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Hooo~
The wind howled beneath the flickering thunder above. The sky was completely shrouded in lightning, appearing very unnatural for a normal night.
Thor with Loki in his hands flickered in the air several times, moving towards the North direction at extreme speed.
"Slow down, brother. You wouldn't want to present me to father, tattered and mangled because of your 'violent' and "irresponsible" haste, would you? Even with the imbalance and disorientation mid-air, Loki still managed to tease Thor.
"Shut up," Thor, obviously not in the mood, scolded, his voice echoing with the rolling thunder above.
Several meters behind them, Tony, in the Iron Man Mark II suit, applied force to his thrusters, intending to match Thor's speed.
Although Thor noticed this, he did not care in the slightest. The metal man behind him posed no threat. One swing of his hammer was enough to decimate him.
But he was wrong.
Underestimating Tony was the last thing one should do. He might be a mortal, but his ingenuity was at the level of the gods.
Whirr~ Boom!
A sound echoed as Tony's thrusters rumbled loudly behind Thor, but before he could react, his body and Loki's were sent tumbling down the forest.
Bang!
Although caught off guard, being a well-trained Asgardian, Thor still managed to hold steady mid-air, landing directly on foot, but Loki, in his hands, was flung elsewhere.
Dazed by the hit, Thor looked upwards searching for the cause of his fall. Then a machinery sound echoed beneath the rolling thunder.
Whirr~
Sensing the object, Thor's gaze instantly snapped towards it. Behold, the metal man he had previously ignored on that flying ship was now hovering above him, looking down gallantly.
"Hmm…. It's him," This reason for his fall was now very clear. Although slightly surprised, he was not flustered in the slightest. The previous hit had been nothing; the fall was only because he was caught off guard.
After all, he was Thor, god of thunder. It would be shameful to be defeated by Midgardians.
Thus, a battle began, Man vs. God, and even Captain America joined, trying to calm things down like in the original trajectory, but it only got worse.
Maybe it was because Tony's tech was even more advanced, or young Thor was stronger. None wanted to give in to the other.
Meters away from them, in the night sky, Zayne had just arrived in the place of battle. The thunder above struck the ground beneath him repeatedly, indicating how intense the small fight had gotten.
"It seems the influence of both universes made them both stronger, only Cap is still normal," Zayne speculated, using his powerful eyesight to watch the battle below.
He could see them, but they couldn't see him as he used the night sky and omni-energy to conceal himself. It was naturally easy to do after he advanced to B tier. The stronger he was, the more things he could use the energy for.
The battle between Thor and Tony had gotten to a critical point, with both of them making small holes in the rocks nearby, but it was obvious that one was holding back.
"It's time." Zayne's visor gleamed under the thunder; his figure vanished in a blur, appearing instantly between Thor and Tony.
Boom!
The force of his arrival, uncontrolled, pushed them away from one another, abruptly halting the battle. Tony thrusters lost balance, and Thor tried stabilizing the force with his Mjolnir. Even Captain America retreated several meters back, and that was still with the help of his shield; only Loki, far away, was unaffected.
"Jarvis, what was that?" After Tony steadied himself, he immediately asked his AI.
"I cannot scan the target. It's like an Iron wall, sir." Jarvis responded.
After Jarvis's report, Tony developed wariness for the shrouded figure under the night sky. He never doubted Jarvis words for it was his own creation. What he found most troublesome was things he couldn't figure out.
Now, a similar situation was before him. He couldn't relax.
Thor, on the other side, was also shocked. He didn't even have time to react before been blown away. His Asgardian physique was rendered useless when he tried to take on the force with only physical strength. In the end, he was forced to use Mjolnir. To a god like him descending upon a mortal world like Earth, it was very surprising.
How could Thor understand the terrifying strength of a B- tier expert? Only Odin could.
"This simple mission given by father has gotten this complicated?" Thor mused bitterly. He only wanted to retrieve his brother. Why was it so hard?
"Oh, a new player?" Loki, watching from afar, murmured with a smile. A cunning glint appeared in the depths of his eyes, a new plan of escape forming in his mind.
Only Captain America, with a furrowed brow, remained silent.
"You don't mind me joining, right?" With a simple wave of his hand, a gale wind blew, revealing Zayne in all his glory. Fully clad in a red suit and shoulder armor that appeared dazzling under the split sky with the moon above. Even the rolling thunder seemed to slow down.
