The Real Crisis?
Coulson face darkened as he quickly pressed his communicator.
"Cease fire!"
"Barton!"
"Cease fire immediately!"
"They're not our enemies!"
With a series of urgent commands, S.H.I.E.L.D. agents halted their advance.
Boom!
At that moment, Hawkeye clashed with Volstagg one last time.
Hawkeye entire body radiated a crimson glow, his bow transformed into a double-bladed weapon that emitted intense heat waves with each swing.
From Anton perspective, Hawkeye now bore little resemblance to the Hawkeye he remembered.
The Extremis Virus had clearly given him extraordinary enhancements.
Whoosh!
As the clash ended and Coulson orders came through, Hawkeye took a few steps back, casting a wary glance at Coulson and Anton.
He then retracted his weapon, coldly eyeing Volstagg, a silent warning not to make any sudden moves.
"Ah, that was exhilarating!"
Volstagg laughed heartily. "Human, you're a formidable warrior."
"You're not bad yourself," Hawkeye replied curtly.
At that moment, Coulson and Anton stepped forward to confront Sif, Thor, and the others.
Sif took a step ahead of her group, addressing them directly.
"We mean no harm. We're only here to take Thor back."
Through the battle between Volstagg and Hawkeye, the Asgardian group had realized that modern humans were far different from the mortals of ancient times.
Humanity now had the strength to stand against Asgardians.
Asgardians could no longer adopt a condescending attitude toward these so-called "mortals."
"I understand," Coulson said, turning his gaze to Thor.
"I know Asgard has no hostile intentions toward Earth. And the reason we detained you wasn't to restrict you—we hope you understand that."
"I do," Thor replied with a warm smile. "You were just doing your job."
"Now then, Anton…"
Coulson shifted his attention to the man beside him.
"What exactly is this 'real crisis' you were talking about?"
"Of course, it…"
Anton began to answer, but—
Boom!
Overhead, the sky suddenly turned dark.
Black clouds gathered, thunder roared, and the sun was swallowed by the ominous storm.
An overwhelming surge of energy filled the air, radiating a suffocating sense of dread.
"Director! Energy levels are spiking rapidly—something is coming!"
A voice urgently reported through Coulson earpiece.
"Damn it!"
Anton didn't need to explain further. Coulson instantly realized that this was the "real crisis" Anton had been referring to.
Hawkeye gaze was fixed on the darkened skies above, his brow furrowed deeply as a sense of foreboding washed over him.
"What is it?" he muttered, his voice tense.
Anton expression remained calm, but his eyes gleamed with anticipation.
"It here."
Before anyone could respond, the clouds split open with a deafening crack, and a massive figure descended from the sky—a being forged of gleaming metal, radiating an aura of destruction.
The Destroyer.
Thor and his companions' faces changed dramatically.
This scene was all too familiar to them.
The prelude to the activation of a space bridge.
The Bifrost!
Something was emerging from the other side of the Bifrost.
It had to be sent by Loki.
Boom!
A column of light descended next to the S.H.I.E.L.D. outpost crater, creating a massive shockwave.
Sand and debris were thrown into the air instantly.
When the energy pillar vanished, a colossal rune circle was left behind.
Standing in the center of the circle was a five-meter-tall figure—an imposing, metallic Destroyer.
To Coulson and his agents, it resembled an advanced robot.
But to Thor and the Asgardians, this was no mere robot.
It was the Destroyer, Odin ultimate weapon, capable of leveling an entire city with ease.
Clearly, this weapon was now following Loki orders, set to annihilate everything.
"Loki!"
Thor voice was heavy with disbelief.
"Why? Why are you doing this?"
"The Destroyer!"
Lady Sif expression turned grim.
"Damn it! Fandral, Volstagg, Hogun, we have to stop it!"
"You distract it I'll attack!"
The Asgardian quartet quickly devised a plan and spread out.
Driven by a strong sense of responsibility, they knew that the Destroyer appearance was partly their fault.
They charged forward, ready to confront the threat.
Hawkeye observed the Asgardians coordinated efforts and immediately understood why Coulson had ordered the ceasefire earlier.
Following Lady Sif and the others, Hawkeye seamlessly joined forces with the Asgardian warriors, forming an impromptu team.
Everyone was skilled in combat and quickly adapted to each other fighting styles.
Hawkeye knew this massive weapon was from another world, Asgard. The Asgardian warriors clearly understood its weaknesses better than anyone else.
Hawkeye moved boldly to the front, drawing its attention.
Scooping up previously used arrows from the battlefield, he repurposed them for a second round.
Whoosh!
With precise aim, Hawkeye launched a heat-charged arrow that pierced through the Destroyer head.
"Did I get it?"
For a fleeting moment, Hawkeye felt a surge of hope, but his relief quickly turned to horror.
The Destroyer head ignited with an unnatural flame, melting the arrow within its body.
A split second later, it unleashed a massive beam of scorching heat from its face, targeting Hawkeye.
Boom!
Hawkeye dodged at the last second, but the ground beneath his feet melted into lava from the intense heat.
The air shimmered, filled with the acrid scent of burning.
"Gulp!"
Around the battlefield, S.H.I.E.L.D. agents felt a rare pang of fear.
They had never encountered such a terrifying "robot" before.
"Even Stark suits can't compare to this monster," Coulson muttered.
Meanwhile, the Asgardian warriors finally made their move.
Lady Sif drove her spear into the Destroyer, while Fandral, Volstagg, and Hogun struck its legs and arms with their weapons, managing to sever portions of its limbs.
But the Destroyer swung its massive body, releasing another heat beam from its face, forcing the Asgardian warriors to retreat.
In just moments, the newly formed team of Asgardians and Hawkeye was utterly overwhelmed, barely holding their ground.
"What the hell is that thing!"
Coulson face showed clear astonishment.
"It called the Destroyer," Thor sighed deeply.
"It was crafted by my father—the ultimate weapon."
"Your father?" Coulson asked, narrowing his eyes. "You mean King Odin?"
"Yes."
"What do we need to do to take it down?"
"With just Sif and the others, even adding that archer, it impossible to defeat the Destroyer," Thor admitted, his tone heavy.
"The only way to end this…"
He looked toward the towering Destroyer in the distance, his expression resolute.
"…is for me to go."
"You?"
Coulson was momentarily stunned.
Wasn't your divine power stripped away? Aren't you just a mortal now?
But before he could voice his doubts, Coulson noticed Thor stepping forward, heading straight toward the Destroyer.
That movement sparked another question in his mind. He turned to face Anton, his tone sharp.
"You said when the time comes, Wonder Woman would appear. So where is she?"
Coulson urgency was unmistakable. The situation was dire, and patience was a luxury they couldn't afford.
"Don't rush," Anton replied, his expression... peculiar.
"She already here."
As he said this, Anton wasn't looking at Coulson at all.
Instead, his focus was elsewhere—on another version of himself reflected in a glass surface.
"Tsk…"
A low yet soft voice echoed, carrying an odd mixture of familiarity and alienation.
"Not gonna lie… this chest, these legs… If I were a guy—no, wait. I am a guy!"