New Mexico

New Mexico

Desert Town

The setting sun dyed the sky blood-red. Dry winds whipped up sand and dust, battering the rundown motel.

Inside Jane Foster's temporary laboratory, the arguing never stopped.

"I told you, I am Thor Odinson! Thor of Asgard!" The blond, burly man slapped the table, his eyes blazing with anger and unwillingness.

"I was exiled here, but my Divine Power will return eventually!"

"Enough!" Jane rubbed her temples, looking exhausted.

"I don't know whether you're on drugs or mentally ill, but if you keep spouting this nonsense, I'll have no choice but to call the police!"

Daisy Louise's eyes lit up instead as she excitedly leaned closer to Thor. "You say you're Thor? The one from Northern European mythology? How about..."

Thor clenched his fists, looking anxious. "If Mjolnir were here..."

Just then—

Boom!

Rubble suddenly flew outside!

A pitch-black figure descended from the sky and slammed heavily into the ground.

As the dust cleared, Jane and Daisy hurried toward the door.

It was a man wearing black exoskeleton armor. The armor's lines were sharp, and the golden S-shaped emblem on his chest gleamed coldly beneath the dim lights.

His features were stern, and a faint golden glow flowed through his eyes.

Thor abruptly straightened, staring warily at the newcomer. "Who are you?"

Xiao Han's gaze swept over everyone before finally settling on Thor.

"I believe you." His voice was low. "You are Thor, son of Odin."

Thor froze, then burst into wild delight. "Finally! At least one person from Midgard has some sense!"

Jane's eyes widened. "Wait, are you insane? How could he possibly..."

Xiao Han ignored her and walked straight toward Thor. "I need you to take me to Asgard."

Thor frowned. "Mortals cannot enter the realm of gods."

"I'm not a mortal," Xiao Han said calmly, then grabbed Thor by the shoulder.

"And don't you want your hammer back?"

Conflict flashed in Thor's eyes, but it was quickly replaced by longing. "Fine! I'll take you there! But first, I have to retrieve Mjolnir!"

Xiao Han nodded. The next second—

Bang!

A sonic boom echoed through the town!

The two instantly shot into the sky, soaring straight toward the heavens!

Jane and Daisy stared blankly at the sky, unable to recover for a long while.

In the heart of the desert—

S.H.I.E.L.D.'s temporary base.

Agent Coulson stood before the surveillance screens, his brow tightly furrowed.

"Sir, the energy readings have appeared again! Right near the hammer!" an agent reported urgently.

"Increase security!" Coulson immediately ordered. "All personnel, take your positions. The target may have appeared!"

However, before he could finish—

Boom!!

The roof of the base suddenly exploded!

A black shadow smashed through layer after layer of defenses like a meteor, landing directly beside Thor's Hammer!

Dust billowed as piercing alarms rang out!

"Enemy attack! Enemy attack!" The agents quickly assembled, chambering their weapons and aiming them all at the figure in the smoke.

As the smoke cleared, Xiao Han released Thor and calmly swept his gaze across the surroundings.

Xiao Han had done it deliberately. He had already overheard the conversation between Nick Fury and Tony.

If you're going to be so arrogant, I won't spare your dignity either.

Thor, however, had no attention left for anything else. His eyes held only Thor's Hammer on the ground.

"Mjolnir!" He rushed over excitedly, grabbed the handle, and pulled hard.

It did not budge.

Thor's expression froze.

"No... that's impossible..."

He exerted himself frantically, his muscles tensing and veins bulging across his forehead, but the hammer remained firmly embedded in the ground, as though it had become one with the earth.

"Why... Father, have you really abandoned me?!" Thor fell to his knees, his voice hoarse.

Xiao Han watched quietly without intervening.

He knew Thor had to go through this before he could truly awaken.

But the S.H.I.E.L.D. agents had already surrounded them.

"Don't move! Hands on your heads!" Dozens of guns aimed at Xiao Han and Thor as Coulson stepped out from the crowd, his expression grave.

"Gentlemen, you have trespassed into a restricted S.H.I.E.L.D. area. Please cooperate with the investigation."

