Ever since Gloria had left the Daily Bugle behind and joined Weyland Corporation, her goal had been crystal clear: she refused to end up like Peter Parker... dead for no good reason, without even understanding why.
The police investigation had turned up nothing concrete. No one could figure out how Peter Parker had died, or who had killed him. That uncertainty had planted a deep fear in Gloria. She craved security. If she could secure real power and strong backing, she wouldn't suffer the same fate as her friend.
Joining Weyland also gave her a chance to use Adam's resources to uncover the truth behind Peter's murder. She had already climbed the ranks quickly. As the de facto chief assistant at Weyland Tower, she now had access to higher-level classified information. What she'd learned so far was chilling: Peter Parker's death hadn't been an accident. It was a meticulously planned assassination.
She still wasn't cleared to dig into the killer's identity, but that only confirmed the perpetrator was an incredibly powerful superhuman. Could they be on the level of Dormammu or Laufey? Some kind of mythical god?
"I won't question the boss's decisions, and neither will you. All you need to do is accept the orders and carry them out. That's your job. Giving it everything you've got is a matter of attitude. Whether you can actually pull it off is a matter of ability. You're a smart woman."
Gloria stared straight at Foster, her gaze flicking repeatedly to Mjolnir. If there was any chance at all, she would have loved to lift that divine weapon and become the Goddess of Thunder herself. Unfortunately, she wasn't worthy.
What would it feel like to wield that kind of power? Gloria could only imagine.
Foster looked stunned, but the spark of curiosity and adventure shone clearly on her face. This bold scientist reached out and gripped the hammer.
"Only someone with an exceptionally pure heart and divine worthiness can lift it," Gloria said quietly.
Foster closed her eyes for a moment, focusing, then pulled with all her strength.
Hum...
A soft ring echoed as Mjolnir lifted effortlessly in her hand. The hammer that looked so impossibly heavy felt perfectly balanced once she held it.
"I… I did it? Weren't they saying no one but Thor could lift this thing? I managed it on the first try. Does that mean I'm the new Thor?"
Foster's mind reeled at first, but overwhelming joy quickly swept in. Who wouldn't want to become a god? Even if it felt completely surreal, the best plan was to embrace it first and figure out the "why" later.
Gloria stood there, utterly dumbfounded. She even reached out to test it herself, only to confirm the hammer wouldn't budge for her. The disappointment hit hard.
"Looks like Adam was right again. You really do have what it takes to be Thor. I don't fully understand how, but does an ordinary physicist like you actually possess divine worthiness?" Gloria recovered quickly, composing herself.
Foster had never heard the term "worthiness" in this context before, but she knew one thing for sure: she wasn't some half-god hybrid. Her parents were both completely ordinary humans.
"I probably don't need to run a paternity test with my mom and dad…" Foster muttered, feeling the endless surge of power flowing from Mjolnir into her body. She felt incredibly strong, like she had boundless energy.
She could even sense the free electrons dancing in the air around her. With a thought, she could summon devastating lightning.
The hammer that ordinary people could never hope to touch now behaved like an obedient child in her grasp.
"Worthiness has nothing to do with bloodlines... it's about qualification. You're a goddess now. Look at the lightning crackling around you," Gloria said, unable to hide the deep envy on her face.
She didn't fully understand it, but she was in awe.
Every step Foster took left scorched footprints on the ground, traces of divine lightning burning deep marks into the floor.
"I'm having a little trouble controlling it. This feels… weird. I hope you won't hold it against me," Foster murmured.
Yet somehow... perhaps because of the Xenomorph embryo nestled in her chest... she could instinctively fine-tune every tiny part of her body, making the most reasonable adjustments within her understanding and keeping the divine power in check.
This was Foster's first time meeting Adam in person. She had only seen him on TV or online before.
The thrum from her chest made every nerve in her body instinctively show utmost respect toward him.
Terrifying, she thought. No wonder he can control all the Xenomorphs. She considered studying neurology, then found herself trembling uncontrollably with excitement as she bowed.
"Don't worry about the damages. I'm not that petty. A company this big exists to serve people like us... not the other way around. Let's not get the order mixed up."
Adam studied the woman before him with clear satisfaction, no trace of surprise on his face.
Thor, Jane Foster as Thor, and now this new female Thor... across the multiverse, certain individuals could always lift Mjolnir.
"You haven't disappointed me, and you're not one of the rare exceptions. I'm pleased. From now on, you are the new Goddess of Thunder. This hammer... Mjölnir... will be your personal weapon. No one except me can take it from you," Adam said.
His tone was casual, as if he were simply dividing chips at a poker table and handing the biggest stack to the newest player.
"I… uh… thank you. But I still don't understand. Why were you so sure I could lift it? Didn't you consider that I might fail?" Foster stammered, struggling to adjust to Adam's straightforward style.
