Chapter 80: The First Lesson in magic Class—How to Take a Beating?
Crack...
Inside the quaint wooden house, a sudden sound of glass shattering rang out. In the next moment, the entire Worldbegan to rotate, turn upside down, and move irregularly.
The Sorcerer Ancient One stood suspended in mid-air, looking at Wanda, who was somewhat clumsily using Chaos Magic to fly, and said indifferently,
"Today is the first lesson.
If you want to master magic, you must first learn how to take a beating.
Are you... ready?"
"I'm... ready!"
Wanda was controlling the Chaos Magic throughout her body. Just as she nodded in agreement, she discovered that the Sorcerer Ancient One opposite her had suddenly manifested thousands of duplicates, surrounding her where she stood.
Swish——!
Following the Sorcerer Ancient One's movements, countless clones simultaneously lashed out with golden whips, striking toward Wanda without mercy.
"Tsk, tsk, tsk... The Ancient One is really ruthless! Being so vicious in the first lesson, Wanda is going to be beaten black and blue."
Thor stood in the room, manipulating the Law of Spaceand watching the battle. Seeing the Ancient One disregard martial ethics and immediately use a finishing move, he had already predicted Wanda's fate.
He seemed to remember this spell was called the Images of Ikonn. In Avengers: Infinity War, Doctor Strange used it during his duel with Thanos.
While watching the battle, Thor was simultaneously comprehending the various spells released by the Ancient One. magic that ordinary sorcerers would need to spend years practicing, he could learn with just a few glances.
Energy fragments of various colors were continuously absorbed and comprehended by him.
For a moment, many Thors appeared in the wooden house. The strength of each clone wasn't very high, only about 10% of his original body's power.
However, he believed that as long as the numbers were high enough, the damage would still be considerable.
Thor waved his hand to dismiss the clones and clenched his right hand in the air. A golden circle with magical runes appeared over his fist.
This was Kamar-Taj's most basic magic, the Tao Mandalas.
For ordinary sorcerers to cast magic, most of them have to borrow power from a Dimensional Demon God. But he and Wanda were different; both already possessed their own corresponding powers and didn't need to borrow at all. They could even lend power back to others.
Good grief, it turns out I'm also a walking Dimensional Demon God!
Thor was very happy right now. He didn't know if the Ancient One had noticed he was secretly learning, but the spells she cast over the past half hour didn't repeat once. Those colorful, dazzling spells were now being replicated one-to-one in his hands.
"Alright, it looks like I have another identity: Sorcerer Supreme Thor. Not bad, not bad. Having many skills doesn't hurt!"
"Venerable Ancient One! Someone outside is asking for an audience; he calls himself Strange! Do I need to drive him away?"
Mordo walked in to report the sudden situation. As soon as he entered, he saw countless magical lights dancing in Thor's hands.
"Wait! How do you know the Sword of Vishanti?!"
Mordo looked at Thor with a shocked expression, then at the golden longsword he was manifesting. His mind felt like it couldn't quite process it.
He clearly remembered this person was Thunder God Thor, wasn't he?
How could he know the magic of their Kamar-Taj?!
"Oh, you mean this? The Ancient One is teaching Wanda in the Mirror Dimension, and I was just learning as I watched!"
"Wait! You're saying you can see everything happening in the Mirror Dimension, and then you can learn the magicthe Ancient One casts? Just by watching it once?!!!"
For the first time, Mordo felt his worldview was shaken. It couldn't even be called shock anymore; it felt like his understanding was grabbed, thrown to the ground, and stomped on a few times.
This isn't metaphysical at all, okay?!
When did learning magic become so easy?!
"Mordo, I remember you just said someone named Strangeis outside, right?"
"Yes, what about it?"
Mordo hadn't yet recovered from his shock and answered subconsciously.
"Then please take me to see him. I can solve his problem."
Thor said.
"This kind of issue is usually decided by the Venerable Ancient One. You..."
Mordo was still a fanatical admirer of the Ancient One and was about to refuse.
"He is the future Sorcerer Supreme, though from today onward, he isn't."
"Wait?! What do you mean he is the future Sorcerer Supreme?!"
Hearing this information, Mordo was stunned for a moment, then stepped forward and grabbed Thor's hand, attempting to get a clear explanation.
"Mordo, what Thor says is what I mean. Take him to see Strange."
Even while teaching, the Ancient One still had enough spare energy to send a mental message.
"Yes!"
Mordo performed a salute, took a deep look at Thor in front of him, and spoke.
"Your Highness Thor, please follow me."
Thor nodded and followed Mordo, who led the way. The two soon arrived at the reception room.
In the reception room, a man with a long, thin horse-like face sat uneasily in a chair. He wore a deep black coat and black casual trousers.
His hands were covered in bandages and were constantly trembling. On his left hand, he still wore an expensive luxury watch with a shattered dial.
This guy was none other than Stephen Strange, the man who would be defeated by Spider-Man using math in the future, the future Sorcerer Supreme, also known as Doctor Strange.
Strange heard the footsteps of the two and slowly raised his head, his gaze landing on Thor first.
The 1.9-meter-tall blonde powerhouse in front of him had knotted muscles and an expressionless face; he looked like someone not to be trifled with.
But why did he always feel like he had seen this person somewhere before?
"Stephen Strange, why have you come?"
Thor imitated the Ancient One's manner, putting his hands behind his back and adopting a profound look as he watched the man before him.
"I found this place through Jonathan Pangborn. If you can make a lifelong paraplegic stand up again, you can certainly heal my hands.
Heal them, and you can name your price."
It had to be said that before becoming the Sorcerer Supreme, Strange was just like Tony Stark before becoming Iron Man—both were very annoying fellows.
He spoke with a cold, arrogant, and commanding tone as soon as they met.
Thor looked Strange up and down for a while before saying, "But as far as I know, you should be penniless right now, shouldn't you? Where do you get the ability to make such a promise?"
Strange was taken aback, finding it Strange that this muscular man knew his current situation, but he continued to speak, his voice full of confidence.
"Because of this! Once you heal my hands, it's impossible for me to be short of money! Just name whatever price you want!"
"Fine. One hundred million dollars, plus your soul. Can you do that?"
Chapter 81: Strange Signs an Indenture
"What the f—! You're robbing me, aren't you?!"
"And you want my soul?! This is a damn scientific society, how can souls possibly exist?!"
Strange was shocked by these ridiculous conditions and instinctively stood up, aggravating the wounds on his hands and crying out in pain.
"That's right, I am robbing you. Didn't you say I could name any price?"
"Healing those hands of yours is a matter of minutes for me. If you're unwilling, then please leave."
