Strands of hair began to turn transparent from the roots, with golden-red light flowing within, as if every strand had become a miniature vein of the Sun.
The light was not blinding, but warm and glorious, bathing the entire living room in a sacred atmosphere.
Immediately after, a crimson divine halo, like a scorching Sun, slowly emerged behind her head.
That was not a physical halo, but a continuously rotating wheel of light made of pure energy, with intricate runes appearing and disappearing on its surface, emitting an ancient and majestic aura.
The temperature in the living room rose quietly by a few degrees, not the uncomfortable kind of dry heat, but a warmth as gentle as the spring Sun.
In the teacup on the coffee table, ripples appeared on the surface of the tea, as if responding to the arrival of this sacred power.
Howard Stark and Maria stood up involuntarily, startled into taking two steps back.
Their eyes were wide open, their breath held, and all their doubts vanished at this moment.
No scientific instrument or special effects technology could forge such a scene.
It was not an optical illusion, not a chemical reaction, but the manifestation of an existence that transcended the essence of physical laws.
A few seconds later, Mavuika retracted her divine power.
Her hair returned to its original state, the divine halo quietly dissipated, and the room temperature returned to normal.
Everything seemed as if it had never happened, except for the intense heartbeats of Howard Stark and Maria and the fine beads of sweat on their foreheads.
"Just as you thought," Mavuika picked up the teacup and took a gentle sip, her movements as natural as if she had just tidied her hair.
"Mythologies and legends are indeed real, it's just that the long passage of time and oral tradition have distorted or exaggerated many details."
Howard Stark slumped back into the sofa, letting out a long breath.
This scientist, who had experienced World War I and World War II, participated in the Manhattan Project, and witnessed countless cutting-edge technologies, felt like a child seeing a magic show for the first time.
"This... this is truly hard to believe..." He shook his head with a bitter smile, reached out to take the teacup Maria handed him, his hand still trembling slightly.
After the brief shock, reason gradually returned.
Howard Stark was Howard Stark after all; after the shock, his brain immediately began to analyze everything he had just witnessed like a scientist: energy conversion efficiency, thermal radiation range, light wavelength characteristics...
But he soon realized that using the existing scientific framework to analyze the power displayed by a deity might be as futile as using Stone Age tools to study quantum physics.
"If myths are real..." Maria asked tentatively, her voice still filled with awe.
"Then doesn't that mean Ms. Marvica you... no, you are already nearly a thousand years old?"
Mavuika nodded, her expression calm: "I am indeed over a thousand years old; I've forgotten the exact number, as it has been too long."
Howard Stark and Maria looked at each other again; myths becoming reality left the two knowledgeable elders momentarily at a loss.
Especially Howard Stark.
As one of the most outstanding scientists of the 20th century, he had originally been a staunch materialist.
He believed in mathematical formulas, believed in physical laws, and believed that all phenomena could ultimately be explained by science.
But now, looking at the woman before him whose hair had once burned like flames, Howard Stark felt that the worldview he had always upheld was slowly collapsing—no, not collapsing, but expanding into an unprecedented dimension.
He recalled the Norse mythology books he had read in his youth, and the legends about Asgard, about the gods, and about the Irminsul.
At the time, he had only considered them the romantic imagination of the ancients, a poetic explanation by primitive humans for natural phenomena.
But now...
"Does the Irminsul really exist?" Howard Stark asked suddenly, realizing only after the question slipped out how childish it sounded.
Mavuika nodded seriously: "It exists, but not as a 'tree' in the literal sense; it is a multi-dimensional spatial structure that connects the Nine Realms. Earth... we call it Midgard, which is located at the center of the Irminsul, so it is also called the Middle Court. The Bifrost Bridge is the passage connecting the various Worlds, and Asgard sits at the top of the Irminsul."
She saw the thirst for knowledge flickering in Howard Stark's eyes and continued to explain: "From Earth's perspective, Asgard exists on another dimensional plane, both connected to and relatively independent of your World. This is why we do not easily interfere in Earth's affairs; every World has its own unique trajectory of development."
Howard Stark fell into deep thought; he picked up the teacup, only to find that the tea had already gone cold.
Maria thoughtfully refilled it for him, her movements gentle, her eyes filled with understanding and support for her husband.
After calming down for a while, Howard Stark regained his composure.
His scientist's brain began to convert shock into questions, and doubts into the motivation for exploration.
"Then..." He leaned forward slightly, crossing his hands on his knees, entering his "work mode."
"Could you please introduce the situation of Asgard and the Nine Realms in detail? And those Skrulls, you seem to be very familiar with them as well?"
Mavuika gave Howard Stark an appreciative look.
Being able to adjust his mindset in such a short time, shifting from shock to inquiry, this mental resilience was indeed rare.
"Of course." She put down the teacup and began to explain systematically.
"First, regarding Asgard and the Nine Realms..." Mavuika's voice was calm and clear, like a patient teacher giving a lecture.
Seeing that Howard Stark wanted to take notes, she made a gesture for him to go ahead.
Howard Stark immediately took out paper and pen from the coffee table drawer; it was an old-fashioned habit, as he had always believed that handwritten notes helped with thinking.
"Asgard is the Guardian and administrator of the Nine Realms, ruled by my father, Odin." Mavuika continued.
"As for the Skrulls, they are a race from a distant galaxy, quite far from the Nine Realms. The most significant characteristic of this race is their shapeshifting ability; they can perfectly mimic any life form they have seen, not just the appearance, but even DNA, biological characteristics, behavioral patterns, and even some memories can be copied."
Howard Stark's hand stopped recording, the nib of his pen leaving a deep ink dot on the paper.
"You mean..." His voice became serious: "They can disguise themselves as anyone? Completely indistinguishable?"
"Almost indistinguishable." Mavuika nodded.
"Ordinary means are ineffective against them because they can perfectly copy these biological characteristics. Only a very few special methods can detect them, such as perceiving the essential differences in energy fields, or using certain magic detection methods."
The atmosphere in the living room became heavy. The sunlight outside the floor-to-ceiling windows was still bright, and the birds in the garden were still singing, but Howard Stark realized that a potentially huge threat might have already taken root on Earth.
Howard Stark put down his pen, rested his hands on his knees, and frowned tightly.