The streetlights cast several swaying shadows on the flooded road.
The trash can reeked of a foul odor, and several stray cats, startled by the commotion, scrambled onto the wall, peering down into the darkness.
In the middle of the alley.
Thor knelt in the mud like a helpless child.
At that moment, he carefully cradled Loki.
At this moment, Loki looked utterly miserable.
He leaned weakly against Thor's chest, his breathing barely perceptible, as if he might breathe his last at any moment.
"Elder brother..."
Loki's voice was weak, filled with deep sorrow and longing.
"I can't go on... I've reached the end of my life. But to see you one last time before I die, I... I'll die without regrets."
"No! Loki! You can't die!"
Thor hugged his younger brother tightly, his eyes red and large tears streaming down his face.
"You'll be alright! I'll take you to the best doctor in Midgard right now! You must hold on!"
Thor was as anxious as an ant on a hot pan.
He turned his head and looked at Pietro was standing a few meters away.
"You cruel mortal!"
"If my brother dies here today, I swear to the All-Father, I will tear you to pieces and banish your soul to Helheim forever!"
Faced with Thor's murderous gaze and furious roar.
Pietro rolled his eyes.
" God, what kind of awful family drama is this?"
"Is this guy's brain filled entirely with fermented beer?"
"That guy was clearly using his clone magic to try and kill me, and I only gave him a light punch."
"I swear, I didn't even use a third of the speed!"
"With that kind of force, even the Hulk couldn't be hurt, how could you possibly have almost killed him?"
Seeing Loki's half-dead, miserable state and Thor's heartbroken expression.
Pietro felt like he was about to burst out laughing at the two brothers.
"I said, Thor."
Can't you use your brain for once?
"Your brother's acting skills are so bad, even Hollywood would find him too exaggerated for a bit part. Besides, he was much more focused when he was plotting against you from the shadows."
"Shut up! You're not allowed to insult him!" Thor roared.
Pietro shrugged, completely giving up on the idea of dealing with Thor.
"Fine, believe it or not."
"Anyway, I've already called Luca. When he gets here, let's see how he deals with you two freaks."
The moment Pietro finished speaking.
"Whoosh!!"
A faint whooshing sound suddenly came from the sky.
Pietro caught the sound.
Then his tense nerves relaxed instantly, and he revealed a smile that seemed to be enjoying the show.
The next second.
A tall, slender figure landed smoothly at the entrance of the alley.
At that moment, Luca had one hand in his pocket and a cup of coffee in the other.
"Wow, looks like I've missed quite a few good shows."
Luca slowly sipped his coffee, his gaze sweeping around before finally settling on Thor and Loki, who were embracing and weeping.
" Luca, you've finally arrived."
Pietro saw Luca and immediately went to greet him.
"If you don't come soon, Thor will flood this street with his tears."
"He insisted that I punched his brother to death and that he wanted to tear me to pieces."
Luca smiled slightly, ignoring Pietro's complaints.
Then, his gaze fell upon Loki, who was pretending to be dead with his eyes closed.
In Luca's perception, the world has no secrets.
He could clearly hear the man in Thor's arms beating his heart very strongly and steadily.
It's about seventy beats per minute, which is a perfectly normal heart rate for a healthy adult.
He could see that although the man's eyes were tightly closed, his eyeballs were moving rapidly and anxiously.
He could sense that although the guy seemed relaxed, he was actually tense.
Most importantly, Luca sensed a cold and cunning energy fluctuation emanating from this person.
This energy is completely different from Thor's straightforward approach.
"Seriously injured and on the verge of death? Ha, that acting isn't even convincing to a secret agent."
Luca gave a cold laugh, instantly setting the tone for this farce.
Then he walked over to Thor's side.
" Thor, my friend."
He bent down slightly and gently patted Thor's slightly trembling shoulder.
You look very sad. Is this a family member?
Hearing that familiar and gentle voice, Thor looked up, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes.
" Luca... my friend. What brings you here?"
Thor's voice was hoarse, like that of a child who had suffered a great injustice.
"You've come at the right time. Isn't Midgard's medical technology very advanced? Quickly, save my brother Loki! He's dying!"
Thor gripped Luca's wrist tightly, pleading.
"I'm willing to do anything for you if you can save him!"
Upon hearing Thor's words, Loki, who was feigning death, couldn't help but let out a cold laugh.
