Avengers Base.
After the Battle of New York, funded by Tony Stark, out of gratitude for the friendship forged in battle, an Avengers Base was established, just as in the original storyline.
However, he generally didn't come to this Base, preferring to stay in his own building, solely focused on researching Ultron and the Iron Legion.
Bang!
Inside the Base, Captain America, Black Widow, and Hawkeye were training when suddenly a meteor plummeted from the sky, destroying the facility.
Debris flew everywhere, and all the glass in the training facility shattered.
"Careful!"
A black symbiote formed a shield, as Captain America blocked the bullet-like flying stones for Black Widow and Hawkeye.
"What is that? A hammer?"
As the smoke cleared, Hawkeye and Black Widow looked at the meteorite crater, shocked and confused.
A square-headed divine hammer stood upright at the bottom of the pit.
"This scene feels familiar."
With lingering shock on his face, Hawkeye raised an eyebrow.
An extraterrestrial object, a meteorite hammer?
"Could it be another prince thrown down for not listening to his father?
Which mythical god-king is it this time, Zeus?"
Black Widow grumbled, stepping closer with a hint of wariness.
"Did you hear that?"
Suddenly, Captain America, who had just protected them, asked.
"Hear what?"
Hawkeye and the other person didn't understand what he meant.
"Someone is speaking."
His face flushed with excitement, staring intently at the hammer as if it were a precious treasure.
"Captain, what's wrong with you?"
Hawkeye immediately noticed something was off.
"He seems a bit off, like an addict seeing something specific." Black Widow pulled out the Widow's Sting from her waist.
"Is that so?
But I feel the meaning of my life has suddenly appeared before me."
Captain America stepped towards the divine hammer.
The two tried to stop him: "Stop, Captain."
Whoosh!
The black symbiote formed a thick, rubbery whip, sweeping Hawkeye and the other person away.
Bang!
Leaping in front of the divine hammer, Captain America reached out and grasped it. The next moment, light flashed, and majestic, ancient armor appeared on his body, interwoven with black patterns. His eyes lost all reason. He raised the divine hammer and roared in a low voice.
"Destroy!
Master, I will make this ugly and despicable World tremble in fear and offer you praise."
"Those are not words Captain America should say. If those words got out, how many children's dreams would be shattered."
"Put down that terrible hammer, Captain!"
Hawkeye, who had rolled a few times and regained his footing, took down the bow and arrows hanging on the wall, his expression serious, and aimed at him.
Natasha's face was grim as she pulled out the Widow's Sting from her thighs.
"Master?
Captain, you are a fighter for freedom; this sounds like something a third-rate villain would say."
Damn it, who's behind this? Where did this hammer come from?
Whoosh!
Hawkeye shot an arrow. The specially designed arrowhead would emit a stunning electric current upon hitting its target.
But when the arrow landed on Captain America's body, the released current had no effect, not even making his body tremble.
He tore off the arrow and crushed it.
"Insects, do not hinder me."
Already controlled by the divine hammer, Captain America, now a Heavenly Hammer Venerable, unleashed an Impact wave with the divine hammer, sending the two flying and leaving them heavily wounded in the ruins.
He leaped out of the hole in the ceiling, soaring hundreds of meters high, and with a divine-like powerful physique, he traversed nearly a thousand meters, quickly heading towards the densely populated city center nearby.
Outside Manhattan, a Military Base.
Dozens of Underground Room floors were penetrated, and in a cold Underground Room, a divine hammer stood before him on the shattered floor.
Hyperion frowned, listening to the noise in his head.
Something was trying to interfere with his thoughts, making his already bad mood even worse.
Ever since the Battle of New York, when he first appeared before the World but was defeated by Ron, and then criticized by the public, his mood had become very bad.
After waking up in this familiar Military Base, Hyperion wanted to know the public's opinion of his defeat against Ron, so he used his super hearing to listen.
The result was hearing that people thought he stood by and did nothing to save the public, and was just a weapon in the U.S. Military's hands.
The more he cared, the more he listened. Hyperion not only heard those accusations but also unexpectedly heard about the beauty of the outside World.
"Children's joyful laughter in amusement parks with their families.
Families having warm dinners together watching TV at night.
Parents' loving congratulations and gifts on birthdays."
Previously, the Military didn't allow him to use his super hearing freely because he might hear classified Military secrets. Having been raised by the Military since childhood, he strictly adhered to this command.
Not only this command, but also, for example, not allowing him to use X-ray vision, and not allowing him to leave the Base without a Military order, he obeyed like a programmed robot.
Because it had been this way since childhood, he didn't feel there was anything wrong.
But after hearing about the beauty of the outside World, and seeing what normal people's lives were like, he began to find his current monotonous, boring, prison-like life unbearable.
