Chapter 36: A Changed Future
Nick Fury's eyes widened. "You already know the outcome?" He then slapped his thigh, "I forgot, you were raised by a witch and can peer into the currents of fate."
He picked up the phone, dialed a few numbers, then abruptly hung up, slamming the table in frustration. "Damn, that guy is just a stubborn old man. He ignores S.H.I.E.L.D. entirely and does nothing but mock it. It's infuriating!" He turned to Thor.
Thor shrugged. "There's no need to stop it; you can't stop it. And while his research is bound to cause issues, it is indeed beneficial to one of your plans."
"Beneficial for me?" Nick Fury mused, "You mean the Avengers Initiative? You know about that?" This was the plan he had devised after Carol Danvers left. Originally called the Asgardian Initiative, he hadn't shared it with anyone.
Nick Fury pondered, "Are you suggesting that the monster created by the failed experiment will become a member of the Avengers in the future? How many potential Avengers are you aware of?"
"A lot, but most of them might never be known if mentioned. So, are you sure you want to hear this?"
Thor was speaking the truth. Small changes could lead to significant impacts, just as his arrival on Earth had led to unforeseen consequences. Taking Maya Hansen away altered the ending of Iron Man 3; throwing a hammer at random changed Natalia's path...
But all his actions were deliberate. Maya Hansen had minimal impact on the main plot. Natalia was bound to join S.H.I.E.L.D. sooner or later.
S.H.I.E.L.D., at this point, viewed superheroes as much of a threat as intruders. This was the reason behind the infamous "SOKOVIA Act." Restrictive measures taken too early could stifle some superheroes before they had a chance to prove themselves.
Nick Fury understood this and shook his head. He had seen terrible threats in the universe and did not want to lose any superheroes because of him.
In fact, he had several candidates in mind for his plan, but he lacked a leader. Although Thor was incredibly strong, he obviously wouldn't remain on Earth for long.
"Okay, let's not dwell on the past." Thor interrupted Nick Fury's thoughts. He had come to S.H.I.E.L.D. to confirm something. "Find a way to arrange a meeting for me with Agent Peggy Carter."
…
After leaving the office, Natalia guided Thor back to the car, and S.H.I.E.L.D. arranged temporary accommodations and an identity for him.
"So, I will become the Avenger you mentioned, correct?" Natalia asked quietly.
Thor sighed. She was a very perceptive woman and had picked up on much from his conversation with Nick Fury. He joked, "Do you think I saw your potential and only treated you well just for that reason?"
Natalia remained silent, gazing at him intently.
Thor whispered, "Whether I intervene or not, you are destined to become a hero . What I saved and helped was Natalia, not the Black Widow."
Natalia was quiet, then asked after a long pause, "In the future, will my death be significant?"
Thor's heart skipped a beat. She was perceptive indeed.
"yes , you will save many '
Thor tried to suppress his emotions as much as possible and spoke calmly. Initially, he hadn't cared much for such an ordinary mortal. Even as an Avenger, her role had been more auxiliary. Her tragic and seemingly insignificant ending had left her forgotten in a foreign land...
At the final memorial service, it was Iron Man who was remembered.
"But that is no longer your future, nor the future I want! The trajectory of your destiny changed the moment we met."
Natalia smiled, lifting the bracelet on her wrist. "I didn't have you in my future; at most, you were just a comrade and partner. But now, I have you!"
Chapter Thirty-Seven: It's Done Tonight
The temporary residence S.H.I.E.L.D. arranged for Thor was a charming villa, and the identity of the arrangement was that of a high-level agent.
When Thor arrived, he intended to say goodbye to Natalia with a casual gesture, but when he saw Maya Hansen waiting for him at the door, Natalia smiled knowingly and left.
"Who is she?" Maya Hansen asked, her tone cautious.
Normally, Maya Hansen wouldn't be so sensitive, but Natalia's striking beauty made even Maya, a woman herself, feel a sense of unease. This opponent was simply too formidable...
Thor patted her on the head and said, somewhat exasperatedly, "What are you thinking? Remember the young girl from before we left? She's grown up and is now one of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s top agents!"
Maya Hansen replied with clarity, "Your foresight has always been impressive. Even ten years ago, you could see that a little girl would grow up to be so exceptional. By the way, you only teased me back then because you saw the potential in Extremis, didn't you?"
Thor answered seriously, "I can often see a person's future potential, which helps me plan and make arrangements in advance. Natalia is an example, and so are you!"
