Outside the small town.
Leon was still lying on his recliner, putting the last grape into his mouth, then slowly wiping his hands with a napkin.
His expression remained unchanged, as if the distant disaster was nothing more than a boring movie.
He did not make a move, nor did he even have the intention to stand up.
He knew this was a trial Thor had to face alone.
Odin and himself could not protect him forever; the future Asgard needed a true general, not a child who would only hide under his brother's wings.
He watched Thor struggle in despair, watched him roar in pain in illusions, watched his last shred of pride being crushed bit by bit.
There was no pity in Leon's eyes, only calmness.
This was Thor's path.
Growth always comes with pain.
To wield the hammer that symbolizes protection and responsibility, one must first cast aside that ridiculous arrogance.
Only those with a strong inner self are worthy of great power.
He watched quietly, waiting.
Waiting for the true Thor to rise from the ruins...
Above the desert, a sense of despair quickly spread.
Sif and The Warriors Three had already fallen to the ground; their wills, though strong, ultimately could not resist the continuous mental erosion of the Heart of Despair.
S.H.I.E.L.D.'s Agents were even more disheveled, attacking each other or cowering on the ground, as if mad.
Only Thor was still kneeling in place.
His roars had become hoarse, his consciousness hovering on the brink of collapse.
All glory, all power, all pride, all turned to naught under the gaze of the dark eye.
He felt like a joke, a useless piece of trash.
He thought of his parents, of Leon, of Loki...
"Is this how it ends?" he murmured.
Just then, a terrified scream pierced his despair-shrouded heart.
It was Jane!
Thor suddenly looked up; he saw the crystal heart slowly turning towards the town.
Its target was those innocent humans!
No!
A thought began to ignite in his nearly extinguished consciousness.
He could fail, be humiliated, lose everything, but he absolutely could not stand by and watch these people, who were dragged into disaster because of him, die before his eyes!
He remembered Leon's words.
"What is protection, not conquest? What is responsibility, not glory?"
Protection... responsibility...
Thor's eyes became incredibly clear.
He struggled to his feet.
He had no divine power, no armor, only worn-out clothes and a heart that wanted to protect others.
He spread his arms, blocking the Heart of Despair from the town.
That's right, he intended to build a defense line with his fragile body.
"Your opponent is me!"
He let out a firm roar at the giant eye.
"Come at me! Leave them alone!"
The crystal heart seemed to pause for a moment, then, from its dark eye, an even stronger malice than before emerged.
A purplish-black energy beam, like a tentacle from the abyss, silently shot towards Thor.
Just as the energy beam was about to touch Thor.
"Buzz!!"
A hum suddenly sounded from a distant pit.
Mjolnir, stuck at the bottom of the pit, suddenly trembled violently.
The runes on the hammerhead lit up one by one, and brilliant blue lightning crackled on the hammer's body.
"Oh, he's worthy."
Leon, who had been lying on the recliner, finally sat up straight, revealing a relieved smile.
But he did not make a move, because he knew Thor no longer needed his help.
The hammer's response was the best proof.
Sure enough, the next second.
"Whoosh!"
Mjolnir transformed into a blue lightning bolt and soared into the sky, tearing through the night.
It did not fly towards the Heart of Despair, but carried immense thunder, flying towards its true Master.
The energy beam was forcibly blocked by a lightning barrier that appeared out of thin air, less than an inch from Thor's chest.
Thor instinctively reached out his hand.
"Bang!"
The familiar weight, the familiar texture, the familiar power.
mjolnir returned to his hand.
Rumble!!!
In the sky, dark clouds gathered, and lightning danced wildly!
A thick bolt of lightning descended from the sky, striking Thor.
In the dazzling light, his clothes instantly turned to ashes.
The next second, silver armor and a red cape appeared on him!
Thor, returned to his rightful place!
Thor slowly ascended, Mjolnir in hand, feeling the divine power surging anew within him, and let out a long roar towards the sky.
In the town, everyone looked up at the figure bathed in lightning in the sky, letting out earth-shattering cheers.
Leon watched this scene and nodded with satisfaction.
"He's not completely hopeless after all."
He lay back on his recliner, picked up new grapes, and leisurely tossed them into his mouth.
If he guessed correctly, the upcoming battle should be without suspense.
Right, logically speaking, Thor, with his divine power restored, would surely use the thunder in his hand to proclaim the glory of Asgard, and also his own growth.
And he only needed to stay here, quietly watching the end of this play...
Thunder gathered under Thor's will, transforming into a dazzling blue pillar of light, rapidly shooting towards the still malicious crystal heart.
However, the moment Thor's lightning touched the crystal, it was like a mud ox entering the sea, only stirring up a ripple of purplish-black energy before disappearing without a trace.
"What?!" Thor's pupils suddenly contracted.
He could feel that his Thor's power had actually been absorbed by that heart?
"Hahahaha! Foolish Asgardian!"
A thought resounded directly in everyone's minds, instilling fear.
"Your power will only become my nourishment!"
The veins on the surface of the crystal heart pulsed more violently, and the darkness in its single eye grew deeper.
The aura of despair it emanated was several times stronger than before.
Sif and The Warriors Three had just recovered from the mental shock, and seeing this scene, their faces turned pale again.
They could feel that the monster's power had actually begun to grow after absorbing Thor's lightning.
"This is bad!" Volstagg muttered, his body involuntarily taking a step back.
Thor's expression also became solemn.
He could feel mjolnir trembling slightly, but it wasn't fear, but excitement, a craving when facing a powerful enemy.
But he himself felt tricky after regaining his divine power.
He hadn't expected Loki to dig up such an evil thing from the treasury.
Just then, Leon, who had been lying on the recliner as if detached, finally made a new move.
He slowly sat up straight, glancing at his brother in the sky who had rallied and was preparing to attack again.
And at the crystal heart in the distance, which was constantly absorbing negative emotions and energy, becoming stronger and stronger.
Thor, oh Thor, I gave you a chance, but you're useless!!
Finally, he sighed helplessly.
"Oh, really."
"I originally wanted to let you show off a bit longer, Thor. But your welcoming ceremony was too grand; you just charged it up right away."
Thor's face instantly became awkward; he was about to retort, but he saw Leon had already stood up from the recliner.
Leon stretched, his bones crackling.
"Alright, since that's the case."
He turned his head, his golden pupils calmly gazing at the pulsing crystal heart.
"Then come on.".
.....
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