Thunderbolts, Move Out!

In the end, Thor was unable to lift his hammer.

But the support team didn't have time to wait for him. Malekith's army was still ravaging the Nine Realms. After conquering Muspelheim and Heaven, the army composed of Dark Elf, Fire Demon, and angels began to march into more realms.

"Security Officer Bill has already led the fleet to various countries to provide assistance, while our mission is to go to Asgard and rescue the surviving Celestial Palace Warrior," Norman said.

He didn't intend to send Earth's forces to fight Malekith head-on; that was unrealistic.

Earth's combat capabilities are still too weak. Even the Thunderbolts is just a bunch of amateurs right now, with only Wanda and Pietro, who were temporarily added, being somewhat stronger.

These two were added to prevent the Thunderbolts from collapsing immediately upon arriving at Asgard.

After all, there's still a troublesome woman there.

As for the Hammer of Thor--

"Since no one can lift it right now, let's just bring it along," Norman said.

"How are we going to bring it?" Steve asked, his eyes wide. "We don't have the manpower to carry it onto the spaceship."

To be honest, they were also puzzled by the judgment that Mjolnir could be lifted. A hammer that no one could lift, theoretically weighing as much as the core of a planet, could even be hung on a wall and would not exceed the weight limit in an elevator, allowing the elevator to operate normally.

However, it cannot be lifted by human force, and even driving a car to pull it does not budge it.

Norman didn't explain; he simply picked up a remote control and pressed a button.

Then the floor beneath Mjolnir rose up on its own, revealing four pulleys that carried it toward the plane.

"I still don't understand how it could be moved."

Peter shook his head, gave up thinking, and boarded the spaceship with the rest of the group.

The group also included Captain America, Sandman, Wanda and her siblings, Black Panther, Thor, and the Warriors Three.

When the captain and the others first saw Wanda and Pietro, they were a little embarrassed. Although the Ultron incident had happened quite some time ago, it hadn't been a pleasant affair.

Wanda's Mind Control abilities, in particular, sent chills down the spines of Steve and the others.

Even Peter, who usually got along well with Pietro and the others, was a little reserved.

However, they weren't the type to dwell on other people's past, especially after learning about Pietro and Wanda's tragic past, they didn't harbor much hostility towards them.

Moreover, even though they helped Ultron, they didn't actually harm anyone except Tony Stark.

But that's what Tony owes them.

After a brief exchange, although the previous misunderstandings were not completely resolved, the atmosphere eased considerably. The group slowly began to talk, especially asking Thor and his companions about the specific situation in Asgard, such as troop strength, terrain, and so on... to see what could be used and what needed to be avoided.

"The number of troops remaining in Asgard is actually not large."

Fandral said, "Because Odin was preparing to relocate Asgard and build New Asgard, quite a few people had already left Asgard beforehand; otherwise, the Dark Elf wouldn't have been able to breach the defenses so easily."

Thor:???

No, moving?

How come I didn't know about this?

Thor was a little confused. He was, after all, the eldest prince of Asgard. How come no one had even informed him that the kingdom was moving?

What if I regain my qualifications in the future, and after finally picking up the hammer again, I want to go back, but then I won't even be able to find my way home?

"So, does that mean Father isn't in the Asgard either?" Thor asked.

If that's the case, then it makes sense.

However, Volstagg's words chilled him further. "No, the Allfather and Goddess Queen are both in Asgard. In fact, most of the troops haven't evacuated; only the common people left first. So Fandral was actually wrong. It should be said that it was fortunate Asgard was preparing to relocate, otherwise the losses would have been even greater."

Fandral disagreed, stubbornly retorting, "There are no civilians in Asgard; everyone is a warrior!"

But he also knew that there were differences between soldiers.

Warriors like the Three Warriors are among the best of the best. Most Asgard are just cannon fodder when facing enemies, much like Thor, who has lost his divine powers and is only three times stronger than an Earthling.

"Our Earth branch doesn't have many troops, so don't get bogged down in battle. After rescuing the survivors from Asgard, return immediately," Norman instructed.

Are there any survivors in Asgard?

Thor couldn't help but think about it.

No, he shook his head. With his father around, there certainly wouldn't be any major problems.

The mere Dark Elf could be dealt with with a mere flick of the Allfather!

Thor thought this to himself, but his anxiety only grew stronger.

If that's the case, then why has there been no news from Asgard for so long?

He dared not think about it.

For now, Thor only hopes to reach Asgard as soon as possible to see for himself what's going on, but the spaceship is too slow.

"Security Officer Norman," Thor said with concern, "Although Earth and Asgard are both within the Nine Realms, they are actually very far apart. I know that the Galactic Plumbers ' engine technology is the best in the universe, but even so, it would probably take several months to reach Asgard."

The Nine Realms represent more than just Nine Realms; they are the Asgardian' collective term for the known universe. Reaching Asgard by spaceship, even with the help of stargates along the way, would take a considerable amount of time.

He feared that by the time he arrived in Asgard, Daylily would be too late.

"Don't worry, we'll use new technology," Norman reassured him. "By opening a portal to the quantum world using Particle Collider, and then making a quantum leap, we can reach a star system near Asgard in an instant."

"Particle Collider, quantum technology? Really?!"

The only people present who understood these concepts were Peter and T'Challa, both of whom wore expressions of disbelief. "If this really happens, the Quantum Technology of the Galactic Plumbers has probably already surpassed Doctor Pym's, right?"

Speaking of Doctor Pym, that old guy is still in jail.

He previously helped Ultron during Ultron chaos by using quantum technology to disrupt the communication of the Galactic Plumbers —though he didn't actually succeed—and is now being punished.

"That's good!"

Thor didn't understand anything about quantum mechanics; he only knew that he would arrive soon, and that was enough.

