In New York, Loki, dressed in a sharp suit, and Thor, looking like a homeless man, stared blankly at a pile of ruins.
"Loki, are you saying you sent Father to this nursing home?" Thor stiffly turned his head to Loki, pointing at the ruins.
Loki's elegance completely shattered. He looked at the smoking ruins before him, his mouth opening and closing silently several times, trying to string together the words "Father," "nursing home," and "address confirmed correct" into a coherent sentence.
The result was only a few short gasps: "Uh… here… before… it really was…" He subconsciously adjusted the collar of his still pristine suit, as if that would restore some of his composure.
Thor had no time to watch him stammer, punching a nearby crooked street sign. "'Golden Sunset Senior Care Center'? Loki! Is this what you meant by 'peaceful, serene, and attentive service'?!'
He pointed at half a crumbling sign in the ruins. "Where is 'Golden Sunset'?! Where is Father?!"
Loki finally found his tongue, feigning composure: "The address is absolutely correct! There must have been an accident! Perhaps… a gas leak? Or maybe the explosion at the adjacent arms dealer's warehouse affected this place?"
His tone was certain, but his eyes darted around, clearly not believing himself.
"An accident?" Thor's beard trembled with anger. "Is Odin going to be in this 'accident'?! Find him! We'll dig him out if we have to!"
The ensuing father-finding journey fully demonstrated how convoluted (and comical) it was for a thoughtless and grumpy pair of foolish brothers.
They first sought out the "information expert" on the street.
The two brothers stopped a drunken homeless man leaning against a trash can, clutching an oversized beer bottle.
Thor's face was solemn: "Friend! Have you seen an old man, dressed in luxurious robes, one-eyed, with a majestic gaze, possibly suffering from amnesia?"
The homeless man let out a loud burp, his bleary eyes sizing up Thor's tattered vest and Loki's shiny leather shoes, then chuckled, "Majestic old man? Never seen him… but I did see an old fellow in a golden robe, stumbling around, muttering 'Where is my Gungnir,' heading towards… *hic*… towards 'The Boar and the Rose'!"
Loki frowned: "'The Boar and the Rose'? Doesn't sound like a reputable place."
The homeless man rubbed his fingers suggestively: "Hehe, information fee… ten bucks?"
Thor immediately reached for his pocket (though it likely contained only sand and air), but Loki quickly stopped him, elegantly (or so he thought) conjuring a crisp hundred-dollar bill from his sleeve and handing it over.
The homeless man took the money, his eyes gleaming, and held it up to the light, examining it closely. His smile grew wider: "Oh! Right! It's 'The Boar and the Rose' strip club! The old man almost hit the doorframe when he went in!"
With that, he staggered off, clutching his beer bottle.
Thor: "A strip… club? Father went there to find Gungnir?"
Loki watched the homeless man disappear, then looked at the faint traces of illusion magic energy remaining on his fingertips—that "hundred-dollar bill" would turn into a blank piece of paper in a few minutes.
He elegantly brushed his sleeve: "A temporary measure. Let's go!"
After a fruitless search at "The Boar and the Rose" (only gaining a heap of scorn and the smell of alcohol), Loki decided to employ "mortal wisdom"—checking records!
The dusty paper archives at City Hall became their next battlefield.
Thor's massive body moved with difficulty through the narrow aisles, like a Destroyer bull rampaging through a china shop.
He "accidentally" knocked over a row of archive shelves, triggering a paper avalanche.
The elderly female administrator shrieked and rushed in, yelling at Thor.
Loki tried to bluff his way through with his "Councilman Odinsson" identity, but the old woman's eyes widened: "Councilman? I've worked here for forty years, I know every councilman's face! You pretty-boy liar! Security! Security!"
The brothers were unceremoniously thrown out.
In despair, they unexpectedly discovered a small piece of familiar golden fabric near a foul-smelling sewer manhole!
