Chapter 41: Strategy to Cut the Source
"So, this old guy not only sends couriers, but also secretly buried 'Wi-Fi amplifiers'?"
Arthur stared at the last fading memory fragment on the magic light screen, rubbing his chin.
The light screen displayed what had been extracted from the brain of the dark minion caught last time. After purification by Ancient One and parsing by Wanda's Chaos Magic, it was now as clear as a high-definition map.
It marked at least three "points" flashing with ominous purple light. They were not in New York, nor on Earth, but embedded in the nooks and crannies of the dimensional gaps. Each point extended a thin "line" that stubbornly pointed toward Earth.
"Nodes." Wanda pointed at those points. Her fingertips still retained a faint dark red lingering charm from parsing the magic. "Memory shows that while Dormammu is pinpointing Earth's coordinates, these nodes are also continuously outputting a very covert dark energy. It's like... like water dripping through a stone, trying to slowly corrode a few holes in our dimension's barrier."
"Playing dirty, huh." Arthur laughed. "Can't win head-on, so he resorts to infiltration. This old guy's tactics are quite trendy."
Just as he finished speaking, the magic communicator on the coffee table lit up on its own, and Ancient One's calm voice came through: "Is the memory analysis complete?"
"Done, Master. High-definition, uncensored, solid evidence." Arthur picked up the communicator. "Three 'nail houses' hiding in the dimensional gaps, secretly releasing poison. What should we do? Wait for them to gnaw through our wall?"
"Passive defense is no longer sufficient." Ancient One's voice was steady. "The fluctuations from Odin's seal provide excellent 'noise cover' for them. I propose taking the initiative to clear these nodes. While this cannot eradicate Dormammu's threat, it will significantly delay its infiltration and final targeting speed, buying us time to resolve the Thor incident."
"Cut off his supplies, sever his lines?" Arthur's eyes lit up. "I'm good at this! Give me the coordinates, and I'll go wipe them out right now!"
"Clearing the nodes requires entering the dimensional gaps. The environment is complex, and you may encounter guards or trigger a more intense counterattack." Ancient One warned. "You need a stable rear and real-time monitoring of Earth's dimensional fluctuations. The energy backlash generated during node clearance could impact existing weak points on Earth."
"Rear and monitoring..." Arthur turned to look at Wanda.
Wanda immediately straightened her back: "I'll do it. I've been familiarizing myself with the Warning Magic Array, and I can handle global monitoring." Her gaze was firm, without a hint of hesitation.
Arthur looked at her, not agreeing immediately. This time, it wasn't about her following him, but leaving her alone at home, staring at various emergencies that might arise. The pressure was significant.
"Wife, you'll have to hold the fort this time." Arthurlooked at her. "I'm going in to dismantle those three broken nodes. If it's fast, a few minutes; if it's slow... if I get entangled by something, it's hard to say. During this time, if there's any movement in terms of dimensions in New Yorkor even other parts of Earth, you'll have to be the first to discover and judge it. You might even have to take action first to stabilize things if necessary. Can you do it?"
"I can." Wanda replied with only one word, but it carried great weight.
Arthur smiled and nodded firmly: "Alright! Then let's do it! My wife will hold the center, and I'll go steal the tower!"
As soon as he finished speaking, a gust of wind swept through the room, and Pietro appeared in the living room, holding a half-eaten hot dog.
"Whew... just got back. Things are getting lively over in New Mexico!" Pietro swallowed the food in his mouth, speaking rapidly. "Our Thor brother seems to have figured things out. He took that blonde female scientist and her sidekick, drove that little junk car, and headed straight for the crater where the mjolnir fell! That bunch from S.H.I.E.L.D. are swarming, looks like they're about to fight!"
Arthur and Wanda exchanged glances.
"The timing is quite coincidental." Arthur smacked his lips. "Dormammu is making trouble, and Odin's silly son is also making trouble... Alright, let's split into two paths. Pietro, you stay home and assist your sister, mainly for peripheral information gathering and running errands. Wanda will focus on the magic aspect."
"Understood!" Pietro stuffed the rest of the hot dog into his mouth and made an OK gesture.
"Master, coordinates received. I'm leaving now." Arthursaid to the communicator, then clasped his hands together. Brilliant golden sparks tore open a Portal leading to the gray, hazy dimensional gap in front of him.
He looked back at Wanda: "I'm leaving the house to you, wife. If anything goes wrong, prioritize protecting yourself, then contact Master."
"Be careful." Wanda walked up to him and gave him a quick hug.
"Don't worry, I'm just demolishing a few illegal structures, I'll be back soon." Arthur grinned, turned, and stepped into the Portal.
The golden light converged, and Arthur disappeared.
The living room suddenly became quiet, leaving only the faint humming from the Warning Magic Array light screen and the complex lines and data representing Earth's dimensional stability flowing continuously on it.
Wanda took a deep breath, walked to the main control position of the light screen, and placed her hands gently on the sensing runes. Dark red Chaos Magic flowed from her palms, gently connecting to the array.
Instantly, her perception was amplified.
It was no longer the "window" from her previous auxiliary observation, but rather like an invisible "radar network" covering all of New York and even further regions. Countless subtle energy fluctuations, spatial ripples, and dimensional pressure data poured into her perception like a tide.
The pressure increased sharply.
She had to quickly distinguish between what was normal background "noise" and what were "abnormal signals" that might indicate danger. Any misjudgment or oversight could put Arthur in danger or cause a loophole to appear in some corner of Earth.
Pietro also quieted down, leaning against the wall, listening vigilantly for any movement outside the house, ready to use his speed to confirm any anomalies Wandadiscovered that required on-site inspection.
...
Dimensional Gap.
Arthur moved through the chaotic energy flow like an agile fish. The coordinates provided by Ancient One were very precise, and he quickly locked onto the first target.
It was a pulsating, fist-sized dark tumor, adhering to a piece of shattered space fragment, tirelessly spraying invisible black "filaments" outward.
"Found you, first one."
Arthur didn't even waste time striking a pose. A faint flash of red light in his eyes, and his heat vision swept across in a millimeter-precise cutting mode.
Sss!
The dark tumor, along with the space fragment it was attached to, was instantly evaporated into basic energy particles, leaving not even a trace.
Clean and efficient.
Almost at the same time the tumor disappeared, Arthursensed an angry, violent will, like a snake that had its tail stepped on, suddenly probing from the depths of the far darkness, sweeping across this area.
It was Dormammu's will!
"Yo, quick reaction." Arthur curled his lips, golden light flashed around him, and the Sorcerer Supreme's concealment spell was activated. His entire being seemed to merge into the dimensional background. The angry will swept around, found no specific target, and slowly retreated with reluctance.
"Looks like demolishing your stuff hurts you." Arthurlaughed, moving faster, heading straight for the second coordinate.
The second node was hidden deeper, behind a naturally formed dimensional vortex. Arthur couldn't be bothered to detour, his eyes turning slightly red again.
Boom!
