Bathed in the admiring gazes of countless onlookers, the little machine successfully returned with Heisenberg's braised pork hock. The dishes floated through the air, and under Heisenberg's direction, they landed in organized arrangements across the table.
"Forgive me, Bruce—tonight, we're having some proper Chinese comfort food. While the refined dishes of Chinese cuisine are more exquisite than anything else in the world, I've always had a soft spot for these simple, unpretentious delights."
As he spoke, the braised pork hock made its grand entrance. Perhaps it was because a god had placed the order, but the chef had poured exceptional care into this dish—so much so that even Heisenberg's mouth began to water.
Golden-brown skin wrapped around translucent, crystal-clear fat that quivered like jelly with every movement. The moment Heisenberg's chopsticks sank in, that tender, velvety texture made his heart race.
He stuffed a mouthful of hock into his mouth and nearly rolled his eyes in pure bliss. Then he scooped up a mound of rice, his face blooming with happiness as he chewed.
Watching the Sun God be so wonderfully down-to-earth, Mera stared blankly at her chopsticks, hesitating as she mimicked his motions.
"Is it really that good?"
"Absolutely. The heat and seasoning on this dish are exceptional, and the fats and oils provide excellent energy for the body. For someone like me—a 'regular person' by your standards—high-energy food is perfect. So I'll go first."
Bruce dove in without hesitation. As Batman, learning to use chopsticks was child's play.
The chopsticks proved no obstacle for Mera and Clark either. Among their ranks, was there anyone ordinary? Even if you put them on an operating table as lead surgeons, they'd manage with ease.
That was the true strength of these extraordinary beings called superheroes.
And their true strength extended to their appetites…
After rounds of drinks and courses, not a single scrap remained—not the four braised hocks the little machine had brought back, nor the five pounds of spiced beef, braised chicken feet, spiced pig trotters, or even the camel humps and shark fins from Chinatown.
In short, absolutely nothing was left.
But most remarkably, aside from Batman, no one felt full!
Heisenberg and Clark went without saying—a Kryptonian's stomach could dissolve and absorb steel instantly. They primarily absorbed solar radiation; food was just a bonus, a pleasure of the palate.
As for Mera…
She shyly pursed her lips, eyeing the last dregs of braising liquid with longing…
After a long moment, she turned away, forcing herself not to sink so low as to lick the plate.
Growing up in the depths of the ocean, she had never tasted such rich meats. Aside from seafood like abalone and lobster, she'd never had anything truly good! Compared to the culinary wonders of the surface world, she was just a pitiful creature condemned to a diet of aquatic fare!!!
Reluctantly setting down her chopsticks, she tried to banish the quivering image of that pork hock from her mind and compose herself.
"Mr. Heisenberg, since you've eaten well, shall we continue discussing that 'hock' the Atlanteans have been keeping?"
"Mother Box…"
Heisenberg rolled his eyes…
Smack!
Mera slapped her palm against her forehead, shielding her eyes with the edge of her hand.
To keep the atmosphere from becoming any more deliciously awkward, Bruce cleared his throat.
"Ahem. I'll leave it here for now. I have to return to Gotham. Last night's chaos caused some stirring in Arkham—I need to be there to keep an eye on things."
"Fair enough. We'll continue tomorrow."
Heisenberg nodded and waved Bruce off.
Meanwhile, Superman also expressed his intention to leave, sparing Mera the need to endure further embarrassment.
Watching Mera prepare to depart, Heisenberg considered for a moment before asking softly,
"Whereabouts is your home? Could you point it out to me?"
The moment the words left his mouth, countless particles assembled before Mera, forming a holographic projection of the entire Earth.
Staring at the globe before her, Mera hesitated, then pointed to a location in the Pacific Ocean.
"If I'm not mistaken, it should be around here."
"Very well. You're different from the others—you're much farther away. So I'll give you a lift."
"A lift?!?!"
Mera blinked, surprised and delighted. But before she could dwell on it, Heisenberg lightly tapped the table with his right hand.
In an instant, a rainbow-hued beam descended from the heavens, enveloping Mera and whisking her away!
Gazing at the Bifrost pattern scorched into the ground, Heisenberg nodded in satisfaction.
"Good. It seems the Bifrost works across different universes. Its core is simply an application of cosmic energy."
With that, he pulled the Scepter from his pocket, casually snapped off the gem, and closed his fingers around it.
"Unlike the Mind Stone—which is completely useless the moment you leave the Marvel universe."
Unlike the Bifrost, the power of the Infinity Stones didn't originate from the universe itself. They were fragments of the Goddess of Infinity, representing only the authority she possessed over certain rules. Leaving the Marvel universe meant stepping beyond her domain, rendering the stones utterly inert.
Staring at the gem, now drained of its luster, Heisenberg shook his head and sighed softly.
"A pity."
He tucked the stone back into his pocket, where it vanished without a trace.
Meanwhile, in the distant Marvel universe…
After a seventeen-day journey, Yondu and his crew of six finally reached the Solar System!
Staring at the unremarkable planet called Earth in the distance, Yondu nervously pursed his lips.
"I wonder how that damned bastard Quill is doing. They haven't dragged him out and lopped his head off, have they?"
