"This is how it happened..."
In a long, narrow, enclosed conference room, Alexander Pierce—former Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. and current Minister of the World Security Council—sat quietly at the head of the table, his expression grave as he regarded several life-size holographic projections lining the conference table.
"The existence of the gods has been confirmed. Currently, all three princes are qualified to inherit the throne of the God-King, but the most likely candidate is the eldest prince, the God of Light, Gilgamesh. However, the five great nations have decided to support Thor—and that man is not on our side."
"You mean… we should directly side with the most promising God of Light?" Baron adjusted his monocle. As a high-ranking Hydra member, he oversaw the Sokovia base. In the original history, he even used the Mind Stone to create Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver.
Scarlet Witch, in particular, had nearly defeated Thanos alone—an absolute powerhouse.
"I do have that thought." Pierce paused, then continued in a low voice. "According to Kingpin's testimony, Loki—aside from his strong physique—only has illusion magic left. His combat strength is far inferior to Thor's."
"So if we're going to choose a collaborator, why not choose the strongest?"
"But… the information you provided states that the God of Light is tyrannical and extremely arrogant," Baron said, arms crossed, hesitation flickering across his handsome features. "I'm not good at dealing with people like that."
"Come on, how arrogant can he be?" Pierce waved a hand dismissively. He had seen more than his fair share of hot-tempered individuals; S.H.I.E.L.D. had countless methods for handling them—it was practically an agent's required coursework.
Unfortunately, he was confident now. He wouldn't be thinking that way once he met Gilgamesh.
Arnim Zola remained silent. As Hydra's most senior veteran, his words carried immense weight, and everyone noticed when he chose not to speak.
Whitehall finally asked, unable to resist, "Dr. Zola, is there anything you'd like to add?"
Hearing his name, Arnim snapped out of his thoughts, habitually adjusting his glasses. Even as an AI lifeform, he still retained certain human gestures.
"Back then, Red Skull ordered me to study the Tesseract and develop a weapon capable of reshaping the world. During my research, I discovered the Tesseract had another name: the 'Dragon Jewel.' It was once the treasure of the God-King Odin before it accidentally fell into the mortal realm."
"You all know the Tesseract's power. For Odin to possess such a treasure demonstrates his terrifying strength. And Gilgamesh—who can rival the God-King's power—is evidently just as formidable."
"Therefore, I personally believe that the God of Light, Gilgamesh, will emerge as the ultimate victor in the battle for the throne."
When Zola finished speaking, everyone immediately had an idea in mind.
"Then we should prepare in advance—at the very least, show the God of Light our sincerity."
The secret meeting concluded just like that, and the Hydra executives switched off their holographic projections one by one.
Meanwhile, in a slum in India…
"Why did you bring me here?"
Thor, dressed casually in a grey-white trench coat, shirt, and trousers, followed Natasha through a crowded, grimy alleyway. His blond hair and blue eyes drew curious stares from countless passersby.
"There's a big guy hiding here—someone whose strength is comparable to yours," Natasha said, not bothering to look back. "If you want to defeat your brother, you'll need his power."
"Oh? Midgard has such a person?"
Thor clearly doubted her. To him, humans had always been synonymous with weakness; among the Nine Realms, Midgard was considered the feeblest. Perhaps only its magicians could barely keep up.
But the Ancient One, the Sorcerer Supreme, was always occupied with fending off dimensional demons, and her disciples were… lacking. Those capable of standing on their own were exceedingly rare.
Could there really be someone this strong in such a place?
Seeing his skepticism, Clinton Barton explained, "Our target this time is Bruce Banner—a mild-mannered biologist. A gamma-radiation experiment mutated him, turning him into a giant green monster whenever he becomes enraged."
"This monster is immune to bullets and blades, possesses overwhelming strength, and destroys everything in its path. It may lose its reason, but its sheer power is undeniable."
Thor nodded, seeming to understand. Since the two agents spoke with such certainty, he chose not to question them further and followed them toward the outskirts of the slums.
Dr. Banner, disguised as a local physician, was earnestly treating the sick and injured. Natasha had used a little girl to draw the kind-hearted Banner to a more isolated area.
This made Bruce deeply anxious. He feared the U.S. military had finally come for him again. However, years of yoga allowed him to keep his emotions under control; he did not immediately unleash the monster within when he met them.
Natasha stepped forward and greeted him. "We're from S.H.I.E.L.D. We're not the military. I hope you won't be too nervous, Doctor."
"You lured me here," Banner replied, tense, "and now you want me not to be nervous?"
"Technically, this isn't a trap." Hawkeye smiled gently, spreading his arms to show he carried no weapons. "It's just the three of us. I'd call it more of a… friendly meeting."
"Alright," Banner thought. He was already here—he didn't dare cause a scene. He was a fundamentally kind man and fully aware of the devastation a Hulk rampage could cause. He always did everything he could to control himself.
Besides, the three didn't seem hostile. He inhaled deeply several times, letting his yoga training steady him.
"What do you want with me? What are you planning to do?"
"'Deal with' is too strong," Natasha said softly, deliberately gentle in tone. "Earth is facing a crossroads—bow to tyrannical rule, or fight for a future of freedom. The outcome depends on what we choose to do."
As she spoke, she summarized the situation in simple terms.
Banner needed several moments to process it all. Then he pointed at Thor—who was smiling broadly—and stared in disbelief. "You… you're telling me he's a god?"
Thor raised a hand and grinned. "Standing before you is none other than Thor Odinson, son of Odin, god of thunder."
"That's not even a good joke!"
Thor's carefree expression did not help convince Banner; to him, a "god" seemed even less credible than unstable gamma research.
Seeing this, Hawkeye discreetly signaled Thor with a wink. "Go on—show him."
"Fine," Thor sighed, reluctantly raising his hand. All three watched him expectantly.
Three seconds… five seconds… ten…
Under their mixed hope and doubt, twenty seconds crawled by.
Nothing happened.
Silence fell. Thor, cheeks flushing slightly, muttered, "Sometimes it just… takes a little while."
At that moment, a sharp whooshing sound tore through the air. Before anyone could react, a dark shape—like a descending missile—plummeted from the sky straight toward them—
BOOM!
A heavy impact rocked the room. A massive hole burst open in the wooden ceiling, and through it streaked a familiar silhouette. In the next instant, Thor caught the falling object—Mjolnir, the hammer of the thunder god.
Lightning flared. Shadows rippled. Within a heartbeat, his casual clothes vanished, replaced by gleaming Asgardian armor. His red cape unfurled behind him, majestic and commanding.
At the same time, a thunderous roar—equal parts shock and fury—filled the room.
Natasha and Hawkeye's expressions changed instantly.