The heat vision brutally pierced through the energy vortex, along with the dark node hidden behind it, which looked like a spiky sea urchin, blasting them into nothingness.
This time, the dark will came faster and fiercer, carrying a sense of rage after being repeatedly provoked.
Arthur was prepared. The moment he destroyed the node, he completed a spatial jump and appeared near the third coordinate.
"Last one, I'll make it quick for you."
The third node was the largest, like an ugly heart beating slowly, surrounded by some dark tentacles of a defensive nature.
Arthur couldn't be bothered to play with it. He raised his right hand and clenched his fist.
Then, towards the direction of that "heart," he threw a punch through the air.
There was no sound.
But starting from the point in front of his fist, the dimensional space appeared like shattered glass, with clear, spreading cracks. The cracks instantly swept over that dark heart.
Pop.
The heart, along with the tentacles around it and that piece of space, were all shaken into the finest powder and completely dissipated.
This time, Dormammu's will didn't immediately sweep over.
But Arthur clearly felt an icy, piercing gaze, filled with monstrous rage and a hint of... suspicion, as if it were "looking" at this area from far beyond countless dimensions.
At the same time, the moment this largest node was destroyed, some more covert, deeper coordinate information, like fragments after an explosion, passively splashed out along the energy connection and were captured by Arthur's Superman perception in a few blurred fragments.
"There's more? Spare nodes hidden deeper?" Arthurfrowned, noting down those blurred sensations.
He didn't linger, immediately opening the return channel.
Golden light flashed, and he returned to the living room of his home in Brooklyn.
The time from his departure to his return was less than seven minutes in total.
He had just steadied himself when he saw Wandasuddenly turn her head from the light screen, speaking quickly but clearly: "Southeast corner of Queens, former weak point No. 17. Three seconds after you destroyed the third node, abnormal energy accumulation appeared. The intensity is rising slowly, with a local expansion trend! I have already used magic to remotely suppress its expansion rate, but it needs reinforcement!"
Arthur was stunned, then smiled, walked over, and rubbed Wanda's hair vigorously: "Well done, wife! The warning was very timely!"
As he spoke, he had already raised his hand, and a golden magic beam shot out through the wall, accurately hitting the location Wanda mentioned. On the light screen, the red light representing the abnormality of that weak point quickly weakened and returned to stability.
Wanda finally breathed a sigh of relief, her tense shoulders slumping slightly, and a fine layer of sweat on her forehead.
"How was it? Inside?" She looked at Arthur.
"All three dismantled, clean and efficient." Arthur made an OK gesture. "But that old guy is anxious. I feel like he wants to come through the internet cable and strangle me. Also, when I dismantled the last one, it seemed to spill out some deeper coordinate fragments. I feel like he still has backups."
Pietro leaned over: "So, our 'Internet Disconnection Operation' is considered a success?"
"Temporarily successful. Pulled three of his network cables; the invasion speed will definitely slow down." Arthurwalked to the sofa and sat down. "But as Master said, it treats the symptoms, not the root cause. As long as the seal from Odin's family is still fluctuating there, providing him with background noise, he can continue to find other ways."
He looked at Wanda: "However, the biggest gain this time is my wife's global monitoring ability. It's rock solid! Detecting such subtle anomalies in seconds, warning in seconds—awesome!"
Wanda was a bit embarrassed by his praise, but her eyes were bright.
"So, next step?" Pietro asked.
"Next step, we can't let our Thor brother dawdle there anymore." Arthur stood up, his expression serious. "We have to find a way to make him finish his 'homework' given by his dad quickly and turn off Asgard's 'loudspeaker' (seal fluctuation). Otherwise, on Dormammu's side, it will always be impossible to guard against."
"Are you going to New Mexico?" Wanda asked.
"Gotta go." Arthur nodded. "But we have to change the method. Directly interfering in gods fighting isn't good, but... pushing the plot progress, that's always possible, right?"
He looked out the window, as if he could see the desert of New Mexico in the distance.
"It's time to give our Thor brother a little push."
Chapter 42: The Choice
"Three coordinates, and New York Sanctum is one of them."
Arthur pushed the magic message light screen that the Ancient One had just transmitted onto the coffee table, his finger pointing at the three constantly flickering purplish-red light spots on it.
Wanda leaned in to look, her brow furrowed tightly: "Is Dormammu... having full signal strength on his navigation? Did he lock onto three delivery addresses directly?"
"It's worse than that." Arthur leaned back. "This old guy isn't here to 'deliver takeout,' he's looking to 'open branches.' These three coordinates are the most fragile 'doors' on the Earth's dimensional barrier. The fluctuations during Odin's sealing were too intense, and he's using them directly as GPS signals. The New York Sanctum has a strong energy node, so it's become the most conspicuous target."
Pietro flashed from the kitchen to the living room in a whoosh, still holding a sandwich, his mouth mumbling indistinctly: "Over in New Mexico, it's blown up! I just saw the news, that S.H.I.E.L.D. research base was smashed to pieces, and our Thor brother, along with that blonde female scientist and her sidekick, drove away! The direction is the crater where the mjolnir fell!"
Arthur and Wanda looked at each other.
"The timing is just right." Arthur clicked his tongue. "Dormammu is trying to break down the door, and Odin's foolish son is shaking the 'door lock' (the seal) the loudest. We can't wait any longer."
"Are you going directly?" Wanda asked, her voice filled with a hint of worry.
"We have to go." Arthur stood up. "Following the original plan to just watch the show and wait for Thor to realize it himself—there's not enough time. Dormammu's 'construction crew' is almost digging through our walls. I have to go and... give Thor brother a little speed boost."
"How do you boost him?" Pietro swallowed his sandwich. "Just tell him, 'Hey, buddy, your dad kicked you down here so you could learn to share and love, hurry up, lift the mjolnir and go home, don't drag us into this'?"
"That won't work, it's too direct and easy to cause a diplomatic dispute." Arthur waved his hand. "Asgardians are very arrogant; interfering in their family business directly will likely get us beaten up. We need to change our identity and approach."
Wanda grabbed Arthur's arm: "I'm going with you."
Arthur turned to look at her: "This time we might really have to deal with Asgardians, and might even run into Loki. The risks are harder to predict than dismantling Dormammu's 'illegal construction'."
"That's why I need to go even more." Wanda didn't let go. "My Chaos Magic is more sensitive to energy, and I can help you judge the situation. Besides, if we really have to make contact as 'third-party Guardians of the dimension,' two people will look more convincing and professional than one."
She paused, looking into Arthur's eyes: "You let me monitor independently last time, and I did it. This time, let me go to the front line with you. We are husband and wife, we handle things together."
Arthur looked at her for a few seconds, smiled, and held her hand back: "Alright! Husband and wife team, let's go meet our Thor brother!"
He looked at Pietro: "Brother, the house is in your hands. Keep watching the news, and if there's any other movement, contact us immediately."
"Don't worry, I've got it!" Pietro made an OK gesture.
Arthur didn't waste any more time. He raised both hands, and golden sparks rotated in the center of the living room, pulling open a Portal. On the other side of the door was a dusky sky and a desolate desert scene.
