Chapter Summaries

Selvig warned Thor to leave Jane and offered him a drink, while Thor carried the drunken scientist back to the RV and weighed his uncertain future. Kurumi identified Odin’s spiritual power and considered making a deal with him, possibly by exploiting the weakness caused by his uncontrollable strength.

• Selvig told Thor that he had to leave Jane the next day, and Thor agreed before they went to drink in town.
• Thor carried the drunken Selvig back toward the RV, where Selvig suggested Thor seek out the young woman from Umbrella and warned that she seemed dangerous.
• Selvig defended Umbrella as a responsible company, and Thor reflected on responsibility and his lost power as he carried him onward.
• Thor put Selvig to bed at the RV, then he and Jane cautiously questioned one another.
• Kurumi recalled the spiritual power she had sensed and identified it as Odin’s, then considered provoking him during his vulnerable sleeping period to make a deal.

Loki took the throne of Asgard and sent the Destroyer toward Earth, while Sif and the Warriors Three went to bring Thor home. They told Thor that Loki had deceived Asgard and that Odin was only sleeping, leaving Thor newly hopeful about returning.

• Loki sat on Asgard’s throne, then went to the vault and prepared to send the Destroyer to Earth to attack Thor.
• Sif and the Warriors Three traveled to Earth to persuade Thor to return to Asgard.
• Sif and the Warriors Three arrived at the research facility and reunited with Thor, while Jane, Selvig, and Daisy watched in confusion.
• Sif urged Thor to return and revealed that Loki had declared himself king, prompting Jane to suspect Sif had feelings for Thor.
• Thor learned that Odin was not dead but merely sleeping, and his spirits lifted before a sudden boom interrupted them.

Loki used the scepter to control the Destroyer, which rampaged through the town and forced Sif and the Warriors Three to fight while Thor evacuated Jane and the others. As the battle stalled and the town’s residents fled, Thor urged the group to leave immediately.

• Sif explained that the Destroyer was an Asgardian weapon controlled by Loki, then warned Thor that he could not fight it without his divine power.
• Thor agreed to evacuate Jane and the others while Sif and the Warriors Three went to confront the Destroyer.
• The Warriors Three rushed to join Sif, and Thor told Jane that he had never lied about being the God of Thunder.
• Selvig found a book identifying the Destroyer and learned that its energy could annihilate matter, while Darcy urged him to abandon the research equipment and flee.
• Thor watched Sif and the others hold off the Destroyer as its attacks kept them from finding an opening, then urged Selvig and the others to leave.

Sif and the Warriors Three fought the Destroyer to protect Thor, but its overwhelming strength and deadly energy blasts left them badly injured. The Destroyer pursued Thor while Sif lay wounded, looking up at an approaching shadow.

• Sif struck the Destroyer, but her enchanted longsword failed to damage its armor, and she dodged its energy blast with help from Volstagg’s attack.
• Hogun pulled Volstagg and Fandral from the Destroyer’s blasts, while Loki decided to kill Thor’s companions.
• Sif attacked the Destroyer’s face as Volstagg, Hogun, and Fandral tried to create an opening, but the Destroyer repelled them all.
• The Destroyer grabbed Sif, squeezed her until her bones cracked, threw her aside, and ran after Thor.
• Sif spat blood and opened her eyes to see a black shadow standing before her.

Kurumi healed the badly wounded Sif and sent Andre to protect her while she confronted the Destroyer in Nightmare. After the armor’s attacks barely damaged the Destroyer, Kurumi powered up for a more dangerous assault, while Thor watched the battle unfold.

• Kurumi used healing magic on Sif and ordered Andre to carry her to safety and protect her.
• Kurumi warned Coulson not to send reinforcements into town, then launched in Nightmare to fight the Destroyer.
• Loki urged the Destroyer to kill Thor as it pursued him and blasted a house, killing more than a dozen people.
• Thor stopped running and prepared to face the Destroyer, but Nightmare struck it and knocked it into a house.
• Kurumi attacked the Destroyer with Nightmare’s spear and missiles, but its wounds healed and it broke free of her gravity grenades.
• Kurumi recognized that the Destroyer was stronger than before and channeled her spiritual power into Nightmare, turning its armor crimson.

Thor fled the town with Jane, Daisy, and Selvig while Andre and Coulson watched Nightmare battle the Destroyer from outside. Coulson remained worried about the fight and the missing Tesseract, whose disappearance he suspected might involve Umbrella.

