The battlefield lay in ruins.
Shattered metal fragments of several Terminators littered the ground like broken armor. Smoke curled upward from the scorched earth, mingling with the acrid stench of ozone. Not far away, the Warriors Three and Sif had all collapsed, their bodies battered and bloodied, struggling to even rise.
At the center of the carnage, Thor lay motionless on the ground. His chest burned with searing pain, vision blurred, breath shallow. A glowing scorch mark pierced his body where the Destroyer's energy beam had torn through him.
For the first time, Thor understood what it meant to be powerless. For the first time, he felt the cold weight of death pressing in.
It was only now, on the edge of oblivion, that he finally comprehended the lesson Odin had tried to teach him the humility and sacrifice he had refused to accept.
And then, in that instant, something shifted.
From the heavens above, Mjolnir broke free from its divine seal, hurtling downward in a blazing arc of light. The hammer landed firmly in Thor's hand, as if it had been waiting for this moment.
Power surged into him like a tidal wave. The strength of the storm returned to his veins.
"Loki!"
His roar split the sky.
With a mighty leap, he launched himself toward the towering Destroyer. For reasons unknown, the automaton faltered for the briefest second, its movements sluggish. That heartbeat of hesitation was all Thor needed.
Raising Mjolnir high, he summoned a vast storm. Thunder rolled and lightning screamed across the battlefield. Then, with the full force of the storm, he struck.
The hammer came down with a deafening crash, crushing the Destroyer's frame and bending its armor inward.
Once wasn't enough.
Thor struck again. And again. Each blow rang with thunder, until the Destroyer collapsed in a heap of mangled metal, its glowing eyes finally extinguished.
Only then did Thor lower his weapon, chest heaving with exertion.
At this moment, he was no longer the arrogant prince who had been cast out. He was the true God of Thunder.
Agent Phil Coulson stood stunned, gazing at the figure bathed in lightning. This was no mere warrior this was the thunder god of ancient legend, reborn before his eyes.
Thor lifted his gaze to the heavens, toward the distant stars where Asgard awaited.
"Loki… I will find you!"
His voice trembled with fury, a rage so fierce it threatened to consume him.
Even battered and bleeding, Sif and the others looked at him with awe. This was the god they followed, the warlord who embodied Asgard's strength.
Once his wrath subsided, Thor turned toward Coulson, who still stood gaping at the spectacle. There were matters yet to resolve on Earth, and unfinished business waiting in Asgard.
But first, he had someone to confront.
Inside a secure S.H.I.E.L.D. facility, Nolan Locke sat calmly, sipping coffee as if none of this chaos had touched him. When Thor stormed into the room, eyes blazing, the sight of Nolan's relaxed composure only ignited his fury further.
"You coward!" Thor spat.
Though he understood Nolan's reasoning for staying behind, Thor's pride rejected the man's indifference. To the son of Odin, valor and sacrifice were sacred.
But Nolan only chuckled softly.
"Tell me, Thor," he said evenly, "did anyone die out there?"
"You " Thor's grip on Mjolnir tightened.
"No casualties, right?" Nolan pressed. His tone was maddeningly calm. "Then this anger of yours seems misplaced. That was your fight, not Earth's. Why should I throw away my life in a battle that doesn't belong to me? I'm no superhero. I'm a businessman."
He leaned back with a faint smile.
"You wanted me to stand and die beside you? Tell me, God of Thunder was that your plan?"
Thor's lips twitched. For the first time, he realized how differently this man viewed the world.
Nolan's grin widened. "Still, I'll ask you this. After what you saw today, the power of Locke Technologies… doesn't it tempt you, even a little?"
Thor said nothing, though his jaw tightened. This was the first man he had ever met who cared so little for honor. Yet, in his heart, he knew Nolan wasn't entirely wrong. Earth's battles weren't Asgard's responsibility, and Asgard's wars were not Earth's to fight.
Still, Thor straightened his shoulders.
"Your weapons will not be needed in Asgard," he said firmly.
Behind him, Hogan and Volstagg stirred, as if to show off their own strength. But the deep cuts across their bodies betrayed their weakness, and their attempt at bravado fell flat.
Nolan only smiled knowingly. Winning Asgard as a client would never be easy, even with overwhelming firepower. Their pride would never allow it.
As Thor and his companions left, Coulson finally spoke.
"Mr. Locke… about the damages. S.H.I.E.L.D. suffered heavy losses. Not just the destroyed Terminators, but also several APU exosuits and the cost of medical care for our injured agents. Headquarters won't overlook this."
Nolan gave a dismissive wave. "Then make sure the bill is paid. I don't run a charity."
Coulson's lips twitched, but he nodded. "I'll report to Director Fury."
After a pause, he added, "And about the APU exosuits how much do they cost?"
Nolan's eyes lit with amusement. "Special offer. Ten million dollars per unit."
Coulson blinked. He had expected at least fifteen million, given their mobility, firepower, and versatility compared to tanks. For a moment, the agent was tempted.
"I'll file a request to purchase a batch," he said immediately.
Nolan smiled faintly. Ten million was a bargain, but only at first glance. The real profit lay in maintenance and operating costs, which were far higher than anyone realized. He would let them discover that later.
…
With the Thor incident behind him, Nolan returned to New York.
The city air was thick with smog and exhaust, a heavy, unpleasant contrast to the clear skies of the desert. Walking through the crowded streets, Nolan suddenly felt a strange prickle at the back of his neck. He glanced around, but saw nothing.
Perhaps it was only his imagination.
He shook off the feeling and made his way back to the Hive Base on the outskirts.
The facility was still under frantic construction. Originally, only Sector A had been completed. Now, Sectors B and C were fully operational, greatly expanding their capacity. Scientists who once crowded into shared labs now had the space to focus on specialized projects.
Heading into the genetics wing, Nolan found Dr. Helen Zhao, who had been tasked with researching the Super Soldier Serum. She looked up from her workstation and smiled.
"Boss, I thought you'd forgotten about us."
Nolan coughed lightly. "Just been busy. Besides, you should be glad I don't hover over your shoulder every day."
Helen arched an eyebrow. "That depends. If the boss is a useless fool, then yes, it's a blessing. But tell me, Dr. Locke, are you a useless fool?"
Nolan froze, speechless.
To recruit her, he had claimed to be a brilliant biogenetics expert. He had even spent heavily through his system to acquire enough knowledge to sound convincing. Yet, since Helen arrived, he hadn't set foot in her lab.
Well, a thick skin was a businessman's most important weapon. Nolan recovered quickly.
"At least I'm here now," he said smoothly. "How is the analysis of the serum progressing?"
Helen sighed. "The data S.H.I.E.L.D. provided was thorough, but the serum itself is far more problematic than expected. It induces genetic mutation. According to military experiments, every subject eventually develops unpredictable secondary mutations. The results can't be controlled."
She paused, her eyes narrowing. "Even Captain America's version carried risks. His mutation was stable only because the serum reinforced his existing traits, channeling them in one direction. But in truth, the science is unstable. Genetic mutation has always been the great challenge of our field."
Nolan frowned. So even the first successful serum was flawed. Improving it would be a nightmare. And he had no intention of altering his own mind or personality through reckless mutation.
Perhaps it was time to consider an entirely different path.
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