It was from Odin's bathrobe!
Thor was ecstatic, and without a word, he lifted the heavy manhole cover, ready to jump down: "Father must be down there! He might have encountered an evil Nine Realms monster!"
Loki looked at the black hole emanating a strong "city scent," his face turning green. He desperately clutched Thor's vest: "Thor! Calm down! Even if Father lost his memory, he wouldn't live in the sewers! This might be… dragged down by rats! Or a cleaner!"
"What if he is?!" Thor was strong, and it looked like he was about to break free.
Loki, in a moment of desperate inspiration (or perhaps desperate stupidity): "There are Midgardian giant rats down there! More terrifying than Fenrir the giant wolf! They only eat Asgardians!"
This absurd lie actually made Thor pause.
Just as the two were tugging at each other by the manhole, one wanting to jump, the other desperately pulling.
A slow voice came from nearby: "Hey, you two weirdos? The strange old man in the golden robe you're talking about… was he the one who was wandering around here about a week ago, muttering about being the 'God King'?"
The brothers snapped their heads around.
An old cleaner, wearing a fluorescent green vest, was holding a broom, looking at them with a "you're an idiot" expression.
After exchanging glances, Loki and Thor nodded repeatedly: "Yes, yes, yes, if you have any relevant information, I will reward you!"
The old cleaner shrugged: "Reward? Tsk, never mind, you look poorer than me."
He then looked Thor up and down before continuing: "That old man, just like you two, kept staring at the sewer manhole, saying, 'Is this the entrance to Valhalla?' Then he was taken away by a few community volunteers."
Thor was overjoyed: "Excellent! We'll go ask the volunteers now!" The two hurried to find the volunteers who were distributing food and bottled water to the homeless on the street.
Through their inquiries, they learned that Odin had been taken to a nursing home in Long Island.
Long Island, "Longevity Senior Care Center."
The name sounded impressive, but in reality, it was just an ordinary nursing home with white paint and the smell of disinfectant.
Loki, in a sharp suit but unable to hide his travel-worn appearance, and Thor, in a tattered vest with messy hair and beard, stood at the front desk, looking like they had just escaped from a disaster movie set.
"We're looking for an old man," Loki tried to maintain an elegant tone, but the anxiety in his eyes was evident. "Very distinctive features: one-eyed, likes to wear… uh, a golden bathrobe? He was brought in by community volunteers about a week ago."
The front desk Nurse, a middle-aged woman with red triangular glasses, pushed up her spectacles, scrutinizing the "odd couple" before her: one looking like a bankrupt financial elite, the other like a construction worker just off shift.
Her hand instinctively fumbled for something under the desk.
"Are you talking about… Mr. Odinsson?" The Nurse's voice held a note of caution.
"Yes! That's him!" Thor eagerly stepped forward, his massive frame creating an invisible pressure.
The Nurse's hand immediately found a red plastic button, her tone growing colder: "He was indeed here for three days. But on the fourth morning, when the caregivers were bathing him…"
She paused, as if recalling a surreal scene, "He suddenly… emitted a very bright golden light all over, and then in the bathtub… 'poof!' he was gone! Like a soap bubble, not even a splash left! We searched the entire center, found nothing, and the surveillance only captured a flash of golden light!"
Loki's vision went black.
Bathing? Turning into golden light? This script is too casual! Thor, meanwhile, looked confused: "Turned into light? Father… recovered?"
"Recovered what?" The Nurse's tone grew even sterner, "We thought it was some high-tech kidnapping or a dangerous experiment leak! We've already reported it! Now, please tell me, who exactly are you? And what is your purpose in looking for him?!"
Her finger, resting on the red alarm button, was poised to strike.
Seeing that she was about to trigger the alarm and cause unnecessary trouble, Thor, in a moment of desperation, clenched his fist! Zzzzt—!
A dense blue electric arc instantly danced and coursed over his body!