• Thor carried the unconscious Selvig as he escorted Jane and Daisy away from town, intending to return once they were safe.
• Andre reunited with Coulson and told him Brooks had stayed in town alone, prompting Coulson to consider calling for reinforcements.
• An agent warned Coulson that the energy readings had expanded, and he saw the town’s ruined buildings and fires through his binoculars.
• Andre watched Nightmare and the Destroyer clash, believing Brooks had not yet used her full strength, while Coulson decided to hold their position unless the readings increased again.
• Coulson and Andre discussed Umbrella’s virtual world and its energy needs, leading Coulson to recall that S.H.I.E.L.D. still had no trace of the stolen Tesseract.

Coulson learned from Andre that the man he had imprisoned was Thor, the exiled prince of Asgard, while Kurumi continued fighting the Destroyer in “Nightmare.” As the Destroyer began to weaken under Odin’s magic, Kurumi saw a chance to seize that power and advance from [Alpha] to [Beta].

• Coulson questioned Andre about the three energy sources, and Andre revealed that Thor and Asgard were real.
• Coulson realized he had imprisoned Thor, then contacted Fury while Andre identified the Destroyer, “Nightmare,” Kurumi, and Sif’s companions among the energy sources.
• Kurumi and “Nightmare” fought the Destroyer until “Nightmare’s” core fell to 40%, and Kurumi ordered Red Queen to take over after the coming energy resupply.
• Red Queen suggested using Thor to end the battle, but Kurumi rejected the idea and considered studying the Destroyer’s magical core.
• Odin sent more magic power into the Destroyer, whose armor began to crack, and Kurumi wondered whether absorbing that power could take her from [Alpha] to [Beta].

Kurumi and Red Queen fought the Destroyer until Red Queen completed a core replacement, after which Kurumi was ejected to safety. There, she met the Warriors Three, explained Odin and Loki’s apparent role in Thor’s trial, and prepared to cripple the unstable Destroyer before handing it to Thor.

• Red Queen replaced Nightmare’s core during the fight, allowing Kurumi to dodge the Destroyer’s energy blast and strike its cracked armor.
• Nightmare shielded Kurumi and ejected her into a nearby villa’s garden before returning to battle the Destroyer.
• Kurumi confronted Volstagg, Fandral, and Hogun, who recognized her strength and asked about the Destroyer and Sif.
• Kurumi told the Warriors Three that Odin’s apparent plan was to test Thor while Loki mistakenly believed he was controlling events, and she confirmed that Sif had been treated and taken out of town.
• Kurumi warned that the Destroyer was dangerously overloaded and transformed into her combat dress, proposing that they cripple it before handing it to Thor.

Kurumi organized the Warriors Three to attack the Destroyer while Hogun went to retrieve Thor, then used the Second Bullet to freeze the Destroyer and spiritual forces in time. The power surged through Zadkiel and nearly consumed Kurumi’s time and lifespan, leaving her terrified as the angel began absorbing her power.

• Kurumi assigned Volstagg and Fandral to attack the Destroyer while Hogun went to find Thor, and she warned Hogun to bring Thor in after the Destroyer had been weakened.
• The Destroyer prepared a powerful energy blast against Nightmare, but Kurumi fired the Second Bullet and slowed time across the battlefield.
• Kurumi realized the Second Bullet had nearly exhausted her stored time power and had frozen both Loki’s and Odin’s spiritual power.
• Volstagg, Fandral, and Nightmare attacked the immobilized Destroyer as Hogun hurried back with Thor.
• Kurumi sensed Zadkiel’s ancient power, threw away her guns, and tried to approach the angel, but Zadkiel absorbed the time power she offered and left her near death.

Mo Xiao was forced to drink a failed imitation of [The Evil of This World] after Shang Hai volunteered to lure the werewolves in his place. The medicine caused him unbearable pain before restoring his body, and the chapter ended with the captain testing Mo Xiao’s healing as Mo Xiao stared blankly and murmured, “Master?”

• The captain ordered the injured Mo Xiao to lure the werewolves, then assigned the task to a new recruit when Mo Xiao could not do it.
• Liu Liu tried to take the woman away, but Shang Hai revealed she was his sister-in-law and offered to lure the werewolves instead.
• Shang Hai gave the captain his vial of medicine, which the captain identified as a risky failed imitation of [The Evil of This World].
• The captain let Shang Hai take the woman but demanded half his mission reward, and Liu Liu humiliated her before handing her over.
• Shang Hai made Mo Xiao drink the medicine, which caused intense nerve pain before rapidly restoring his body and changing his appearance.
• The captain snapped Mo Xiao’s forearm to test his recovery, and Mo Xiao showed little reaction before murmuring, “Master?”

Mo Xiao killed Captain and the wolf king to secure a token and complete the mission. Kurumi awoke after nearly half a month unconscious, learned what had happened during the battle with the Destroyer, and prepared to leave Umbrella with Red Queen after calling on Zadkiel.

