Mimir's words were not entirely accurate; it was the well itself and the World Tree that truly determined whether the fountain would have effect. It was only through a trade of equal value, a fair exchange, that one could be enlightened by wisdom.
As a guardian, Mimir could decide whether to agree to this trade, which was the source of his confidence.
"Before this, many have desired a cup of the Spring of Wisdom, but upon hearing the price of just one cup, they were all frightened away. As the king of Asgard, I wonder if you will be the same?"
"I've known this," said 'Odin' calmly from across Mimir, "I am willing to offer all the gold of Asgard as the price for the water."
Gold, a symbol of wealth, was not just about the metal itself. Clearly, to obtain the power to consolidate his royal authority, 'Odin' was willing to relinquish all his wealth. However, Mimir simply smiled and shook his head at him.
"What use is wealth? It's merely the most mundane of items. Only divine artifacts like Gungnir are true treasures, but I suppose that's beyond what you're willing to offer."
"Then I can give you my right hand, the hand that wields the Divine Lance. It is part of my strength, and I believe it is a fair match for the water from the Spring of Wisdom."
'Odin' made his proposal once more with a furrowed brow, but Mimir smiled and refused again:
"No, that's still not enough. Your hand represents your strength, but you cannot gain anything from me with mere strength. Your formidable power may work on others, but it is useless in front of me."
"... So, Mimir, what do you want?"
After a brief silence, even Zeus, who existed as an ideology, could see the Titan's obstinance, and the once-owner of the body felt it even more acutely. Nevertheless, considering his own objective, he still inquired.
"I want your right eye," Mimir declared, pointing at 'Odin's' head. At this moment, the Titan smiled merrily, because even the Divine King of Asgard had to follow his rules.
"Your keen right eye is the true treasure equivalent to the Spring of Wisdom. If you wish to 'see' the revelation of wisdom, then you must trade the eye with which you observe the Mortal World. Only with it can you gain the wisdom from the water."
'Odin' fell silent, and so did the consciousness of the real Zeus in his mind. He knew this exchange was irreversible because the entities he was bartering with were the Spring of Wisdom and Yggdrasil.
To forfeit an eye forever, to ascend to the throne as the one-eyed king, just as Zeus thought 'Odin' was about to give up, he heard 'himself' speak again.
"So be it, Mimir. I accept your terms, if this is the demand you make as a guardian. I will give my eye, and you, will give something of equal value."
"Of course, you shall have the water," Mimir responded without minding the other's tone, thinking 'Odin' meant the water, and he nodded in agreement. The next moment, a power acted upon 'Odin' and the water before him.
Now, with nothing to hinder him, yet Zeus suddenly realized that the power seemed to connect not just to 'Odin.'
Even he was bound within it. However, this power seemed somewhat at a loss, for at that moment, Zeus had no 'eyes.'
"Heh, it seems this trick works everywhere," Zeus chuckled to himself. It wasn't the first time he had used a loophole in wording to evade a price.
Like when Cronus commanded that the sky, the earth, and the ocean could not shelter his offspring, so the young Zeus was hung upon a tree branch. Now, because he had no 'eyes,' he was unable to pay this price.
As Zeus pondered, the external world continued. Sensing the contract's completion, 'Odin's' voice grew stern, while Mimir merely shrugged and moved away from the fountain.
There was no need for him to watch, as the process of gaining wisdom differed for each individual, and no one knew how long 'Odin' would stay there. All he had to do was wait in the direction of exit, ready to witness the grandeur of the one-eyed Divine King.
The Titan left, his towering figure quickly vanishing into the mystic fog of the Misty Forest. Alone, beneath the roots of the World Tree and facing the empty well, 'Odin' was silent for a long time until, suddenly, he raised his weapon and mercilessly stabbed himself.
The skin was breached, blood gushed forth, yet 'Odin' appeared unfazed. He stepped forward, scooped up a handful of water, and swallowed it in one gulp.
"I will be reborn here."
His voice calm, the next moment, 'Odin' floated into midair. Up and down inverted, his past and future selves overlapped. 'Odin' hung upside down, suspending himself from a root of the World Tree, gazing intently at the surface of the water in the cold wind.
Meanwhile, as the blood and water dripped, 'Odin's' eye fell out and straight into the water, leaving behind the hollow socket as evidence of what had transpired. When the 'sacrifice' was made, the ritual began.
'Odin's' lips curled slightly as time warped at that moment. The sun and the moon cycled at an unbelievable pace, and the will of the world focused its 'gaze' upon this scene. Hanging from the tree, offering an eye to the world, sacrificing himself to himself, in this moment, wisdom seemed to truly approach the Divine King of this place.