Chapter 197: Loki: No, I've become the God of Thunder?
The battle with the War Lord had nearly exhausted the Avengers' strength.
Bucky's metal arm was broken, and Tony's Mark 4 was beyond repair.
He still had a Mark 5, but with its performance, it could only handle the Chitauri Soldiers.
Peter was also completely drained.
T'Challa had endured too many attacks, often acting as a shield and decoy, constantly taking the War Lord's moves head-on.
Including the intense energy fired from that axe.
This pushed his Battle Suit's kinetic energy absorption to its limit. Currently, the Black Panther suit was covered in purple lines, making it look like it was glowing.
Vibranium had strong absorption capabilities, but what he wore was still just a thin layer.
But regardless, the War Lord was dead.
"We won!"
Peter let go of all his strength, at this moment, he just wanted to collapse and sleep.
But Tony and Steve shook their heads. They simultaneously looked a few blocks away, where blue energy enveloped a white whirlwind.
"We haven't won yet."
They said wearily.
There weren't many people left with the strength to continue fighting.
Steve frowned and looked at the Hulk, who had been beating them mercilessly not long ago. He said, "Hulk, you're the only one who can help us now."
Hearing this, Hulk initially wanted to get angry, but his not-so-bright mind suddenly realized that Captain America was referring to Hulk, not Banner.
So the big guy's brow relaxed, and he said forcefully:
"Hulk will smash everyone!"
After Hulk left, the others didn't stand idle. Those with remaining strength joined the effort to clear out the Chitauri warriors.
The remaining Chitauri forces were no longer a threat. The real decider of this war's outcome was actually Loki's side.
And at this moment, Loki's condition was dire.
He had messed up.
From the moment he picked up the Casket of Ancient Winters and the Cosmic Cube, he had messed up.
At that time, facing three Black Order Generals, Loki knew that Supergiant, who possessed the Mind Stone, was the most difficult to deal with. He wasn't confident he could kill her, and Black Dwarf was the weakest, posing no real threat.
So he chose Ebony Maw.
But his power wasn't enough to maximize the Casket of Ancient Winters. That sneak attack failed to kill Ebony Maw.
Moreover, he lost the Cosmic Cube while escaping afterward.
Now, both Infinity Stones were in the enemy's control. He had treasures like the Casket of Ancient Winters, but still couldn't fight them.
This had almost turned into a cat-and-mouse game, and now he was on the defensive.
The blizzard released by the Casket of Ancient Winters couldn't stop Supergiant and Ebony Maw's advance; it was only delaying his death.
The only good news was that after obtaining the Cosmic Cube, Supergiant stopped her pursuit.
This woman, wrapped in a white cloak, was silent and very mysterious.
She was indeed loyal to Thanos, but she also seemed to be slacking off a bit. Or perhaps, she understood that all Thanos wanted all along were the Infinity Stones, and as for Loki's life, Thanos didn't care.
Since that was the case, she didn't need to kill Loki.
It was Ebony Maw, however, fueled by anger from Loki's sneak attack, who relentlessly attacked Loki.
This was good news for Loki, but not entirely, because the Cosmic Cube was in Ebony Maw's hands. And if Ebony Maw were truly at a disadvantage, Supergiant wouldn't stand idly by.
All of this put Loki in a very passive position.
He was being chased like a mouse by Ebony Maw, and what tormented him even more was his self-reproach for his own weakness.
"Sorry, I disappointed you..."
He had failed Ben's trust and couldn't protect the Infinity Stones.
Or perhaps, Ben's trust in him was a mistake from the very beginning.
He, Loki, was just this useless, only capable of messing everything up.
At this moment, Loki was hiding in a collapsed building, leaning against the cold wall. A street away, Ebony Maw and Black Dwarf were searching for him.
He slid down the wall, sitting powerlessly, his head resting against it. He thought, who could possibly save this world now?
Loki felt truly pathetic.
Weak and incompetent, unable to do anything.
From the moment he was born, he was a pitiable abandoned child. Even his own biological father, Laufey, King of the Frost Giants, looked down on him for being born incomplete and abandoned him.
Later, after being taken in by Odin, the weak him received no respect in the Celestial Palace.
The people of the Celestial Palace bowed to him out of respect for his status, but no one truly thought he was that noble.
This was because standing beside him, their dim and unremarkable prince, was Thor, who shone with the brilliance of lightning.
Thor was too dazzling back then.
Powerful and majestic!
So much so that no one could even notice him.
The insignificant Loki was merely a trivial accessory to Thor.
But he was unwilling. He felt Odin was biased, and he believed he could do better than Thor, because Thor, apart from his muscles, had no brain at all.
