Ch: 306-315
Chapter 306 Organization
Hearing the familiar electronic sound, Rogers also pondered in his heart why there would be an artificial intelligence from the Six-pointed Star Alliance here.
Rogers and Sam continued to descend in the elevator until it reached its destination and stopped a minute later.
After the elevator stopped, Rogers and Sam exchanged glances and then exited the elevator.
After exiting the elevator, the two once again passed through tightly sealed doors. When they stepped through the last door, the scene before them suddenly opened up.
In the clean and bright hall, many staff members were working. A man in a long black trench coat turned around when he heard the door open.
"Welcome to the forest, gentlemen," Nick Fury said with a smile when he saw the two enter.
Seeing Nick Fury appear before them, Rogers rolled his eyes helplessly and said, "We just searched the entire forest, it took us several hours."
Hearing Rogers' complaint, Nick Fury nodded with a smile and said, "I know, this was also to let you familiarize yourselves with the environment here first."
"After the recent search, you should already be intimately familiar with this terrain."
Hearing Nick Fury's words, Rogers was already too tired to complain. He looked at Nick Fury and asked in a deep voice, "Why did you contact me for a meeting and then go through all this trouble? And when did you get another S.H.I.E.L.D.?"
Hearing Rogers' words, Nick Fury said nothing, only waved his hand and led them into a nearby conference room.
He gestured for them to sit down, and as he leaned back on the sofa, he said, "I invited you here to see your current state, and also to offer you a job."
"Currently, your condition is quite good. Although you haven't shaved and your hair isn't as shiny as before, your physical fitness and perception are still the same."
Hearing Nick Fury's assessment, Rogers leaned back on the sofa, narrowed his eyes, and said, "Offer a job? Doing what?"
"The same as before, for justice and to protect Earth's safety," Nick Fury said, taking a sip of coffee from the table, in response to Rogers' question.
Rogers chuckled lightly and said, "I just escaped from one set of shackles; how could I possibly return to another?"
"I'm the same as the Captain," Sam, who was sitting next to Rogers, spoke up after Rogers finished.
Although it seemed like the previous conversation hadn't mentioned him, he felt it was necessary to state his position.
Hearing their replies, Nick Fury first gave Sam a faint glance, then turned to Rogers and said, "I think you might have misunderstood. This place isn't what you think, nor is it another set of shackles."
"This place has no connection with any official government. It's just a spontaneously formed independent organization. Here, you don't need to obey the commands of those vested interests in the government as you did before. You just need to listen to your own heart and do what is right."
Although Nick Fury had explained and clarified, Rogers remained silent.
The Insight Project incident had made him very critical of some of Nick Fury's actions, and after that incident, he was full of distrust for agencies like S.H.I.E.L.D. and full of suspicion for those in power.
Seeing Rogers' silence, Nick Fury sighed and then said helplessly, "I've already been completely transparent with you about the establishment and operation of this place. What else do you have to worry about? If you ever feel that this place also isn't suitable for carrying out your ideals, you can leave at any time. No one will have any objections."
Hearing Nick Fury's frank words, Rogers raised his eyes and said in a deep voice, "You said this is a spontaneously formed independent organization. Who initiated it?"
Hearing this, Nick Fury leaned back on the sofa and said with a smile, "I won't take credit for answering that question. Let the newcomer tell you."
Hearing Nick Fury's words, Rogers and Sam looked back, only to see that Meng Ran had appeared and was standing not far behind them, at some unknown point.
Seeing their gazes fixed on him, Meng Ran walked towards the sofa, speaking to them as he did so.
"The idea of forming this organization came about after S.H.I.E.L.D.'s Insight incident. Although S.H.I.E.L.D. was destroyed along with HYDRA, we didn't think it was a bad thing. At least we wouldn't have to be controlled by the will of those in power anymore."
"So I proposed to Nick Fury that we establish a pure organization dedicated to protecting Earth, with no vested interests tied to any government or country, which is this organization now."
"However, after that, it took some time to clear out the remnants of HYDRA and the threat of monsters, so it wasn't until the Ultron incident was resolved that this organization was officially established and began to operate."
Meng Ran watched Rogers as he spoke. After explaining the origin and events of the organization's founding, he continued, "Oh, there's one more thing I need to tell you about the establishment of this organization."
"The operating funds for this organization are mainly provided by Stark and me. I hope you won't be unhappy about this."
After speaking, he looked deeply at Rogers again: "This can also be considered a contingency left by Stark. He also knew that government officials had their own ideas, so he didn't completely put all his bets on the Avengers."
"He still needs a pair of eyes and timely intelligence to constantly remind him whether the Avengers' upcoming missions are ethical and correct."
Hearing Meng Ran's words, Rogers was silent for a moment, then said in a deep voice, "He didn't tell me about this."
Hearing Rogers' words, Meng Ran immediately said, "This organization needs to be kept secret. Of course, it's also possible he simply forgot."
"So, after saying all this, do you still think this job isn't suitable for you?" Having said all that needed to be said, Meng Ran directly asked Rogers.
Hearing Meng Ran's question, Rogers pondered in silence.
After a moment, he finally looked up and said firmly, "If this organization is truly as you say, then I'll join."
Hearing Rogers' reply, Meng Ran nodded and said, "Of course, just as I told you, if you feel that your beliefs cannot be upheld here, you can leave at any time."
Chapter 307 Equipment
After negotiations with Rogers, he and Sam, the Falcon, finally confirmed their joining Nick Fury's new organization.
After confirming Rogers's recruitment, Meng Ran seemed to suddenly remember something and said to him, "Oh, and I have good news for you. Natasha and Barton are also members of this organization."
"However, this organization primarily focuses on intelligence gathering, so they don't have many opportunities for missions. Plus, Natasha also has work with the Avengers, so she can actually be considered a part-timer."
Hearing the good news Meng Ran shared, Rogers paused for a moment, then rubbed his forehead and said, "So nearly half of the members of the entire Avengers already know about the existence of this organization?"
Meng Ran nodded in response and said, "Not that many, but it's hard to say in the future. Those members who know have already joined this organization, so the confidentiality of this organization is actually very strong."
After discussing matters concerning the organization, Meng Ran and Nick Fury took Rogers and Sam on a tour of the organization's base.
Actually, Nick Fury was mainly responsible for the introductions, as Meng Ran had not visited here many times. The last time he came, many facilities were not yet operational, so today he was essentially getting a free guided tour along with Rogers and Sam, getting a good look at the base.
After showing them the staff offices, various training grounds, the cafeteria, hangar, and recreation center, they arrived at the final and most important stop of the tour – the armory.
"Let me confirm with you again, is this organization really primarily focused on intelligence gathering?" Sam asked Nick Fury and Meng Ran, looking at the armory that was as large as a football field.
Hearing Sam's question, Meng Ran shrugged and said, "Of course, our organization is primarily focused on intelligence gathering. But even if it's primarily for intelligence gathering, it's normal for us to have some weapons for self-defense and protection, isn't it?"
