S.H.I.E.L.D.'s Utter Defeat!

At this point, Fury realized it was time to unleash S.H.I.E.L.D.'s ultimate trump card—the Helicarrier!

The Insight Initiative had long been implemented to better safeguard the globe, supported by three massive Helicarriers. Although two were still under construction, one was already in service. Fury believed that if the enemy was merely a group of alien refugees, S.H.I.E.L.D. and the Helicarrier would suffice. If they were true invaders... well, wasn't there still the Foundation?

Unconsciously, Fury had begun to view the Foundation as humanity's last hope.

Arctic Circle...

Laufey had arrived on Earth. Surveying the white, frozen expanse around him, he sneered, "They say this is the coldest place on this planet, a forbidden zone for humans. And yet, such a temperature? These fragile creatures really are weak."

"Your Majesty! We must still be cautious of the Sorcerer Supreme," an ice priest quickly interjected, noticing Laufey's arrogance.

Sharon Carter quietly noted the name "Sorcerer Supreme." Could there really be a hidden force on Earth capable of intimidating these alien beings? Could the Sorcerer Supreme be part of the Foundation?

With these thoughts in mind, Sharon discreetly sent a message to S.H.I.E.L.D. from her wristwatch: "Do not negotiate! Prepare for battle! Seek out the Sorcerer Supreme!"

After spending some time with the Frost Giants, Sharon realized they were far from reasonable. Brutal and barbaric despite their strength, any attempt by S.H.I.E.L.D. to negotiate would undoubtedly end in disaster. In the Frost Giants' worldview, "diplomatic immunity" was a meaningless concept.

On the Flying Fortress...

Ethan watched the screen, which displayed Sharon Carter adorned in crystalline armor. He had to admit, her battle gear appealed to his tastes. "She's got a bit of a Valkyrie vibe going on," he mused. "I'll have to craft something similar for Natasha. And maybe Skye..."

"Hey, buddy," Tony Stark quipped, entering with a glass of wine. "You're the only guy I know who watches... that in a command center."

Ethan snapped his fingers, and a pizza—about 15 centimeters in diameter—landed squarely in Tony's mouth.

Spluttering, Tony coughed and grumbled, "How the hell did you just shove something in my mouth like that? Space manipulation?"

"It's a secret," Ethan replied with a mischievous smile. Thanks to his acquisition of the "Infinite Pizza Box" ability, Ethan could conjure an endless supply of pizzas, no larger than his own body size.

After their brief banter, Tony turned serious, looking at the screen. "Those monsters are multiplying... they're not planning to invade Earth, are they?"

"Yes, invading Earth is just a step in their larger plan. They want to use Earth as a springboard to invade other worlds," Ethan said, shattering Tony's last hope.

Tony gave him a side-eye. "S.H.I.E.L.D. sure picked the wrong guy to mess with."

Ethan chuckled but quickly regained his composure as Tony added, "Can I make a small request? Seeing Sharon Carter out there—"

"No," Ethan interrupted before Tony could finish. "I gave her a chance back in that cave."

"You forced her into your organization and used her as cannon fodder. Jumping ship is pretty understandable," Tony pointed out, referencing S.H.I.E.L.D.'s abysmal treatment of D-Class personnel. No pay, no insurance, and the riskiest jobs with zero benefits. Even Tony, a billionaire, had winced at the conditions.

Ethan felt a brief pang of guilt as Tony continued to berate the Foundation's policies. Even so, Ethan dismissed Tony's concerns. "They weren't loyal to the Foundation."

For Ethan, loyalty was more important than skill. The Foundation had an abundance of talent, but it was loyalty that set members apart.

"Fine," Tony relented, sighing. "She's still my cousin... sort of. Could you—"

Ethan cut him off. "Alright, I'll give you this one."

Their conversation was interrupted by an urgent report. "Sir! We've detected a massive object approaching!" Agent 1745 shouted.

The screen flickered, revealing a colossal Helicarrier several hundred meters long.

"Is that S.H.I.E.L.D.'s doing?" Tony smirked. "Impressive... but this has to be all they've got."

This mission was under Fury's direct command. After receiving reports from his agents, including Brock, Fury concluded that while the Frost Giants were physically imposing, their threat level might not be as high as initially feared.

Their height exceeded two meters, their strength was at least three times that of normal humans, and... that was about it. If they couldn't withstand armor-piercing rounds or artillery shells, how dangerous could they be?

Fury's thoughts were interrupted by a message from Sharon Carter: "Do not negotiate. Prepare for combat. Seek out the Sorcerer Supreme!" But Fury dismissed it. How could a spy dictate military strategy?

He ordered a team of negotiators to approach the Frost Giant camp. Meanwhile, Sharon observed their otherworldly magic firsthand—tents that looked small on the outside were spacious within.

Suddenly, a Frost Giant soldier reported, "Your Majesty, a group has arrived, claiming to be negotiators from S.H.I.E.L.D., sent by their director."

Laufey's priest immediately stood, shouting, "Negotiation? Impossible! All of S.H.I.E.L.D. must die!"

Laufey was indifferent but asked, "How many of them?"

"Six," the soldier replied.

"Kill five of them. Send the last one back with their heads and a message: hand over the Casket of Ancient Winters or all of Midgard will freeze," Laufey commanded.

Back on the Helicarrier, Fury's face grew darker upon receiving the negotiator's report—five heads delivered by a lone survivor. He realized that negotiation was futile; brute force was their only option now.

As Fury initiated a carpet-bombing campaign, Sharon received a terse message: "We're commencing missile strikes. Good luck!" She cursed under her breath, but accepted her fate.

Meanwhile, the Frost Giants' camp prepared their magic shield. The massive ice barrier withstood wave after wave of missile strikes, the Giants working in shifts to sustain it. Even though the magic couldn't last forever, it would hold for at least 12 hours.

From the altar, the Frost Giants' greatest mage, Lifey, cast a devastating Blizzard spell. The skies darkened, winds howled, and ice the size of fists began pummeling down over a 30-kilometer radius.

Fury's heart sank as S.H.I.E.L.D.'s jets were torn apart by the supernatural storm. "Retreat!" he shouted into the comms. Each downed jet was worth billions, and the losses were catastrophic.

Cursing the "damn weather," Fury understood this was no ordinary storm—it was magic.

And they were losing.