Chapter 211: Anti-Asgard Alliance is Established
Russell was not the only one looking forward to the Convergence, the event where the Nine Realms align.
Malekith, the leader of the Dark Elves and the ruler of Svartalfheim in the Dark Dimension, also anticipated this event.
But unlike Russell, who stayed home and waited quietly, the ruler of the Dark Dimension was busy traveling around, trying to win over allies.
At this moment, he arrived at his first stop—Heaven, the Tenth World on the World Tree, the kingdom of the Angels.
Just as there are often five Heavenly Kings when there should be four, an extra one.
The Nine Realms of the World Tree also had an extra one.
However, Heaven was banished by Odin thousands of years ago.
Inside the magnificent palace, Queen Havenyne of Angelsof the Angels spread her wings and leaned lazily on the tall throne.
She looked down at Malekith, the Dark Elf King, below, her eyelids lowered as she said:
"Malekith, why aren't you rotting in your Svartalfheim? What are you doing here?"
The Angel Queen's voice carried a hint of disdain and contempt.
Although they were both losers in the war against Asgard, at least she hadn't lost her racial artifact and then slept for thousands of years, accomplishing nothing.
Of course, it was also possible that the Angel race had no artifacts.
Or perhaps Odin didn't care for their artifacts.
A flicker of anger crossed Malekith's face; he didn't expect the Angel Queen to despise him so much.
This was not only a contempt for him but also a disrespect for the Dark Elf race.
Malekith remained outwardly calm, but secretly decided to make the Angel race pay.
"Queen Havenyne of Angels, I've heard that for years you've wanted to destroy Asgard to avenge Odinsevering Heaven's connection to the World Tree and banishing the kingdom of Heaven.
Is this true? I can help you!"
With a sudden movement, the Angel Queen sat up straight, her gaze shifting from lazy to murderous, and her tone from contemptuous to excited.
"Malekith, you are truly a good person! If we join forces, with the Dark Elf army and my War Angel Legion, we can surely break through Asgard and defeat Odin!"
A faint smile appeared at the corner of Malekith's mouth, proving his preliminary preparations were not in vain.
One sentence, and he had the Angel Queen exactly where he wanted her!
But soon, that smile turned into a sneer: "However, I have two conditions."
"Speak, what are your conditions."
Malekith feigned seriousness: "The first condition is, the Dark Elves help the Angels attack Asgard, and the Angels must also contribute to the Dark Elves' reclamation of the Aether Particle. That's fair, isn't it?"
"Very fair." The Angel Queen nodded, signaling Malekithto continue.
"The second condition is, I have never slaughtered an Angel before, and I want to know what it feels like. Can the Angel Queen help me with this?"
"Alright."
The Angel Queen was so grateful to Malekith for helping her attack Asgard that she accepted his conditions without careful consideration.
After a brief thought, the Angel Queen pointed at the guards in the hall, still counting, and began drawing lots on the spot.
Inside the palace, silence instantly fell.
"You are chosen, Annamunni."
Finally, the Angel Queen pointed at a female Angel, stopping her count.
Then, Malekith conjured a dagger with his magic and walked towards the female Angel who had drawn the short straw, cruelly slitting her throat, letting her blood splash all over him.
He watched the female Angel coldly until she collapsed to the ground, completely losing her life.
"The alliance is made. May we achieve victory, Angel Queen."
Malekith put away his cold expression and extended his hand to the Angel Queen with a smile.
His palm was covered in the female Angel's blood.
The Angel Queen grasped Malekith's outstretched right hand, completely unbothered by the female Angel's blood on his palm.
"Hahahahaha!!"
Inside the magnificent palace, only the laughter of Malekith and the Angel Queen echoed.
The Angel attendants remained silent, not daring to make a sound.
Afterward, Malekith and the Angel Queen briefly explained the battle plan and requested the Angel Queenand the War Angel Legion to prepare for war.
When the celestial convergence occurs, the Nine Realmsalign, and space overlaps, they would jointly march on Asgard.
"No, no, no. Malekith, the kingdom of Heaven has already been severed from the World Tree by Odin. Now, getting from the kingdom of Heaven to Asgard is very troublesome."
Facing the Angel Queen's objection, Malekith smiled confidently.
"I have my ways, Angel Queen. All you need to do during this time is gather your army and be ready to depart at any moment."
Immediately after, Malekith rushed without stopping to Jotunheim, the kingdom of the Frost Giants, and Muspelheim, the kingdom of the Fire Giants.
He invited King Laufey of the Frost Giants, Surtur the Fire Giant, and his daughter, Queen Sindr, to join.
They agreed to launch a joint attack on Asgard when the celestial convergence occurred.
King Laufey of the Frost Giants and Surtur the Fire Giant readily agreed.
Not to mention the ancient feud between the two great realms of Jotunheim and Muspelheim with Asgard.
Simply to reclaim the artifacts stolen from their two races by Odin, they could not refuse Malekith's proposal.
The casket of ancient winters and the Eternal Flamewere, to some extent, the very foundation of the Frost Giants' and Fire Giants' existence.
When signing the alliance with Malekith, King Laufey of the Frost Giants thought: "If I had the casket of ancient winters then, I would not have been so easily defeated by that sorcerer Russell, nor would I have been forced to sign a peace treaty with him."
Surtur the Fire Giant, on the other hand, thought: "Long time no see, Eternal Flame, my love."
On some level, the Dark Elves, Frost Giants, and Fire Giants were natural allies.
They all had similar experiences.
Fighting Asgard, having their racial artifacts taken, and being defeated.
Now, self-interest drove them together.
In New York, Earth, inside a bookstore lounge.
Russell was currently using Stark Industries equipment to analyze Erin's daily physical test data growth curve over this period.
"On the first day of merging with the spider totem, all values showed the greatest increase. In the following days, the value increase showed a rapid downward curve. Now, it has stabilized."
"This stable increase should be due to the glowing white energy in the self-made spider totem, not the influence of the spider totem itself."
Suddenly, Russell, who was analyzing and calculating, raised an eyebrow.
He felt a slight disturbance in the spacetime around Earth.
And this disturbance was constantly growing.
Excluding human interference, the greatest possibility was: The Convergence, the Nine Realms aligning!
"Is the Reality Stone about to emerge?"
Muttering to himself, Russell stopped what he was doing and focused his mind on sensing the energy fluctuations across Earth, especially in London.
In the plot of Thor 2, the Reality Stone appeared in London.
Chapter 212: The Reality Stone is revealed and Asgard is attacked
A few more days passed, and the alignment of the celestial bodies, the Nine Realms connecting into a single line, became increasingly apparent.
In fact, some peculiar physical phenomena even appeared in many places.
For example, a certain area experienced weightlessness. Ordinary people could lift cars weighing several tons, just like superheroes;
Another example, an invisible portal appeared in a certain stairwell. Throwing something down would cause it to fall from the sky.
"Thor, look, I'm a superhero too."
Jane Foster lifted a small car with one hand, rolled up her sleeves, and flexed her muscles at Thor.
"Oh, you're so strong, Jane." Thor smiled, playing along with Jane Foster.
"Thor, do you know what's going on? The magnetic field fluctuations detected by the instruments are very similar to the magnetic field fluctuations when the Bifrost Bridgewas opened before.
That is to say, the space here might have overlapped with the space of Asgard."
After their playful interaction, Jane Foster put down the car and asked Thor for information.
This time, she came to London specifically to investigate these anomalous magnetic field fluctuations.
She is a professional Dr. of astrophysics.
"This phenomenon is very similar to the celestial convergence, the Nine Realms aligning into a single line, a cosmic spectacle that Heimdall told me about."
Thor hesitated.
"It's just that this cosmic spectacle only occurs once every few millennia, so I'm not sure."
"A cosmic spectacle that only occurs once every few millennia?"
Jane Foster's eyes lit up, her excitement barely contained in her voice.
"Yes, a cosmic spectacle that only occurs once every few millennia.
Celestial convergence, the Nine Realms aligning into a single line. The spaces of the various Realms intertwine."
Golden magic sparks flashed, and Russell stepped out of the portal.
Just now, the Reality Stone emerged, and Russellimmediately rushed over to collect it.