After Meng Ran finished speaking, Nick Fury, who was standing next to him, also nodded in agreement: "After all, no matter what kind of organization it is, only strong power can ensure a sufficient sense of security."
Listening to Meng Ran and Nick Fury, Sam fell silent. He silently looked at the dazzling array of weapons and equipment before him, not saying a word.
Rogers, standing next to him, was not as surprised as Sam, because he had already become immune to such things. To be honest, even if Nick Fury and the others had a few missiles in this armory, he wouldn't be surprised.
"Is that a missile silo in there?" Sam, who had gradually walked further into the armory, suddenly exclaimed.
"What?" Hearing Sam's exclamation, Rogers's eyes widened and he quickly walked inside.
It turned out that the innermost part of the armory was not a flat wall, but three circular missile silos standing side by side, though these silos appeared to be somewhat smaller than usual.
"It seems they also know not to be too conspicuous, so these should only be able to launch small missiles," Rogers, who had already walked inside, suppressed his surprise after seeing these small missile silos and mused to himself.
As he was pondering, Meng Ran, who had slowly walked over, explained to them, "These are not national-level large missile silos; they can only launch small missiles."
"However, although they are small missiles, after our modifications, their power is not inferior to national-level large missiles at all. This can be considered one of our organization's trump cards, after all, we don't know what kind of crises await us in the future."
"If another alien invasion were to happen, these small missiles could come into play. Their power should be sufficient to destroy a large wave of enemies."
After hearing Meng Ran's explanation, Rogers and Sam were once again shocked, especially Rogers. He had originally thought he had adequately estimated their methods, but he never expected that an estimate is ultimately just an estimate, and can never catch up to the real situation.
After introducing the missile silos, Meng Ran snapped his fingers and beckoned to Rogers and Sam, signaling them to follow him.
As he led the two of them out, he said to them, "You've basically finished touring here. Now I'll take you to see the onboarding gifts prepared for the two of you."
"Onboarding gifts?" Rogers and Sam were somewhat confused upon hearing Meng Ran mention gifts.
However, they soon had their answer, as Meng Ran had already led them to a side wall of the armory.
"Your information has been recorded here. Just stand in this spot, and you can activate your own equipment."
Hearing Meng Ran's introduction, Rogers and Sam exchanged glances, then both stood in the position Meng Ran indicated.
Once they stood in that position, a red light shot out from the wall in front of them, scanning their entire bodies.
After the scan was complete, two screens extended from the wall, and a robotic voice from Xiaobai simultaneously announced: "Please verify fingerprint and iris."
Hearing the electronic voice, Rogers and Sam followed the instructions to verify their identity information.
"Identity confirmed, equipment activated."
As the voice sounded, the wall in front of them opened to both sides, revealing the equipment inside.
On the left were Rogers's equipment. His equipment was a set of gray and black combat fatigues. The style of the combat fatigues was basically similar to his previous one, except for some minor modifications that made it more practical and conducive to combat.
Although there were no major changes in style, the material was updated significantly. This set of combat fatigues was made from the latest Dark Gold III material threads, which are not only fireproof and bulletproof, but also light and breathable, not affecting flexibility during combat at all.
On the right was Sam's equipment. His equipment was a set of black and red combat fatigues, plus a winged flight device. The material of the combat fatigues was the same as Rogers's, also made from Dark Gold III material threads.
The winged flight device looked more agile and refined than his previous one. This device could not only be used for flight but also had many additional functions, and its endurance and material strength were many times stronger than the previous one.
Now, this flight device was capable of withstanding the bombardment of several cannons. Even if Samwere to be blown to smithereens by shells, the flight device would not suffer the slightest damage.
Chapter 308 Ancient One
Next to Rogers' combat uniform was a dark gold shield, the same size as the round shield he had always used.
"This is?" Rogers asked Meng Ran, looking at the shield. His original shield was national property, so he didn't take it with him when he left. Sam's flight gear was the same.
Hearing Rogers' question, Meng Ran immediately replied, "This is for you. It's the same as your previous one. I didn't make any changes, fearing you wouldn't be used to it."
"Haven't you and Sam already handed over your equipment to the country? So, we've prepared equipment for you. Since you've joined the organization, we will definitely provide you with the best equipment."
Hearing Meng Ran's reply, Rogers was filled with emotion. He reached out and stroked the dark gold shield, then held it in his hand, feeling its weight.
From this exquisite equipment, Rogers could also feel the sincerity of Ghost and Nick Fury. This equipment couldn't possibly have been made only after they agreed to join the organization; it must have been prepared in advance.
Thinking of this, Rogers smiled. It seemed Ghost and Nick Fury had been certain all along that he would choose to join.
"Vibranium material, 12 pounds. Besides the color being different and there being no star, it's no different from your previous one. From now on, it will be your new partner," Meng Ran explained to Rogers, who was holding the shield with admiration.
"Although the star is beautiful, the meaning it represents is somewhat biased. It's time for you to let go of those things and walk your own path."
Rogers sighed and said, "I once thought I would carry the star with me until death, but I didn't expect..."
"You've already died with it once. Broaden your horizons; we are to protect the entire world," Meng Ransaid, patting Rogers' shoulder.
"Yes, I should let go," Rogers said, putting the shield on his forearm, trying to strap it on, but after fumbling for a while, he found it difficult.
Seeing Rogers' actions, Meng Ran explained to him, "This shield and the combat uniform are a set. It's integrated with the device on the combat uniform's arm and can be retrieved at any time. In the future, your shield-throwing operations can be even more flashy."
Rogers could only put the shield back in its original place, then curiously asked Meng Ran, "Alright, by the way, where did you find the Vibranium? I remember Ultron should have used all the Vibranium on the market last time, and didn't you end up destroying them along with the mountains and towns?"
"He didn't scrape it that clean. If you search carefully, there's enough to make a shield," Meng Ran told Rogers.
"A few days ago, we also met the King of Wakanda. With more communication in the future, we should be able to cooperate, and then Vibranium won't be a big problem."
After showing Rogers and Sam the equipment, Meng Ran and the others returned to the conference room.
Meng Ran's visit this time was also to settle Rogers. Now that the matter was resolved, he didn't need to stay here. He would leave this place for Nick Fury to manage, as he had to return to Six-Point Star Base.
During this rare free time, he not only had to spend time with his family but also had to go on a date with Gwen, and finally, he had to seize the time to research the Iron Legion and Ultron.
"Hey~ life is truly fulfilling."
After a period of such a fulfilling life, Meng Ran was leaving class this day, preparing to go home.
He only had one class in the morning today, so he could go home early after it was over. Gwenoriginally wanted to go home with him, but unfortunately, a professor's class was suddenly rescheduled to this morning, so Meng Ran could only go home alone first.
Meng Ran planned to drive to a nearby supermarket to buy some groceries, then make a few dishes for lunch and have a drink with Gwen.
After a much-needed leisurely day, after a romantic lunch, he could also do some things he loved with Gwen.
