As Tony's face darkened with the horror of realization, the smugness on Loki's face grew more radiant—almost gleeful.
But that smugness wavered when his gaze shifted back to Joseph.
That unnerving calm—the kind of quiet that came not from ignorance, but from confidence—unsettled even the God of Mischief.
"Where's Thor?"
Joseph's tone remained even, his eyes locked on Loki. "Has he also fallen under the control of your scepter?"
There was a subtle tension in the air. Joseph's question wasn't simple curiosity. It was insight. A probing observation that cut through Loki's web of misdirection.
This version of Loki, cunning and collected, had clearly done more homework than his cinematic counterpart. He had learned, adapted, and manipulated with greater precision. He understood the significance of Earth's evolving powers—especially the rising threat of the Mutant movement.
But Joseph wasn't one to accept words at face value—especially from a self-proclaimed trickster god.
Loki's pupils narrowed slightly.
He hadn't mentioned Thor by name.
Yet Joseph knew.
"You know of Asgard?" Loki asked warily. "I didn't even mention my brother."
Joseph smiled faintly. "Magicians tend to read between the lines."
Loki's expression hardened for a moment before he waved his hand dismissively, feigning ease. "Thor is... indisposed."
"Thanks to that big green brute you so conveniently unleashed," he added, letting out a dry chuckle. "I nudged his violent nature just enough. Right now, his only obsession is destroying my poor brother. Thor won't be showing up."
Joseph nodded thoughtfully.
Thor, pinned down by Abomination.
Nick Fury—escaped.
And the rest of S.H.I.E.L.D.? Infiltrated. Compromised. Crippled.
Loki had been methodical.
Joseph gave him a longer look this time. Not out of fear, but out of interest. This Loki was more dangerous than he initially appeared.
Loki noticed.
He leaned forward, excitement igniting behind his smile. "You understand now, don't you? The space gate has opened. My army is descending. The Asgardians left on Earth now serve me."
He stood and raised his arms theatrically.
"After today, I will stand atop a throne of corpses, crowned by conquest!"
Turning to Joseph with renewed zeal, Loki added, "But I admire you. Your talents. Your orchestration of the Mutants. Join me, Joseph. Serve me, and I will offer you and your kind the place you deserve."
He extended his hand toward Joseph.
"You and your Mutants have been subjugated for so long. Oppressed. Hunted. Don't you want to be kings for once?"
"I can make that happen."
Tony scoffed.
Loki's theatrics were one thing, but to think Joseph would actually submit?
"You're dreaming," Tony muttered. He knew Joseph too well now.
If there was one person on this planet who never bowed, never panicked—it was the man sitting calmly across from a would-be god.
This invasion wasn't a surprise.
Joseph had predicted it. Prepared for it.
And Tony was sure—he had his own pieces on the board.
Loki tilted his head, amused by the Iron Man's disdain. "You're confident," he said, eyes returning to Joseph. "But what will your X-Men do now? You think they can stop me?"
He tapped the glass with his scepter, the Mind Gem glowing faintly.
"Your two most powerful Mutants... Professor X and Magneto?"
He sneered. "Chitauri weaponry and armor are integrated, not metallic constructs. Magneto's power is practically useless."
"And mental manipulation?" Loki chuckled. "Let Professor X try to control minds that are... biologically incomplete."
Joseph's gaze darkened.
He knew exactly what Loki referred to. The Chitauri were drone-like creatures—soulless, mentally tethered to a mothership.
It was true.
Without consciousness or individuality, Professor X's telepathy would falter. And Magneto's magnetism had limits. These weren't conventional enemies.
Loki smirked at the silence. "You see? Even your strongest have limits."
"Your resistance is futile."
Joseph's voice finally broke the silence.
"You are... remarkably confident."
There was no sarcasm. Just a simple observation.
Loki grinned wider. "I am a god, Joseph."
"And yet," Joseph said, "you've told me your entire plan."
He stood slowly, eyes narrowing slightly.
"All except the most important parts."
"Where are the rest of the Avengers you claim to have controlled? Where is S.H.I.E.L.D's mothership? Where is your true army? And how do you plan to direct the Chitauri once the Tesseract burns out?"
Loki's grin faltered for just a fraction of a second.
But before either could speak, the building shook violently.
BOOM!
The beam from the Tesseract pulsed uncontrollably. The sky outside warped, the wormhole it held now reaching a crescendo in size.
Suddenly, the energy reversed—radiating outward in four cardinal directions like bolts of lightning striking the horizon.
In an instant, four new beams launched outward from the central column, each stretching miles into the sky—like arched bridges of light.
Then the air tore apart with a low rumble.
Each beam anchored into invisible coordinates far across the globe.
Portals.
Joseph's eyes narrowed.
There weren't just one wormhole.
There were now five.
Portals to other regions—other invasion points.
The Chitauri wouldn't just descend on New York.
They would hit five global locations simultaneously.
Tony's heart dropped. "This is bad. This is really bad."
Through the translucent energy curtain, he could already see it.
The horde.
Like a swarm of locusts darkening the sky, Chitauri ships poured out in waves from the original wormhole. Behind them, massive Leviathan beasts surged forth, trailing metallic tentacles and howling in alien fury.
Even without engaging, Tony could feel it.
Their technology was far beyond Earth's.
The military didn't stand a chance.
Only superheroes—if they united—could resist this force.
But now?
This was a global catastrophe.
"Joseph!" Tony's voice cracked, panic rising in his chest. "We can't stop this alone! We can't be in five places at once!"
Joseph rose to his full height.
Behind the calm, his mind sharpened.
Loki roared with laughter, seeing Joseph finally rise.
"It's too late, isn't it? Even your beloved X-Men can't hold five warfronts! Surrender is your only—!"
Joseph's expression changed.
Something subtle. A flicker of bemusement.
Loki's voice faltered.
And Joseph, brushing his jacket sleeve casually, said:
"Have you ever thought about one thing?"
Loki blinked. "What?"
Joseph took a slow step forward.
"You assumed you were the only one setting traps."
His gaze gleamed.
"You assumed Earth's defenders were only those you saw."
"You assumed our only answer... was the X-Men."
Loki's smugness began to evaporate.
"You assumed too much," Joseph said softly.
"And in war, assumptions get you killed."
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