Ye Mo's fingers were still trembling.
It wasn't because of the cold, nor because of exhaustion; it was because the electricity in his body hadn't completely dissipated. He stood in the middle of the ruins, the circle of four people still intact, but no one moved. The wind blew through the broken buildings, carrying the smell of burning and the metallic tang of metal.
He stared at the tall building.
The fleeting green light from a moment ago is back on. Not just a flash, but a steady glow, like a light switch being turned on.
"Here they come," he said.
The sound wasn't loud, but all three of them heard it.
The moment he uttered the words, his left arm began to burn. A crack appeared in his skin, blood seeped out, then closed up again, as if his Regeneration abilities were working on their own, as if they had sensed something beforehand.
The glass shattered ten meters in the air.
It didn't shatter, it exploded completely, as if something had pushed it open from the inside. The black Cloak flew out, stepping on the air as it fell. It didn't land, but hovered in mid-air, ten meters above the ground, the tip of the scepter pointing downwards, green light flowing down the scepter.
Loki has arrived.
He was dressed just like in the painting, his armor gleaming, his eyes cold, and a smile playing on his lips. His gaze swept around the room before finally settling on Ye Mo's face.
"You guys are having a great time," he said, his voice sounding like he was chatting. "Too bad... the game has only just begun."
Ye Mo did not reply.
He knew this kind of person wouldn't attack right away; they'd usually say something first. But he didn't dare let his guard down, keeping his feet firmly on the ground, ready to slip away at any moment.
The scepter moved.
Three beams of green light shot out from the tip, forming a triangle, directly locking Ye Mo in the front, back, left, and right directions. The speed was fast, the trajectory was straight, and there was not a single fancy move.
Ye Mo's pupils contracted.
The Telepathy detected the energy fluctuations—this wasn't ordinary magic; it had a shockwave that could shake the mind. If you were slow to react, even if your body was unharmed, your consciousness would be disrupted.
He pushed off with his right leg, sliding sideways along the ground. His work pants ripped at the knees against the gravel, tearing the fabric and breaking his skin, but he didn't care.
Three beams of light grazed his shoulder and blasted three craters in the wall behind him. Cement flew off, steel bars were exposed, and hot air hit the back of his neck.
He stopped and looked up.
Loki was still there, motionless, his scepter raised even higher, green light gathering within him.
"You've been waiting for this moment?" Ye Mo asked, taking a breath.
He didn't want to speak, but he needed to confirm. This man wasn't there to save the day; he was there to clean up the mess. The fact that he only appeared after the Chitauri Army's defeat meant that all the previous battles were part of a pre-arranged script.
Loki smiled but didn't answer.
He simply pressed the scepter down.
The fourth beam shot out, faster and thicker than the previous ones. This time it wasn't a blockade, it was a direct hit.
Ye Mo rolled away, using his left hand to brace himself against the ground, and his right shoulder slammed into a fallen billboard. The metal sheet dented and made a sound. The beam of light hit the spot where he had been standing, causing the ground to collapse by half a meter, with cracks spreading outwards like a spider web.
He lay on the ground, not getting up immediately.
My heart is racing, but my mind is clear. The system notification in my head reads: [High-level magical energy detected. Gene Spiral Tower, 19th floor, is activating...]
He ignored it.
Now is not the time to upgrade. He has to survive until he can use the new ability.
Loki slowly descended a little, hovering seven meters above the ground. He looked at Ye Mo with the same gaze one would give a struggling insect.
"Do you know why I was able to win?" he finally spoke, his tone relaxed, as if lecturing, "Because you always think you're defying fate."
"Actually, you're just completing it."
Ye Mo slowly propped himself up.
His left arm was still cracked, and the abrasions on his right leg were starting to feel hot. He took off his glasses and threw them away. The lenses were already cracked; wearing them would only get in the way.
"And what about you?" he asked. "Are you the executor of fate, or just another villain who thinks he's incredibly important?"
Loki's smile faded slightly.
He wasn't angry; instead, he nodded, as if he appreciated the remark.