His tattered vest was instantly replaced by a shimmering silver Asgardian battle armor in the light, his cape swayed with divine power, and the umbrella in his hand transformed into mjolnir, emitting a low hum!
He instantly transformed from a homeless man into the mighty Thor!
The front desk Nurse's glasses almost fell off, her mouth agape enough to fit an egg.
Alarm button? What was that? All she wanted to do now was press the call bell for a Doctor to see if she was hallucinating!
"...Thor... Thunder God Thor?!" The Nurse's voice changed pitch, "You... are you Thunder God Thor?!"
"It is I…" Thor was about to put on airs.
Loki quickly interrupted, annoyed: "Yes, he is. I'm his brother, Loki. Now, we're looking for our Father, Odin, the All-Father of Asgard. Is there a problem? Information! Make it quick!"
The Nurse was completely dumbfounded, the information overload causing her CPU to crash.
She paused for a few seconds before stammering out everything she knew: how Odin was brought in, how silent he was, how he suddenly turned into light and disappeared during his bath, and how they immediately reported it to the "Arbitrators" anomalous incident handling department for record.
Loki and Thor exchanged glances, both seeing the same huge question mark in each other's eyes, followed by intense annoyance.
Slap! Slap!
Almost simultaneously, they both slapped their foreheads loudly and clearly!
"Idiots!" Loki cursed under his breath.
"We really are two fools!" Thor scratched his head in frustration.
Right!
Why look for homeless people, check municipal records, or crawl through sewers?
Thor Odinsson, a proud member of the "Arbitrators"!
The largest collection of anomalous incident handling, intelligence, and power on Earth, he was a VVVVVVIP!
Ignoring their own intelligence network and wandering aimlessly all over the street, what was that if not taking the long way around?
Information? In this World, was there any intelligence source more professional or larger than the "Arbitrators"? (Thor didn't know about the Red Room's existence)
Looking for Father? Just go back to headquarters and check the database!
Perhaps as soon as Odin disappeared in a flash of light, the alarm had already reached Tony or Chen Tian's desk!
"Let's go!" Thor said without a word, grabbing the still-annoyed Loki and rushing out.
"Hey! Wait! Mr. Thunder God…" The Nurse called out in vain from behind, watching their hurried departure, then looked at the alarm button she had almost pressed, silently withdrew her hand, and wiped the cold sweat from her forehead.
Today's shift was too exciting.
The legendary God King disappeared in a flash of light while bathing in the nursing home she was in charge of, and the legendary Thor and his brother came looking for their Father… This experience was enough for her to brag about for a lifetime.
Loki, dragged by Thor, stumbled and gritted his teeth, "Next time you mess up Father's business, I'll turn you into a frog and throw you into a pond in Midgard!"
The two rushed out of the nursing home gate, their destination clear—the Arbitrator Tower! This time, it was time to use "parental privilege."
Arbitrator Tower, Chen Tian's arcade.
Thor burst through Chen Tian's door like a gust of wind, while Loki slowly shuffled in; he really didn't want to see that guy Chen Tian.
"Chen Tian! My father! Where is Odin?!" Thor's voice boomed, making the ceiling hum, as his eyes anxiously scanned the room.
Chen Tian was sprawled on the sofa, playing video games, his controller clicking away, not even lifting his head.
Kiana and 2B sat beside him, one with her hands on her knees, the other holding a cake, both curiously watching Chen Tian play.
"Odin?" Chen Tian's fingers flew across the controller, manipulating the game character. "Oh, I know."
"You know?!" Thor lunged forward, his large hand snatching Chen Tian's controller away.
Chen Tian exclaimed, "Hey! My controller!"
On the screen, his character was instantly swallowed by a monster, and a large, bloody "YOU DIE" text popped up.
He sighed helplessly, "...My no-damage record..."
Kiana giggled, quickly covering her mouth, and 2B also chuckled softly.
