91

**Chapter Ninety-One: The Fall of Loki?**

"You're playing with fire, Commander. This isn't an energy you can control," Nick Fury argued with a group of councilors at S.H.I.E.L.D. headquarters.

"Have you ever been in a war? Senator, in a real war, you don't want to be controlled by others," Nick Fury retorted.

"Are you saying that Asgard has declared war on us?"

"It's not Asgard; it's Loki. He doesn't represent Asgard."

"What about his brother? What is Thor's stance on this?" a congresswoman asked.

"At the moment, Thor has no ill will towards us. I've arranged for aid from Trudheim Manor and persuaded Captain America to join the effort."

"You have the best team of agents in the world at your disposal, but you're relying on a group of 'freaks' to save the world?" a congressman interjected sharply.

Nick Fury replied firmly, "They are not freaks; they are extraordinary individuals with unique abilities. I also need a special response team."

"They may not follow orders perfectly and might even lose control," Fury acknowledged. "But if used properly, they will be the most suitable candidates."

"Why do you trust them?"

"Seventy years ago, we trusted them, and that's why we won the war."

On the other side, evil forces were pushing Loki.

"The Chitauri are getting restless. When will you open the portal?"

"It won't be long. As long as your army is as formidable as you claim," Loki said coolly.

"Are you questioning our army? Questioning the one who gave you the scepter?" The voice on the other side grew angry. "Don't forget who gave you this opportunity! At that time, you were defeated..."

"I am the king of Asgard! I have been betrayed!"

Loki, now agitated, declared, "Don't forget, the Tesseract is in my possession now! Before I open the portal, I have the final say on what happens next!"

"Fine, people of Asgard, go fight your battle. When you fail, your so-called kingdom will be forgotten! The entire universe will no longer have a place for you. I will show you what a real nightmare is!"

Loki's image vanished.

"Will he succeed? According to our information, his brother is also on Earth," Ebony Maw said, bowing to the brooding Thanos.

Thanos paused, his normally purple face darkening. For countless years, he had been the aggressor, and no one had ever dared to attack his domain. Yet Thor had not only breached his Sanctuary but had also stolen his daughter.

Even if Thor wasn't directly involved, it was a significant insult.

Despite his efforts alongside the Black Order, he had failed to stop Thor, an event Thanos considered his greatest humiliation.

"He is merely a pawn, a scout. Success or failure isn't crucial. The Infinity Gems must be gathered for a grand plan. Until then, whether we have one or two makes little difference."

"The locations of the four gems are confirmed, with only the Reality Gem and Soul Gem remaining. Any leads?" Thanos asked Gamora.

Gamora shook her head, expressionless. "No, I've searched many places but found nothing."

Thanos nodded, unconcerned. He had never doubted Gamora.

"I have a feeling this will all come to a head soon," he said to himself.

In Berlin, a crowd was being held back in the streets. Loki stood on a high platform, wielding his scepter with force.

"I said, kneel!" The light from the Mind Gem flashed, and the crowd slowly fell to their knees.

Seeing this, Loki was visibly pleased. He declared, "Isn't this right? Your kind is born to be subservient!"

He grew more animated. "Humans are like this. The allure of freedom robs you of true happiness! You crave power and status, and are eager to be enslaved!"

"You are inherently servile and destined to be ruled by the strong!"

An elderly man with white hair broke free, stood up, and shouted, "Not by someone like you! I have lived many years and seen many shameless people like you!"

The third princess, angered and embarrassed by the old man's defiance, snapped, "Look at this old fool; he will be your example!"

He raised the scepter, and a burst of energy shot out.

A figure clad in stars and stripes leaped in front of the old man, raising a shield to block the blast.

Steve Rogers stood tall, saying, "Last time I was here, someone also tried to put themselves above others, demanding submission."

Loki scoffed. "A private? You're outdated."

"It's not me who is outdated. I must say, you fall short compared to your brother," Steve provoked Loki unintentionally, causing him to charge forward angrily. The two engaged in combat.

A meteor streaked across the sky as Stark's cavalier voice crackled through Natalia's communication device. "Agent Romanov, did you miss me?"

A smile played at the corner of Natalia's mouth. "Think again. I never knew I had such an influential nephew."

"Dammit!" Stark's face darkened. Having a senior acquaintance wasn't terrifying, but having that acquaintance bring a whole entourage was.

Stark channeled his frustration into action, unleashing a powerful laser barrage that sent Loki flying.

Loki landed, removed his mask, pointed at Stark, and readied a laser cannon. "Drop your weapon and raise your hands, Bambi!"

Although Loki intended to feign capture, his recent frustrations led him to lash out. The nickname Stark had given him only added to his irritation. He slowly lowered his scepter and, taking advantage of Stark's momentary relaxation, quickly stabbed him in the chest.

The weapon didn't penetrate.

"Why isn't it working? It's always worked before!"

Stark, initially startled, quickly understood. He reassured, "Hey, man, if you don't pay attention, you'll die. We already know you're not cut out for this, so don't make it worse…"