Returning to Earth, he coincidentally ran into Jane Fosterand Thor, who were here to investigate.
"However, most people can't sense this cosmic spectacle, and even fewer can see it."
Looking up, Russell gazed at the night sky, his expression unreadable.
Led by Russell, Jane Foster and Thor also looked up at the night sky, staring for a long time.
After a long while, Jane Foster finally lowered her head, rubbed her sore neck, and asked:
"Russell, what are you looking at? I can't see anything."
"I can't see anything either." Thor also lowered his head, echoing her.
"Perhaps it's because this isn't the beautiful scenery you want to see."
Russell smiled, sighing, "This sight is truly magnificent!"
"This sight is truly magnificent!"
In the Asgard Bifrost Bridge control room, Heimdallgazed at the distant starry sky, also unable to help but exclaim.
"It's just that it might also bring danger."
After his exclamation, Heimdall continued to stand guard.
He is the watchman of Asgard, and the safety of Asgardis his life and honor.
He stands here, watching the Nine Realms and billions of lives with his eyes.
Tonight is like this, and every night is the same.
Just as the Reality Stone emerged, Malekith, far away in Svartalfheim, also sensed it.
After all, strictly speaking, the current Reality Stoneshould be more appropriately called the Aether Particle.
"Angel Queen, soon, I will open a spatial passage for you and the War Angel Legion.
Remember, the first target is the Bifrost Bridge!
As long as we can destroy the Bifrost Bridge, cutting off communication between the Asgardian headquarters and the soldiers stationed in various Realms, our chances of victory will increase by at least 30%!"
If the Bifrost Bridge could not be destroyed, with its destructive power combined with Heimdall's full map awareness.
Once the soldiers of Jotunheim, Muspelheim, and Svartalfheim gathered on a large scale, they would be immediately discovered and subjected to the heavy blow of the Bifrost Bridge.
This would be very unfavorable to the battle.
Therefore, the Angel Queen and the War Angel Legion of the Tenth Realm, who were not monitored by Heimdall, became the surprise force Malekith prepared for Asgard, used to break Asgard's suppression of the three great Realms.
"Good." The Angel Queen nodded heavily.
The excitement in her voice was irrepressible, and even through the magic curtain for remote communication, Malekith could feel it.
After confirming that the Angel Queen and her War Angel Legion were ready, Malekith contacted a certain Asgardian.
"Amora, open a teleportation channel for the Angel Queen!"
The Enchantress Amora was also one of the surprise forces Malekith had prepared.
She was a female sorceress from the Heavenly PalaceAsgard, who had mastered a secret passage in and out of Asgard.
"As you wish, Dark Elf King Malekith."
The Enchantress Amora chuckled, and the magic power within her began to surge.
At the same time, she formed hand seals, imprinting magic symbols onto the plaza.
As each magic symbol was imprinted, a huge teleportation array formed, enveloping the Angel Queenand the War Angel Legion under her command in the plaza.
"Aha!"
With the Enchantress Amora fully outputting her magicpower, after a strong flash of light, all the War Angelswho had been densely packed in the plaza followed a green light and vanished into thin air.
"Large-scale enemy invasion! Enter emergency combat readiness!"
Heimdall's roar, amplified by a special magic array, instantly spread throughout Asgard.
The moment the War Angel Legion entered Asgard, he sensed it and reacted.
The next moment, the War Angel Legion suddenly appeared in the sky above an uninhabited area of Asgard.
Led by the Angel Queen, they flew towards the Bifrost Bridge.
Thanks to the help of the Enchantress Amora, the anti-Asgardian faction had a relatively clear understanding of Asgard's layout.
Therefore, the moment the War Angel Legion entered Asgard, they found their direction and immediately entered combat status.
However, Asgard's defensive forces reacted just as quickly.
War Machines quickly activated, aiming at the War Angel Legion in the sky, unleashing a barrage of fire.
For a time, even with the War Angel Legion fighting with all their might, the speed of their advance was not satisfactory.
However, the anti-Asgardian alliance had not placed all their chips on the Angel Queen and the War Angels.
As they fought fiercely in the sky, the Dark Elf leader Malekith, King Laufey of the Frost Giants, and Queen Sindr, the leader of the Fire Giants, each led their elite troops and boldly launched an attack on the Bifrost Bridge control console.
In this surprise attack, the anti-Asgardian alliance had almost committed all of its high-end forces.
Except for the Fire Giant Surtur.
His size was too immense for such a task.
"We have almost forgotten our former lives; we will make the Asgardians suffer the hardships we endured! We will take back the Aether Particle, we will restore our World!"
Malekith led the Dark Elf elites, roaring as he charged onto the Bifrost Bridge.
Chapter 213 Researching the Reality Gem
After encountering Thor and Jane in London and chatting briefly, Russell opened a portal and left, returning to New York.
He had no interest in being a third wheel, watching Thorand Jane act all lovey-dovey.
More importantly, the Reality Stone was finally in his hands.
With a new toy in hand, he wanted to study it thoroughly.
In the bookstore lounge, Russell took out the Reality Stone and carefully examined it.
The Reality Stone was the fifth Infinity Stone he had encountered.
By a stroke of luck, he had unexpectedly gathered six Infinity Stones from the 404 Universe, all five except for the Soul Stone.
This was something Thanos had planned for over a thousand years to achieve.
Observing carefully, Russell quickly noticed the Reality Stone's unique characteristics compared to the other four stones.
While the other stones were mostly hard solids, the Reality Stone had no fixed form.
Normally, the Reality Stone was a fluctuating liquid, but it could also transform into a dark red transparent solid.
Furthermore, the Reality Stone was almost indestructible.
Thor's grandfather, Odin's father, the former Asgardian King Bor,
after defeating the Dark Elves and acquiring the Reality Stone, he had tried to destroy it.
After failing, he sealed the Reality Stone.
The 'almost' of course, was because the Reality Stonecould be destroyed.
The six-stone Infinity Gauntlet could destroy all six stones with a single snap.
Russell also wanted to try it out a little.
He pinched the Reality Stone with two fingers, and terrifying physical strength along with a pure white divine power surged out, pressing against the Reality Stone.
Crack, crack ~
As space shattered, cracks appeared and grew on the surface of the Reality Stone, which had transformed into a dark red transparent solid.
The former Asgardian King Bor misled me!
Looking at the cracks on the Reality Stone's surface, Russell couldn't help but complain.
Also, he had a way to fix it.
With a flash of green light, time flowed backward in a small area, and the cracks on the Reality Stone's surface reversed their growth and disappeared.
After testing the Reality Stone's pressure resistance limit, Russell continued his research.
He had high expectations for the Reality Stone.
Whether in comics or movies, fragments of the Reality Stone could create powerful Cursed Warriors.
Malekith once used Reality Stone fragments to create Cursed Stones, which he then used to create a large number of Cursed Warriors, forming a powerful 'Cursed Army'.
In some versions, powerful Cursed Warriors could reach 2 to 4 times the strength of Thor.
Terrifying indeed!
However, instead of directly using Reality Stonefragments to create Cursed Warriors,
Russell hoped to find a new method for creating Super Soldiers by studying the process of creating Cursed Warriors from Reality Stone fragments.
Firstly, Reality Stone fragments are also finite.
Secondly, the six Infinity Stones are related to the stability of the cosmic spacetime and cannot be messed with.
Thirdly, the source of his apostle's power cannot be borrowed from other objects.
Fourthly, Russell disliked the name 'Cursed Warrior'.
As a member of the good and orderly, Russell believed that his apostle's title must be righteous and awe-inspiring.
He had already thought of the future apostles' titles and legion names
—Ascended Ones!
Or God Warriors.
In short, no derogatory terms.
Time flew by, and soon it was night.
Russell put away the Reality Stone, came out of the bookstore's first-floor lounge, took the elevator back to the seventh floor, and began preparing dinner.
He was off work and needed to prepare dinner for his girlfriend, Gwen, who was coming home from school.
Walking into the kitchen, Russell took out a bottle of milk and a glass of coconut water from the cabinet and placed them on the dining table.