"Let's go!"
He pulled Wanda along and stepped inside.
The Portal closed before Pietro's eyes.
...
New Mexico, edge of the desert.
Arthur and Wanda appeared behind a sandstone formation. In the distance, they could see the silhouette of the temporary S.H.I.E.L.D. base, and further away, that famous crater with the mjolnir stuck in it.
"Whoa, quite a lot of people." Arthur squinted. "The S.H.I.E.L.D. cars are all rushing towards the mjolnir. It seems they lost the trail and knew Thor would definitely go there."
Wanda closed her eyes, and dark red magic rippled slightly. A few seconds later, she pointed to the southeast: "Over there, there are strong energy reactions moving... and it's not just one. It's Thor, along with Jane Foster and the others. Also... there's a very subtle magic fluctuation with a cold and deceitful taste that just arrived on Earth, and its position is erratic."
"Loki." Arthur snorted. "He came really fast. It seems that with Odin sleeping, this kid is itching to cause trouble."
He grabbed Wanda: "Let's take a shortcut and intercept Thor before he lifts the Mjolnir."
Golden sparks flashed again, and the two figures disappeared.
The next second, they appeared directly at the edge of the crater where mjolnir had fallen.
That antique-looking hammer lay quietly in the center of the pit, surrounded by radial patterns caused by the impact of its fall.
Arthur waved his hand to set up a pale golden magicbarrier, shrouding the entire impact site and a small area around them. From the outside, everything looked normal, and even the surveillance camera feeds from S.H.I.E.L.D.wouldn't show any changes.
"Done, no one will disturb us for now." Arthur clapped his hands.
Just as he finished speaking, the sound of car engines and footsteps came from outside the pit.
Thor Odinson was seen walking over with a determined look, wearing casual clothes that Jane Foster had found from somewhere. Jane and her assistants, Daisy and Doctor Erik, followed behind, looking nervous.
Thor had eyes only for the hammer at the bottom of the pit. He walked to the edge of the pit and was about to jump down.
"Hey, buddy, how about we chat before you jump?"
Arthur's voice suddenly rang out.
Thor turned his head abruptly, only then noticing a man and a woman standing at the edge of the pit. The man looked very young, wearing ordinary casual clothes, with a casual smile on his face. The woman had red hair and clear eyes, also young, and was looking at him quietly.
Where were the S.H.I.E.L.D. people? Why didn't they stop them?
Thor became instantly vigilant, shielding Jane behind him: "Who are you? S.H.I.E.L.D. Agents?"
"No." Arthur shook his head and stepped forward a few steps. "Let me introduce myself. Arthur, a disciple of the The Ancient One, and a part-timer who maintains the peace of nearby dimensions. This is my wife, Wanda, also a family member of the part-timer and a technical consultant."
Thor looked confused: "Ancient One? Dimensional peace? What are you talking about?"
"Simply put," Arthur pointed to the sky and then to the ground under his feet, "Your father, Old Man Odin, put a pretty strong seal on you when he kicked you down here. This seal is tied to your emotional state; the moment you get excited, it fluctuates. This fluctuation here on Earth is like someone shouting through a megaphone in a quiet library, attracting some... well, not-so-friendly neighbors."
"Neighbors?" Jane poked her head out from behind Thor, asking curiously.
"A big guy named Dormammu, the kind that likes to eat other dimensions." Wanda took over, her voice calm but clear. "He used the fluctuations of Odin's seal like a radar, locking onto three places on Earth, preparing to have a meal. One of them is right here in New York."
Thor frowned deeply: "What does the affair of Asgardhave to do with Midgard (Earth)? Furthermore, how can you presume to speculate about my Father's seal?"
"We didn't want to care either." Arthur spread his hands. "But your 'megaphone' is disturbing our sleep, and it's about to lure wolves to our doorstep. So, buddy, do us a favor and turn off this 'noise pollution' quickly. If you lift the hammer and restore your divine power, the seal will stabilize, and everyone will have peace."
"If I could lift it, I would have already returned to Asgard!" Thor's tone carried irritation and a trace of imperceptible self-doubt.
Just then, the air around Thor twisted suddenly. A translucent Loki phantom with green light appeared, whispering to Thor: "Brother, look at these Midgardian ants. They dare to discuss the Father's will and question your qualifications..."
Thor's eyes went dazed for a moment.
"Tsk, the main person didn't come, but you sent a tape recorder to make trouble?" Arthur curled his lip. Without even moving his fingers, a faint golden light flashed in his eyes.
Pop!
Loki's phantom burst like a popped soap bubble, instantly exploding into green light spots and dissipating.
Wanda raised her hand at the same time, dark red magicrippling like water, smoothing out the slight spatial ripples caused by the appearance of the phantom.
Thor woke up abruptly, looking at the dissipated green light spots, and then at Arthur and Wanda who had solved the phantom so effortlessly. His gaze changed.
"Who... exactly are you?" He asked much more seriously this time.
"Didn't I say it just now? Dimensional part-timers." Arthur pointed to the hammer at the bottom of the pit. "The key to you lifting the hammer isn't how much strength you have, but whether Old Man Odin thinks you are 'worthy.' Think about why he threw you down? Was it really because you started a war with the Frost Giants?"
Thor was silent.
Jane gently pulled his arm: "Thor, they... seem to really know something. And, what they did to that phantom just now..."
Wanda suddenly said softly: "Something is resonating with this hammer from a very, very far place... In many worlds, there is a thin line connecting here. Now that line is being pulled hard because of Dormammu's power, becoming very unstable."
Her words made Thor and Jane look at her. In Wanda's eyes, faint dark red starlight flowed, as if she really saw something invisible to ordinary people.
At this moment, the sound of a loudspeaker and dense footsteps came from outside the pit.
"Attention those inside! You are surrounded! Put down your weapons and walk out slowly!" It was the S.H.I.E.L.D.Agents. They had finally tracked them here and discovered the anomaly within the magic barrier—although they couldn't see the specific situation inside, the energy readings were clearly wrong.
"Trouble is here." Arthur clicked his tongue and waved his hand.
A large, thick magic fog with specks of golden light emerged from thin air, rapidly spreading and shrouding the entire hammer pit area. The S.H.I.E.L.D. Agents outside immediately lost sight, and exclamations and orders became chaotic.
"Hurry up." Arthur said to Thor. "Go try. But remember, the point isn't 'picking it up,' but 'proving it.' Prove it to your father, and prove it to yourself."
Thor looked at mjolnir at the bottom of the pit, then at Arthur and Wanda, and finally took one last look at Jane, who was full of worry and encouragement.
He took a deep breath, turned around, and walked down to the bottom of the pit, heading towards the war hammer that had accompanied him in battle for thousands of years.
Wanda stood at the edge of the pit, her dark red magicunconsciously extending toward the hammer. The moment Thor's hand was about to touch the hammer handle, she clearly "felt" that a vast, majestic, and ancient power like the starry sky (Odinforce) and another greedy, dark power trying to tear and devour (Dormammu) formed an extremely subtle and dangerous balance at the "point" where the hammer was located.