Loki stood a little distance away, watching Chen Tian's typical otaku demeanor, then recalled the terrifying image of him once shattering the Celestials and half a galaxy with a single punch, feeling a slight tingle on his scalp and not daring to speak.
The contrast was too frightening.
Chen Tian complained, but he didn't forget the main business.
He rolled his eyes at Thor, "What's the rush? He's not going to die."
He raised his hand and waved.
Buzz—
A huge holographic projection instantly unfolded in the center of the room.
The image was clear and stable: Norway!
Rugged, steep coastline, surging waves crashing against dark reefs, and the salty, cold sea breeze seemed to blow through the projection.
Not far from the coastline, a forest stood tall.
Chen Tian pointed to the forest, "There, right there."
Thor and Loki instantly held their breath, their eyes fixed on that forest.
"Look," Chen Tian stood up, walked to the projection, and slid two fingers across the forest image, which slowly zoomed in.
The image steadily focused on the small Nordic wooden house.
Kratos, bare-chested with bulging muscles, split firewood with his great axe, the dull thud tearing through the air, his movements full of primal violence.
Under the eaves, Odin, wrapped in a thick wool blanket, with sparse white hair and a stooped figure, held a cup of long-cold tea in his hands, dozing in a rocking chair.
Sunlight filtered through the trees, falling on him, only serving to emphasize his weary appearance.
"There, right there," Chen Tian tapped with his fingertip, and the image froze on Odin's sleeping face. "He suddenly appeared in that forest a few days ago."
He glanced at Kratos, adding, "Isn't it a coincidence? Tony just gave this Villa to Kratos as a 'retirement Villa,' and your old man just spawned right outside his door."
Thor stared intently at his father's frail and aged figure in the projection, his eyes instantly reddening, his throat feeling choked. "Father... how could he... become like this...?" He had never seen the Allfather so diminished.
"Chen Tian... thank you..." Thor's voice was hoarse, filled with urgency. "I'm going over there now!"
Chen Tian shrugged indifferently, "Alright, what can I do? I'm soft-hearted. I'll give you a ride. Teleportation gate directly, or do you want to speed over in the Silver Winged Star? First off, if we speed over, if anyone vomits mid-flight, you'll have to clean the fighter."
As he said this, he deliberately looked at Loki.
"Teleportation gate!" Thor and Loki didn't hesitate for a second, speaking in unison; the lesson from the sewers was still fresh in their minds!
"Tsk." Chen Tian pouted, waved his hand, and the Space Stone appeared out of thin air, glowing with an ethereal blue light.
He waved it casually, as if shooing away a fly.
Buzz—
A huge teleportation gate, its edges flickering with blue energy, instantly appeared in the center of the arcade.
Behind the gate, the crisp air of the Norwegian forest, carrying the scent of pine and snow, rushed forward, and the distinct thudding sounds of Kratos splitting wood could be heard.
"Let's go." Chen Tian stepped through first.
Thor didn't delay for a second, following right behind.
Loki took a deep breath, looking at the formidable figure splitting wood and his father on the other side of the gate, tensing his nerves as he too stepped inside.
The three figures disappeared.
Kiana blinked, curiously looking at the empty air, "Uh, did Commander forget about us two?"
2B calmly began tidying up the arcade, not answering Kiana, but changing the subject, "Kiana, want to go swimming?"
Kiana's slight gloom instantly lifted, and she raised her hand high, "Yes! I just learned a new surfing technique from Uncle Dante!"
The two girls left the arcade hand in hand.
Norwegian forest, biting cold wind.
Thor rushed out of the teleportation gate, his gaze instantly locking onto the frail figure under the eaves. "Father!" His voice trembled as he strode forward, about to rush over.
Just then—
"Thud!"
A heavy thud! Kratos's wood-splitting motion froze at its highest point.
He slowly turned his head, his eyes cold and sharp, like a Beast before a hunt, piercing Thor, who had intruded so abruptly.