• Mo Xiao forced Captain to reveal the token’s location, took it, and killed him after tricking him into signing an oath.
• Mo Xiao killed wolf king Tubalumu, received notice that the mission was complete, and packed Captain’s remains before returning.
• Kurumi woke in Umbrella’s New York headquarters and learned from Red Queen that Thor had defeated the Destroyer and that the clock behind Kurumi had disappeared.
• Kurumi realized she had nearly exhausted her lifespan, summoned Zadkiel, and wondered who the presence was.
• Kurumi told Red Queen they would leave soon, then dismissed Umbrella’s reports and prepared to head out.

Kurumi concealed New York and began preparing Umbrella for the coming arrival of Loki, while the Main God assigned her a mission to collect two Infinity Stones. She already had the Space Stone, and she turned her attention to preparing for the coming battle in New York.

• Kurumi had the Red Queen map and conceal unusual individuals across New York before briefly making the whole city feel heavy, then stopped when she sensed someone had discovered them.
• Kurumi reviewed Umbrella's energy converter, Pym Particle negotiations, and hacker attacks, and learned from Black Cat that S.H.I.E.L.D.'s intrusion was connected to the Tesseract.
• Kurumi ordered Andre to obtain Pym Particles so the energy converter could be shrunk and used to build a void teleportation array before Loki arrived.
• Kurumi planned to reward Andre with martial arts training and combine technology with cultivation to protect Umbrella.
• The Main God gave Kurumi a quest to collect two Infinity Stones; with the Space Stone already acquired, Kurumi began preparing for a New York battle and asked the Red Queen about Magneto.

Kurumi prepared a plan involving Magneto and the alien fleet, then tested a Pym-shrunk energy converter to link the original and imitation Tesseracts. The converter overheated repeatedly, and Kurumi finished the chapter exhausted and blinded by laboratory fog as Red Queen tried to clear it.

• Kurumi siphoned small amounts of time from people in other cities each night and found it eased her troubling dream memories.
• Red Queen reported that Andre had secured Pym's cooperation and that Pym Particles could shrink the energy converter, though their usefulness might be limited to the Marvel universe.
• Kurumi ordered the virtual world shut down for maintenance so she could use its energy systems, prompting widespread player complaints and concern from Obama and U.S. officials.
• Red Queen delivered the shrunken converter and warned that the imitation Tesseract could fluctuate dangerously, but Kurumi began the experiment anyway.
• Kurumi used the converter's energy to connect the two Tesseracts through a magical array while the small reactors repeatedly burned out and the laboratory filled with heat and steam.
• After half an hour, Kurumi's spiritual power had fallen to half its usual level, and she asked Red Queen to clear the fog because she could no longer see.

Kurumi sent a counterfeit Tesseract to S.H.I.E.L.D. using K-3652, a girl made from Mo Xiao’s template, as its courier. After S.H.I.E.L.D. mistook her for the earlier thief and pursued her across New York, she was captured, and Fury learned her age and sex as he went to see her.

• Kurumi ordered Red Queen to send the counterfeit Tesseract to S.H.I.E.L.D. with K-3652, whose file showed she had been made using Mo Xiao’s template.
• Fury sent Hawkeye to investigate the renewed Tesseract signal in New York and suspected Umbrella or Hydra was involved.
• Mo Xiao recognized the S.H.I.E.L.D. agents surrounding her restaurant and fought her way out while trying to protect the backpack.
• Mo Xiao evaded pursuit for hours, removed a bullet from her calf, and continued fleeing until she lost consciousness.
• Kurumi refused Red Queen’s offer to rescue Mo Xiao, saying she should carry her conviction through to the end.
• Fury confirmed the counterfeit Tesseract was safe and learned that the unconscious courier was a fifteen-year-old girl.

Fury investigated the wounded and amnesiac “Mo Xiao” while suspecting Umbrella’s involvement in the Tesseract’s disappearance. As the Tesseract experiment became dangerously unstable, it opened a Space Portal, leaving Fury and his team facing an unknown arrival.

• Fury and Coulson discussed “Mo Xiao’s” recovery and possible recruitment into S.H.I.E.L.D., while Fury ordered a psychologist to counsel her and limited the doctor’s tests.
• Fury recruited Erik Selvig for the Tesseract research and suspected Umbrella was connected to its disappearance, instructing Coulson to maintain contact with the company.
• Coulson questioned the handcuffed girl, who identified herself as K-3568 but said she did not know where she came from.
• After the Tesseract’s energy grew uncontrollable, Fury ordered an evacuation, but Selvig warned that its explosion could threaten the entire Earth.
• Hawkeye noticed the Cosmic Cube flaring, and it released a pulse that opened a Space Portal.