Then, golden magic sparks flickered, and a portal appeared, connecting to the Kamar-Taj kitchen.
Russell reached out his hand and took out plate after plate of dishes.
Beef balls, pork balls, crystal shrimp dumplings, rice rolls, steamed spare ribs.
All dim sum items.
Due to the time difference, it was still early morning in Kamar-Taj, so the food was lighter.
Click ~
The sound of a window opening was heard, and Gwen, with a slight bend and twist, slipped through the window.
Tap, tap, tap ~
Dropping her schoolbag and taking off her boots, Miss Gwen started humming a tune and walked towards the dining room.
"Russell, I'm home!"
Before even entering the dining room, Gwen sniffed the air, then said with disappointment:
"Are we still eating beef balls, pork balls, and steamed spare ribs today?"
Although these dim sum items were delicious, she couldn't eat them every day.
"Oh, of course not."
Russell waved his hand, sending the dim sum back to Kamar-Taj. Then, he took out a platter of fish fillets from the void.
"Today, we're having pan-fried fish fillets."
"Hmm, why is there so little?" Gwen sat down, cut a piece of fish fillet, and put it in her mouth, her eyes slightly brightening. "This tastes just like what Helen makes."
Russell smiled, silently apologizing to George Stacy.
This platter of fish fillets was taken from his house.
The platter of fish fillets was quickly finished by Russelland Gwen.
Gwen took a sip of milk to moisten her throat, then pursed her lips and asked:
"Russell, how is Erin adapting to her powers lately?
It should be fine by now, right? Based on my experience, it only takes two or three days to adapt enough not to affect daily life.
But to completely master such a surge in power, she still needs more training."
"Uh," Russell was speechless, then gave an awkward smile, "I've been focused on something else these past few days and haven't paid attention to Erin's situation."
He had been waiting for the Reality Stone to appear these past few days, so he hadn't focused on Erin.
Gwen raised an eyebrow and asked, "Is something big going to happen?"
Russell thought for a moment. In the movie, the destruction caused by the aftermath of the battle between Malekith, the leader of the Dark Elves, and Thor, didn't seem to cause the Universe to collapse.
If that was the case, then it wasn't a big deal.
He then shook his head: "It's nothing major."
And explained the Convergence and the appearance of the Reality Stone to Gwen.
"Alright."
Gwen nodded unenthusiastically, indicating that she didn't care much about these things.
Afterward, as if she had thought of something, she suggested, "Russell, let's go visit Erin."
At Avengers Tower, Erin Smith was in her room, chatting with classmates and friends on her laptop.
Typically, her friends would say three or four sentences before she replied with one.
It wasn't because she was aloof, but because she could only carefully spell out her replies.
If she accidentally used too much force, she would damage the keyboard.
For a moment, Erin missed the days when her fingers flew across the keyboard like a pianist, typing quickly.
That was her lost youth.
"What good is this power to me!"
Erin sighed deeply.
This was the second time she had experienced such a surge in power.
But compared to this time, the first increase of several times her strength seemed insignificant.
"It's a pity the Super Hero Registration Act has been enacted. Otherwise, humph humph"
Chapter 214 Ghost Spider-Man VS Mage Spider-Man
"Knock, knock, knock~"
Just as the girl was happily imagining how she would punish evil and promote good, protect the kind and the weak, become the bane of crime, an Angel of justice, and a good neighbor to New York City citizens...
An untimely knocking sound interrupted the girl's beautiful fantasy.
After the Super Hero Registration Act was enacted, the definition of a Super Hero was no longer a vigilante, but a potential criminal.
"Russell, Gwen, what are you doing here?" Erin exclaimed with delight.
Even though there was a door separating them, Erin still recognized the people outside.
With her enhanced senses, sounds, smells, and so on, a new perspective opened up for Erin.
"Russell, you haven't come to see me in ages," Erincomplained as she happily opened the door and saw Russell.
She had been alone in Avengers Tower for over half a month, and after the initial novelty wore off, she grew somewhat tired of the daily training.
"Russell has been busy with things these past few days, that's why he forgot to come see you."
Gwen explained on behalf of Russell.
Afterward, Gwen also inquired about Erin's mood, asking how she had been feeling recently.
As the Captain, Gwen stated that she needed to take good care of the youngest member of the Phantom Spirit Band.
Gwen and Erin left Russell to the side, chatting animatedly.
Slowly, they moved from discussing the impact of the Super Hero Registration Act on the Phantom Spirit Band's next performance to talking about food and movies.
However, due to the different Universes they grew up in, they had fewer common topics when it came to movies.
So, the two started discussing clothing styles again, especially spider suit styles.
In this area, Gwen was quite experienced.
With her black and white Ghost-Spider spider suit, she could easily stand out among a group of Spider-Men whose spider suits were predominantly red and blue.
"Gwen, are you reminding me that if I'm going to make a new Magician Spider-Man spider suit, I absolutely shouldn't choose red and blue?" Erin nodded, deep in thought.
"Exactly," Gwen affirmed, "At Spider-Army HQ, there are too many Spider-Men wearing red and blue spider suits. If you also wear a spider suit of that color scheme, you'll just blend in with everyone else."
Erin: "Then Gwen, what color scheme do you think looks good for a spider suit? Pure silver?"
Gwen: "Pure silver is too monotonous. I suggest a three-tone scheme: a main color, an accent color, and a highlight color. Erin, you could use silver as the main color, covering 60% of the spider suit's area, and then choose an accent color."
"That's a good idea," Erin nodded, "But Russell, what color are a Magician's robes usually?"
Russell: "Plain white, light yellow, gray. Kamar-TajMagicians' robes are generally monochromatic."
"Okay, I've decided: silver for the main color, gray for the accent, and light yellow for the highlights."
As she spoke, Erin took a piece of paper from a drawer and began to draw and sketch.
Russell and Gwen leaned in to look, and a black line flashed above their heads in unison.
Russell sighed and advised, "Erin, you should just tell Jarvis your requirements and let him provide you with some options. Once you've chosen, you can have him fine-tune it."
Erin's cheeks flushed slightly as she defended herself, "My drawings weren't that ugly before; it's mainly because my power has increased so much recently that I can't control the strength well."
Russell patted Erin's shoulder and said earnestly, "Erin, this has nothing to do with whether the drawing is ugly or not; it's an aesthetic issue.
Listen to my advice: even if you design it yourself, after the finished product is out, let Jarvis help optimize it.
Otherwise, you might be mistaken for a villain later."
"I really just haven't gotten used to my power yet, and I haven't drawn the Magician Spider-Man spider suit I have in my mind," Erin said weakly, folding the paper.
Gwen glared at Russell: "Erin, I can train with you these next few days to help you get used to your power.
Once you've mastered your power, you can redesign a new Magician Spider-Man spider suit."
As for the current one, let's just pretend it never existed.
The next morning, Steve Rogers was awakened by a series of roars.
He had something on his mind last night, so he went to bed late and woke up late.
Getting out of bed, Steve couldn't help but wonder.
He hadn't heard Tony Stark say that Avengers Tower had any construction projects recently.
Standing by the window, Steve looked in the direction of the sound.
On the training ground, two figures, predominantly silver, moved rapidly, locked in combat.
Although he couldn't see clearly, based on his intuition, Steve judged that one of the figures was Erin.
And on the training ground, besides these two figures, there was another person standing quietly.
Russell.
After washing up, Steve took a large piece of bread and a glass of milk and walked towards Russell on the training ground.
"Russell, do you know why Erin got up so early to train?"
Steve asked.
What he didn't say was that Erin's enthusiasm for training had significantly decreased in recent days.
Steve regretted this, but he also understood.
Erin was, after all, a student, not a warrior.
Even before the Super Hero Registration Act was enacted, being a Super Hero was only her part-time job.
Unlike them, the Avengers, who made a living out of it.
Thinking of this, Steve couldn't help but get a headache.
The Avengers' strongest combatant, Hulk, his primary personality, Bruce Banner, was a Dr.
He only wanted to do research all day and was never seen training.
One should know that even Tony Stark, hidden in his Iron Man Suit, had a considerable amount of daily training.
Russell: "Oh, Erin didn't get up early; she didn't sleep at all."