And Thor's current state was like a needle, about to pierce this balance point.
Arthur also sensed it. He calmly mobilized a trace of Supreme Magic power, not to interfere with the hammer, but to quietly stabilize the slight dimensional resonance caused by the clash of two supreme powers around the hammer.
Thor's hand grasped the hammer handle.
He used force.
The hammer didn't move at all.
A huge disappointment flashed in Thor's eyes, but immediately after, that disappointment was replaced by a strange realization. He maintained the posture of holding the hammer, not roaring in anger as before, but closing his eyes, as if feeling something.
At this very moment, Arthur sensed that the continuous, intense fluctuation originating from Odin's seal suddenly weakened a bit and began to adjust toward a more stable and restrained frequency.
At the same time, Wanda also felt that the dark power trying to tear the Earth's dimension seemed to have lost a clear point of application, and the lock became a little blurred.
"It's working." Arthur whispered to Wanda.
Thor let go of his hand and turned to look at Arthur and Wanda at the top of the pit, his eyes complex. He didn't say anything, but the arrogance and irritability belonging to the prince seemed to have settled down a bit.
"Thanks." Arthur nodded at Thor, then pulled Wanda. "We should leave; if we don't, S.H.I.E.L.D. will really storm in."
Golden sparks lit up again, swallowing the two figures.
The magic mist began to slowly dissipate.
Thor and Jane looked at each other, then looked at the blurry, heavily armed S.H.I.E.L.D. Agents at the top of the pit.
...
New York, home in Brooklyn.
With a flash of golden light, Arthur and Wandareturned to the living room.
"Whew, exciting." Arthur sat on the sofa. "The first step has been taken. On Thor's side, the seed has been planted; it just depends on when he blooms and bears fruit himself."
Wanda, however, stood in place, her eyes slightly bright, her fingers unconsciously tracing in the air.
"Wife, what's wrong?" Arthur looked at her.
"Just now... when I touched the Odinforce near the hammer," Wanda raised her hand, and a thread of extremely weak, dark red magic with specks of starlight danced at her fingertips, "my magic seemed... able to feel some very far places. Not those chaotic places in dimensional gaps, but more... orderly, like different branches of a big tree. It's very blurry, but it definitely exists."
"Connection of the Nine Realms?" Arthur raised an eyebrow. "Chaos Magic has this function too? Part-time cosmic WIFI sensor?"
"I don't know, it was just a momentary feeling." Wandashook her head. "It's much weaker now, but that perception... has widened."
"That's a good thing!" Arthur laughed. "Skills don't weigh you down. However..."
His expression turned serious: "After what we did today, Loki definitely knows. That kid has more tricks up his sleeve than a sieve; next, he will definitely pull something new. And on Dormammu's side, although we interfered temporarily, it's not cured. We have to be prepared to face the next wave of 'two-front warfare'."
Wanda walked to his side and sat down, leaning on his shoulder: "Mm, together."
Pietro poked his head out from upstairs: "You two are back? The news in New Mexico has updated, saying that S.H.I.E.L.D. has successfully controlled the scene and took a few people away, but didn't mention any changes to the hammer."
"Normal, the hammer didn't move, they must be confused too." Arthur smiled. "However, there are some changes they can't see."
He sensed the dimensional fluctuation in the distance that had become much calmer.
The first step had been taken.
But Loki had already entered the game, and the real trouble, I'm afraid, had only just begun.
Chapter 43: The Storm Approaches
"Loki has arrived." Arthur leaned back on the sofa, tapping his fingers on the coffee table.
Wanda sat beside him, her eyes glowing faintly; the strange sensation from making contact with the Odinforcehadn't completely faded. "I can feel it... it's very vague, but there is definitely another 'thread' connecting here. It's different from Thor's—it's slicker, colder, and carries a hint of deception."
"That's definitely Loki then," Arthur nodded. "Dormammu has calmed down for now; the fluctuations in Odin's seal have weakened, so his GPS signal is faint. But with Loki's arrival, it's like throwing a big rock into this pool of water."
He stood up and paced the living room a couple of times. "This brother of his is no pushover. With Odin in a deep sleep and Thor exiled, he's definitely up to no good coming to Earth right now. And..."
Arthur paused, looking at Wanda. "Although Odin's seal has stabilized somewhat, the previous fluctuations were too violent, and residual energy is still drifting there. If Lokihas any brains, he'll use that residual energy to stir up trouble..."
"Can he open a rift?" Wanda asked.
"A small one, possibly," Arthur said. "He doesn't have the ability to make a big one yet, but he can definitely open a few small holes and let some 'little gifts' in to create chaos. Once the dimensions get messy, Dormammu might just catch a signal again."
"Then what should we do?" Wanda stood up as well.
"We can't wait for him to make his move," Arthur said. "We need to be proactive and go talk to him. We need to pin him down before he causes a major mess."
"I'll go with you," Wanda said immediately.
Arthur didn't hesitate this time. "Sure. Your current sensory abilities will be useful for finding him. Plus..."
He smiled. "Efficiency doubles when a husband-and-wife team handles a case."
Wanda laughed too, walking up to him. "How do we find him? Where is he now?"
"Try using your new ability," Arthur said. "Focus your mind, sense that'slick and cold' thread, and see where it points."
Wanda closed her eyes, dark red magic rippling gently around her.
A few seconds later, she opened her eyes and pointed to the southwest. "Over there... New Mexico? No, more specifically... it's near the impact site of mjolnir, but not in the same spot. He's moving, very fast, as if he's... setting something up."
As soon as she finished speaking, a gust of wind whooshed through the room.
Pietro appeared in the living room, holding a tablet with a glowing screen. "Big brother, something strange is happening in New York. Queens, Brooklyn, and Lower Manhattan—all three places are experiencing minor spatial distortions simultaneously. The energy readings are weird; it's not that dark style from Dormammu, but more like... well, like the light reflected from a broken mirror, all messy."
He handed the tablet to Arthur.
Arthur glanced at the energy monitoring chart and tutted. "Residual illusion magic, plus a rudimentary application of spatial folding. Loki has already started his warm-up."
"What does he want to do?" Pietro asked.
"Create chaos, attract attention, or... test Earth's defensive response." Arthur handed the tablet back to Pietro. "Little brother, keep an eye on New York. Notify me immediately if there's any new situation. Wanda and I are going to New Mexico to meet this Prince of Asgard."
"You two be careful, that's a god," Pietro warned.
"So what if he's a god?" Arthur laughed. "We're dimensional temps; it's our specialty."
He grabbed Wanda's hand and raised both hands.
Golden sparks swirled in the center of the living room, tearing open a Portal. On the other side of the door was a dim, yellowish desert scene, and the outline of the Mjolnirimpact site could be seen in the distance.
"Let's go."
The two stepped through.
New Mexico, desert.
Arthur and Wanda appeared behind a sandstone hill.