Speaking of which, they hadn't tried uniforms yet. Perhaps today they could unlock some new poses.
"Emmmmm, should I choose JK, or OL? Cosplay might also work. One Piece is good. Nami or Boa Hancock. Robin could also work, I could buy a wig..."
Meng Ran drove, lost in thought, not noticing that when his car passed through a street, it created ripples in the air, like those on a water surface.
Looking at the empty street, Meng Ran quickly snapped out of his wild thoughts and noticed the abnormality outside.
Upon realizing the anomaly, he stopped the car, then with a thought, entered a fully armed state.
"How can there be no one?" Meng Ran wondered in his heart, sensing his surroundings.
After observing for a few more seconds, he had a guess in his mind. He looked around and said in a deep voice, "Is there something you need me for, Sorcerer Supreme? Bringing me into this space shouldn't be to see how my driving skills are, right?"
Shortly after Meng Ran's words fell, an ethereal voice came from not far away: "Odin was right, your perception is indeed very keen."
Along with the voice appeared a bald woman in a yellow mage robe. She spoke while looking at Meng Ran, her bright eyes full of wisdom, as if she had seen through Meng Ran completely.
"This should be our first meeting, and also our last, lucky little one," Ancient One said softly to Meng Ran.
Seeing Ancient One, Meng Ran no longer bothered with disguises and revealed his true appearance.
Anyway, both Ancient One and Odin, these two big figures, knew his true identity, so there was no need for disguise. It was better to show his true face directly, appearing more open and natural.
Hearing Ancient One call him 'little one,' Meng Ran did not refute. After all, she was an old senior who had lived for an unknown number of years, so calling him 'little one' was fine. He had only lived for a little over forty years across two lifetimes combined.
Meng Ran grinned, looking very sunny and confident. He didn't beat around the bush with Ancient Onebut directly asked again, "Is there something the Sorcerer Supreme needs me for?"
Seeing that he didn't want to say much, Ancient One just smiled and continued, "I am about to die, and Earth will face a catastrophe in the future."
"This catastrophe was already destined before you arrived. Although your arrival has made these futures blurry, this greatest catastrophe probably cannot be avoided, and Earth still has to face it."
"My death will leave Earth's defenses somewhat vulnerable for a period. I hope you can protect Earth in my place during this time. Your current strength is already fully qualified for this."
Chapter 309 Supreme Mage
Upon hearing Ancient One's words, Meng Ran also fell silent for a moment, then said to her, "Although my current strength is already powerful enough, I still feel that I have room for further improvement."
"Such as spells?" Hearing Meng Ran's words, Ancient One understood his meaning.
Meng Ran meant that he wanted to learn more spells to continue enhancing his strength; the 'room for further improvement' he spoke of was reserved for spells.
Ancient One smiled, shook her head, and said, "Spells cannot help you. Your power comes from within you, while the power of spells comes from borrowing various energies. Therefore, learning spells cannot make your power continue to grow. Those debts from borrowed energy will instead affect the use of your inherent power."
"Moreover, a more important point is that you do not have the talent for learning spells. Instead of wasting time on learning spells, it would be better to use that time to fully integrate and master your own abilities."
"Your current abilities are too numerous, which prevents you from improving further. Believe me, when you have completely mastered and integrated your abilities, no one in the entire universe will be your match."
Hearing Ancient One's words, Meng Ran felt a little dejected. Although Ancient One had clearly told him that by studying his existing abilities he could reach the pinnacle, not being able to learn spells was indeed a regret.
In his previous life, he was very curious about the magical world of Harry Potter. In this life, although he couldn't access magic, there was at least a similar existence in spells. Now, the foremost person in the spell world directly told him that he had no talent for learning spells, which directly shattered Meng Ran's aspirations.
"Not even by possessing with Venom?" Meng Ran still asked Ancient One somewhat unwillingly. If Ancient One said yes, he would immediately go find Doctor Strange and possess him.
Hearing Meng Ran's question, Ancient One also shook her head, completely extinguishing Meng Ran's hope of learning spells.
"Spells are different from superpowers; they are primarily a matter of talent and feeling, then strengthened through continuous learning. Therefore, your Venom has no way of extracting spells from a sorcerer. This is also why I didn't let you possess me with Venom like Odin did."
It seemed that God not only closed the window for Meng Ran to learn spells but also sealed every tiny crack tightly.
Since everything had been said, Meng Ran could only give up his dream of learning spells.
He cleared the chaotic thoughts swirling in his mind, then said to Ancient One in a deep voice, "Why must you accept death? I believe that as the Sorcerer Supreme, you should have many ways to avoid death."
Ancient One smiled upon hearing Meng Ran's question, then softly said, "Death is not fearsome, nor is there anything that must be avoided."
"To me, death is more like the beginning of another journey. I have stayed on this journey long enough, and it is time to embark on a new one."
"Don't worry, I have already found a successor. His name is Stephen Strange. Although he still has some personality issues to resolve, he will be an excellent Sorcerer Supreme in the future."
"You should meet him later. When the catastrophe arrives, he will face the crisis with you."
Hearing Ancient One's words, Meng Ran also fell silent in thought. He could roughly guess that the catastrophe Ancient One spoke of was likely referring to Thanos's invasion.
If it was like in his memories from his previous life, then Thanos's invasion would indeed be a colossal catastrophe. However, with his presence in this world, he believed that future events would not be as bad as in his previous life's memories. This was the confidence brought by his formidable strength.
After reminding Meng Ran, Ancient One's purpose for this visit had been achieved. She looked at the pensive Meng Ran and softly said, "I believe your existence should change that predetermined outcome. Perhaps this battle will not be as arduous and tragic as I had seen before."
"Then there will be no regrets, Mr. Meng Ran. I hope that in the future, you and Strange can get along well."
"In the coming period, he will experience some things and grow, so that your future cooperation can be more pleasant."
After saying her goodbyes, Ancient One snapped her fingers, and as she did, the scenery around them gradually dissipated.
"Thank you for your reminder, and I hope you also gain something on your new journey," Meng Ran said to Ancient One, waving his hand as the scene gradually faded.
He always held immense respect for this Sorcerer Supreme who had guarded Earth for many years. She was once just an ordinary person, and perhaps she had never imagined she would become the Sorcerer Supreme, guarding Earth and protecting it from the encroachment of other demon gods.
At this moment, seeing Ancient One's free-spirited demeanor, he was truly touched. Including himself, he had never seen anyone view life and death with such clarity and detachment.
"Death is just a new beginning to another path," Meng Ran murmured to himself, looking at the street that had returned to its original bustling state.
Perhaps Ancient One was not wrong, but he still couldn't view death with such optimism.
Compared to embarking on a new journey himself, he still preferred to send his enemies on a new journey.
Ancient One's reminder made Meng Ran feel that time was somewhat pressing. Thanos's army might descend upon Earth before long, and he still had a lot of preparatory work unfinished.
Thinking of this, he immediately felt a little anxious. It seemed that the development of the Iron Legionand Ultron needed to be accelerated.