Thor calmly issued the order for him to leave and turned to go.
"Hey! Wait! It's just a hundred million dollars, right? I agree!"
Strange grit his teeth and agreed through the pain; a hundred million dollars was the sum of several years of his income!
However, to have his hands made whole again, it was worth it.
Thor didn't turn around immediately. He was thinking about a very serious problem: to prevent this guy from breaching the contract, it would be best to set up a contract or something similar.
He remembered that this sort of thing was Mephisto's specialty, but he hadn't detected the other's aura or traces on Earth, which made things difficult.
Speaking of which, Sorcerer Ancient One was an old rogue; she should be very familiar with Mephisto's tricks, right?
"Stephen Strange, are you certain you are willing to offer your soul and a hundred million dollars as the price for healing your hands?"
Thor turned to look at Strange and said in a serious tone.
"I'm certain!"
Strange had no other options now. Science could no longer help him, so he could only place his hopes on these charlatans, praying it would actually work.
"Fine, we'll sign the contract later. Now, I need to see the quality of your soul."
"Wait?! This is a materialistic World, souls don't exi—!"
Before Strange could finish, Thor slapped him on the chest, and his soul was knocked right out by the blow, floating in the air.
His body was casually placed on a chair by Thor.
"Motherf—! Souls actually fucking exist?! This isn't scientific at all!"
The worldview Strange had lived with for decades completely shattered. He looked at his transparent body, waving his hands frantically, trying to control his soul to return to his body.
"The soul quality is good. Also, don't bother trying. Do you think you're Spider-Man, that you can just swim back into your own body?"
Thor said, watching Strange flailing in the air.
"Who is Spider-Man? And are you really sorcerers? Like Harry Potter and Hogwarts?!"
Strange's eyes were wide with shock, like Columbus discovering the New World.
Thor ignored Strange, who had suddenly turned into a curious child, and waved his hand to knock his soul back into his body.
Originally, he wanted to let Strange travel the Multiversejust like in the movie, but halfway through, he realized something: Sorcerer Ancient One hadn't used this magicyet.
He didn't want to use Strange as a guinea pig for experiments; who knows if he might suddenly provoke some Dimensional Demon God?
Thud—!
Before Thor could finish his thoughts, Strange knelt down in front of everyone and said with a trembling voice:
"Teacher, I want to learn magic!"
Thor used only his will to make Strange stand up. With a casual flick, a green point of light leaped from his finger and sank straight into Strange's bandaged hands.
Strange wasn't afraid as he watched this novel scene. He looked up at Thor and asked, "This will heal my hands?! What magic is this? Episkey?"
"No, a Muggle like you shouldn't know too much."
"Wait! I spent a hundred million dollars and offered my soul, and even that won't let me learn magic?!"
Strange pressed for an answer.
"That was a transaction between us. I'm not the one in charge here. Whether you can learn magic isn't my call."
Thor said casually.
Hearing this, Strange was stunned for a few seconds before persisting, "Wait! What do you mean? What do you mean you're not the one in charge? Then who are you?!"
"Oh, I'm just a guest here, learning magic on the side. As for who I am? You should have heard my name. I am Thunder God Thor."
Boom—!
An invisible giant hammer slammed into Strange's head like a bolt from the blue.
"No wonder... I was wondering why you looked so familiar? You're the Thor from the Avengers?!!"
Strange finally remembered. He had seen Thor's face on TV. Having a photographic memory was just one of his basic skills.
"So my hands aren't actually healed, are they? You're lying to me?!"
Once Strange realized, he spoke out in anger, pointing at Thor and questioning him.
"If your hands weren't healed, could you be pointing at me like that?"
Thor looked at Strange with a kind expression. A tiny arc of electricity jumped from his fingertip and zapped him with a 'whoosh'.
Zzzzt—!
Strange's limbs flailed wildly from the sudden electricity. His hair stood on end, his face turned charcoal black, and he fell fast asleep.
My title as the Lord of Lightning isn't just for show!
"Thor, this..." Master Mordo had watched the whole scene and didn't know how to speak.
"It's fine, I just gave him a little zap. It's not like he's dead. Besides, even if I did electrocute him to death, I could pull him back. He still owes me a debt!"
After explaining, Thor walked toward where Sorcerer Ancient One was training Wanda, leaving behind one bewildered person and one who liked sleeping on the floor.
By the time Thor leisurely walked back to the Ancient One's wooden hut, the practical training was long over. As soon as he entered, he saw a guy with a bruised and swollen face. If the person hadn't been wearing a red leather jacket, he would have thought some little pig had squeezed its way inside!
"Hahahahahaha!"
Thor's threshold for laughter was high; normally, he wouldn't laugh out loud unless he really couldn't help it.
Sorcerer Ancient One truly lived up to being the Sorcerer Supreme; she certainly had a way with energy manipulation.
Wanda's cheeks were puffed out, her nose was swollen, and there were green and purple bruises on her forehead. From up close, she looked exactly like Peggy the Pig!
"Thor... you... hiss..."
Wanda never expected that the first thing Thor would do upon seeing her was laugh. She wanted to say something, but it aggravated her wounds, causing her to cry out in pain.
"Ancient One, I recall you weren't this harsh when training Strange, were you?"
Thor looked at the Ancient One, who was quietly drinking tea.
"That's different. Chaos Magic has a higher ceiling, so it's only right that the training methods are different."
Thor got the feeling that the bald woman in front of him did it on purpose. He turned to look at the pig-faced Wanda. The power of laws surged in his hand, and in an instant, he healed all her injuries.
"This... it's healed?"
Wanda had originally thought she'd have to walk around with that pig face for several days before the swelling went down. She hadn't expected Thor to help her so easily!
"Thank you, Thor!"
"No thanks necessary. After all, I'm the one who kid— brought you here, so it's my responsibility. Wanda, hurry up and get stronger, then kick the Ancient One's ass hard..."
Before Thor could finish, the ground beneath him gave way, and he fell into a portal, vanishing.
Chapter 82: Smug Tony
On the training grounds, dozens of people were beginning to learn basic magic under the guidance of a sorcerer.
Several members of the Main Universe's Avengers and Captain Carter's trio stood at the back, listening to the explanation from the elderly Mage Hamill on the stage.
"Calm your minds. Feet shoulder-width apart, sink your center of gravity, and discard all distracting thoughts. Do not rush to exert force, nor be eager to chase so-called results."
"Breathe with my rhythm. Today, we will learn the most basic magic of Kamar-Taj—the Raggadorr's Rings."