In fact, Betty Ross is another case. Although she played a minor role in the film, she had the potential to become Red She-Hulk.
The topic shifted, and Thor continued, "But you need to understand that I have principles. If I don't truly have feelings for someone, even if I encounter a future savior, I wouldn't betray my own standards!"
"Pfft—" Maya Hansen's laughter interrupted the serious tone, and she said with irritation, "If you could be serious, I might actually consider you a prince charming! And don't forget, when we were together, you were already out of shape, so there was nothing charming about you!"
The awkward tension was dispelled, and the two finally relaxed, chatting about their respective lives.
Last night, Maya Hansen had returned to her hometown. Unfortunately, after so many years, everything had changed. Maya, who had no relatives or friends left, couldn't find a single familiar face. Even her disappearance years ago had not stirred any noticeable reaction.
This was undoubtedly due to S.H.I.E.L.D.'s intervention. Otherwise, the disappearance of a person, even a well-known botanist, would have caused quite a stir.
As for Thor's activities the previous night, she wasn't kept in the dark. After all these years, Maya Hansen was used to it. As the prince of Asgard, Thor was often surrounded by admirers eager to gain his favor.
…
In the dimly lit room, two young figures huddled together, whispering.
When Thor had left the night before, he had left a note with his contact information.
Betty Ross, having slept off her hangover until noon, called in the afternoon.
She first apologized for her drunken state the previous night and then invited him to a movie that evening.
Betty Ross chose a new film titled *Alice vs. Zombies.*
Typically, if a man and woman who had just met went to a horror movie, it might be seen as having ulterior motives. When a woman does the same, it's often interpreted as a hint towards deeper engagement. Girls often hold the advantage in such situations...
However, as the mighty god of thunder, Thor was certainly not afraid of mere zombies—creatures that would fall before his hammer. After all, where was his hammer?
Adandoned Mjölnir in the New Mexico crater.....
But Betty Ross was different. She didn't yet possess the ironclad composure of General Ross and would often cling to Thor out of fear.
After the movie, they returned to Betty Ross's house and shared a drink. Betty Ross had not drunk much that evening and stayed sober. With a flushed face, she pulled Thor closer and said, "If you leave again tonight, I'll start to wonder if you prefer men..."
Thor felt a surge of excitement. Could it be that—
Tonight would be the night?
Just then, there was an unexpected knock at the door...
…
Chapter 38: Guardian Responsibilities
"Who is that?"
It wasn't just Thor who was disturbed; Betty Ross was also perplexed and anxious. Tonight, she had finally gathered the courage...
A somewhat hoarse female voice called from outside the door. "I'm looking for Mr. Thor. Is he here?"
Betty Ross was momentarily stunned, her expression one of confusion.
Thor was equally surprised. He hadn't disclosed his whereabouts for the evening. Maya Hansen was preoccupied with addressing the changes on Earth over the years. The only person who might have guessed his location was Natalia, making the identity of the visitor outside the door uncertain...
Thor approached the door with a resigned expression.
With a "squeak," the door opened. The visitor outside stared in astonishment at Betty Ross in the living room, their eyes wide with surprise...
Who had opened the door?
…
The space was a hall imbued with strong Oriental influences, surrounded by a piano, chess set, calligraphy, and paintings. The sun streamed through the windows at noon, bathing the room in warm light.
For a moment, Thor thought he had traveled through time once more. He had been at Betty Ross's house, opening the door for an unexpected guest who had interrupted their peaceful evening. However, as soon as the door opened, a golden halo appeared beneath his feet, and then the floor seemed to vanish.
The surroundings turned dark, and when Thor opened his eyes again, he found himself in an entirely different place.
Before him stood a white figure… or rather, a white woman with a shaved head. Thor said, "I was brought here without warning. Is this how Kamar-Taj treats its guests?"
Most bald heads are usually strong, but Fury is exception! The woman in front of him was none other than the Sorcerer Supreme of Kamar-Taj—the Ancient One.
Putting aside her bald head, the Ancient One was actually a British beauty with an aura of mystery surrounding her.
The Ancient One poured Thor a cup of tea and said, "Thor Odinson, I've been observing you for quite some time, since 1995."
Thor's heart skipped a beat. 1995? Wasn't that around the time I traveled through?
"I've been monitoring those and things from other realms, as they might pose potential threats to this world," the Ancient One continued.