In the distance was the famous crater, but there was no longer anyone from S.H.I.E.L.D. at the edge; only some temporary fences and warning signs remained—after Thorand Jane were taken away, S.H.I.E.L.D. had obviously shifted its focus.
"He's not at the crater," Wanda said, closing her eyes to sense, then pointing to the northwest. "Over there, about five kilometers away. The energy reaction is very concentrated; he is... fixing a point."
"Let's go."
Arthur didn't open a Portal; instead, he took Wanda, his figure flashed, and he flew at low altitude at Supermanspeeds.
The five-kilometer distance was covered in the blink of an eye.
The two landed behind a sand dune and peeked forward.
The scene in front was a bit eerie.
On a flat sandy area, the air rippled constantly like water waves. Loki—wearing his classic green and gold-trimmed Asgardian battle armor, holding a replica (or rather, a projection) of the Gungnir—was standing in the center of the ripples.
In front of him floated a constantly rotating, dark golden energy sphere. Fine electric arcs constantly burst from the surface of the energy sphere, connecting to the air ripples around it, causing the ripples to fluctuate more and more violently.
"Residual energy from Odin's seal," Wanda whispered. "He's using magic to guide this energy, trying to open a fixed channel."
"What's on the other side of the channel?" Arthursquinted.
Wanda focused her mind, and her dark red magic probed out slightly.
A few seconds later, her expression changed: "It's very cold... icy, snowy... and... many life signs, carrying hostility."
"Jotunheim, home of the Frost Giants," Arthur snorted. "Good fellow, he's looking to summon some lackeys."
He stopped hiding and walked straight out.
Wanda followed beside him.
"Hey, buddy, doing some renovations?" Arthur spoke, his voice exceptionally clear in the quiet desert.
Loki's body stiffened noticeably, and he turned around abruptly.
Seeing Arthur and Wanda, a flash of surprise crossed his eyes, but it was quickly replaced by a perfectly disguised smile: "Ah, residents of Midgard. What a surprise, encountering visitors in such a desolate place."
As he spoke, his magical movements didn't stop, and the dark golden energy sphere continued to rotate.
"Visitors is a bit of a stretch," Arthur stopped about ten meters away from him. "We are the... well, property security for this area. Saw you illegally connecting things and building unauthorized structures here, so we came to take a look."
Loki's smile faded a little: "I don't understand what you're talking about. I'm just admiring the unique natural scenery of Midgard."
"Admiring it to the point of opening a back door and inviting neighbors from Jotunheim over to admire it together?" Arthur pointed to the energy sphere. "Isn't your 'tour group' a bit too big?"
The look in Loki's eyes turned completely cold.
He sized up Arthur and Wanda, especially the dark red magic faintly rippling around Wanda: "You are not ordinary Midgardians. You have the scent of magic on you... and, it's very special."
"Disciples of the Ancient One, part-time dimensional security," Arthur introduced himself. "This is my wife, our technical consultant. Your Highness Loki, let's be direct. You need to close this 'little door' you've opened here."
"Oh?" Loki raised an eyebrow. "And why should I?"
"Because the moment you open this door, dimensional stability will be affected," Arthur said. "Earth is already a mess lately, with Dormammu watching. You pulling this stunt is like handing a signal to that old guy. When he really attacks, the first to suffer might be your brother Thor, and the second might be you Asgardians—after all, Old Man Odin is asleep right now, there are no adults at home."
Loki's expression shifted.
He clearly knew the name Dormammu.
But he wouldn't back down: "Asgard's affairs are not for Midgardians to interfere with. As for dimensional stability... heh, what does that have to do with me?"
"Then there's nothing to talk about," Arthur shrugged.
Almost at the same time he finished speaking, Wanda had already raised her hand.
A beam of dark red magic shot toward the rotating energy sphere!
It wasn't an attack on the energy sphere itself, but an interference with the spatial structure around it!
Loki reacted extremely quickly; with a wave of the Gungnir, a green magic barrier blocked the front of the energy sphere.
But Wanda's Chaos Magic characteristics were too unique. The dark red beam hit the green barrier without crashing hard; instead, it "seeped" in like water, then disrupted the barrier's magic structure from the inside!
Crack!
The green barrier cracked.
The rotation speed of the energy sphere slowed down by a fraction of a second.
"Chaos Magic?!" Loki was truly shocked this time, his eyes filled with disbelief as he looked at Wanda. "How is this possible... How could Midgard have..."
He didn't finish his sentence, a ruthless look flashing in his eyes.
He slammed the Gungnir onto the ground!
"Since you want to meddle in other people's business, then taste the greetings from Jotunheim!"
The dark golden energy sphere exploded with a boom!
But it wasn't an explosion; it transformed into a constantly rotating, deep blue vortex about two meters in diameter!
From the other side of the vortex came biting cold winds and low roars!
Immediately after, three tall, blue figures crawled out from the vortex.
Frost Giants!
Each was three meters tall, covered in ice crystals, with blue light glowing in their eyes, holding weapons condensed from ice crystals.
As soon as they emerged, the surrounding temperature plummeted, and a layer of white frost instantly formed on the sandy ground.
"Vanguard," Loki retreated to the side of the vortex, a triumphant smile on his face. "Treat them well, my friends."
The three Frost Giants let out low roars and lunged at Arthur and Wanda!
Wanda was about to make a move, but Arthur stopped her.
"I'll handle this. You keep an eye on that vortex; don't let Loki pull any other tricks."
After speaking, Arthur stepped forward.
Facing the Frost Giant in the lead, he didn't even use magic; he simply raised his right hand and clenched his fist.
Then, he gave a light push toward the Frost Giant's chest.
It really looked like just a light push.
But the next second—
Boom!!!
The Frost Giant was hit as if by a high-speed train; its entire body flew backward, tracing an arc in the air, and slammed into a sand dune a hundred meters away, kicking up a wave of sand!
The ice crystal armor on its chest was completely shattered, revealing the blue skin underneath, with a clear fist-shaped indentation imprinted on the skin.
The Frost Giant struggled a few times but couldn't climb up.
The other two Frost Giants stopped abruptly, shock flashing in their blue eyes.
The smile on Loki's face stiffened.
Arthur shook his hand and looked at Loki: "That's it? The quality of your Jotunheim vanguard isn't very good. Do you want to call for some tougher ones? I'm in a hurry."
Loki stared fixedly at Arthur, then looked at the Frost Giant in the distance that couldn't get up; for the first time, uncertainty appeared in his eyes.
He suddenly laughed, though the smile was a bit forced: "Interesting... truly interesting. Midgard actually hides such an existence. It seems there's a reason my brother chose to be exiled here."
As he spoke, he moved quietly toward the vortex.
Wanda noticed immediately: "He wants to run!"
But it was too late.
Loki flashed, jumping directly into the deep blue vortex!
The vortex instantly shrank and vanished into the air.
The remaining two Frost Giants were stunned for a moment, then let out angry roars, turning to charge toward where the vortex had disappeared.
Arthur sighed and raised his hand.
Two subtle heat vision beams swept across.