As Mage Hamill introduced it to the crowd, he extended his severed left hand. The stump traced an arc in the air, and a golden magical shield instantly appeared on the end of his limb.
"It is your first line of defense against external intrusion and your first step in sensing your own magic."
"Follow my movements, adjust your breathing, and watch the hand gestures. Palms facing inward, fingertips pointing at each other, feel the aura flowing within you, perceive the magical energy between heaven and Earth, and connect your mind to this energy."
Like a gentle and kind old Professor, Mage Hamilltirelessly repeated the same movement over and over again.
"Do not use brute force to drive it, nor touch it with a mind full of doubt or resistance."
The more you resist, the more you will fail."
He paused intentionally, his gaze sweeping over the eager or bewildered apprentices below. His tone remained gentle as he revealed the core of spellcasting:
"magic is never a power to be forcibly controlled. If you harbor doubts or obsess over 'can I do it' or 'will I fail,' these distractions will sever your connection to magical energy. No matter how perfect your gestures, you won't be able to condense even a fraction of power."
"Just as you believe you can breathe and stand, believe in the existence of this power. Let go of suspicion and impetuousness, clear your mind, and focus only on the sensation in your palms."
After hearing the explanation, Tony, standing at the back, watched the apprentices making continuous attempts and spoke to those beside him.
"How about it, guys? Want to see who stops being a Muggle first?"
"You probably won't, Tony. As a scientist, can you really believe in these metaphysical things from the bottom of your heart?"
The Main Universe's Natasha took a step forward and began drawing circles in the air, following Mage Hamill's movements. After speaking, she didn't forget to glance at Tony with a teasing smile.
"I'll definitely be the first to succeed, no doubt about it. That fellow Thor said that in another Universe, I'm actually the Sorcerer Supreme."
Tony raised an eyebrow and also began performing the spellcasting movements.
It was the first time for the others to encounter the realm of magic as well, and filled with curiosity, they all began to try.
"Danny, aren't you going to try?"
The Land of Nihility's Natasha asked as she watched Iron Fist Danny begin to meditate on the spot.
"No. magic is different from my cultivation system. I've tried it in my Universe before; I don't have that magical talent."
Iron Fist Danny replied calmly, then sat on the ground with his legs crossed, palms and soles facing upward, and began his daily meditation practice.
"He really is a cultivation fanatic."
The Land of Nihility's Natasha remarked to Captain Carterbeside her.
"Perhaps he's just used to it."
Captain Carter glanced at the meditating Danny.
Beside them, Pietro couldn't bear the boredom. In the brief interval while everyone was talking, he had already performed hundreds or even thousands of spellcasting movements, yet there was still no change.
If he hadn't seen a few apprentices in front produce a few stray sparks, he would have run off to play somewhere long ago.
Half an hour passed. Out of everyone present, including the Avengers, only a few had managed to draw some golden lines. They were still a long way from fully casting the spell.
Captain America Steve had lost count of how many times he had made the gestures or how many times he had failed, but he didn't give up easily. Instead, he continued to mimic the movement, drawing circles over and over again.
Buzz—!
While everyone was practicing diligently, a Strangebuzzing sound suddenly rang out. Everyone looked back toward the source of the sound.
There stood Tony Stark, with a circular shield appearing on each of his palms. Golden-yellow magical energy, tinged with a bit of crimson, converged in his hands.
This was exactly Kamar-Taj's most basic magic, the Raggadorr's Rings.
In just half an hour, Tony had gone from zero to entry-level, successfully manifesting two complete shields.
"I told you, I, Tony Stark, would definitely be the first to learn magic! From now on, call me Sorcerer Supreme Tony, you Muggles."
Tony looked at his teammates with extreme smugness, even going so far as to hold up his two shields and show off right next to Captain America Steve.
"Yo! If it isn't the famous Captain America, Steve Rogers?"
"Hey, Old Popsicle, look what's in my hands?
Isn't this way cooler than that shield of yours!"
Captain America Steve felt a bit helpless hearing this. Ever since Tony had seen the root cause of the Avengers' future fallout with them...
Tony really didn't treat him with any respect!
He'd take jabs at him whenever he could. The worst part was that Steve couldn't even argue back; he could only respond with silence.
It was still better than a total fallout like in the future.
Seeing Steve's lack of reaction, Tony curled his lip. "A Old Popsicle is a Old Popsicle, no sense of fun at all. Hey! Banner! Look what I've got here!"
"Tony, I'm almost there too. Don't disturb me."
Dr. Banner was the only superhero present, besides Tonyand his group, who had managed to draw golden lines.
"Banner, how could I be disturbing you? Look! Take a good look at these magical patterns; maybe you'll succeed in a bit too!"
Tony shoved the two shields right in Banner's face, acting exactly like a child who had just gotten a new toy.
Everyone present had a competitive nature. With Tonyprovoking them to their faces, they practiced even harder.
Unfortunately, talent is something you either have or you don't; it's not something diligence alone can make up for.
Of course, if you had a system that compensated for lack of talent with hard work, that would be a different story.
Thor walked out of the Mirror Dimension with a dark expression.
That old fossil, Ancient One!
It's one thing to be petty, but she's a sore loser who uses cheats!
She couldn't beat him, so she actually fucking called for divine possession!
No wonder she's a deadbeat! No integrity at all!
Luckily, the benefits the Ancient One demanded were for the next Sorcerer Supreme. Otherwise, he would have fought her for another three hundred rounds. Whether he could win or not was one thing, but he definitely couldn't lose in terms of momentum.
Did she really think he studied the Mountain-Shaking Fist Manual for nothing?!
With a teleport, Thor arrived in the room where Strangewas resting. He conjured an ink pad and pressed Strange's finger onto an ancient parchment scroll.
Personal ethics aside, the Ancient One was still quite decent for the sake of Earth.
See... she's learned Mephisto's signature tricks inside and out.
No wonder they say your enemies often know you better than you know yourself.
In short, after Valeria and Emma, he was about to have yet another top-tier workhorse.
He glanced at the soundly sleeping Strange and patted his face.
"Rest well, Strange. When you wake up, even if you want to go see the Goddess of Death, I'll drag you back to keep working for me!"
Chapter 83: Excited Valeria and Her Large Syringe
"Alright, next I'm going to deal with a bald woman. Before that, I'll take you all for a tour of the Land of Nihility. I don't want you guys to be suddenly wiped out while I'm busy over there."
Thor looked at the group gathered before him and spoke.
"The Land of Nihility? You mean that Multiverse junkyard where Loki, who became the God of Time, went before, right?"
Tony was clearly very interested in this place that existed outside of the Multiverse.
"Yes, it's a cyberpunk city. There's only one rule: don't just start a fight on the streets."
