In the South Wing of the White House, a cold wind swept across the lawn. Even with warm sunlight on their skin, everyone couldn't suppress a shiver.
"Is the relationship between those brothers really that bad?" Stark muttered in astonishment, his voice transmitted through the earpiece to Rogers.
Captain America replied, "I remember your relationship with your father wasn't exactly harmonious either."
"How is that the same?!" Tony snapped back instantly, like a cat whose tail had just been stepped on.
Atop the Roosevelt statue, Gilgamesh looked down upon them. The sword Ea whistled as it cut through the wind, its dark crimson glow swirling like a divine storm—like a god who had shaped the world and now gazed upon all creation.
Thor gripped Mjolnir tightly, his expression grave. Nick Fury's voice still echoed in his mind: "Thor, do you really have a chance?"
"To be honest… I don't know." For once, the normally impulsive Thor hesitated. "Gilgamesh possessed a terrifying power called Cosmo from a very young age. When he broke through the limitations of the five senses—sight, hearing, smell, taste, touch—his physical strength far surpassed that of all Asgardians."
"If it weren't for his arrogance… he might have been the greatest warrior Asgard ever produced."
"Physical strength surpassed all Asgardians?" Nick Fury was speechless, utterly shocked.
Everyone had witnessed Thor's might. Even the Hulk could barely harm him—at best leaving minor injuries or making him look slightly disheveled.
But Gilgamesh surpassed even the Aesir gods. Did that mean… even Odin couldn't compare?
Thor did not answer. "But if that were all, he wouldn't be the strongest. The key is that at two hundred years old, he broke through to the Sixth Sense. At that level, one awakens superhuman abilities—manipulating elements, telekinesis, flight, illusion, mind reading, mental control, intuition…"
"I'm not sure which ability he awakened. But he can perfectly wield all the techniques of the Twelve Gold Saints."
"That doesn't sound that impressive," Stark cut in with a mocking tone. "Don't you manipulate lightning too?"
Thor gave a bitter smile. "When he had only the Sixth Sense, I could still contend with him. But Gold Saints possess the Seventh Sense—they grasp the true essence of Cosmo. They wield unwavering conviction, awakening their inner self, spirit, soul, life… their very potential. Compared to the Sixth Sense, it's like heaven and earth."
"And Gilgamesh has surpassed even that—breaking the boundary between life and death itself, comprehending the ultimate truth, reaching the Eighth Sense: Ālaya-vijñāna."
"In simple terms… time can no longer leave its mark on him. He will remain at his peak forever."
"Remain at peak condition forever?" The team fell silent, finally understanding the true nature of this so-called God of Light.
Gilgamesh watched leisurely, but finally spoke with open disdain: "My foolish brother, have you reached a decision yet? If it's too difficult, you may all come at me together."
"All of us?" Glancing at the battered Avengers, only Steve Rogers remained unharmed. Logically speaking, Captain America was one of the few humans who could stand toe-to-toe with a god for even a moment.
"You're too arrogant!" Thor's eyes ignited with killing intent. They were both sons of Odin—no matter how great the gap, how far apart could they truly be?
With a flick of his wrist, Thor hurled Mjolnir straight at Gilgamesh.
At the same moment, Captain America sprinted forward and hurled his shield.
Two weapons—one from the front, one from the flank—arrived almost simultaneously.
Gilgamesh smirked, swinging Ea with casual contempt. The blade didn't even touch the shield; the violent pressure of the swing blasted it away instantly.
Mjolnir reached him next—but his other hand moved faster. He reached out and caught the hammer effortlessly.
"My foolish brother… Only by experiencing true highs and lows can you confront the truth within your heart. Now—let your ever-beloved brother grant you an unparalleled defeat."
After saying this, he suddenly tightened his grip, and Thor's hammer trembled painfully. Then, a blinding bolt of lightning exploded like plasma!
The powerful shockwave spread out instantly, turning the sky and earth white in an instant, forcing everyone to shield their eyes from the sudden blinding light.
As the light faded, everyone stared in disbelief, Thor especially utterly incredulous, unable to believe what he was seeing.
"Mjolnir...it's shattered?" Black Widow murmured blankly, making Nick Fury, far away on the space station, question his own existence.
"Natasha, what are you saying? How could Mjolnir be shattered?"
He had specifically tested this thing; its resistance rivaled that of a vibranium shield, and it could even enhance magical damage—a rare and powerful artifact. Yet,
this very artifact had been crushed to pieces by Gilgamesh with a single hand.
"This is impossible! This is absolutely impossible!" Looking at the shattered Mjolnir on the ground, Thor was dumbfounded. He knew there was a gap between him and Gilgamesh, but he always felt he could catch up. After all, they were both sons of gods; how big could the gap be?
But now he was truly shocked. Was this even possible?
Were they even of the same race?
Was Gilgamesh someone Odin had picked up?
No, maybe Loki and I were adopted!
In that short time, Thor was filled with countless thoughts, even beginning to doubt his own origins. At this moment, he finally understood the despair Loki felt when facing his two brothers. They were all princes of Asgard, yet the difference in their power was like an insurmountable chasm.
A deep sense of defeat washed over him like a tidal wave, to the point that he lost all confidence in vying for the throne. With
such a huge gap, what was the point of competing for the title of God King?
"Thor, Thor! What are you doing?"
An anxious shout woke Thor. He came to his senses and saw that within a magnificent and dazzling golden wall of light, swords, spears, halberds, axes, hooks, and forks—all sorts of weapons were being hurled at Steve Rogers.
"Run, run! You lowly rat, let me see just how much potential you have!" Gilgamesh was toying with Captain America like a cat playing with a mouse. In his previous life, he had always heard that Captain America could fight anyone to a standstill, but he didn't know if it was true or not. Today, he would test it out.
A longsword shot towards him like a cannonball. Rogers quickly ducked and used his shield to block it. A resounding clang echoed, and his arm gripping the shield trembled uncontrollably. The force of the weapon's trajectory was terrifying, as if he had truly been hit by a cannonball.
Thanks to Gilgamesh's intervention, Odin didn't curse Mjolnir, so the protagonist was able to grasp it. Of course, even if he had cursed it, he could still grasp it; it wouldn't be a problem.