The occasional streaks of lightning above were reflected in his visor, making Zayne appear more mysterious and unfathomable.
"It's a ranger," Tony immediately guessed his identity. Almost everyone knew about rangers, not to mention someone like Tony, who once had dealings with one in a distant past.
"So, this is a new generation hero. Power Rangers.....uhn?" Captain America looked from afar and instantly guessed Zayne's identity. Fury had explained a lot to him after he woke up. Although most of it was underwhelming to him, the importance of this group of heroes called rangers was very significant.
Most even appeared stronger than him, and it seems the one before him was the same.
Only Thor and Loki were still somewhat ignorant about Zayne. So, the situation developed as it should.
"I demand this to stop," With a booming tone, Thor spoke. "You have no idea what you're dealing with."
As soon as those words left his mouth, Thor's fingers tightened on the Mjolnir. His eyes scanned the three before him, especially the figure in red.
The god of thunder was ready to strike at any obstructions with Asgardian ruthlessness and decisiveness.
Zayne smiled under his helmet, feeling Thor's words were very familiar, but he did not dwell on them. Instead, he replied. "Why don't you make us understand, Thor?"
"Hmm?" Thor was a little surprised Zayne knew his name, wondering when he had introduced himself to him. But he did not dwell on it and assumed Zayne, Rogers, and Tony were all in it together, so knowing his name was not weird.
He was famous in the nine realms to begin with.
"I don't have time for questions, Midgardian." This time, Thor's tone came out a little frustrated and annoyed. He truly only wanted to take his brother away.
"Then you can't leave," Zayne spoke, his tone cold and calm, completely different from his former playfulness.
He was not afraid of the 'god' before him in the slightest. Instead, his palms were itching, awaiting the beating he would soon deliver on Thor. Although Thor had passed the trials Odin set for him on Earth, Zayne still felt he needed more, and that more should come from his hands.
"Hmph." An enraged snort echoed after Zayne's reply. Thor's violent temper, which he had suppressed, burst out at this moment. He had truly had enough of these annoying Midgardians, or as a god would say, 'ants.'
Crack~
The lightning and thunder cloud gathered above their heads. A veiny and firm hand held a hammer, pointing to the sky. This hand belonged to the god of thunder, Thor. His long hair flailed wildly at the presence of the building momentum above. His height of almost six feet six held firmly on the ground.
"I've tolerated you enough. I've been too indulgent. Now witness the power of a god. The thunder from above gathered, and bolts of lightning struck down as it gathered at Mjolnir's head. Then, Thor struck…
Boom!
All this happened in a flash, with none except Zayne able to react or dodge. Seeing the incoming destructive thunder, a sense of crisis arose in the hearts of Tony and Rogers. They now believed the man before them was truly a god.
A strong one at that.
Crash! Bamm!
Captain America, Tony, and the peeping Loki were the first to be flung away by the lightning. Each suffered considerable damage. Even the surroundings were not spared, as burnt rocks and vegetation could be seen all around. If it weren't for the unique attribute of Thor's lightning, the entire forest might have been on fire.
Amidst this destruction, only two stood unharmed: the one who attacked and another who dared to take on the strike. Thor and Zayne.
"Hmm…. you're quite surprising for a Midgardian." Thor's surprised voice was heard after he saw Zayne unharmed in the settling dust. "You managed to block that?"
"You're not bad yourself," Zayne genuinely praised, "Your hammer is unique."
Pride instantly appeared on Thor's face after Zayne's words. He was about to offer his thanks, but Zayne's further words made him reconsider.
"But in the end, it's only borrowed power and not truly yours. So, in my eyes, you're not worthy of that title. You should rather be called the god of hammers."
The words were sharp and direct. Thor almost stumbled back in shock. Zayne's words were too brutal, directly aiming at his weakness. They shot like daggers, aiming for his chest.
"What do you mean, mortal?!" Like a bellowing bull ready to attack in rage, Thor's voice boomed, shaking the air.
"I said you're not worthy!" This time, Zayne also increased the volume of his tone, not caring in the slightest about Thor's rage. That was exactly what he wanted.
To see the god of thunder fight with all his might.
To accelerate the awakening of the future rune king.
