At Stark Tower, Allens and Wanda appeared together. Inside the President's office, Pepper Potts was reviewing and signing a stack of documents.
"Hey, Tony, you're finally back!"
Pepper looked up in surprise, her face lighting up with joy. She stood and threw herself into Allens' arms without hesitation.
"My dear Potts," Allens said warmly, returning the embrace, "it seems you're very well suited to being President of Stark Industries."
He smiled softly. Although S.H.I.E.L.D. already knew that Tony Stark was dead, Pepper Potts clearly didn't.
"Tony, you've really changed," she said, gazing up at him with affection. "You seem… more mature, more handsome."
Allens chuckled lightly. "Potts, our company has a new direction for development."
He smiled meaningfully, his eyes gleaming as he held her close. His tone was casual but carried an undertone of something deeper.
"A new direction?" Pepper frowned slightly. "Miss Wanda, do you know what Tony means by that?"
As Stark Industries' CEO, Pepper was used to evaluating high-risk projects. Even though "Tony" still had executive authority, she needed to understand what kind of "development" he was referring to.
"The new Mr. Stark," Wanda said sweetly, "has reached a cooperation agreement with Loki, the god of mischief from Asgard. They're willing to share Asgardian technology with us."
"Asgard?" Pepper blinked in disbelief. "As in Norse mythology? That Asgard?"
As a top university graduate, Pepper wasn't ignorant of the myths — but the idea that Asgard actually existed stunned her.
"Yes, Potts," Allens replied calmly. "Gather the top scientists and engineers at Stark Industries. Wanda will oversee their deployment. As for me… I've been invited to the Asgardian realm itself."
Allens could already sense that Loki had been summoned back through the Bifrost, and a faint smile crept across his lips. Leaving corporate affairs in Wanda's capable — and loyal — hands, he departed for his private villa.
When his plane landed at the villa — a sprawling, high-tech mansion even larger than before — Allens' eyes grew cold.
"Welcome home, sir," said J.A.R.V.I.S.
The glass walls surrounding him lit up, displaying holographic data, models, and energy readings. Sunlight filtered through the smart glass, filling the golden-tinted villa with a radiant, almost divine glow.
"Activate Project Sentinel," Allens commanded.
"Affirmative, sir."
The ground beneath him split open, revealing a massive underground chamber the size of two football fields. Inside, hundreds of humanoid Sentinels stood in perfect formation — each one gleaming with cold mechanical precision.
"Sentinel charging sequence initiated. Ark Reactor power routing online. Energy modules activating…"
J.A.R.V.I.S.'s voice echoed through the chamber. The Sentinels' single mechanical eyes flashed scarlet.
Hum… hum… hum.
Soft vibrations filled the air as the Sentinels' internal AI systems began self-diagnostics. Data streams raced across their visors.
The Ark Reactors embedded in their chests blazed to life, filling the room with blue-white light. One by one, the towering four-meter-tall Sentinels rose from the ground, their metallic limbs shifting and locking into place.
"Sir, Sentinel systems have completed their self-check," J.A.R.V.I.S. reported.
Allens watched as the Sentinels' armor plates rippled and realigned like scales. Energy conduits traced glowing, circuit-like patterns across their metallic skin — a perfect fusion of art and technology.
Boom. Boom. Boom.
Hundreds of Sentinels ascended through the villa's retractable roof, hovering above the helipad in flawless formation.
Even compared to Allens' latest Iron Man suits, these Sentinels were masterpieces. Their internal flight systems manipulated airflow directly, allowing them to hover with minimal energy output.
"Excellent," Allens murmured. "J.A.R.V.I.S., start the Chrono Clock."
A cold gleam flashed in his eyes. At once, the massive golden mechanism inside his laboratory began to spin, radiating waves of golden light.
"Open the quantum bridge transmission channel."
"Activate the wormhole stabilization module."
"Begin temporal synchronization."
"Link to Asgard's Bifrost control center."
"Override Bifrost protocols and rewrite its control matrix."
Each command was followed by J.A.R.V.I.S.'s calm acknowledgment. The surface of the Chrono Clock pulsed with golden light, and a swirling blue wormhole formed before it — rippling with violent energy fluctuations.
Meanwhile, in Asgard, Loki appeared on the Bifrost Bridge, dragging the battered Thor beside him. His eyes flickered with cunning amusement as he released Thor's arm and turned toward Heimdall.
"Heimdall," Loki said coolly, "where is my father?"
Heimdall's golden eyes narrowed. "The great All-Father Odin has fallen into the Odinsleep."
His tone grew heavy. He had once placed great hope in Thor, believing the prince would reclaim his power and bring balance to Asgard. But now, things had taken a darker turn.
Heimdall, as the Watcher of the Realms, could not lie — not even to Loki. Though his hand tightened around the Eternal Spear, he refrained from attacking.
"The All-Father sleeps," Heimdall continued solemnly, "but Asgard cannot exist without a king."
A smirk spread across Loki's face — or rather, across the phantom conjured by Allens.
"As Odin's second son," Loki declared, "I am the rightful heir to the throne of Asgard."
"Never," Heimdall snapped, glaring coldly. "You may be Odin's adopted son, but only Thor, the true heir, may rule Asgard."
Focused on Loki's deceitful words, Heimdall didn't notice the faint golden light beginning to flicker across the Bifrost's control runes — as Allens' hijacking signal from Earth began to take effect.
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