"Interesting," he said. " Tony relies on technology, Thor on divine power, Natasha on training, and what do you rely on? Picking up fragments of other people's abilities?"
You are not even your own strength.
Ye Mo grinned.
"But I'm alive," he said. "Your brother locked you up for hundreds of years, Tony treated me like a brother, and my teammates trusted me."
"And you? Besides hiding behind the scenes and pulling strings, what else have you done?"
Loki's eyes changed.
The green light spun faster on his scepter.
The wind suddenly stopped.
The smoke from the ruins had stopped rising, and even the tattered rags seemed to hang motionless in the air. The entire battlefield appeared to have been paused.
Ye Mo knew this was a sign of impending magic.
He didn't move, nor did he call for backup. Tony and the others were right there, but he couldn't count on them to help. This round, he had to handle it himself.
The scepter was raised and pointed at his brow.
The fifth beam of light condensed, its color deeper, with purplish edges. This wasn't an attack on the body; it was aimed at consciousness. A single hit would cause anything from loss of consciousness to severe memory loss.
Ye Mo closed his eyes.
With his Telepathy fully activated, he wasn't scanning his surroundings, but rather tracing back the frequencies of those beams of light. He memorized the rhythm of each fluctuation, like keeping time for a song.
He was looking for an opening.
Three seconds.
Two seconds.
One second.
He opened his eyes, pushed off the ground with his right foot, and lunged forward to the left. It wasn't a straight run; it was a diagonal jump and roll, a crooked path, but fast.
The beam of light grazed his back and struck a load-bearing pillar of a building behind him. Rocks shattered, the entire building shook, and bricks fell to the ground.
He didn't stop, he kept rolling until he crashed into an overturned police car.
He leaned against the car door, panting.
His hand reached into his pocket; inside was a Vibranium plate, which he had previously salvaged from enemy equipment. He gripped it tightly, preparing for the next round.
Loki looked down at him, and stopped laughing.
"You're a little more troublesome than I thought," he said, "But that's all."
He waved his scepter, and the ground began to tremble.
It wasn't an earthquake; it was runes glowing. A green line spread out from beneath his feet, rippling outwards like water. When it touched debris, metal turned green, stones cracked, and everything affected distorted.
Ye Mo recognized him.
This is Asgard sealing technique that can turn an area into a magical cage. Once formed, those inside cannot get out, and those outside cannot get in. It also suppresses non-magical abilities.
His Regenerative Phasing may be affected.
"You think you can control everything?" Ye Mo leaned against the police car, his voice a little hoarse, "But you missed one thing."
Loki raised an eyebrow.
"What?"
"I don't just rely on the system," Ye Mo said, "I also rely on my brain."
He raised his right hand, and the Vibranium plate in his hand suddenly lit up.
He didn't activate it himself.
It's an automatic system response -- [High-frequency magical fluctuations detected, Vibranium Resonance mode triggered].
He had just discovered that this piece of Vibranium had a slight feedback effect on Loki's magic. It was as if it could absorb a little energy and then reflect it back.
He didn't know what he could do, but now he wanted to give it a try.
Loki paid no attention to what was in his hand.
He simply shoved the scepter downwards.
The green ripples spread rapidly, now only five meters away from the police car.
Ye Mo gritted his teeth and raised the Vibranium plate towards Loki.
The next second, the ripples collided with the metal.
Buzz--
A low hum sounded.
The Vibranium plate became hot, and cracks appeared on its surface. But in that instant, a very thin beam of silver light rebounded and shone directly into Loki's face.
Loki tilted his head.
A silver glint grazed his armor, leaving a shallow mark.
He looked down at the scratch on his chest, then at Ye Mo, a look of surprise on his face for the first time.
"You actually..."
Ye Mo leaned against the police car, his hands still trembling, but his eyes remained focused.
"I told you," he took a breath, "I didn't just pick up the pieces."
Loki floated in the air, his scepter hanging down, the green light still shining.
The wind picked up again, swirling dust between the two.
Ye Mo's left arm lacerated open again, and blood dripped down his fingers, hitting the Vibranium plate with a soft "tap" sound.