To be safe, Thor planned to have the people from the Main Universe build good relationships with those in the Land of Nihility. Now that the plot had gone completely off the rails, who knew what emergencies might happen.
In the future, he would definitely be wandering all over the Multiverse. To increase his strength, he wouldn't have that much time to stay in one Universe and clean up after them.
"You're talking about the original plot. Now that our Point Break lead is gone and Hulk is no more, we have no intention of casually tearing down a city."
Tony put on a pair of sunglasses, looking like he couldn't wait.
"Well, maybe you'll see all sorts of variants of yourselves. There are several Hulks alone in the Land of Nihility."
Thor nodded and casually opened a portal leading directly to Valeria's lab.
Before the group could step in, an exclamation came from the other side. Then, a blonde girl, Valeria, rushed over carrying a syringe larger than herself.
"Thor?! Is it you?! Great! Quick, quick, quick! My research has reached a critical moment! I need your body..."
"Ahem... opened the wrong door."
Thor quickly closed the portal and explained with a couple of coughs.
"Thor, I didn't expect you to be so popular with little girls."
The Main Universe Natasha teased Thor.
"I'd rather not have this kind of popularity. Speaking of which, it's Banner's fault."
Thor glanced at Dr. Banner.
"Me?!"
Banner pointed at himself with a bewildered face. What did this have to do with him?
"Normally, you should have become the Hulk, not One Punch Man. If that were the case, I wouldn't have called that brat over."
Thor skillfully shifted the blame.
"..."
Banner was a bit speechless. How could this be blamed on him?
The next second, Thor opened another portal, leading directly to a plaza in the Land of Nihility.
Pietro was the first to rush in. After seeing this city where sci-fi blended with magic, he shouted, "This place is totally awesome! Wanda! Come here! I think we can have a great time here! There are actually flying dinosaurs in the sky!"
"???"
"Wait? Pietro, what are you talking about? Where would dinosaurs come from in the Land of Nihility?"
Thor stepped through the portal with a face full of question marks. Looking up, he saw several pterosaurs flying past, and someone on the street was even walking a few Compsognathus.
"Oh my god! Valeria, what have you done now?!"
"Thor, your territory is pretty nice. You've even brought dinosaurs out. Are you planning to open a Jurassic Park?"
Tony teased as he looked at this very magical scene.
Dr. Banner was somewhat excited. Cloning ancient creatures had always been a difficult problem for biologists to research. He didn't expect Valeria to actually pull it off.
"Truly incredible. This isn't just a complete cloning technology, but it also includes techniques like taming and domestication!"
"Compsognathus are carnivorous dinosaurs! And they don't have any devices on them, which means this is domestication at the genetic level..."
Captain America Steve didn't know what to say anymore.
"I always thought it was strange enough that our Worldhad aliens and magic, but I didn't expect dinosaurs to be brought out here. Is this really the real World?"
"Steve, at least we're still alive and we exist. Isn't that the best proof?"
Captain Carter stepped forward and patted Captain America's shoulder.
"You're right, Peggy. I just haven't processed it yet..."
Steve smiled bitterly.
"Dear ladies and gentlemen, let us congratulate the champion of the third Fighting Arena Tournament! Superman Wolf Logan!"
On the large screen in the plaza, Baron Zemo was announcing the winner and the prize money of last night's tournament, as well as the time for the next one.
Thor even saw virtual arenas and virtual game competitions... The Land of Nihility really changes completely if you don't visit for a while!
"Let's go. I'll take you to meet the City Lord. Maybe you can consider living here for a while."
Thor opened another portal and spoke to the group behind him.
"Thor, does this Land of Nihility have day and night?"
Tony asked curiously, looking at the Sun that was about to set.
"Oh, that. Valeria tinkered with it herself. Artificial Sun, Artificial Moon. I also gave her the authority of Alioth, so you can have whatever weather you want."
"Then..."
"Stop, stop! Don't ask me these professional questions. Go ask that brat yourself."
Thor raised his hand to stop Tony Stark, who was about to ask a question filled with technical jargon.
He took the lead in guiding everyone into the White House, the City Lord's manor in the Land of Nihility, where they happened to bump into Emma and Betsy walking toward them.
Emma raised an eyebrow at the large group behind Thor. "Thor, are you here to bring me more refugees? Don't you know I'm very busy every day?"
Thor ignored Betsy's resentful look and said, "I just came to talk to you about something. These are the Avengers from the Main Universe. They might be traveling back and forth to the Land of Nihility frequently in the future."
"Main Universe?" Emma's brow furrowed slightly, as if she had thought of something.
"It just so happens that the Land of Nihility is really short on some materials. Valeria nags me every day for rare metals and all sorts of high-tech materials, so..."
Hearing this, Tony Stark instantly seemed like a different person. He tucked away his playful smile and extended his right hand:
"Tony Stark. I can provide the raw materials you need."
Emma glanced at his extended hand but didn't shake it. She just tilted her chin up. "Emma Frost. And the conditions?"
Seeing that she didn't shake his hand, Tony wasn't embarrassed. He withdrew his hand and said seriously, "We need a backup Base to avoid certain supernatural threats. And Frost City fits our requirements perfectly."
"Is it limited to your friends and family, or the people of your Earth?"
Emma asked.
"Priority to the people of Earth. Only in special circumstances would we prioritize our friends and family."
After hearing this, Emma looked at Thor, her tone clearly exhausted. "Thor, you have to help me find a good secretary. Betsy is really too clumsy; she can't even do small things right."
"Emma!"
Being called clumsy by Emma in front of everyone, Betsyclearly felt humiliated.
Emma ignored Betsy completely and quietly waited for Thor's response.
"Hmm... there is indeed a good candidate, and Tony, you're familiar with her too."
Thor thought for a moment and gave the answer.
"You're not thinking of poaching Pepper from me, are you?!"
Tony looked at Thor warily.
"No, no, no. I don't have a hobby of poaching other men's wives."
"She's the Deputy Director of SHIELD, Maria Hill. I believe you all know her. More importantly, she should be in a state of having nothing to do right now."
"Emma, what do you think?"
Chapter 84: Poaching the Black Braised Egg's Right-Hand Woman
"Who is she? What are her capabilities? I don't need a mere ornament."
Emma was hearing this name for the first time and clearly had many questions. She needed a secretary who could genuinely assist her, not another fool like Betsy!
"Uh... let me think carefully about how to introduce this person."
Thor pondered hard.
"Wait? You want to poach our Avengers' security consultant?!"
Tony Stark, upon hearing this familiar name, was momentarily stunned, then looked somewhat displeased at Thor.
