Loki floated calmly in midair, a taunting smirk playing across his face as he watched his brother's desperate efforts. Thunder roared around him, lashing out in great arcs and tearing at his robes—but that was all it managed to do. The smile on Loki's face didn't waver. To him, Thor's ferocious lightning storm was nothing more than a tickle.

"Brother," Loki said, his voice smooth and mocking, "watching you try so hard like this…"

He leaned forward slightly, meeting Thor's furious eyes.

"…is honestly entertaining."

As the words left his lips, Loki casually swung the Gungnir spear in his hand. Instantly, Thor's lightning was drawn into the tip of the weapon. Loki then thrust it forward ever so slightly—just enough. The lightning surged out again, slamming directly into Thor's chest.

Thor coughed up a mouthful of blood and crashed heavily to the ground.

"Sorry…" a voice cut through the moment.

It was Tony Stark.

"I didn't mean to interrupt your little family drama. But you pissed me off."

Behind Loki, Stark's armor lit up with energy. His arms spread wide, and the arc reactor on his chest glowed brighter and brighter until it finally unleashed a blinding beam of light.

Loki barely glanced at him.

Before the blast could reach him, Loki vanished—and in the same breath, a piercing blue bolt shot back in return. It struck Tony dead-center in the chest, destroying the arc reactor in an instant. The Iron Man suit, now without power, collapsed under its own weight. Stark fell limp, even turning his body was now a struggle.

This was where Gene Mason's philosophy on design sharply differed from Stark's. Gene had distributed power cores throughout his armor—each well-hidden and protected. Stark, on the other hand, had opted for flashiness over practicality. Who in their right mind puts a vital component like the arc reactor right out in the open?

With the "Midgardian fool" taken care of, Loki turned back toward his brother.

"I was raised in a world of lies," he said coldly. "You all deceived me—stripped me of my birthright and caged me in Asgard. You denied me everything I was owed. You even locked me in a prison like a criminal…"

He chuckled darkly.

"But I found an ally. A powerful sorceress. She's helping me fulfill my destiny."

Thor roared and lunged forward, bloodied but unbowed. His meteor hammer spun in his hand, the weapon humming with fury. Loki smiled again, calm and contemptuous. Gungnir flicked forward with terrifying precision—stab after stab, cutting into Thor's flesh and leaving trails of blood.

As his brother collapsed once again, Loki shook his head.

"You know, I could've broken out of that prison long ago. But I was patient. I waited. I calculated every move, every step. I knew that old man Odin would fall into his Odinsleep eventually—and when he did, I made sure he wouldn't wake up."

His eyes gleamed with malice.

"I used just the right tricks to keep him trapped in that cursed slumber forever."

Thor looked up at Loki, dazed and bleeding.

"And what… what was it all for, brother? Do you want to rule Asgard?"

Loki burst out laughing.

"Rule Asgard? Oh, my dear, simple-minded brother," he said, crouching close, eyes filled with scorn. "Is that truly the limit of your ambition?"

"I don't just want to rule Asgard—I want to rule all Nine Realms. I will unite the realms again. I'll forge them into one single continent. And when I do, I will be this world's one true king."

"And don't worry…" he added with an eerie grin, "I'll make sure you live to see that day."

But then, his expression changed. Something bitter, something dark flickered in his eyes.

"…But before that, I have a score to settle."

The smile disappeared. In its place: raw hatred.

"A Midgardian once defeated me… humiliated me," he growled. "I'll find him. And when I do—I'll break him. Piece by piece. I'll make him beg for mercy. And just when he believes it's over, I'll finish him slowly, painfully… so he knows what kind of being he dared to defy."

His face radiated murderous intent.

Meanwhile, in a land of eternal ice and snow, a shadowy figure suddenly appeared.

A black suit. A V-shaped visor glowing faintly.

Gene Mason.

He took in his surroundings silently. His connection to Earth was completely severed. The built-in maps in his neural network were useless. But even so, he understood exactly where he was.

Jotunheim.

One of the Nine Realms. The realm of the Frost Giants. Asgard's ancient enemies.

Back in Vanaheim, the realms had begun converging. That's what pulled him into this place—a dimensional slip, a side effect of the convergence. Judging by the readings on his instruments and the shrinking rift overhead, the convergence was finally ending. The realms were pulling apart once more.

That could only mean one thing:

Wanda and the others had succeeded. The mission was a success.

The Celestial Alignment had been disrupted. The Dark Elves defeated. Most importantly…

Gene had obtained the fourth Infinity Stone.

Now, it was time to return home.

--------------

T/N:

Access Advance Chapters on my

P@treon: [email protected]/MPHFics