*Chapter 154: "The Fox is Padded" (Third Update)*

“I am using the power passed down from Zeus.”

Atreus didn’t say much more.

Saying too much is a mistake. Instead of covering things up with lies, it's better to say nothing.

When it comes to lies, for gods—no, for any being beyond human understanding—it’s hard to fool them.

Atreus had long grown accustomed to this kind of communication.

As for this mixed Marvel and DC world reaching this point today, Atreus had a good sense of what was going on.

Recently, Atreus’s cross-dimensional search abilities had hit their limit. This had nothing to do with the level of his teleportation skills; without greatly enhancing his perception, Atreus realized that he probably couldn’t detect Themyscira, Wonder Woman's original home. Not only was that place on a different spatial plane, but time there also wasn’t on the same dimension.

When luck fails, the only thing Atreus could think of was acquiring time-space powers from Doctor Str4nge’s timeline.

Unfortunately, the Ancient One wasn't an easy person to deal with. If Atreus tried anything at this point, the Ancient One could kill him in an instant.

Staying stuck in place would only lead to a dead end. He needed to ascend to at least a planetary-level power to have a chance at controlling his own destiny.

But ascending to planetary-level strength? That wasn’t easy at all.

So, whether running off to cause trouble with the Greek pantheon or following Thor around the universe in the future, both were risky endeavors.

As long as the rewards matched the risks, there wouldn't be a big problem.

Here, Atreus answered all of Sif’s questions.

Sif couldn’t detect any flaw in his words.

Even regarding her most important concern—Atreus told the truth. The Aether was the Reality Stone, and a guy named Thanos in the universe was eyeing it. Since what Kratos sought didn’t conflict with Asgard’s interests, everything was fine.

"Alright. Formal questioning is over. Now, let’s give you a proper taste of Asgardian hospitality." Sif went out for a bit.

What came next left Atreus dumbfounded.

A ten-person band, a group of elf dancers, a ten-square-meter table full of food, and a whole row of wine that weighed more than Atreus himself…

“What the…”

“You saved Queen Frigga! We are all grateful to you! Everyone loves her, and you deserve this honor.”

Sif laughed heartily, affectionately patting Atreus on the shoulder and immediately encouraging him to drink.

Alfheim, under Asgard's rule, was the land of the elves—home to real, beautiful light elves. These elves were about the same height as humans, had fair skin, and long, pointed ears. If Atreus had any regrets, it was that these light elves also had two pairs of transparent, dragonfly-like wings.

One traveler silently complained: "If they were more like the elves in World of Warcraft, I'd take a few home to warm my bed. But forget it, these winged bird people aren't worth it."

The band, made up of dwarves from Vanaheim, were only about half a person’s height but were great at creating atmosphere.

Still, as both of Atreus’s eyelids twitched uncontrollably, he really wanted to comment on how he felt like he was getting back to his original role in life—as a top-notch nightclub reviewer.

But being invited to party with the Aesir gods of Norse mythology? That was a rare privilege.

After downing five bottles of 500-gram strong liquor, Sif was starting to get tipsy.

"Last time I went to Earth, I was in too much of a hurry. Are the bars on Earth as lively as here?"

"Uh, as a former prince of the nightclub scene, I insist Earth’s clubs are wilder than this."

“Really? I don’t believe you!”

Atreus pulled out his smartphone and casually showed her a video from a nightclub—pounding music, trippy lights, and people wildly dancing, which left Sif staring in a daze.

"They look like they're having a lot of fun."

"They are!"

"Is this how that woman, Jane, mesmerized Thor?" Sif, slightly drunk, pointed at a girl in the video who was barely wearing any clothes.

How could one describe this girl?

She was like the stereotypical American pin-up girl you'd see when searching terms like “The Great Depression” or “jazzy little tunes.” For Sif, this kind of outfit was way over the top. If she ever dared to wear something like that, Frigga would probably banish her the moment she woke up.

Atreus’s facial muscles twitched slightly—Should I tell her that in Thor’s eyes, Jane is just a rare kind of woman? She never simpers in front of Thor and dares to slap him twice across the face. Could you do that? Sometimes, men just crave novelty, something fresh.

Could Atreus say that out loud? No, he couldn’t!

"Hey! I don’t care about their stuff; don’t drag me into it. But yeah, I used to date a lot of women like that."

"How did it feel?" Sif abruptly slung her arm around Atreus’s neck. The move was pretty brotherly, but it was a test of his body.

System notification: [Sif has unconsciously initiated a grappling attack on the host. Evaluating the host’s strength and constitution… Evaluation passed. The host has been immune to the grapple damage.]

Atreus finally understood why his eyelid had been twitching. If his constitution had been below 100 points, his neck would probably have been shattered into 206 pieces right now.

Atreus casually shrugged and pushed Sif away. "Not much. To me now, Earth women are too fragile. They're like delicate porcelain, needing careful handling. If I use just a bit of force, they end up with multiple fractures."

"Exactly!" Sif, clearly irritated, took a big swig of her drink. "I just don’t get what’s so great about that woman! Thor’s obsessed with her and even has Heimdall constantly watching her, giving him regular updates."

"Love doesn’t always need a reason." Atreus clinked glasses with her and downed what must have been 500 milliliters of 50-proof alcohol in one go.

“Boo-hoo! I sacrificed so much for him, learned how to be the perfect wife. I’ve waited for him for thousands of years, and he still doesn’t see me as a woman.”

Atreus silently studied Sif.

Honestly, Sif had her reasons for being worshiped as a goddess in ancient times. She was strong, a great partner in battle, and a devoted wife.

In terms of looks, she was quite attractive.

The biggest difference between her and Jane was in their facial shapes. Sif’s face leaned more toward square. This kind of face looks best with long, wavy hair, with b4ngs to cover the cheekbones and part of the jawline. You don’t want to expose all the lines of the face.

Although Sif did have long hair, she kept it straight for battle, exposing her forehead and face lines, which made her look overly masculine, even slightly old.

No wonder Thor only saw her as a buddy.

By contrast, Jane had a classic oval face, embodying a femininity Sif couldn’t match.

“Boo-hoo! I clearly have a better figure.” Perhaps Sif had been subtly testing Atreus before, but now, she was genuinely drunk and heartbroken. “That vixen probably even pads her…"

"Uh, how about I teach you a song? It'll make you feel better. The song’s called The Fox is Padded!”

(End of chapter)