Chapter 126: New Magic

Beyond the Sword of Gryffindor, Gu Zhongyan also intended to craft spells such as the Slytherin Locket, the Ravenclaw Diadem, the Hufflepuff Cup, and the Hogwarts Sorting Hat. However, compared to the Sword of Gryffindor, which was a pure energy weapon, the functions and designs of these other spells were far more complex. He currently lacked a clear direction, and they remained in the nascent stage of conceptualization.

Even so, the Sword of Gryffindor spell had already caused Loki considerable trouble. Especially as a master of the mental realm himself, Gu Zhongyan could easily see through Loki’s illusions, leaving the god no room to escape the reach of the blade’s light. At this moment, Loki truly regretted having rushed into close-quarters combat. Had he not engaged in melee, he would never have ended up in such a predicament.

Beyond the physical damage of the blade, what pained Loki even more was the mental force contained within the sword. As a spell named after the Sword of Gryffindor, Gu Zhongyan had naturally incorporated a tribute to Gryffindor’s will during its creation. The searing, courageous energy, like a knight’s burning flame, reminded Loki of Thor—that blockhead—to the point that he was momentarily dazed, thinking he was actually fighting his brother.

Loki’s feelings toward Thor were quite complex. On one hand, he envied Thor for being Odin’s favorite, despised his reckless reliance on brute force, and, especially after learning he was not Odin’s biological son, harbored an inexplicable resentment toward him. Yet, on the other hand, as brothers who grew up together and as a younger brother who had been shielded, he held a deep, profound affection for Thor. It was precisely because of this that he constantly provoked Thor, as if that were the only way he could find any semblance of comfort.

However, being beaten by Thor and being beaten by Gu Zhongyan were two entirely different things, and this similarity in power only fueled Loki’s rage. Finally, after being grazed by another of Gu Zhongyan’s strikes, which narrowly missed a vital organ, the God of Mischief erupted.

"Enough, you lowly mortal! Do you have any idea what you are doing? I am a god!" Loki roared in anger. A powerful force of frost surged from Gungnir, and a massive blizzard transformed into a dragon of ice, coiling toward Gu Zhongyan. Within the terrifying dragon lay an extremely potent mental force; even as a master of the mind, Gu Zhongyan dared not disregard a spell of this magnitude. Clearly, in his fury, the God of Mischief had unleashed his ultimate trump card.

"Sacred Fire!"

The Sword of Gryffindor dissipated from Gu Zhongyan’s hand, replaced by the surging Darkhold. Vast magical energy instantly coalesced into a sphere of white flame. Filled with a holy aura, this fire was the result of merging white magic with the Incendio charm—the polar opposite of the cold, corrosive flames. The dazzling fire bloomed like fireworks in the night sky. The claws of the ice dragon had not yet descended before they were incinerated by the brilliant light.

At some point, Loki had swapped Gungnir for a golden staff, its head resembling the horns of a goat, emitting powerful magical fluctuations. As a god, just as Thor had Mjolnir, Loki naturally had his own signature staff. Perhaps it was a step below Mjolnir in power, but it was undoubtedly one of Asgard’s top-tier artifacts.

Energy blasts, astral projection, force impacts, frost freezing… Going all out, Loki displayed the formidable prowess of the Nine Realms’ greatest mage. Various magical energies were as tame as sheep in his hands, obeying his every command. This magic, rooted in divine power, allowed Gu Zhongyan to glimpse another side of the Marvel Universe’s magical system.

Compared to the magic recorded in Kamar-Taj and the Darkhold, which focused on tapping into universal energy, Asgardian magic leaned more toward psionics, focusing on one's own internal power, yet it remained distinct. Gu Zhongyan mused that this likely had to do with the unique circumstances of the Nine Realms and the Asgardian race. The universe was vast, with countless stars, yet Asgard was the only region that existed as a flat plane. Furthermore, the World Tree was a unique entity, existing only within the Nine Realms and nowhere else in the entire multiverse. It was by relying on such unique phenomena that the Asgardians could rightfully claim the title of gods—a status recognized not just on Earth, but throughout the entire universe.

Loki’s magic opened Gu Zhongyan’s eyes, but his own magic had similarly left Loki stunned. By fusing black and white magic, Gu Zhongyan’s spells were among the most versatile in the world. Bone-blade chains, corrosive fire, sacred fire, whispers of terror, abyssal roars—each of his adapted spells was a match for Loki’s own. The surging Darkhold was no less impressive than Loki’s staff.

The two traded blows, locked in a fierce, chaotic battle with no clear victor in sight. Frost, flames, wood, and rock—all manner of magical energies rained down. Ultimately, however, Gu Zhongyan’s technique prevailed. A chain of black bone blades pierced through the ice shielding Loki and bound him firmly. As the bone blades, imbued with a devouring power, pierced his skin and drained his strength, Loki could only collapse to the ground, powerless and unwilling to accept defeat.

"Brother! Brother, are you alright? Brother! What have you done to my brother? I tell you, if anything happens to him, I will never forgive you!"

As the battle ended, the onlookers gathered around, and naturally, the brother-obsessed Thor was among them. Seeing Loki bound on the ground, Thor’s protective instincts flared, and he began shouting at Gu Zhongyan. Gu Zhongyan didn't doubt that if Thor hadn't lost his divine powers and remained helpless, he would have already swung Mjolnir at him.

Looking at the enraged Thor, Gu Zhongyan waved his hand dismissively. "Alright, alright, don't be so anxious. I’ve only sealed his power; I haven't done anything to him. Besides, even if I had, he was the one who provoked me first. He thinks he can stir up trouble just because he's learned a few tricks to manipulate minds—a little lesson is well-deserved. If it weren't for the sake of His Majesty Odin, I would have given him a real taste of his own medicine."

Hearing this, Thor frowned. Though impulsive, he was not a fool; he knew that without his powers, he would be helpless against Gu Zhongyan even if the man had done something worse. Moreover, he noticed that while Loki was drained of energy, he wasn't truly injured, which set his mind at ease.

"By the way, Loki, why did you come to Midgard? Was it to see me?" Thor hurriedly helped Loki up, asking with genuine concern.