"Wait," Thor interjected, "But I am not from another realm."
People shouldn't be able to find his secret as he had perfectly merged with Thor's soul , to others he should be thor and no one else.
The Ancient One nodded slightly. "Yes, you are the son of Odin, and you are indeed from this world. However, ten years ago, a peculiar change occurred in your soul."
Can you tell me what happened?"
Thor pondered for a moment and replied earnestly, "You could understand it as a influence of other me in a parallel world."
The Ancient One nodded slightly but did not press further. She continued, "Since then, the timeline of this world seems to have shifted. Initially, I was puzzled, but later I discovered that all the shifts pointed to you."
"It is my duty to protect the Earth from other realms."
Thor suddenly felt a surge of wariness.
At this moment, the Ancient One was as powerful as Odin at his peak. If she intended to harm him, Thor knew he would be no match for her!
Moreover, Kamar-Taj had blocked Heimdallr's sight, preventing him from summoning the Bifrost.
The Ancient One made no aggressive move; instead, she asked calmly, "Why do you wish to alter the course of history? Every timeline has its own established path. Forcibly changing the trajectory of time violates natural laws. Sooner or later, there will be a cost—the greater challengers will arrive —our world will be upended, and countless lives will suffer."
"Hahaha—" Thor suddenly laughed. "But as Sorcerer Supreme, you too have defied the rules. In the future, your successors will also break the rules to fight against Dormammu!" The Ancient One possessed some of Dormammu's power. While others might be unaware, Thor knew.
"Perhaps, to you, this is all about maintaining the timeline you know. That's why you can accept your own death and the betrayal of Mordo…"
"But I cannot! I will not accept the death of my family, the slaughter of my people, the destruction of my homeland in Ragnarök, or Natalia dying in space!"
"If the future must be like this, then such a future is not worth having!"
The Ancient One fell silent for a moment, while Thor remained on high alert, searching for a way out of the situation.
After a while, the Ancient One looked up and smiled.
"You're right."
Chapter 39: Destiny, The Villain's Loneliness
"What? Is something wrong?" The Ancient One asked, observing Thor's confused expression.
"Yes, you've explained your responsibilities, but you're letting me handle it. I expected you to work to restore the timeline," Thor said candidly. He had anticipated that the Ancient One would be more resolute. He was prepared for a fierce confrontation.
He didn't doubt the Ancient One's strategy of delaying the attack. The Ancient One's strength and status were such that she had no need to resort to such measures.
Powerful beings have their pride, just as Thanos, despite his numerous crimes across the universe, never resorts to deceit.
The Ancient One patiently explained, "What has happened cannot be changed, even with the power of the Eye of Agamotto. At most, I can start from now, restrict you, and guide the future direction."
"Then why..." Thor began.
"Because the future has changed. Before your arrival, I used the Eye of Agamotto to observe the future thousands of times, some visions better, some worse."
"And in the timeline where I stop you, there is no favorable outcome. Forcing you could make you a bigger danger for Earth than Dormammu!"
With a gesture, the Ancient One summoned a golden circle, within which images began to play like a movie.
"This is one of the better scenarios," she said.
…
In the vision, the Ancient One trapped Thor with a mirror image, sealed the memories of his time travel, and used the Time Stone to return his powers to 1995. However, just as the memories were about to be reset, an orange light flashed.
The last Infinity Stone experience coupon, the Soul Stone, created an indistinguishable duplicate of Thor's soul at that specified location, valid for one minute.
The effect was subtle, but it activated at this moment.
The images continued, showing the invasion of the Dark Elves, Ragnarök, Infinity War... all unfolding just as Thor remembered. The soul created by the Soul Stone had been missing for a long time, seemingly disappearing until...
A world with stunning landscapes appeared. Thanos, trembling, picked a fruit from the ground and placed it in a bag, limping into a room. Each step was accompanied by heavy breaths.
He boiled a pot of soup, drank it in one gulp to regain some strength, and then went to the door to watch the sunrise.
Finally, it was time to rest and appreciate the sunrise with gratitude for the universe.
Raising his left hand, Thanos looked at the six hard-won Infinity Stones, feeling a deep worry—the universe needed correction; after that, the stones would be useless, merely a temptation...
A faint figure appeared, the Avenger who had defeated him. Without looking up, Thanos murmured, "This time, you can behead me."
The figure did not move but spoke emotionlessly, "If half of all life is wiped out, can the remaining half truly thrive? That is impossible."
