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Chapter 82: God and Black Superman

As Thor and his companions arrived at their destination, they were greeted by a startling sight.

A dark figure gripped the handle of Mjolnir, attempting to lift it. What struck fear into their hearts was that Mjolnir seemed to be responding to this attempt.

"Hey! Who are you!?" Thor's anxiety was palpable. What if someone else could wield Mjolnir? Setting aside physical strength, Mjolnir had been his constant companion for millennia—not merely a weapon, but a comrade in life, a mentor, and even something akin to a beloved.

He believed Mjolnir possessed a soul.

He couldn't bear to lose Mjolnir.

For the first time since gaining the [Superman] talent package, Peter felt a challenge. His unrivaled strength finally met its match when confronted with Thor's hammer, enchanted by Odin. In a sense, it was akin to a confrontation with Odin himself, a metaphorical arm-wrestling match.

This encounter was an unexpected preview of their inevitable clash, and the long-lost sensation thrilled Peter.

But that was all it was.

Spells were just spells, incapable of fully encapsulating Odin's might.

As Peter exerted more force, Mjolnir began to tremble under the strain. She resisted, but in vain.

Ultimately, Peter lifted her through sheer strength.

As punishment for this act, dark clouds gathered and lightning struck Peter with a resounding boom.

Thor watched in wide-eyed horror.

Mjolnir had been lifted by another. He could sense her resistance, feel her calling out for help. Helpless as a mortal, he could only watch as someone more powerful than him claimed Mjolnir.

"No!"

Thor felt as if a piece of him had been crushed. He roared and charged forward.

"Damn it, did he lift Mjolnir with brute force?" The Asgardian warriors were equally stunned and disbelieving.

Seeing Thor charging, they exchanged glances and followed suit, albeit reluctantly.

Coulson, witnessing Black Superman grappling with Mjolnir, quickly took cover.

True to his expectations, lightning struck seconds later, narrowly missing him. At such close proximity, Black Superman could withstand the lightning, but not without consequences.

He also spotted Thor and his group. Coulson vividly recalled Thor's unruly intrusion the previous night, leaving a chaotic trail behind.

He glanced at Black Superman, struggling with Mjolnir amidst the relentless lightning strikes, then at the approaching group. After a brief hesitation, he ordered over the communication line, "Stop them!"

Instantly, a pre-prepared arrow shot towards Thor, courtesy of Hawkeye!

Luckily, Sif reacted swiftly, intercepting the arrow meant for Thor and averting imminent danger.

Meanwhile, SHIELD agents poured out, engaging the Asgardian warriors in combat. It was a clash between mortal strength and divine protection; while the numbers and tactical advantage could momentarily delay their defeat, it was inevitable.

Peter focused on Thor.

To some extent, Thor was the final piece of Peter's puzzle—a bargaining chip to lure Odin into a confrontation.

Hmm... It might seem extreme to manipulate a 5,000-year-old into this, but what choice did the Black Superman have? He cared little for the means as long as he achieved his ends.

SHIELD agents were swiftly overpowered, and Thor approached cautiously, mindful of the lightning.

His gaze drifted to Mjolnir, manipulated by Peter. Frowning, he declared, "Release Mjolnir! She is mine!"

"You don't have Mjolnir's consent. Even if you force her, Odin's lightning will forever pursue you!" Peter quipped.

"Did you get her consent?" Thor countered, pained.

This question struck a chord with Thor. Reluctantly, he admitted, "I did."

"In other words, she's just your ex?"

"Hey, what kind of description is that?" Thor protested, though he couldn't refute the truth. Mjolnir was more than a companion; she was integral to his identity.

"This is only temporary. I'll win her back!" he vowed.

"No need," Peter said casually, redirecting his attention to Mjolnir.

Despite forcing her into compliance, Mjolnir continued to resist him. The enchantments above resisted his efforts; merely holding her was strenuous, let alone wielding her.

Peter smirked. "Let's test the effect of the final puzzle piece."

[Do you want to spend 10,000 points to acquire Thor's Power?]

[Purchase successful]

[Congratulations on acquiring the talent: Thunder God's Power lvl 1]

...

Thor witnessed an unforgettable sight.

Thunder and lightning suddenly enveloped the figure before him, resonating with him and his father Odin. Though less potent than Odin's, this power shattered Thor's worldview.

"Who are you? How do you wield Odin's power?" Thor demanded, bewildered.

Ignoring him, Peter channeled his newfound divine power into Mjolnir.

The effect was profound.

Sensing Peter's thunderous might, Mjolnir quivered and hummed. She seemed conflicted—resisting yet unable to reject the divine energies coursing through her.

Even the sky's incessant thunderstorms abated.

"Who am I? Call me Black Superman," Peter declared, satisfied. "Your hammer is quite remarkable."

Thor was dumbfounded. "You... What have you done to Mjolnir!?"

In a fit of rage, Thor lunged at Peter, but lacking divine power, he was no stronger than an ordinary man. With a deft motion, Peter swung Mjolnir, still agitated by divine power, striking Thor and sending him crashing to the ground.

