"Loki…"
Thor couldn't help but feel a stab of worry for his younger brother.
Just watching Senju Haruto toss Loki around like a rag doll had made his own bones ache.
But along with that concern came an even stronger sense of confusion and curiosity about who—no, what—Haruto really was.
There was no way this man was just S.H.I.E.L.D.'s so-called "magical consultant," as Coulson had described him.
Especially after what Thor had witnessed—Haruto effortlessly seeing through Loki's illusions.
As the God of Mischief, Loki's illusion magic had reached heights few could dream of. Even Thor himself could rarely spot the difference between his brother's tricks and reality.
And yet, in front of Haruto, every one of Loki's deceptions had crumbled like sand.
Thor's instincts screamed at him that this man's identity was far from ordinary.
"Have you ever heard of the Sorcerer Supreme?" Coulson asked cautiously.
He still didn't understand why Thor had been unable to lift his hammer earlier, but judging from everything that had happened, there was no doubt in his mind—this was indeed the God of Thunder from Asgard.
And with Thor's potential to become a powerful ally of S.H.I.E.L.D., Coulson's tone had grown much more respectful.
At the mention of the Sorcerer Supreme, Thor's face changed instantly.
"There's… a sorcerer on Earth?" he said, eyes narrowing.
He turned to look at Haruto again. The title was not one unfamiliar to him.
The Sorcerer Supreme—the strongest protector of Earth. Even his father, Odin, had once acknowledged that being's existence.
But that had been eons ago. Thor had assumed the Sorcerer Supreme had long since vanished from the history of mortals.
For all his strength, the Sorcerer Supreme had always been human—bound by the limits of flesh and lifespan.
Even the Ancient One, who had lived for centuries, had relied on the dark magic of Dormammu to extend her life.
So when Thor realized that Haruto might be the new Sorcerer Supreme, the revelation left him deeply shaken.
And yet, Coulson wasn't done.
"Also," he added, with a hint of pride, "he lifted the hammer."
"What?" Thor's pupils dilated instantly. "He lifted my hammer?!"
He spun toward Mjolnir, disbelief written all over his face.
No one in the Nine Realms understood that hammer better than he did. Odin himself had enchanted it—only one who was truly worthy, pure of heart, and noble of spirit could wield it.
The fact that Haruto had done so could only mean one thing: he was a man of great virtue, perhaps even a hero.
But that only deepened Thor's confusion.
If Haruto had been acknowledged by Mjolnir, then why had he fought Loki?
Could this all be some kind of misunderstanding?
Driven by that thought, Thor rushed forward, moving so fast that neither Jane Foster nor Erik Selvig had time to react.
By the time they tried to call out, Thor was already standing between Haruto and Loki, his massive frame shielding his brother.
S.H.I.E.L.D.'s agents tensed up immediately, fingers twitching toward their weapons.
But even without Coulson's shouted "Stand down!", none of them dared to act rashly.
After all, the man who had just appeared in front of them… was a god.
"So weak… for a god."
Haruto's tone was almost casual as he looked down at Loki, who lay on the ground barely breathing.
The words hit Loki harder than any punch.
In truth, Loki was Asgard's most gifted magician.
But for one reason or another, his portrayal in the mortal realm often reduced him to little more than a schemer and trickster, relying on illusions and halfhearted combat.
And while close-quarters fighting was, in some ways, the truest form of a mage's skill—Loki's own technique was laughably crude before Haruto.
To Haruto, Loki's illusions were nothing more than smoke and mirrors.
That was thanks to one of the rewards Haruto had received from the Naruto world—a unique ability that granted him complete immunity to all illusions.
Though the illusions of the shinobi and the magic of the Marvel world stemmed from different sources—ninjutsu versus sorcery—their essence was the same: manipulation of perception and spirit.
And thus, Haruto's gift made him utterly immune to Loki's magic.
"I am Thor, son of Odin—and Loki's brother," Thor said suddenly, spreading his arms protectively before Loki. His voice carried both dignity and pleading warmth.
"I believe there must be some misunderstanding here."
He hoped to resolve the situation peacefully, but Loki was having none of it.
"Thor…" Loki croaked, his voice hoarse and filled with venom.
Even as he lay battered and broken, he reached out with his mind, sending a silent command to the guardian of the Bifröst—Heimdall.
Open the bridge. Take me home.
After what had just happened, Loki was forced to face the truth.
He was no match for Senju Haruto.
The difference between them was too vast—no amount of trickery could bridge it.
If he wanted revenge, he needed greater power.
Only then could he destroy Haruto.
Otherwise, this man would one day become Asgard's greatest threat…
No—he could become the enemy of all Nine Realms.
Rumble…!
A brilliant pillar of rainbow-colored light shot down from the heavens, accompanied by a thunderous roar that split the sky.
Thor reacted instantly, his eyes snapping toward his brother.
Just as he'd feared—Loki was already being engulfed by the light.
For a moment, countless thoughts raced through Thor's mind.
He could take a few steps forward right now. He could follow Loki through the Bifröst and return to Asgard.
Return home.
See his mother again.
Pay his respects to his father's body.
But Thor didn't move. Not even once.
The guilt weighing on his heart was too heavy.
Odin's death, Asgard's fall—he blamed it all on his own arrogance, his reckless pride.
He wasn't worthy of returning.
Meanwhile, Loki's body was slowly lifted by the beam of the Bifröst, ascending higher and higher until he vanished into the sky.
Moments later, the light disappeared. The heavens turned dark once more.
And the storm that had raged for so long… finally fell silent.
The entire site went still—eerily still—as though nothing had ever happened.
Jane Foster and Erik Selvig swallowed hard, their faces pale.
What they had just witnessed defied every principle of science they'd ever believed in.
Magic. Gods. Other realms.
Things countless scientists had spent lifetimes trying to disprove—had all been laid bare before their very eyes.
For them, the shock was unimaginable.
Everything they'd spent years building—their logic, their worldview, their understanding of reality—
—all of it had crumbled in an instant.
But even as their minds reeled, a far more immediate concern loomed over them.
How were they supposed to get out of this… alive?
After all, they now knew too much.
Erik remembered vividly how his old friend, Dr. Banner, had vanished without a trace after getting tangled up with S.H.I.E.L.D.
He glanced toward Jane, his stomach twisting.
If it were just him, he could accept whatever came.
But he couldn't bear the thought of anything happening to her.