Fenrir let out a pained howl as it staggered backward.
Thor did not let up. He advanced step by step, closing the distance with relentless pressure.
If he wanted to defeat Hela, then the first step was simple. Deal with her oversized pet.
That was his plan, and he carried it out without hesitation.
Under the crushing force of Stormbreaker, Fenrir had no room to fight back. Blow after blow drove the beast into the ground until it was gravely wounded, barely clinging to life.
Just as Thor raised his axe to finish it off, a sharp, piercing shriek tore through the air.
An army of the dead surged forward with that chilling cry, flooding the battlefield like a black tide. And behind them, Hela appeared once more.
Her expression was dark, her gaze cold.
"Thor…"
Her voice carried a hint of mockery.
"It seems you still haven't learned your lesson."
Thor gripped Stormbreaker tightly, confidence blazing across his bruised face.
"A lesson?"
He scoffed.
"I've had enough of that. Now it's time I collect what you owe me."
With that, he raised Stormbreaker high and charged straight at her.
While Thor stirred chaos in Asgard, Loki had finally reached Earth.
He wasted no time and went straight to Locke Technologies Tower. Unfortunately, Nolan Locke was nowhere to be found.
"Where did he go…"
Loki's expression tightened with urgency. Despite his constant clashes with Thor, he still carried a deep sense of duty toward Asgard, instilled in him by Odin.
If he truly did not care, he would never have desired the throne in the first place.
With his intellect, destroying Asgard with Thor alone to defend it would not have been difficult.
Just as he was lost in thought, Sharon Carter approached him.
"I believe we've met before."
She studied him carefully. Loki was not someone easily forgotten, especially given his past encounters with Nolan.
"Mr. Loki, what brings you here?"
At the sight of her, relief flashed across Loki's face.
"I'm here to find Nolan Locke. Do you know where he is?"
Sharon hesitated for a moment, clearly surprised he would return to a place tied to such… unpleasant memories.
"I don't know his exact location, but I can try contacting him."
"Please. Do it immediately. Asgard needs his help."
Loki's voice carried urgency. He knew his reckless brother well enough to guess what had already happened.
Thor was likely already back in Asgard, charging headfirst into battle.
And Loki also knew that even with Stormbreaker, Thor stood little chance against Hela.
Time was not on their side.
Time was Thor's life.
Sharon nodded and made the call.
When Nolan heard that Loki had arrived, he was not surprised.
Before Loki could even settle in to wait, a glowing portal opened in the air.
Nolan stepped out, calm as ever, a faint smile playing on his lips.
"So," he said lightly, "what brought you back here so quickly?"
Loki caught the teasing glint in his eyes, but he had no patience for games.
"Hela has taken control of Asgard. Thor and I went to the dwarven realm and sought help from their king. Thor obtained a new weapon, far stronger than Mjolnir."
He paused, then added with a trace of frustration,
"I told him facing Hela alone was a bad idea, but with that weapon, he's become… overconfident. By now, he's already back in Asgard."
Loki took a step forward.
"I came to ask for your help."
Nolan gave a small shrug.
"Do you remember what I said before? Even if Hela might threaten Earth eventually, dealing with her right now isn't my responsibility."
Loki clenched his jaw.
"I believe the King of Asgard has already paid you enough. But I can promise more. Help us through this, and Asgard will stand as your eternal ally. I can also recognize your authority over Earth, in Asgard's name."
Nolan raised an eyebrow, clearly intrigued.
"Authority over Earth?"
He let out a short laugh.
"Let's be honest. You don't really control Earth. So what does that recognition even mean?"
Loki met his gaze steadily.
"Asgard will recognize it. Thor and I will recognize it."
Then, more quietly,
"And you don't actually want to rule Earth, do you? If you did, you would have already started."
Nolan laughed again.
"You're right. Ruling the world sounds exhausting. I'm doing just fine as I am."
Power, responsibility, endless obligations. None of it appealed to him.