Before Thanos arrives on Earth, he should first go to the Dwarven Realm to find the Dwarf King to forge the Infinity Gauntlet. And when Meng Ran forged 'Cutting Cloud' previously, he had promised the Dwarf King that he could be contacted if any help was needed.
Thinking this way, if Thanos seeks the Dwarves to forge the Infinity Gauntlet, then Meng Ran should also receive corresponding news.
Because Thanos was threatening the lives of all the Dwarves to coerce the Dwarf King Eitri, Meng Ranbelieved that at that time, he would definitely receive a plea for help from the Dwarf King. This plea would also allow Meng Ran to roughly know when Thanos would arrive on Earth.
Meng Ran continued driving to the supermarket, pondering silently. He suddenly seemed to have thought of a problem he had previously overlooked.
He and Thor hadn't left anything with the Dwarf King that could contact him when they left the Dwarven Realm.
Chapter 310 Nidavellir
Thinking that he hadn't left a way for the Dwarf King to contact him, Meng Ran became a bit restless. After a moment of thought, he decided to settle things on Earth, then make a trip to the Dwarven Realm to leave Eitri something with which he could be contacted.
That evening, Meng Ran kissed Gwen's forehead as she lay beside him, then helped her pull the covers up tightly. He was ready to depart now.
Feeling Meng Ran's kiss, Gwen nuzzled her head into his chest, then opened her slightly hazy eyes and softly asked, "Darling, are you leaving now?"
Meng Ran touched Gwen's head and gently said, "Be good. Although it's a journey through the cosmos, with the Bifrost Bridge, it won't take long. I'll be back very soon."
"Alright, then you have to come back early. I'll miss you," Gwen said softly, pouting her little mouth.
Meng Ran leaned down and kissed Gwen again, then got out of bed, put on his clothes, and left the room.
He didn't summon the Bifrost Bridge where he was staying, but instead chose a more secluded location.
Standing in the deserted wilderness, Meng Ran flipped his hand, took out Qieyun, and then activated his power to summon the Bifrost Bridge.
A moment later, a dazzling, multicolored light descended from the sky, enveloping him. A few seconds later, when the white light vanished again, his figure disappeared with it, leaving only a strange circular pattern on the ground.
The magnificent Bifrost Bridge traversed the cosmos, quickly bringing Meng Ran to his destination, the Dwarven Realm – Nidavellir.
Eitri, on the star-ring, saw the brilliant light of the Bifrost Bridge and put down his work to walk towards it.
In his opinion, those who usually appeared with this Bifrost Bridge were from Asgard, either Thor or visiting envoys.
"Hello, we meet again. How have you been recently?" The colorful light gradually dissipated as Meng Ran greeted Eitri, emerging from the fading glow.
"Oh, Ghost! Why are you here? I thought it was Thor." Seeing that the visitor was actually Ghost, Eitriseemed a bit surprised. He hadn't expected Ghost to suddenly come to visit him.
"Is there a problem with the weapon?" Apart from a weapon issue, Eitri couldn't think of anything else that would make Ghost make a special trip.
Hearing Eitri's question, Meng Ran waved his hand and said, "It's not a problem with the weapon. Qieyun is fine. I came to deliver something."
"Last time I left, I promised that if you ever needed help, you could contact me anytime, but I just realized that I didn't leave you a way to contact me at the time, so I made a special trip to deliver it."
Hearing Meng Ran's words, Eitri was a bit stunned. He hadn't expected the other party to visit him for this reason.
To be honest, Eitri hadn't taken Meng Ran's promise particularly seriously at the time. After all, the Dwarven Realm had been under Asgard's protection for so long, and their daily work was to forge weapons and research forging techniques, so generally speaking, there wasn't much they needed help with.
"Really. You didn't have to make a special trip for this, after all, activating the Bifrost Bridge consumes a lot of energy," Eitri said, somewhat moved. Meng Ran's commitment to his promise truly touched him.
Activating the Bifrost Bridge was a very energy-intensive endeavor; even Asgard had specially built the Bifrost Bridge to handle teleportation. So, Meng Ran's act of specifically activating the Bifrost Bridgefor a promise was truly rare.
Originally, Meng Ran was going to explain to Eitri that he hadn't actually expended much energy, but seeing Eitri so moved, he swallowed what he was about to say.
He looked at Eitri sincerely and smiled, "This energy is nothing. In my opinion, keeping a promise is far more important than this energy."
Hearing Meng Ran's words, Eitri's simple heart was even more profoundly touched. So, he pulled Meng Ran by the arm and took him into the interior of the Dwarven star, where they drank heartily and chatted freely.
After this incident, Eitri valued his friendship with Meng Ran even more. If their relationship was that of good friends after forging the weapon last time, then this time their bond had grown even closer.
The Fire Realm, Muspelheim.
As scorching winds blew, crimson sand swirled across the ground. The dominant color here was crimson, and the air had very little moisture. If a bunch of grapes were hung here, they would likely turn into a bunch of natural, green, pollution-free raisins in no time.
In a strange cave, sharp stones hung like blades from the cave ceiling. In their midst, a thick, long iron chain tethered an iron cage covered in dry, withered vines.
Inside the iron cage, a muscular man with long golden hair was tightly bound by chains, lying in the cage. He looked at another skeleton inside the cage, muttering something softly.
"I know what you're thinking. Why is the invincible Thor, the God of Thunder, locked in a cage? What exactly is going on?"
"Hehehe, well, sometimes you have to get caught first, and then you can find out some things you want to know from someone."
"Why am I in this iron cage? That's a long story, actually."
"Last time, when I was eliminating those robots on Earth, I saw some Visions in the Vision waters. After that, I had a series of nightmares."
"To find the answer to my dreams, I decided to leave Earth for a while and search the cosmos for those colorful, magical Infinity Stones, but unfortunately, I didn't find a single one."
"Then I followed the path of death and destruction from my dream, found this place, and met you," Thor murmured to the skeleton opposite him.
After speaking, he looked at the skeleton and continued to ask, "How much longer do you think we'll have to stay here?"
Just as he finished speaking, the iron cage he was in suddenly emitted a rustling, creaking sound.
Then, the bottom of the iron cage suddenly opened, and the contents, including Thor, fell freely as the cage opened.
"Thud!" After nearly a minute of freefall, Thor plummeted directly from the top of the cave to what seemed like a deep underground area.
"Oh! S***!" The chains wrapped around his waist suddenly tightened just as he was about to hit the ground. Thor felt as if his waist had been suddenly squeezed by Hulk.
Chapter 311 Surtur
After Thor fell to the bottom of the cave, a flame giant, about two to three meters tall, completely engulfed in fire, and with two horns on his head, sat on a stone throne not far from him.
The flame giant looked at Thor, his legs crossed, and chuckled deeply, "Hehehehe, Thor, Son of Odin."
"Surtur, Son of a Bitch!" Hearing the flame giant Surtur's laughter, Thor immediately cursed back without hesitation.
