Right from the start, Thor felt a familiar thrill.
Thump! Thump! Thump!
His heart pounded. The feeling of being the center of everyone's attention, the rush of excitement—it instantly transported him back to his glorious days of old.
"Ah, I've slain dragons, beaten giants, and even fought more than one of the other gods in the divine realm. As a god of Asgard, the great Son of Odin, God of Storms and Thunder, I can't think of any reason I would lose here!"
Step.
He took a step forward, raised his clenched right fist high toward the sky, and heard Sif and the others cheering him on. Even the audience applauded the moment they saw someone make the first move.
Clap clap clap clap
"Thor—!"
In the stands, Jane Foster waved her arms and shouted his name. Hearing her voice, Thor smiled faintly at her.
As the host of the competition, Loki casually pointed, and a spotlight immediately shone on Thor.
"Our first contestant to make a move is from Asgard. He's burly, with a piercing gaze, and looks supremely confident!
"That raised right hand seems ready to seize victory itself. He's practically telling us that the outcome of this competition has already been decided in his favor!"
Loki spun swiftly through the air and brought the microphone to Thor's mouth.
"Thor, how are you feeling right now?"
"Fantastic! I feel great!" Thor flexed his biceps and grinned confidently.
"Which of the three contestants do you think will win?" Loki did his job as host admirably.
"Heh."
Thor brought his raised fist down hard against his chest. The corners of his mouth lifted as he declared without hesitation,
"Me!"
Whoosh—
The audience broke into applause, while the four virtual screens overhead displayed close-up shots of Thor.
It made him look