"If you had failed, you could still serve me as a brilliant physicist. Simple as that. I welcome all kinds of talent," Adam replied. "I believed you could do it... so you did."
He was satisfied to have added another powerful asset to his team.
Meanwhile, back on Nidavellir, Thor's satisfaction had cooled somewhat.
He now held his own new weapon... Stormbreaker. Its power dwarfed Mjölnir, and its massive size felt incredibly satisfying in his hands.
"If only the handle were wood, it would feel even better," Thor muttered as he swung it experimentally. A casual swipe sent a divine energy beam dozens of kilometers wide bursting from the axe head, giving the impression it could cleave entire planets.
That was just a light swing. A full-powered strike was almost unimaginable in its destructive potential.
And Stormbreaker could summon the Bifrost, letting Thor teleport anywhere at will.
"Wooden handle? What's so great about that? We have more than enough Uru metal. A solid, one-piece axe is the ultimate weapon," King Eitri scoffed, clearly unimpressed by Thor's taste. "Unless you bring me a branch from Yggdrasil itself, I'm not adding one now. It's too late anyway."
Thor flashed a confident grin. He had only been joking. In truth, he couldn't be happier with the weapon.
Through it, his command of the thunder god's power had surged several times over. Divine energy visibly swelled and exploded around him, radiating outward in waves.
This growth was far from its limit. With proper training, Thor would grow even stronger in a short time.
"The mortal Thor is in the past. From now on, I am the God of Thunder once more... and stronger than ever!"
Thor's face lit up with wild joy, but then he seemed to sense something. He swung Stormbreaker, aiming the blade toward a distant point in deep space.
"You feel it too, my new friend? Looks like we're on the same wavelength…"
"What is it?" Eitri asked.
"Someone has lifted Mjölnir and claimed the power of Thor. If I'm not mistaken, they're on Midgard... one of Adam's people. I'm not sure exactly who yet." The delight on Thor's face dimmed noticeably. "The fourth-generation Thor has truly appeared. I knew Adam wasn't just blowing hot air."
He desperately wanted to open the Bifrost, head to Midgard, find this new Thor, and challenge them immediately. He alone should be the strongest God of Thunder... no one else. But in the end, he held back.
He was now the heir to Asgard's throne. Every action represented the entire realm. He couldn't afford to be as reckless as before.
"You can sense divine power from several worlds away?" Eitri sounded genuinely impressed. The distance spanned countless star systems.
"There will be a chance to meet them. When that day comes, I'll test my Stormbreaker against their Mjölnir…" Thor murmured. He activated the Bifrost and returned to Asgard.
There, he would undergo rigorous training to prepare for inheriting Odin's power.
Once that happened, Thor was confident he would be the strongest in the Nine Realms. The next time something like Dormammu's invasion occurred, he believed he could handle it alone and drive the enemy back.
He also recalled the battle with the Celestials that his father had lost... a secret only recently shared. Thor's form vanished into the Bifrost.
Before long, news spread across the worlds: Thor now wielded a new divine weapon, one said to rival the mighty Gungnir. It was huge news. Everyone knew Thor was the confirmed successor to Odin's throne and would receive his father's full support and power.
Given that Odin had faked his death and clearly didn't have much time left, all eyes turned to Thor as factions weighed their options.
…
"So my foolish brother has a new weapon and has grown even stronger? With Father's careful cultivation, he'll only continue to improve. One day he might even reach Father's level."
Loki opened his eyes and dispelled the magic concealing him. Since arriving on Earth, he had been busy with his own schemes, searching and plotting how best to use that mysterious black dragon.
Even now, Loki knew almost nothing about the creature's true nature or origins, but one thing was certain: controlling it would allow him to produce an endless supply of soldiers.
He believed he could use those troops to rapidly expand his own forces.
Just like Adam had done. After witnessing Adam's repeated, seemingly impossible feats, even the proud Loki was willing to set aside some of his arrogance and study Adam's path and mindset for reference.
"These Midgardians call the parasites extracted from the dragon 'symbiotes'… What a fitting name."
Loki remained invisible, a strange smile on his face, as he followed a group of stern personnel down an elevator into the underground facility.
Adam had grown his power exponentially by using Xenomorphs' parasitic abilities to claim powerful hosts. Now Loki had discovered symbiotes on Midgard... creatures that strengthened themselves the same way. It felt like destiny.
He had to admit he had underestimated Midgard before. This world held many strange beings and even stranger wonders that could bring him great opportunities.
"These Midgardians had the same idea... copying Adam's miracle by tapping into the black dragon's power. Too bad for them. I've claimed it."
Loki's smile turned wicked. After being repeatedly humbled by Adam and gradually shedding his overconfidence, he found his mind clearer than ever.
In other words, he had evolved into Loki 2.0... far more dangerous than before.