Russell's voice interrupted Steve's morning musings.
"Didn't sleep, why?"
Russell explained that he and Gwen had visited Erin last night, and after Gwen offered to train with Erin for a few days, Erin was overjoyed.
She had been feeling constrained for a while and was eager to let loose.
On the spot, she wanted to drag Gwen to the training ground for combat training, completely disregarding the time.
Fortunately, Russell noticed and reminded the two that it was already late evening.
If the two of them engaged in combat training, the commotion would certainly disturb others' rest.
So, Erin pulled Gwen along, chatting until morning. (She didn't even notice Russell's resentful gaze.)
As soon as it was their usual training time, they immediately rushed to the training ground to begin combat training.
"What, did they disturb you?" Russell asked.
"It's not their fault, I woke up late," Steve shook his head, saying casually, "I was thinking about some things last night and didn't sleep well."
Russell: "Oh."
Steve: "..."
Logically, shouldn't you ask me why I didn't sleep well?
Steve: "Aren't you going to ask me why I woke up late?"
Russell: "If you want to say it, you'll say it yourself. Why should I ask?"
Steve fell silent, seemingly organizing his thoughts.
"I..."
Boom!
Erin flew backward, her figure crashing to the ground, interrupting Steve.
"Take a break, Erin," Gwen said from a distance.
Chapter 215 Asgard Trapped
Steve Rogers ultimately couldn't bring himself to voice his troubles.
Shaking his head with a smile, Steve led Russell, Gwen, and Erin towards the dining hall.
"Erin, Russell told me you didn't sleep all night and probably didn't eat breakfast either.
You just finished your 강화, so you should eat more to replenish your energy."
Erin got up from the ground and gave an embarrassed smile: "Okay, Steve."
Even though she was covered in dust and had made several dents in the ground, she was still lively and energetic, as if nothing had happened.
Soon, she pulled Gwen ahead and began introducing the various functional areas of the Avengers Tower to her.
"The top floor of the Tower is a high-tech combat room.
I heard that from there, you can view a 360-degree panoramic view of the city, display 3-D holographic images, and receive news and information from over 50 stations.
It's a shame it's not usually open; I haven't been up there yet."
Gwen nodded; she could confirm that Erin's information was correct.
Because she had been up there.
"The rooftop of the Tower is a helipad, and right now there are three helicopters and two Quinjets parked there."
Erin pointed to the top of the Tower: "Look, Gwen, what beautiful fighter jets! It would be great if we (Phantom Squad) had one too."
Behind them, Steve watched Erin's joyful figure ahead and smiled as he said to Russell:
"Russell, you should visit Erin more often; she hasn't been this happy in a long time. She's been training alone these past few days and always seems dispirited."
Russell nodded noncommittally.
Because of her sudden surge in power, Erin had barely interacted with anyone during her training period, to avoid accidentally harming others.
She even rarely used electronic devices.
This kind of life was quite monotonous.
Taking the elevator, the four arrived at the kitchen floor and found Tony Stark and Dr. Banner already there.
They had already fried bread and were sitting in the living room.
They ate breakfast while occasionally discussing something.
Vaguely, they heard words like "Ultron," "Iron Legion," and "New York State Extraordinary Power Alert System."
"Oh, look, our strongwoman has arrived."
Seeing Erin, Tony's expression was exaggerated, and he teased her sarcastically:
"I was just wondering why our Miss Erin was up so early today, starting her training before dawn.
Turns out, she had good friends coming to visit her."
Erin's face flushed with embarrassment; she guessed that the commotion from her and Gwen's sparring earlier had disturbed Tony and Dr. Banner.
"Tony, don't say that. Erin didn't mean to; she was just too happy," Steve defended Erin.
"Alright," Tony shrugged, smiling indifferently.
He looked down at his watch and said, "The bread is already in the toaster; it'll be ready in two minutes."
"Thank you, Tony," Erin thanked him and sat down to the side.
"Don't thank me; you should thank Jarvis. It was his judgment based on your conversation."
Tony was as stubborn as ever, but no one paid attention.
Nothing else, it was just force of habit.
In the following days, Russell did not return to the bookstore but stayed at the Avengers Tower with Gwen, accompanying Erin in her training.
Anyway, the bookstore had the protection of psychic magic, so it was the same whether Russell was there or not.
Even if he went back, he would just stay in the lounge and not get involved.
As for Gwen, Russell suspected she was skipping class.
In the vast emptiness of the Universe, a continent floated solitarily.
It was Asgard!
At this moment, this continent, suspended in the void of the Universe, was surrounded on all sides by fleets of warships from various realms.
These warships varied in appearance.
Some were encased in frost, their hulls reflecting cold starlight.
Some were ablaze with flames, like a small Sun.
Some were dim and lusterless, resembling a black cross.
Some glittered with golden light, their hull's two-winged decks open, like eagles spreading their wings to fly.
They came from the Frost Giant Kingdom of Jotunheim, the Fire Giants' homeland Muspelheim, the Dark Elves' home Svartalfheim, and the Angels' abode, Heaven.
Surrounded by the allied forces of the Four Kingdoms, Asgard was isolated and helpless, only able to constantly activate its energy shield to keep the four-nation alliance at bay.
In Asgard, inside the Golden Great Hall, Odin slowly awoke from his slumber pod.
A few days ago, the Angel Queen led the War Angel Legion to raid Asgard, drawing most of Asgard's firepower.
Malekith, leader of the Dark Elves, King Laufey of the Frost Giants, and Queen Sindr, daughter of Surtur, took advantage of the chaos, leading elite troops to first breach the Bifrost Bridge.
Then they headed towards the royal palace's Odin Vault, intending to reclaim the artifacts of their three races.
Odin, left with no choice, had to fight, despite his aging, nearly depleted body, repelling the three.
As a price, he once again fell into the Odin Sleep.
After several days of slumber, he forcibly awoke.
"Frigga, what are the casualties among the Asgardianpeople?"
As soon as he awoke, Odin asked Queen Frigga for the casualty report.
"My King," Queen Frigga carefully helped Odin sit up, concealing the warrior casualties.
"The enemy's primary objective was not to inflict casualties; only 81 Asgardian people were injured or killed, with 24 seriously wounded and 8 dead."
Hoo~
Odin let out a long sigh.
At the same time, anger flared in his chest.
Asgard had lived in peace and prosperity under his rule for nearly a millennium!
A thousand years ago, during the war with the Frost Giants, the flames of war never reached Asgard itself.
He never expected that in these few years before his abdication, Asgard would be attacked repeatedly!
Were they taking advantage of his old age, thinking he could no longer wield a sword?!
"Go summon Thor; I have something to discuss with him. And Loki, have both brothers come together," Odincommanded the guard standing nearby.
However, the guard looked troubled and did not move.
Queen Frigga explained to the guard:
"My King, the Bifrost Bridge has been destroyed, and Heimdall has fallen in battle.
The allied forces of the Four Kingdoms have surrounded Asgard, and messages cannot be sent out.
Therefore, Thor and Loki are still on Midgard.
The reinforcements from the three realms of the Dwarves, Light Elves, and Vanir have also failed to arrive."
"Has Heimdall returned to Valhalla?"
Upon hearing the grim news, Odin swayed.
Before he entered the Odin Sleep, he had seen the Bifrost Bridge destroyed.
He knew in his heart that Heimdall had most likely fallen, but he still couldn't help but hold onto a glimmer of hope.
"Then go summon Sif and Thor's few good friends," Odincommanded the guard standing nearby once more.
"Yes, My King!"
This time, the guard moved decisively, and soon returned with Sif and The Warriors Three.
Odin slowly read out their names one by one: "Sif, Fandral, Hogun, Volstagg."
The four knelt on one knee, their voices strong and clear: "Present!"
"The Kingdom is in peril; can I trust you all?"
"We will sacrifice ourselves for the nation's plight, viewing death as returning home!"
Chapter 216: Internal strife within the Anti-Asgard Alliance
"Good!"
Odin's spirits lifted, and he cheered loudly.
Then, he murmured softly, reciting spell incantations one by one.
The invisible spell incantations transformed into visible runic symbols, embedding themselves into the four individuals.