"As long as there are beings who remember the past, they will never accept the future, and they will always rebel."
"If you want to achieve your goal, you must turn this universe into atomic dust. Then, create a new universe, one where life has no resentment for loss, only gratitude for what is given—a universe that understands gratitude. A paradise version of our universe"
After saying this, the figure vanished, leaving Thanos deep in thought.
After a long period, Thanos finally stood, his eyes regaining their resolve.
"I will bear this burden alone!"
The solitary figure stood on the desolate land. He raised his hand and snapped his fingers with a "snap."
"I am destiny!"
Chapter 40: Steve Rogers
The screen faded, leaving Thor stunned.
The Villanized Hero was ten times stronger than he had anticipated—netizens weren't lying! He was an honest person, but could Blacken really be this formidable?
With a smug grin, Thor turned to the Ancient One and asked, "Alright, the movie was well made. But if you didn't intend to embarrass me, why did you bring me here? Was it just to chat?"
The Ancient One shook his head and replied slowly, "A long time ago, I noticed anomalies in this timeline, with certain gaps that couldn't be closed properly. Your mutation twelve years ago made these anomalies even more pronounced. For a long time, I couldn't pinpoint the cause. Recently, I realized that the key to these issues lies with you."
"You are the only one who can mend these timeline gaps. If the problem with the timeline becomes too severe, the consequences will be far worse than simply altering the future. When the timeline of this world cannot connect into a complete thread, the entire system might collapse."
"So, I found you and asked for your help in restoring the timeline. I don't think you want to lose everything you have, do you?"
Thor nodded. Although he didn't fully understand the technical details, he grasped the importance of the situation.
"Alright, how can I help?"
"Relax and accept the power of the Eye of Agamotto."
A brilliant green light emanated from the Ancient One's chest.
"Wait—" Thor suddenly remembered that he hadn't explained his absence at home. Before he could finish his thought, he lost consciousness.
…
"Congratulations to the host for triggering the Ancient One's exclusive mission: Eternal Secret - With Dormammu's dark power aiding the Ancient One, immortality has been achieved. Assist the Ancient One, and you may uncover the mystery."
"Mission Objective: Complete the repair of the time anomaly. Mission Reward: Active Skill - Immortality."
"Immortality: Grants eternal lifespan, prevents aging, and can be bestowed upon other targets with lower strength levels. Cannot be used on targets stronger than the host. The skill consumes massive amount of divine energy "
As soon as Thor regained consciousness, he was greeted by a system prompt. Seeing the word "immortality," he was overwhelmed with excitement and nearly cried out.
Eternal life—an aspiration of many races through the ages! Even beings as powerful as Odin and the Ancient One couldn't achieve it, but now he had the chance? Eternal life like Eternals made by celestials.
Unfortunately, the task seemed daunting at first glance. Fixing bugs? Did the Ancient One view himself as antivirus software, merely requiring a click to repair?
Thor was bewildered.
Then—
Where was he? One moment he was in the Kamar-Taj hall, and the next, he was on a street in the blink of an eye. Where had the Ancient One gone?
And this street seemed antiquated, like something from an old era...
In a nearby alley, a commotion of fighting could be heard.
This place appeared lawless; people were fighting in broad daylight.
Thor was not inclined to intervene, but after being tricked by the Ancient One, he felt frustrated and wanted to take his anger out on someone.
In the alley, the scene resembled more of a bullying than a fight. A tall man was overpowering a shorter man.
The shorter man, having gotten up from the ground, grabbed a round trash can lid to defend himself but was quickly overpowered and thrown aside. He was then punched again and knocked down.
The tall man was about to step on him when he was suddenly pulled back. Looking over, he saw a blonde man smiling at him.
"Stop the beating, and show some restraint! Don't make me slap you," Thor said, trying to defuse the situation.
"None of your business!" the tall man retorted, but as he looked away, he found Thor had vanished. Before he could react, a powerful force struck his face.
With a "bang," the tall man was thrown into the air, and another punch landed on his other cheek.
"Bang bang bang"—the sound of fists landing repeatedly.
At the alley entrance, a young man in an army uniform watched in amazement as a 170-pound man was pummeled into submission.
With the final punch, the strong man lay motionless on the side like a dead dog.
The slender young man on the ground got up and muttered, "I almost took him down myself."
Then he turned to Thor and said, "Thanks anyway."
"My name is Steve Rogers. What's yours?"