Once he seized the source of the symbiotes and this unknown black dragon that had invaded from beyond the Nine Realms, he would jump straight to version 3.0.
"My foolish brother, giving up the throne doesn't mean I admit I'm inferior to you. Our competition is only just beginning. And then there's Adam…"
Loki strode deeper underground with burning ambition. He looked up at the massive ice-encased behemoth, feeling the incredibly dangerous aura radiating from it.
The sensation was odd... a natural, higher-being intimidation of lesser life. It left Loki both wary and almost unable to suppress a laugh.
"Attention, everyone. Cease operations on the E7 target. We need to extract a portion of symbiote material!"
The loudspeakers boomed, and the busy scientists immediately stopped.
Normally, they had to constantly generate cold to maintain the ice binding the dragon, preventing the layers from thinning and allowing the creature... dead or alive... to break free. This protocol had been in place for decades, ever since the symbiote super-soldier program was shut down in the 1970s.
The dragon had already been frozen in the ice for a very long time before they even discovered it.
A team of skilled engineers operated massive machinery, drilling through the thick ice to create a frozen tunnel straight to the black dragon. They would extract writhing material from its surface, just as they had done in the 1970s.
But this time, there was an unexpected complication.
Loki had arrived.
"Mortals, your work here is done. Leave the rest to me. The God of Mischief will take over. If you kneel and serve me, I'll generously grant each of you a symbiote!"
Just like Adam rewarding his subordinates with facehuggers. Copying Adam's homework meant there was little chance of going wrong.
"Who the hell are you? How did this guy just appear? Why didn't our sensors pick up anything?"
"Loki! It's the God of Mischief, Loki of Asgard!"
"Loki, your unauthorized intrusion here is a serious violation of Earth's laws. Are you trying to spark conflict between our worlds?"
Chaos erupted. Armed soldiers raised standard energy weapons and trained them on Loki.
Loki found it amusing. He noticed with mild surprise that these agents were using energy weapons rather than conventional kinetic ones.
"Your technological progress surprises me. I doubt it came through ordinary means, but that's fine. Surrender, and I'll generously share some of Asgard's advanced technology with you. Resist, and I'll grant you death."
Loki's smile turned sinister. "I may not be the God of the Dead, but wiping all of you out would be no trouble at all."
"Lord Loki, acting on Earth without authorization... aren't you afraid the Sorcerer Supreme and Adam will come after you? Or did Odin approve this?" a scientist in a white coat shouted through a loudspeaker.
Loki paused, his gaze piercing through the glass wall. "Tell me your name."
"You may call me Dr. Krill. I'm S.H.I.E.L.D.'s chief scientist," the man replied.
"Dr. Krill, I imagine as chief scientist you've already tried and failed with the Xenomorphs. So what makes you think you'll succeed with symbiotes? Relying on Midgard's outdated technology?"
Loki felt his patience had improved greatly. In the past, he would have killed this insolent fool on the spot.
Listen to the man's nonsense... afraid the Ancient One and Adam would trouble him?
If those two truly wanted to deal with him, they would have done so already.
Besides, since his first visit to Midgard, Loki had barely killed any humans. Casualties in battles like the one with Kaecilius didn't count.
And with Odin's prior understanding, as long as he didn't create a major threat to Midgard before amassing enough power, what reason would the Ancient One or Adam have to interfere?
Loki had no desire to linger on Yggdrasil, a place that brought him pain. He wanted to complete his initial accumulation quickly and venture into the vast cosmos.
He stopped wasting words. With a gesture, he seized the fresh batch of symbiotes that had just been extracted... a large, writhing mass of sticky black substance.
"So this is a symbiote? Split it into many pieces, and each becomes an independent parasitic entity capable of greatly enhancing its host's combat ability."
Loki looked up at the enormous black dragon. What exactly was this thing? Truly just the source of the symbiotes?
He raised his hand and unleashed a magical blast at the ice. Visible cracks spread rapidly across the surface.
The agents panicked... some called for backup, others signaled frantically, while a group opened fire. It was useless. Loki held a strange casket, and frigid divine power swirled around him, easily blocking every energy attack.
"Loki!! This dragon's origins and strength are unknown. Releasing it is insane!" Dr. Krill shouted in fury.
Irritated, Loki flicked his wrist and sent a spell shattering the glass wall, engulfing everyone in the lab.
What was the problem with releasing it? Since Midgard's mortals had managed to seal it with low temperatures, Loki... with the Casket of Ancient Winters... felt even more confident.
He could open the artifact with a mere thought and re-freeze the strange dragon instantly if needed.
The priority was figuring out the creature's true power and origins.
Soon the ice collapsed. The black dragon unfurled wings spanning dozens of meters and, with terrifying force, easily shattered the surrounding rock layers.
A horrifying roar erupted from its maw. After an initial moment of confusion upon waking, it brewed a towering fury.
