Destruction!!!

"It's coming."

From a distance, Lynch saw the Destroyer slowly advancing from one side of the town, its eye area emitting powerful energy blasts, destroying everything in its path.

"Let's go."

Volstagg, the largest of the Asgardian warriors, patted his belly and charged ahead. The others exchanged glances and followed.

Once outside, the group looked at the approaching Destroyer, their faces filled with surprise.

Thor turned to his four companions, placing a hand on each of their shoulders and speaking seriously:

"I have to tell you, my friends, I am just a mortal now. If you stay, I may end up getting you all killed..."

"Come on, Thor. We've faced treason, are we supposed to fear death?"

Fandral, a large, blond warrior, laughed.

"Exactly, let's go!"

Even the usually stoic Hogun, of Asian descent, shouted excitedly.

Thor looked at his companions, touched, and nodded.

"Don't worry, I'll protect them," Lynch softly assured from behind.

With no more hesitation, the five charged toward the Destroyer together.

"You distract it!"

The female warrior Sif veered off to the side, looking for a chance to strike.

The others shared a glance, then all turned to the hulking Volstagg, silently forming a plan.

"Boom!"

The Destroyer turned its head, firing a blast that reduced a nearby gas station to rubble. Through the smoke and fire, it steadily approached them.

"For Asgard!"

In an instant, Volstagg shouted, running at full speed. The other three prepared, and just as Volstagg reached them, they threw him like a cannonball toward the Destroyer.

Volstagg roared, his axe raised high, hundreds of pounds of weight and tremendous momentum hurtling toward the Destroyer.

But the Destroyer simply swatted him aside like a fly, sending him crashing into a car.

Though Volstagg was the toughest of the group, the failed attack left him severely injured, unable to move.

The Destroyer didn't give him a chance to recover. It walked over, its faceplates opening as its body began to glow, readying a blast that would finish Volstagg.

At that moment, Sif, wielding her spear, leapt from a nearby rooftop, driving it into the Destroyer.

The yellow glow on the Destroyer's body abruptly went out, and it hunched over under Sif's weight, motionless.

"Is it over?"

Fandral hesitated, uncertain.

The Destroyer quickly gave its answer. Its body began shifting, its plates rotating until its head and arms were facing backward.

Its head locked onto Sif, and a beam of light shot toward her!

Sif agilely jumped off the Destroyer, narrowly avoiding the deadly attack.

"Run, run, run!"

Fandral and Hogun rushed forward, dragging Volstagg away, while Sif tumbled to safety.

The Destroyer immediately fired energy blasts at the retreating group, leaving a trail of destruction in its wake.

Fire and explosions consumed the street, and the blast waves sent the group sprawling.

The Destroyer walked out of the flames, methodically approaching the helpless Asgardians, its faceplates shifting again.

"Enough!"

Thor, holding a small axe he had picked up, shouted.

"I am the one you should be targeting!"

He raised the axe, looking up at the Destroyer. He knew Loki was controlling it and could hear him.

"Give me some time."

The Destroyer paused, standing silently in front of Thor.

Thor walked over and helped his companions to their feet.

"Go back to Asgard and stop Loki," he said gravely.

"We'll fight together!" Fandral protested, unwilling to leave.

"You've done all you can," Thor replied, patting their shoulders. They were barely able to stand.

"Then let me die as a warrior! This story will be passed down through the ages!"

Sif was emotional.

"You must live, to tell the story to your children yourselves!" Thor said firmly.

"What about you?" Hogun asked, concerned.

"Don't worry, I have a plan!" Thor smiled, as if he truly had a solution.

Before he finished speaking, another energy blast from the Destroyer landed nearby.

"Go, go, go!" Thor shouted, and the four Asgardians, supporting each other, began to retreat.

Thor, however, dropped his axe and walked toward the Destroyer, his expression complicated.

He finally understood the nature of his trial, and the mistakes he had made in the past.

"Brother, whatever I have done to wrong you, whatever I did to anger you, even if I am the reason you have come to this... I apologize."

As Thor spoke, memories of his years with Loki flashed in his mind.

Loki had always been mischievous, playing tricks and pranks on Thor, but Thor never took it seriously.

But at some point, Thor realized he no longer understood his brother. An invisible gap had grown between them.

In the past, he didn't understand it, nor did he want to.

But everything he had experienced on Midgard had made him realize that he had made many mistakes.

Even though Loki had now resorted to treachery, even trying to kill him, Thor could only believe that it was his own past failings that had led to this.

His arrogance, pride, and violent tendencies had driven the naturally cunning Loki down a dark path.

And all of it, Thor believed, was his responsibility as an older brother to fix.

"But these people are innocent. Killing them won't bring you any glory..."

Yes, violence wasn't the solution.

Why had he once believed that strength could solve all problems?

Love and compassion were far more valuable than violence—they were the true keys to peace and beauty.

"If you must kill, then kill me, but stop this destruction!"

As Thor finished speaking, he stood before the Destroyer, looking up at the towering machine.

The yellow light in the Destroyer's face dimmed, and it slowly turned around.

Thor smiled in relief, thinking Loki had listened to him.

But...

Suddenly, the Destroyer swung its arm, sending Thor flying.

As a mortal, Thor was thrown dozens of meters, hitting the ground with a force that left him barely clinging to life.

He wasn't going to make it.