Asgard. When the group arrived, a sense of desolation washed over them. Although little time had passed since the upheaval in Asgard, without anyone around, the vast Palace had taken on an eerie air in just a few days.
Of course, Hela was partly responsible. When she broke free of the seal, she had released vast amounts of death energy here. That made her one of the chief culprits, though no one held her accountable.
Odin and Thor slowly stepped out of the crowd. No one knew Asgard better than those two. To Thor, it was the place where he had grown up; to Odin, it was his domain. Seeing Asgard turned into a dead land left them with the most complicated feelings of all.
By contrast, Hela and the others felt little about Asgard's current state. As the Goddess of Death, Hela even preferred it this way. It was well suited to being her royal capital.
Fortunately, both sides still remembered the purpose of their visit. Whether they were looking ahead or mourning the past, they first had to deal with Tony, Asgard's current ruler.
Without waiting for anyone else to act, Thor flew into the air. Hovering high above, he fixed his gaze on Asgard's palaces and channeled his divine power into a shout. "Tony, come out!"
His booming voice spread in waves of sound that rolled toward Asgard. Inside one of the palaces, Tony, who had been sitting cross-legged, immediately opened his eyes.
A divine light flashed in his eyes. Tony raised his head and looked toward Thor's group through the many obstacles between them. His gaze pierced every building, bringing Hela and the others into view.
"So, you've finally come?"
"I wonder if you're ready."
As he spoke, the corners of Tony's mouth lifted into a