Suddenly, a shield flew in, striking both combatants at the same time before snapping back into its owner's hand.
"Are you two done yet?"
Steve leapt down from a broken tree trunk, fixing his gaze on the furious Thor.
"What exactly did you come to Earth for? Just to fight us?"
Facing Steve's questioning, Thor immediately retorted, "I am here to shatter Loki's scheme and take him back to Asgard to stand trial."
Steve nodded. "Then you should put down your hammer. Our objectives are the same—we are not enemies."
Steve remained calm and rational. He had already guessed Thor's purpose. Since both sides shared the same goal, there was no reason to fight each other.
But then Tony stirred the pot again.
"Well… he really loves that hammer of his. Practically inseparable."
Thor, who had been about to end the confrontation, flared up once more and swung his hammer, smashing Tony away with a single blow.
"You want me to put down my hammer?!" Thor roared. "Are you provoking me, Midgardian?!"
Enraged, Thor shot into the air, his hammer wreathed in terrifying lightning, and brought it crashing down toward Steve.
Steve raised his shield to meet the attack.
Boom—!
Thunder and lightning exploded as an invisible shockwave erupted outward. Everything within a hundred-meter radius was flattened. Trees were not only uprooted—they were pulverized into dust.
As the smoke cleared, Steve still stood with his shield raised. In front of him now stood another figure, holding a long sword that blocked Thor's strike. The violent shockwave had burst from the point where their weapons met.
Karl had appeared.
Wielding the Ultimate Divine Weapon, Karl stopped Thor's blow. Purple lightning coiled around his blade like living serpents, steadily suppressing the lightning surging from Thor's hammer.
"It's you again! Are you with them?" Thor demanded.
The moment Thor recognized Karl, a surge of resentment flooded his chest. The memory of having his hammer taken from him resurfaced, igniting his fury.
"Relax," Karl said calmly, withdrawing his sword to show he had no intention of fighting. "Our goals are the same. There's no need to fight—unless you want your brother to laugh at you."
Karl hadn't planned on coming initially. He had simply forgotten that Thor would intercept Steve and Tony during Loki's transfer. Once he remembered, he rushed over immediately. He couldn't be sure Loki wouldn't seize the opportunity to escape—after all, he was the God of Mischief. Leaving behind an expendable duplicate while the real body slipped away would have been entirely in character.
Tony walked over and positioned himself beside Karl, ready to react if Thor attacked again. At the same time, Onion had silently appeared behind Thor, staring straight at him. If Thor so much as tried to harm Karl, Onion's razor-sharp beak would pierce his skull without hesitation.
Steve also held his shield at the ready.
"Fine," Thor said at last. "I will accept cooperation. But Loki must face judgment in Asgard. You Midgardians have no right to judge him."
Thor remained adamant. On one hand, he had promised Odin and Frigga to bring Loki back. On the other, he was protecting Loki—if left on Earth, Loki would likely end up dissected in a laboratory.
"That's acceptable," Karl replied. "I can decide that much. Once this is over, you may take your brother back. We won't stop you."
Steve was about to object, but Tony stopped him and shook his head. Steve fell silent.
"Agreed," Thor said, extending his hand.
Karl extended his as well. The two clasped hands, sealing the agreement.
"And now—"
Karl suddenly changed his tone and opened his palm.
Hummm—
Mjölnir began to tremble violently. Thor could clearly feel the hammer's delighted response. Right before his eyes, it flew out of his grasp and landed firmly in Karl's hand.
Crackling purple lightning replaced Thor's blue arcs entirely. Empowered by the violet energy, Mjölnir appeared even more mysterious and profound. Even the runes etched into the hammer glowed purple.
"No—damn it! That's my hammer!!" Thor shouted.
Thor felt his connection to Mjölnir severed once again. This wasn't the first time—it had happened before. His hammer seemed closer to this Midgardian than to him.
Karl casually weighed the hammer in his hand, then hurled it toward a distant peak—the very mountaintop where Thor and Loki had spoken earlier.
Just as Karl had anticipated, Loki was trying to flee. The hammer descended from the sky and slammed him to the ground, pinning him in place.
Karl controlled the force perfectly. It wasn't enough to kill Loki—only to injure him slightly and immobilize him beneath the hammer.
"What are you doing?! Loki!!" Thor shouted.
Thor desperately tried to summon Mjölnir, but no matter how hard he tried, it did not respond.
He sprinted toward the peak. Even without the hammer, his body was still formidable and his divine power intact. After several massive leaps, he reached the summit and found Loki.
Seeing that Loki was unharmed, Thor finally grasped the hammer and hauled his brother up.
That moment had terrified Loki. He had truly thought Mjölnir would crush him to death—especially with that violent purple lightning, far more ferocious than Thor's. Blocking it would have taken considerable effort.
Soon after, Tony and Karl also arrived at the peak. Riding atop Onion, Karl finally faced Loki properly for the first time.
"So you're even more famous than the rumors suggest… Atreus."
Karl smiled at Loki.
Both Loki and Thor froze.
Atreus? Whose name was that?
"Atreus?" Thor looked at Loki in confusion. "Is that what you're called on Midgard? Why do you have two names?"
Loki rolled his eyes. My idiotic brother…
If I knew, I'd have told you already. I'm confused too.
"Uh… are you talking to me?" Loki asked cautiously.
"Yes. I'm talking to you—Atreus," Karl said with a nod.
In Karl's previous world, the name Atreus was known to everyone—chosen by the Ghost of Sparta himself for his son. In Norse tradition, Atreus was another name for Loki, given by the giantess Laufey.
This world simply didn't know that yet.
"Why are you calling me Atreus?" Loki asked, curiosity getting the better of him.
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