He thought Thor was foolish beyond redemption.
But only now did he realize that the truly foolish person was himself.
Loki, weak and incompetent, yet with such high self-regard.
He thought he was a god, but in reality, he was just a laughable clown.
His coup failed, and he was exiled to Sakaar to become a slave. If not for Ben, he might already be dead.
Then, he leaked information to the Galactic Plumbers, and both Looma and Sakaar were in danger, all his responsibility.
If Earth were destroyed, it would also be his doing.
Yet, there was nothing he could do.
No, at least he could still escape.
Loki thought to himself.
With his magic, and without the location of the Infinity Stones, escaping wouldn't be difficult.
Supergiant's telepathy might detect him, but they clearly wouldn't go to great lengths to deal with such a pathetic and laughable minor character.
Yes, why not just escape?
He thought.
There was no need to risk his life for mere Midgard, for those mortals.
But for some reason, this thought kept swirling in his mind, yet Loki couldn't bring himself to escape.
It was as if his feet were rooted to the soil of this planet.
Loki couldn't help but find his own thought laughable.
He didn't have that deep an affection for this planet.
If anything, it was that he didn't want to disappoint Ben even further.
Because in his past thousand years of failed life, Ben was the only one who believed he would achieve something.
Besides Ben, who else would think he was qualified to be king?
Odin?
He had considered it, but Odin wanted him to be the leader of the giants, not a true king.
Thor?
He only saw himself as a younger brother who needed Thor's protection.
Goddess Queen Frigga?
Loki shook his head. He didn't deny his mother's love for him, but that was simply because she loved her child, not because she believed he could become a better king than anyone else.
"Not anymore."
Loki stood up, exhaling a cold breath.
To be honest, he didn't even believe he could achieve anything himself.
Just like his divine position—
Lies and mischief.
In the end, they were just some unimpressive tricks, playing insignificant or even comical roles in the brilliant stories of others, providing some amusement for the audience.
What else could he do?
Loki thought.
He almost wished it were so, at least then the story might have a happy ending.
After this clown's act, a true hero would step forward and turn the tide.
Perhaps that wouldn't be so bad.
Loki chuckled lightly, then he took a step and walked outside.
Within the curtain of the blizzard, Ebony Maw sensed his appearance.
This fellow, like an evil sorcerer, had one hand behind his back, while the Cosmic Cube floated in the other, gazing at Loki as if a god were looking down at an ant.
"No more hiding?"
Ebony Maw let out a sneer.
"Or do you want to use this pathetic trick again to fool me? It's useless. The Tesseract's energy has already enveloped this city, you can't escape, Loki."
"I wasn't planning on escaping."
Loki looked at him, this time, he was determined to die!
Whether heroes would appear in reality to save everything, or what direction the fate of Earth would take.
At this moment, Loki's thoughts were actually very simple.
He couldn't disappoint Ben again.
Loki wanted to prove that Ben hadn't misjudged him. Perhaps Ben had miscalculated his own strength, but at least he hadn't misjudged him.
He wanted to show Odin and all the Asgardians that although he might not be a qualified king, or even an Asgardian, he still possessed Asgardian glory.
So this time, he wouldn't run.
Even if he were to die.
"Or perhaps you intend to pledge allegiance to the great Thanos?" Ebony Maw asked.
He really wanted to kill Loki immediately, but Loki's identity was extraordinary. If even the prince of the Asgardians swore allegiance to Thanos, then Thanos's prestige in the universe would increase further.
"As I said, there is only one king worthy of my allegiance!"
Loki raised the Casket of Ancient Winters high, clearly having made his choice.
"Regrettably, I thought you were a smart person," Ebony Maw said mournfully. Immediately, the Tesseract in his hand shone brightly.
Upon hearing this, Loki smiled slightly: "Then you are mistaken. I am foolish beyond redemption."
The next moment, the wind and snow from the Casket of Ancient Winters transformed into countless giant beasts, charging towards Ebony Maw.
Having grown accustomed to Loki's usual tricks, Ebony Maw could handle them even without the Tesseract's power.
He waved his hand gently, and the ice and snow beasts were swept aside by his powerful telekinesis as if they were trash.
Immediately, he clenched his fist in mid-air, and it was as if a giant hand had grabbed Loki by the throat, lifting him high into the air.
Loki immediately felt suffocated. His face turned red, but he was powerless to break free.
The First Mage of the Nine Realms?
What a joke!
"Honestly, you're so weak it's unbelievable," Ebony Maw said slowly. "Killing you is as easy as killing an ant."
He arrogantly turned his head, his flat nose pointed at Loki, filled with disdain.
"Then... why don't you do it?"
