Chapter 159: The Celestial in the Earth's Core

On the contrary, there is a slight advantage.

Thor's strength is currently constant; although his power increases in battle, it does not rise as much as Pietro's. This is because, while Pietro lacks Thor's physique, his strength and speed depend on the infusion of speed force.

Theoretically, as long as Pietro's body can withstand it and there's enough speed force energy, there is no limit.

In reality, brute force is a divine skill for those who possess magic, and it is not inferior to any other high-level magic.

When two opponents with similar strength and speed clash, their battle is highly spectacular.

Of course, this is exciting from Wanda's perspective, but to Bi Xiao, it looks like child's play.

Nevertheless, this does not prevent Bi Xiao from watching the battle. He is also observing how Pietro performs at this level of combat and whether the modified 'arc reactor' heart can unleash its potential in extreme conditions.

After all, when he designed the magic reactor, he considered whether the heart would collapse under extreme conditions.

Boom!

Two passionate warriors collide without considering evasive maneuvers; it's pure collision after collision.

Each punch hits the flesh; neither evades the hammer blows. They either take the hit head-on or let it strike their bodies, responding with a counter punch.

As a result, the battle initially appears crude and unrefined, very monotonous and boring. This is only the surface. Thor fights straightforwardly, while Pietro is different. His physique and life level cannot match Thor's monstrous body.

When Pietro takes on the Mjolnir or fist collisions, it appears hot-blooded, but he is also refining his speed force and muscle micro-movements.

Wanda is also observing these changes in Pietro.

From the beginning of the collision, Pietro suffered minor losses, but his instincts and the super reflexes brought by high-speed movement allowed him to skillfully use the speed force and muscle changes. Each time Mjolnir hits a part of his body, he quickly channels speed force and muscle.

He contracts and changes his muscles to instantly increase their hardness, using the speed force to withstand the damage caused by Mjolnir.

Thus, Pietro no longer fears collisions and does not hesitate.

The dragon-like reactor heart operates at its peak, fully converting and outputting energy, rapidly consuming and regenerating speed force. This consumption and recovery process is not an overdraft but rather maximizes potential, growing through battle.

During the battle, the wear and tear on muscles and cells are accelerated during self-healing, facilitating growth, and the speed force enhances this process.

Wanda might only see changes in the reactor heart, but Bi Xiao can observe micro-level changes in Pietro.

As for Thor, Bi Xiao notices the divine power within him, which is the legacy of the Odinson family, marked by Thor's imprint. Thor's divine power is not particularly special but contains countless secrets of the Odinson family over the years.

Multiple generations of royal family members have contributed to this. Simply observing to decode this secret is beyond Bi Xiao's current capability.

If it were that simple, the secrets of the Odinson family's divine power would have been leaked long ago.

Boom!

Amidst passionate roars, Pietro, infused with speed force, ignores Mjolnir striking him and punches Thor's chest armor, causing a turbulent air blast.

The tremendous force causes Thor to spit out a mouthful of blood, trailing long blue electric arcs, and crashes into a distant wall thousands of meters away.

Bang~

A loud crash creates a dent in the wall, embedding Thor into the outer wall, cracks spreading wildly, dust and rubble falling.

Thor, with blood seeping from his mouth, pulls himself out of the wall and lands on the ground, his face filled with excitement, eyes blazing with fighting spirit, reflecting Pietro's figure.

It's evident that the head-to-head clash battle has completely awakened Thor's innate battle genes.

"Hahaha, in this collision, I lost, Pietro. I enjoy this kind of warm-up."

Thor twisted his neck and roared excitedly with a grin.

Admitting defeat is not a shame for him because Asgardians never fear failure, only cowardice and retreat. Admitting defeat is open and honest, and it further fuels their combativeness, vowing to win next time.

Just like this time.

"Warm-up is over. Let's start the real battle."

"Come on, Thor."

Pietro also displayed a brave stance. Thor's hammer and fists made his blood boil. He felt his blood vessels pulsing throughout his body. Despite being struck numerous times, he sensed his body reaching its most active and peak state.

