Jarvis was as efficient as ever. He carried out Tony's every command, no matter how impractical or outrageous it seemed.
This time, Jarvis quickly switched the armor's mode. The nano-materials on the arms and chest rippled like waves, reshaping into magical alloys within a second. Some parts gleamed with an agate-like luster, refined to conduct magic at peak efficiency.
"Magic-Powered Palm Cannon ready, sir," Jarvis reported.
"Excellent." Tony halted mid-step, his right hand snapping up as the Palm Cannon lit with crimson energy. The Ten Rings on his fingers pulsed, connecting to the flow of magic inside him. The muzzle glowed red, a sharp contrast to the usual technological beams he fired.
To Thor, though, it looked no different.
"Another laser weapon," he said grimly before breaking into a confident grin. "The same trick cannot defeat Thor twice, Midgardian."
Raising Mjolnir high, Thor summoned the storm. Lightning cascaded from the clouds above, wrapping around him until he looked like a man-shaped thunderbolt. The Asgardians in the arena roared with approval, their voices hoarse with excitement.
This was what they loved: defeat turned to triumph, a warrior rising again to crush his enemy and reclaim honor.
Thor charged forward, thunder exploding around him. "Come! Release all your power!"
He thought Tony was repeating his earlier attack, preparing to pit the Palm Cannon against his storm once more. He intended to rip it apart with brute force.
Tony, however, had other plans.
Watching Thor rush headlong into the attack, Tony couldn't help but mutter, "Seriously? Is he trying the same move again? Do all these gods have just one brain circuit?"
He sighed. "Fine. Since he wants it, I'll give it to him. Jarvis, prepare…"
The cannon surged. Tony aimed and shouted, "Expelliarmus!"
Boom!
The crimson beam roared to life, thicker than Tony's arm, slicing through the sky and slamming straight into Mjolnir.
Thor grinned, confident in his strike. But the result was far from what he expected.
The beam didn't shatter. Instead, it severed Thor's connection with Mjolnir, ripping away his divine power. The hammer flew from his grip as the blast slammed into his chest, hurling him into the arena's energy shield. He slid down unconscious, still smiling as his eyes rolled back.
The arena fell silent.
Asgardians who had been cheering a heartbeat before stood frozen, arms raised mid-shout. They stared in disbelief at Mjolnir on the ground, then at their fallen prince.
Tony hovered above with a casual shrug. "Didn't think the Expelliarmus Cannon would be that effective. Not only knocked away his weapon, but cut off his power source too."
He tilted his head at Thor's limp form. "Big golden retriever, kind of silly, huh? Not sure that was worth months of preparation."
Jarvis replied evenly, "On the contrary, sir. Your judgment was correct. Thor's strength depends heavily on Mjolnir. Severing that connection guaranteed victory."
"Of course it was correct," Tony said smugly, hands on his hips. "Enhanced with this armor, my Expelliarmus isn't just a disarming spell. It's practically an artillery strike."
He chuckled. "Didn't Malrick once say Harry Potter's Expelliarmus was as good as an Unforgivable Curse? Well, mine's definitely stronger than Hogwarts' finest."
Jarvis cautioned, "I suggest pressing the advantage. Thor will likely regain consciousness within a minute."
"Right, Point Break does have insane durability." Tony landed near Thor, noting the prince's condition. No serious injuries, just unconsciousness. It wouldn't take long for him to call Mjolnir back and recover.
"We need to finish this, Jarvis."
His left Palm Cannon flared again, releasing another crimson beam that pinned Thor to the energy shield, stripping away the last fragments of his armor.
Tony raised his right hand. This time, the light was not red but blue-silver, alive with electrical arcs.
"He's unconscious and powerless. Let's see how he likes being on the receiving end of lightning."
The cannon discharged. A massive pillar of lightning struck Thor, wracking his body with violent spasms. His armor, already broken, fell away entirely.
"Wow," Tony muttered as Thor twitched helplessly. "I was just testing it out, but he can actually be hurt by lightning? That's awkward."
He ramped up the power, and Thor convulsed even harder, limbs jerking like a puppet on strings.
The Asgardians in the stands were horrified. A moment ago, they had cheered for Thor's might. Now, they watched their prince flail like a rag doll, expressions twisted as if they'd swallowed poison.
On the high platform, Odin's face darkened. His grip on Gungnir tightened until he slammed it against the ground.
"Enough!"
A wave of power rippled through the arena, dropping Asgardians to their knees. Before it could reach Tony, Malrick appeared, casually tearing open the energy shield and brushing Odin's magic aside.
"Apologies, All-Father," Malrick said smoothly. "Thor's resilience is remarkable. Since there were no rules set for this duel, Tony had little choice but to continue his attack."
He hefted Thor effortlessly and tossed him toward Odin. "This round is ours, wouldn't you say?"
Odin caught his son, expression like stone. "Kamar-Taj wins. The second match will begin in half an hour."
He could tolerate Thor losing. What he could not tolerate was watching his heir humiliated—beaten down, stripped of power, and electrocuted in front of all Asgard.
For the first time, Odin realized he had underestimated the Midgardians. These mages were not weak. They were not only powerful, they were dangerously brilliant.
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