"You're still alive? I thought my father had killed you 500,000 years ago."
Hearing Thor's words, Surtur didn't get angry. He just continued in a deep voice, "Little one, there's a lot you don't know."
"I cannot die, at least not until I have fulfilled the task destined for me."
"So that task is related to Asgard, is it?" Thor asked after hearing Surtur's words.
"Speaking of which, I've been having nightmares lately. In them, Asgard is engulfed in raging flames, reduced to ruins, and you, Surtur, are at the center of that catastrophe."
Surtur nodded and continued, "It seems you have witnessed Ragnarok, the downfall of Asgard. Yes, my fated task is to destroy your home, to destroy Asgard."
"My time is coming. When my crown is bathed in the Eternal Flame once more, I will regain my full power."
"Then I will grow taller than mountains, and plunge my flaming sword deep into the ground of Asgard, letting it be consumed by a sea of fire as it meets its final demise."
"So you need to put your crown into the Eternal Flame, and then you'll suddenly become as big as a house—oh, sorry, a mountain, right?" Thor said, looking at Surtur.
"The Eternal Flame must be that thing in Odin's vault, right?"
Surtur leaned back on his stone throne and said calmly, "Odin has left Asgard, and your departure has left the throne undefended. Now is Asgard's most vulnerable moment."
Surtur's words stirred a ripple in Thor's heart. What did he mean Odin had left Asgard? He was clearly there, wasn't he?
"Could it be... No... Impossible, he's dead. I saw him die in my arms," Thor thought quickly.
The only person Thor could think of who could perfectly transform into Odin was his mischievous younger brother, Loki, the God of Mischief. But he had clearly died fighting the Dark Elves before, right in his arms, and Thor had mourned him for a long time.
Although a storm was raging in his heart, Thor's face remained calm. He continued to ask Surtur, "So where is this crown you speak of? Have you hidden it?"
Hearing Thor's words, Surtur pointed to the horns on his head and said, "Foolish Asgardian, this is my crown, the source of all my power."
He didn't hide anything about these matters, not because he was foolish, but simply because, in his eyes, Ragnarok was a fated event. No matter how much Thor resisted now, it would be useless; what was meant to happen would always happen.
"Oh, sorry, that's a crown? I thought your eyebrows were just unusually exaggerated," Thor continued to trash talk. What he had learned most from interacting with the Avengers was probably trash talk, after all, Tony, Rhodey, and even Natasha were masters of it.
"So, it seems that if I want to stop Ragnarok, the only way is to rip that crown off your head, right?"
"Hahahaha, Ragnarok has already begun. You cannot stop it." Hearing Thor's words, Surtur stood up from the stone throne and slowly walked towards Thor, dragging his flaming sword.
He grabbed the chains binding Thor with one hand, then stared at Thor's head with his enormous eyes and said in a deep voice, "I will be the end of Asgard, and I will soon be your end."
"Everything will suffer, consumed by flames, whether it's your home or yourself, all will be destroyed by my sword."
Thor, at this moment, also stared into Surtur's enormous eyes and said, "Hearing you say that does make me a bit nervous. To be honest, seeing you grow as tall as a mountain and then directly burn a planet, that sight would certainly be spectacular."
"But it seems I can only choose the second path, which is to break free from these chains now, and then rip that so-called crown from your head and hide it in an Asgardian bunker, never to see the light of day."
Surtur looked at Thor and said, "You cannot stop Ragnarok. Why do you insist on resisting? What you are doing now cannot change the predetermined future."
Thor grinned at this, then whispered, "For no reason, it's just what heroes do."
Thor coolly finished his pose, then opened the hand he had behind his back, summoning Meow-Meow Hammer, which he had hidden far away.
One second.
Two seconds.
Three seconds.
"Wait a minute, sorry, my timing is a bit off," Thor said, looking at Surtur with an embarrassed smile.
Surtur stopped talking nonsense at this point, directly raising the flaming sword in his hand, apparently intending to finish off Thor, who was tightly bound, with a single strike.
Just then, heavy thuds grew closer and closer, as if something was crashing through thick walls straight towards them.
"Aha! It's here!" Thor said, breaking free from the chains. As he fell, a silver hammer-shadow flew swiftly towards him.
Thor grabbed Meow-Meow Hammer, and using the momentum, landed steadily on the ground not far from Surtur.
Seeing Thor freed from his chains, Surtur raised his flaming sword and said in a deep voice, "You've made a big mistake, Odinson."
After speaking, he waved his hand, and with his movement, pairs of eyes, as red as flames, lit up in the dark corners of the underground cave.
Hearing Surtur's words, Thor tossed the hammer in his hand up and down and said, "I often make big mistakes; this one is just another one."
He didn't pay any attention to the beasts in the underground space. Since he dared to come here alone, he had already made ample preparations.
As Surtur continued to wave his arm, countless humanoid flame soldiers, the size of normal people, and many larger flame monsters, immediately rushed out from the dark underground space.
Chapter 312 The Flying Skull
Watching the flame monsters continuously surge towards him from all directions, Thor also brandished Mjolnir, smashing the monsters that reached him into pieces.
"Bang! Bang! Bang!" These flame soldiers completely belied their terrifying appearance, one after another they were smashed to smithereens like toys.
The giant flame beast not far away roared and charged towards Thor. Seeing this, Thor directly threw Mjolnir, clearing out all the monsters in its path.
After consecutively smashing an unknown number of flame soldiers, Mjolnir directly struck the giant flame beast's lower jaw.
The immense force made the charging giant flame beast stop in its tracks. It let out a pained wail, then roared even more furiously at Thor.
Thor, at this moment, also stomped the ground and charged towards the giant flame beast.
He first caught Mjolnir, which had flown back towards him after repelling the giant flame beast, and then gripped the strap on the hammer's handle, spinning it forcefully.
Then Thor struck upwards with force, sending the hammer crashing into the giant flame beast's lower jaw once more, directly smashing its head to smithereens.
While Thor and the giant flame beast were fighting, the flame soldiers, like a tide, surged towards him once again.
Thor directly raised the hammer in his right hand above his head, channeling his power to summon lightning.
"Crackling!" Deep blue arcs of electricity encircled his body, releasing violent energy.
"Ha!" With a low roar, Thor slammed Mjolnir directly into the ground, and the lightning coiling around his body shot out in all directions.
The scattered lightning was like frenzied giant serpents; they passed through the chests of the flame soldiers, turning the giant flame beasts into large barbecues.
Even Surtur, holding his Sword of Flame, had to retreat a few steps, holding the greatsword in front of him to block the lightning shooting towards him.
After years of continuous training, Thor's lightning, both in terms of intensity and his control over it, had significantly improved, and the scattered deep blue arcs of electricity were the best proof.
The flame soldiers and giant flame beasts that had originally surged towards him like locusts had been forcibly cleared by this large-scale lightning strike. The crowded underground space now only contained Surtur, holding his Sword of Flame.
"Odinson, it seems I did underestimate you," Surtur said in a deep voice, pointing the Sword of Flame in his hand at Thor.