Xiao Han glanced at him. "Move aside. You can't stop me."

Coulson narrowed his eyes. "Try us."

Before his words had even faded, every agent opened fire at once!

Bullets poured down like a torrential storm!

Xiao Han did not even raise an eyelid.

Clang, clang, clang!

All the bullets abruptly stopped an inch from his body, as though they had struck an invisible barrier, then clattered to the ground.

The agents' eyes widened in disbelief.

"I told you, you can't stop me." Xiao Han took a step forward.

The ground trembled!

The Biofield enveloped the entire area. Every agent instantly found it difficult to breathe, their legs going weak until they could barely even hold their guns!

Cold sweat beaded on Coulson's forehead, but he still forced himself to give the order. "Energy weapons, prepa—"

Before he could finish, those agents had already stopped breathing and fallen to the ground, meeting God ahead of schedule.

Just as Coulson stood there dumbfounded, the desert sky suddenly twisted, and a dark green vortex appeared out of nowhere.

The Destroyer Armor slowly emerged.

"Oh, my dear brother!" A flippant voice came from the vortex as Loki's figure slowly appeared. He held the Spear of Destiny, a mocking smile on his lips.

"Look at the state you're in. Even insects can pin you to the ground."

"Thor, you really are pathetic." Loki's voice continued to sneer.

Thor suddenly looked up. "Loki! Father, he..."

"Dead." Loki cut him off, a trace of cunning flashing through his eyes. "Because of your foolish actions, Father has left us."

Thor looked as though he had been struck by lightning, staggering back several steps. "No... that's impossible..."

Xiao Han remained an observer. Though he did not know why Thor believed those words.

He did not expose the lie. Instead, he turned his gaze toward the Destroyer Armor slowly rising in the distance.

"Loki!" Thor suddenly roared. "What are you doing bringing Father's Destroyer to Midgard?"

Loki spread his hands elegantly. "Of course, I'm here to clean up the mess you caused, my dear brother. After all, I am Asgard's king now."

The Destroyer's faceplate opened, and scorching energy began to gather.

"Watch out!" Thor instinctively lunged at Xiao Han, only to grab empty air.

Xiao Han had already vanished from where he stood. The next second, he appeared before the Destroyer.

"You talk too much." He spoke coldly and swept down with a whip kick.

Boom!!!

Starting from its head, the Destroyer was split directly into two by that kick!

Its scorching energy core was exposed, then instantly vaporized by Xiao Han's Heat Vision!

Far away in Asgard, Loki abruptly took a step back, his eyes filled with shock. "Impossible! That was Odin's Destroyer!"

At the same time, the sky suddenly darkened.

Dark clouds gathered madly around Thor, thunder rolling through them.

"Loki!" Thor's roar rang across the desert alongside the thunder. "You're lying!"

A bolt of lightning struck down, hitting Thor directly! Within the blinding lightning, Thor's form began to change.

His red cape fluttered without wind, and Thor's Hammer flew into his hand on its own.

When the lightning faded, Thor had regained his godly form, Mjolnir crackling with electricity in his hand.

Xiao Han folded his arms. "The enemy is already gone, and only then do you transform?"

Thor coughed awkwardly. "Well... a sense of ceremony is important."

Loki's illusion began to fade. His final expression was a mixture of shock and fury. "You think this is over? See you in Asgard!"

Thor raised Thor's Hammer high. "Heimdall! Open the Bifrost!"

A seven-colored pillar of light descended from the sky, enveloping Xiao Han, Thor, and the Destroyer's wreckage together.

When the light faded, the two were already standing in Asgard's golden hall. Around them stood dozens of fully prepared Asgardian guards, their spears pointed directly at them.

"Welcome home." Xiao Han raised an eyebrow. "Looks like your brother prepared thoroughly."

Thor gripped his hammer tightly, lightning coursing around him. "He's always been like this."

At the far end of the hall, Loki stood before the throne, holding Gungnir. His expression was dark. "Kill them."

The Asgardian guards roared and charged forward.

Golden light blazed in Xiao Han's eyes. "Perfect. Time to loosen up."