"Foolish Thor, not only is his brain full of muscles, but now he actually pins his hopes on a lowly Midgardian."
"It's utterly pathetic."
Loki decided to keep up the act.
When Thor's grief and despair reach their peak, suddenly strike with deadly force, utterly destroying his spirit.
However.
Luca, however, grabbed Thor's wrist and pressed it down.
" Thor, I sympathize with what you've been through."
"However, as the owner of Stark Industries, I have to tell you a harsh truth."
Luca straightened up, looking down at Thor, his tone suddenly becoming incredibly calm.
"Never waste your sadness on a conman who's trying to swindle you out of your pocket or stab you in the back."
Thor was stunned.
He stared blankly at Luca, completely bewildered by what those words meant.
"What... what are you saying, Luca?"
Luca did not answer Thor directly, but instead turned his gaze to Loki.
"Stop pretending, Bambi."
"As the head of a multinational corporation with a market value of trillions of dollars, I face hundreds of swindlers every day who try to use all sorts of sweet talk to trick me into investing."
"I can tell you with absolute certainty that your tricks don't even qualify as a failing grade in my eyes."
Luca pointed to Loki's chest.
"The heartbeat of your dying brother in your arms is more steady than mine, and his muscles are so tense he could stab you at any moment."
"His blood circulation was perfectly normal, and even his breathing rate was consciously controlled."
"So, he wasn't seriously injured at all; he was just using your feelings, treating you like a fool he could manipulate at will."
These words were like a thunderclap out of nowhere.
"What?!"
Thor's eyes widened, and he abruptly lowered his head, staring intently at Loki.
" Loki... is he telling the truth? Are you lying to me?!"
Thor trembled, his eyes filled with disbelief and heartbreak.
He couldn't believe that his younger brother, with whom he had grown up, would use such despicable means to deceive his feelings!
At this point, Loki could no longer keep up the act.
Anger instantly took over his mind.
He is the wisest god of Asgard, and the greatest God of Mischief in the Nine Realms!
His trick was exposed by a mere mortal from the Midgard, right in front of his most hated older brother!!
This is a trampling on his intelligence and dignity!!
"Enough!!!"
Loki suddenly opened his eyes, grabbed Thor, and leaped up from the muddy, filthy ground.
"You lowly, arrogant ant!"
"How dare you speak to a god in such a tone! How dare you presume to fathom the power of a god with your pathetic intellect!"
Buzz!
With a roar from Loki, he swung his hands.
Two daggers, gleaming with a chilling green light, instantly appeared in his hands.
"I am Loki! Prince of Asgard! The future King of the Nine Realms!"
"Since you insist on courting death, then I will use your blood to wash away your blasphemy against the gods!"
Before he could finish speaking...
Loki transformed into a green blur, brandishing his dagger and aiming straight for Luca's throat!
"Careful!"
Pietro, standing behind, gasped in surprise.
Although he knew Luca was a monster, Loki was, after all, an Asgardians.
This sudden attack certainly looked very dangerous.
However.
Luca remained standing quietly, his expression calm.
He had to admit, he admired the other person's courage.
Loki was getting closer and closer, but Luca simply veered slightly to the left to avoid the Blade.
Immediately afterwards.
Under the horrified gazes of Pietro and Thor.
Luca's right hand shot out like lightning.
"Smack!"
A crisp sound.
Luca caught Loki's right foot, which he had raised as he lunged forward.
Loki's charge froze in mid-air.
His eyes widened, still not understanding what was happening.
"Gods?"
Luca smiled slightly.
"There are no gods on my territory."
"There are only rules."
The moment the words left his mouth.
Luca unleashed his power instantly.
"Get down here!"
Luca gave a low shout.
Then, Loki was swung through the air in a semi-circle.
It then slammed violently onto the road!
"Bang!!!"
Loki's face made solid contact with the ground.
The road surface was instantly dented.
Gravel flew everywhere, and dust billowed up.
"Ugh!"
Loki let out a scream, feeling as if his internal organs had shifted out of place.
However, this is only the beginning.
Luca gave Loki no chance to breathe, transforming into a heartless pile driver.
Grabbing Loki's ankle, they pulled him out of the pit.
Turn around.
Backhand!
It slammed hard into the ground on the left side again!
"Bang!!!"
Another huge pitfall.
"Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!"