He could feel himself growing during the battle.

Blood surged, white lightning burst forth, causing his white short hair to fly wildly. He simply tore off his tattered vest, leaving only his shorts and shoes.

Seeing this, Thor, as a warrior in the duel, realized that his armor gave him a considerable advantage.

Recognizing this, with flashing electric arcs, he shed his armor.

Bare-chested and in shorts, he said to Pietro, "This was my mistake, Pietro. My armor gave me an unfair advantage, which made our fair fight unjust. I apologize for this."

A fair duel is extremely important to the Asgardians.

One side gaining an advantage is unacceptable to the Asgardians.

Thor's attitude was sincere. If Pietro truly wanted to break through, Thor would let him fight until he was satisfied. Thor's serious demeanor, a sentiment unique to warriors, touched Pietro, bringing a smile to Pietro's youthful face.

"I accept your apology, Thor. This was just a minor incident. We both know it wasn't intentional. Rather than dwelling on this, I hope we can continue to enjoy the fight ahead. As for your apology, I believe when I win, you'll willingly drink a few cups to express it."

Pietro's straightforward and confident words also affected Thor, making him laugh heartily: "Yes, after I win the duel, I'll drink ten cups to express my apology."

"Then let's not waste any more words, Thor. Come on."

As soon as he finished speaking, the two figures, wrapped in white and blue lightning, rushed toward each other again, colliding in the center of the arena.

Boom!

The turbulent shockwaves swept across the entire arena, sounding the horn of battle.

This time, it wasn't just a matter of punches landing. What followed was a true fight, a battle comparable to a life-and-death struggle.

The intertwining lightning and the continuous booming sounds heralded the unique music of this epic battle.

From a platform over a hundred meters high, Wanda looked down at the arena, where Pietro was immersed in the fight, and her expression became content and satisfied.

This was the Pietro she wished to see. Although once a bit timid, he always stood in front of her in times of crisis, showing the protective demeanor of an older brother. She knew that beneath Pietro's exterior lay hidden bravery.

She was very happy that Pietro could find his joy and was also pleased with Pietro's growth.

She would not be jealous, only happy, because Pietro was her brother, even if he was only twelve minutes older, even if she never called him "brother" aloud.

Because of this, her perception of Thor also changed. Initially considered a foolish, overly dramatic big guy, she now saw his infectious spirit and charisma in battle.

He could inspire and uplift his opponents and teammates, making those around him braver.

As a woman, Wanda was naturally sensitive to certain aspects. She could perceive Thor's strengths, even if sometimes she found him silly.

"Do you find him interesting?" Bi Xiao's voice came from beside her.

Without turning her head, Wanda replied while watching the fight below, "He is excellent, even though his character has flaws."

"That's just a lack of maturity in thought, or perhaps his perspective is still at an early stage. Considering Asgardian lifespans, you could see him as a five-year-old human child," Bi Xiao said with a light laugh.

"Five years old?" Wanda rolled her eyes beautifully. The young witch was becoming more brazen with Bi Xiao, completely losing the initial timidness.

Bi Xiao fondly remembered that initial look, like a deer in unfamiliar surroundings, very adorable.

"He will become your best opponent."

"Opponent?" Wanda was a bit surprised.

"His role for you is an opponent because only as opponents can you maximize your improvement," Bi Xiao hinted.

Fateful opponents can help each other grow, like Iori Yagami and Kyo Kusanagi, Naruto and Sasuke, Goku and Vegeta, etc.

Opponents can make oneself grow faster. They can be friends in ordinary times, but on the path of pursuing power, they are only opponents.

As for Bi Xiao's own opponents, there were too many to count, potential adversaries so numerous that he couldn't keep track.

Or perhaps all those opponents were like bosses to him, full of experience points.

"So, my opponent is also him?" Wanda asked with a bit of distaste.

"Your opponents are a few others, though one of them is particularly challenging," Bi Xiao referred to Doctor Strange, the evil god Loki, and possibly even the monstrous Adam Warlock.