The heavy Leviathan Axe handle seemed weightless in his hand, but the invisible pressure solidified the air slightly.
Thor's steps were abruptly rooted to the spot.
Not out of fear, but because that pure, undisguised killing intent instinctively stirred the thunder within him.
Loki silently shifted half a step behind Chen Tian, vigilantly watching the bald, formidable figure.
Chen Tian, as if nothing was amiss, stood with his hands clasped behind his back, leisurely surveying the surroundings, as if admiring the scenery: "Nice environment, Tony knows how to give gifts."
Odin in the rocking chair seemed disturbed by the sudden silence, his eyelids fluttering.
"You've brought trouble, Chen Tian," Kratos's deep voice rumbled.
Chen Tian waved his hand, pointed at Loki, and said with a smile, "Look, Loki from this World, I brought him here."
Kratos's eyes swept over Loki, lingered for a moment, then he let out a cold snort: "That's not funny."
He turned back to splitting wood, which split with a resounding crack. "He's too weak, far too weak compared to Atreus."
"Weak?!" Loki's carefully maintained composure almost broke, his eyebrows shot up, ready to retort.
But just as the words reached his lips, Kratos's gaze flashed in his mind, and his throat was instantly choked by that ruthless stare, all his cunning arguments and sarcasm swallowed back.
His Adam's apple bobbed, and he subconsciously shrunk further behind Chen Tian, his face etched with a look of suppressed indignation that screamed, "You win!"—the pressure from that bald man was more terrifying than Thor's hammer!
Just then, a weak, hoarse whisper came from the rocking chair.
"Thor? Loki...?"
The voice was as dry as rustling dead leaves, yet it struck the brothers like an electric current.
Thor abruptly turned his head, seeing Odin's eyelids struggle open to a slit, his cloudy single eye laboriously focusing, and his withered fingers twitching slightly, as if trying to grasp the blanket on him.
"Father!" Thor no longer cared about Kratos's presence; his massive frame took a single stride, practically lunging to the rocking chair, kneeling on one knee, his huge hand carefully covering Odin's cold hand.
"It's us! Father! We've come to take you home!" His voice was filled with unconcealed excitement and a choke.
Loki also disregarded his embarrassment and apprehension towards Kratos, following closely behind, standing behind Thor, his expression complex and unreadable, with the relief of finding him, and the heavy weight of seeing his father in such a deteriorated state.
Chen Tian stood with his hands clasped, leaning against a nearby pine tree trunk, watching this cross-Planet "family reunion" scene, and quietly muttered, "Tsk, why does it feel like Odin is about to go to Valhalla any moment...?"
Kratos, meanwhile, raised his great axe again, his gaze shifting from Odin and his sons to the next innocent log.
The dull thud of chopping resumed, as if the brief interlude was insignificant.
Odin's gaze lingered on Thor's face for a moment, then laboriously shifted to Loki, his lips moving as if to speak, but finally dissolving into a long, weary sigh, and his eyelids closed heavily once more.
Thor held his father's cold hand, feeling the faint spark of life, and the excitement in his heart was gradually replaced by a heavy worry.
He knew that the one they had found was no longer the all-powerful, majestic Allfather of old.
After a long while, Odin's tightly closed single eye slowly opened, his voice weak but unusually clear: "Take me to the beach... for a walk."
Thor and Loki both froze.
The beach? Father's condition... can he walk? But looking at Odin's eyes, neither of them hesitated, simultaneously looking at the only "mode of transport" in the scene—Chen Tian.
Chen Tian chuckled and raised his hand: "Happy to oblige." He snapped his fingers with a crisp sound.
Buzz!
An ethereal blue teleportation gate unfolded before them.
Behind the gate was a completely different scene: a grassy cliff, waves gently lapping against the dark rocks below, and in the distance, the sea and sky merged into one, calm and vast.
