Chapter 232: Conspiracy

Thor suddenly slapped his thigh, a wide grin spreading across his face. "By the way, for such an important event, I need to inform an old friend."

Natasha raised an eyebrow, her lips curling into a smirk. "Let me guess… this old friend of yours is a woman, right?"

The room fell silent as Peggy Carter and the others turned to Thor with amused, disdainful looks.

Thor froze. "What? No! That's… completely coincidental."

But even as he spoke, a sinking realization hit him. Damn it, why does it always seem this way?

Sure, he had plenty of male friends. The Avengers on Earth, the Guardians of the Galaxy, even Grandmaster from Sakaar (sort of) could count as allies. But the first person he thought to call now was Carol Danvers. Not because of anything romantic—no, it was because of her strength. Definitely.

He shook off the growing suspicion of his own scumbaggery and activated the communicator.

On the other side, Carol's voice came through the device, laced with her signature teasing tone. "Wow, contacting me already? Didn't think I was that important. Let me guess—you've got another big bad that needs smashing? Or is the purple grape man back?"

Thor sighed. Typical Carol. "No, it's not like that," he said. "I've got this one under control. I just wanted to let you know—three days from now, I'll officially be crowned King of Asgard. You're invited, if you can make it."

There was a pause, followed by the faint sound of a roaring beast. Then Carol's voice returned, a little distracted. "Yeah, sure. I'll see if I can—"

A thunderous crash interrupted her.

Across the galaxy, a colossal alien monster, hundreds of meters tall, collapsed to the ground with a deafening roar. Smoke and dust billowed into the air as the golden, glowing figure of Carol Danvers emerged from the creature's chest, where a hole had been blasted clean through.

Carol floated down, glancing at the fallen beast with a sigh. "That's it? Seriously? I've fought grocery store queues tougher than this."

She brushed some dust off her uniform, muttering to herself. "Why are all the real fights clustered near Earth? The rest of the galaxy just doesn't measure up…"

After a moment of thought, she smirked. "Fine, I'll head to Asgard. At least I can spar with Thor for a bit."

Over the next two days, Carol wrapped up her duties. Clearing nearby sectors of minor threats, she ensured the planets she protected would remain safe in her absence. On a hidden planet in a quiet part of the galaxy, she met with Talos, leader of the Skrulls.

"Going somewhere?" Talos asked, his tone half-teasing as Carol briefed him on her trip.

Carol folded her arms. "Just for a bit. Asgard's crowning their new king—Thor. Thought I'd stop by and say hi."

Talos smiled. "You've done enough for us over the years. Twenty years ago, you promised to help us find a home, and you delivered. You've stayed with us longer than you needed to. We'll manage."

"Yeah, well…" Carol glanced at the bustling settlement around them. The Skrulls had rebuilt their society, advancing rapidly over the years. Their technology, culture, and defenses were thriving. "You'll be fine. But just remember, if anything happens—"

Talos interrupted her with a laugh. "We'll call. Don't worry. And tell Thor I said congratulations."

Carol nodded, watching as Talos turned back to his people. With one last glance at the thriving Skrull colony, she shot into the sky, disappearing into a wormhole toward Asgard.

Unbeknownst to Carol, a pair of eyes watched her departure from the shadows of the Skrull colony.

"She's gone," the hidden figure whispered into a communicator. "And she's heading to Asgard."

A second voice replied, low and menacing. "Perfect. Carol Danvers could tip the scales in Asgard's favor. If she joins them, they'll be nearly unstoppable. We must ensure that doesn't happen."

"What do you suggest?"

"Send a message to the Kree. Tell Yon-Rogg we've located the Skrull colony. He's spent years hunting them. He'll come for them."

There was a pause before the first voice answered, its tone gleeful. "Understood. He won't be able to resist."

In the quiet of space, the conspiracy took shape. While Asgard prepared for its duel and celebration, darker forces moved against them.

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