Hong Fei appeared to win effortlessly, but in truth, he'd been on high alert from the very first second, his energy circulating through his body. Asgardians hold an absolute advantage over Earthlings in both lifespan and strength. Even an ordinary Asgardian could easily overpower a well-trained Earth soldier with sheer physical might. Sif, though called an Asgardian, was no mere mortal—she was a goddess.
The Goddess of Land and Harvest. While she couldn't compare to a combat deity like the God of Thunder, she was far from ordinary. Hong Fei had only caught her off guard, pushing her back; he hadn't truly defeated her. The wound on her right hand had already healed during the retreat. If the fight had continued, the outcome would have been uncertain.
As expected, Sif didn't press the attack. Once she steadied herself, a blue skill card materialized, signaling her acknowledgment of Hong Fei's victory. The Warriors Three were quick to react. Two rushed to Sif's side, supporting her, while the third charged toward Hong Fei.
This man sported a neatly groomed yellow mustache and beard, his short hair framing a face brimming with romantic charm. Fandral, the master swordsman, boasted an impressive physique. Seeing him approach, Hong Fei lowered his longsword and struck first with the Cross-blade, utilizing the principles of "Qi" to turn melee combat into a ranged assault.
The rapid exchange with Sif moments earlier had left his arms sore from her raw strength. He needed a moment to recover. As he swung the blade, his Qi synchronized with the motion, channeling into the weapon. The slash unleashed a blade energy that sliced through the air—a testament to Hong Fei's recent improvements.
He swung the blade repeatedly, sending silvery-white arcs flying one after another, carving crisscrossing scars into the flat ground. Fandral raised his sword to block and parry, the scattered blade energy reducing the room's furniture to jagged debris.
When Fandral finally intercepted all the blade energy, Hong Fei abruptly shifted his stance, launching a horizontal slash. Silver light flashed explosively. Boom! The resounding explosion reverberated, making ears ache.
Just then, someone stepped in front of Fandral. The black round-headed hammer in his hand, combined with Fandral's longsword, blocked the burst of blade energy. It was Hogun. For those who didn't recognize him, he was the one Death had once nailed to the square with a spike. Fandral retreated, pale-faced, as a green skill card floated up. He'd lasted only eight seconds.
Hogun stepped forward, spikes suddenly protruding from his hammer. Hong Fei advanced with the Cross-blade in hand. Blade light flew, afterimages connected, and for a moment, onlookers could only glimpse sharp arcs. Hogun gripped the hammer with both hands, his body struggling to keep up with the speed his eyes could barely track.
With a swish, as Hogun raised the hammer, the Cross-blade slipped precisely between his hands, stopping inches from his forehead. The force penetrated front and back, the blade trembling slightly. Eight seconds. Hogun lowered the hammer reluctantly and retreated in silence. A green skill card ascended.
The last one, Volstagg, was fat in appearance with a long beard. In truth, he was a master of combat and weapons, blessed with extraordinary vitality and physical resilience. Now, he wielded a long-handled double-edged battle axe. With each step, the ground seemed to tremble slightly.
The battle axe soared high, crackling with raw power. It sliced downward in a blur, cleaving through the air with a hiss. Hong Fei dodged—direct confrontation wasn't an option. He shifted half a step, the axe blade grazing his nose, the sharp edge threatening to shatter the metal mask on his face. Boom!
The axe struck the ground, carving a deep crater and sending gravel flying. Volstagg surged forward, one fist raised, the other clenched, his momentum unstoppable. Hong Fei countered with a palm strike, but it barely deflected the blow. His strength paled in comparison—Sif and The Warriors Three all outmatched him.
If not for his blade energy, he wouldn't have dared to face them today. Fists and palms whistled, blade and axe shadows clashed. Thor watched intently, his eyes gleaming. If not for Jane standing beside him, he would have cheered outright. In moments, the fight spilled from the room's center to the doorway, Hong Fei forced to retreat again and again.
Suddenly, Hong Fei planted his left foot against the wall, pivoting sharply. He altered his Cross-blade technique, the back of his sword sliding along the axe handle toward Volstagg's thumb. Volstagg released his grip without hesitation, but the axe seamlessly fell into his other hand.
Gripping the axe with both hands, Volstagg swung upward in a fierce arc. Hong Fei leaned back, legs stretching into a split. The axe blade sliced through the lower half of his mask. Volstagg roared, twisting his wrists to bring the axe handle crashing down. If it connected, Hong Fei would be cleaved in two.
In the Eyes of Death state, Hong Fei channeled Qi into his legs, pivoted on his toes, and twisted his body sideways, narrowly escaping the blow. As he turned, he seized the opportunity to yank his long sword from the ground. A dazzling sword flower bloomed, its energy lingering even after the blade withdrew.
The sharp edge suddenly emerged from Hong Fei's side, aimed precisely at Volstagg's blind spot. Sif, Hogun, and Fandral saw it and nearly cried out, but they held back. Thor, watching from the shadows, did the same. Dr. Erik Selvig and Darcy were still dazed, leaving only Jane to shout, "Watch out!"
