[PoV: Fenrir]
The barren ground beneath my feet cracked and trembled violently with each step I took, propelling my body forward to launch a series of relentless attacks against Thor.
Dust scattered in every direction, clogging my lungs with every breath of the heavy, dry air. The faint electricity crackling in the atmosphere sent a shiver down my fur-covered skin.
Before me, Thor stood firm and imposing, deflecting my barrage of attacks effortlessly with Mjolnir clutched tightly in his hand. The hammer emanated erratic bursts of thunder, creating a sound akin to a cacophony of shrill bird calls, making it nearly impossible for me to close the distance.
"Haah!"
Whether out of boredom or frustration, the towering man bellowed and slammed his hammer into the ground. A wave of air accompanied by a blinding flash of lightning surged outward.
I leapt back swiftly, retreating several meters while crossing my arms to shield myself from the electric onslaught. Yet, despite my effort to evade, part of the strike still grazed me, forcing me further back.
The earth beneath my feet skidded, leaving a long, straight furrow in its wake. When the attack subsided, I could feel the back of my hands steaming from the residual heat of his lightning.
"Ugh, that stings a little."
"I warned you." Thor rolled his neck, producing a nauseating series of cracks, as if to declare this nothing more than a warm-up. "You should hand over your heads peacefully."
"Huh, we'd never surrender to a drunkard like you!" I shouted, my voice laced with defiance. "In fact, you'll be the one who dies tonight. I'll make sure of it!"
Thor sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "Figures. This mission was never going to be easy. No wonder Father sent me here."
His piercing gaze locked onto me, cutting through to the very core of my being. Intimidated, I took an involuntary step back. His grip on Mjolnir tightened, signaling he was finally taking me seriously.
Without hesitation, I charged again, determined not to give him any opportunity to prepare his devastating strikes. Channeling my mana, I infused my claws with a radiant purple glow, sharpening them to pierce through his chest.
But just as my claws were about to reach him, he parried with Mjolnir, creating a shockwave that hurled me backward several meters.
I landed awkwardly, rolling across the ground as residual electricity coursed through my body. My teeth clenched tightly to endure the pain from both the impact and the electric jolt.
"Come on, little wolf. You'll need to be faster than that," he taunted, his voice dripping with arrogance.
A low growl escaped my throat as I struggled to my feet. He didn't know just how much I had grown.
Taking a deep breath, I let my body naturally heal the wounds scattered across it. Then, I launched myself at him again, this time weaving in an erratic zigzag pattern to throw off his perception.
My right claw aimed for his neck, while my leg attempted to sweep him off balance. His reflexes, however, were extraordinary. Raising Mjolnir, he struck the ground once more, unleashing a cascade of lightning that forced me to leap back again.
"Is dodging all you can do, Fenrir?" Thor's voice boomed with a condescending edge.
"And is smashing the ground all you can do?" I shot back, my tone equally biting.
"Hold on, Fenrir."
Loki's voice suddenly reached me as I halted mid-movement. He placed a gentle hand on my back, and I felt a surge of energy course through me.
Warmth filled my body, making me feel lighter and immeasurably stronger than I had been just moments ago. Loki had cast an incredible enhancement spell on me.
"How does it feel?" Loki raised an eyebrow.
"Ah, it's amazing." I rolled my shoulders, feeling looser and more agile. "Thanks."
Loki didn't respond, offering only a faint smile.
I turned my attention back to Thor, who now stood with arms crossed, his gaze heavy with impatience.
"Are you done?" His voice was laced with mockery.
"Think of it that way."
I crouched low, my body leaning forward. Both hands touched the ground as one leg bent while the other stretched back, toes pressing firmly against the earth, ready to propel me forward with all my might.
"Get ready!"
Without hesitation, I lunged, claws outstretched and aimed to rip him apart.
Thor swung his hammer horizontally, but I arched my back just in time, allowing Mjolnir to slice through empty air.
I slashed at him repeatedly. My first strike grazed his shoulder, drawing blood. The second claw raked across his neck. Unfortunately, he evaded my third attempt, which targeted his leg.
A wide grin spread across my face as I watched blood trickle from the wounds I'd inflicted. "How does it feel, you ugly brute?"
Thor clutched at his neck, his expression a mix of fury and frustration. "Damn you…"
Neither of us wasted any more words. We clashed again, my claws against his hammer, the resounding clangs echoing like blades colliding.
"Fenrir, fall back!"
Loki's shout broke through the chaos. When I glanced over, he was surrounded by countless glowing magical circles.
Realizing what he was about to do, I leapt away as quickly as I could, retreating to safety before he activated the spell.
Wait, what about Thor?
I turned back to see him ensnared by Loki's magic chains—the same chains that had once bound me during my first battle against him. Chains strong enough to hold even me for a time.
"Damn you, Loki! You're no different from the other Loki!" Thor's thunderous voice boomed with rage. For once, I agreed with his sentiment.
In moments, Loki's magic circles encircled Thor completely. Before I could reach a safe distance, the spell began to glow, signaling its activation.
"Hey, hold on—"
Boom!
The massive explosion created by Loki's spell consumed the barren desert in a whirlwind of magical energy, leaving destruction in its wake.
Panting heavily, I marched toward Loki, clenching my fists. Grabbing the collar of his cloak, I yanked him close.
"Are you trying to kill me too? You're just like my bastard father!"
"Ca-calm down." Loki stammered, raising his hands in a pleading gesture. "You're a great wolf, aren't you? I was sure something like this wouldn't kill you."
I furrowed my brow. "That excuse sounds exactly like something Yata would say. Frankly, I'm tired of hearing it."
"S-sorry."