The legs of the two Frost Giants were instantly severed, and they fell to the sandy ground.
They struggled, wanting to condense ice crystals to repair their bodies, but Arthur had already walked in front of them, golden light flashing in his eyes.
Supreme Magic—Forced Repatriation.
The bodies of the two Frost Giants were enveloped in golden light, rapidly fading, and finally disappeared.
The Frost Giant in the distance with the caved-in chest was also enveloped by the golden light and sent away.
The desert returned to calm, leaving only frost all over the ground and the faint residual energy left behind by the dark golden energy sphere's explosion.
"He ran," Arthur walked back to Wanda's side.
Wanda was squatting on the ground, her fingers touching the frost left on the sand. Dark red magic flowed at her fingertips; when the frost touched her magic, it didn't melt, but slowly "dissolved" into pure energy and was absorbed by her magic.
"Wife, are you okay?" Arthur squatted down to look at her.
"I'm fine," Wanda raised her hand, looking at the dark red magic at her fingertips. "Actually... it's a bit strange. My magic seems to be able to 'eat' these frost energies, and after eating them, the magic itself has become more resistant to the cold."
She tried releasing a small ball of magic, and that ball of magic actually became more solid in the cold air.
"Good fellow, it even comes with an evolution feature?" Arthur laughed. "But now is not the time to study this."
He stood up, looked in the direction Loki had disappeared, and sensed the surrounding dimensional fluctuations again.
"Now that Loki has run, he certainly won't let it go. His summoning of the Frost Giants just now might have just been a test. Next..."
Arthur didn't finish his sentence, his expression suddenly changing.
He sensed a familiar energy reaction, carrying the S.H.I.E.L.D. signature, approaching rapidly—it was coming from another direction in New Mexico, and the scale was not small.
"S.H.I.E.L.D.'s main force is here," Arthur grabbed Wanda. "They probably detected the energy burst just now. We need to retreat."
"Back to New York?" Wanda asked.
"Yeah," Arthur nodded. "Loki got beaten, so he definitely won't go back to Asgard. He will most likely go to... the S.H.I.E.L.D. base. There's something there that interests him—the Tesseract, or the Space Stone."
He opened a Portal.
"Let's go, home. Get ready; the next fight might not be against small fries."
The two walked into the golden Portal.
Before the door closed, Arthur took one last look at the desert.
In the distance, the S.H.I.E.L.D. convoy had already appeared on the horizon.
The storm was truly coming.
Chapter 44: Eve of the Storm
The golden light dissipated in the living room, taking with it the last trace of dust from the New Mexico desert.
Arthur flopped onto the sofa and let out a long sigh. "Finally home. This business trip was quite fast-paced—from convincing Thor to 'be a good person,' to watching Loki'shop for free,' and then taking out three alien delivery men in seconds... That's a lot of information to process."
Wanda sat down next to him, her eyes still glowing faintly with a dark red light, a sign that her perception of the Nine Realms hadn't fully receded. "That'slippery' line broke for a moment, then reconnected... The pointer is moving rapidly, leaving New Mexico, heading... toward the East Coast. Lokihas taken the Tesseract and run."
"As expected." Arthur rubbed his temples. "This guy already has the script ready. The first act,'Stealing the Gem,' has wrapped up. Now he needs to find a place to build the stage and prepare for the second act, 'Inviting the Audience.' The question is: do we rush over now to pin him and the stone down, ending the show completely, or... do we stick to the original plan and let him finish the second act?"
Wanda looked at him. "You said before that we needed a 'team-building activity.'"
"Correct." Arthur nodded. "Tony, Captain, Dr. Banner, and our brother Thor... these future pillars of Earth are scattered like stars right now, but they haven't coalesced into a fire. They lack a catalyst, a tough battle to forge them together. For Loki's play, the script, the actors, and the venue are all set; it's just waiting to start. If we tie up the director and lead actor now, this 'team-building' will be ruined."
"But what if the play flops and we can't clean up the mess?" Wanda asked, her tone filled with concern, not doubt.
"That's why we can't just be the audience." Arthur sat up straight. "We have to be... well, the stage crew and the hidden safety officers. The play can proceed, but the blast radius must be controlled; we can't actually blow up the theater. The actors can get hurt, but no one can actually lose their lives. In short, the scale must be controllable, and the outcome must be guaranteed."
He paused and tapped his fingers on the coffee table. "The first step is to figure out if there are any other 'production crews' backstage trying to cause trouble besides Loki's play. For example... that big guy who's always looking for a chance to 'grab a meal.'"
Wanda understood. "Dormammu."
"Right." Arthur said. "The Odin seal was shaking violently before, acting as a signpost for him. Although Thor hasn't lifted the mjolnir yet, he seems to have realized something, and the seal has stabilized much more. We need to ask the Ancient One if that signpost has been withdrawn."
After saying this, he closed his eyes and formed a simple spell gesture with his hands in front of his chest.
A moment later, he opened his eyes. A blurry screen made of fine golden sparks appeared before him. The Ancient One's calm voice seemed to come from very far away, resonating directly in their minds.
"The seal's fluctuations have significantly subsided. Dormammu's lock has weakened due to the blurred anchor point, reducing the risk of a large-scale invasion in the short term. His attention seems to have been drawn away by another, more 'ostentatious' spatial power."
Arthur and Wanda exchanged a glance.
"The Tesseract?" Arthur said to the screen.
"Yes." The Ancient One's voice remained steady. "The energy activity of the Space Stone is like a lighthouse in the dark; not only does it guide the Chitauri, but it also temporarily masks other, more subtle dimensional coordinates. For Earth, this might be a good thing, as it concentrates a scattered, multi-dimensional threat into a predictable, physical-level conflict. Your previous assessment was correct."
"So, Master, you mean..." Arthur asked.
"Proceed according to your plan. Kamar-Taj will closely monitor the dimensional boundaries to prevent other entities from taking advantage of the situation. This crisis on the physical plane of Earth... is left to you and the Guardians who are about to be assembled. This is a necessary trial."
The light screen flickered and then dissipated.
"Alright, the backstage safety check is confirmed; there's only one production crew." Arthur breathed a sigh of relief. "So, our next step is to keep a close eye on Director Loki, see where he plans to build his stage, and incidentally... secretly pave the way for our 'lead actors' so they don't trip before going on stage."
No sooner had he finished speaking than a gust of wind swept through the room.
Pietro appeared in the living room, holding his phone, his expression serious. "Brother, Sister-in-law, things aren't looking good. I just went out for a spin, and the streets of New York are a bit chaotic. Not the fighting kind of chaos, but... many people's phones suddenly lost signal, or their screens were flashing erratically. Some old circuits were sparking and popping. And a lot of people are gathering together, discussing how they saw strange flashes in the sky and wondering if it's the end of the world... Panic is starting to spread."
Arthur frowned. "Energy radiation from the Tesseract. Once that thing is activated, even without opening a large Portal, the dissipated energy is enough to interfere with Earth's electronic devices and affect the subconscious of sensitive individuals. Anything else?"
