As Nick Fury posed his question, Tony Stark quickly briefed him on the situation.
When the discussion shifted to the appearance of the mysterious figure in black, Nick Fury's brow furrowed deeply.
Who is this person?
While he was puzzled, Tony Stark went on to speculate about the mysterious individual's identity.
"Another Asgardian?"
"Another son of Odin?"
Nick Fury was stunned.
In the next moment, his gaze shifted to Thor, and he asked, "Is he your brother?"
"Are the Asgardians planning to invade Earth?"
All eyes turned to Thor, waiting for his response.
Hearing Nick Fury's question, Thor's brow furrowed as he responded, "First, I must correct you—our presence here does not constitute an invasion."
"Midgard (Earth) has always been under our Asgardian protection and rule, though you mortals are unaware of it."
Thor said with gravity, "Otherwise, do you think that no forces would have come to invade Earth over such a long period?"
"Without our protection, Earth would have long been occupied by other forces."
Implied was that Midgard is essentially a backyard of Asgard; it's their domain and thus not an intrusion for them.
Nick Fury's frown deepened as he scrutinized Thor's expression, and he concluded that Thor was not lying.
What he said must be true!
Realizing this, Nick Fury felt a sense of intolerance. In his view, Earth should belong to its inhabitants, not some divine beings.
Seemingly sensing his thoughts, Loki in the cell mocked, "Thor, it seems they don't appreciate your efforts."
Thor turned to glare at Loki but then looked back at Nick Fury, offering a warning.
"Without our protection, Midgard's fate will not be pretty. I doubt you are prepared to face extraterrestrial threats."
Hearing this, Nick Fury's initial intention to argue faded as he recognized the truth in Thor's words. Earth was indeed not ready to confront alien threats.
Nick Fury thought of how even touching the cosmic cube had been considered a violation of taboos.
At this moment, Thor considered Nick Fury's first question and hesitated before saying, "I'm not sure if he is my brother. That is something I cannot confirm…"
He paused and continued, "However, aside from our royal family, no one else can awaken divine power…"
"Even you're uncertain about his true identity?" Nick Fury asked, his concern growing.
It had been a short time, and now another mysterious figure appeared?
And he possessed immense power—what if he started causing destruction everywhere…
"His power exceeds yours?" Nick Fury inquired.
Before Thor could respond, Tony Stark explained.
Hearing that the mysterious figure had effortlessly defeated everyone, including Thor, Nick Fury was astounded.
As his thoughts raced, he began planning how to deal with this potentially Asgardian prince if things went wrong.
Some time later, Captain America, Bruce Banner, Thor, and others gathered around a table to discuss the situation.
"I have a feeling Loki is up to something."
Captain America, Steve Rogers, while applying medication to his lightning-injured wounds, glanced at Thor, who was standing nearby.
"Thor, what do you think he's planning?"
Having learned Thor's name, Steve hoped Thor might have some insight and asked.
Indeed.
"He commands an army called the Chitauri."
Thor provided the information he knew.
"They are not Asgardians, nor do they belong to any known planet. Loki intends to lead them to invade Earth."
"They will certainly assist him, and I suspect the condition is the Cosmic Cube!"
"An extraterrestrial army?" Captain America frowned.
Bruce Banner suddenly had a realization and exclaimed, "If he took the Cosmic Cube, it might be to create a portal to bring those beings here!"
"And he also took Dr. Selvig?"
At the mention of the name, Thor recalled the middle-aged man following Jane in the town.
"Selvig?"
"He's an astronomer," Bruce Banner explained.
"He's a friend of mine," Thor nodded.
"And now he's our enemy," Black Widow Natasha reminded, "Loki has used magic to control him, along with a few of my colleagues."
Not understanding the specific effects of the Mind Stone, Natasha assumed Loki used magic.
Captain America, who had been silently listening, suddenly asked, "I don't understand. Why did Loki surrender? How can he command his army from here?"
Bruce Banner shook his head, "I think we shouldn't focus too much on Loki. His intentions are unpredictable. To me, he's just a madman."
At these words, Thor turned to him and warned, "You should be careful with your words. Loki may be unreasonable, but he is an Asgardian."
"And we are brothers!"
Hearing this, Natasha looked at Thor and calmly said, "He's killed eighty people in the past two days."
Thor quickly clarified, "Alright, we are more like cousins."
Bruce Banner continued, "I think Loki's plan involves machinery, specifically iridium."
"Iridium?"
"What does he need that for?"
Before Bruce Banner could answer, Tony Stark entered the room and responded first. "Iridium can be used as a stabilizer. It keeps the portal from collapsing and makes it more stable."
As he spoke, Tony Stark walked over to Thor and patted his muscular arm.
"Not bad for a star. Your hammer packs a punch."
Tony Stark continued, "Additionally, based on Loki's needs, the portal could be made larger and last longer."
"For other materials, Barton should be able to acquire them easily. For now, he still needs a high-density energy source to activate the Cosmic Cube…"
Hearing this, Agent Hill expressed surprise and asked, "When did you become a nuclear astrophysicist?"
End of Chapter