 

"I strongly suggest we attempt to establish contact with the Vanir representative immediately," Captain Yang proposed. "If we assist them in suppressing their rebellion, it will not only provide our elite operatives with invaluable extraterrestrial combat experience but also allow us to forge a strong diplomatic alliance with another realm." 

Captain Zhao nodded firmly. "I will find an opportunity to initiate a dialogue with him shortly." 

In terms of raw superpowers, he was significantly weaker than the other three. But when it came to complex, high-stakes diplomacy and negotiation, he was the absolute expert. 

Captain Zhao noted the objective in his notebook. He reviewed the transcribed conversation and added, "We should also actively engage the other Realm Lords. We need to secure a copy of Jotunheim's resource exports. Furthermore, we must establish diplomatic ties with the Light Elves and arrange for our top agricultural scientists to study their techniques. As for the Dwarves... based on the summit, their forging techniques are unparalleled in the universe. We should definitely attempt to purchase some of their advanced equipment to reverse-engineer back home." 

"Agreed," Captain Yang nodded. He then sighed, rubbing his forehead. "The real question is... how exactly are we supposed to travel to these other realms to conduct this business?" 

"We will have to rely on Luke to arrange the logistics," Captain Zhao said, tapping the notebook. 

"I suppose we have no other choice," Captain Yang agreed. He then glanced over at Clairvoyant, who was currently rapidly sketching detailed portraits of the various Realm Lords in a small notebook. 

Because the Realm Lords all possessed highly distinct, unique physical characteristics, Clairvoyant was having an easy time sketching them. 

As he sketched rapidly, Clairvoyant muttered to himself, "Honestly, I always assumed Dwarves were supposed to be... well, short. But that guy is literally over three meters tall! The Frost Giant is exactly what you'd expect—a giant block of ice. But the Light Elf Queen... oh man, she is absolutely gorgeous! I could totally fall for her!" 

SMACK! 

Captain Yang slapped the back of Clairvoyant's head. "Focus on the mission!" 

Clairvoyant pouted but obediently continued sketching. 

In the adjacent suite, the burly leader of the Russian delegation was currently reviewing the sparse intelligence they had gathered. "Alright, Asgardians love alcohol. We need to test if they appreciate our premium vodka. Frost Giants? They probably don't need our fur coats... I wonder if Dwarves like to drink..." 

The burly man sighed heavily. With such limited intelligence, it was incredibly difficult to formulate a coherent diplomatic strategy. However, they were determined to find an angle. 

The other three Western delegations (US, UK, France) were currently huddled together in a separate suite, holding a joint strategy session. However, based on the exhausted, apathetic expressions of the British and French leaders, they were clearly planning on doing the bare minimum. The American leader, however, was aggressively outlining a highly ambitious plan. 

"The Vanir are considered the 'brother race' to the Aesir! Think about the name: 'Gods'! They must be incredibly powerful! We need to establish contact with them immediately! We must ascertain if they harbor any secret ambitions to challenge Asgard for cosmic supremacy! If they do, we can absolutely manipulate the situation to our advantage and profit immensely from the conflict!" 

Meanwhile, in the S.H.I.E.L.D. suite, Nick Fury was silently reviewing the intelligence gathered by his elite team. Because S.H.I.E.L.D. had interacted with Thor and Loki much earlier than the national delegations, they possessed significantly more comprehensive, nuanced intelligence regarding Asgardian politics. 

Looking at the list of the Nine Realms, Fury began meticulously crafting a highly classified, multi-layered strategic plan. True to his nature as the ultimate spymaster, he didn't share the full scope of his plan with anyone in the room. 

Luke finally arrived at Frigga's private lounge. Pushing the doors open, he was surprised to find the room absolutely packed. Odin's entire family, Thor, Pepper, Tony, and the Ancient One were all gathered inside. 

"Looks like I missed the first bite," Luke smiled, walking into the lively room. 

Frigga smiled warmly and handed him a large, ornate platter filled with perfectly roasted, steaming meat. With a wave of her hand, she dispelled the preservation spell keeping the food hot. "This is the very first batch of Dragon meat the Royal Chefs have prepared. Please, taste it." 

"Alright, let's see if this lives up to the legends," Luke picked up a piece and took a bite. 