A thick, long crimson flame shot out from the tip of the Sword of Flame, heading towards Thor, who had just finished releasing his lightning.
Seeing this, Thor hastily grabbed the strap on Mjolnir's handle, then spun it in front of him to form a defensive "shield."
The crimson flame, upon reaching Thor, was also dispersed in all directions by the spinning hammer.
The originally hot underground space grew increasingly hotter under the effect of the flames, and the sand beneath their feet became even drier.
The wind generated by the hammer directly blew up the extremely dry sand, forming a ring of sand around the spinning hammer.
When first subjected to the flame attack, Thor was also forced to retreat a few steps by the powerful force.
But after a stalemate, Thor began to advance step by step towards Surtur, pushing through the spraying flames.
His steps grew faster and faster, and the distance to Surtur grew shorter and shorter.
After rushing to Surtur's side, Thor directly dodged the flame spray by turning sideways, then stomped heavily on the ground and leaped up.
The swinging Mjolnir made intimate contact with Surtur's side face, sending him stumbling back a few steps.
Surtur was also a bit dazed from the hammer strike. Seeing Surtur's state, Thor immediately seized the opportunity and landed a few more heavy blows on his head.
After being severely hammered a few times, Surtur was enraged. He roared and swung the Sword of Flame, wanting to chop this detestable Asgardian into pieces.
But the few hammer blows to his head had left him a bit dazed, and combined with his small-giant-like physique, these two factors made his movements increasingly sluggish.
Thor continuously moved and dodged, flexibly evading Surtur's chops. The fact that none of his attacks landed only made Surtur more furious.
He roared, raising the Sword of Flame above his head, then brought it down with maximum speed and force, intending to cleave the God of Thunder, who hadn't yet regained his footing after moving, in two.
Just as the Sword of Flame was about to strike Thor, Thor swung his hammer, allowing it to carry him in the direction he had not yet stabilized.
"Clang!" Surtur's Sword of Flame once again missed, this time striking the ground directly and carving a deep groove into it.
Under the effect of the Sword of Flame, crimson flames burned within the carved groove, releasing extreme heat that melted the stones in the groove into lava.
As the Sword of Flame struck the ground, Thor, who had flown to the side, maneuvered his body in the air, then flew towards the crown on Surtur's head.
Mjolnir, carrying deep blue lightning, with Thor's full power, directly smashed Surtur's crown to the ground.
As Surtur's crown fell, the flames that made up his body and the Sword of Flame transformed into flowing crimson flames and merged into the crown.
The crown lay on the ground, looking like a goat's skull with long horns.
Unlike its activated state of scorching redness, the crown, once on the ground, had a subdued sharpness, no longer possessing any temperature. It looked like an ancient work of art, though slightly terrifying.
Thor then pulled the thick, long chain beside him, wrapping the skull-crown around his back and carrying it.
Surtur had been dealt with. Now, he only wanted to return to Asgard quickly, because Surtur's words had made him feel very uneasy.
If Odin, currently in Asgard, was Loki in disguise, then where was the real Odin?
Thinking of the chaos he had witnessed in some parts of the Nine Realms during his travels through the universe, he had initially thought it was due to internal disputes within each realm. But now, it seemed the truth should be related to the changes in Asgard.
Odin's disappearance, Loki impersonating Odin and managing Asgard's affairs—no wonder the chaos in the Nine Realms went unchecked. Small incidents connected, and his initial suspicions were gradually confirmed.
Thinking of this, Thor's heart couldn't help but become even more agitated.
He swung Mjolnir, breaking through this underground cavern and emerging onto a crimson-colored surface outside.
Chapter 313 Return to Asgard
"Heimdall, though it has been some time since we last communicated, I trust you can hear my call."
Upon reaching the ground, Thor loudly addressed the sky.
Heimdall's eyes could perceive the cosmos, so Thor's call at this moment would surely be heard by Heimdall.
Thor stood in place for a moment, but no colorful light emanated from the sky.
"Heimdall?" Thor called out, puzzled, not understanding why the Bifrost Bridge still hadn't appeared.
Could it be that Heimdall hadn't heard his call? But that shouldn't be; it was completely abnormal.
Not far from where Thor stood, countless fire monsters and soldiers were roaring and rushing towards him.
Surtur had now transformed into the ancient crown; without his presence, the entire Muspelheim plunged into chaos.
Countless fire soldiers and fire monsters, sensing Surtur's aura, surged madly towards Thor.
Listening to their frenzied roars and shouts, Thor also grew a little tense. Although his combat power was formidable, and the fire soldiers and fire monsters posed no threat to him.
Even if Thor struck one down with each swing, he couldn't withstand the entire planet's fire soldiers and fire giants surging towards him. If he had to hammer them one by one, he'd be at it until next year.
Even if he could summon lightning to clear them in swathes, it would still take an unknown amount of time to completely eradicate them.
Moreover, even if Thor could do it, he couldn't act that way. After all, this place had its own planetary ecosystem. If Thor killed all the creatures here, this planet would become a dead world, which he was unwilling to see.
Left with no choice, Thor could only swing Mjolnir, letting it carry him through the air, while continuously calling out to Heimdall.
"Heimdall, stop joking around, open the Bifrost Bridge!"
At this moment in Asgard, in the place where the Bifrost Bridge was managed, a Bald Man from Asgard was introducing his collection to two women opposite him, while simultaneously disparaging Heimdall.
"Heimdall is an idiot. This job should have made him rich, but he defied Odin."
The Bald Man from Asgard paced back and forth, proudly showing off to the two alluring ladies with long, exposed legs, who were seated on the opposite platform.
"Although this job isn't easy, it has its benefits. You should know that the Bifrost Bridge connects the Nine Realms, so through the Bifrost Bridge, I've come into contact with everything in the Nine Realms."
As he spoke, he walked towards a pile of "collectibles" stacked to the side, then pulled out two M16A4s and proudly introduced them: "I am very fond of these two pieces in my collection."
"I got these from a place called Texas in Midgard."
"I even named them: Destroyer of Heaven and Destroyer of Earth. Combined, they are Destroyer of Heaven and Earth."
"Oh, wow, they look so cool!" Hearing the man's introduction, the two sexy ladies covered their red lips and exclaimed sweetly.
While the man was flirting, Thor was being chased by fire monsters from the entire planet on Muspelheim.
"Heimdall, what in the world are you doing!" Thor yelled at the sky as he flew.
Just a few seconds after his roar, a brilliant light suddenly appeared in the sky—this was the Bifrost Bridge Thor had long awaited.
It turned out that Asgard's Bifrost Bridge administrator, finally alerted by the two ladies, noticed Thor's call. He then hurriedly picked up the greatsword, inserted it into the central hub, and controlled the Bifrost Bridge to shoot towards Thor's location.
"Whoosh~!" The Bifrost Bridge swiftly carried Thor through the cosmos, then returned to Asgard.
