Karl's strength even surprised Odin and the Ancient One, but only slightly.
After all, both of them stood at the peak of the Skyfather level.
Karl's current power had merely entered that realm—it had not surpassed them.
Still, his rapid growth was astonishing.
Karl did not spare Carol afterward.
Instead, he continued attacking relentlessly.
The anger inside him had not faded.
If anything, it had grown even stronger.
At the same time, however, he felt an unexpected sense of relief.
If he had not obtained the Sagittarius Gold Cloth and the Ruyi Jingu Bang, today's battle might have ended very differently.
He might have truly been defeated.
That thought made his attacks even more ruthless.
Carol had already reached her limit.
She could no longer even track Karl's attack trajectory.
All she could do was watch helplessly as his strikes landed again and again.
Karl looked at the woman in front of him—her body now covered in blood.
Yet he felt no pity.
None at all.
If he had been weaker today, his own fate might have been far worse.
Against a Skyfather-level opponent, mercy was meaningless.
Golden energy gathered once more around the Ruyi Jingu Bang.
Karl swung the staff again.
His fury had not yet subsided.
If someone chose to challenge a being at the Skyfather level—
They had to be prepared to die.
BOOM—!
Earth
The battlefield around Karl's manor had been almost completely destroyed.
The surrounding area had been reduced to rubble.
Yet not a single police officer appeared.
The reason was simple.
Nick Fury had already ordered all nearby authorities to stay away.
S.H.I.E.L.D.'s forces had suffered heavy losses.
Even Captain America's shield had finally been shattered.
Steve Rogers' shield had been forged from vibranium, sometimes described as a vibranium-steel alloy.
But Mjolnir was something entirely different.
The hammer had been forged in Nidavellir by the Dwarves, using the mystical metal Uru, under Odin's command.
It was an Asgardian divine weapon, originally associated with Hela during Asgard's ancient wars before eventually becoming Thor's weapon.
A piece of vibranium could not withstand such power forever.
The reason the shield seemed invincible in films was cinematic exaggeration.
But this—
Was reality.
Meanwhile, Tony Stark and Speed had nearly destroyed all of the Iron Robots Nick Fury had deployed.
Tony was furious.
Those reactors were based on designs left by Howard Stark, his father.
Seeing Fury weaponize them enraged him.
On another side of the battlefield—
Juggernaut and Hulk were locked in a brutal clash.
Crimson energy surged around Juggernaut's body.
The power of Cyttorak radiated from him more violently than ever before.
His rage had reached its peak.
The Hulk had also grown larger.
His body had nearly doubled in size.
The two titans grappled violently.
Each collision crushed the ground beneath them.
Both S.H.I.E.L.D. agents and Shadow Ninjas caught nearby were instantly torn apart—reduced to blood and drifting black mist.
Elsewhere—
Loki, filled with resentment, relentlessly hunted Nick Fury.
Meanwhile Hawkeye, equally vengeful, fired arrow after arrow toward Loki.
But Nick Fury himself barely paid attention to the battle happening around him.
His eyes were fixed on the sky.
On the battle between Karl and Carol Danvers.
Because he knew the truth.
If Carol won—
Everything would change.
But if Carol lost—
Then victory on this battlefield would mean nothing.
Still, Fury believed in her.
He had witnessed Carol's power before.
He believed she could not lose.
Outer Space
After another devastating strike from Karl, Carol finally lost the ability to resist.
Her body floated helplessly in the vacuum of space.
Karl approached her slowly.
Still holding the Ruyi Jingu Bang, he grabbed her by her glowing golden hair.
Then he began dragging her back toward Earth.
Throughout the entire event—
Both Odin and the Ancient One simply watched.
Neither of them interfered.
Odin's reasoning was simple.
Karl was Thor's friend.
If Thor maintained this friendship, then Asgard would possess a powerful ally at the Skyfather level, with nearly limitless potential.
For Odin—
This was an investment.
The Ancient One's reasoning was different.
She had personally taught Karl magic.
According to traditional Eastern etiquette, that relationship made Karl at least half her disciple.
She even hoped that after her death, Karl might one day help protect Kamar-Taj and guide Stephen Strange.
Saving Carol Danvers—
A cosmic wanderer who barely belonged to Earth—
Was not worth jeopardizing that possibility.
Return to Earth
WHOOSH—!
Karl descended from the sky.
Still gripping Carol, he flew directly back to his manor.
Satellites around the world captured the scene.
A warrior clad in golden armor, holding a golden staff, descending from the heavens.
Behind him, a white cloak fluttered like the wings of a celestial being.
In his grasp—
A defeated woman drenched in blood.
The image looked almost divine.
When Karl landed—
He casually threw Carol onto the battlefield like discarded debris.
Then he rose into the air again.
Watching silently.
Nick Fury stared at the fallen Carol.
His face finally changed.
In that moment—
He understood.
It was over.
The battle across the field gradually stopped.
Everyone turned toward Karl.
Only Hulk and Juggernaut continued fighting.
Golden light flickered.
Karl stored the Ruyi Jingu Bang.
In its place appeared the weapon of the Sagittarius Gold Cloth—
A magnificent golden bow and arrow.
Terrifying energy gathered around the arrow.
Karl slowly drew the bowstring.
His expression remained completely blank.
His gaze was fixed on Nick Fury.
Nick Fury understood immediately.
He did not run.
He knew escape was impossible.
For the first time—
Regret filled his heart.
If he had treated Karl with respect from the beginning…
Earth might have gained a guardian god.
But now—
It was too late.
WHOOSH—BOOM—!
The golden arrow shot forward.
The moment it struck—
Everything within a ten-meter radius vanished instantly.
The explosion erased the ground.
Nick Fury's body was completely obliterated.
Nothing remained.
Karl slowly turned his gaze toward the remaining S.H.I.E.L.D. agents.
Then—
He paused.
As if sensing something.
Karl extended his right hand.
Telekinetic power surged outward.
Several figures hidden in the distance were suddenly dragged into the air.
They were Winter Soldiers.
Agents of Hydra.
Karl tore off their masks one by one.
"Bucky!!"
Steve Rogers shouted in disbelief when he recognized one of the faces.
But Karl ignored him.
Instead, he turned his head toward another direction.
He extended his hand again.
Another figure was violently dragged through the air.
It was Alexander Pierce, former director of S.H.I.E.L.D.
Pierce looked confused at first.
But after seeing Karl—and the captured Winter Soldiers beside him—
He immediately understood.
Karl placed Pierce together with the Winter Soldiers.
Clearly intending to execute them all at once.
Steve Rogers seemed to realize Karl's intention.
He was about to speak—
But before he could say anything—
"Wait!! Tony Stark! I know the real killer of your parents!! Your parents didn't die in a car accident!!!"
Pierce shouted desperately.
Tony froze.
He slowly turned his head.
Karl also paused.
Tony landed directly in front of Pierce.
His helmet opened, revealing a face twisted with fury.
"What did you say?!"
"My parents didn't die in a car accident?"
"Tell me!"
"Who killed my parents?!"
Tony's voice roared with rage.
If Pierce was telling the truth—
Then Tony had been deceived his entire life.
And the real enemy had been hiding in the shadows all along.
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