Pietro nodded. "Yes. Those locations with 'abnormal energy readings' you asked me to keep an eye on—the ones you called 'dimensional weak points'—the fluctuations have significantly intensified. Especially in Midtown Manhattan; although you can't see it with the naked eye, when I got close, I felt the air trembling, like looking at things through a layer of heat haze, but it was cold!"
"Spatial ripples." Wanda said immediately. "The Tesseract's power is affecting the stability of physical space, and those already fragile 'points' are reacting first. If Loki really opens a large Portal nearby..."
"These 'points' could be torn apart in a chain reaction, turning into a bunch of uncontrollable, small rifts. If that happens, it won't just be Chitauri soldiers crawling out." Arthur continued, standing up. "We can't let him lose control. The play must go on, but the stage cannot collapse."
He looked at Wanda. "Wife, can your 'Nine Realms GPS' still lock onto the Tesseract?"
Wanda closed her eyes immediately, and her dark red magic rippled out again. A few seconds later, she pointed in a direction outside the window. "I can. Although it's far, that unique spatial fluctuation is as obvious as fireworks in the night. It has stopped... it's moving, but very slowly, probably in... the eastern area of Manhattan. It's very likely already positioning and accumulating energy to open a stable Portal."
"Manhattan..." Arthur smacked his lips. "He really knows how to pick a spot—cosmic-level traffic, an international stage. Pietro, keep monitoring the streets and those weak points. Notify us immediately if there are any drastic changes. Wanda and I..."
He walked to the window and looked at the New Yorknight sky.
"We need to secretly add a few 'bumpers' to this stage that's about to open. We can't let Loki's'special effects' blow up the audience seating along with it."
"How?" Wanda walked to his side.
"We won't stop the gate from opening directly; that would prevent the play from starting." Arthur said. "But we'll lay down reinforcement barriers in key areas around the gate, such as major dimensional weak points and important infrastructure. That way, even if the gate opens and the energy shockwave hits, there will be a buffer, and it won't trigger a chain collapse. It's equivalent to painting a layer of fireproof coating on flammable materials."
He turned around and began to trace in the air with his hands. Golden magical lines flowed from his fingertips, forming complex and exquisite miniature rune arrays in the air.
"Wanda, help me. Use your Chaos Magic to sense the specific 'frequency' and'shape' of those weak points. I'll adjust the reinforcement barriers to the most matching state; the effect will be ten times better. We're not making a big scene this time; we're sneaking in, no shooting allowed."
Wanda nodded and reached out. Her dark red magicreached out gently, intertwining with Arthur's golden magical lines. She didn't try to control them; instead, like a precise sensor, she transmitted the "texture" of the subtle spatial distortions she sensed from different directions in the city to Arthur's magic.
Arthur quickly micro-adjusted the structure of each rune array based on this feedback.
The process was quiet and efficient. The two barely spoke; there was only the faint hum of magical energy and the exchange of glances between them.
Pietro watched from the side, feeling for the first time the silent rapport between his sister and brother-in-law. They didn't look like they were casting spells; it was more like they were jointly calibrating a precision instrument.
After about twenty minutes, Arthur pulled his fingers back. The dozen or so miniature golden rune arrays floating in the air flashed simultaneously and then silently dissipated, turning into invisible energy that shot toward those key dimensional weak points across New York City, following the direction guided by Wanda's magic.
"Done." Arthur wiped away non-existent sweat. "Invisible reinforcement package delivered. As long as someone on Dormammu's level doesn't come crashing in personally, it shouldn't be a problem to withstand the energy aftershocks of the Chitauri Portal."
Wanda also withdrew her magic. Her face was slightly pale from the sustained high-precision collaborative sensing, but her eyes were bright. "I can feel it; those 'trembling' places are much more stable now. It's like... putting a rubber pad under a wobbly table leg."
"That's exactly the effect I wanted." Arthur supported her shoulders. "How do you feel?"
"A bit tired, but clear." Wanda leaned against him. "Constantly 'watching' the Tesseract's fluctuations is like having an updated coordinate map in my head. It's getting more and more active; Loki... should be about to 'boot up'."
Almost the moment her voice fell.
Arthur looked up sharply, gazing in the direction of Manhattan.
Not with his eyes, but with his Superman-like super senses and magical perception.
He "heard" a low hum coming from space itself that no ordinary person could capture.
He "saw" a deep blue beam of energy, invisible to ordinary people, shoot into the sky from somewhere in Manhattan, briefly connecting the heavens and the Earth, then rapidly retracting and transforming into a stable and powerful spatial anchor point.
Wanda also shuddered, pointing in the same direction. "The Tesseract! Energy output is skyrocketing! Positioning complete! The Portal... is about to open!"
The living room instantly fell silent.
Pietro held his breath.
Arthur slowly let out a breath and hugged Wandatighter.
"Alright, everyone..."
He looked in that direction, the corners of his mouth curling into an arc that was hard to tell if it was anticipation or coldness.
"Act Two, 'Audience Entry,' begins now. Our'stage crew' work is done. Next..."
"It's time to swap into our'safety officer' vests."
Chapter 45: The Battle of New York
"The Portal... it's opening!"
The moment Wanda finished speaking, Arthur had already pulled her to the window.
In the night sky over Manhattan, where there had originally only been a faint, unnatural distortion of light, a huge gash was now being violently torn open as if by an invisible hand.
Hum— A low rumble, so deep it felt like it was vibrating directly in one's bones, echoed out, causing the window glass to tremble slightly.
Immediately after, a thick, swirling beam of deep blue energy shot up from the top of Stark Tower, piercing straight into the clouds!
Upon reaching a certain height, the beam of light suddenly expanded outwards, unfolding into a massive, stably rotating spatial vortex with a diameter of over a hundred meters.
In the center of the vortex was the deep, dark starry sky, and the next second, dense swarms of black dots poured out from that darkness.
"Good grief," Arthur said, smacking his lips as he watched the scene, "They really pulled out all the stops for this stage. The client must have maxed out their budget this time; they're wholesaling extras by the ton."
Those black dots rapidly enlarged, turning into menacing-looking Chitauri small aircraft, with gray-skinned soldiers standing on them holding energy guns.
And even more eye-catching were the giant monsters that seemed to be a combination of metal and biology—the Leviathan beasts—which swam through the air like whales, their backs opening up to drop more Chitaurisoldiers like dumplings into a pot.
The sounds of explosions, the screeching of energy beams, and the panicked screams of the crowd could be heard faintly, even from this distance.
The quiet morning of New York was completely shattered.
"Husband." Wanda looked at the chaos and flames spreading rapidly, her hand instinctively grabbing Arthur's arm.
"Stick to the plan." Arthur held her hand, his tone steady, "Do you remember what we agreed on?"
"I remember." Wanda took a deep breath, her eyes quickly becoming firm, "I'll be on the perimeter, using magic to construct barriers to protect the civilian evacuation zones, and I won't rush in directly."
