Apocalypse clenched both fists and slammed them into the ground.
"Boom..."
The earth cracked open!
The fissures seemed alive as they shot straight toward Sif and the others.
The three of them lost their footing and swiftly leaped into the air.
Now!
A sonic boom erupted where Apocalypse stood, blasting a huge crater into the ground.
Hogun and Volstagg saw only a blur. Their weapons flew from their hands, and they were sent crashing heavily to the ground before Thor.
As the dust settled, Apocalypse and Sif slowly came into view.
Sif's longsword was pressed against Apocalypse's heart, yet it could not advance another inch. Her sword hand had been caught in Apocalypse's grip.
With his other hand, Apocalypse seized Sif by the neck and lifted her off the ground.
Sif's face immediately turned red.
This time, Apocalypse had learned his lesson. Since he could not grip a longsword empowered by divine power, he would grab her hand or her neck instead. Those parts could not possibly be so slippery too, right?
Mm... they really were quite smooth.
Without realizing it, Apocalypse stroked Sif's jawline with his finger. How did a woman who spent all day fighting and killing outside keep her skin so well?
Sif's face reddened even further.
"Pervert... bastard... you... put me down right now."
"Cough, cough... that was an accident..."
Apocalypse released her. Sif did not attack again, but like an ordinary person, she kicked Apocalypse before hurriedly running back to Thor's side.
"Tang, no wonder you said that even if I reclaimed Thor's Hammer, I might not be your match. You truly have the strength to be arrogant. How could an Earthling possibly be this powerful?"
Thor approached with the four Asgardian warriors.
Sif, Fandral, Hogun, and Volstagg slightly bowed their heads toward Apocalypse and struck their right fists against their chests in salute.
This was the warrior's salute of Asgard. They always showed sufficient respect toward the strong.
Apocalypse glanced at Sif. The flush had yet to fade from her face, and he did not know whether it was from being gripped or from anger.
Seeing Apocalypse look her way, then glance at the chest she had struck in salute, Sif glared fiercely, as though saying: Pervert!
Apocalypse smiled helplessly. He truly had not meant to flirt with her. Battles changed in an instant; how could he have had such thoughts then?
As for that final stroke with his finger, cough... it was all that damn male instinct's fault.
Thor stepped forward and gave Apocalypse a bear hug. "My father invited you to visit Asgard. It seems he has much better judgment than I do. Once I lift Thor's Hammer, come back to Asgard with me for a visit. Though... Father may not be able to receive you."
Sif and the others were shocked.
The man before them had actually been personally invited by the Allfather? Just who was he?
No wonder he was so powerful. It seemed their defeat this time was not unjustified.
The small trace of unwillingness they had felt completely vanished.
"Thor, don't worry. You'll reclaim your hammer soon enough."
Thor sighed. "I hope so, but I have no idea how."
As they spoke, an intense surge of energy came from the distance.
Everyone present was a top-tier powerhouse, so naturally they all sensed it.
In the distance, dark clouds gathered, the sky split apart, and a black tornado descended from above, sending sand and rocks flying across the ground.
"The Rainbow Bridge!"
Thor asked, "Sif, besides you, who else came?"
The four warriors shook their heads. "We don't know. We didn't tell anyone."
They soon had their answer.
As the seven-colored light faded, a humanoid machine several stories tall appeared within the teleportation runes.
The Destroyer!
The Destroyer looked as though it had been assembled from layers upon layers of metal rings into a humanoid shape. Its body gleamed with a dark metallic luster, while two large hollow holes sat in its face where eyes should have been, leaving only an empty, gloomy darkness.
If it stood still, it looked more like a work of art!
But now, the face of this work of art opened, unleashing a stream of scorching flames.
It killed anyone it saw and destroyed every building in its path.
Wherever it passed, houses exploded, cars were flung away, and flames soared into the sky.
In the original story, when Coulson saw the Destroyer descend, he still foolishly shouted through a lousy loudspeaker, "You are using an unauthorized weapon. Identify yourself..."
The Destroyer ignored him completely and blasted down several bursts of Destruction Flame.
Countless cars were destroyed on the spot, explosions erupted everywhere, and no one knew how many agents died.
Coulson survived only because he dodged quickly.
But thanks to Apocalypse's warning, the moment he saw the humanoid machine appear, he had already ordered his men to flee far away, allowing them to avoid this catastrophe!
Apocalypse knew that in Asgard, far across the cosmos, Loki had finally made his move against Heimdall, guardian of the Rainbow Bridge.
He had used the Frost Giants' Source of Power to freeze Heimdall, seized control of the Bifrost, and sent the Destroyer to Earth.
With Loki's personality, there had never been such a thing as avoiding harm to innocents.
For a time, screams filled the town as everyone fled in panic.
"Oh no, Jane and the others are still in town. Everyone, hurry back!" Thor said anxiously.
Sif asked, "Who is Jane?"
"His girlfriend," Apocalypse said.
At that, Sif's expression could not help but fall.
Sif had always harbored feelings for Thor, somewhat like Pepper Potts did for Iron Man. All these years, she had hoped Thor would respond to her feelings.
Even in Thor 2, Allfather Odin could no longer bear to watch. On the eve of Thor's coronation, he personally told Thor, "A human life passes in the blink of an eye. She is not worth your concern. You should cherish the one before you."
Then he looked toward Sif in the distance.
But Thor still gave no response, leaving Sif deeply disappointed.
In the later story, Sif never appeared in Asgard again. No one knew where she had gone.
Nothing was more painful in this world than loving someone who could not be yours!
The situation was urgent, so Sif could only put away her feelings and rush toward the Destroyer with the others.
Upon entering the town, Thor assigned tasks to the four-person team. "I am a mortal now and cannot fight alongside you. Go hold off the Destroyer. I'll help the humans evacuate."
Then he turned to Tang Tianqi. "Tang, I'm truly sorry. Asgard has brought disaster to Earth."
"This isn't your fault," Apocalypse said. "I know Loki is the one behind this. I'll settle the score with him."
The five split into two groups. Thor went to find Jane, while Apocalypse and Sif's group headed straight for the Destroyer.
Sif ran to the side and said, "Draw its fire from the front."
Fandral, Hogun, and Volstagg charged forward and shouted, "For Asgard!"
Unfortunately, their voices were loud, but they could not withstand a single blow. One blast of flame from the Destroyer sent them flying back.
But it also gave Sif an opening.
Using a building to launch herself high into the air, she drove a spear into the back of the Destroyer's neck.
The Destroyer, previously filled with blazing red flames, slowly went dark. Standing atop its back, Sif smiled confidently.
Apocalypse inwardly sensed trouble.
The metal rings covering the Destroyer's body slowly began to rotate. In the blink of an eye, its back became its front, and a powerful burst of flame was ready to erupt.
"Bang!"
With a sonic boom, Apocalypse vanished from where he stood.
The instant the Destroyer fired, he grabbed its massive head and violently twisted it. A huge pillar of fire skimmed past Sif's side.
Sif broke out in a cold sweat. After saying, "Thank you," she hurriedly jumped down from the Destroyer.
The Destroyer's rings rotated again. The head Apocalypse held became its feet, while its original feet slowly rose and formed a head.
Its towering body looked down upon Apocalypse.
"Boom..."
Apocalypse curled his body into a ball and leaped high into the air, slamming directly into the Destroyer's chest. The tremendous impact knocked it off balance and sent it crashing brutally to the ground.
"It's been so many days. I can finally fight with my full strength!" Apocalypse gave a sinister smile.
"Roar..."
As though an ancient monster had awakened, Apocalypse—small as an ant before the towering Destroyer—let out a furious roar!
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