To everyone's surprise, Odin actually propped himself up on the rocking chair's armrest and stood steadily!
The previous signs of decay seemed to have been blown away by the sea breeze; he tightened the wool blanket around him, looked at no one, and walked straight forward, his figure disappearing into the emerald green and azure blue.
Thor and Loki exchanged a look and immediately followed.
Chen Tian grinned, turned his head to Kratos, who was still wrestling with the firewood, "Kratos, come on, want to watch the show?"
Kratos didn't stop, still silently chopping wood.
"Tsk." Chen Tian ignored him, stepped forward, hooked Kratos's muscular arm, "There's a good show coming up."
The axe in Kratos's hand paused mid-air, and he glared at Chen Tian, his eyes full of suppressed rage and a hint of helplessness.
The next second, both their figures were swallowed by the teleportation gate.
On the cliff, the salty sea breeze blew in their faces.
Odin stood at the edge of the cliff, his white hair ruffled by the wind, his back wrapped in a gray blanket appearing small against the vast backdrop of sea and sky, yet possessing a sense of ancient vastness, as if having endured for millennia.
Thor and Loki stood on either side of him, holding their breath.
Odin did not look at his two sons, but spoke to himself, "What a beautiful view."
Thor said worriedly, "Father, let us take you home."
Odin smiled and shook his head, "My children, I am dying. I have already heard your mother calling me."
Thor frowned and looked at Loki, "Loki! Dispel your magic!"
Loki opened his mouth, then shook his head.
Odin spoke again, "Ah, magic," he chuckled, looking at Loki, "It's not easy to get rid of your magic, Frigga would be proud of you."
Saying that, he turned unsteadily, "Come, let's sit for a while."
The three sat on a large rock on the cliff, Thor's eyes full of worry, "We have failed your expectations, but please believe us, we will correct our mistakes."
Odin took a few deep breaths, "No, my children, it is I who have failed you. Ragnarok is coming."
Thor and Loki looked at each other again. Thor smiled and said, "Father, Surtur has been killed by me, and Ragnarok has been stopped by me."
Odin heard Thor's words, smiled, then gasped a few more times, "No, Thor, everything is just beginning. She is coming."
"I spent my entire life trying to stop her, but my time is running out, and I am powerless to stop her now."
"Death Goddess, Hela."
Odin's voice was very soft, "My first child." His single eye turned to Thor, "Your sister."
Thor's face, filled with worry, instantly froze, his mouth slightly agape. Loki's perpetually complex expression completely shattered, leaving only astonishment.
Sister? Hela? Father never mentioned her!
Odin took a breath, his gaze sweeping over the turbulent sea, as if recalling a dark past: "Her ambition... grew beyond my control. I couldn't stop her... I could only imprison her."
"Her power stems from Asgard..." Odin's voice carried deep fatigue, and also a warning, "Once she sets foot on her homeland... her power will be endless..."
Thor clenched his fist abruptly, lightning flashing in his eyes, and said in a deep voice: "No matter what she is, as long as we..." Before he could finish, Odin raised a hand to interrupt him.
"My journey... is complete." Odin's gaze swept over his two sons, the heaviness of it almost solidifying the air on the cliff.
"From now on... it's up to you." He looked at Thor's face, a rare smile of relief appearing.
"Thor... you have finally broken free from the hammer's shackles... your power... comes from within you... I am very pleased to see you awaken."
"Father, I will stop her!" Thor's tone was resolute.
Odin did not respond to Thor. His gaze went over Thor's shoulder, landing on the two silent figures standing behind Thor—Chen Tian with his hands in his pockets, and Kratos holding his axe.
His gaze lingered on Kratos for a moment; the residual aura of another pantheon on the bald man's body brought a flicker of understanding to Odin's clouded eyes.
"Good thing..." Odin's voice was barely audible, "You... still have help..." This was more of a statement than a request.