His eyes widened in genuine surprise. "Wow. That is genuinely incredible. It's infinitely better than premium Wagyu beef, and the texture is absolutely perfect!" 

Luke nodded appreciatively, already planning his future culinary adventures. Whenever I discover an alternate dimension with Dragons in it, I'm definitely going to hunt a few down just for a barbecue! 

The Ancient One, having just accepted a plate from Sylvie, watched Luke happily enjoying the meal. She offered a silent, highly amused smile. Enjoy your meal while you can. In a few days, you are going to be incredibly busy. 

At that exact moment, in Kamar-Taj... 

Several shadowy figures stealthily slipped into the Restricted Section of the Grand Library. 

Master Lunn, the dedicated Librarian, was currently sitting at his desk, wearing noise-canceling headphones and completely engrossed in watching a soap opera on his tablet. He happily slurped down the last few noodles from his cup of instant ramen, took a satisfying gulp of the salty broth, and pushed the empty cup aside, completely focused on the drama unfolding on the screen. 

The shadowy figures silently materialized directly behind him. Faint, ominous magical glows began to emanate from their hands. 

Lunn was entirely oblivious to the impending danger. Suddenly, several glowing magical chains violently whipped out from the darkness, tightly binding his wrists and ankles, forcefully hoisting him into the air! 

...A few minutes later... 

A series of agonized screams echoed from within the Library. Several bruised and battered figures were violently launched out of the double doors, crashing heavily onto the courtyard stones. 

Kaecilius sprinted out of the Library, clutching a torn piece of ancient parchment in his hand. His face was pale with absolute, sheer terror. 

Suddenly, another bruised disciple was violently launched out of the Library, crashing directly at Kaecilius's feet. 

"YOU INSOLENT TRAITORS! HOW DARE YOU ATTACK ME?!" Lunn roared furiously, storming out of the Library. 

He had just been trying to comfort his lonely, vacation-less heart by watching a soap opera, only to be cowardly ambushed! 

Kaecilius had originally felt incredibly smug watching Lunn get tied up. So what if you signed Luke's precious contract?! You're still weak! Hit me, idiot! 

But then, the absolute unthinkable had happened. 

Lunn had instantly violently erupted with a terrifying, overwhelming surge of pure dimensional energy! He effortlessly shattered the magical chains, pulled out a massive, glowing 'Spell-Bat,' and unleashed a devastating barrage of explosive fireballs, violently blasting the entire group of treacherous disciples across the room! 

Lunn hadn't even cared about potentially damaging the precious books in the Library. He knew for a fact that every single important tome had been meticulously digitally backed up by Luke's Decepticon servers. Furthermore, none of the books currently in the Library were the original, irreplaceable manuscripts. Therefore, he had absolutely no reservations about unleashing total destruction! 

Kaecilius had watched in absolute horror as Lunn effortlessly channeled an amount of magical power that Kaecilius couldn't have achieved even if he borrowed energy from ambient sources for a lifetime! Lunn casually blasted the treacherous disciples away like ragdolls. 

In the ensuing chaos, Kaecilius had desperately managed to tear the specific page detailing the Ritual of Dormammu from the Book of Cagliostro and frantically fled. 

"Where exactly do you think you're going with that page, Kaecilius?!" Lunn sneered, twirling his massive 'Spell-Bat.' He casually smacked a groaning traitor on the ground, a bloodthirsty, predatory smile spreading across his face. 

Kaecilius took one look at the glowing, heavy wooden bat and knew he was completely outmatched. He frantically activated his Sling Ring, desperately tearing open a portal to escape. 

But Lunn was faster. Having previously cast a high-tier 'Haste' enchantment on his boots, Lunn cleared the distance instantly and viciously clamped his hand onto Kaecilius's left wrist! 

"WHERE DO YOU THINK YOU'RE GOING?!" Lunn roared, instantly activating a 'Giant's Strength' enchantment woven into his robes, violently attempting to drag Kaecilius away from the portal. 

In a moment of absolute, sheer panic, realizing he was about to be captured, Kaecilius made a desperate, horrific choice. 

Ignoring the fact that his left arm was still firmly gripped by Lunn outside the portal, Kaecilius violently forced the Sling Ring portal to snap shut! 

The portal violently collapsed, cleanly severing Kaecilius's left arm at the shoulder. 

Kaecilius had successfully escaped with the ritual page... but he had left his arm behind.