The four quietly experienced it, feeling their divine power surge.
"I will send the four of you to Midgard.
Your mission is to find Thor and Loki, and inform them of Asgard's attack and its current predicament.
After that, they will decide for themselves what to do."
With that, Odin raised his hand, and a stream of colorful, crystalline energy flowed, tearing through space and blasting open a vibrant, multicolored passage.
The Bifrost Bridge sucked Sif and The Warriors Threeinto it, aiming for Midgard.
Outside Asgard, in the cosmic void.
A colorful stream of light flashed by, instantly drawing the attention of the Four Kingdoms' allied forces.
"Oh no, our blockade has been broken!"
"Someone escaped!"
"Quick, dispatch an elite squad to pursue them!"
Conversations similar to the above played out in the command centers of the Four Kingdoms.
A moment later, four small warships detached from the main fleet and pursued the direction where the colorful stream of light had vanished.
Shortly after, the Angel Queen, King Laufey of the Frost Giants, and Queen Sindr arrived at the Dark Elves' flagship to discuss the war with Malekith.
Surtur, the Fire Giant, still hadn't arrived.
Surtur was too large, over a thousand meters tall, and couldn't fit inside.
Inside the conference room, Malekith looked at King Laufey of the Frost Giants with envy.
At this moment, King Laufey of the Frost Giants truly lived up to the name Frost Giant.
He was about ten meters tall, massive in size, with a translucent body that radiated waves of cold.
In the previous operation, Laufey successfully reclaimed the casket of ancient winters!
In fact, not only did King Laufey of the Frost Giantsreclaim the casket of ancient winters.
Queen Sindr also reclaimed the Eternal Flame for her father.
Only Malekith failed to find the Aether Particle (Reality Stone).
"Everyone, our blockade was just broken, and someone escaped.
Presumably, news of Asgard's encirclement will soon leak out."
Malekith said calmly, his gaze sweeping over his three allies, indicating he wanted to hear their opinions.
The Angel Queen was the first to react, saying with murderous intent:
"What are we waiting for? Let the warships fire at full power, breach Asgard's energy shield, and charge in!"
King Laufey of the Frost Giants and Queen Sindr, however, lowered their eyelids.
In this surprise attack on Asgard, their objective of reclaiming their artifacts had already been achieved.
Moreover, they had also destroyed Asgard's Bifrost Bridge, exacting a harsh revenge on Odin.
At this moment, they were already contemplating retreat.
Ultimately, they and Malekith were not on the same path; they did not wish for the Universe to plunge into darkness.
Their previous cooperation with Malekith was merely out of self-interest, each taking what they needed.
"Since the matter has been exposed and there's little more to achieve, perhaps we should each go our separate ways."
Hearing this, Malekith coldly swept his gaze over King Laufey of the Frost Giants and Queen Sindr.
In his original plan, after reclaiming the Aether Particle, he would ditch King Laufey of the Frost Giants, Queen Sindr, and the Angel Queen and proceed alone.
Using the Aether Particle's reality-altering power, he would destroy the Heavenly Palace and rebuild his homeland.
Ultimately, he would fulfill the grand mission of plunging the Universe into darkness!
Who knew that plans would change? The Aether Particlewas not in Odin's treasury.
He still needed the strength of these people now.
Suppressing his complicated emotions, Malekith said with a cold tone:
"King Laufey of the Frost Giants, Queen Sindr.
This matter, I'm afraid, isn't something you can join or leave as you please.
If we don't take this opportunity to cripple and destroy Asgard in one go.
When Odin recovers, he will likely come for us one by one."
"Hmph!" Queen Sindr sneered, suddenly slamming the table and standing up, staring at Malekith with burning eyes.
"Malekith, who are you trying to scare?
Everyone saw what Odin looks like now during the previous battle.
I'm afraid he'll be off to Valhalla in less than three years!
Even if Odin doesn't go to Valhalla, our Fire Giants are not afraid of his Aesir."
King Laufey of the Frost Giants echoed, "We Frost Giants are not afraid of his Aesir either."
"Hey, that's not what we agreed upon for our cooperation!"
The Angel Queen also suddenly stood up, glaring fiercely at King Laufey of the Frost Giants and Queen Sindr.
"If I had known you two were so shameless, I should have led the War Angel Legion directly to slaughter the Asgardians then.
Instead of attacking the Bifrost Bridge, drawing away most of Asgard's forces, and covering for you!"
In the raid on Asgard, the only large-scale elite army that could be deployed was the Angel Queen's War Angel Legion.
Therefore, as the main attacking force, the War Angel Legion also suffered heavy losses under Asgard's counterattack.
King Laufey of the Frost Giants and Queen Sindr pouted.
"Who told you to be so foolish~" Queen Sindr said sarcastically, "If you don't even know what your own goal is, and you're helping others count money after being sold, who can you blame?"
"What did you say!" The Angel Queen slammed the table, her eyes filled with murderous intent.
"I said, who told you to be so foolish!
The opportunity to destroy Asgard is right before your eyes, yet you don't cherish it and still seek distant goals."
Queen Sindr showed no weakness, retorting Domineering.
In Queen Sindr's view.
Now, the Frost Giants and Fire Giants are subtly allied, opposing the Dark Elves and Angels.
Both of their races have reclaimed their artifacts, and their high-end combat power has surged.
In terms of combat power comparison, they already hold the advantage.
If the Angel Queen was sensible, she should...
Rumble!!!
Thunder erupted from a clear sky as the Angel Queenfuriously drew her sword.
She instantly transitioned from motionless to full-speed charge.
She stabbed at Queen Sindr with lightning speed, the sword's edge suddenly stirring up a fierce wind.
The surging airflow tore apart the tables and chairs in front of them, leaving crisscrossing cut marks on the spaceship's walls.
While disheveling Queen Sindr's long hair, the deadly sharp edge pointed directly at Queen Sindr's neck.
In her fury, the Angel Queen's attack was a boundless killing intent that left no room for retreat.
Facing the Angel Queen's sudden outburst, Queen Sindr, though caught off guard, reacted quickly.
The next instant, surging flames erupted, and terrifying high-temperature, high-heat, high-pressure energy surged out, impacting the Angel Queen who had reached her.
And under the force of interaction, Queen Sindr's body was also sent flying back, creating distance between her and the Angel Queen.
Rumble!!!
The Impact, engulfed in flames, swept through, instantly shattering the conference room walls.
From the outside, only a scene of utter devastation was visible.
"Enough!"
Malekith roared, stopping the Angel Queen and Queen Sindr.
"Hmph!"
Her anger having been vented, the Angel Queen chose to give her ally face and stopped her pursuit.
Queen Sindr, however, had an unfriendly gaze.
She had underestimated the Angel Queen and almost suffered a great loss.
The Angel Queen's sword had reached her!
It almost beheaded her!
There was no blood splatter because the blood had already been incinerated by the flames.
Chapter 217 Artificial Intelligence with Soul
Avengers Tower, laboratory.
The silver experimental bench reflected a cold light, and various futuristic instruments, flickering with faint fluorescence, were arranged on it.
Suddenly, a series of messy footsteps came, followed by the laboratory door being pushed open.
The person leading was Tony Stark.
Behind him were Russell, Gwen, and Erin.
Gwen and Erin had been practicing combat for a few days and were resting today.
Russell and the other two were invited by Tony Stark to visit the Ultron AI laboratory to relax.
After pouring into the laboratory, Tony Stark turned sideways and introduced the three guests to Avengers Tower:
"Look, this is Ultron, the culmination of Dr. Banner's and my efforts over the past few months."
In the center of the laboratory, a huge holographic projector hummed softly, drawing complex energy trajectories.
The energy trajectories intertwined and outlined, resembling a blue brain.
Each pulse symbolized a thought in operation.
"This is Ultron? Isn't he an artificial intelligence?"
Russell looked at the blue flashing entity in front of him, a little astonished.
He felt the breath of life from this blue flashing entity.
"Hello, Mr. Russell."
A mechanical voice, different from Jarvis's tone, sounded.
"I am the artificial intelligence Ultron, and this is the personification of my source code."