"Angry, are you? Makes sense. In your mind, you finally broke into Yggdrasil, found Midgard, and were about to act... only to be defeated by my foolish brother, fall to Midgard, and sleep for a thousand years. And now these annoyances have been imprisoning and exploiting you."
Loki smiled. Of course he was pleased... he already considered the dragon his property. He imagined how impressive it would look as his personal mount, a true symbol of his status.
Picture it: riding a black dragon across the stars of the universe.
But the strange dragon clearly had other ideas.
"@#%%&¥%&@#¥..."
The dragon emitted a message. Normally, Loki should have understood it... it was a spiritual language.
But in reality, he couldn't comprehend a single word. He had no idea what the dragon was trying to say.
"What is this? A completely unfamiliar language, yet a few symbols feel vaguely familiar. I think I saw something like it once in the library... extremely ancient divine script… No, I must be mistaken. This dragon doesn't seem particularly strong, so why does it give off this powerful, ancient, out-of-place feeling?"
The mental disconnect grew even stronger during the attempt at spiritual communication.
Loki realized he might have miscalculated something crucial.
The next moment, the massive black dragon unleashed a terrifying aura. Its spiritual fluctuations alone turned into tangible force, forming an enormous storm that instantly pulverized everything around it.
Many frail humans disintegrated into ash on the spot. The carefully built S.H.I.E.L.D. secret base crumbled under the dragon's assault. Everyone there died horribly.
Loki clutched the Casket of Ancient Winters and watched as the creature turned its gaze on him.
"&#@¥%!...@#!"
Another burst of words, still unintelligible to Loki.
Enraged, the dragon lunged, only to be driven back by the casket's freezing power. Half its body became encased in ice.
But in the next second, a terrifying divine force exploded from the dragon, shattering the mystical ice. It ignored Loki entirely and smashed straight through the Earth's crust.
The ground shook violently, as if an ancient beast had awakened.
Its overwhelming spiritual pressure, laced with pure madness, poured out across the world without restraint.
Wherever its roar reached, atoms and molecules disintegrated. All matter collapsed. No living thing could escape the dragon's millennia-suppressed, universe-spanning fury.
No one knew what the dragon had endured, or how being thwarted on this tiny planet had pushed it beyond tolerance.
Wherever the rampaging dragon passed, devastation followed. Countless people and objects vanished, becoming victims of its wrath.
News of the crazed black dragon slaughtering everything in its path spread quickly. The death toll rose at an alarming rate.
Major powers mobilized immediately, attacking with every weapon at their disposal. The assaults caused minor annoyance at best but failed to truly defeat the creature.
"What the hell is that? Where did this dragon just come from?"
"First gods from ancient myths, then demons from other worlds, and now dragons? What's happening to this world? Everything's gone completely insane!"
"Maybe the world has always been like this, and it's only now boiling over. We're just the unlucky ones who got caught in it."
"Even modern weapons can't handle this thing. They only seem to make it angrier. Who's going to stop it?"
People watched in terror, hearts filled with dread.
Nick Fury, the man ultimately responsible, had no time for fear. He looked equally stunned.
"I thought Loki was confident and would have a solid plan. Instead, his idea for getting symbiotes was to just let this thing loose? What the hell was he thinking? What does he want?!"
Fury was furious. Among the higher-ups, the black dragon wasn't exactly a secret. Anyone who saw it would immediately know something had gone terribly wrong on his end.
But the damage was done. What could he do now? The only option was to send the Avengers to intercept it and try to recapture the creature. Used properly, it could produce an endless supply of super-soldiers. They couldn't afford to lose it.
So the Avengers assembled once more... this time, perhaps for their first truly coordinated mission.
"Good thing it's not another obscure demon god we've never heard of," Dr. Banner quipped in human form, his tone dripping with sarcasm.
"But this thing looks tough too. I don't know what Loki was thinking, but let's move fast, people. Good news: we only have to deal with the dragon and Loki. Bad news: it's just me and you second-rate knockoffs doing the heavy lifting."
Iron Man took the lead. The other heroes had no choice but to follow in their jets... they couldn't fly themselves.
When the team reached the battlefield, they immediately spotted someone else arriving almost simultaneously, streaking through the sky amid flashes of lightning.
"Jarvis, am I seeing things? That entrance looks familiar. And this sudden storm isn't normal either," Tony said, eyes narrowing.
"Sir, analysis of the shadow within the clouds indicates it is not Adam, nor Thor, nor Reynolds."
"Hah, a new Thor, then? Another person swinging Mjölnir? If I'd known, I should have asked Adam earlier if I could try lifting it. Maybe I could have become a god on Asgard too."
Tony accelerated after them. He watched the female Thor land forcefully on the dragon's head, raise Mjölnir high, and bring it crashing down.
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