However, no matter what, the Aether was in the hands of the Asgardians. Malekith could sense its location with absolute clarity.

Since that was the case…

Malekith had no intention of overthinking. All he needed to do was eliminate these Asgardians and seize the Aether.

Others might fear Asgard, but the Dark Elves did not!

Forget just one Asgardian army—even if it meant striking directly at Asgard's golden realm, the Dark Elves wouldn't flinch.

They were just that fierce.

"Destroy those Asgardians! Bring me the Aether!" Malekith barked coldly.

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

Ship after ship launched from the mothership, swarming like locusts toward the Asgardian camp.

"Engage the enemy!"

"Engage the enemy!"

Thor tightened his grip on Mjolnir and raised it high, rallying his warriors.

The Asgardian soldiers scrambled aboard their ships, charging to meet the Dark Elf fleet.

But—

They were a step too slow.

Because Alex was faster.

Boom!

A sonic boom split the air as Alex vanished from his spot.

Thor and Loki barely caught a blur streaking toward the fleet.

Kaboom! Kaboom!

Kaboom! Kaboom!

In an instant, Alex punched through ship after ship. The Dark Elf warships, which were in no way inferior to Asgard's, exploded like fireworks in the night.

Like leaves caught in a storm, they were scattered, torn apart, obliterated.

The battlefield froze.

It was as if someone had hit the pause button.

Thor. Loki. The Asgardian warriors. All of them stood slack-jawed, their eyes wide with disbelief.

How was this possible?

How could anyone take on an entire fleet with nothing but flesh and blood?

No—not take on. Annihilate.

It was too f*cking exaggerated.

Gulp.

The sound of someone swallowing hard echoed in the silence.

Even Loki, who had once been pummeled into the ground by Alex, felt his scalp go numb.

Was this Alex's true power?

Had Alex not even been serious when he humiliated me before?

What kind of monster was this man?

But strangely, realizing he had been defeated by such a monster brought Loki a flicker of comfort.

"What the hell!"

"How is this possible?!"

Inside the Dark Elf mothership, Malekith's voice broke into a strangled cry.

He was terrified—genuinely terrified—by Alex's sheer brutality.

Even Odin wasn't this savage!

"Retreat! Retreat now!" Malekith shouted, cold sweat pouring down his face.

This was no longer a battle for the Aether. With this monster here, survival itself was uncertain.

"I'm afraid… we might not get that chance!" his subordinate stammered, trembling. "At that speed, escape is impossible!"

Malekith's face twisted. "Then prove your loyalty!"

The subordinate understood instantly. He pulled out a stone and clenched it tightly in his palm.

Crack—crack—crack!

A terrifying transformation erupted. His flesh twisted, bones cracked, and a monstrous figure took form.

The Dark Elves' ultimate weapon—the Cursed Warrior—had arrived.

"Buy us as much time as you can!" Malekith ordered.

"Understood!"

The towering Cursed Warrior stomped toward the hatch, ripped it open, and leapt into the void.

Boom!

The ground quaked as he landed, dust billowing around his massive frame. He lifted his bull-like head, eyes blazing as he roared at Alex, who was tearing through ships in the sky.

Kaboom!

He launched himself upward, body rocketing like a cannonball, fist cocked back to crush Alex in one blow.

But—

The moment before impact, his body froze in midair.

Alex hadn't even moved. He simply raised his hand, telekinesis locking the Cursed Warrior in place like an insect trapped in amber.

"What—what's happening?!" The Cursed Warrior's eyes widened in horror.

He was supposed to be the Dark Elves' mightiest weapon. Yet before this man, he couldn't even move.

Kaboom! Kaboom! Kaboom!

Artillery fire rained down from the retreating fleets, engulfing Alex in explosions.

And Alex didn't so much as blink. He stood calmly amid the storm, eyes cold, hand still outstretched.

The bombardment, no weaker than Asgard's own fleet's, rolled over him like a spring drizzle.

The Cursed Warrior's heart seized in primal terror. What kind of monster was this? Since when had Asgard birthed such a freak?

Sizzle—

His body convulsed violently. Blood burst from his chest as his heart was ripped clean out by an invisible force.

The towering warrior collapsed lifelessly, crashing into the ground with a thunderous boom.

Alex casually tossed the heart aside.

It wasn't that he relished brutality—this was simply the fastest way. The Cursed Warrior was far too resilient; in the movies, he had beaten Thor like a dog.

Conventional methods might wound him, but killing him outright would take time.

So Alex had chosen the most efficient way.

Thud!

He dropped the corpse like trash.

Without missing a beat, Alex turned his gaze toward the fleeing fleet—and shot forward once more.

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