The jet streaked across the sky like a bolt of lightning, crossing the vast Atlantic Ocean and arriving in Germany.
Tony and Steve immediately began prepping for combat, their expressions grave and focused.
The alien threat was right before them, and regardless of who brought it upon Earth, settling accounts would have to wait.
Right now, they had only one objective: end the crisis.
Loki stood among the gathered crowd, basking in the way these mortals bowed before him.
A subtle sense of satisfaction welled up inside him—his heart full of pride and arrogance.
[No… not enough. If only the ones kneeling were the subjects of Asgard…]
Loki's ambitions extended far beyond this little "Midgard."
His true goal was the conquest of the entire Nine Realms.
He firmly believed he was the one truly worthy of being king—
not that hammer-swinging oaf he called a brother.
[This is only the first step.]
Loki looked down on the kneeling mortals, utterly pleased with himself.
[I will become king!]
The roar of engines echoed across the sky. Loki's lips curved upward.
[Finally. I've been waiting long enough, damn mortals.]
Steve descended from the jet, giving some grand speech about freedom and human rights.
Tony, tired of his lecturing, simply activated his armor's weapon systems and aimed straight at Loki.
Without hesitation, Loki raised both hands in surrender.
They hauled Loki back onto the jet, yet both Tony and Steve felt an odd sense of wrongness—
something was off, but they couldn't pinpoint it.
Everything had gone too smoothly.
Suspiciously smoothly.
Steve and Tony bombarded Loki with questions about his origins, but Loki simply smiled, sitting there calmly, as if they were the ones captured and not him.
Their roles seemed reversed—
Loki was relaxed and composed, while Tony and Steve were tense and uncertain.
Tony, impatient as always, was about to resort to violence to force Loki to talk, but Steve stopped him.
Just as the two were about to start arguing again, Wes stepped between them and positioned himself in front of Loki.
"Welcome to Midgard, Prince Loki," Wes said, his voice calm and steady.
Loki lifted his head and met Wes's gaze directly.
"You know me?"
"Of course. In the Nine Realms, your reputation may not be as great as your father's or brother's, but the name God of Mischief is quite well-known."
Wes's words made Loki's heart tremble.
At the mention of Thor, Loki's expression darkened instantly.
"As a native of Midgard, to know all this… just who are you?" Loki's voice carried thick wariness.
"Wes Elwin. A wizard," Wes introduced himself.
"Wizard? When did Midgard have wizards?" Loki asked in genuine surprise.
"It seems the All-Father didn't tell you everything. Earth is far more dangerous than you think."
There was a mysterious undertone in Wes's words.
"Hmph."
Loki snorted disdainfully. He was just about to mock Wes when a rumbling thunderclap echoed from outside.
Loki stiffened visibly.
"What's wrong? Afraid of thunder? Do you want to run back to your mother's arms and have a little cry?"
Tony's delayed but deadly sarcasm made Loki's expression grow even darker.
"Bang!"
It was as if a massive force—strong enough to shatter mountains—slammed onto the top of the jet.
The aircraft jolted violently.
A horrifying dent appeared instantly, as though a giant's fist had caved the metal inward.
The twisted steel was proof of the raw force behind the blow.
Then—
"Screeeech!"
A sharp, grating noise ripped across the jet's cabin.
The reinforced outer door—designed to withstand extreme impacts—was being torn open from the outside by sheer brute strength.
A towering, muscle-packed, blond giant squeezed his way in.
He wore armor straight out of the medieval age, and clutched a war hammer in his hand.
Every step he took radiated authority—an aura that brooked no challenge.
His target was clear: Loki.
He strode forward in long, powerful steps.
Tony and Steve reacted instantly, darting in front of Loki to block the newcomer.
"Stop right there…" Steve warned, eyes locked onto the intruder.
But Thor simply gave them a gentle push.
Tony and Steve felt an unstoppable force surge against them—
and the next moment, they were flung aside like weightless leaves.
They slammed into the cabin wall with a dull, painful thud.
Thor didn't spare them a glance.
He grabbed Loki by the collar, glaring at him with rage so intense it seemed to burn straight into Loki's soul.
The two brothers stared at each other, saying nothing.
Then, Thor dragged Loki outside—
and in an instant, both vanished from sight.
Tony struggled to stand, his face twisted with fury and humiliation.
"Damn it—what's with that action-movie hero wannabe?!"
Never in his life had he been tossed like garbage.
He snapped his armor into place.
"I swear I'm going to make him pay for that," Tony vowed darkly.
"Tony, wait—we need a strategy first!" Steve called after him, face filled with concern.
"I've got a plan.
Plan A."
"What??" Steve blinked.
When had they ever had a "Plan A"?
"Attack!"
With that single word, Tony shot out like an arrow.
"Natasha, follow them!" Steve shouted as he grabbed a parachute and leaped from the aircraft without hesitation.
Natasha glanced at Wes, expecting him to say something.
Instead, Wes simply floated upward—calmly rising into the air and drifting out of the aircraft.
Natasha slapped the control panel in frustration.
[Every single one of these guys is a self-centered jerk!!]
By the time Wes arrived, he saw Tony smashing Thor back several meters.
Loki cupped a hand behind his ear, as though he were listening to some important message.
But when he saw his foolish brother getting blasted away, he almost burst out laughing.
A hint of schadenfreude flashed across his face—quickly erased behind a composed mask.
The moment he noticed Wes, Loki straightened, lifting his chin and trying to look regal.
"You don't seem particularly worried about your companions," Loki probed, testing Wes.
"Companions? I'm not friends with them."
Wes answered calmly and decisively—without a trace of hesitation.
That response intrigued Loki.
He began examining Wes more carefully.
"You're quite interesting. How about becoming my subordinate? When I take over all Nine Realms, I—"
He didn't get to finish.
"Impossible. Odin will never allow you to rule the Nine Realms.
You're not even his biological son."
The words hit Loki like a razor-sharp arrow—straight through the heart.
Of course he knew it.
But hearing an outsider state it so bluntly ignited a murderous rage inside him.
Yet his face still held a smile—
one that hid a dangerous edge.
Just as Loki was about to make a move, Tony, Steve, and Thor returned together, seemingly having reached some sort of agreement.
For now, Loki decided to let Wes live—for tactical reasons.
°°°
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