The timelines in the surrounding void, those light bands that should have flowed smoothly, began to twist and break wildly.
Countless time branches, like burnt-out light bulbs, flickered erratically in the darkness, emitting a piercing hissing sound, before reassembling and colliding in a chaotic and disorderly manner.
The timeline of the entire multiverse is undergoing an unprecedented collapse.
Thor's expression changed instantly.
He immediately understood.
Immortus's seemingly random words before he died weren't his last words; they were spoken specifically to him.
This was that old man's backup plan, or perhaps the forces behind him finally couldn't resist making their move.
Their target is Loki at the end of time.
"Something's happened," Thor said to Jean beside him, his tone urgent and leaving no room for doubt. "Come with me."
He has to go and support Loki; if Loki falls, the entire multiverse will perish along with him.
Without the slightest hesitation, Thor raised his hand to tear open a portal leading to the end of time.
Golden lightning gathered in his palm, and ripples began to appear on the spatial barrier.
However, just as the portal was about to take shape...
Buzz--
Three figures appeared out of Thor air, blocking Thor's path in a triangular formation.
These were the three Time-Keepers had just backed down and retreated.
Thor stopped what he was doing, looked up at them, and frowned.
What are these three old fogies up to?
He was terrified by the zither earlier, and now he's come back to die?
He was a little annoyed and didn't have time to waste with these guys.
Ast, the leader, with his expressionless face like that of an ancient Greek statue, was looking down at Thor.
There was no trace of guilt or fear in his eyes; instead, there was an undisguised greed.
"We are sorry, but we cannot allow you to go and support that usurper New Gods."
Ast's voice rang out amidst the chaotic flow of time, carrying a self-righteous solemnity.
"The power over time should not be in the hands of such a cunning Asgardians. We need it, and we will be better at maintaining the balance of the multiverse than he is."
Thor was stunned for a moment after hearing this.
He was so angry he laughed.
"Hehe."
A short laugh escaped his throat.
So that's what they were waiting for all along.
Maintaining the timeline, cosmic balance—it's all bullshit.
These hypocritical bastards, all they ever wanted was the golden throne under Loki's ass.
Now that Loki is in trouble, they see an opportunity and want to take advantage of his misfortune.
Jean Grey stood silently behind Thor, sensing the changes in his Shang-Chi.
Just moments ago she was anxious, but now, a chilling killing intent that even made her heart tremble is slowly rising within her.
The Phoenix Force within her began to stir, ready to respond to Thor's will and incinerate everything before her.
She knew very well that these three so-called guardians had touched Thor's sore spot.
Thor did not act immediately.
He simply moved his neck slowly, making a crisp "crack" sound.
He raised his head and coldly swept his gaze over the three guardians in front of him, as if Deadman.
"Are you... sure you want to stop me?"
His voice was calm, without roaring or howling, but the chilling aura emanating from it seemed to freeze the chaotic, flickering timelines around him for a moment.
Ast seemed completely oblivious to this chilling killing intent, or rather, he had absolute confidence in his own and his companions' strength.
In his view, no matter how strong Thor was, he could not possibly defeat the three time controllers at the core of the time turbulence.
"This is not a request, Thor Odinson," another Guardian, Zath, spoke coldly, "It is for the order and stability of the multiverse."
"The usurper must be corrected, and the power of time will be restored," Vorth, the last guardian, added, his voice like the rubbing of old parchment.
Thor, watching these three men spouting nonsense with such earnestness, had finally run out of patience.
He couldn't even be bothered to waste any more words with them.
He was silently calculating in his mind which method would allow them to die in a more creative way.
Using "destruction"? That's too lenient on them.
Using "devour"? That sounds a bit dirty.
Perhaps "reincarnation" is a good option, allowing them to experience true "balance" in an endless cycle of death.
If Valeria were here, she'd probably excitedly pull out her terminal, recording data while muttering, "These stupid and arrogant guys are the best research material."
Ast coldly raised his hand as if reading a verdict.
The other two guardians also performed the same action at the same time.
"For the great order of the multiverse," Ast's voice echoed in the void, filled with a sacred yet hypocritical sense of mission, " Thor Odinson, you must remain here today."
The moment the words fell, three massive torrents of time, powerful enough to tear apart the multiverse, converged in the palms of the three men.
The surrounding space instantly became as viscous as amber, and countless broken timelines were forcibly pulled and compressed by this force, turning into a terrifying gray-white beam of light aimed at Thor.