Chapter 187. New Mexico (Part1)

[Fusing C-level card [Sanwa (Yellow Brother)] and D-level card [Makoto Shishio] will consume 500 reputation points -- Yes/No]

"Yes!"

[B-level card -- Kamijou Touma (4/4)]

[Skill: Imagine Breaker, Misfortune]

[Background: The main character in the anime "A Certain Magical Index". A high school student with a hedgehog hairstyle attending a high school in the Academy City. He has the body of the urban legend, "One who Purifies God and Slays Demons". His right hand, which is inhabited by "Imagine Breaker", has the power to make all superpowers disappear, regardless of good or evil. His personality is of someone that will lend a helping hand to anyone who's in trouble. Aiwass described him as "One who follows his ideals no matter what".]

[Remark: Misfortune.]

...

New Mexico, USA.

In a sparsely populated desolate area, the dry, hot wind swept the desert with dust and sand, and a man in a dark brown windbreaker appeared in the desert.

Raising his hand and pulling his hat over his head to shield it from the sandy air, the man took an antique compass from his pocket and turned it from side to side, watching as the needle wavered in a certain direction. A smile faintly appeared at the corners of the man's lips beneath the shadow of his hat. He then withdrew his compass and, without hesitation, headed towards the position to which the needle had previously pointed.

The sky was blazing with the sun high in the sky.

Distorting the shadows into odd patterns, the man's footprints formed a distinctive imprint in the middle of the desert.

However, judging from the direction he was heading, it was definitely not north.

...

Somewhere in New Mexico, in a makeshift research lab.

Agent Coulson looked at the antique hammer in the middle of the suspicious crater in the centre of the base with a silent expression.

"How's the situation?"

At his side, Clint's eyes swept over the hammer, surrounded by S.H.I.E.L.D.'s layers of security and asked.

As he had expected, his anticipated vacation fell through, and after the fight with Jiu You, he was sent to New Mexico to assist Agent Coulson with the matter at hand.

"Still the same."

Shaking his head, Agent Coulson withdrew his eyes from the hammer in the centre of the crater.

This hammer suddenly landed in New Mexico a few months ago, during which many people tried to pick it up, but all of them failed. According to S.H.I.E.L.D.'s speculation, the hammer possessed mysterious powers, and it couldn't simply be picked up by brute force.

For some time now, they had been trying to strike at the hammer by various methods and even by some overly aggressive attacks, but nothing was able to leave a mark on it.

The hardness of the hammer reminded Agent Coulson of Captain America's shield, but after studying its metallic structure, S.H.I.E.L.D. discovered that the metal used to make it didn't belong to any of the metallic substances known on Earth.

"But, we did find some clues. An astronomer at the boundary of the old border recorded data from their observations, which is similar to the data at the time the hammer came down. It might be useful to the research."

Briefly explaining the situation, Agent Coulson looked at Hawkeye, "They told me you've been in a battle, side by side with the Captain? "

"Trust me."

Agent Coulson's question reminded Clint of the previous battle with Jiu You, and a wry smile appeared on his steely face, "You wouldn't want to get involved in that fight."

In the interest of secrecy, Hawkeye didn't describe the battle in much detail.

"I see." To that, Phil also nodded his head in understanding.

After hesitating, Agent Coulson couldn't help but continue to ask Hawkeye, "What about the Captain? How was he? "

"Brave, decisive. Just like in the comics." Recalling the previous battle, Clint made his own assessment.

"Is that so? "

After hearing Hawkeye's assessment of Captain America, a smile couldn't help but appear on Agent Coulson's face.

...

Passing right in front of Agent Coulson...

Loki strolled into the crater as if he was a shadow. He was surrounded by a large number of S.H.I.E.L.D. researchers working on Thor's hammer, but none of them noticed him.

Arriving at the centre of the crater, Loki walked around Thor's hammer, gazing in silence at the weapon that gave Thor the power of lightning.

Holding the handle, Loki exerted all his strength, but in the end, like all those who had tried before, he couldn't move the hammer, even a fraction of an inch.

'You're ever so partial, Father. '

Giving up his useless actions, Loki looked up in an unknown direction in the sky and silently thought so.

Bowing his head, he adjusted his coat and was about to leave when he saw a man dressed as a researcher with a mask on his face walking towards his direction.

Looking at the researcher who was quietly approaching, Loki naturally didn't think that the other party noticed him. As the most powerful sorcerer in Asgard, his abilities weren't something that earthlings could see through.

Sure enough, passing Loki's figure, the other party approached Mjolnir.

"Another stupid, overreaching man. Just like Thor."

Looking at the researcher's back, Loki's face showed an obvious but disdainful smile.

After what he had just attempted, it was clear to him that his father, Odin, had imbued Mjolnir with great magical power and that only his obnoxious brother Thor was able to release the seal and pick up the hammer.

Withdrawing his gaze, Loki didn't want to waste any more time on the farce. He had more important things to do.

However, the next moment, the noise coming from behind him made Loki involuntarily look back.

"How is that possible?!"

Then, the scene that appeared in front of him made this evil and cunning 'God of Mischief' show a shocked expression.

[Reputation points from Loki Laufeyson +800]

He could see before his very eyes what he thought was a foolish and insolent man, reaching out and easily picking up Mjolnir, which only Thor could do.

"Why?! The only one who could lift Mjolnir besides Thor was ... Odin?! But... Why?!"