Loki couldn't help but glance at the densely packed mysterious characters.
He recognized these characters—they were Runes, revered as the writing of the gods. In Asgard, these weren't common at all; only a select few could use them.
Ordinary soldiers couldn't learn them at all.
Odin, the All-Father, had hung from a tree for nine days and nine nights to obtain the wisdom of the well, contemplating the mysteries of the universe. Finally, he gained the wisdom of the Runes at the cost of losing his right eye.
When he descended from the World Tree, he comprehended the secrets of the Runes.
[I know that I hung on a windy tree
nine long nights,
wounded with a spear, dedicated to Odin,
myself to myself,
on that tree of which no man knows
from where its roots run.
No bread did they give me nor a drink from a horn,
downwards I peered;
I took up the runes, screaming I took them,
then I fell back from there.]
This passage was a historical record passed down in Asgard.
It shows just how precious these characters were.
Runes were incantations; carving them onto wood, stone, metal, or any material could yield immense power.
Many of Asgard's wonders bore Runes. Even Loki hadn't mastered their secrets; he could recognize the characters but couldn't write them, much less wield their power.
Yet, seeing Wanda before him, using chaos magic to inscribe these dense Runes, he felt a bit numb and slightly envious.
Regardless of Loki's feelings, Wanda methodically finished inscribing the Runes, which then gradually dimmed and disappeared.
Accompanying this was a sudden great change.
At the edge of the Hell's Gate pit, scorching golden pillars of light pierced the sky, inscribed with dense mysterious characters. Between the pillars, a thin, invisible barrier connected them, occasionally flashing with combinations of characters.
Forming a cylindrical shape, it completely surrounded the Hell's Gate, even the top was covered by a golden magic circle.
The Hell's Gate, which had been rapidly expanding, was greatly slowed by this power.
The demons pouring out of Hell's Gate, just entering the mortal realm, were instantly incinerated by golden lightning.
Loki, witnessing this unprecedented power from Wanda, was amazed. Though he might not be as powerful as Wanda, his perception was sharp.
He could sense that Wanda's chaos magic inscribed several Runes, enhancing the magic barrier's power.
Not only did it slow the expansion of Hell's Gate, but it also sealed the area. Demons would trigger the barrier's attack system, and after being killed, their souls would be absorbed as fuel.
If a powerful demon resisted, no matter what force was used, it would be absorbed, stored, and reflected by the barrier.
It was an all-encompassing magic barrier.
Loki wondered if he could escape from it; he would likely have to exhaust his power and be reduced to ashes.
It was truly terrifying.
Loki had always thought he was growing fast; in the past year, his power had increased tenfold, especially after he started taking magic seriously. But this girl before him had grown even more astonishingly.
Her learning speed and talent were frightening.
In such a short time, she could already use Runes to this extent. This was the talent of the chaos magic host.
Loki suddenly felt quite envious.
Seeing Loki's strange expression, Wanda gave him a puzzled look. He immediately became serious, raised his spear, and used what he had learned.
Loki added his unique barrier to Wanda's near-perfect one.
He also layered his magic, further slowing the expansion of Hell's Gate.
After perfectly setting up the barrier, Wanda could completely withdraw. The greatest strength of the Runes was that once inscribed, they would continuously generate energy without needing Wanda to supply chaos magic as fuel.
In fact, any magic circle had this capability, but Runes were more advanced and perfect.
Wanda and Loki ignored the continuous stream of demons sacrificing themselves at the Hell's Gate. What once seemed like a bountiful world to the demons had become a slaughterhouse and incinerator.
Any demon stepping in would be burned to ashes.
They turned their attention to the distant, fierce battle where Thor, Pietro, and Kaecilius were fighting.
Compared to the mowing down of demons, that side was far more intense.
This was a battle of extraordinary beings, the strongest just below the Celestial. Sif and the Warriors Three were merely adding finishing touches; they could only watch from the periphery and occasionally take advantage of openings to stab or slash.
It was all about hitting someone when they're down.
This sort of underhanded behavior might seem despicable, but for the Asgardian warriors, it is undoubtedly quite normal.