But that did not mean he had no interest in the title itself.
He could refuse the burden, but that did not mean he would refuse the leverage.
After a brief pause, Nolan looked at Loki.
"Sometimes, I really don't like dealing with smart people."
Loki frowned slightly.
"Why?"
"Because it makes me want to punch them."
Nolan smirked.
"Try not to give me that opportunity."
Then he waved a hand.
"Come on. Let's go fix your problem."
Loki blinked in surprise.
"No preparation?"
Nolan tilted his head.
"Preparation? I've been ready for a while."
A portal opened once more.
With a single step, Nolan entered. Loki quickly followed.
What greeted them on the other side was… brutal.
Thor, once so confident, was being completely overwhelmed.
Not just that. He had clearly been beaten for some time. His breathing was ragged, his body battered.
Loki froze for a split second, then snapped back to reality.
"Mr. Locke, please help him!"
But Nolan was already moving.
A deal was a deal.
He had taken the payment. Now he would do his part.
"Hey, Hela," Nolan called out casually.
"Care for a little reunion?"
Hela turned toward him, her expression shifting before a faint smile appeared. It was sharp, almost unsettling.
"Nolan Locke…"
"We meet again."
Her smile deepened.
"Last time, I wasn't at my peak. But now…"
She spread her arms slightly, power radiating from her.
"This is my true strength. Tell me, are you ready to lose?"
Nolan chuckled.
"Lose?"
He shook his head.
"That word doesn't exist in my dictionary."
Hela released her grip on Thor's throat.
Thor collapsed to the ground, bruised and bloodied, yet still defiant.
"Damn you… if you've got the guts, kill me!"
Hela glanced at him dismissively.
"Kill you? You're not worth the effort."
She stepped forward and pressed her heel against his face.
The humiliation hit harder than any blow.
Thor's rage surged.
And with it, his divine power flared once more.
Nolan watched, unable to help himself.
"Second-generation gods really have it easy."
In danger, they grew stronger. Angry, they grew stronger.
It was almost unfair.
Nearby, Loki's fists clenched, fury rising within him as well. His own dormant power began to stir.
Nolan sighed inwardly.
Two natural-born powerhouses.
Hela, however, barely spared them a glance.
"Let's begin the second round."
"Gladly."
Nolan's reply came instantly.
Behind him, portals burst open.
A flood of Terminators poured out like a steel tide, charging toward Hela without fear.
Other units followed, already moving into position.
Caught off guard, Hela frowned as the machines swarmed her.
But she quickly summoned her undead army to meet them.
Two tides collided.
Steel against death.
Hela stood calmly, confidence unwavering. The undead had one overwhelming advantage. They could not be touched by ordinary means.
But reality did not unfold as she expected.
The machines could not physically grasp the undead, but they did not need to.
Their weapons could destroy them.
A massive portal opened wider.
The first orbital tank rolled through and fired immediately.
The explosion shook the battlefield, blasting apart clusters of undead soldiers.
More tanks followed, their firepower reshaping the fight.
For the first time, the balance began to tilt.
Hela's expression darkened.
But she was far from finished.
Her army was vast, drawn from countless fallen souls of Asgard.
She raised her hand and summoned more.
An even greater tide of the dead surged forward.
Nolan smiled faintly.
"Then let's begin."
"My mechanical onslaught."
Multiple portals opened at once, the limit of his current power.
Then came the railguns.
The battlefield escalated instantly.
Nolan's gaze shifted to Hela.
This time, he would control the flow of the fight.
Run if you want. Fight if you want.
It does not work that way.
Beneath Hela and her army, a massive magic circle had already formed.
Before she could react, it activated.
Teleportation.
In the blink of an eye, the battlefield vanished.
A barren, lifeless planet replaced it.
Hela's eyes widened.
"Damn you!"
Her anger finally broke through.
Nolan stepped forward, calm as ever.
"The second round?"
He smiled.
"Now it really begins."
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