Thor then stood up, his entire body covered in frost and blood, as he continued his assault toward Xebec.
He shifted Stormbreaker into Mjolnir, the hammer forming in his hand with a deep rumble, its size matching his now smaller form of two meters tall.
The Mjolnir itself was as tall as Thor, its handle wrapped in ice and its head pulsing faintly with blue light.
Every strike Thor delivered sent a shock through the ground, and though Xebec blocked each blow with his sword, the repeated impacts began to chip away at the outer layer of his blade's hardened surface.
Thor had chosen this smaller form deliberately, knowing that in his larger body, Xebec could target him far too easily.
Against someone of Xebec's caliber, even the smallest advantage mattered.
Thor also knew that he couldn't rely on armament haki yet, as he hadn't mastered it, so the smaller form allowed him to move faster, dodge quicker, and channel more precision through each swing.
Meanwhile, above the battlefield, a massive bird made entirely out of ice was soaring down from the upper realm.
On its back were Loki, Hajrudin, and several of the giant children who had followed them.
Loki had ordered the bird to fly toward Thor the moment he saw flashes of lightning and ice coming from the underworld below.
But before they could descend completely, they noticed more of their friends climbing down the same rope they had used earlier.
Now, from above, they could clearly see Thor, in his smaller form, locked in combat against an unknown human.
For the first time in their lives, they were witnessing Thor being pushed back — and not only that, but actually being beaten. The realization hit them hard.
"WHO ARE YOU!" both Loki and Hajrudin shouted in unison, their voices echoing across the frozen landscape as they jumped from the ice bird, running toward the fight.
The other children followed, fear and disbelief mixed on their faces.
Xebec and Thor, however, remained locked in combat. Thor's breathing grew heavier, blood dripping from his mouth, his nose, and the cuts along his shoulders.
But despite his injuries, Xebec wasn't unscathed either.
Though his expression remained steady, a faint shiver occasionally ran through him.
The air around Thor had turned unbearably cold — a biting chill that didn't just freeze flesh, but seeped directly into the bones.
Thor's Devil Fruit didn't simply produce ice; it carried the very essence of winter itself.
As Loki charged forward, he was abruptly stopped by a massive hand gripping his shoulder.
He turned his head sharply, only to see a towering man with golden hair and a calm but stern expression — Edward Newgate.
The man's grip didn't hurt, but it was firm, unshakable. Loki tried to pull free, but Newgate didn't even flinch.
"Puny human, unhand me! I'm going to help my brother!" Loki yelled angrily, struggling with both hands, his tone filled with frustration and desperation.
Newgate didn't reply immediately; instead, he just observed the fight, his gaze narrowing slightly.
He could hear the desperation in Loki's voice and understood it, but interfering would only put the child in danger.
Before either of them could say anything else, the sound of laughter broke the air — deep, echoing laughter that came from both fighters.
"Vohahahaha! You really are Harald's son!" Xebec shouted between swings, grinning wider with every clash of their weapons. "The more I fight you, the more I see the resemblance!" His laughter was genuine, not mocking.
Even in battle, he could recognize Thor's raw strength and tenacity. What shocked Xebec most was that Thor wasn't even using haki.
Everything Thor did — every strike, every counter, every burst of frost — came purely from his Devil Fruit and his own monstrous physical power.
Thor laughed in response, the sound rough and broken but still full of energy. "Torarararara! I can see why father would be friends with someone like you. Despicable, yes, but strong — incredibly strong. Even at my young age, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to call me the second strongest in Elbaf!"
His laughter rang oddly familiar, wild and rhythmic, and Thor didn't even remember when he had started laughing like that. It had simply become part of him, and he no longer tried to stop it.
"Vohahahaha! You're arrogant, but I LIKE IT!" Xebec roared, clearly entertained. "If your father refuses to join me, then maybe you can. I'll officially invite you, right here and now!"
Thor grinned, blood dripping from the corner of his mouth as he looked up at Xebec. "You've got a deal," he said, still catching his breath. "After this battle, I'll contact him for you myself."
As he spoke, lightning began gathering around Mjolnir, bursting out in thin, jagged arcs.
But Thor didn't stop there — he combined his Devil Fruit's power with it, layering ice over the lightning, forcing two opposing elements to coexist in his weapon.
The sight of it made the air around them hum with power. Xebec immediately recognized the danger, stepping back slightly and pulling his sword to full range, preparing for the next strike.
The two warriors moved at once. Their weapons collided midair, and a massive shockwave of lightning burst outward, turning the sky bright red and blue.
Some of the lightning bolts froze in place, encased in transparent ice — frozen mid-strike by Thor's Devil Fruit.
A single enormous bolt of lightning rained down from above, but before it could hit the ground, it too was frozen, suspended between them like a pillar of glass.
Both fighters were thrown backward from the explosion. Thor hit the ground hard, his body trembling from the sheer force of Xebec's haki-infused attack.
His muscles screamed in pain, and his vision darkened for a moment.
The impact had nearly caused his body to collapse, and if not for the many divine traits and blessings he carried, he might have been completely destroyed by that one exchange.
Xebec, though still standing, bore visible marks from the clash. A thin scar had burned its way across his chest where a lightning bolt had grazed him, and patches of frost clung to his sword and clothes.
He was breathing heavily, his grin slightly faded but his eyes gleaming with satisfaction. For the first time, he had to exert real effort against a child.
When the fight finally ended, the result was clear. Thor had lost. He lay on the ground, barely conscious, his weapon embedded in the frozen soil beside him.
It was the first time Loki had ever seen him defeated.
For years, Thor had been their shield, the unshakable figure who protected them from every danger. Seeing him bloodied and beaten shattered that image entirely.
But Loki's fear turned into horror when he saw Xebec walking toward Thor. He thought Xebec intended to finish him off — to kill him outright.
Loki tried to run again, but Newgate tightened his grip slightly, stopping him. Loki's struggles slowed when he saw what happened next.
Instead of striking, Xebec extended his hand toward the fallen Thor.
The gesture was almost respectful, though his grin remained the same.
Slowly, Thor lifted his arm, his fingers trembling, and took the offered hand.
With Xebec's help, he rose to his feet, barely able to stand but still refusing to bow.
"Loki," Thor said quietly, finally noticing his brother standing nearby with the others. His voice was weak but steady.
As his eyes met Loki's, he could see the worry written all over his face. Thor gave him a small, tired grin — one that said everything would be fine.
It was only then that Thor realized they had all come down to the underworld, risking themselves just to see him.
Until that moment, he had been so focused on the battle that he hadn't noticed anyone else but Xebec.