While Maria Hill was considered part of Nick Fury's inner circle, her abilities were truly no joke!
Losing such a talent skilled in management, command, administration, and security to Thor—where would the Avengers find another security consultant as capable?
"If you need a secretary, I can help you search globally. But forget about Maria Hill. I don't agree!"
"I'll resurrect your parents for you in the future."
"Deal! Open a portal. I'll send her over to you right now!"
Upon hearing this condition, Tony agreed without a second thought.
He promptly treated everyone present to a live performance of Sichuan opera face-changing.
"Emma, Hill excels in management, command, administration, security, counter-espionage, and overall coordination. She's the most reliable, hands-on type of deputy."
"She fits your needs perfectly. And most importantly, she's loyal, desires authority, but has no designs on your position."
"Oh? That sounds promising. But we still need to meet, don't we?"
Hearing this, Emma revealed a relatively satisfied smile.
"Let's go, Tony. We're off to poach from the Black Braised Egg. Oh, and remember to show her that'Secret Invasion' to make her completely lose faith in the Black Braised Egg."
Thor opened a portal to the Avengers Tower, then turned his head to address Tony.
"Alright, I like this plan of yours. I've long been fed up with that old geezer Nick Fury. Who would have thought he'd turn out to be a traitor to Earth!"
Tony chimed in with a remark.
After all, who could possibly have a good impression of someone who, without a word, enjoys barging into others' homes in the dead of night, acting all mysterious?
According to the laws of their country, trespassing into a residence—he had the right to shoot the intruder!
"Huff... huff..."
Maria Hill, wearing a dark blue sports tank top with a blue towel draped around her neck, was rhythmically sweating it out on a treadmill.
"Hill, you're fired."
Tony spoke, looking at the exercising Hill.
The treadmill ran at a steady pace. Maria Hill's footsteps faltered for half a second.
She turned off the treadmill, pulled the towel from her neck, meticulously wiped the sweat from her neck, then raised her eyes to look at Tony. Her gaze was calm, without a ripple of emotion.
"Fired by whom? The Avengers? Or you personally, Stark?"
Her tone was flat—no anger, no surprise, just a purely businesslike demeanor.
Hill didn't even wait for his explanation, coolly adding:
"After S.H.I.E.L.D. was gone, I was never officially on your payroll to begin with."
"When you say 'fired,' can I interpret it as—you're letting me go now?"
"Yes, you understood correctly. You're fired by Tony. And I happen to need a Secretary-General."
Thor stated.
"Secretary-General? Thor, since when does Asgard hire secretaries from outside?"
Hill's face remained expressionless. She walked to a nearby water dispenser, filled a cup with water, and drank it in one go.
Thor raised his hand and waved. The Law of Time instantly enveloped the entire floor. He looked at Tony.
"Tony, show her as planned what her old boss would do to her in the future."
"Of course! I was prepared long ago. Jarvis, show Hill what that Black Braised Egg has done! Play'Secret Invasion.'"
"Certainly, sir."
Jarvis's gentle, clear mechanical voice sounded. A pale blue holographic projection screen abruptly appeared before Hill and began playing.
"Nick? What do you two mean by this?"
Hill looked up at the two men, the expression on her face changing for the first time.
She and Nick Fury were comrades who had been through life and death. This elementary attempt at sowing discord was utterly ineffective on her.
Seeing that Thor and the other offered no answer, she quickly focused her attention on the film playing before her, watching the series with rapt concentration.
"Thor, I have a question. You said this is the future your World experienced. But why does the presentation feel so much like a movie? Or a TV series? Even the runtime is similar."
Tony Stark had harbored this suspicion for a long time. Now he finally had the chance to ask properly what was going on.
"Simple. Don't you think it's more engaging to watch this way?"
"I even specifically studied film shooting techniques and cinematography to polish it for you all. Otherwise, what you'd be watching would be my 5,000 years' worth of memory fragments."
"Trust me, you wouldn't want to watch such a long movie."
"Really?" Tony looked suspiciously at Thor. "Then how do you know certain details so clearly? I don't believe the 'me' in your Universe would casually tell others about something like palladium poisoning."
"That's because I studied Asgardian magic. I'm not like the Thor in your Universe, who only knows how to swing his hammer."
"Alright, consider that a passable excuse."
Tony clearly didn't fully believe this explanation, but he didn't dwell on it too much. Everyone has things they don't want to talk about, right?
During the time the two were chatting, Hill had already finished the entire series—she had specifically asked Jarvisto play it at five times speed. Now she stood rooted to the spot, head lowered, lost in thought.
After a long while, Hill finally raised her head, looked at Thor and Tony, and spoke calmly,
"I am aware of the Skrulls. It was Nick and Carol who agreed to let them live on Earth. How... did you know?"
"And... is this a fabricated film of yours, or some kind of future?"
"This is what originally happened in my Universe."
Thor stated.
"Your Universe? What do you mean? You're not the Thor I know, are you?"
Only now did Hill seriously scrutinize the blond giant before her—bulkier, more powerful, and more dangerous than the Main Universe Thor she knew.
"In short, there exist many parallel Universes. The heroes and villains in each Universe are mostly similar, though heroes might become villains, and villains might become heroes."
"Most Multiverses have a Tony Stark, a Captain America Steve, and you, Maria Hill."
"In these similar parallel Universes, people might vary, but certain major events are immutable."
"And the Skrull invasion is one such major event. In most parallel Universes where superheroes exist, this event ultimately occurs."
Thor gave Hill a simple explanation based on his understanding of Marvel.
"Tony, have you investigated this?"
Hill turned to look at Tony, a hint of inquiry in her eyes.
"Hill, it's not that I want to undermine your bond with Nick. But the fact is just that."
Tony sighed and instructed Jarvis to display the current Skrull presence on Earth.
A global map appeared, densely covered with red dots scattered across the World—at least in the seven-figure range.
Hill stared fixedly at those vivid, blood-red dots on the map, recalling how in that future, she was shot dead by a Skrull disguised as Nick.
In contrast, Nick Fury not only didn't avenge her death but even ended up returning to S.W.O.R.D. to live affectionately with the Skrulls.
She had always been a rational person, but she never imagined that her bond with Nick would prove weaker than his with a goblin!
And the other party wasn't even human!
Then what had she been busy running around for Nick Fury all these years? What was it all for?
Hill took a deep breath, controlled her breathing rhythm, calmed her emotions, and looked at Thor. "Thor, I must say, your attempt at sowing discord was very successful. So, what do you need me to do?"
"Simple. I need you to help someone manage a city."
"That's all?"