War is not a duel; war is just war. As long as they can win, they don't care what means they use.
Gang attacks are considered perfectly normal.
They also do not feel any shame.
On the contrary, Kaecilius, who is being attacked, looks rather embarrassed. After all, even if it were just Pietro and Thor individually, each would be more than a match for him, and together they completely overpower him.
Thor and Pietro have fought together for a long time, and they are well aware of each other's fighting styles. Both are highly intelligent in combat, and their cooperation is seamless.
Their coordination is such that even Loki would be jealous.
With such synergy, Kaecilius looks quite battered. His mismatched mage robes are burned to a crisp, leaving only a pair of pants down to his calves.
Fortunately, Kaecilius still has some instinctive sense of shame, causing him to consciously use dark energy to cover himself; otherwise, he would soon be completely exposed.
Embarrassed as he may be, Kaecilius is still alive and kicking, and even dares to trade injuries. With his tough skin and the endless support of dark energy, he is not afraid to die.
If it were anyone else, they would probably be frightened by his desperate demeanor.
But who are Thor and Pietro?
They are never short on courage, especially the former. Desperation? He can be more desperate than anyone. Trading blows? Who's afraid of whom? Asgardian warriors pride themselves on not being cowards.
Though Thor's fighting style has changed considerably, becoming more stable, in front of Kaecilius's antics, his old reckless nature is fully awakened.
A crazed Thor emerges, scaring even Kaecilius a bit.
As for Pietro, he is much smarter. Kaecilius's frenzied actions are full of flaws to him. If you want to fight desperately, you first need to be able to hit your target.
Kaecilius's melee combat skills are several levels below Pietro's.
Any movement he makes is full of openings.
Pietro has a thousand ways to beat him up while remaining untouched.
So Kaecilius's madness is utterly useless. He faces a crazier Thor, a melee master in Pietro, four other fighters, and let's not forget Bella, a ranged elementalist who constantly bombards him.
But this guy is extremely tough. Each time he is beaten back, defeated, he is never killed.
He can only be continually suppressed and pushed back.
Boom!
Kaecilius, still frenzied, disregards Thor's incoming Mjolnir and punches forward. The next moment, he is struck down in midair by Thor's hammer, while Thor is also sent flying by the punch.
However, during the fall, Pietro turns into a flash of white lightning, surpassing everything to reach Kaecilius. With Speed Force and immense strength, he kicks him.
The kick slices through the air, causing sonic booms, and ultimately lands on Kaecilius's jaw, snapping his head back.
The clear sound of neck bones breaking is heard.
In midair, bolts of terrifying lightning continuously strike down, baptizing Kaecilius with thunder.
The entire scene appears extremely brutal.
The X-Men, Tony Stark, and others watching from afar are drenched in sweat.
Also, the leaders of various nations' militaries, observing silently through surveillance, are alarmed.
Armies and naval fleets from various countries have surrounded the outskirts of Greenland Island, but the military leaders have not given the order to advance. The island has become a battlefield for monsters.
On such a battlefield, sending in the military would be sending them to their deaths.
The terrifying demons are constantly being slaughtered like grass; what could human armies do? Even the strongest military in the world, the U.S. Army, is still flesh and blood. A single fireball would kill many of them.
Moreover, the air environment on Greenland Island has been detected as unsuitable for human survival.
Entering that area, they would not last long.
In the Joint Operations Center, commanders from various countries numbly watch the large screens, displaying the stunning scenes of unseen speeds, chaotic flights in the sky and on the ground.
Special personnel measure and analyze the force of each punch and kick, noting the deep craters created on the ground, leaving everyone in awe.
The conclusion is that these beings are monsters.
These creatures can easily withstand missile attacks with their bodies alone. Even nuclear strikes might not kill them, and hitting them is another matter entirely.
The commanders, government officials watching in their offices, all experience a frozen atmosphere.
In the U.S. White House, the President and officials, including military leaders, are gathered.
Staring at the large black monster on the big screen in front of him, which was being struck by infinite lightning in mid-air, the President, with hair slightly graying, removed his glasses, rubbed his forehead, and said with a touch of bitterness in his voice: "So, ladies and gentlemen, can anyone tell me what era we are currently in?"
