Boom!
Steve was forcefully smashed through a wall and rolled into another room.
"Thor? What are you doing?!"
Steve asked loudly.
He didn't understand why an ally, someone on the same side, would suddenly start beating him.
Or was Thor actually on Loki's side, and had just fooled them and used the chance to infiltrate to break them from the inside?!
"Thor!"
Steve blocked Thor's fist and kept retreating.
Right now, he didn't have his shield in hand and couldn't fight Thor on equal footing; after all, Thor was an Asgardian, a physical monster, not to mention his strength.
At the moment, Steve was barely holding on thanks to his combat skills and the super soldier serum!
But if this kept up, he wouldn't last long, especially since Thor hadn't even grabbed his hammer yet!!
What the hell is going on out there!
Steve was desperate.
...
Lowest level of the Helicarrier.
Natasha was struggling to move a pillar that had pinned her leg while nervously looking in one direction.
"Banner!? Are you okay!?"
Right now, Natasha's biggest concern was Banner's condition, more than the unknown attacker outside!
As far as she knew, even though Banner could maintain some stability under normal conditions, if he experienced shock or injury, the Hulk would come out immediately!
Especially since Hulk didn't distinguish between enemies and allies, and she was currently the most vulnerable, unable to move.
"Banner!?"
Natasha got no response, but suddenly heard footsteps growing closer!
Cold sweat drenched Natasha, and she desperately tried to free her leg.
Natasha swore!
Even during missions where she expected certain death, she had never been this scared!!
Natasha slowly backed away while keeping an eye on her surroundings.
Then, suddenly, a hand touched her shoulder.
"Are you okay?"
"Ahhh!!"
Natasha was so frightened that she rolled forward!
If she had a gun on her, she would've definitely unloaded it on the person without hesitation!
"It's me! Don't panic!!"
Banner placed a hand on his chest, breathing deeply and trying to calm his heartbeat.
"Banner? Oh, damn! You almost gave me a heart attack!!"
Natasha, seeing that he hadn't transformed, lay on the ground, panting.
"You scared me, but luckily Hulk didn't come out." Banner was also shaken.
"How did you manage to hold back? I thought you'd already…"
"Turn into the Hulk, right?" Banner shook his head.
"I can still control it. All thanks to Alaric."
"Alaric? You know him too?" Natasha was surprised.
"Yeah. When I was in Manhattan, Alaric stopped the Hulk. Thanks to him, I haven't had to worry about transforming for a long time; even after this shock, I managed to hold back."
Banner explained as he picked up Natasha and carried her out.
"He can do that? Are all these magicians really that strong?"
For the first time, Natasha became genuinely curious about magic; it all seemed too surreal to her.
They exited without incident, passing agents who were either unconscious or dead.
That made Natasha frown.
What the hell managed to get on the Helicarrier without anyone noticing?!
"Thor!?"
At that moment, they both heard Steve's voice.
Banner and Natasha wanted to head toward them, but Natasha suddenly spotted a familiar figure.
"Clint?!"
"Banner, go to Steve, I'll go get Clint!"
"Banner, release the Hulk if needed!"
Natasha ran off, and at the end, she added a shout.
That made Banner uneasy.
He hadn't transformed in a long time, and he didn't want to break that streak.
"Steve? Thor!? What are you doing?"
Banner saw Steve getting beaten and was confused.
"Banner! Thor's a traitor! He's on Loki's side! Help me!!"
Steve shouted.
"What!?"
Banner looked at Thor in disbelief.
That Thor was a traitor!?
Who would believe that!!
But the scene in front of him forced him to believe.
"Maybe… I should go get reinforcements!?"
Banner stood to the side, rubbing his hands.
"Honestly, my job is just to look for the Cosmic Cube, not to fight."
"Banner!!"
"Goddamn."
Banner was conflicted.
At that moment, Thor raised his hand, and Mjolnir broke through the wall and landed in his palm.
Then Thor swung and smashed Steve into the ground!
"Banner! Stop stalling! Transform! Let the Hulk out!"
Steve's pupils shrank; he called out in panic, even cursed in pain!
If he had his shield now, Steve wouldn't be this scared, but he didn't!!
Just as the hammer was about to fall on Steve, a roar suddenly erupted.
Boom!
A green body slammed into Thor.
"Hulk!!"
Hulk glanced at Steve on the ground, then charged at Thor who had gotten up again.
"Finally… I'm saved!"
Steve sprawled on the floor, never in his life so happy to see the Hulk!!
...
"Hmm… Tony, let's go."
Loki watched as the Helicarrier lost more and more altitude and concluded it would soon crash, so he intended to leave.
As for those on the Helicarrier, Loki didn't care.
For him, the goal was achieved, everything was going according to plan.
Now Loki just had to wait for the Chitauri attack, and once everything was over, he would sit on the throne.
And things unfolded just as he envisioned: above Stark Tower, a light ignited and pierced the sky.
A massive space rift opened, and the Chitauri army, already prepared, began flying out one after another.
This sudden sight made all New York citizens lift their heads.
And then they saw a scene they would never forget!
Earth, for the first time, was being invaded by aliens!!
Destruction was coming.
...
Helicarrier.
Thor was stopped by Hulk, and the two were fighting, destroying everything around them.
After collecting himself a bit, Steve ran off to find his shield.
At the same time, his mind was buzzing: why hadn't he seen Tony anywhere?
Control room.
"Fuck!"
"Hey! We're going down! What are you all doing here!?"
"Why aren't you fixing the engines!?"
"Have you all gone insane?!"
"Coulson!!"
Fury shouted darkly at the agents standing in front of him with weapons aimed.
What the hell kind of magic did Loki use on them!? That they would obey orders this blindly!
"For the Queen, we will gladly give our lives!!"
The agents, including Coulson, shouted solemnly.
"… The Queen? Not Loki!?"
Fury's jaw dropped.
He thought Loki was the one controlling his people, didn't expect a "queen" to appear!?
Who the hell is this Queen!?
At that moment, Fury most wanted to just shoot them.