"Correct." Arthur nodded, "Your Chaos Magic is best suited for this; it has a wide range, strong control, and can also interfere with energy attacks. Rushing in to fight and kill is my job. As a couple, we have a clear division of labor, doubling our efficiency."
He patted Wanda's shoulder: "Confident?"
Wanda didn't speak, but simply raised her hand, dark red Chaos Magic surging in her palm, solid and stable. She answered with her actions.
"Beautiful." Arthur smiled, "Then let's begin. Wife, point the way for me—where is the point where the core energy fluctuations of that 'Portal' are most concentrated?"
Wanda immediately closed her eyes, the dark red magicrippling slightly. A second later, she pointed toward Stark Tower: "The top, the place where it's glowing the brightest. The energy anchor point is very stable; Loki must be there."
"Copy that." Arthur flexed his wrists, "Find a suitable position to set up defense, and stay safe. I'm going to go meet our 'director' and, while I'm at it, clear out these uninvited 'audience members'."
Before he finished speaking, his figure flickered.
It wasn't the golden light of a Portal, but pure speed.
Wanda only felt a breeze brush past her, and Arthur had already vanished. The window remained intact, but he was gone.
The next second, above the Manhattan battlefield.
A blurred red shadow (Arthur was wearing a dark red jacket today) streaked past the first few Chitauri aircraft diving down at a speed impossible for the naked eye to track.
There was no loud noise, no explosion.
Those aircraft, along with the soldiers on them, vanished abruptly, as if wiped away from the sky by an invisible eraser. Only by looking closely could one see some tiny metal fragments and dust slowly drifting down.
Arthur stopped in mid-air, standing on nothing, scanning the chaotic streets below and the increasing number of enemies in the sky.
"This number... is enough to give the Avengers a headache." He muttered, his gaze locking onto a gold-and-red figure in the distance—that figure was bombarding a Leviathan beast with repulsor blasts, trying to lure it away from the densely populated area.
Tony Stark.
"Hey, Professor Tony!" Arthur's voice wasn't loud, but with the assistance of Super Hearing, it transmitted precisely into Tony's helmet, "Need some off-field support? The kind that comes with a cleaning function."
Tony, inside his helmet, was clearly stunned for a moment, his combat interface quickly scanning and locking onto Arthur, who had suddenly appeared in the air.
"Zhang?" Tony's voice carried disbelief, "How are you... are you flying?! And those things from just now... did you do that?"
"We'll discuss the details later." As Arthur spoke, his figure disappeared again, appearing in front of another Leviathan beast that was preparing to spew energy at the ground.
He raised his right hand and made a fist.
Then, he punched down at the giant, metal-covered head of the beast.
Boom!!!
A muffled thud, as if striking a giant war drum.
That hundred-meter-long Leviathan beast's forward momentum came to a sudden halt; its entire head, centered on the point of impact, visibly caved in, the outer metal plating twisting and shattering. The beast let out a shrill, non-biological screech, its massive body losing control, tilting as it crashed down into an empty park area below, smashing into the ground with a thunderous impact and kicking up clouds of dust.
On Tony's helmet display, the power readings instantly went off the charts, flashing a series of "ERROR" messages.
"...Jarvis, what was the energy reading for that just now?" Tony asked dryly.
"Unable to measure precisely, sir. It exceeds the limits of known physical models. It is estimated to be... an absolute power that no biological organism should be able to produce." Jarvis's voice remained calm, but his speaking speed increased slightly.
Tony looked at the guy in the air who had pulled back his fist with ease, as if he had just swatted a mosquito, and the corner of his mouth twitched under his helmet.
"Fine... 'cleaning function'." He accepted the premise; with a crisis at hand, having an absurdly powerful ally was better than not having one, "Buddy, can you clear out those big guys? Leave the small ones to me and... well, it looks like the others have arrived too."
In the distance, Steve Rogers's figure appeared on a rooftop, Natasha Romanoff was approaching in a Quinjet, and on the far horizon, a streak of lightning was drawing near.
"Deal." Arthur made an OK gesture, "You clear the minions, I'll take the boss. By the way, have you seen my wife? She's wearing a dark red outfit, the very conspicuous one."
Tony quickly scanned the perimeter of the battlefield and soon locked onto an area: "Near the Brooklyn Bridge, she seems to have... expanded a huge red shield? There are a lot of civilians running underneath it."
Arthur looked in that direction.
He saw that above the bridge deck on the side of the Brooklyn Bridge closest to Manhattan, a giant, translucent, arc-shaped barrier flowing with dark red energy covered the bridge deck and several nearby blocks like an overturned bowl.
The energy beams fired by the Chitauri aircraft hit the barrier, only causing ripples before being swallowed and dissipated. Underneath the barrier, the panicked crowd was being guided by the police and S.H.I.E.L.D. Agents to evacuate quickly and in an orderly fashion.
Wanda stood on the bridge tower below the center of the barrier, her hands maintaining the casting stance, her dark red hair and clothes fluttering in the blast waves. Her face was a bit pale, but her eyes were focused and firm, firmly controlling the magic barrier that covered such a wide area.
"Well done." Arthur smiled, feeling relieved. It was his wife's first time independently handling such a large-scale defensive task, and she was rock solid.
He withdrew his gaze and looked toward the deep blue beam of energy continuously pouring out from the top of Stark Tower.
"Well then, it's time to turn off this annoying 'faucet'."
But just as he was about to set off, an abnormal spatial fluctuation came from the core of that light beam.
It wasn't a stable output, but a chaotic, intermittent, and violent pulsing.
"Hmm?" Arthur frowned, his super senses and magical perception focusing on it simultaneously.
"Jarvis, the energy readings of the Portal are fluctuating violently!" Tony also noticed the abnormality, "Something is interfering with it!"
"Is Loki trying to expand the channel? Or..." Arthurnarrowed his eyes, sensing the familiar yet strange rhythm within the fluctuations.
No, it wasn't expanding.
It was the core energy source—the Tesseract itself—that was having a problem. Its output had become extremely unstable, which meant that although the Portal was open, it could collapse at any moment due to energy overload or an interruption in supply.
There were two outcomes for a collapse: one, the Portalwould close directly, cutting off the supply of the Chitauriarmy. Two... the energy would lose control and explode, sending Stark Tower and a good chunk of Manhattan to the afterlife.
"This guy... he's not very professional; he's about to blow up his own prop." Arthur clicked his tongue and looked at Tony, "Plan change, Tony. I have to go upstairs first to see if that'switch' is about to explode. Otherwise, before the battle is even over, we'll be taken out by our own 'fireworks'."
Tony also realized the severity of the problem: "Need any help?"
"You keep clearing the minions; just don't let them interfere with me." After Arthur finished speaking, his figure turned into a blurred stream of light, heading straight for the top floor of Stark Tower.
Below, Wanda seemed to sense something and looked up in the direction her husband was speeding toward.
She saw that unstoppable red trajectory and also felt the increasingly unstable and terrifying energy fluctuation at the top of the tower.
She bit her lower lip and poured more magic into the barrier above her head.
Now, all she could do was hold this area and trust him.
Just as he had always trusted her.