He fastened his seatbelt properly, sat down in the spaceship, and stared blankly at Mjolnir, who was being transported into the spaceship, his mind replaying the words T'Challa had said to him earlier.

What is most important for a king?

Kindness? Courage? Integrity?

No, it's about understanding one's responsibilities, understanding that the weight of the crown doesn't come from its metal, but from one's people.

Thor had a sudden realization.

He recalled that when his divine power was taken away, it was because he was angry and wanted to fight the Frost Giant, because he felt that the Frost Giant' act of breaking into the coronation ceremony was a contemptuous and provocative act against him and against Asgard.

He was willing to start a war between two countries for his own selfish desires and to save face.

Not only that, after being rejected by Odin, he recklessly led a few men into the realm of the Frost Giant without considering the consequences of his actions.

He was blinded by anger; that perfectly describes him at that time.

"If I had inherited the throne back then, Asgard would probably have become a warlike, constantly warring nation, ruled by a terrible tyrant."

He was thinking.

And now?

He still couldn't lift Mjolnir.

Thor slowly understood the reason: he was disheartened and utterly despondent because of his disappointment.

He looked down at his palm.

Indeed, ever since losing Mjolnir, he seemed to have completely fallen into despair.

From initially complaining about the injustice of the Allfather, lamenting the loss of divine power, complaining about this and that...

Then comes accepting reality, doubting oneself, falling into endless self-destructive struggles, completely abandoning the glorious mission one once cherished, and when faced with danger, always thinking, "If only Loki were here, he could lift the hammer," or placing one's hopes on Steve and the others...

If someone like me were to become king, I'm afraid I would only be a weak one.

They cannot protect Asgard, let alone restore Asgard glory.

Thor seemed to understand, deep down, what he lacked, but sometimes knowing and understanding are not the same thing. Everyone knows they should be a good person, but very few can actually do it.

He clenched his fists and silently vowed: no matter what, he would protect Asgard!

"Get ready, the Particle Collider is about to start. You might experience some discomfort, that's normal." Norman pressed the start button for the Particle Collider in the control room.

The next moment, outside the Galactic Plumbers Space Station, a circular Arc Reactor, very similar in shape to the core of the Arc Reactor but dozens of times larger, slowly rose up.

Peter pressed himself against the spaceship's glass, eager to go directly to the Arc Reactor and experience it firsthand, to see how it worked.

"I bet if Ned saw this, he'd go crazy with excitement."

Steve didn't know much about physics. He was smart, but his education level was a bit low, and he didn't have much time to study after being unfrozen.

Or perhaps he just felt more satisfied hitting the sandbag.

But that didn't stop him from finding the scene incredibly spectacular.

A colossal circular device stands erect in space, nearly tens of meters tall, its immense energy emitting a blue light, making it resemble a blue star.

"Should we go through there?" he asked.

"Even for our spaceship, it wouldn't be easy to get through here, would it?"

The spaceship they piloted, the Messenger, was a different type of aircraft. Although the cabin was not large, the aircraft itself was quite large, about the length of a seven-story building, with wings of similar length, and equipped with advanced engines and weapons.

"The spaceship's wings are retractable, Captain," Pietro explained with a grin, seemingly unconcerned about the previous unpleasantness. "And we're not going through the middle of that collider; we're using the energy it releases to open a passage before crossing it."

"I see."

The team captain said he had learned another lesson.

He now had a strong urge to spend money and wished he could give Ben a ten-dollar tip on the spot.

Because he had previously stated that he would no longer be surprised by anything.

But the world keeps surprising him.

Thinking back, just over a year ago, his memories were still of old trains and pistols; now, Interstellar seems like an ordinary thing.

"I have a feeling that before long, time travel or the multiverse might become a real possibility."

Outside the spacecraft, the Particle Collider's energy grew brighter and brighter, like the twinkling Sirius.

"You even know about the Multiverse?" Pietro looked at him in surprise. "I thought you were Old Gu."

"I watch some sci-fi movies when I have free time," Steve grinned. "But I think the reality we experience is even more absurd than the movies."

"Absolutely right!"

"Hold on, everyone—" Norman's voice came again, and then they saw a powerful pulse of light shoot out from inside the Particle Collider.

After a massive convergence of energy, space slowly began to tear apart.

The twisted wormhole slowly formed, but it didn't appear stable.

Wow!

Peter stared intently, but the others were already nearly unable to keep their eyes open, thankfully he was wearing sunglasses over his head.

The intense light not only shone in space, but was also witnessed by people inside the Earth.

Inside the lab, Helen Cho shook her head at Banner: "I think Doctor Otto is probably not satisfied with the current example collider, is he?"

"That's right, he thinks a large-scale operation is inherently unstable." Banner said to Norman while rapidly inputting data into the computer to help regulate energy and maintain the stability of the wormhole. "The space has stabilized; we can pass through the wormhole."

"Okay, T'Challa, let's go!"

"Thunderbolts, move out!"

Black Panther sat in the driver's seat like a king. After the collider's energy dissipated, he immediately started the engine and plunged headlong into the wormhole.

Boom!

In an instant, the scenery before everyone's eyes underwent an astonishing change.

Space distorted before their eyes, filled with fantastical colors, but no one appreciated it.

The massive spatial tremors affected everyone.

Even Peter was not spared.

"This is--"

The molecular chains of the Black Panther suit kept collapsing and rebuilding, and Sandman was even more unable to maintain his shape, his whole body exploding. The people of Asgard were not faring much better.

Pietro was startled and yelled, "Hey, he exploded!"

Only Wanda used her magic to resist the Liaokong tremors and quickly helped the others escape the effects.

Peter looked pale. "I feel a little nauseous..."