"Is it the age of mythology?"
"Why are these monsters appearing before us?"
The President was already bewildered. Logically speaking, wasn't America supposed to be the strongest country in the world? How long has it been established, and how long has it held its position as a superpower?
He had not enjoyed his time at the highest seat for long, yet all kinds of demons had emerged, followed by these terrifying monsters no one had ever heard of. What does America's status count for now that these monsters have appeared?
A joke?
From the power these beings exhibited, the so-called strongest military, weaponry, air force, and navy were all just toys.
If one of those beings whimsically decided to visit his office, would he have any choice but to let them in?
Would he have to wear a smile?
These concerns were secondary. The primary issue was that the emergence of these monsters had shattered America's dominance with the strongest military force. These beings could practically be considered gods.
This made the President very uneasy.
As a person in power, he disliked the feeling of his personal safety being threatened.
In fact, it wasn't just him; all the officials, generals, and high-ranking officers present felt the same way. They were still basking in their supreme dominance when a horde of terrifying monsters suddenly appeared. Who could bear this?
"Mr. President, although the reality is harsh, we must face it. Our enemies are no longer just a few other countries. We are not facing armies with inferior equipment but monsters we do not understand at all."
One of the high-ranking officials stood up. He was a strategist in the President's team, always serving the President. No one would refute or get angry at his words.
Because his opinions often represented those of the President.
And also the interests and party behind the President.
The President cast his gaze over, nodding slightly to indicate his strategist should continue. The strategist, a middle-aged white man, removed his glasses, took out a cleaning cloth from his pocket to wipe them gently, and then put them back in his pocket. He scanned the room and pointed at the image on the screen with his glasses.
"We do not understand them, nor do we know where they come from, but we have seen them."
"The Earth is not alone; there are aspects we have not understood, like the sudden appearance of a deep pit in the Arctic Circle on Greenland Island and the world beneath that pit. What are the monsters emerging from it, and where do they come from?"
"Is it a race from Earth's core we have not discovered, or is this pit merely a passage connecting to another world?"
"Those wielding hammers, weapons, riding white horses with wings, where do they come from? And the girl who can neutralize our thousands of missiles with a single glance, who is she?"
"We understand none of this."
The middle-aged man's unhurried speech hit the key points that concerned everyone present. Indeed, they knew nothing about the origins of the enemies or the people fighting against them.
The lack of information is fatal, whether on the battlefield, in business, or anywhere else.
The unknown is what is most frightening.
"So, our most important task now is to understand the origins of these events and then formulate appropriate countermeasures based on the information we obtain."
The President nodded; he had also thought of this.
So, he turned his gaze to the crowd.
Before he could speak, someone raised a hand and said, "Mr. President, I think you should meet someone who might be able to provide some answers."
"Mr. Pierce."
The President recognized the man. He was Pierce Alexander, a member of the World Security Council, soon to be promoted to Minister of the Security Council.
In political circles, he was one of the high-ranking officials.
"Mr. President, do you remember the Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement and Logistics Division?"
"Yes, I remember." The President nodded. This agency required significant funding each year but was very secretive. Only a few high-ranking leaders knew about it, and most of those present were aware of it by name.
"This department specializes in dealing with extraordinary events. Director Nick Fury is waiting outside the office for a summons."
"Very well, bring him in."
The President nodded in satisfaction and signaled to the security captain beside him. The latter immediately nodded and stepped out, opening the door to find Nick Fury. After a thorough search for any abnormalities, he brought Nick Fury into the President's office.
Nick Fury, this time dressed in a suit, looked somewhat mismatched with his eye patch, but no one paid attention to that. Instead, the aura he exuded was impossible to ignore.
"Mr. President."
"Mr. Fury, Minister Pierce said you could answer some of our questions, correct?"
"Yes, sir. Based on the information we currently have, it can be confirmed that those monsters that appeared in the Arctic Circle are demons. They come from hell."
~~~
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— Completed (Chapter 277: Finale)