Then, he laboriously raised his arm, pointing towards the horizon where the sea met the sky, his voice carrying its last strength: "Look..."
Thor and Loki instinctively followed the direction of his finger.
Waves rolled, seabirds soared, and in the distance, there was only endless deep blue.
"Remember..." Odin's voice was like a flickering candle in the wind, wavering, "That is... home..."
Odin's leaning body, along with the gray wool blanket wrapped around him, began to dissipate from the edges.
Billions of tiny golden particles were gently carried by the sea breeze, drifting towards the sea, towards the golden glow he called "home."
"Father!" Thor cried out in alarm, instinctively reaching out to grab, but only grasping empty golden quicksand. The stream of golden particles did not stop for a moment, gently yet resolutely sweeping past the cliff, merging into the magnificent distant sea, completely disappearing between the sea and the sky.
Thor's outstretched hand remained frozen in mid-air, his burly body trembling slightly, immense sorrow engulfing him like cold seawater.
Loki stared blankly at the empty cliff edge, his lips tightly pressed. For the first time, clear cracks appeared on his usually well-masked face, and in the depths of his eyes churned an indescribable pain and bewilderment.
Father... just... dissipated like that?
A deathly silence fell over the cliff, broken only by the eternal howl of the sea wind.
Kratos, holding his heavy Leviathan Axe, silently watched the direction where the golden light had vanished.
Death, he had seen too much. His heavy breaths formed a white mist in the cold wind, and he said nothing.
Chen Tian sighed, breaking the heavy silence. Within just a few days, Ancient One and Odin had both passed away, as if by agreement. Odin, who was supposed to die in 2017, had passed away a full year early.
He put his hands back in his pockets, pouted, and his gaze swept over the two brothers who were still immersed in immense grief and shock.
"Alright, get ready."
Thor and Loki turned to look at him, their eyes red, not understanding what he meant.
Chen Tian didn't explain, he just tilted his chin towards the sky behind them.
The two instinctively looked in that direction.
They saw a mass of dark green smoke suddenly light up in the air outside the cliff!
The smoke was as thick as undissolvable venom, rolling and rapidly expanding, emitting a chilling and decaying aura that made one's heart palpitate.
Thor and Loki exchanged glances, instantly understanding what Chen Tian meant, their expressions becoming wary and solemn.
The two brothers tacitly stepped forward, walking towards the continuously expanding dark green smoke.
They stopped about ten meters from the smoke.
The smoke stopped expanding and began to rapidly contract and condense inwards, finally revealing a human silhouette.
A woman stepped out.
Dark green form-fitting battle armor outlined a powerful physique, her loose black hair like seaweed, and heavy, smudged black eyeshadow around her eyes.
She wore a sneering smile, her gaze sweeping over the lingering golden specks on the cliff, then landing on Thor and Loki.
The smoke completely retracted into her body.
Her voice carried a hint of mockery: "So, he's dead?"
Thor and Loki remained silent, staring intently at her.
Hela raised an eyebrow, a cruel pleasure on her lips: "What a pity, I wanted to watch him take his last breath."
Thor took a deep breath, lightning flickering in his eyes: "You are Hela? I am Thor, son of Odin."
Hela showed a hint of surprise on her face, examining Thor up and down: "Son of Odin? Seriously?" She scoffed, "You and he... are nothing alike." Her gaze turned to Loki.
Loki immediately put on his slightly cunning smile, trying to ease the atmosphere: "Perhaps, we can talk? After all, we are family..."
Hela casually raised her hand and pointed at Loki, "You, however, have a bit of his shadow." She was referring to that inherent sense of calculation.
A brief silence once again enveloped the cliff.
Hela's gaze turned cold, and she slightly raised her chin, "Kneel."
Loki frowned, as if he hadn't heard clearly: "What did you say?"
Hela gestured with her right hand, and a long sword instantly appeared in her grasp! The sword tip pointed diagonally to the ground, her voice was not loud, but it carried an absolute commanding tone,
"Kneel." Her gaze swept over the two, like a queen surveying her subjects.
