Yes, in Loki's heart, there was still a soft spot—and that was for his mother, Queen Frigg.
Regardless of whether his father, God King Odin, was partial or not, Loki knew well that his mother loved both him and his older brother equally.
If possible, he hoped to maintain a perfect image in his mother's eyes, undamaged in any way.
But he knew it was impossible.
So, in the next instant, he launched an attack, blasting Thor out of Odin's bedroom.
Before Queen Frigg could react—and even before Rowan could respond—she hurriedly fled on horseback.
Rowan just watched Loki run off and did not pursue.
This was internal strife within the Asgardian royal family; it was not appropriate for an outsider to intervene.
More importantly, Thor had already asked him not to act.
Thor was afraid that Rowan's attack might be too severe, and that Loki would be killed outright.
So Rowan simply watched as Loki unleashed the power of Bifrost to utterly destroy Jotunheim.
That should have been Loki's true home.
But Loki had no feelings for that place.
Now, he sought to destroy Jotunheim in order to gain a foothold in Asgard and claim the legitimacy and power of kingship.
"Stop!"
Thor shouted urgently.
He already understood what Loki was up to.
If he were the original Thor, he might have done the same.
But now, having somewhat grasped his father's philosophy, he knew that no power—no matter how great—should be used to kill, but to protect.
To start a war was to become a tyrant.
And that was why he must never hand the throne to his younger brother Loki.
"You can't stop this!" Loki began. "Bifrost will keep building until Jotunheim is destroyed!"
The terrifying power of Bifrost struck Jotunheim, unleashing a near-instant devastating attack.
Where the beam passed, countless Ice Titans fled in panic.
The attack even penetrated deep into the planet's core.
If the core were destroyed, the entire Jotunheim would be wiped out.
That was exactly Loki's plan.
As long as he could destroy Jotunheim, he would have a valid excuse.
No matter what he did, he could justify it as wanting to destroy Jotunheim.
There was still a chance.
He would not give up.
"Why do you do this?" Thor asked.
At this moment, he already understood.
Loki was an Ice Titan, Jotunheim was his homeland, and destroying it was destroying his own birthplace.
"He doesn't understand."
"To prove to my father that I am a capable son—no worse than you, Thor!"
Loki growled softly, jealousy flashing in his eyes.
Yes, he was deeply jealous of his big brother Thor.
"When Father wakes, I will save his life.
I will destroy that monstrous race.
Then I will truly inherit the throne!"
Rowan watched from a distance.
Like all villains, Loki had to speak his plan out loud, as if it were a secret he had been forced to keep for too long.
If he hadn't said it, he might have truly burst.
Rowan found it amusing.
Villains love to declare their grand plans when they believe victory is assured and overthrow impossible.
If they had been cautious from the start, the protagonists would have died long ago.
But Rowan understood Loki well.
This was a kid longing for fairness, love, and attention.
He wanted to prove from start to finish that he was no worse than his big brother.
He wondered why his father never gave him the chance.
"You can't kill an entire race!" Thor said.
From the beginning, he only wanted to force Jotunheim to submit.
He wanted to be king, and the Nine Realms would be his territory—including Jotunheim.
Those were his people, and it was impossible for him to kill them all.
"Why not?" Loki smiled that trademark shark grin. "Since when did you suddenly feel pity for the Frost Titans?
That's not like you.
Didn't you want to teach them a lesson and make them crawl at your feet?
What? Now you've become a saint?"
"You could crush them all with your bare hands!" Loki said sarcastically.
Thor replied with a solemn expression, "I never hoped they'd crawl at my feet.
I wanted them to recognize my authority and understand my strength.
Not to challenge me when I become king.
Starting an unauthorized war is unacceptable.
Besides, the Nine Realms belong to Asgard, and its people are our subjects.
If you want to be king of Asgard, why kill your own people?"
"Not to mention, you're a Frost Titan yourself, aren't you?" Thor said, baffled.
What he couldn't understand most was why Loki hated his own race so deeply, wishing to exterminate them all.
At these words, Loki's eyes flashed with furious hatred.
He roared, "I am not some Frost Titan.
I am the second prince of Asgard, son of Odin.
I am not a monster.
Are those blue monsters even worthy of being my kin?
If they exist for one day, it is a shame.
Their existence is a disgrace to me.
They are a brutal race that only judges strength by size—ignorant and backward.
They don't deserve to survive.
Their existence is a constant threat to Asgard.
Isn't it?
Now I destroy all of Jotunheim and kill them.
Whoever becomes king of Asgard in the future, this threat is eliminated.
You will benefit too.
Your future won't be haunted by such a time bomb.
So what right do you have to criticize me?"
Loki roared with all his might.
From his perspective, his big brother was a hypocrite.
He wanted to protect this ignorant race, to appear as a benevolent king.
What a ridiculous, foolish excuse!
Let him end this ignorant race, this brat.
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