"Thor!" The Asgardian warriors and Sif, awakened to their divine powers, couldn't stand by idly. They attacked Peter, but to no avail—Mjolnir easily deflected their efforts.

They never imagined being defeated by Mjolnir itself.

Peter extended his hand calmly. "Return."

Mjolnir hesitated in mid-air, resisting, before finally trembling and returning to Peter's grasp.

"Good hammer," Peter said, patting Mjolnir affectionately.

Helpless, Thor watched as Mjolnir embraced Peter's command, his heart and body both devastated...

Thor experienced a pain unlike any in his 1,500-year existence. It eclipsed even the indifference he faced before. His grief was overwhelming.

"No, Mjolnir, you can't do this..."

Memories flooded Thor's mind—their first meeting, their camaraderie, their battles together. Mjolnir wasn't just a weapon; she was his closest companion, his steadfast ally. Without her, he felt incomplete.

Seeing Thor's torment, a surge of thunder and lightning emanated from him, unnoticed by the grieving god, empowering him.

Sif and the Asgardian warriors saw hope. "Thor's divine power has returned!"

"No, it's not a return but an awakening."

"Thor has grown stronger! He will reclaim Mjolnir!"

However, reality is always cruel.

Thor, who had awakened his divine power, rushed in front of Peter, his eyes filled with thunder and lightning. Powerful divine lightning gathered in his hand, and he struck Peter heavily.

Peter effortlessly intercepted the attack, preventing any further damage. Despite the ease with which he handled Thor, Peter was somewhat impressed. "Awakened now? Not bad potential."

In the Marvel universe, Thor's position is comparable to that of Superman in DC's Justice League. He is a cornerstone of the Avengers, a warrior of immense power and responsibility. His fighting abilities rank among the best.

However, the portrayal of Thor in the MCU often required him to be weakened for plot purposes, with a more comedic touch added to his character. 

Peter's world, while resembling the MCU, had its share of strange and unpredictable elements. It wouldn't be surprising to encounter comic book-level threats one day. Just like Schrödinger's cat, the true nature of this world remained uncertain until it fully revealed itself.

In the current scenario, the divine power Thor had awakened, which was supposed to emerge in "Thor: Ragnarok," was prematurely brought out by Peter's actions. Peter assessed it and found that Thor's output limit had reached his own level 1. Considering Thor's potential for growth, it wasn't bad at all.

Unlike Peter's divine power, which he had obtained through the system, Thor's power would continue to grow stronger over time with experience. This phenomenon was possibly linked to another talent Peter system shop had acquired from Thor: [Bloodline: Aesir God Bloodline]. 

This talent might explain why Thor's power grew stronger with age and experience. Even Peter's [Superman] talent package could evolve. If he ever managed to acquire a Kryptonian bloodline and spent thousands of years absorbing solar energy, he would become immensely powerful—though he would also inherit the Kryptonian weakness to Kryptonite.

In short, while Thor had the potential to evolve into his comic version, he was still too weak in his current state.

"If you came earlier, you might have been a good opponent, but now... you're just a toy," Peter said regretfully.

Without giving Thor a chance to react or understand, Peter swung Mjolnir and struck Thor in the face.

Boom!

Thor was blasted away, crashing heavily into the ground. This time, it was Mjolnir itself that had struck him, dealing a significant blow. The thunder and lightning around Thor flickered weakly as he murmured, "Mjolnir."

Sif and the three warriors of Asgard felt a wave of despair. Even with his awakened divine power, Thor was defeated. They looked at the dark figure holding Mjolnir in the center of the field, wondering what kind of monster they were facing.

At that moment, the Rainbow Bridge appeared, drawing everyone's attention.

When the light dissipated, a massive figure covered in steel armor was revealed: the Destroyer, a set of divine armor with autonomous intelligence.

"What's going on? Why is the Destroyer here?" Thor asked, frowning as he recovered slightly from his pain and depression. The Destroyer was supposed to be guarding the treasure house!

"It's Loki. He planned all of this. He framed you, and now he's sent the Destroyer to kill you!" Sif quickly explained. They had come to Earth to warn Thor, but the series of events had prevented them from doing so until now.

"Loki!?" Thor was stunned, finally thinking of his rebellious brother. "He wants to kill me!?" he said in a daze.

Surprisingly, he felt no anger, only a sense of resignation. Although Mjolnir's loss had shattered his spirit, it had also raised his threshold for suffering.

Thor smiled bitterly. "Without Mjolnir, even with my awakened divine power, I can't defeat the Destroyer."

He looked at Sif and the three warriors of Asgard. "He came for me. I'll hold him off while you retreat."

"No, we stand together, Thor!" The three warriors of Asgard refused to leave him.

As they argued, a sudden explosion diverted their attention. Mjolnir, thrown by Peter and charged with lightning, struck the Destroyer heavily.

The impact was immense, causing the ground to tremble beneath their feet.