The Bifrost Bridge in Asgard shimmered with intense light, and accompanied by the light, Thor swiftly flew out of it.
Flying out with Thor was also the head of a giant beast, its green blood directly covering every corner of the place, splattering the Bald Man and the two sexy ladies with thick, viscous blood.
The beast's head slid across the ground, rolling directly to the feet of the two ladies. Accompanied by piercing screams, the two women quickly left the place. They urgently needed to go home to calm their nerves and clean off the slime from their bodies.
"Well, well, well, look who finally decided to come back. You've certainly given me a big surprise; the gathering I so painstakingly put together has been ruined by you."
"You not only scared away my companions, but you also covered my office in sticky, disgusting blood," the Bald Man complained to Thor.
"Who are you? Where is Heimdall?" Thor asked, puzzled, looking at the unfamiliar face that appeared at the Bifrost Bridge.
The Bald Man heard Thor's words and replied, "I am Skurge. Don't you remember? We once fought side by side in Vanaheim."
"As for Heimdall, no one knows where he went. He is now a traitor to Asgard."
Upon hearing Skurge say they had once fought side by side in Vanaheim, Thor remembered.
But after hearing him say that Heimdall was a traitor, Thor immediately asked in disbelief, "A traitor? How could Heimdall be a traitor?"
Hearing Thor's incredulous question, Skurge shrugged and said, "Odin accused Heimdall of dereliction of duty and defying his orders."
"However, Heimdall escaped before his trial. It's indeed not easy to catch someone who can perceive the cosmos."
Hearing Skurge's words, Thor couldn't accept this fact. He was now certain that Odin was impersonated by Loki.
Thor swung Mjolnir, flying directly towards the palace, completely ignoring Skurge, who was calling out behind him. After all, according to regulations, Skurge had to report Thor's arrival to Odin first.
In Asgard's royal palace, looking at the giant statue of Loki erected in the square, Thor's expression darkened.
He walked onto the platform in the square, where a play was being performed. Its content was adapted from their battle with the Dark Elves, and it was currently at the most classic part: the death of Loki.
Seeing Thor emerge from the crowd, Odin, who was sitting on a soft couch, hastily stood up and said to the people around him, "Oh! My son, Thor, has returned!"
"Heh, this play is quite interesting. What's its name?" Thor stepped into the arena, threw the skull from his back onto the ground, and asked Odin in a deep voice.
Odin heard this, sat back on the soft couch, and holding a wine glass, said to Thor, "The Tragedy of Lokiof Asgard. People want to commemorate him."
"Is that so?" Thor turned his head and stared directly at Odin, saying in a deep voice.
Chapter 314 The Pretender
Seeing Thor's sharp gaze, 'Odin' sitting on the soft couch also became a little nervous.
He sat up straight, clutching his wine glass nervously. He felt that Thor in front of him seemed to have noticed something, but he couldn't be sure.
Loki knew exactly what kind of person his muscle-brained brother was, so logically, he shouldn't have noticed.
However, Thor's current tone and demeanor made him feel an inexplicable tension, a feeling of being out of control that made Loki extremely uncomfortable.
"I like that statue. At least it looks more sincere, less cunning. It looks much better than when he was alive," Thor said softly to 'Odin' while tossing Mjolnir up and down.
After speaking, he caught Mjolnir again, then picked up the skull crown from the ground and asked 'Odin' in front of him, "Well, do you know what this is?"
Seeing the skull crown, 'Odin' also exclaimed in surprise, "Wow, this is Surtur's skull, a very powerful weapon."
"That's right, I just took it off his head."
As Thor spoke, he handed the skull to a nearby guard and said, "Help me put this thing in the cellar, just in case he suddenly revives and destroys the entire planet."
'Odin' nervously rubbed his hands slightly, then stood up and said to Thor, "So, are you going back to Midgard (the human world) next?"
"Not yet," Thor said softly. After speaking, he continued to toss Mjolnir around playfully.
"I've been having the same dream lately, dreaming that Asgard turns to ashes in a sea of fire, and in the center of the fire stands the fire giant Surtur."
"This dream made me feel very uneasy, so today I went directly to Muspelheim and personally removed the fire giant's skull."
"Before I took his skull, Surtur also told me something very interesting, about the whereabouts of the King of Asgard."
Thor spoke while staring at 'Odin', then slowly approached him.
He placed his hands on 'Odin''s shoulders, then forcibly spun him around, making him face away from him.
Although 'Odin' wanted to resist, Thor's strength was simply too great, so he could only nervously swallow his saliva and stammer.
Hearing Thor's words, Loki knew that he had probably been exposed. Although he no longer wanted to continue impersonating Odin at this moment, but instead wanted to somehow muddle through this matter, the people of Asgard were all watching him. How could he possibly drop his disguise so openly?
Just as Loki was frantically brainstorming for a countermeasure, Thor stood behind him and said softly, "He told me that the King of Asgard is not in Asgard at this moment. Asgard is currently vulnerable."
"And he is also preparing to take advantage of this time to launch an attack on Asgard, in order to fulfill his destiny of ending Asgard and ushering in Ragnarok."
"What a bold enemy! How dare he completely disregard Asgard? I will definitely..." Listening to Thor's words, Loki also nervously expressed his strong condemnation of Surtur.
Thor ignored what he said, only squeezed his shoulders and continued, "The Nine Realms are in chaos. People with ulterior motives are secretly stirring, wanting to overthrow Asgard."
"And Asgard, which should be responsible for protecting the peace of the Nine Realms and demonstrating its strength to make these people give up, is completely unaware and indifferent to this."
"Loki, although I don't know how you escaped death, I'm happy to see that you're not dead."
"But why would you do such a thing? And even now, what are you still struggling for? How much longer will you hide behind this clumsy disguise?"
Thor's tone grew colder and colder, and the grip on his hands grew stronger. Loki felt as if his shoulders were about to be crushed.
He lowered his voice and quietly said to Thor, "All the people are here. I can't just drop my disguise like this. It will..."
"It seems I'll have to use some forceful methods." Seeing Loki still haggling with him, Thor's patience reached its limit.
He flung Mjolnir directly into the distance, and at the same time, he placed his right hand on 'Odin''s neck, summoning Mjolnir while controlling 'Odin''s movements.
"You should know that nothing can stop Mjolnir from returning to my hand, not even your foolish face," Thor said coldly to him, forcefully restraining Loki's movements.
Although the nearby guards didn't know what was happening between the two of them, upon seeing Thor's actions, they immediately became nervous and quickly raised their shields and swords towards Thor.
Feeling the powerful hands restraining his neck, Loki also panicked. He could feel that Thor was truly angry.
His voice trembling, he quickly said to Thor, "Don't do this, are you crazy? You'll be executed for this."
Thor was unmoved by Loki's words. He still stood behind Loki and said softly, "Execution is nothing. Then we can meet on the other side, my dear brother."
Mjolnir, which Thor had thrown into the distance, immediately returned after sensing Thor's summons.