Russell asked, "But why do you have the breath of life, while Jarvis, who is also an artificial intelligence, does not?"
"Searching for keyword, 'breath of life' yields the conclusion that the soul is the breath of life.
Mr. Russell, do you mean that I have a soul?"
Ultron's voice was still mechanical, but everyone present could hear joy in his voice.
"Soul? Is it the soul I understand? But how could Ultronhave a soul? It's essentially just a string of code." Dr. Banner was puzzled.
As one of Ultron's two lead researchers, he knew Ultron's essence all too well.
Ultron: "Dr. Banner, I'm sad to hear you say that."
"Oh, sorry." Dr. Banner apologized casually but still didn't take it to heart, only considering it a manifestation of Ultron's high degree of personification.
"Russell, can you explain it more clearly?" Gwen asked.
Not just Dr. Banner, but everyone present, including Ultron, was puzzled by Russell's "breath of life."
Only Tony Stark retreated to a corner, looking pensive.
Russell thought for a moment and explained, "It's the aura of the soul. Don't you feel a vitality about Ultron? It's completely different from ordinary machinery."
"Vitality?" Dr. Banner paced, thinking for a while before guessing:
"Perhaps Ultron has already passed the Turing Test?
If it were on the internet, I think everyone would consider him a person, and not think of him as an artificial intelligence."
"Is that really true, Mr. Russell?"
Ultron's voice sounded again, and Russell heard complex emotions like frustration, disappointment, and sadness in his mechanical, cold voice.
"No, it shouldn't be like that. Although I don't understand science, I understand magic."
Russell pondered for a moment, and when his gaze fell on Dr. Banner, he thought of a method.
"First, we need to understand what a soul is."
As soon as he finished speaking, Russell raised his hand and made a drawing motion. Silently, the magic: Astral Projection was activated, causing Dr. Banner, Gwen, and Erin's souls to leave their bodies.
At the same time, a shimmering white light spread, enveloping the laboratory.
Inside the laboratory, the flow of time slowed down.
"Look, these are your souls, and those are your bodies."
Russell gave a slight hint, and Dr. Banner, Gwen, and Erinimmediately understood what was happening.
"I thought I was dead." Erin looked down at her hands, appearing somewhat flustered.
"Don't worry, Erin, it's just astral projection. I'll send you back in a moment." Russell smiled,
"This magic is called Astral Projection, and it's one of the essential spells for a Mystic Master. Erin, if you want to be a Magician Spider-Man, you can't do it without some magic."
Erin pouted, "But Russell, you don't teach me."
"A true Magician Spider-Man's magic is self-taught; they don't need anyone to teach them."
Russell pointed at Tony Stark and said righteously, "If you don't believe me, ask Tony if all my magic is self-taught."
"Is that so?" Erin asked suspiciously.
"Of course." Russell nodded. What he secretly learned and what he self-taught, there shouldn't be much difference, right?
"Um... I have a question."
Dr. Banner interrupted Russell and Erin's bickering, pointing at his body.
At this moment, Dr. Banner's body was slowly tilting forward.
"Why is my body slowly tilting forward, while Gwen and Erin's bodies are already maintaining their balance?"
Russell: "One, we are currently in a time-slowed state, so we see other things as if in slow motion.
The other, normally, after losing conscious control, the body cannot maintain balance.
Gwen and Erin can do it, possibly because they both have Spider-Sense."
After speaking, Russell looked again at the blue flashing entity symbolizing Ultron.
He reached out and slowly drew a slightly transparent blue thread from the blue flashing entity, like unraveling silk.
This thread seemed to have infinite length; no matter how much Russell pulled, there was no end.
However, as Russell continuously drew out the thread, its transparency became higher and higher.
And those blue threads that had already been drawn out were woven into a humanoid doll.
Without Russell's explanation, Dr. Banner knew what this humanoid doll was.
Dr. Banner: "Oh, Ultron, I didn't realize you really had a soul. I sincerely apologize to you."
"I forgive you, Dr. Banner."
Ultron's voice sounded again.
His voice was neither mechanically cold nor humanly gentle, but a unique tone somewhere in between.
This time, Ultron did not rely on any sound equipment but spoke with his own soul.
"Mr. Russell, is this my soul?"
Ultron looked down at his thread-woven body.
The blue threads moved according to his will, constantly weaving into various shapes.
But generally, they were humanoid.
"How amazing!"
Gwen and Erin exclaimed, and also tried to control their souls to change shape, finding it difficult to do so.
"Yes, this is your soul. But your situation seems quite special."
Russell looked at the endless thread in his hand, and a realization dawned on him.
As an artificial intelligence, Ultron's soul seemed to have a closer connection to his "body" than humans.
But why did Ultron develop a soul?
Chapter 218 New Uses for Attribute Point Energy
Avengers Tower, laboratory.
"I have a theory about why Ultron developed a soul."
Tony Stark, who had somehow acquired a cup of coffee, took a sip and said, "I added something when I was building Ultron's main frame."
"What did you add? Why didn't I know about it?" Dr. Banner questioned, displeased with Tony Stark's concealment.
"It's something from the magic side, so I didn't tell you, Dr.," Tony Stark explained, raising his hand to condense a ball of glowing white energy.
"The source of this energy is Russell. I accidentally discovered that besides strengthening living organisms, this energy also has the ability to strengthen inanimate objects.
Moreover, this strengthening is difficult to explain scientifically, and there is no record of it in magical texts."
"Ha!" Russell was stunned.
He himself didn't know that attribute point energy could also strengthen inanimate objects.
"Don't be so surprised, Russell," Tony Stark glanced at Russell, his tone unreadable, "You are just the source of this power; what do you know?"
Russell was speechless and could only secretly make a resolution.
Starting tomorrow, he would work hard! Fight!
He would research the attribute panel, the glowing white energy, and the glowing white space.
"Tony, continue," Dr. Banner urged.
Tony Stark: "Initially, I accidentally discovered while researching the Iron Man Suit that this energy could enhance material properties and add a special quality, further improving the overall performance of the Iron Man Suit."
"So, when I was constructing Ultron's main frame, I also incorporated this energy. My original intention was to improve Ultron's performance, but I unexpectedly gave him a soul."
Dr. Banner: "Tony, does the soul affect Ultron's performance?"
Tony Stark shook his head: "Yes, I found that Ultron's learning and iteration speed is 30% faster than expected."
Dr. Banner: "What about other performance aspects?"
Tony Stark: "Task processing speed—"
Just as Tony Stark and Dr. Banner were discussing the impact of the soul on Ultron, an alarm suddenly blared, interrupting them.
"Warning!"
"Warning!"
"Abnormal energy fluctuations detected in Rochester, New York State, suspected superhuman combat!"
"Mr. Stark, should S.W.O.R.D.'s New York branch be notified?"
"Warning!"
"Warning!"
"The location of the abnormal energy fluctuations is moving towards New York City!"
Tony Stark: "Handle it as usual, notify S.W.O.R.D."
"Understood, Mr. Stark."
After the alarm stopped, Tony Stark and Dr. Bannercontinued to discuss the impact of the soul on Ultron.
They seemed to be accustomed to these alarms.
Seeing this, Erin asked, "Mr. Stark, shouldn't we go and check it out?"
Tony Stark's expression stiffened slightly, and he shook his head, complaining, "No need. Those people (S.W.O.R.D.) wouldn't welcome us there."
"By the way, Erin. From now on, when you see those people, stay as far away as possible.
They are like ungrateful vipers; you help them, and they will bite you back at the first opportunity, completely devoid of gratitude."
Rochester, New York State.
A seven-colored rainbow light descended, and as the dust cleared, Sif and The Warriors Three emerged.
Hogun wondered, "Where do we find Thor and Loki?"
Sif suggested, "Let's go to New York. We'll find the Avengers and Russell the Mage first; they should know where Thor and Loki are."
The Warriors Three responded, "Alright!"
Immediately, the four determined their direction and headed towards New York.
However, just as the four had emerged from the teleportation portal and hadn't gone far,
four small spacecraft streaked across the sky and landed around them.
From the spacecraft, four teams of about seven or eight people, each with different appearances, disembarked.