Hill furrowed her brow, somewhat disbelieving that this Thor from another Universe only wanted her to do something so straightforward.
"That's all."
Chapter 85: Aggrieved Betsy
"You might need to prepare yourself mentally, because your place of work is not on Earth."
Thor said.
"Then how will my employee benefits and salary be calculated? You won't sell me out like Nick did, will you?"
Hill raised a question. As for where she would actually be working? She didn't care at all; at the very least, she needed to know if she was following the right person.
"Uh... I'm not too clear on the salary thing, you might have to talk to Emma in person. The treatment definitely won't be bad. If you want a suit of Iron Man armor, or perhaps superpowers, those are all simple things—I can satisfy those for you."
"If you have other needs, you can bring them up too, like riding a dinosaur to work or something."
"Dinosaurs? You mean I'm going to be working in the Jurassic era?"
"Let's go, won't you know once you get there?"
The portal opened again, and Thor stepped inside.
Tony glanced at Hill, "Let's go. This city of Point Break's leading man is quite suitable for you. Those external chaotic threats you worry about don't exist there."
"Is that so? Then it seems I've found a good boss." Hillraised an eyebrow and was the second to step inside.
"Jarvis, help me notify Pepper; we need to recruit a new security consultant."
"Certainly, sir. Is there anything else?"
"That's all. Keep an eye on those Goblins for me; notify me immediately if they make any moves."
"Certainly, sir."
After giving Jarvis his instructions, Tony finally stepped into Frost City.
"Thor, you have very good taste. I'll take this person. Come to my manor tonight."
Emma's first impression upon seeing Hill was very good. Plus, she had just browsed through the woman's memories; Maria Hill was exactly the kind of talent she urgently needed.
She gave Thor a look and walked out with her new secretary, Hill.
"Whoa!"
Seeing this, Pietro let out an untimely whistle, "Thor, she's practically a queen!"
Thor didn't bother with the flighty fellow and looked toward the members of the Avengers. "Alright, next you can all take a good look around this city. Carter will take you to experience the local customs and culture."
"Let's go, I hope you won't be too surprised later."
Captain Carter nodded and led the way out.
"Banner, do you think I should buy a few dinosaurs to go back and build a Jurassic Park?"
"I'm sure my unborn daughter would love it!"
Tony kept pace with Captain Carter while turning his head to look at Dr. Banner, who was still in deep thought beside him.
"Um... whatever works. I suggest not buying carnivorous dinosaurs."
"You have a point. Let's go find Valeria; that little girl's IQ is indeed quite impressive."
Once the group from the Avengers had vanished from the spot, Betsy finally spoke up quietly, "Thor, you ran away so fast back then because you knew what was going to happen, didn't you?"
"Hmm? What happened after we left?"
Thor looked at Betsy, pretending to know nothing.
"Was Emma very satisfied with the enhancement plan you provided her?!"
"Hmm... she was indeed very satisfied. Why?"
"You have no idea how arrogant that bastard Emma is! When she's in a bad mood, she uses those unpredictable abilities of hers to toy with me, and she specifically makes me do things she knows I can't do! When I can't finish them, she even calls me stupid..."
Betsy had clearly been bullied miserably by Emma during this period. Usually a woman of few words, she now seemed unable to stop, pouring out accusations of Emma's misdeeds.
"Don't worry, Betsy. I'll help you teach her a harsh lesson tonight."
Thor smoothed out Betsy's somewhat ruffled hair and gave his promise.
"No, Thor, what I mean is, you give me an enhancement too. I want to take revenge with my own hands!"
Betsy clenched her fists, her joints cracking, as she spoke through gritted teeth.
"Then what do you plan to use as payment?"
Thor suddenly felt playful. These two, Emma and Betsy, were really amusing, always wanting to get the upper hand on each other. Truly a case of deep, life-and-death sisterly love!
"This is the deposit; the final payment will be made later."
Betsy tilted Thor's chin up and leaned in. The faint fragrance of purple butterfly orchids invaded Thor's mouth along her soft lips.
Feeling her soft, delicate body, Thor wrapped his arms around her and pulled her into his embrace. With a flash of faint blue light, the two vanished, returning to that quaint wooden house to begin a special enhancement plan for a certain someone.
The night in Frost City was very dazzling. The pure white moonlight hung high, surrounded by one sparkling star after another.
Brilliant neon lights illuminated this city of the night. From time to time, high-speed maglev trains or people riding pterodactyls flashed across the sky above the city. Occasionally, one or two Spider-Men could be seen traveling by swinging on webs.
The Natasha from the Main Universe said to Clint the Hawkeye beside her, "Clint, I just saw a version of myself dressed very 'Smart' style. I really don't understand why she would dye her hair green?"
"No idea. Maybe that version of you has a thing with the Hulk."
Clint cracked a timely joke, promptly receiving a massive eye-roll from the Main Universe Natasha.
Tony and Banner began discussing science based on what they had seen and heard along the way, while Captain America Steve and Captain Carter chatted and laughed.
Pietro had long since run off to who-knows-where. Wandafollowed quietly behind the group, observing this city called Frost.
When science fiction from the future collided with creatures from history, it created a strange atmosphere throughout the entire city.
There were also strange variants of superheroes and villains of all shapes and sizes walking the streets.
She could sense that most of the people here were genuinely satisfied with living here, even feeling a hint of happiness.
It was completely different from the Main Universe Earthshe was from. In just one district of New York, the emotions she sensed most every day were panic, fear, anger, and various negative emotions.
Positive emotions existed, but compared to the negative ones, they were a mere drop in the bucket.
Now Wanda was truly curious—how exactly did that City Lord Emma, who wore a white suit and had a 'I am the Queen' vibe, manage to do it?
"Wanda! Try this! A hot dog made by Spider-Man, it tastes pretty good!"
Pietro suddenly appeared in front of Wanda, taking a large bite of the hot dog in his mouth while handing over another one he was holding.
"Did you pay for it, Pietro?"
Wanda didn't take the hot dog immediately; instead, she raised a question.
"Wanda! Are you kidding me?! Do I look like the kind of person who eats without paying?"
"Didn't Captain Carter give everyone ten thousand Frostjust now?"
"These two hot dogs only cost four Frost! And the taste is fantastic!"
"I'm just curious, if Spider-Man has this kind of skill, why would he ever be destitute?"
"Couldn't he make a fortune just by opening a small stall?"
Chapter 86: Following the Network Cable to Kick Cassandra
"Thor, do you have any good candidates for the position of City Lord?"
Morning, another new day began. Emma rarely didn't wake up early; she turned to look at Thor, who had just opened his eyes, lying beside her.
