Manhattan — Central Park
The night sky darkened.
A sudden gust swept through the trees, scattering leaves.
In the clouds above, a swirl of prismatic light brewed — as if the heavens themselves were about to open.
Rumble…
Dozens of black SUVs skidded to a halt around the park.
Heavily armed agents in tactical gear poured out, forming a tight perimeter. Helmets, visors, masks — faceless, efficient, silent.
From the central vehicle, a tall man stepped out.
The glint of his single eye under the streetlight was enough to make even veterans straighten their backs.
Nick Fury.
"Director," an agent reported, "the military's on the line. They want full control of Central Park."
"Tell Natasha to stall them," Fury said, calm but sharp.
The agent hesitated. "I think… it might already be too late."
BOOM!
A fireball streaked across the horizon — a meteor, no, a machine — roaring like thunder before slamming down nearby.
When the flames cleared, a black steel figure stood, heavy armor gleaming in the moonlight.
War Machine.
Piloted by Colonel James Rhodes, U.S. Air Force.
Fury sighed. "These guys are everywhere…"
Still, he smirked as he walked up and tapped the suit's shoulder plate.
"Not bad. The military knows how to spoil you."
Rhodes replied evenly, "Hope my intrusion isn't a problem."
"Not at all," Fury said, chuckling. "Stark's the real problem."
Whine—WHOOOSH!
Music blasted from above.
A golden-red comet descended, shaking the ground as it landed in a perfect superhero pose.
Iron Man.
"Ladies and gentlemen!" Tony Stark's voice boomed through the loudspeaker. "Good morning! Exercise keeps you young! How about some tunes?"
A beat dropped — loud, heroic, utterly out of place.
Fury's smile froze.
Of course it's him.
Tony's mask lifted, revealing his trademark smirk.
"I heard there was a party. You can't have one without Tony Stark."
"I don't recall putting you on the guest list," Fury muttered.
Tony winked. "Come on, every big event needs a star."
He turned to Rhodes. "Whoa, what happened to my man? New paint job?"
Rhodes groaned. "Radar-resistant coating, Tony."
As the three exchanged words, the sky above them split.
A radiant Rainbow Bridge descended — a pillar of seven-colored light that pierced the clouds and bathed the park in divine brilliance.
CRACK—!
When it faded, a figure stood in the center of the crater.
Golden armor. Red cloak. Hammer in hand. Lightning dancing in his eyes.
Thor, the God of Thunder.
He looked around at the strange Midgardian machines and men, mistaking their formation for reverence.
A proud smile formed on his face.
"Midgard! My people!"
He raised Mjölnir high, voice echoing like thunder.
"Your prince has returned!"
Everyone froze.
Rhodes tapped his metal helmet with a dull clink.
"…Is something wrong with him?"
"Maybe," Fury muttered.
In the shadows, Loki sighed and covered his face with a hand.
Even Kingpin, observing from afar, was stunned. These are gods? They look like clowns.
Tony stepped forward, his tone dripping with mockery.
"Nice outfit. Does your mother know you stole her curtains?"
Thor's smile faltered. "Are you mocking the gods, mortal?"
Tony shrugged. "The Shakespeare Festival's short a lead actor. You'd fit right in."
Thor's eyes narrowed, lightning crackling around him.
"Ignorant fool… then I shall enlighten you myself!"
Nick Fury, seeing the situation quickly spiral out of control, stepped forward to stop them. The newcomer was clearly a potential ally, not an enemy — yet somehow Stark's sharp tongue had already turned him into one.
I knew bringing him along would be trouble, Fury cursed inwardly, though his face remained unreadable.
"Guests from afar," he said evenly, "Earth warmly welcomes you. May I ask which god you are?"
"You don't recognize me?" Thor frowned. For thousands of years, Asgard had guarded the Nine Realms, and Earth had long been under their protection. Now, mortals didn't even recognize their own guardian god?
While Thor fumed in disbelief, Fury and Rhodes exchanged bewildered looks. They had no idea who this self-proclaimed god was—and honestly, it wasn't surprising. Why would they recognize some alien claiming divine authority?
Stark, however, was not one to stay quiet.
"Excuse me, do we need to know who you are? A muscle-bound cosplayer who fell out of the sky with a hammer? You'd make a killing in Hollywood, buddy."
Thor's brow twitched. For all his strength, he wasn't known for patience. After descending to Midgard, he had expected reverence—perhaps even worship. Instead, he was greeted by this insolent mortal with a tongue sharper than any blade.
Off to the side, Loki struggled to contain his laughter, tugging Kingpin back with him to enjoy the unfolding chaos from a safer distance.
"You're quite the talkative one for a so-called diplomat of Midgard," Thor growled.
"Oh, that hurts my feelings," Stark shot back with a grin. "Do you know how many women in New York adore my wit and charm?"
Fury could already feel a headache coming on. The air around Thor began to crackle faintly with static—never a good sign.
A thunderous bang! split the air.
Thor, unable to endure any longer, struck first. Mjolnir shot forward like a cannonball, smashing into Iron Man and sending him hurtling dozens of meters away. Stark crashed through a large tree before slamming into the ground with a loud clang.
"Where did you find this idiot?" Thor muttered in disbelief.
But before Fury could answer, Tony's thrusters flared back to life. Flames burst from his arms and legs as he rocketed back toward the Asgardian.
"Oh, you're still standing? Impressive!" Thor sneered, raising his hammer to the heavens.
A blinding flash followed—an arm-thick bolt of lightning roared down, slamming into Iron Man mid-flight.
The explosion of light forced everyone to shield their eyes.
Stark's HUD flickered wildly as systems overloaded. "Wait—how the hell is he generating lightning?! He's not even wired to a power source!"
And as Mjolnir arced gracefully back into Thor's waiting hand, Stark could only stare in disbelief.
"This… this is completely illogical!"