In the next five seconds.
Luca grabbed Loki and slammed him back and forth wildly, left and right!
Each strike was accompanied by a deafening roar and the sound of the ground cracking.
After smashing it more than ten times.
Luca finally stopped.
He casually tossed the now-unrecognizable Loki to a corner a few meters away.
Clang.
Loki collapsed to the ground.
The robe was filthy, stained with mud and blood.
His face was covered in bruises and abrasions, and he had a completely bewildered expression.
The entire hall fell silent.
Pietro was completely dumbfounded.
He then swallowed hard, and couldn't help but take two steps back, pressing himself tightly against the wall.
"Fuck... this is fucking brutal..."
"I take back what I said earlier. Luca is usually too kind to me."
Thor, standing to the side, was also completely dumbfounded.
Luca actually managed to swing Loki, the prince of Asgard, around and beat him?!
What... what if I...?
Luca straightened his slightly disheveled collar.
Then, he disdainfully patted the dust off his hands.
He then shook his head, leaving behind a remark that Loki would never forget for the rest of his life.
"What a weak god."
These words deeply wounded Loki's remaining pride.
What a weak god...
What a weak god...
Loki stared blankly at the sky, his heart ashen.
He, the Prince of Asgard, the God of Mischief.
But today, they don't even have the right to resist in front of a mortal in the Midgard.
Magic and noble lineage have all become a pathetic joke.
Humiliation and resentment overwhelmed Loki's reason.
He knew that if he stayed there, this guy really would kill him.
"I... I'll remember you... mortal..."
Loki bit his tongue, forcibly draining the remaining magical energy from his body.
"Buzz!"
A blinding green light instantly enveloped his entire body.
Immediately afterwards.
With a whoosh.
Loki fled the alleyway that he would never forget, like a stray dog.
It was so fast that even Pietro didn't have time to react.
"Boss! He ran away!"
Pietro reacted quickly, yelling as he prepared to unleash his super speed to give chase.
"Stop chasing."
Luca raised his hand, stopping Pietro.
Why not pursue it?
Because it's unnecessary.
Kill Loki? That would be the most foolish thing to do.
If he were to kill Loki's brother right now in front of Thor, even if Loki was a fraud, Thor would still turn against him because of their blood ties.
This is the crown prince of Asgard!
It's a fat sheep that lays golden eggs!
Keeping Loki alive, so that Thor will be grateful to him, is the right choice.
and...
A glint of shrewdness flashed in Luca's eyes.
When he was holding Loki, he clearly remembered the special energy frequency within Loki's body.
"A magical circuit of spatial folding and illusion construction...?"
Luca secretly plotted.
" Tony was worried about not finding a breakthrough with the nanotech armor. The data we've collected now is enough to keep us studying it for quite some time."
I wonder how Tony is doing with his studies, and whether he's become the Sorcerer Supreme yet.
Luca pulled himself together, turned around, and put on a gentle expression.
He then walked over to Thor, who was still in shock and confusion.
" Thor, my friend."
Luca patted Thor on the shoulder and offered a word of comfort.
Don't be sad.
Your younger brother may have been negatively influenced during his upbringing.
"Every family has its own problems; this kind of thing is very common around the world."
Upon hearing this, Thor looked up.
Having experienced the anger of being deceived by his brother, Thor is now completely lost.
So now, he looks at Luca as if he were looking at a reliable older brother.
" Luca... thank you."
"If it weren't for you, I might still be being deceived by Loki."
"And you not only didn't punish him, you even let him go... Thank you, you're such a good person."
Good person?
Upon hearing this word, Pietro nearly choked on his own saliva.
Fuck!!
Does Thor have some misunderstanding about the word "good person"?
That guy who was just tossing people around doesn't seem like a good person at all!
Luca smiled and nodded, accepting the "friend zone" card without any hesitation.
"The doors of the Justice League are always open for you, my friend."
Luca put his arm around Thor's shoulder and led him out of the alley.
"Let's go, the air here is terrible."
"I'll take you to drink the best wine in the world."
"By the way, let's talk about your upcoming work arrangements on Earth."
"Since you can't go home now, you have to find a job to support yourself, right?"
Thor nodded repeatedly, deeply moved.
" Luca, you are truly the most generous person I have ever met! I would do anything for you if you could help me regain my divine power!"
"Then it's settled."