At the sight of Zeus standing confidently, Thor's earlier certainty wavered. He knew that Odin's enchantment on Mjolnir limited who could wield it, but he also understood that such spells could become ineffective against beings of great power.
Thor, who had felt sure Mjolnir would give him the upper hand, now found himself unsure. From the moment he and Zeus had met, Zeus had maintained total control of the situation. While their raw power might not differ greatly, Zeus's experience and composure put Thor at a clear disadvantage. Thor, despite his millennia of life and battles, still seemed immature in comparison.
This immaturity wasn't just a matter of power but also of demeanor. Zeus was completely shameless, speaking and acting without regard for others' opinions—perhaps because of his dominant position here in Indigel.
"What's the matter, Thor Odinson? Are you afraid?" Zeus asked mockingly when he noticed Thor's hesitation. His tone was filled with ridicule. "It seems you're far inferior to your father, Odin."
"You dare speak of my father?" Thor shot back, regaining his composure. "He defeated you in battle. What right do you have to judge him?"
"Defeated me?" Zeus chuckled coldly. He gestured to the other gods around the hall. "Thor, you're just a child. Everything you know about those times comes from Odin's version of events. But many of the gods here lived through that era. Let's see if they agree with your claim."
"Disagree!"
"Disagree!"
"Disagree!"
Voices echoed throughout the grand hall like peals of thunder, creating an overwhelming pressure on Thor. The other gods' denials shook his confidence. Were the histories he had been taught entirely accurate? He began to doubt whether he really understood the truth of those ancient battles.
Still, Thor was no ordinary warrior; he was a god of thunder and a king. He quickly steadied himself, inhaling deeply before fixing Zeus with a determined gaze.
"Words mean nothing," Thor declared. "The only way to settle this is through combat. If you can't defeat me, you'll have no right to claim you were ever my father's equal!"
"Bold words," Zeus chuckled, shaking his head. He regarded Thor with a mixture of amusement and condescension. "You're young—so young you're not even as old as some of my grandchildren. But fine. You're a king now, so I'll humor you. Consider this a lesson."
BOOM!
A deafening crack of thunder echoed across the skies of Indigel. Zeus's lightning sword vanished from his hand and reappeared before Thor, moving at a speed too fast for most to perceive. Even the Avengers watching the battle struggled to follow its path. By the time they realized what was happening, the sword was already at Thor's chest.
However, Thor's reflexes saved him. He summoned a force field of pure lightning to intercept the weapon, narrowly preventing it from impaling him. Yet the pressure was immense. The sword didn't relent; golden lightning arced across the force field, steadily breaking it down.
Thor realized he was on the defensive and needed to act fast. With a roar, he shattered Mjolnir into countless shards, each piece slamming into the lightning sword.
CLANG!
The sound of metal colliding with divine energy echoed through the hall. The weaker gods in attendance covered their ears and backed away, keen to avoid being caught in the crossfire. These gods valued their survival above all else and were quick to distance themselves from danger.
But even the more powerful deities and the Avengers were puzzled. Why wasn't Zeus pressing his advantage while Thor was pinned?
Finally, with one final strike, Thor managed to knock the lightning sword away. It split into two halves and circled around for a second attack, this time aiming to strike Thor from both the front and back.
Thor knew he had to act quickly. His eyes narrowed, and he released a surge of lightning from his body. He teleported in a flash of blue light, charging straight at Zeus.
Thor's strategy was simple: attack Zeus directly. If he could force Zeus to defend himself, he could break the enemy's momentum and take control of the fight.
To Thor's surprise, Zeus didn't recall his lightning swords. Instead, he stood his ground, his body radiating golden lightning. The two gods clashed, blue and gold lightning surging around them in a spectacular display of power.
Thor wasn't about to let Zeus dictate the flow of battle. With a quick maneuver, he hurled the shattered fragments of Mjolnir at Zeus. Simultaneously, he altered his trajectory to evade the swords that were still pursuing him.
Thor's plan was to weaken Zeus with Mjolnir's attack, forcing him to falter. He didn't expect the fragments to cause serious harm—just enough to shift the tide of battle.
But what happened next stunned everyone.
BOOM!
Mjolnir's shards slammed into Zeus, causing his body to seize up in a state of paralysis. The golden lightning surrounding him dissipated as he stood frozen in place.
Before anyone could react, the lightning swords completed their trajectory—impaling Zeus through both sides of his chest.
The hall fell into a stunned silence. The gods stared in disbelief as Zeus, the King of Olympus, collapsed to his knees, impaled by his own weapons.
"Zeus!"
The lightning swords reformed into a single blade and clattered to the ground, their glow fading. For a moment, it looked as if Zeus had truly fallen.
"You… you really are strong," Zeus muttered weakly, his voice trembling. He looked up at Thor with a dazed expression. "You've bested me. I acknowledge your power… Thunder reigns supreme over lightning. You've won."
Thor was too bewildered to respond. Was this truly happening?
"And since you've defeated me," Zeus continued, "Indigel is now yours. I entrust this realm to you. May you grow it into a beacon of strength and glory."
Thor blinked in confusion. He hadn't come here to claim leadership over Indigel. What was Zeus playing at?
"Diana…" Zeus turned to his daughter. "It's fate that we've met again. Please, stay here and help oversee the gods in my absence…"
"???" Diana's eyes narrowed suspiciously. She couldn't understand what Zeus was up to, but his plea unsettled her.
"Farewell, Indigel," Zeus whispered dramatically. His body disintegrated into golden particles, scattering across the hall like falling stars.
"Zeus!"
"Waaah! Zeus!"
"You died so tragically!"
The gods wailed and cried, their sorrowful voices filling the hall. Meanwhile, Thor, Robert, and the others stood awkwardly to the side, utterly baffled by the scene unfolding before them.
"Is he really dead?" Thor mumbled in disbelief. He replayed the events in his mind, trying to make sense of how everything had spiraled so quickly out of control.
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