Volstagg's instincts kicked in. His eyes snapped open, catching the sword tip rushing toward his face. The blade energy, preceding the sword itself, burned his vision. He slammed the axe handle against the sword blade, the clash sending both weapons recoiling. Immediately, he dragged the battle axe back, retreating.
Hong Fei stepped back too, his left hand gripping the sword trembling slightly. His energy surged, his breath hot and ragged. Thirty seconds passed. Volstagg stared at Hong Fei for a moment, then silently stepped aside. A blue skill card materialized where he'd stood, but Hong Fei's focus remained on the sword in his hand.
He'd just channeled Qi into the blade, and the process had been seamless, without the slightest resistance. Was this the power of Odin's enchantment? "Good! Powerful warrior! A wonderful fight!" Thor cheered. Within a minute, Hong Fei had defeated Sif and The Warriors Three in succession. Though it wasn't a fight to the death, the feat was still staggering.
he almost killed Fandral and Hogun just now, which stirred Thor's admiration for strength even further. Thor added, "I thought you were an ordinary man before, but I was wrong. Your strength falls short of Sif and Volstagg's, yet your offense and defense are brilliantly executed."
You didn't rely on brute strength against them, but instead secured victory through superior reflexes and skill. Though I suspect your physical power has far surpassed that of an average Midgardian." He spoke as he walked, closing the distance to Hong Fei in an instant. A large hand came down on Hong Fei's shoulder, the man's eyes shining with admiration.
"Flattery won't get you out of paying that hundredfold debt," Hong Fei said dryly. Sif and the Warriors Three stood to the side, nodding slightly. The evidence was undeniable—when it came to reflexes and technique, they couldn't match the man in front of them. Asgardians weren't incapable of defeat, though the implication was clear: in a contest of raw strength, they'd still come out on top.
Hong Fei felt a flicker of relief. Before coming here, he'd thought he might win, but more likely he'd have to rely on his Psychic Power to force a draw. Winning so decisively was... unexpected. He understood Sif and the Warriors Three well, but they didn't know him at all—that was the first advantage. And then there was the Eyes of Death, a divine skill in its own right.
The heightened reaction speed came mostly from the Eyes of Death's assistance. Of course, the cost was steep. Part of it was the energy drain from activating the Eyes of Death itself, and part was the physical toll of moving rapidly under time deceleration. And then there was the expenditure of Qi.
What baffled Hong Fei most was how Iron Fist could wield such a versatile and potent power so clumsily. The man was truly a waste of potential. He glanced back at Thor, whose expression had turned somber. "A shame. If I'd met you earlier, I would've taken you to Asgard."
"Thor, we're here to bring you home," Volstagg interjected quickly. Thor gave a faint, reluctant smile and shook his head. "You know I can't go back. My father died because of me. I'm destined to remain in exile." Volstagg looked baffled. "What are you talking about? His Majesty is alive!"
Thor's eyes widened, and he froze. At that moment, Jane pointed out the window. "Look—what's that?" A few miles outside the town, the clouds churned and twisted, slowly forming a massive funnel. Everyone stepped outside, the wind whipping around them. Hong Fei suddenly kicked a stone toward the roof.
Matt ducked his head back, heart pounding, and scrambled away. He hadn't taken more than a few steps when his body locked up. "Is it good... no, does it sound good?" he stammered, lips pressed tight. "Your strength is impressive."
"Didn't you want to be a lawyer? How'd you end up an Agent?" Hong Fei shot back. "How do you know about me?" Matt countered.
Hong Fei ignored the question. "Are you climbing down yourself, or do I throw you?" Matt hesitated. "I... I can manage." Once Matt was back on the ground, the funnel in the distance began to dissipate. Moments later, a massive figure appeared, and flames erupted skyward.
Thor first urged Jane to leave, then turned to Sif and the others. "I'm just a mortal now. I'll only hold you back—maybe even get you killed. But I can help evacuate the people here to safety. We can't let innocents get caught in this. Let's move!" The group scattered, each finding ways to guide the crowd to safety.
Hong Fei kicked Matt's calf. "Why aren't you going?!" Matt blinked, then sprang into action.
The Destroyer armor barreled toward them with terrifying speed. Hong Fei was just about to slip away when Thor sprinted over, desperation etched across his face. "Can you help stop that thing?" he pleaded.
"No," Hong Fei replied flatly. His refusal came so quickly that Thor blinked, momentarily stunned. Hong Fei crossed his arms and added, "Isn't he here for you? Shouldn't you be the one to handle it?"
"I want to," Thor said, frustration bleeding into his voice. "But I'm just a mortal now. I can't—"
"How do you know if you don't try?" Hong Fei interrupted, his tone sharp. "Or have you already given up?"
Thor stiffened. "You— Look, I don't even know your name, but you wouldn't understand. I can't even beat you right now."
Under normal circumstances, Hong Fei would've put Thor in his place for that remark. But the Destroyer armor was closing in fast, and there was no time for petty arguments. Instead of responding, he raised his arm in a deliberate, commanding gesture.
Erik Selvig and the others exchanged puzzled glances, utterly lost. But Thor and his companions froze, their eyes widening in recognition. They knew that motion all too well—it was unmistakable. Thor's face lit up with a mix of hope and disbelief, while the others stared in stunned silence. One thought screamed through their minds: How is that even possible?!