Hand Over the Cosmic Cube, and I'll Grant You Godhood

Loki watched this unfold, a flicker of surprise crossing his handsome face.

He had never expected Lin Du to break his mental shackles so effortlessly.

He gripped the Scepter tightly, his gaze as sharp as a hawk's, vowing to pierce through every one of Lin Du's secrets.

"Humph. You insignificant mortals always dream of touching power beyond your own limits."

Loki's sneer carried unquestionable arrogance, his words brimming with contempt for mortals.

Under his sweeping gaze, S.H.I.E.L.D.'s elite soldiers fell one after another.

The advanced equipment they had once been so proud of seemed frail and powerless before this god.

Yet Loki's gaze eventually settled on Lin Du.

This mortal had actually broken free of the restraints he had set with the Time Stone.

It made Loki's heart stir. The Scepter traced a strange arc through his hand as he once again tried to invade Lin Du's will.

But Lin Du seemed to merge with the air itself, a faint smile curling at his lips.

With a gentle push of his palm, space seemed to obey his guidance, twisting and warping as Loki's attack silently dissolved into nothingness.

"Loki, in Asgard, you may be a supreme god, but here, you are merely a passing traveler."

Loki's expression shifted slightly. From Lin Du, he sensed an authority that could not be ignored, an aura detached from the mortal world.

This man was no ordinary person. He possessed extraordinary abilities unlike those of ordinary people.

At that instant, Director Nick Fury, usually as calm as still water, flashed an unshakable resolve in his eyes.

If that bastard Loki truly got his hands on the Cosmic Cube, the consequences would be unimaginable. Catastrophic ripples would sweep across the entire world.

So, while everyone's attention was fixed on Loki,

he swiftly crossed the chaotic battlefield and firmly grasped the Cosmic Cube in his hand.

Then he snatched up a box beside him and, without hesitation, stuffed the Cosmic Cube inside.

"Director Nick, you're making a deal with a tiger."

Loki's voice suddenly rang out, laced with surprise and anger. His gaze shot toward Nick's back like an arrow.

Nick did not look back. He merely clutched the box containing the Cosmic Cube more tightly.

"Loki, someone has to stand up and do something."

"This time, I'll be the one to stop you."

A contemptuous smile appeared on Loki's lips as he advanced toward Nick step by step.

Each step seemed to send trembling ripples through the air.

"Your courage is commendable, insignificant human."

"But do you think you can keep the Cosmic Cube from falling into my hands with your strength alone?"

"I don't need to take it from you. My mission is to make sure it does not become your plaything."

Urgency wrapped tightly around Nick as he strode through the dark corridor of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s underground laboratory.

Warning lights flickered ahead of him, while piercing alarms followed close behind, reminding him of reality's cruelty and urgency.

In an instant, he abruptly stopped, spun around nimbly, and locked his eyes on Lin Du, who was following behind him.

With a light wave of Nick's hand, the box landed precisely in Lin Du's open palm.

"Lin Du, please. Take this box and get out of here as fast as you can." Nick's voice carried undeniable urgency.

"Leave Loki to me."

Lin Du's fingers touched the box holding the Cosmic Cube.

The pulse of energy that made his heart race seemed capable of piercing through the box and striking directly at his soul.

The current situation was more severe than he had imagined.

Standing before them was Loki, Asgard's God of Mischief. One wrong move could lead to irreversible ruin.

And Nick had not asked him to fight alongside him?

"Are you sure?" Lin Du's tone carried a trace of disbelief.

Nick nodded heavily, determination flashing through his eyes.

"I've learned about the mages of Kamar-Taj. They possess secret arts for opening spatial gateways."

"As the Sorcerer Supreme, you have the ability to travel through space and time."

"As long as you can safely take away the Cosmic Cube, we'll have a chance to turn this situation around."

Lin Du held the box containing the mysteries of the universe, his fingertips lightly tracing its edge. Beneath its smooth surface, a faint blue glow flowed.

He looked up at Nick, an inexplicable emotion rising in his heart—why did Nick trust him so deeply?

This trust felt heavier and more baffling than the Cube in his hands.

Nick's gaze remained unwavering.

"Lin Du, if there is truly someone in this world who can control it, I firmly believe that person can only be you."

His voice echoed low through the cabin of the S.H.I.E.L.D. aircraft.

Lin Du nodded gently and hugged the mysterious box tightly to his chest.

A faint tremor came from within the box, followed by a warm current that gradually heated his palm.

But in that flash of an instant, a cold gaze shot out from the depths of darkness like an arrow piercing the night.

Loki's robes swayed lightly in the wind, and a playful yet sly smile curved across his lips.

When he saw Nick entrust the Cosmic Cube to Lin Du, his expression changed drastically, and his eyes were instantly ignited with furious flames.

"Lin Du, hand over the Cosmic Cube!"

Loki's voice was cold as ice, every word carrying an irrefutable threat and resolve.

The fingers holding Lin Du's box trembled slightly, yet under Loki's overwhelming pressure, he displayed extraordinary calm.

He raised his head slightly, meeting Loki's gaze head-on. A faintly ambiguous, almost smiling expression even rippled across his lips.

Seeing this, Loki secretly felt pleased, believing that Lin Du had finally become afraid.

A sinister smile tugged at his lips.

"Give it to me, Lin Du. I can make you rise to the top in a single step and become a god."

"Become a god?" Lin Du murmured, repeating the words as he savored their deeper meaning.

The smile remained on his lips, only becoming more profound.

Then, slowly, he lifted the lid of the box...

The box sprang open. In an instant, a dazzling blue light burst forth, its sword-like tip aimed directly at Loki's eyes.

Loki's heart pounded wildly. He was convinced that Lin Du could no longer withstand his intimidation,

and his tone gained even more unquestionable force.

"Yes. As long as the Cosmic Cube belongs to me, you will become a supreme being without equal in this world. No one will stand beside you."

Lin Du curled his lips slightly, amusement gleaming in his eyes.

Unhurriedly, he took the Cosmic Cube from the box. Blue radiance shone brilliantly through the gaps between his fingers.

Within the command center of the interstellar warship, alarms blared deafeningly as red lights flashed like a torrential downpour.

The power of the Cosmic Cube was stirring the surrounding surveillance systems.

Nick Fury's brow furrowed tightly as he wondered about Lin Du's true intentions.