Chapter 263 : Loki Who Lost Twice!!
At this moment, not only did the Ancient One start to think about it, but many other powerful beings also began to remember.
What exactly is a "time crime"?
It's when someone deviates from their original destiny—they're labeled a "time criminal."
But does this mean that everyone's fate is fixed? If that's true, then are your thoughts, beliefs, love, and values truly yours?
This is a disturbing thought, and many people can't bring themselves to dwell on it, fearing that it might shatter their perception of reality.
The ones struggling most with this idea are the Avengers, especially Tony Stark.
He can't accept that his death during the battle with Thanos was predetermined!
It's as if he's in a movie, following a scripted role. What hero? What Iron Man? It's all a sham!
Luckily, the Dwarf King pats Tony on the head and comforts him:
"Don't get too carried away with these ideas. It's still too early to know the whole truth."
[Miss Minutes continues speaking on the screen, explaining that the Time Variance Authority (TVA) was established to protect the "sacred timeline."
Their job is to correct deviations and reset the timeline to its intended path.
Time criminals will be judged!
Loki, hearing this, bursts out laughing—he can't believe this explanation.
"Do you think I'm an idiot?"
He's never been one to accept that his destiny is set in stone, but knowing when to pick his battles, he heads into the courtroom willingly.
Inside the simple courtroom, a female judge sits high above, framed by a large relief sculpture depicting the three god-like Time Keepers. She addresses Loki with authority:
"L1130, Time Prisoner L1130, race: Frost Giant, also known as Loki Laufeyson."
"You're accused of violating sequence 7-20-89. Do you have a defense?"]
Off-screen, Loki mutters to himself about the invasion of his privacy. Great, now every world knows he's a frost giant.
Thor, who was standing nearby, noticed that Loki seemed downcast and immediately tried to lighten the mood with a smile, saying:
"Don't worry about it, Loki. Being a Frost Giant isn't a bad thing; they're quite strong, after all.
"In fact, I've always thought about finding a Frost Giant girlfriend. They'd be great to cuddle with during the summer heat," he added with a wink, hinting at something that made everyone chuckle.
Odin, however, turned a shade of green at the comment.
But Loki couldn't help but crack a smile—at least he wasn't the one with muscles for brains.
---
[In the courtroom.]
[Loki walked in with a confident stride, turning on his charm as he grinned warmly. He said with a suave tone, "Ladies and gentlemen, I won't plead guilty because gods don't plead."]
Lucifer, watching from DC World, couldn't help but lick his lips. "I like this guy; he's got style."
God, however, sighed in exasperation, feeling a bit embarrassed by his oldest son's antics.
Meanwhile, on Nidavellir, Tony Stark wanted nothing more than to punch Loki in the face. "This guy's got more swagger than me, no wonder he's never short on admirers," he muttered.
[In the courtroom, the female judge ignored Loki's roguish grin and asked again, "Are you guilty or not guilty, sir?"
Loki's charms seemed to have failed, but he replied with confidence, "Guilty of being a God of Mischief? Sure. But guilty of disrupting the sacred timeline? Absolutely not!"
The female judge blinked, intrigued, and asked, "If you're not guilty, then who is?"
Without missing a beat, Loki threw Tony Stark under the bus, declaring that all the timeline chaos was due to those meddling humans with their time travel antics.
He even added, "If you head to Avengers Tower right now, you'll still smell the cologne of Two Tony Starks."]
Off-camera, Tony Stark felt a mix of embarrassment and amusement, his cheeks reddening as he stammered, "That's total slander! I have a natural pleasant body fragrance!"
"What's this about using cologne?" Tony muttered to himself, believing that Loki was just envious of his charm.
---
"Damn Frost Giants!"
At that moment, the Dwarf King sidled up to Tony, sniffing the air with his large nose.
After a good whiff, he nodded vigorously at Tony and said loudly, "You're right, Loki's lying."
Tony's mood lightened instantly. He stood on tiptoe to pat the Dwarf King's knee. "Thanks, buddy, glad to hear you say that."
The Dwarf King chuckled. "I don't lie. You smell like pure sweat, not fragrant at all."
Tony was stunned, his earlier excitement dampened by this blunt revelation.
Meanwhile, on the screen, Loki was still speaking with exaggerated confidence, vehemently denying any allegations of being a time offender, and trying to engage the Time Variance Authority in his scheme.
"If you can't find them, I can help you," he said. "Give me an army, and I can go back and destroy them! Trust me, I'm the best at handling these Avengers!"
The female judge wasn't convinced. "Is that so? I don't believe it," she replied, pressing a button that triggered a projection.
The image showed young Loki being thrashed repeatedly by Hulk inside the Avengers Tower. It was an utterly brutal and violent scene, hard to watch without cringing.
Hulk's contemptuous remark—"What a puny god"—clashed sharply with Loki's helpless body being slammed into the ground.
"Awesome! What a perfect combo!" Tony exclaimed, almost jumping in excitement. What goes around comes around, he thought, as Loki faced his own embarrassment.
The Hulk, who had been a little subdued by earlier events, was visibly thrilled. He hugged a tree and snapped it in half, muttering about weak gods.
Back in Asgard, Loki was almost in tears. All the other protagonists from the previous clips had been shown in a positive light, and here he was, made to look like a fool.
Thor, once again the supportive brother, tried to console him earnestly.
"What does it matter to you, Frost Giant Loki, who the Prince of Asgard falls in love with?"
"Brother, don't be upset!"
After this comment, the room fell eerily silent.
Odin:
Loki:
****
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