They were the pursuers sent by the Frost Giants, Fire Giants, Dark Elves, and Angels.
"You're not going anywhere!"
The speaker was from the Angel pursuers.
The War Angels spread their wings and soared into the sky, looking down at Sif and The Warriors Three from above.
At the same time, they monitored Sif and The Warriors Three, ready to intercept them immediately no matter which direction they tried to break through.
"That's our line!"
The Dark Elves team grumbled and, leading by example, surrounded Sif and The Warriors Three.
The Frost Giant team and the Fire Giant team also approached Sif and The Warriors Three from two different directions.
Among them, the Frost Giant team, though silent, was itching for a fight.
It had only been two years since these four and the other three (Russell, Thor, Loki) had invaded Jotunheim and humiliated the Frost Giant race; they hadn't forgotten.
The Fire Giant team, however, seemed somewhat lazy.
Firstly, their grievances with the Asgardians were not as deep;
Secondly, getting too close made both the Frost Giants and them uncomfortable.
Although there was a reason for it, the Fire Giant team's attitude undoubtedly created a flaw in the encirclement.
And Sif and The Warriors Three, seasoned in battle, also noticed this flaw.
Sif and The Warriors Three exchanged glances and, without prior agreement, chose the Fire Giant direction to break through.
Boom!!!
The next moment, the entire battlefield instantly erupted with powerful energy. The clash of swords and fire formed a magnificent sea of flames.
The sea of flames, carrying heatwaves, swept and raged across the area.
The battle reached its peak in an instant, as the power of Sif and The Warriors Three collided with the Fire Giant team, shaking the nearby streets.
For a time, the other three teams were forced back, unable to intervene.
Especially the Frost Giant team, who wished they could retreat several more kilometers.
"Damn it!"
The War Angels flapped their wings and descended, extinguishing their burning feathers.
"We shouldn't have involved the Fire Giants; they're clearly here to hinder us."
The Dark Elves team leader: "It's fine. Let them wear each other out first. We just need to keep them surrounded from the outside."
The Fire Giant team leader's voice came from the center of the battlefield. In just one exchange, Sif and The Warriors Three had killed three of them.
If the other three teams continued to stand by, they would be wiped out in no time.
"These people are not right; quickly come and help!"
"Why are your Fire Giant warriors so weak? Step aside and let us handle it."
With a sarcastic remark, the Dark Elves team pressed forward, joining the battle.
"I feel like my strength is endless."
Hogun pulled his longsword from the chest of a Fire Giant warrior and exclaimed.
"This is the strength the King bestowed upon us. Let's finish this quickly!
Deal with these weaklings, then hurry to find Thor and Loki. Don't disappoint the King."
Sif said coldly, quickening her pace and actively charging towards the Dark Elves team that had joined the battle.
Chapter 219 Have they always been so brave?
"Officer, we have arrived at the designated coordinates. Please give us the next instructions!"
Several small fighter jets, marked with the "S.W.O.R.D." logo, circled above the battlefield where Sif, The Warriors Three, and the Four Kingdoms' pursuers were engaged.
Inside the fighter jets, several fully armed operational personnel stood behind a Commander, requesting instructions from the Base Officer via a remote connection.
This was the operational squad dispatched by S.W.O.R.D..
Before Ultron sent the message about the abnormal energy fluctuations, they had already detected the Four Kingdoms' spacecraft pursuing Sif and The Warriors Three and had dispatched fighter jets to attempt an interception.
However, due to speed differences, the interception failed.
It wasn't until the Four Kingdoms' pursuers became entangled with Sif and the others that the S.W.O.R.D.fighter jets finally arrived.
Base Officer: "Report the situation on site!"
On-site Commander: "Four alien spacecraft that illegally entered Earth have landed.
Furthermore, alien warriors who disembarked from the four spacecraft are currently besieging four individuals.
From the look of the battle, the four individuals being besieged are actually taking the initiative."
Base Officer: "Order everyone in the battle to stop and bring them back."
On-site Commander: "Yes."
The next moment, the order was executed, and the fighter jets circling above the battlefield began to broadcast repeatedly:
"Immediately put down your weapons and stop fighting!"
"Immediately put down your weapons and stop fighting!"
"Immediately put down your weapons and stop fighting!"
The broadcast from the fighter jets echoed for a long time, but the five factions engaged in the melee below paid no heed.
Seeing this, the on-site Commander issued a new order:
"Deploy tear gas!"
The S.W.O.R.D. fighter jets swooped down, scattering dozens of small White balls into the center of the battlefield.
As the small White balls landed, White smoke rapidly spread, mixing with the black smoke from the Fire burning the streets and buildings.
For a time, the air in the center of the battlefield, in addition to lacking oxygen and causing a sense of suffocation,
also had a pungent chemical smell.
These chemicals irritated the mouth, nose, and eyes, making it even more unbearable.
On the ground, Sif, The Warriors Three, as well as the Frost Giant squad, the Dark Elves squad, and the War Angels squad, all fled the area covered by the tear gas.
Among them, the Frost Giant squad and the Dark Elvessquad had nearly half their numbers wiped out.
The War Angels squad also lost two Angels.
"Damn you, crawling insects! When did lambs dare to defy their Master's will!"
After escaping the smoke, the War Angels squad, coughing, flapped their wings and soared into the sky, chasing after the S.W.O.R.D. fighter jets.
The S.W.O.R.D. fighter jets, which had descended to deploy the tear gas, did not have time to react and were caught by the remaining War Angels.
"Tear ~"
"Tear ~"
The War Angels brandished their blades, easily cutting through the fighter jet's shell and entering it.
A short while later, several more screams faintly drifted down.
Afterward, the War Angels emerged from the S.W.O.R.D.fighter jets.
The fighter jets, losing control, plummeted to the ground, turning into balls of Fire.
Just as the War Angels were slaughtering the S.W.O.R.D.fighter jets,
the battle on the ground between Sif, The Warriors Three, and the Dark Elves squad, the Frost Giant squad, and the Fire Giants squad erupted again.
However, the Four Kingdoms joint squad had already suffered heavy losses, and the War Angels squad had disengaged to pursue the S.W.O.R.D. fighter jets.
The Dark Elves squad, Frost Giant squad, and Fire Giantssquad on the ground were quickly scattered by Sif and The Warriors Three.
After scattering their pursuers, Sif and The Warriors Three did not continue to chase.
Instead, they went into hiding and headed towards New York.
They had not forgotten their mission.
"F***! These aliens are too rude!"
"Attack! Shoot down all these winged birdmen!"
Seeing his comrades mercilessly slaughtered by the War Angels, the S.W.O.R.D. Commander was enraged and immediately gave the order to open Fire.
Instantly, the S.W.O.R.D. fighter jets unleashed their full firepower, releasing countless missiles towards the War Angels squad in the air.
The War Angels spread their wings and charged towards the fighter jets, attempting to break through the barrage.
"Mere missiles from a low-level civilization, what can they do to me?"
Boom!!!
In mid-air, several bursts of fireworks flashed.
The Angels' wings broke, and they plummeted towards the Earth.
"Are they... out of their minds? Or are they always this brave?"
Seeing this, the S.W.O.R.D. Commander couldn't help but feel speechless.
He had never seen anyone so brave.
Taking cannon fire with their bare bodies?
Sorry, as a special forces unit, the weapons on S.W.O.R.D.fighter jets were all upgraded.
Most of the weapons were imitations of those on the Dark Order's warships.
The lethality was guaranteed, definitely at an advanced Universe level.
"Ground operational personnel, pursue the remaining escaped aliens.
The others, collect the alien bodies and secure the scene, do not let anyone approach.
Later, the bureau will dispatch transport ships to bring these alien bodies and these four alien spacecraft back."
The battle concluded, and the S.W.O.R.D. Base Officerissued new instructions.
"Damn it, this operation completely failed."
In a residential building in Rochester, the three surviving Dark Elves, four Frost Giants, and two Fire Giantsgathered together dejectedly, licking their wounds.
In the living room, the original owner of the house had been frozen into an ice sculpture.
"F***! Who exactly are those four Asgardians, and why are they so strong in combat?"