"Don't overthink it, friend. Asgard rarely lets foreign invaders leave with their lives. But if they didn't kill the intruder on the spot, that means he has a reason to live. Anyone who ends up in Asgard's dungeons won't be disposed of lightly."
Valkyrie Brunnhilde said this while taking an annoyed bite out of a piece of fruit.
Though she had been abducted, her naturally bold and free-spirited nature had quickly warmed her to Stakar and the others. There's a saying: the best activity for a new couple is travel. A journey long enough either elevates your relationship to the next level or confirms that the person isn't right for you.
For Brunnhilde, this trip had given her five new friends—even if they weren't exactly the most agreeable bunch.
Hearing the Valkyrie's words, Yondu grinned and nodded.
"Let's hope Asgard hasn't done anything to Quill. Otherwise, I'll make them feel exactly what I'm feeling."
"Heh. And what do you think you can do to Asgard? No matter what you're planning, that cunning weasel Odin and that fool Thor will make sure you learn just how formidable Asgard really is."
Brunnhilde scoffed dismissively, but her words only made Yondu laugh harder.
As Yondu roared with laughter, the Iceman, who knew him well, explained to the Valkyrie:
"You're missing his point. If Asgard kills his son, then he'll kill Asgard's Valkyrie. Simple as that."
"FUCK!!!"
The Valkyrie cursed in irritation, hurling the half-eaten fruit at Yondu's face.
Yondu caught it with a laugh and was about to retort when Colonel Victory turned back from the pilot's seat, scolding them quietly:
"Focus. We've entered the Nine Realms. If the rumors are true, Asgard is already watching us. Keep it down—this is an ancient divine kingdom that's endured for millions of years. Don't complicate our mission."
"Yeah, don't complicate things. But your 'mission' is to hand me right back over to them! I'm starting to think I should complicate things a little."
"Enough, Brunnhilde. We're just taking you home. If you don't want to stay, once we've exchanged Quill, we can take you away too. How about that?"
"Heh. Hope you mean that."
With that, Brunnhilde turned her head away in displeasure. The others assumed she was simply angry—but no one knew that she just didn't want to look upon the realm that had once disappointed her so utterly…
Asgard!
Heimdall stood in the temple at the end of the Bifrost, observing the Nine Realms as always. Suddenly, he paused, tilting his head as if listening to something. After a moment, he frowned and spoke to the empty air:
"General Hela, a ship has entered the Solar System and is approaching Midgard. On board are members of the Guardians of the Galaxy, once renowned across the stars—along with a possible former Valkyrie. I believe you should attend to this personally."
"Hm?"
Hela was in the middle of training the new Berserkers fresh from their campaign in Jotunheim. Startled by Heimdall's message, she frowned and demanded:
"Do you know why they've come?"
"Yes. They are friends of Peter Quill, recently imprisoned by His Majesty, and have come to exchange our missing Valkyrie for his freedom."
"Peter Quill?"
Hela was taken aback.
"That idiot son of a Celestial—worth a Valkyrie in return?!"
A delighted grin spread across her face, and she instinctively twirled the Sword of Death in her hand.
"Heimdall. Have Loki greet them and bring them to Asgard. I want to see which Valkyrie has returned."
With that, Hela closed her eyes, lost in thought.
Of course she remembered that war—the betrayal in which she had eliminated every Valkyrie who dared raise a blade against her. It had become her greatest regret after ascending to the rank of general.
And now, while her stable master tirelessly bred Odin's eight-legged steeds in an attempt to rebuild the Valkyrie corps, fate had seen fit to return one of the fallen to her doorstep.
"You've come at the perfect time!!!"
Hela laughed—a laugh of pure, unrestrained joy.
Moments later, the Bifrost flashed twice within two minutes—first taking a visibly irritated Loki to the Victory's ship, then transporting the entire group back.
As he led them toward the newly refurbished temple, Loki was clearly impatient. He had been in the middle of hunting down some unfortunate soul who'd dealt with the Dwarves when he'd been summoned back to play welcoming committee. What a waste of his time as he pursued godhood!
He hurriedly deposited the group at the temple entrance and said curtly:
"The one you want to see is in there. Go yourselves. I have matters to attend to—I'm leaving."
With that, Loki summoned the Bifrost and vanished. The path to godhood could not be delayed a single moment!
As for his duties as Asgard's diplomat?
Since when was Asgardian diplomacy anything but a declaration of war?
After Loki's departure, Colonel Victory and his companions tensed up. They advanced cautiously, scanning their surroundings.
Golden-armored warriors stood in silent rows along the hall, their cold gazes radiating the ancient aura of Asgard.
Only Brunnhilde seemed utterly unimpressed. She had barely taken two steps before she called out in irritation:
"Damn it. How many years has it been, and this place still looks the same. Cut the mysterious bullshit—I want to see Odin!"
No sooner had the words left her mouth than a cold, feminine voice echoed from the distance.
Hela emerged from behind the throne, her tone laced with dark amusement.
"Oh?
You want to see Odin?
Back home not even five minutes, and you're already rushing to meet a dead man?"
With that, Hela fixed her cold gaze on Brunnhilde, whose face had instantly contorted into a mask of terror and hatred—and smiled deeply.
"Are you truly so eager to die, Valkyrie?"
/-\
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