204

Chapter 204: Arrival

"Sanctuary II?" This was the initial reaction of the two, having seen the images provided by Thor.

"No, there's a difference. It appears to be heavily fortified! Regardless, it's not a friendly arrival. Prepare to defend!"

Stark shouted, activating the reactor on his chest. The Mark 85 armor instantly enveloped him.

Over the past few years, the nano armor had undergone numerous upgrades, significantly enhancing its performance.

The Mark 85 was Stark's latest achievement, equipped with an energy shield to absorb damage and a high-powered energy cannon on its back capable of absorbing Thor's lightning.

Beside him, Banner also transformed, with the Hulk glaring ahead. A large number of Avengers stationed there emerged, keeping a vigilant watch over the sky.

Various facilities at the Avengers Base were activated, and the defensive weapons on the building were prepared for action.

As the spaceship approached, Thanos issued an order: "Open fire!"

"Bang bang bang..."

A barrage of missiles was launched from the barrels of Sanctuary II.

"Missiles?" Stark scowled.

"No!" Banner's voice came from Hulk's body. "He's targeting the New York Sanctuary!"

Missiles that had been traveling for countless years mocked the existing air defense systems.

"Boom..."

In New Asgard Castle, Thor received a communication from Loki.

"Surtur is approaching. We need to act quickly, Asgard!"

Isn't Surtur on Titan? How did he end up in Asgard?

Thor had no time to ponder this; he knew something was wrong. This was clearly a diversion. He couldn't afford to abandon Asgard.

After a brief moment of contemplation, Thor declared, "Jane and I will return to Asgard. You need to be prepared for any potential issues on Earth. This must be a ploy to draw us away!"

Wanda stayed on Earth as a key asset to handle any emergencies.

Jane Foster was undergoing divine enhancement training in Asgard, while Carol Danvers had arrived a few days earlier. She was studying the Bifrost's transformation to establish a stable transport channel, with energy sourced from the Tesseract.

The energy, while significant, was not yet perfect.

There were already sufficient forces in Asgard; Surtur could only cause limited havoc, and if necessary, they could call for reinforcements.

Five minutes after departure, Natasha's phone rang—it was Stark.

"Hi, is Thor there? Why can't I reach him?"

"What? He's back in Asgard? Damn, New York is under attack again!"

In Asgard, tens of thousands of meters above the ground, a massive Flame Giant rampaged, unleashing fiery energy.

Around it, three figures flew in a desperate attempt to fend it off, appearing insignificant against its colossal size.

Energy waves, flying swords, and thunder continuously struck it, but did little more than draw its ire.

Even Odin at his peak would struggle to defeat it.

The trio remained undaunted, knowing that if their attack ceased, Surtur's focus would shift to Asgard. They were trying every possible way to divert its attention.

If they could change locations, they might succeed, but Asgard seemed to have an inexplicable pull on Surtur. Whenever they ventured a certain distance away, Surtur would inevitably follow. The moment their attack halted, it turned straight back toward Asgard.

"No way, if we keep this up, we'll be overwhelmed!"

Among the three, Jane Foster was the weakest and was breathing heavily.

"When Thor arrives, we'll find a solution! If necessary, we can activate the Bifrost again, just like five years ago!"

However, Thor might be too preoccupied at the moment...

The previously clear sky was now covered with a layer of black clouds, as if a massive rift had torn open in the heavens, with dark energy seeping through and quickly spreading.

The rift grew larger, revealing a colossal face that seemed ready to emerge and descend upon Asgard at any moment.

The King of the Dark Dimension—Dormammu!

Unlike Surtur, Dormammu was not driven by madness. If he entered, he could engulf all of Asgard in an instant.

Jean Grey watched in horror and whispered, "Could this be what he intends?"

Thor hesitated briefly but then laughed bitterly. "If Strange, a mere magician, can confront Dormammu, then what's there for me to fear?"

With that, he raised his battle axe and charged directly toward Dormammu's looming, monstrous face.