Zenkichi was surprised to see Loki holding the Cosmic Cube. By the flow of the original events, that artifact shouldn't have been in Loki's hands.
But almost instantly, his surprise faded. His own presence had already altered this world too much. The Marvel universe was no longer fixed — it was shifting, adapting, and branching into new outcomes. In that sense, it was only natural for Loki to possess the Cube.
What mattered to him was not the artifact, but strength itself. Even if Loki wielded it, Zenkichi did not regard him as a true opponent.
He had an invincible heart. That was enough.
But then, his expression hardened. He felt it — a wave of overwhelming power surging from Loki's body. It wasn't just energy, it was something more primal, enough to make even him feel a tremor of caution.
"What is this power?" Zenkichi thought sharply, his eyes narrowing. "Did he hide such strength within himself all along? Impossible… no, infuriating! What exactly is this?"
For a heartbeat, his composure cracked. He was about to crush Loki decisively, yet in this instant the Asgardian's presence flared beyond what he had shown before. The sudden growth of that terrifying aura made Zenkichi's instincts scream.
And so, he attacked.
Taking the advantage while Loki's power was still erupting, Zenkichi struck without hesitation. His body flared with condensed energy, which he forced into his palm, compressing it until the pressure twisted the very air around him.
A blade of pure light exploded from his hand, a construct so sharp and condensed that it seemed capable of slicing existence itself.
The instant it formed, he hurled it forward.
The speed was unimaginable — a tearing arc of destruction that split the air and ripped the space between them apart in less than an instant.
The blade cut across Loki's throat.
"Poof!"
A spray of crimson bloomed, staining the wolf god's face with streaks of blood. The strike had been true. It had pierced the weak point, cut exactly where it should have ended the fight.
But Loki did not fall.
Even with his fatal point struck, he stood unyielding, upright, and frighteningly calm. His presence no longer seemed bound by dimension — as if he had stepped beyond limits, standing at the threshold of something vast.
He was no longer merely Loki, but something more. A giant.
"…Strong."
Zenkichi's eyes narrowed further. He knew better than anyone the destructive potential of the blade he had unleashed. Its sharpness was absolute; even gods would hesitate before such force. Yet here was his opponent, his neck wounded, blood flowing… but his will unshaken.
It reminded Zenkichi of something unnatural.
Like a zombie — but not the mindless, shambling kind. Loki's state was far more terrifying. A body that refused to die, a will sharpened to the extreme, and a power that seemed almost eternal.
"An immortal… with a consciousness intact," Zenkichi thought grimly. "He carries the traits of something unkillable, yet still holds onto his mind and strength. A monster even beyond the legends."
And yet, the invincible heart within Zenkichi did not falter. He clenched his fists, blood and light swirling around him.
"If that's the level you've risen to… then I'll rise higher."
Because no matter what power Loki revealed, no matter how terrifying his form became, Zenkichi would never retreat.