The military monitored the unfolding chaos through high-altitude drones. One officer broke the tense silence.
"We can't let the aliens reach that woman in Thor's arms."
"Why?" another asked.
"The Secretary of State relayed intel from S.H.I.E.L.D. That woman has something inside her body the aliens are after. They're not chasing Thor—they're chasing her."
"Can we relocate her?" someone suggested.
"That would be ideal, but S.H.I.E.L.D. and the Avengers won't allow it."
"They lack perspective on the bigger picture."
"It's not that simple. Even if the woman dies, the aliens will still get what they want—and then Earth is doomed."
"Pfft. Does anyone actually believe that?"
"I don't know. But I certainly don't."
"Neither do I."
On the seaside street, crimson particles began to seep from Jane's body. They swirled and shifted like a flock of birds in flight, eventually coalescing and flowing into Malekith. As the first fragment of the Aether Particle entered him, Malekith shuddered violently. His eyes clouded with a blood-red haze.
At that moment, a squadron of fighter jets streaked across the sky. From a distance, they launched missiles directly at Thor and the others. This attack wasn't orchestrated by Big Head.
Neither Malekith nor Thor paid it any mind. The Harrow ships guarding the area surged forward, obliterating the missiles midair. They swiftly pursued the jets, likely to return victorious soon. On the ground, as the last of the Aether Particles left Jane's body, she collapsed.
Thor's spirits lifted instantly. He reached out toward Mjolnir, but before the hammer could respond, a gunshot rang out. Thor was thrown back, and Mjolnir fell still. Malekith glanced over to see a Dark Elf aiming a gun at Thor. He gave a slight nod of approval before continuing to absorb the Aether Particle.
It wasn't Hong Fei who fired—it was Xu Wenwu. Hong Fei, observing this, silently condemned the act. He mused that Malekith might promote Xu Wenwu after the war—assuming Malekith survived that long.
Malekith threw his head back, arms wide, as the Aether Particles surged into him. Thor sprang to his feet, punching through the surrounding Dark Elves while reaching again for Mjolnir. The moment the hammer returned to his grip, Thor summoned a bolt of lightning to strike Malekith.
But as the lightning descended, the Aether Particle fully merged with Malekith. He opened his mouth, and a torrent of black particles erupted, clashing with the lightning. Thor strained, veins bulging as he poured his strength into the attack.
Malekith's expression remained calm, but the black particles streaming from his mouth extended steadily upward. Realizing the stalemate, Thor glanced to the side, retracted his hammer, and flew toward the Dark Elves' main warship.
Malekith waved his hand, unleashing a dense black mist that surged toward Thor. Before it could reach him, a human missile exploded ten meters away. The blast knocked Malekith, who had just regained his power, off his feet.
As he ascended from the ruins, shrouded in swirling black mist, Malekith's gaze shifted momentarily from Thor to the fighter jets streaking across the sky and the city below, its sprawling lights glittering like a fragile jewel.
"Destroy them!" he commanded, his voice slicing through the chaos. At his order, the Harrow ships surged toward the city like a swarm of ravenous insects.
Thor seized the moment to land and scoop up Jane, intent on evacuating her to safety. But Malekith raised his hand, unleashing a blast of black energy that sent Thor sprawling. The thunder god had no choice but to set Jane down on a nearby rooftop before launching himself back into the fray. Lightning crackled as Thor clashed with Malekith once more, their energies colliding in a storm of light and darkness. Yet, Thor was clearly outmatched, struggling to hold his ground against the Dark Elf's relentless assault.
Meanwhile, Hong Fei blended seamlessly among the Dark Elf ranks, firing an energy gun at intervals while keeping a watchful eye on the Avengers' quinjet. It wasn't long before Steve and the others emerged, one by one, ready to join the fight. Seeing them mobilize, Hong Fei spoke into his comms, "Arthur, tap into their communications."
Almost instantly, the Avengers' team channel buzzed in Hong Fei's ear. Steve's voice came through, urgent and commanding: "Everyone, split up. Tony and Rhodes, take to the air and intercept those warships. Barton, keep an eye on the streets and report any developments. Luke, Matt, Sam—we'll divide and cover four directions to hold back their ground forces. And Banner—it's time to let loose."
"No problem," came the calm reply.
Moments later, Hulk's thunderous roar shook the city, signaling the arrival of chaos incarnate. The sky filled with S.H.I.E.L.D. quinjets, plunging New York into utter pandemonium. Explosions lit up the night, casting fleeting flashes of light over the darkened streets. Civilians huddled and ran, desperate to escape the carnage as they fled inland.
Hong Fei noticed the conspicuous absence of police officers assisting with the evacuation. They'd likely been dispatched earlier in the day to escort VIPs out of the city. Above and below, the battlefield raged in a frenzy, the Avengers vastly outnumbered by the Dark Elf forces.
As the four tasked with holding the ground took their positions, their voices crackled over the comms, one after another.
"Captain, there are too many of them!"
"Captain, I can't hold this position!"
"Captain, I'm overwhelmed too!"
Steve swung his shield with all his might, gritting his teeth as he replied, "I've already called for reinforcements from S.H.I.E.L.D. and the Military. Just do everything you can to hold the line!"
