122

Chapter 122: How Dare You Touch My Things?

"Black Superman?"

Loki turned to find Peter standing there, suddenly appearing behind him.

He had previously believed he had adequately assessed Black Superman's abilities, but now realized he had underestimated him.

He hadn't even noticed how Peter had approached.

Unfazed, Loki responded sharply, "Shouldn't you be home with my brother? You're so arrogant and irritating."

His taunting wasn't just idle banter; it was a deliberate stalling tactic. With the relentless onslaught of the Chitauri army approaching, delay was his ally.

The longer he delayed, the greater his advantage.

Could Black Superman truly be stronger than Odin? Until that question was answered, Loki knew he had little to fear.

No one understood the cosmic terror like he did.

Typically, one would engage in verbal sparring in such situations. However, Loki failed to grasp the urgency behind Peter's words: "There's no time."

In the next instant, a blast of heat vision struck him squarely in the face.

Caught off guard, Loki was hurled backward, crashing through Tony's wall.

"Damn it, you're not playing by the rules..." Loki grumbled, only to have his ankle seized a moment later.

"I almost forgot about that," Peter remarked calmly.

Loki was stunned. What had he forgotten?

Then, without warning, Black Superman lifted him and threw him forcefully to the ground.

Bang!

It was the first impact, jarring his face against the ground. Even in slow motion, he felt the muscles in his face ripple from the violent collision.

Boom!

The second impact left him dazed and confused.

Then,

Boom! Boom!

Followed by a third and fourth impact.

Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Swish!

Loki was tossed around like discarded refuse.

Finally regaining his senses, Loki muttered, "Damn it, you actually dare to do this to me..."

"I suggest you refrain from further nonsense," Peter interjected calmly.

Loki stopped instantly.

He dreaded the humiliation of defeat.

However, he wasn't about to concede. If he couldn't defeat Black Superman physically, he could still provoke him.

Gritting his teeth, he continued, "You possess great power, yet you stand idly by while people on Earth suffer. Are you indifferent, or simply callous?"

Despite the heroes currently holding the upper hand, it was clear their resources were dwindling. They were human, their equipment wearing thin, their strength waning.

Meanwhile, Gwen continued her valiant effort, swinging between buildings, weaving webs, and taking down Chitauri soldiers.

The intensity of the battle was beginning to take its toll. She would need Peter's help after this...

Distracted momentarily, a Chitauri soldier flew past her. Gwen quickly refocused, firing spider silk to ensnare her airborne adversary.

To her dismay, her supply of spider silk had run out without her realizing it, the streets behind her littered with strands from her frenzied efforts.

Looking up, she saw countless Chitauri soldiers pouring through the portal like a plague of locusts.

The fight seemed endless, a grim realization.

This was especially true for Steve, Natasha, Felicia, Hawkeye, and others.

Their physical stamina was not on par with Gwen's. Apart from Steve, everyone else was beginning to falter, breathing heavily.

Especially Hawkeye, who discovered his quiver was empty.

Natasha struggled to fend off the mob.

In the sky, Harry also noticed his explosives were running low. While the sparks were entertaining, they came at a cost.

"Stark, we can't keep this up!" he shouted.

Tony's ammunition had long been spent. He relied solely on the light cannon charged directly by the reactor for defense.

Even his makeshift Destroyer armor showed signs of wear and tear.

Tony understood the consequences of delay. He was facing enemies from all sides despite his best efforts to thin their ranks.

Looking up at the portal in the sky, Tony declared, "We need to eliminate the source."

But they all knew the harsh reality—the heavily guarded portal was impenetrable. Neither Tony nor Harry could breach the enemy's defenses.

There had to be a formidable opponent...

Meanwhile, Thor and Hulk took on the Black Dwarf, their battle causing widespread destruction across New York.

Peter, with his heightened senses, observed everything with utmost clarity.

Loki glared at Peter, believing his words would strike a nerve.

But would his words prove effective against Peter's resolve? Loki was a trickster, always probing for weaknesses.

Yet, Peter's swift response caught Loki off guard, his foot pressing down on Loki's chest, making it hard to breathe.

"Why should I intervene?" Peter questioned condescendingly.

Loki's face hardened. "You have every reason to intervene. This is your home, your people."

"You know this is my world, yet you dare to invade it? Even Odin wouldn't dare..."

"..." Unaware of Peter's disdain for Odin, Loki persisted, "You shouldn't ignore this. It's your responsibility!"

"I act because I am strong," Peter interrupted suddenly.

"What?" Loki said, bewildered.

Peter continued calmly, "If I were weak, I would fight alongside them, protecting my world and everything I cherish."

"If I were not so strong, I would drive these Chitauri back into space and defy Thanos openly."

Loki thought Peter was mad. Who was he talking about—Thanos? Did he know?

He spoke casually, as though discussing everyday matters.

Peter continued, "My strength allows me to shape the world and protect it from all threats."

Loki scoffed, "Isn't that risky?"

Peter regarded him curiously. "What sets us apart from domesticated animals?"

Loki was stunned, momentarily losing his trickster's edge.

"While some may envision an all-knowing, all-powerful benevolent ruler governing the world, what does that mean for humanity?" Peter questioned. "Humanity deserves its own future, imperfect and fraught with challenges, but uniquely its own."

"If we fail to rise above these challenges, we fail as humans."

Loki was taken aback. Despite being a god, he had never considered this perspective. For a moment, Black Superman almost resembled Odin... No, it couldn't be!

"Then why oppose me?" Loki retorted defiantly.

But before Loki could regain his composure, he felt Peter's foot pressing down harder, making it difficult to breathe.

"Why indeed," Black Superman mused, "when you dare to lay hands on what is mine?"