"? You've only been doing this for how long, and you're already thinking about retiring?"
Thor rubbed his eyes, looking at Emma beside him in disbelief. Didn't this woman always like to handle everything alone?
Why the change of heart today? She actually said she's tired and wants to retire?!
"Didn't you say I'm just a little girl?" Emma rolled over, her back to Thor, her tone indifferent. "Can't I relax in front of you?"
Then she sat up and gave a long stretch. Her flawless skin, like mutton-fat jade, looked even more alluring in the sunlight, her curves drawing Thor's gaze.
"Why don't you have Valeria create an AI assistant for you? Leave all the basic work to the AI; that way you'll have more time to rest, won't you?"
"True. You go tell that little girl for me. She's been pestering me every day about wanting to see you. She's even more annoying than Betsy."
"Never mind, find someone else to pass the message. That brat Valeria is a bit too dangerous; I need to stay away from her."
Hearing Emma's words, Thor suddenly remembered the image from yesterday of Valeria carrying a syringe larger than herself, and he subconsciously shuddered.
"What? You, the mighty Thunder God Thor, are actually afraid of an ordinary little girl?!"
Seeing Thor's fearful look, Emma felt playful and began to tease him.
"She can't cause much trouble; it's mainly her brother who is the problem. This time we'll go take out Cassandra. We might even harvest the Phoenix Force. Then we'll look for the Goblin Force, and her brother won't be a threat anymore."
Thor laid out a very simple plan for this operation.
"Is that so? But I heard from Betsy that your traveling through these Universes to get stronger is only one goal. Another goal seems to be your primary one."
Emma reached out and drew a circle on Thor's chest, her eyes sweeping over him indifferently.
"That girl in the red leather jacket is your next target, right?"
"What's wrong, Emma? Don't tell me you're jealous, just like Betsy?"
Thor reached out to put his arm around Emma's shoulder, pulling her closer.
"Jealous? I, Emma Frost, have no interest in playing house with the women you fancy. I have only one requirement: I don't care how many people you bring back, but no one can take my place. Do you... understand?"
Emma pushed Thor's hand away and tilted his chin, declaring her sovereignty in a cold and proud tone.
"Alright, my Queen. I think we could do some morning exercise, what do you think?"
"No, I am the King. You are my Queen, Thor."
Emma pulled Thor over and planted a firm kiss on his lips.
"Alright, my Queen. I hope you won't be begging for mercy later."
Thor pushed Emma down onto the bed and kissed her lips.
Onz———
...
The sun was high in the sky. Thor walked out of Emma's City Lord Mansion, the White House, looking refreshed. He saw Maria Hill holding a communicator, talking with the gardener in the White House, Groot.
"Morning, Hill. It's your first day on the job, how does it feel?"
After enjoying some sunlight, Thor walked over to Hill and asked.
"It's alright. Except for the boss being absent on the first day of work, everything else is pretty good."
Hill turned to look at Thor, her face calm.
"Cheer up, Hill. Don't always keep such a stiff face. Smile more. After all, you are now below one and above ten thousand."
Thor patted her shoulder.
"My job description doesn't require me to smile more."
Hill said.
"Fine, you and Emma are a match made in heaven. I'm sure you two workaholics will have plenty in common. I'm off. Have a pleasant stay here, Hill."
Thor waved his hand and disappeared with a teleportation.
"I am Groot?"
(What's the task for today?)
A sub-adult Groot came over just then, asking what its task for the day was.
"It's simple, Groot. Just trim these lawns a bit more and help the flowers in the garden grow. That's all for today."
Hill tapped on her Personal Terminal, bringing up the schedule for Groot the gardener today.
"I am Groot!"
Groot took a pair of large shears from a small bag he carried and started trimming and refining the lawn with a series of snips.
Hill glanced in the direction where Thor had disappeared, then at the hard-working Groot. A tiny curve appeared at the corner of her mouth as she turned to walk into the White House.
"Willing to come back now?"
Betsy was in Thor's wooden hut watching a replay of a recent fighting tournament. She glanced at the returning Thor and said crossly.
"Ahem... Didn't I go to beat up Emma for you? I severely interrogated her for a whole night, plus a whole morning."
Thor said with a serious expression.
"Is that so? Did you go to hit her, or did you go to give her a good time?"
Betsy rolled her eyes hard.
"If you're still not satisfied, I'll go hit Emma a few more times for you..."
"Tch... Didn't you say yesterday we're going to Cassandra's Universe today to take her out? What are you standing there for? Let's go! It's the perfect time for me to test out the new abilities you gave me."
Betsy rubbed her hands together and looked at Thor.
"Wait! You're going too? Didn't you say before you wouldn't come with me?"
Thor looked at Betsy in front of him suspiciously.
"Ahem... That was then, this is now. I have nothing to do here anyway. Oh, wait, Emma is still in her room, right?"
"She should be. What are you going to do?"
"Hehe... I'll be right back."
The psionic energy in Betsy's hand instantly condensed into a small hammer. The next second, she vanished from the spot in a flash.
A minute later, she reappeared, a look of a successful prank on her face.
Betsy decisively stepped forward and hugged Thor, urging him frantically, "Hurry, hurry! Thor! Open the portal quickly! Or Emma will come looking for us!"
"Sigh, you and Emma really are something! As you wish, let's go!"
A golden sparkling donut instantly swallowed the two of them, leaving behind only the television still playing the fighting tournament.
Rustle...
Less than a minute after they disappeared, the sound of sand rubbing echoed throughout the wooden hut. Countless tiny Diamond Particles instantly converged into a figure—it was Emma, who had just been pranked by Betsy.
At this moment, she was only wrapped in a bath towel, rushing over in a rage to give Betsy a piece of her mind.
However, the house was already empty, with only the clear voice of the host's commentary remaining.
Emma didn't sense Betsy's presence. She looked toward the television following the sound and saw a small Betsymade of psionic energy on the screen, making a face at her and finally pointing her butt toward her.
Crack—!
A Diamond Blade flew out and instantly split the little Betsy and the television in half, and Emma's roar instantly echoed through the house.
"Elizabeth Becky Braddock—!"
Chapter 87: A Beauty Arrives Right After Landing
Boom! Boom! Boom!
In a lush jungle, the sound of explosions echoed one after another.
A woman was speeding through the jungle at low altitude. Her body was covered in wounds, and her deep black bodysuit was already in tatters. Only half of her black cloak remained, and blood was constantly seeping from her injuries.
Behind her, ten three-meter-tall pure white robots mixed with pink followed closely. These robots fired lasers, thunder, ice, and fire from time to time, forcing the woman to resist by using her telekinesis to form a shield while fleeing.