"Alright, I surrender!" Loki shouted helplessly as he watched Mjolnir flying rapidly closer to him, then dropped his disguise.
Seeing that Odin had turned into Loki, the surrounding guards exchanged glances, and the nearby people gasped in surprise. No one had expected such a thing to happen.
Feeling the astonished gazes of the surrounding people, Loki pursed his lips and helplessly said to Thor, "Why did you have to come back? Everything was fine without you here. Asgard was prosperous, peaceful, and stable."
"Everyone was very happy. If you don't believe me, you can ask them, they will definitely..."
"Where is Father?!" Thor didn't want to listen to Loki's nonsense. He quickly walked in front of Loki and roared at him.
Loki, seeing the enraged Thor, retreated repeatedly until he directly backed onto the sofa, while Thor pressed Mjolnir against his chest, staring at him coldly, waiting for an answer.
Chapter 315 Return to Earth
Under Thor's threat, Loki ultimately didn't dare to say much. He could only take Thor to Earth to find Asgard's true king, Odin.
Accompanied by the brilliant light of the Bifrost Bridge, Thor and Loki quickly arrived on Earth.
Led by Loki, they finally reached the place where Odin had been placed, but seeing the current state of the area, they realized that the plan for his placement must have encountered some unexpected issues.
Loki had originally left Odin, who was under a magic spell, in the retirement home that was currently being demolished. But looking at the scattered ruins now, Loki felt a headache coming on.
"I swear I really did leave him here," Loki said to Thor, who was standing beside him.
Thor, hearing him, retorted exasperatedly, "In that building being demolished, or on the sidewalk next to it? What a great plan you had."
"I didn't know something like this would happen; I can't predict the future," Loki defended himself after hearing Thor's sarcastic tone.
Just as the two of them were talking, an orange halo appeared beneath Loki's feet.
Looking at this halo, Thor and Loki exchanged glances, unsure of what was happening.
"What's going on? What are you doing?" Thor asked Loki, who was standing in the halo.
Loki also didn't know what was happening. Hearing Thor's question, he said to Thor, somewhat bewildered, "I don't know either, I didn't do this, I... Ah!"
Before Loki could finish his sentence, he directly fell into the orange halo.
After Loki disappeared, the halo on the ground quickly vanished, leaving only a white business card.
A bewildered Thor poked the business card left on the ground with the umbrella that Mjolnir had transformed into, then bent down and picked it up.
"Bleecker Street, 177A." The card had only two simple lines, which seemed to be an address.
Seeing this, Thor had no other option but to follow the address on the card.
After searching for a while, he finally arrived at the address on the card. Looking at the exquisite house in front of him, he pushed the door open without hesitation and walked in.
Just as he placed his hand on the door, preparing to push it open, the scene around him suddenly shifted, directly transforming into an ancient-looking hallway.
Thor quickly surveyed the dim hallway, trying to figure out what was going on.
As he looked around, a figure suddenly appeared in front of the only skylight behind him, which glowed with light and had strange lines drawn on it.
At the same time, a voice came from that direction: "Thor Odinson, Son of Odin, God of Thunder."
Hearing this voice, Thor immediately turned his head to look towards the skylight. He watched the figure slowly float towards him and asked in a deep voice, "Who are you?"
The man, who had already floated in front of Thor, revealed his appearance. His hair was meticulously combed, his beard was neatly trimmed, and he looked very dignified and serious.
He looked at Thor, who was holding an umbrella and full of vigilance, and said in a deep voice, "I am Doctor Strange, the new Sorcerer Supreme on Earth."
In the Dwarven Realm, Nidavellir, Dwarf King Eitri and Meng Ran were also having a very pleasant conversation.
Perhaps because Meng Ran's actions deeply moved him, Eitri's impression of Meng Ran grew increasingly positive during this exchange.
They drank strong liquor and chatted, laughing heartily.
Meng Ran only now realized that the Dwarves were not only incredibly skilled in forging weapons but also produced top-tier liquor.
The amber-colored liquid emitted a peculiar fruity aroma. This aroma was not cloyingly sweet at all; instead, it was very fragrant.
It perfectly balanced the taste of the strong liquor, enhancing it beautifully, preserving the fresh scent of the fruits used for brewing while making the liquor even more mellow.
Due to the difference in size between Eitri and Meng Ran, the cups they used were also vastly different.
The cup Eitri used was almost as large as half of Meng Ran, and compared to that cup, the one in Meng Ran's hand looked extremely miniature.
In the lively atmosphere, Eitri and Meng Ran drank freely. Meng Ran also met other Dwarves at this gathering, including Eitri's good friend and helper, Ruel, the Dwarven brewing master.
Ruel and Meng Ran's conversation was also very engaging. After Meng Ran introduced him in detail to various types of wines on Earth and their brewing processes, Ruel, to express his gratitude for the inspiration, directly gifted Meng Ran two large barrels of his treasured fine wine.
How big were the two large barrels mentioned by the Dwarves to Meng Ran? Roughly the size of two oil tanks from an oil tanker.
Receiving this gift made Meng Ran feel a bit embarrassed, as he hadn't really done anything; he had simply introduced Earth's wines and brewing techniques to Ruel, which wasn't difficult at all.
However, no matter what, this gift was Ruel's heartfelt gesture, and Meng Ran couldn't refuse, so he reluctantly accepted it in the end.
Both the Dwarves and Meng Ran had good alcohol tolerance, so the drinking session lasted for quite some time.
After the drinking party ended, Meng Ran didn't forget his main business and gave the prepared long-distance communicator to Eitri.
To ensure ultra-long-distance signal transmission, this communicator had undergone many improvements. After the improvements, it could transmit signals rapidly across the cosmic galaxy.
As long as Eitri pressed the signal transmission button, Meng Ran on Earth would receive the message within a few seconds, ensuring that he could quickly rush over when Eitri needed help.
The deeper Meng Ran's interactions with the Dwarves became, the more he hoped that these simple Dwarves would not be massacred by Thanos in the future, so he made these preparations for the potential massacre that might occur later.
"Eitri, Ruel, this is far enough. Take care. I'll come to see you again when I have time." Meng Ran stood on the wide Star Ring and said to the two tall Dwarves behind him. After delivering the signal device, he felt he should return to Earth soon.
Hearing Meng Ran's words, Eitri and Ruel nodded and said, "The Dwarves always welcome friends."
Meng Ran nodded at this and then smiled, "Ruel, next time I come here, I'll bring all the wines I mentioned for you to taste."
After speaking, he looked at Eitri again and urged him, "Make sure to keep the signal device safe. Remember, if you need my help with anything, just press the button, and I'll come immediately."
"I will carry it with me," Eitri said, nodding at Meng Ran's instruction.
Although he didn't think he would need this item, he would definitely carry it with him out of respect for Meng Ran's thoughtfulness.
After bidding farewell, Meng Ran waved to them, then took out his Cloud Cutter and summoned the Bifrost Bridge.
Accompanied by the dazzling rainbow light, Meng Ran's figure disappeared from the Star Ring.