…
However—
When Thor noticed the miniature Casket of Ancient Winters hanging at Loki's chest, suspended by a chain forged from Uru, linking its twin handles together—
He immediately lost his composure.
"Loki! The Casket can only be wielded by the Frost Giants! Why are you carrying it?!"
The killing intent he had suppressed toward Thor resurfaced.
Loki stopped pretending.
His skin shifted into the deep blue hue of the Frost Giants, markings glowing faintly as he fully revealed the truth.
"At this point, can't you see it yet, Brother?"
"There's only one answer—"
"I was born to be king, just like you!"
"I am the rightful king of the Frost Giants!"
He leveled Gungnir toward Thor.
"Destroyer—crush him!"
Fwoooosh—
The Destroyer Armor immediately unleashed a blazing crimson beam from its facial aperture, thick as a tree trunk.
Thor—still frozen in shock—took the hit directly and was blasted away again.
The Destroyer leapt hundreds of meters in pursuit, pressing the assault.
Thor barely fought back.
His closest brother… was a Frost Giant—the very race he once sought to exterminate.
And now that same brother wanted him dead.
This couldn't be happening.
…
With Thor occupied by the Destroyer, Leon's opponent naturally became Loki.
"Leon," Arcee warned over their Bluetooth link, "the Casket around his neck emits extreme cold. Bast and I couldn't get close. Be careful."
"Oh?"
Leon raised an eyebrow, unfazed.
"Is that so?"
He smirked at Loki.
"Hey, bro—you don't actually think you're strong, do you?"
"Insignificant human—"
Before Loki finished speaking—
Leon vanished.
A blur—almost teleportation speed.
He reappeared behind Loki and swung his shield toward the back of his head.
Loki himself couldn't react—
But the Casket of Ancient Winters did.
A wave of absolute-zero frost exploded outward in every direction.
Leon's Ultra Instinct kicked in automatically, aborting the strike at the last instant.
He disengaged, sliding back.
A thin layer of frost crystallized across his Vibranium shield.
"Foolish mortal," Loki sneered.
"As long as the Frost Giant king bears the Casket, it will defend me automatically. No living being can approach."
"Even that mechanical lifeform at your side."
His arrogance returned.
Leon's speed had startled him—but if the Casket could react in time, then there was nothing to fear.
Loki raised Gungnir, preparing to end this irritating mortal—
BOOM!
A distant object broke the sound barrier.
The shockwave hit Loki before he could process it.
His smug smile warped as his body bent like a shrimp—
And he was sent flying over a thousand meters.
Back on Leon's side—
He had just completed a baseball-throwing pose.
The Desert Eagle he'd hurled returned automatically to his hand.
"Nice~"
"Darling, we're a perfect match."
He blew imaginary smoke from the barrel.
…
"Damn it!"
"What was that?!"
Loki climbed out of a fresh crater, helmet missing, curls disheveled, bruises blooming across his face.
He touched the Uru chain at his neck.
The Casket had absorbed most of the impact.
Fortunately, Uru reinforced with his Frost power was nearly indestructible.
A smug grin crept back onto his face.
Then—
Crack.
The grin froze.
The Uru chain had snapped.
"No—no, no!"
The miniature Casket slipped free, falling toward the ground.
Loki lunged to catch it—
But the sonic boom returned.
This time he saw it clearly.
Larger than the gun.
Too thick to be a shield.
Too small to be a door.
Leon's Tungsten–Vibranium Shield.
Under its monstrous kinetic force, the miniature Casket was knocked clean out of Loki's grasp—sent flying into the distance.
Loki stared at his empty hand.
He clutched Gungnir desperately, attempting to recall the Destroyer Armor—
CLANG!!!
Another metallic shockwave erupted.
The impact struck Gungnir directly.
Overwhelmed by the sheer force, the spear flew from Loki's grip.
He turned to retrieve it—
Three massive silhouettes descended from above, surrounding him.
Leon.
Arcee in Combat Mode.
Bast in towering panther form.
"Where do you think you're going, little brother~"
Leon cracked his knuckles, smiling pleasantly.
"Enough!"
"You are nothing!"
"Insignificant humans! Lowly beasts! Scrap metal!"
"I am a god!"
"You dare humiliate the future king of Asgard—"
"Ah—!"
Key dialogue triggered.
Leon's grin widened.
With instinctive precision, he flashed forward, seized Loki by one leg—
And performed a tribute to the Hulk.
SLAM!
SLAM!
SLAM!
When Leon finished—
Arcee, offended at being called scrap metal, grabbed Loki and repeated the treatment.
SLAM!
SLAM!
SLAM!
Bast shifted into human form—
And delivered her own series.
SLAM!
SLAM!
SLAM!
…
By the end of it—
Loki's once-proud gaze had become crystal clear.
He nearly forgot how to breathe.
For someone whose Frost Giant physiology offered unimpressive strength—barely above peak human—
His durability was remarkable.
In the original timeline, even Hulk's beating had barely broken skin.
Now, after enduring a three-person relay—
The psychological damage far exceeded the physical.
'Father… I want to go home… T T'
Tears streamed down Loki's face.
His eyes rolled back.
He passed out.
…
Almost simultaneously—
Far in the distance, an enormous lightning storm erupted.
Thor had reached clarity.
A tornado-like vortex of divine thunder slammed into the Destroyer Armor.
The construct shut down and crashed.
Even from afar, Leon could feel the terrifying residual shockwave.
He had to admit—
In terms of raw destructive output—
Thor was stronger right now.
But in practical combat?
Leon's near-immunity to instant kills, superior mobility, and passive Ultra Instinct made him effectively unbeatable against hammer-wielding Thor.
They were both heavy artillery types with defense surpassing offense.
Thor had the larger caliber.
Leon had the greater maneuverability.
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