Yet, decades of habit left him unsure what to do. Should he defy the Military that raised him?
"Interesting, my divine hammer has found me a Heavenly Hammer Venerable whose strength is comparable to a god's."
On the ocean, Jormungandr's gaze seemed to penetrate thousands of miles, seeing Hyperion caught in his dilemma and inner turmoil, and chuckled softly.
"Let me give you a hand."
"Grasp me, and you will have a legitimate reason to go outside.
Then you can do whatever you want."
The divine hammer tempted him again.
"Outside?"
Hearing the other personnel in the Base rapidly approaching, Hyperion looked up at the sky. Through the large hole made by the divine hammer, he saw the clear blue sky and freely flying birds, like a prisoner in a dungeon.
Crack!
Hyperion, with a deep yearning in his eyes, snapped back to reality and was surprised to find that his hand had, at some point, grasped the hammer.
"Not good!" A powerful magical force and will surged towards him.
The next moment, divine light flashed, and Hyperion, now a Heavenly Hammer Venerable, gained armor. He raised the divine hammer, his mind left only with the will to obey.
"Go and destroy, my envoy."
Hyperion raised the divine hammer high and smashed it down, unleashing a power like a roaring mountain and surging sea. The entire Military Base was shattered and torn apart, and all personnel in the Base were killed, turned into a pulp.
He shot into the sky, beginning his wanton destruction.
Inside Wakanda.
"Betty, I think it won't be long until we can get married."
In the penthouse apartment, on the balcony, Banner and his girlfriend Betty lay on folding chairs, dressed lightly, leisurely sunbathing.
"Under the medication prescribed by the Wakanda Medical Department, I can feel that the transformation is becoming easier and easier to control."
"Just a few days ago, they even took my bone marrow for research.
You know, that requires puncturing your bone to complete."
"But even so, Hulk didn't come out.
This is all thanks to King Ron and this beloved country."
Banner said with joy and excitement. He had never felt so relaxed. He was increasingly glad that when he and his girlfriend were wanted by the Military, they traveled thousands of miles to this country seeking treatment.
He was also increasingly grateful to Ron, even though he knew that the blood and bone marrow extracted from him were not entirely used for his treatment research.
But it still didn't diminish his gratitude.
"If it weren't for Ron and this country, I don't know when I would have been able to get rid of that annoying green big guy.
Never again would people look at me like a demon amidst wails and screams, or be injured or even killed by my uncontrolled destruction."
"Hey, Bruce.
Your treatment progress is very encouraging, that's great."
His girlfriend Betty, in a bikini, pushed down her sunglasses and said with a slight hint of helplessness.
"But did you forget who was with you throughout your treatment? Don't I know all these things you're saying?"
"Can you just be quiet for a moment and enjoy this rare peace?"
"Alright." Banner scratched his head sheepishly.
"Darling, could you get me a bottle of sunscreen, please? I don't want my skin to be all dark when I wear a white wedding dress at our wedding." She closed her eyes, a smile playing on her lips.
"Of course."
Hearing this, an excited Banner got up and walked into the room, reaching for the sunscreen on the table.
Bang!
The next second, a fiery meteor flew from the horizon, smashing through the roof and landing in front of him.
The entire apartment building shook violently.
Betty fell from the folding chair: "What happened?"
She quickly took off her sunglasses and looked inside in surprise.
"Roar!"
Her response was a low, Beast-like roar, followed by a suppressed sound of pain: "Be-Betty."
Amidst the dust, a colossal figure in armor knelt on the ground, clutching his head.
"Bruce, is that you?
What's wrong with you!"
"Be-Betty, run, run!"
The next moment, Banner's consciousness suddenly lost control. This time, it wasn't controlled by Hulk, but by the hammer in his hand. He became a Heavenly Hammer Venerable under Jormungandr, and his current mission was to destroy everything he saw.
"News Helicopter Nine live exclusive report: A tragic accident just occurred in Hell's Kitchen.
A fireball fell from the sky, and one of our Avengers members, Impact, seems to be under some control.
He's causing widespread destruction!
Oh my God, another building has fallen victim to him."
The reporter on the helicopter, holding a camera, spoke with a pale face, facing the
divine hammer, destroying everything in sight.
Under the power of the Heavenly Hammer Venerable, buildings crumbled like paper, destroyed and toppled.
Countless people lost their lives.
The crowd fled in terror, screaming in despair.
"Help, someone save us!"
Bang!
Luke Cage noticed the 'fly' far above his head, and hurled the heavy, powerful divine hammer, smashing a helicopter hundreds of meters away into a ball of fire.
He then retrieved the divine hammer, which automatically flew back, and continued his destruction.
