Chapter 118: The Arrival of Thor

The S.H.I.E.L.D. transport aircraft soared through the skies, carrying the Avengers and Garus toward Kansas.

S.H.I.E.L.D. jets were known for their speed, and within half an hour, the team arrived at the scene. Waiting for them were Tony Stark, Aunt May, and Pepper Potts, standing helplessly at a safe distance. Meanwhile, Betty Ross, now transformed into the She-Hulk, was in full rampage mode, showing no sign of stopping.

Upon spotting the team, Tony waved at them and remarked, "You're slower than I expected. This has been going on for over an hour. I'm not sure if the guy's still alive, but damn, his armor is impressive."

"Betty, stop this madness!" Bruce Banner called out, genuinely concerned that Betty might accidentally kill their target, Loki. After all, they needed him alive to get information about the Tesseract and the hostages.

Hearing Bruce's plea, Betty tossed the battered and barely conscious Loki to the ground. Her body began to shrink, reverting to her human form—a sign of her growing control over her transformations.

Bruce hurriedly wrapped a cloak around her.

"Cough... cough..." Loki spat out dirt as he pulled his head from the ground, his sharp gaze shifting to the group that now surrounded him.

It was remarkable how quickly Loki recovered, regaining much of his strength within mere minutes. He sat up, his expression shifting between frustration and resignation.

This isn't supposed to be a world of mortals, he thought. Yet here, he had encountered an unnerving number of powerful beings. No wonder Thanos planned to invade this realm with the Chitauri army.

For a fleeting moment, Loki felt like a mere pawn in a greater scheme. But his resolve returned just as quickly. All he needed to do was open the space portal. The rest would be up to Thanos's forces.

Walking up to Loki, Blade, who had just descended from the transport jet, grabbed him by the collar. "So, this is what they call a god? You're even weaker than the vampire lord I killed last time."

"Unhand me, mortal!" Loki snapped, his pride as the Prince of Asgard and heir to the throne clearly wounded.

Meanwhile, Steve Rogers glanced around and asked, "Where are Agent Barton and Dr. Selvig?"

Loki, now bound tightly with ropes by Blade, sneered. "They're completing my task—opening the portal. You'll see them once it's done."

Tony approached, brushing past Steve. "Let me deal with him first."

Still furious over Pepper's kidnapping, Tony delivered a punch to Loki's face with his Iron Man gauntlet, drawing blood.

"Hey, Tony, that's enough," Steve interjected, stopping Tony from throwing another punch. "Director Fury wants us to bring him in. Banner, the Director also requested Betty's presence."

Bruce frowned. "Leave her out of this. We're enough to deal with aliens."

Just then, the sky darkened, a swirling mass of clouds forming above them. Gale-force winds swept across the field, scattering debris left by She-Hulk's earlier rampage. Bolts of lightning struck the earth repeatedly, illuminating the area.

As Loki was being led toward the transport jet, he glanced upward, a resigned look crossing his face.

Tony chuckled. "What's the matter, God of Mischief? Afraid of a little thunder?"

"No," Loki replied grimly. "I just don't like who shows up after."

"Thor," Steve murmured, realizing who was coming. "He's here to take you back, isn't he?"

Loki smirked at Garus. "You seem well-informed, mortal. But my dear brother isn't the type to negotiate. I'd wager you'll end up fighting him."

Loki had anticipated Thor's arrival. Heimdall's omniscient gaze could locate anyone in the Nine Realms.

A bolt of lightning struck the ground before them, and when the blinding flash subsided, Thor emerged, kneeling on one knee in his iconic armor, his red cape billowing, and lightning dancing across his body.

Garus smirked. "Thor, did you need the special effects for your entrance?"

Thor's gaze locked onto Garus, his expression shifting to one of recognition. "Garus, how did you return? Without the Bifrost?"

Steve stepped forward, clearly uninterested in idle chit-chat. "This isn't the time for reunions. We need to get back to S.H.I.E.L.D. headquarters."

He motioned to push Loki onto the jet, but Thor blocked his path.

"Hand Loki over to me," Thor demanded. "He's coming back to Asgard to face judgment."

Steve stood firm. "He's committed crimes here, and we need him to find the Tesseract and locate Barton and Dr. Selvig."

As the jet began its ascent, Thor remained behind, watching silently. Despite his improved emotional restraint, being dismissed so easily by mortals clearly irked him.

Summoning lightning, Thor took to the skies, his Mjolnir crackling with energy. A bolt of lightning struck the jet's cockpit, and Thor flew inside, grabbing Loki and preparing to leave.

"Damn it!" Tony exclaimed, donning his suit and preparing to pursue, only to be stopped by Garus.

"I'll handle this," Garus said calmly.

Thor and Hulk were among the Avengers' strongest, but Garus had already assessed his own strength in their previous encounters. Between his abilities, his summoned allies, and his Death Knight minions, the Avengers wouldn't stand a chance if things escalated.

Leaping from the jet, Garus landed gracefully. Above, a swirling vortex began forming—Asgard's Bifrost was descending.

"Brother, do you intend to drag me back to Asgard? Thanos won't be pleased. I haven't completed his task yet," Loki taunted.

"I don't care who Thanos is," Thor replied coldly. "You're coming back with me."

Their exchange was interrupted by a loud bang from the distance. Both turned to look.

"I doubt these mortals will let you take me so easily," Loki said, a gleeful smirk spreading across his face.

Before Thor could respond, two energy beams shot out, ensnaring both him and Loki, dragging them away from the Bifrost.

"Damn it!" Thor cursed, hurling Mjolnir in frustration.

The hammer, charged with thunderous energy, flew straight toward Garus. With a swift motion, Garus raised his sword, Frostmourne, intercepting the hammer. Sparks and lightning erupted upon impact.

Loki laughed. "Brother, this Midgardian is formidable. Don't lose, or you'll bring shame to Asgard!"

Ignoring Loki's jibes, Thor caught Mjolnir as it returned to his hand. He eyed Frostmourne warily, sensing the aura of death emanating from it. This was no ordinary weapon—it was a match for his own hammer in power.

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