"Before your Queen."
Thor's tightly clenched fist erupted with fine blue electrical arcs, and rage finally overcame his sorrow.
"I don't think so!" He roared, swinging mjolnir with all his might!
The hammer, enveloped in the whistling sound of wind and thunder, tore through the air, smashing towards Hela like a cannonball!
Boom!
A dull, heart-stopping thud echoed.
There was no Earth-shattering explosion, only a teeth-grinding groan of metal structures being forcibly squeezed and twisted.
Hela stood in place, not moving an inch. Her hand, fair and seemingly slender, was simply raised casually, fingers spread, firmly grasping the Mjolnir that had come crashing towards her!
The violent thunderous power on the hammerhead struggled and jumped in her palm, but like sparks falling into a mire, it rapidly dimmed and was extinguished.
Time seemed to stand still at this moment.
Thor and Loki's pupils contracted, watching the scene before them in disbelief.
Hela's face showed not even a hint of effort, only a slight, disdainful amusement.
She lowered her head to look at mjolnir, which hummed and vibrated in her hand, trying to break free but powerless, and sneered.
Then, her five fingers suddenly exerted force!
Crack—!!!
A sharp, piercing crunch suddenly tore through the oppressive air on the cliff!
Countless tiny electrical arcs wildly splattered, accompanied by strange flashes of light from shattering metal fragments!
Thor's inseparable weapon, the divine artifact symbolizing thunder and power—mjolnir.
In Hela's seemingly delicate palm, it was crushed like a fragile bubble, turning into countless shimmering metal fragments and scattered lightning energy!
The fragments clinked as they scattered across the ground, and the remaining lightning unwillingly jumped a few times before finally extinguishing completely.
Thor's hand remained frozen in mid-air, still in the throwing posture, his expression solidified into a blank and utter shock.
His proud symbol of power... just... shattered?
Hela casually shook her hand. She looked at Thor's bloodless face, her gaze like one looking down on ants:
"Poor Hammer God."
Kratos, not far away, silently watched all this, then turned to Chen Tian, "You're not going to act?"
Chen Tian pouted, then stretched, "Alright, I didn't know where Hela was imprisoned before, but now that she's appeared, let's beat her up."
Hela tilted her head slightly, her cold gaze sweeping over Chen Tian and Kratos, "Two ants."
Before her words finished, she casually flicked both hands, and two menacing longswords tore through the air, carrying the low howl of Death, shooting straight towards Chen Tian and Kratos's faces!
Chen Tian sighed, taking just a small, casual step forward.
Whoosh!
The two longswords, imbued with terrifying power, were suddenly halted in mid-air about a meter from Chen Tian's body, as if they had hit an invisible wall of sighs!
The sword tips hummed and trembled violently, as if trapped in an invisible, infinitely extending mire. No matter how much they advanced, the target remained out of reach.
Chen Tian proudly raised an eyebrow, tilting his head to look at the unmoving Kratos beside him.
The God of War didn't even bat an eyelid, "See, Kratos."
Chen Tian tilted his chin, a hint of boasting in his tone, "This move is simply a natural counter to physical damage."
Kratos sighed at Chen Tian's boasting.
The contempt on Hela's face was replaced by a hint of scrutiny.
"Who are you?"
"Me? Cough cough." Chen Tian coughed twice, clearing his throat.
"Since you asked so sincerely, we will tell you with great mercy, to prevent the World from being destroyed, to protect the peace of the World, to embody the evil of love and truth, the cute and charming hero of justice."
"I am the Destroyer of the Celestials! The Executioner who killed Thanos!"
Chen Tian's face was full of chuunibyou. The embarrassment of previously shouting to summon Diablo had long disappeared, replaced by a look of sacredness.
"Arbitrators!"
"Chen Tian!"