Loki escaped through the unstable Space Portal, seized the Tesseract, and began preparing an invasion while Fury and the Security Council debated how to respond. Kurumi learned that S.H.I.E.L.D. was recruiting the Avengers and that Coulson had urgently requested a visit, leaving her to consider how to respond.

• Loki attacked the S.H.I.E.L.D. laboratory, killed or incapacitated agents, and used the Mind Scepter to control Barton and Dr. Selvig.
• Fury took the Tesseract, but Barton shot him; Loki and his allies escaped with the briefcase as the laboratory was destroyed.
• Fury told the Security Council that Loki—not Asgard—was the enemy and argued that an emergency response team was needed, including people such as Brooks and Banner.
• Kurumi watched S.H.I.E.L.D. infiltrate Stark Tower and send Coulson to recruit Tony, then learned that Coulson had submitted sixteen requests to visit her.
• Red Queen told Kurumi that S.H.I.E.L.D. had brought K-3652 in for training after the death of the last female Survivor, prompting Kurumi to react angrily.

Kurumi Brooks met with Coulson at Umbrella headquarters, then joined the Avengers aboard the Helicarrier as S.H.I.E.L.D. searched for the Tesseract and Loki. She offered Banner a doubled contract and Umbrella’s help tracking Loki, leaving Fury ready to send her the files on Loki and his controlled agents.

• Coulson showed Kurumi Brooks the Avengers plans and discussed the Tesseract, Captain America, Stark, and Banner.
• Coulson and Rogers arrived at the Helicarrier, where Natasha introduced Rogers to Banner and prepared to welcome Kurumi.
• Kurumi landed on the Helicarrier in Nightmare, introduced herself to Rogers and Banner, and offered Banner twice Umbrella’s original compensation to reconsider working there.
• Fury told Kurumi that S.H.I.E.L.D. was searching for Loki and that Loki had taken control of Erik Selvig.
• Kurumi offered Umbrella’s population database to help find Loki and asked Fury to email her the files on Loki and everyone he controlled.

Kurumi helped S.H.I.E.L.D. locate Loki in Stuttgart, where Rogers and Stark confronted him before he surrendered and was taken aboard the Quinjet. Thor then arrived in a storm, struck Stark aside, and carried Loki away, leaving the team bewildered.

• Kurumi told Fury that Loki had been located in Stuttgart, and Fury sent Natasha and Rogers to intercept him.
• Loki used his scepter to threaten the people of Stuttgart, but Rogers blocked the blast and fought him until Stark arrived and Loki surrendered.
• Kurumi and Stark rode with Loki aboard the Quinjet, where Stark asked about Nightmare and Rogers grew suspicious of Loki's easy surrender.
• Kurumi identified the approaching storm as Thor's, and Loki said the Tesseract did not belong to S.H.I.E.L.D.
• Thor landed on the Quinjet, smashed Stark into the cabin with his hammer, grabbed Loki, and flew away.

Thor confronted Loki about the Tesseract and urged him to return to Asgard, but Tony interrupted and fought Thor. Rogers joined the battle, and after Thor’s hammer struck his shield, the three men recovered and realized Loki was missing.

• Thor brought Loki to a cliff and demanded to know where the Tesseract was, while Loki said he had moved it and no longer knew its location.
• Tony attacked Thor, and the two fought through the forest as Thor used Mjolnir and lightning against Mark.
• Rogers arrived and told Thor to put down Mjolnir, provoking Thor to strike Rogers’s shield with the hammer.
• Thor’s blow damaged the space between Mjolnir and the shield, but the space quickly stabilized as Kurumi watched and kept Loki confined with psychic power.
• Tony, Thor, and Rogers climbed out of the wreckage, and Rogers asked where Loki was.

After Thor and the others captured Loki, S.H.I.E.L.D. questioned him and learned of his plan to invade Earth with a Chitauri army. The team gathered to discuss the threat, and Kurumi offered to help undo Loki’s control magic if she could meet those he had affected.

• Kurumi arrived with Loki bound, and Thor thanked her for saving Sif before the group returned to the Helicarrier.
• Fury imprisoned Loki in a glass chamber and warned him that the cage would be dropped if he tried to escape.
• Thor told Rogers and Doctor Banner that Loki planned to conquer Earth with a Chitauri army and give them the Tesseract.
• Rogers questioned why Loki had allowed himself to be captured, while Natasha explained that Loki had controlled Erik Selvig and a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent with magic.
• Tony said Kurumi could advise them about magic, and Kurumi told Natasha she could undo Loki’s control if she met the affected people in person.