Chapter 51: The Power of Thunder
"Without my hammer... what am I…?"
"Yeah, without the hammer, what can I do? I can do nothing."
"Is this how I will meet my end…?"
Dazed from the relentless beating, Thor suddenly recalled something Han Yu had said to him back at the Avengers' headquarters.
"That hammer of yours is impressive—a fine tool. But you shouldn't rely on it so much. You're the God of Thunder, not the God of Hammers."
"That's right. I'm the God of Thunder. My power doesn't come from the hammer—I'm not the God of Hammers!"
At that moment, Han Yu's eyes lit up with excitement. He saw arcs of electricity forming in Thor's hands, and a spark of thunder flickering in his eyes. Unable to contain his anticipation, he murmured, "It's happening!"
In an instant, Loki, hearing Han Yu's words, turned his gaze toward Thor. What he saw was the mighty Dark Elf being hurled high into the air by an immense and blinding bolt of lightning.
Thor, who had been lying on the ground moments ago, now floated effortlessly upright, as if no support was needed. His eyes were ablaze with lightning, and arcs of electricity danced around his body in a display that could only be described as awe-inspiring.
"You've had your turn. Now, it's mine!"
Columns of lightning, thick and terrifying, began descending from the heavens, striking the reinforced Dark Elf repeatedly. The sheer heat and power left the Dark Elf paralyzed, unable even to struggle, his body consumed by numbing agony and excruciating pain.
"It's not over yet!"
Electricity surged in Thor's hand, taking the shape of a long spear forged from lightning. Gripping it tightly, he hurled the spear with all his might. The weapon pierced straight through the chest of the enhanced Dark Elf.
Thunderclouds converged in the sky, unleashing a colossal bolt of lightning that struck the Dark Elf's pit deep in the ground.
"So... powerful! I've never seen Thor wield his thunder like this before!" Loki muttered in astonishment. This was the true power of the God of Thunder.
The brutal display continued for nearly a minute. The endless barrage of lightning forced the Dark Elf deeper into the earth.
As the lightning dissipated, the scene in the pit became clear: the once fearsome Dark Elf was now an unrecognizable, charred mass. No trace of his original form remained—just a blackened lump of scorched material.
Thor breathed heavily, his chest rising and falling. The technique he had just unleashed was the most powerful lightning-based attack he had ever performed, far surpassing the simple act of throwing his hammer.
"Is this my true strength? Am I really this powerful?"
Staring at his hands, where electric arcs still danced, Thor felt for the first time the immense, overflowing power within himself.
Clap, clap, clap!
The crisp sound of applause echoed behind him. Han Yu approached, smiling as he said, "Congratulations. Now, you are truly the God of Thunder."
"So, this was your plan all along..."
Looking at the smile on Han Yu's face, Thor began to understand. Han Yu had taken his hammer and refrained from helping because he wanted Thor to tap into his own power rather than rely on the hammer.
"Don't take it personally. You know as well as I do that your father has lost his divine power. Asgard cannot afford to be without a protector. If a mere enhanced soldier could push you this far, what will you do when a stronger enemy appears?"
Han Yu tossed the hammer in his hand, holding it out by the handle for Thor to take.
Thor silently accepted it, staring at the hammer that had accompanied him through countless battles. He said nothing.
Han Yu didn't speak either, giving Thor the space to reflect in silence.
Loki, however, couldn't stay quiet. He hadn't known Odin had lost his divine power. Upon hearing this, he immediately turned to the two of them with questions.
"Odin has lost his divine power? Is that true?"
"Thor, is it true?"
"Han Yu, are you serious?"
"Can you two just answer me? Is it true or not?"
Loki's incessant chatter went on for five or six minutes, but neither Thor nor Han Yu paid him any attention. Realizing he wasn't going to get an answer, Loki begrudgingly fell silent, deciding to figure it out later when he got the chance.
"Han, you were right," Thor finally spoke with a smile—one filled with understanding and liberation. Handing the hammer back to Han Yu, he said, "Can you hold onto this hammer for me? When the day comes that I'm truly worthy of wielding it, I'll come to reclaim it myself."
This unexpected gesture caught Han Yu off guard. He paused for a moment before grinning and accepting the hammer.
"I'll leave the hammer in Asgard. If you ever face a problem you truly can't solve, then pick it up again," Han Yu replied with a reassuring smile, feeling gratified by Thor's decision.
The foes they would face in the future were nothing like Malekith. Each one would be godlike in power, leagues beyond Malekith's capabilities.
Han Yu had promised Odin to protect Asgard until Thor was ready to take up the mantle, but even he couldn't remain there indefinitely.
"Now, you're much stronger than before. At least you've come to truly understand the power of thunder," Han Yu remarked.
Thor glanced toward the horizon, watching as the Dark Elves' ship vanished into the dark dimension. With a sigh, he said, "What good is being stronger now? Malekith has escaped. Without eliminating them entirely, they'll regroup and strike again."
Han Yu smiled faintly, also gazing at the distant horizon. "They won't escape."
"Hm?"
Thor, Loki, and Jane followed Han Yu's gaze, their eyes widening in surprise. In the sky, Malekith's ship reappeared, descending back toward the planet. Its flight path, however, looked… peculiar.
"Are they flying backward?" Jane asked hesitantly.
At that moment, Thor and Loki noticed the same thing. The ship was indeed facing away from them, its rear end in view. Flames burst from its engines, yet it wasn't advancing—it was falling, being forced downward.
"There are two green lights!"
Loki pointed to the sides of the ship. On each wing of the cruciform vessel, two faint green beams of light could be seen pressing against it, forcing it backward.
Thor and Loki turned their eyes to Han Yu simultaneously, knowing full well that among them, Han Yu was the only one capable of wielding green energy.
Seeing their gazes shift to him, Han Yu raised his hands innocently and said, "Don't look at me. This time, it really wasn't me."
Though his words denied involvement, a subtle smirk tugged at Han Yu's lips. It was true that he hadn't acted, but he knew exactly who had.
Inside the ship, chaos erupted in the command room as the ship continued its uncontrollable descent.
"What's happening? Why are we still falling? Engage the engines at full power and ascend!" Malekith barked orders at his subordinates.
"Sir, the engines are already at maximum output," a Dark Elf soldier replied, panic evident in his voice. "It seems something is pressing against us from both sides, forcing us down. I'll display the external cameras for you."
The image projected onto the main screen left everyone in the room dumbfounded.
Two figures were visible amidst the green light, their backs pressed against the ship. In their hands, they appeared to be holding… something. Upon closer inspection, it looked like… instant noodles?
Want to read the chapters in Advance? Join my Patreon
https://patreon.com/Glimmer09