"Target confirmed: Madelyne Pryor, clone of Jean Grey, Omega-level Mutant, threat level: extremely high."
"I am Nimrod, the hunter of Mutants."
"Your existence has been judged as heresy. Immediate elimination."
Madelyne, who was escaping at high speed, suddenly jolted. She slowly turned around, her already bloodless cheeks becoming even paler.
Buzz—!
That sentence about her being Jean Grey's clone was like a red-hot iron blade, stabbing ruthlessly into the most fragile part of her heart.
The accumulated grievances, resentment, and despair in her heart exploded at this moment.
She whipped her head back, her crimson gaze fixed on Nimrod, her voice trembling but carrying a bone-chilling ruthlessness:
"I am not her shadow... I am Madelyne Pryor!!"
Following Madelyne's roar, an incredibly massive psychic telekinesis unique to an Omega Level erupted, directly obliterating all the attacks from the Nimrod Sentinels.
Ignoring her injuries entirely, she exerted the authority unique to an Omega-level Mutant with all her might. For a moment, she actually forced those Sentinel Robotss that had been chasing her so miserably to retreat frantically.
"Your struggle only prolongs the destined destruction."
"X-Gene detected: Madelyne Pryor. Your abilities have been analyzed. Countermeasures ready."
The leading Nimrod Sentinel Robots calmly pronounced the death sentence to Madelyne in front of it.
In the next second, the ten Nimrod Sentinels instantly analyzed and learned Madelyne's telekinesis. Ten massive telekinetic waves slammed forward.
Crack—!
The telekinetic shield Madelyne had built with all her strength was shattered upon contact. The massive telekinetic Impact slammed into her body without obstruction, sending her flying several miles.
The towering trees along the way were instantly destroyed and collapsed under this terrifying power. The once vibrant jungle was now filled with wreckage.
A kilometer away, Thor had just stepped onto this land with Betsy when he heard the sound of explosions coming from not far ahead.
Just as he was about to investigate the situation ahead, a woman flew straight into his arms, covered in blood and clearly seriously injured.
Good grief! Talk about a lucky start!
A beauty throws herself into his arms right after landing; it seems his charm is still as strong as ever!
"Thor, you look quite happy holding her, don't you?"
Betsy looked at the woman who had suddenly crashed into Thor's embrace, her brow furrowed. The joy of having just teased Emma vanished completely, her tone tinged with a bit of displeasure.
"Wait, Betsy, the Mutants of this Universe are probably in danger."
Thor's mental power instantly enveloped the Earth of this Universe. Seeing the sequence of events, his expression became somewhat serious.
He hadn't expected that the humans of this Universe had actually created Nimrod Sentinels!
In the comics, these things were the true Mutant killers!
Although not the strongest Sentinel Robots, if an average Mutant encountered one, they would surely die. It could be said that these things were truly the natural enemy of the Mutant race.
And the one he was currently holding in his arms was the famous clone of Phoenix Jean Grey from the comics, Madelyne Pryor—a poor woman abandoned by Cyclops.
"Betsy, I just checked. The you of this Universe has already died at the hands of these robots. Professor X is missing, and Magneto is struggling to hold on in the Mutant nation he created."
"So, what do you want to do? Thor."
Betsy didn't quite understand. Why was Thor suddenly saying all this?
Those Sentinel Robotss would be here any moment; now was hardly the time for this conversation.
"What I mean is, I have a good idea. I'll play the Professor, and you'll play Psylocke. Let's give the Mutants and humans of this Universe a good lesson, shall we?"
Thor proposed his mischievous idea.
Betsy didn't answer but simply rolled her eyes. She pulled out two katanas specially forged for her by Thor using the power of laws from her spatial pocket.
Pale purple psionic energy instantly enchanted them, and pieces of armor appeared out of thin air on her body. In just a moment, she was fully armed.
Zzt—
The sound of breaking air suddenly rang out. Ten NimrodSentinels teleported over, following the scent. Their crimson optical eyes locked onto Betsy simultaneously. The leading unit was the first to emit a cold mechanical voice:
"X-Gene fluctuation detected. Genetic sequence match: Elizabeth Becky Braddock."
"This target in this Universe has been recorded in the death files. Identity abnormal. Determined to be a cross-dimensional invading Mutant."
"Threat level upgraded. Elimination program restarted. Immediate annihilation."
"Ability analysis in progress. Psionic Warrior and Telepathymodules locked. Countermeasure program activated."
"Beep, beep, beep! Abnormal target energy detected."
"Partial energy does not belong to the X-Gene sequence. Source unknown."
"Unable to analyze, unable to copy, unable to simulate."
"Threat level rising sharply. Switching to maximum annihilation mode."
"Sentinel Robotss, truly old friends. I hope your bodies are a bit sturdier than I imagine. I'll take this chance to test the new abilities Thor gave me."
Betsy performed an elegant sword flourish, her psionic armor solidifying. She lowered her body slightly, crossing her hands over her chest, and slammed her left leg against the ground.
Boom—!
Betsy shot forward like a cannonball, instantly attacking the nearest Nimrod Sentinel. Her sharp psionic blades cut through a Sentinel Robots into four pieces as easily as cutting tofu.
She didn't give the remaining nine Nimrod Sentinels a chance to react. Her figure instantly faded in the air, reappearing to cleanly take down two more Sentinel Robotss.
"Warning, warning! Unknown energy threat detected! Activating backup hidden energy source!"
The leading Nimrod Sentinel encountered a phenomenon it couldn't explain, imitate, or analyze for the first time. This Mutant before them could easily destroy their Nimrodunits. Their proud Molecular Restructuring ability, which caused headaches for most Mutants, was completely ineffective against this woman!
While Betsy was showing off her skills, Thor held the heavily injured Madelyne. The power of the Law of Lifequietly flowed from his fingertips into Madelyne's body, repairing her fatal injuries.
At the same time, light flashed around him. His original form completely changed, transforming into Professor X's signature bald appearance. A wheelchair also appeared out of thin air beneath him as he steadily held the woman in his arms.
Not long after, Madelyne slowly opened her eyes.
As soon as she opened her eyes, she found herself being held in the arms of an extremely familiar elderly man—more accurately, held on a wheelchair—with a highly recognizable, shiny bald head.
"Pro... Professor?! Weren't you missing?!"
"Long time no see, Madelyne."
(Thor-version Professor X) had a gentle look in his eyes. His tone carried the tolerance and heartache unique to the Professor as he gently patted her shoulder and spoke softly:
"You've suffered during this time."