To beat every grid, point out of his freaking soul and body.
"Hah!" With a low roar, Thor flashed forward, instantly appearing before Zayne at his maximum speed. Gravity seemed to be absent as air pressure gathered around Thor, who brought down the Mjolnir with full force.
He was determined to teach Zayne a lesson and make it clear to him. Never disrespect a god.
Boom!
Thunder flashed, and the two sides collided. Zayne with his fists and Thor with the Mjolnir. They were like two celestial bodies clashing. One like a red sun, the other a blue streaking moon.
Bang! Boom! Boom! Crack! Boom!
Hundred moves were exchanged in seconds, both of them attacked in the air and on land, not giving one another a chance to breathe. Even Rogers and Tony had to leave, so they won't be crushed in the process. The force of their attacks was too much.
Zayne didn't even use the innocence skill. He was locked in.
The only person enjoying the situation's development was Loki. His face was practically beaming.
Bang!
Zayne's fists collided once more with the Mjolnir, but this time, he overpowered it. Thor was unable to handle the force and was sent flying downward, crashing heavily onto three mountains before stopping.
The moment he regained clarity, shock appeared on his face. He stared at Zayne hovering before him and couldn't comprehend what was happening.
The Midgardian before him could really take on Mjolnir's might and still prevail.
"By Odin's beard, ho-how is this possible?!" Thor muttered in a daze.
Even Loki, looking from afar, felt his heart thump. "He could actually overpower that brute!"
How could they understand the overbearing nature of omni-energy? Every single strand of Zayne's existence was baptized by it. How could a mere early-stage artifact like the Mjolnir take it on? It could only cower in fear.
The young Thor before Zayne posed no threat whatsoever. He was like a chicken that could be slaughtered at will. Only the rune king could make the current Zayne make a run for his life. But since it was young Thor. This was a piece of cake for him.
Zayne did not reduce the momentum of his attacks and dashed at the fallen Thor. With a speed faster than sound, Zayne left Thor unable to react. Then with a swing of his fist….
Bang!
Thor's armor cracked. Asgardian blood dripped from his mouth, his body was dug into the ground beneath Zayne's continuous blows.
Thor could only defend.
Then...Zayne stopped and looked towards the west.
"Why don't you join us?" He spoke coldly. His voice, like a rakasha's calling, exploded in Loki's ears.
Whoosh~
Before he could even react or run away, Zayne had already controlled his mental energy from a distance and dragged Loki's toward himself.
"Wai-Wait, let me tell you something. Let me tell you something!" For the first time in a long time, Loki felt genuine fear. The man before him no longer looked like a chess piece again. His current demeanor would even scare the devil. He even tried to escape with magic, but it didn't work.
Before long, Loki had already arrived before him, and Zayne, like a parent to a child, delivered the rod of discipline right after.
Ah! Help! Brother help! Take me home!!! I want to go home!!!! AHHHH!!!!
Horrible wails echoed in the forest for a minute before subsiding.
The aftermath was imaginable. Loki's entire body lay strangely in a pit. His ankles were arched in weird positions. If one looked closely, one would likely attribute this to the shape of a pretzel.
Thor, Tony, and Rogers, looking from afar, felt pity for Loki, almost forgetting the treachery and destruction he had caused. Loki's current situation was somewhat excessive. Even Thor, who had been boiling with rage towards his brother, felt a long-lost brotherhood care appear in his heart.
It was too brutal.
The beating Zayne had served might have been too much for the rest, but for him, it was truly minimal. After all, Loki took the lives of people on this planet mercilessly, and they numbered thousands. If it weren't for the plan he has, Loki's life would have ended at his fist.
Crack!
Thunder struck like heavenly might, reflecting once more on Zayne's pristine figure, which was surprisingly free of the blood on Loki. It was like he didn't just pummel someone recently.
His gaze turned to Thor as icy words left his mouth. "Shall we continue, oh worthy one?"
The cold yet mocking words made Thor shudder; even his Mjolnir shook, reflecting his fear. Thor knew he was in for it; there was no escape.
He had truly poked a hornet's nest tonight, and the consequences shall be borne.
Crack!
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So, we had a blackout and my devices were off, but its fixed so I'm back. Sorry for the late update. I hope you enjoyed the chapter.
Please power stones!!!