Loki said with difficulty, his vision beginning to blur.
Ebony Maw didn't answer. He merely waved his arm slightly, and the next moment, countless ice and snow transformed into sharp blades filling the sky.
If Ebony Maw wished, he could kill Loki completely in the next moment.
"I'll give you one last chance, Loki, Son of Odin, submit to the great Thanos!"
"..."
At the same time.
In the wind and snow, a tall man in thin clothing walked with difficulty.
The biting cold turned his skin a pale blue, his lips were purple, and his eyelashes were coated with thick ice crystals. Every breath felt like inhaling a sharpened blade into his lungs.
He could barely move, but he didn't stop for a single moment.
And this man was Thor.
Originally, Thor had been with Jane Foster in a shelter, hoping that these Earth heroes could save the world.
But it seemed that wasn't the case.
Later, the temperature in New York began to drop, and the sudden cold also affected the shelter.
Many elderly people and children started to fall ill. Although Jane Foster was just an ordinary person, as a nurse, she immediately threw herself into caring for the sick.
This stirred something within Thor.
Even though he had lost his divine power, perhaps he could still do something.
Not to mention, he had already sensed that the blizzard was created by Loki.
He just wasn't sure what role Loki was playing in this Chitauri attack.
He was also unsure if he had truly seen him in his dazed state back then.
Thor needed an answer.
If Loki had orchestrated all of this, then he had to stop him. If Loki had truly reformed, then he should stand with his brother and face any enemy.
Just like in every battle over the past thousand years.
So he resolutely walked out of the shelter and headed towards the center of the blizzard.
He also saw the scene of Loki being held high by Ebony Maw like a dead dog.
His heart shattered.
"Loki!"
This roar seemed to carry the power of lightning, instantly shattering the wind and snow, and reaching the ears of Ebony Maw and Loki.
Loki, who was almost unconscious, had blurry vision.
He couldn't clearly see Thor in the wind and snow, but he knew very well that Thor had arrived.
"Thor... my brother."
At this moment, Loki smiled weakly but triumphantly.
To him, Thor was a desire he could never reach in his lifetime.
In fact, Loki understood very well that although Thor had lost his divine power now, it couldn't be permanent.
Odin would not let his child stay in Midgard forever.
Sooner or later, his brother would understand what a king was, what a true god was, and then he would raise the Hammer of Thor, return to the embrace of the gods, and ascend the throne!
Since that was the case, why not today?
Loki thought to himself.
He knew Thor cared about him, so why not let his own death become the lightning that illuminated the darkness?!
Thinking of this, Loki released the last breath from his throat, and he shouted Thor's name: "Brother!"
Then, as if he had exhausted all his strength, he weakly opened his mouth.
"Avenge me..."
Ebony Maw glanced coldly at Thor, then swung his arm down, and countless ice blades shot towards Loki like a sudden downpour.
Thor's eyes were about to split.
Loki, however, peacefully closed his eyes.
He just needed to wait for death, and then let his soul return to the hall of heroes.
He thought so.
But death did not come.
Feeling a bit confused, Loki opened his eyes in surprise, but the scene that met his eyes made him instantly lose the ability to think.
He saw Thor, riddled with ice blades like a porcupine, with his arms spread wide, blocking him and taking all the attacks for him.
Loki was stunned.
Thor, covered in blood, fell down. The blood, still warm, brushed against Loki's cheek. The warmth of the blood felt like it would scald Loki.
"Thor..."
"Thor?!"
"Brother!"
He desperately hugged Thor's body. At this moment, Loki was as panicked as a child.
"Run... Loki, hurry and run..."
Thor lay in Loki's arms, saying his last few words in a hoarse voice.
At this moment, Loki felt like his sky had collapsed!
Rumble—
In the distance, thunder rumbled.
Ebony Maw, who was about to do something, looked up in surprise. Not only him, but Supergiant also instantly appeared, looking at Loki vigilantly.
"What did you do?" Supergiant asked.
Ebony Maw did not answer. He just shook his head, his gaze fixed on Loki.
At this moment, Loki's body seemed to be wrapped in endless lightning, and immense energy erupted from his body!
Then, to the astonishment of Ebony Maw and Supergiant, a huge bolt of lightning seemed to tear through the sky and strike down from above. With the lightning came a silver short hammer.
Loki, holding the unconscious Thor, reached out and raised the hammer high!
Silver armor covered him like scales, and a crimson cape fluttered like flames.
Loki silently pulled down the silver mask. At this moment, standing before Ebony Maw and Supergiant was—
Thor Loki!
Thanks to Daerb for the 500-point reward, thank you, baby.
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Translation by: randomtranslator.com
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