My mood to punch him faded as I saw his pitiful expression. Shoving him backward a little roughly, I told him not to do it again.
Moments passed, and the magical energy began to dissipate, leaving behind a massive, gaping crater. But what stood in its center made my eyes widen in shock.
"No way…"
Thor leapt out of the crater, his entire body covered in horrific burns. His armor was completely destroyed, exposing his large, muscular frame. His chest, now blackened by the burns, heaved with every labored breath.
His fiery gaze locked onto us, and he tightened his grip on Mjolnir as if preparing to retaliate.
We instinctively moved away. I retreated with a long leap, while Loki teleported beside me with a snap of his fingers.
"You two… you're both going to die!" Thor snarled, his jaw clenched, veins bulging in his temples. "I'll smash your heads with Mjolnir myself!"
"You think you can manage that in your current state?" Loki taunted, smirking.
I patted his shoulder, silently urging him not to provoke Thor further. Of all people here, I knew better than anyone how unstoppable Thor could be. Not even I could take him down alone.
Loki turned to me and nodded subtly.
Thor growled and stomped his foot, causing the ground to quake beneath him. He shot toward me with a speed no ordinary eye could follow, Mjolnir raised high, its head crackling with thunder that roared with intensity.
The thunder from Mjolnir pierced the black clouds above, synchronizing into a raging storm that illuminated the night with its terrifying glow. Lightning flashed, blinding anyone daring to look directly at it.
Boom.
A bolt of lightning streaked toward me. I leapt sideways just in time to avoid it. Loki, as usual, teleported out of harm's way. The spot where the lightning struck left a deep crater in the ground, a testament to the sheer force of its impact.
Moments later, a rain of thunder descended from the sky, striking all Thor deemed his enemies, including the distant Jotun soldiers.
I kept running, dodging the relentless lightning strikes that crashed down in every direction. Fortunately, my sharp reflexes allowed me to evade every bolt just before it reached me.
But as my feet carried me further, Thor suddenly appeared behind me, Mjolnir raised high above his head. He prepared to bring it down in a devastating vertical strike.
"Don't think you can escape me, little mutt."
I clenched my jaw tightly. I had to evade this strike, or I wouldn't survive another blow from Mjolnir.
I dove to the side, letting Mjolnir smash into the ground. The impact created a massive crater, sending shards of earth flying in every direction. Before I could retreat, Thor's left hand grabbed my tail and hurled me to the ground with brutal force.
"Argh!"
Pain surged through my back, leaving me gasping for breath. But I couldn't stop now. With one quick motion, I kicked at his face, my claws managing to rake across his cheek, leaving long, deep gashes.
I rolled to the side and scrambled to my feet, putting some distance between us. Thor wiped the blood from his cheek with the back of his hand, his eyes narrowing with contempt.
"You're stubborn, I'll give you that."
He slammed Mjolnir into the ground again. This time, lightning radiated outward in every direction. I jumped to avoid it, but the arcs of electricity hit the ground nearby, sending jolts of pain and heat through the soles of my feet.
As I glanced at the rest of the battlefield, I caught sight of Yatagarasu surrounded by Valkyries. His body was wounded, but he fought on with unyielding ferocity.
Focus, Fenrir. He can handle himself.
I turned my attention back to Thor, baring my teeth. "You'll need more than this to make me give up!"
Realizing I couldn't defeat him if the fight dragged on, I began channeling mana into my claws, concentrating it into a single, focused point. This time, I aimed for his heart.
I darted in a wide arc, dragging one hand along the ground to kick up a cloud of dust that would obscure my movements. Increasing my speed, I circled Thor, creating a whirlwind of dust and wind, a perfect curtain to mask my next strike.
Let me help you a little.
Loki's voice echoed in my head. Curious but unwilling to lose focus, I pushed his words aside and stayed in the moment.
Soon after, I felt my body grow lighter while my claws became heavier. Not only that, but the dust surrounding me began to shimmer faintly, infused with a thin, almost undetectable layer of magic.
It seemed Loki had cast subtle reinforcement and illusion spells from afar, outside the reach of my senses.
"Hah, an old trick." Thor sneered, casting a glance behind him as if expecting me to attack from his blind spot. "I know you're trying to strike from behind. Come out and let me crush your head already," he taunted.
But his eyes suddenly widened when the shimmering particles of dust floated toward his face. "This dust… Loki!"
The moment I'd been waiting for arrived. Thor seemed distracted and caught off guard. I burst from the whirlwind, charging at him with everything I had. My claws were mere inches from his chest.
I grinned in triumph. "Got you!"
But just as I thought I had him, he managed to twist out of the way.
"Ugh…"
My claws missed his heart but tore through the right side of his chest, leaving a gaping wound that made him cough up blood.
"D-damn it. That hurt… but it's a small price to pay to catch you."
Before I could react, Thor lifted Mjolnir high above his head.
"Fenrir, get away from him!" Loki's voice rang out, sharp and urgent.
His shout snapped me out of my daze. I tried to pull my arm back, but it was stuck, lodged in Thor's chest. My situation turned dire as lightning began crackling around the hammer he held aloft.
"Damn it! Let me go!" I struggled desperately, attempting to break free.
Realizing there was no escape, I opened my mouth, ready to sink my teeth into his neck, now just inches away.
But before I could act, Thor swung Mjolnir with unrelenting force. It struck my head with a sickening crack.
I collapsed to the ground, blood pouring from my head. Pain coursed through every inch of my body. I couldn't scream. I couldn't move. All I could do was stare at the world around me as it began to fade into darkness.
Slowly, my eyelids grew heavy. I fought to stay conscious but couldn't hold on. My hearing and vision blurred, and then… everything disappeared.
Everything turned black.