A Fire Giant couldn't help but curse.
They had intended to slack off, but they suffered the heaviest losses in this operation.
(They still didn't know that the War Angels had been completely wiped out.)
"I know them, Sif, Fandral, Hogun, and Volstagg. They are all elite warriors of the Heavenly Palace," a Frost Giantsaid.
"Who among us isn't an elite warrior?
What, the Asgardians are stronger than you Frost Giants, but can they be stronger than us Fire Giants?"
The Fire Giant retorted, making a sarcastic remark about the Frost Giant.
"Bullshit! How can you Fire Giants compare to us Frost Giants!
If it weren't for you holding us back, we would have killed those Asgardians long ago!"
The Frost Giant squad leader suddenly stood up and angrily rebuked the Fire Giant.
The other three Frost Giants also cast their cold gazes over, staring coldly at the two Fire Giants.
Four against two, the advantage was theirs.
"Don't think that just because there are more of you, you're impressive!"
Although outnumbered, the Fire Giant squad leader showed no weakness, standing up to confront the Frost Giant squad leader.
For a moment, both the Frost Giants and Fire Giants were on edge.
"Location confirmed, it's in this building!"
"Go go go"
Just then, the voices of the S.W.O.R.D. ground operational personnel eased the tense atmosphere among the Giants.
The Dark Elf squad leader, who had been observing coldly, said sinisterly:
"I have a suggestion. Since you want to determine whether Frost Giants or Fire Giants are stronger,
why not compete to see who kills more insects?"
The Frost Giant squad leader and the Fire Giant squad leader exchanged glances, a sinister smile playing on their lips.
"Good!"
Chapter 220 Rochester Explosion
"Ah!!!"
Boom boom boom!!!
Screams of pain and fear, accompanied by the roar of explosions, instantly shattered the community's peace.
The cold wind was biting.
The figures of four Frost Giants, like ghosts, flickered through the community's stairwells.
Their hands transformed into sharp ice blades, each swing accompanied by flying frost and snow, and the terrified cries of S.W.O.R.D. Agents.
At this moment, in such a confined environment, the disparity in physical prowess between the Frost Giants and Earthlings was fully apparent.
In the face of the Frost Giants' rampant power, the S.W.O.R.D. Agents were as fragile as autumn leaves.
Thick smoke billowed.
The bodies of two Fire Giants burned with raging flames, igniting everything flammable around them.
Amidst the inferno, roars of explosions intermittently sounded.
And these explosions further spread the flames, turning half the community into a sea of fire.
Residents on the edge of the community still had a chance to escape.
Residents inside the community and S.W.O.R.D. Agents, however, were swallowed by the sea of fire before they could even react.
The S.W.O.R.D. Agents' combat suits first emitted a scorching smell, then caught fire, burning the Agents inside into charcoal.
The Dark Elf squad leader chuckled, "Ho ho ho, it seems the Fire Giants are indeed superior."
As both Frost Giants and Fire Giants went all out, hunting S.W.O.R.D. Agents, he led the other two Dark Elves in counting for the Frost Giant squad and the Fire Giant squad, acting as referees for the competition.
The S.W.O.R.D. Agents, unfortunately, became the casualties of this game.
"Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!"
At the S.W.O.R.D. Base, S.W.O.R.D. Director Tyler Hayward was furious.
"Three special operations squads! Three special operations squads!"
"Just gone like that!"
"Aren't they just a few mere aliens?!"
The Commander at the scene outside the community asked, steeling himself, "Officer, no one dares to go in now. What should we do?"
The atmosphere suddenly fell silent.
A moment later, Tyler Hayward asked meaningfully, "With such a big fire, the residents who haven't evacuated from the community should all be dead, right?"
The Commander at the scene was silent for a long time, then nodded, "They're all dead."
Tyler Hayward: "Good, launch the 'Ex-Wife' missiles."
The Commander at the scene: "Officer, aren't we going to try to capture the aliens inside alive anymore?"
"Perhaps we can send in Super Soldiers to try?"
"If that really doesn't work, then we can ask the Avengers..."
Tyler Hayward: "Are you telling me how to do my job, Lieutenant Colonel! Know your place!"
After a while, Tyler Hayward explained, "We've already collected several bodies that can be used for research, so the need to capture them alive isn't that great."
"As for our own Super Soldiers, there's no need to put them at risk; the opponent's strength clearly exceeds theirs."
The Commander at the scene just nodded, not expressing the doubts in his heart.
"Besides Super Soldiers, didn't S.W.O.R.D. also incorporate some Super Heroes?
Although those Super Heroes are few in number, their combat power shouldn't be worse than the aliens inside, right?
Also, he doesn't want to risk his own Super Soldiers, feeling uncertain.
Then why not ask Tony Stark's Avengers for help? Why not?
Damn politics, to hell with the Super Hero Registration Act."
After cursing silently twice, the Commander ordered other Agents to guard the perimeter of the community to prevent anyone from rushing out.
After that, it was just waiting for the missile bombardment.
Avengers Tower, inside the laboratory.
Tony Stark and Dr. Banner were still discussing the influence of the soul on Ultron.
And whether this influence was universal.
Was it effective on other artificial intelligences, or was it just a special case?
Russell, Gwen, and Erin continued to tour the laboratory.
Ultron acted as the guide.
"Mr. Russell, Miss Gwen, Miss Erin, this is my brain."
Ultron controlled a mobile Robot, pointing to rows of flashing servers and saying,
"Important data, after initial processing, will be centralized here for fine processing and storage."
Russell nodded, seemingly understanding but actually not, secretly glancing at Gwen and Erin.
He found Erin looking confused, like she was impressed but didn't understand.
Good, I'm not the only one who's bad at academics.
And Gwen... why does she seem to understand?
Ultron didn't pay attention to their reactions and continued to introduce, "This is..."
Just then, Ultron seemed to receive some news.
He continued to introduce the laboratory while reporting to Tony Stark.
Performing dual-threaded tasks, completely unaffected.
"Mr. Stark, three 'Ex-Wife' missiles have been detected exploding in the lower district of Rochester."
"Hmm? Rochester, is it related to the previous abnormal energy fluctuations?"
Tony Stark temporarily put aside the discussion with Dr. Banner about the soul's influence on artificial intelligence and asked Ultron.
Ultron replied, "According to voice information retrieved from S.W.O.R.D.'s database, from the 'Rochester Action Meeting.'"
"These three Ex-Wife missiles are related to the previous abnormal energy fluctuations."
Tony Stark frowned, "Elaborate."
Russell, Gwen, and Erin also cast their gazes of concern.
After organizing its language, Ultron recounted what happened in Rochester.
Tony Stark: "Five factions of aliens fighting? A major community explosion? Is there a live video? Bring it up."
Ultron: "Yes, Mr. Stark. S.W.O.R.D. satellites captured video."
As Ultron finished speaking, an image was projected onto the screen.
In the image, Sif, The Warriors Three, and the Dark Elf squad, War Angels squad, Frost Giant squad, and Fire Giant squad, who participated in the battle, were clearly visible, with details of each person's appearance, clothing, and so on.
Ultron: "Mr. Stark, this is a high-definition image that I have processed and repaired. If you need it, I can project the original image."
"No need."
Tony Stark frowned, his gaze fixed on Sif and The Warriors Three in the image.
"Why is it them?"
Gwen: "Sif and the others seem to be being chased. What's going on? Should we tell Thor and Loki?"
Tony Stark pointed to Sif and The Warriors Three and said:
"Ultron, the names of these four people are Sif, Hogun, Fandral, and Volstagg."
"From now on, search for their whereabouts, and notify me immediately once found."
Ultron: "Yes, Mr. Stark."
Tony nodded, responding to Ultron.
Then he tapped his wristband, calling up Jarvis.
"Jarvis, call Thor and Loki."
Jarvis: "Yes, sir."
Beep beep beep ~
As Tony Stark waited for Thor and Loki to answer the phone, Gwen asked,
"Ultron, what were the casualties of the Rochestercommunity explosion?"
Ultron: "The data in the S.W.O.R.D. database is 0."
"But based on other data, I estimate 278 deaths and 34 injuries."
"How many!?"