When Captain America and Iron Man heard Thor's initial remarks, they weren't particularly surprised. However, the final statement made them exchange glances, each reflecting a look of astonishment.
Captain America furrowed his brow and asked, "A fellow Asgardian?"
"A brother?"
"A god from the myths?"
Even though he didn't actually believe that the person before him was a deity, Captain America didn't challenge Thor directly and instead continued to inquire.
In the distance, Loki, who had been listening to their conversation quietly, narrowed his eyes. He immediately thought of the figure in white he had seen before, marked by signs of divine power.
His expression became complex, filled with envy and disappointment…
At that moment,
"Hi." Iron Man, Tony Stark, shrugged. "Another actor in a play?"
Tony had always been indifferent to these mystical matters. Despite encountering various supernatural forces, he hadn't changed his atheistic views.
To him, even supernatural phenomena had scientific explanations; it was just that no one had figured them out yet.
As far as gods were concerned, he didn't believe in them at all. The presence of Thor and Loki only reinforced his belief that these so-called Asgardian gods were probably just aliens, not actual deities.
"Hey!" Thor, the God of Thunder, glared angrily at him.
Steve Rogers looked at Iron Man, signaling him to hold off on further remarks.
"Forget about whether your so-called kin exist or not. Let's talk about Loki."
Steve said solemnly, "If you're here to stop Loki's scheme, then prove it. First, put down your hammer."
When Steve Rogers said this, he didn't think much of it. To him, disarming meant showing sincerity.
He didn't consider other potential deceptions, such as putting down the weapon to make it easier to attack; his words were straightforward.
However, despite Steve's simple intent, Thor did not see it that way, and even Tony Stark sensed something was off.
"Oh, no…" Tony Stark began to say that it wasn't a good idea, but before he could finish, Thor's hammer was swung in anger, knocking him away.
Bang!
Tony Stark flew backward and crashed into a tree.
At that moment,
"You want me to put down my hammer?" Thor glared at Captain America.
Like a bull with red eyes, Thor raised Mjolnir and leaped high into the air, swinging his hammer toward his opponents without hesitation.
Watching the leaping Thor, Steve Rogers crouched and raised his shield.
The next second, the hammer collided with the shield!
Bang!
Mjolnir's white light flashed, lightning erupted, carrying immense kinetic energy.
Unfortunately, this power wasn't enough to destroy the vibranium shield.
The lightning and energy impacted the shield and rebounded immediately.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Winds of energy swept through, toppling trees and sending dust flying.
Thor was thrown backward and crashed hard onto the ground.
When everything settled, the three of them awkwardly got to their feet.
"You!" Thor growled, feeling a sense of frustration.
He felt powerful but impotent, whether facing the armored man or the shield-bearing guy.
What kind of shield is this that it can even bounce attacks back?
"An actor, it turns out you can't beat him."
Seeing Thor's disheveled state, Tony Stark couldn't help but tease, "Is this what a deity looks like? And you claim to be some Asgardian god?"
"Are gods this weak?"
"I think you'd be better off abandoning the whole god thing and just becoming an actor."
Thor was furious and wished he could smash the armored man's mouth.
Yet, Stark's words made him feel a deep sense of loss.
Despite being an Asgardian god, he was only able to fight to a standstill with these Midgardians…
As he felt this frustration and anger, a round of applause echoed through the silent forest.
"Huh?"
"Who's there?"
Both Thor and his companions, who had just gotten up, and Loki, who had stayed hidden, all froze and looked in the direction of the sound.
Perched on a nearby tree branch was a figure cloaked in an aura of mystery. It was unclear how long the figure had been there.
Just imagining it sent shivers down their spines.
More importantly, the figure's attire made even Thor, Steve Rogers, and Tony Stark's eyes narrow.
The visitor wore an enigmatic outfit. They could barely describe it.
The figure was clad entirely in what seemed like a void of color—not black, but a complete absence of color.
It was as if a black hole absorbed all light, rendering the outfit a pure black, like the night sky.
Additionally, the figure's face was shrouded in shadow, making it indistinct, as if night itself had draped a veil over them.
Overall, the figure looked incredibly mysterious, and their identity was utterly indiscernible.
Gazing at the group, Syd's lips curled into a smirk.
Seated on the tree, it was Syd himself. To conceal his identity, he used his divine powers to make his clothes absorb light, ensuring no light reflected off them.
This was why Thor and the others saw him as if he wore a black outfit, but it wasn't quite clear—strange and otherworldly.
Who is this person?
Tony Stark and the others grew wary.
Syd's gaze settled on Thor as his voice, altered to sound eerie, began to speak.
"I think what he said is true, Thor. You don't seem like a deity."
Before Thor could express his anger, he heard words that left him stunned.
Like a prophecy, the mysterious voice continued to echo.
"Are you truly the God of Thunder, or merely a god of the hammer? Without your hammer, you can't wield divine power?"
"True power lies within yourself, but you never seek it…"
"Only when you lose your hammer will you understand that it doesn't represent everything…"
Hearing these words, Thor felt a mix of disbelief and frustration. He opened his mouth to retort but struggled to find the words.
At that moment, he heard another statement that left him speechless.
End of Chapter