In reality, the Military's response was delayed and limited. They deployed naval and air support but refrained from committing ground troops. Their priority had been to remove Thor from New York—and the United States altogether. S.H.I.E.L.D.'s support was equally half-hearted, confined to the New York branch. Pierce's stance at headquarters mirrored the Military's, and once the branch agents dispersed into the city, their impact was negligible.
Hong Fei realized he didn't need to lift a finger. The Avengers and the U.S. Military were powerless against the Dark Elf fleet, and Thor was clearly no match for Malekith. Just as he prepared to make his exit, Big Head's voice crackled in his ear.
"Boss, I think I've been spotted."
In the distance, near a quiet, deserted street, Big Head stood awkwardly clad in Dark Elf attire. His oversized head made concealment nearly impossible. He'd managed to squeeze a Dark Elf helmet onto his skull, padded his shoulders to appear taller, and draped a mask over his elongated forehead to mimic a face. As the Dark Elf army surged past him, Big Head had come to the same conclusion: the Avengers and humans were hopelessly outmatched.
However, his head was really inconvenient to hide, so he could only barely disguise himself, hoping to blend in amidst the chaos.
He slipped away from the group unnoticed, finding refuge in a shadowed corner of the ruins. Removing his helmet, he took a deep breath of the stale air. The moment his head was exposed, a sharp voice cut through the silence behind him.
"Who are you? Turn around!"
Big Head froze, but calm settled over him. His Psychic Power told him the voice belonged to Sam. A hundred Sams couldn't pose a threat to him. Still, he had to report this to Hong Fei. He sent a quick message before slowly turning around.
Sam's eyes widened in recognition.
"It's you!"
He'd seen Big Head before. Before he could react further, a deafening explosion shook the air. Hong Fei descended from the sky, stepping off a drone engulfed in flames. The ground trembled as he landed, his Dark Elf attire unmistakable.
Sam's face went pale, his body locking up.
"I... I'm sorry, I didn't see anything."
His wings twitched, ready to carry him away. But two rings shot from Hong Fei's arms, clamping around Sam's ankles and yanking him to the ground.
Sam struggled fruitlessly against the restraints, then blurted out, "Captain, I've found Hong Fei! He's blended into the Dark Elf army—he's doing this on purpose!"
Hong Fei advanced without a word, his presence suffocating. Sam felt like he'd been thrown into a nightmare of carnage and blood.
"Mr. Stark! Tony! You were right! He's a complete villain!" Sam shouted, desperation clawing at his voice.
"Barton! Matt! Luke! Do you hear me? Hello! Hello! Hello!!"
No response came. He looked up to find Hong Fei's face inches from his own.
"Didn't the Captain tell you to block the Dark Elves? What are you doing here?"
Hong Fei's voice was calm, almost casual.
"I... I just wanted to see if anyone needed help," Sam stammered.
"And now that you've left, won't the Dark Elves break through?"
Hong Fei's tone sharpened.
"I couldn't stop them. Instead of wasting ammunition there, it's better to..." Sam trailed off as Hong Fei sighed and shook his head.
Sam fell silent, his chest tight. He'd never wished so desperately for Hong Fei to scold him—or even hit him. But Hong Fei's expression held only pity, a deep, almost unbearable sorrow.
"Why don't you follow orders?"
Hong Fei's voice was soft, almost gentle, like admonishing a child.
Sam's lips trembled. Hong Fei's gaze sent a chill racing from his feet to the top of his head. Instinctively, he raised his gun and aimed it at Hong Fei's face—familiar yet alien.
Hong Fei moved faster than thought. He grabbed Sam's hand and helped him pull the trigger. The gunshots echoed, shell casings scattering around them. But there was no blood. When the noise stopped, flattened bullets clinked at their feet.
Sam stared in disbelief as Hong Fei plucked a flattened piece of metal from his eye socket and tossed it aside. Red marks dotted Hong Fei's face, but they vanished in seconds, replaced by a faint golden glow beneath his skin.
"Are you satisfied?" Hong Fei asked, his voice steady.
Sam shook his head, the movement growing more frantic.
Hong Fei suddenly reached out, grabbed his neck, and lifted him off the ground. The gun fell from Sam's hand. He clawed at Hong Fei's fingers, desperate for air, his legs kicking wildly as his nails scraped uselessly against Hong Fei's arm.
Hong Fei's grip was unbreakable, far stronger than any steel clamp. With his left hand, he tore through Sam's armor like paper. Reaching to his waist, he pulled out a black hole grenade—a weapon that made Big Head shudder violently just watching from the sidelines. Without hesitation, Hong Fei shoved the grenade beneath Sam's armor and hurled him into a nearby building. The grenade detonated instantly.
The explosion was catastrophic. Glass doors shattered, windows exploded, and walls crumbled as everything nearby was torn apart and sucked into the void. Within moments, the chaos subsided, and the entire level of the building collapsed with a deafening roar.
Hong Fei turned, his gaze piercing like a lightning strike.
"Blow the buildings on both sides clean," he barked at Big Head. "Then get the hell out of here."
Big Head bowed deeply and scrambled to obey. Meanwhile, the Avengers were locked in a desperate battle against the Dark Elves. Tony Stark, after destroying a Harrow ship, glanced at his display.
He suddenly forgot to turn and crashed headlong into the skyscraper ahead. A moment later, Tony's pained voice crackled over the Avengers' team channel.
"Sam... is dead!"