"Tony now is not the time," Thor said, hearing Tony's words.
"Why isn't it the time?" Tony replied, puzzled.
"Loki has an army of Chitauri. You might not understand," Thor explained.
"The Chitauri are an alien race that enjoys invading planets," he continued. "Loki, as part of a deal, likely plans to use the Tesseract as leverage, allowing the Chitauri to launch an invasion of Earth."
Thor knew that his father had sent him to Earth to stop Loki's foolish plans.
"An army?"
"An army from space?"
Steve felt a tightening in his chest at the mention of an army.
Tony had certainly heard of the Chitauri's notorious reputation; they were notorious cosmic invaders and complete lunatics. The planets they conquered often faced catastrophic destruction.
Yet, he hadn't anticipated that they would dare to set their sights on Earth.
"Then we can just stop Loki's plan, right?" Tony proposed after some thought.
"Sure, Thor and Tony Stark, both of you are strong, but this isn't as simple as you think," Steve interjected. "Regardless of whether this plan succeeds or fails, the Chitauri will invade Earth. It's just a matter of time."
Loki laughed, his words laced with mockery.
With Harvey indifferent to Earth, Thanos could invade and annihilate countless humans. As long as Thanos didn't engage with Harvey, his goal would likely succeed.
Although Thanos hadn't made his intentions crystal clear, Loki understood the vastness of Thanos's ambition and the power he wielded to execute it.
He wasn't inspired by Thanos to grasp ancient truths; rather, he was intrigued by the prospect of witnessing a showdown between the universe-renowned Thanos and the mysteriously powerful Harvey.
The gravity of the situation left Natasha and Steve feeling disheartened.
Was Earth truly prepared to face a war instigated by alien civilizations? Some, like Tony Stark and Bruce Banner, who had the strength of the Hulk, were ready, but the vast majority of humanity, even well-equipped forces, would likely crumble under such a formidable assault.
"Reluctantly, I must admit that the Chitauri are indeed mad; once they fixate on a target, they won't stop until it's completely obliterated," Thor sighed.
"Isn't there any way to prevent this war?" Steve asked, his concern evident. He had witnessed the horrors of war, knowing that even conflicts among human races had devastated countless lives. A war against alien civilizations would undoubtedly be catastrophic, and with humanity's current technology, defeat was almost guaranteed.
"Well, it's not entirely hopeless," Thor said, frowning. "My father, Odin, could intervene to stop all of this."
Thor knew Loki could not persuade the Chitauri to target a specific planet, so it was clear they had set their sights on Earth, prompting Loki's involvement as their guide.
"Then have your father Odin step in!" Steve exclaimed, now realizing that he was speaking to Thor, the mythic god of thunder, who wielded the power of storms, making Odin's existence less surprising.
"As much as I would like to call upon my father, he is currently struggling to stabilize his growing power and may soon enter Odin's sleep, making it impossible for him to leave Asgard," Thor replied a hint of resignation in his tone.
If Odin could have intervened, Thor knew he wouldn't have been sent to handle this situation alone.
"Is there no other way?" Steve asked, feeling the weight of their predicament grow heavier as he realized Odin was unable to help.
"Beyond that, we might have to rely on Harvey Amberlock, who is nearly as powerful as my father," Thor suggested. "A being of such unmatched strength would have a significant identity on Earth, but his true name and identity are also known throughout the universe. If the Chitauri knew Earth was protected by such a renowned force, they would likely reconsider their invasion."
Thor pondered this and then spoke, "I advise against this idea. Don't even think about luring the enemy to Harvey's estate, as it could destroy his home on Earth."
"If we could handle the Chitauri, we might still have a chance. But if Harvey loses his temper, that would spell disaster for Earth."
Tony acknowledged Thor's warning. Harvey was indeed a powerful being; the name Kassadin, the God of the Void, resonated across the cosmos. Even the Nova Corps, one of the major empires, turned a blind eye to Kassadin residing on Xandar, knowing better than to provoke him.
The Chitauri were fierce warriors, but they paled in comparison to the Nova Corps. The Nova Corps had to consider Harvey's feelings and dared not anger him. Earth couldn't afford to do the same.
To Harvey, Earth was just a temporary residence he liked. If Earth were destroyed, he could easily find another planet to inhabit.
Thus, they couldn't hope that Harvey would protect Earth or force him into action; they could only pray he might take an interest in the situation and step in.
Otherwise, humanity might face extinction, not at the hands of the Chitauri but by Harvey himself.
"I also recommend steering clear of him. That guy is a complete demon," Natasha chimed in, raising her hand as she spoke.
"He's not bound by laws or morals and possesses terrifying power to do whatever he pleases."
With Tony's serious warning and Natasha's evident anxiety, Steve felt at a loss.
"If neither of those options is viable, what else can we do?"
"Beyond those two methods, there's another option, but it requires a price," Tony said.