"Ladies and gentlemen, the latest news from the Aerospace Agency.
Several extraterrestrial objects have fallen to Earth, most of them within our United States.
Everyone who touches them is manipulated, becoming irrational monsters, and cities are being destroyed and ravaged as they spread in all directions across the globe."
"Each of them possesses devilish power, even the Military cannot contend with them, they can fly at dozens of Mach speeds, and nuclear bombs cannot capture them.
Please, residents and your families, hide in the Underground Room, make no sound, and pray that we can overcome this ordeal."
On television, the host, no longer calm, held his script with trembling hands, his forehead covered in cold sweat, rapidly and fearfully reading.
Mexico, Brazil, South Korea—destruction and fear spread from cities, then to countries.
The Military couldn't protect them, and nuclear bombs were useless.
The entire World was plunged into fear.
On the boundless ocean, Jormungandr greedily and enjoyably absorbed the fear converging towards him. His ancient, decaying body became young.
"Yes, just like that.
Conquer their cities, make them kneel and pray in fear, begging for mercy!"
Not only the seven Heavenly Hammer Venerables, but also Skadi used HYDRA's power, causing them to wreak havoc globally.
All the fear generated rapidly restored Jormungandr's power, whose divine office was the God of Fear, reaching an unprecedentedly powerful state.
"Children, I have recovered my power, even stronger, but it is not enough!
Go crush them into blood and mud, kill them all, make them cry helplessly like children.
Let your tyranny and cruelty seep into every corner of this sewer-like Planet.
Let fear be everywhere!"
Jormungandr's high-pitched, frenzied voice echoed across the entire ocean, and the tide of fear he unleashed was engulfing the entire Planet.
His power had already surpassed his brother Odin, who had once defeated him, and was still continuously rising.
"Your Majesty, Your Highness, and King Ron.
A disaster has occurred in Midgard."
Asgard, while the people of Asgard celebrated their victory in the war, Heimdall hurried into the Heavenly Palace hall, speaking urgently.
Thor was already prepared to yield the throne to Audreyf, but the coronation ceremony had not yet been held.
"What disaster?"
Ron, holding his scepter, asked.
In the hall, he spoke before Thor, but Sif and other Asgardian high-ranking officials, even Thor himself, didn't find anything amiss.
Everyone had witnessed his powerful and terrifying strength, easily defeating Surtur and the Fire Demon army. If it weren't for him, Asgard might have been destroyed again.
Looking at Heimdall, Ron's eyes flickered.
That day, after Audreyf said she would offer him everything, he used the Mind Stone to erase Heimdall's memory of that incident, just in case.
Heimdall now had no recollection of the event.
"The former King's brother, Kuurth, has broken free and is causing disaster in Midgard."
His face was grim, and he spoke urgently.
"Kuurth?
Who is that?"
Thor frowned, puzzled.
He shouldn't not know his father's brother, but he had never heard of him.
He kept feeling this scene was familiar. Why was there another relative he hadn't heard of, after his elder sister Hela?
"Jormungandr, the God of Fear."
Upon hearing this name, Ron's eyes narrowed slightly.
In Norse mythology, Thor and Jormungandr, the World Serpent whose body was large enough to encircle Midgard, were destined enemies.
In Ragnarok, Thor battled Jormungandr, killing him with his hammer, but also being killed by Jormungandr's venom.
And in Marvel's prophecy, Kuurth, Jormungandr, played the role of Jormungandr, and he and Thor were destined enemies.
"Kuurth, the former King's brother, and also the former Asgardian God-King, became reckless and tyrannical after ascending the throne, engaging in excessive Military expansion, which caused great suffering among the Asgardian people.
The former King went to the World Tree seeking a way to restore Jormungandr's character.
But the answer he received was that Your Majesty must die for Kuurth to return to normal. The former King couldn't bear to let you die, so he defeated Kuurth, deposed him, and sealed him away."
As Odin's most trusted subordinate during his lifetime, Heimdall recounted little-known past events. This history was also erased by Odin, and in the current Asgardian understanding, Odin inherited his father's throne, and Kuurth's existence was unknown.
"Another relative I don't know about, and another seal?"
Thor, whose arm was subtly aching, certainly felt his old father's love, but he also felt a headache coming on.
"How many unresolved messes did father leave for Asgard?"
Sif and Hogan exchanged glances. Another new Asgardian royal family member?
"Your Majesty, Kuurth is the God of Fear and can grow stronger through fear. He is causing fear everywhere in Midgard, and we must stop him, otherwise..."
Heimdall quickly reminded and persuaded, then looked at Ron, bowing his head to show respect to the powerful one who had twice saved Asgard, and then hesitated before saying.
"King Ron, your country has also suffered some destruction from him."