This is a bit too extreme. Even for him, it would take a long time to reach that guy's level.

However, there's still a long time before that individual makes an appearance. During this period, who knows how much Bi Xiao can grow? At the very least, if nothing unexpected happens, he should have already conquered Hell and Heaven.

After conquering these two high-level dungeons, he has already surpassed the Celestial, reaching a higher level of a singularity.

If he can defeat the Celestial in the Earth's core afterward, he might become even stronger.

Once he completes these three tasks, his prey will not be limited to this universe but will span the multiverse. These are his dungeon maps.

As for Wanda, she has been altered beyond her original timeline. Bi Xiao has completely transformed her with his magic, believing that Wanda's future potential will not be inferior to Adam Warlock.

Wanda didn't know who Bi Xiao's enemy was, but she nodded, her beautiful eyes full of determination.

No matter who the opponent is, she will not disappoint Bi Xiao. She will strive to satisfy him, standing by his side and clearing all obstacles for him.

Every enemy must die.

Suddenly, a fire ignited within her.

Bi Xiao looked inexplicably at the little witch before him who seemed to be ablaze. This state of the little witch seemed a bit terrifying; once she gets serious, it's indeed frightening. Every Wanda in the multiverse would kneel before her.

"Is she planning to overthrow me?"

Why did he suddenly have a bad premonition?

Bi Xiao was somewhat suspicious.

This little witch shouldn't have such grand ambitions, right? If she really had this thought, he would find a chance to spank her little bottom hard.

Boom!

The earth-shattering thunder interrupted Bi Xiao's thoughts. He saw Thor on the ground, raising Mjolnir, surrounded by endless lightning. The thunder from the hammer pierced the sky, with dark clouds swirling into a vortex. The lightning connected to the center of the cloud vortex, wreaking havoc.

On the ground, Pietro sensed danger and realized that Thor was about to unleash a powerful move. But he wouldn't foolishly wait for Thor to finish charging. With his speed force, he ran madly, leaving behind white lightning trails as he charged at Thor.

Thor reacted quickly, his dynamic vision capturing Pietro's approaching figure. He merely smirked and did not try to stop him.

Instead, Pietro suddenly sensed a dangerous surge from the ground while running.

….

The danger was from the ground.

In that instant, Pietro slammed on the brakes. His speed force created kinetic energy, allowing him to stomp the ground fiercely. With the added force, the entire dueling ground shattered instantly, breaking into countless irregular fragments.

Debris and dust soared into the sky, and Pietro's sudden stomp interrupted Thor's charging.

Thor's figure wavered with the upheaval of the ground, making it hard to stand firm.

With his plan disrupted by Pietro's force, Thor simply stopped pretending and raised Mjolnir to smash the ground.

Boom!!

A spectacular scene unfolded as countless uneven fragments were pierced by the powerful lightning Thor had stored. Bolts of lightning shot skyward from the cracks between the fragments, resembling fountains in a plaza but made of lightning.

The scene was filled with destructive beauty, but beneath this beauty lay deadly threats.

The scorching heat disturbed the magnetic field and obscured vision. Standing on the platform, Wanda felt the nearby lightning's temperature almost set her vest on fire. However, her chaos magic rendered her immune to the intense heat.

She gazed below, through the varying sizes of lightning bolts, and saw two figures fighting on the uneven ground around the lightning pillars.

There were dozens to hundreds of collisions every second, each collision capable of shattering a lightning pillar.

From the looks of it, Pietro was at a disadvantage.

Wanda quickly noticed that Thor had utilized Pietro's destruction of the ground to unleash the hidden lightning, transforming them into pillars that restricted the battlefield, thus hindering Pietro's speed advantage.

Each lightning pillar contained Thor's divine power. While a single hit might not severely injure Pietro, it would at least paralyze his muscles, significantly slowing him down.

If Pietro didn't want to be at a disadvantage, he would have to carefully maneuver around these pillars, while Thor didn't need to consider them, using them to create blind spots to ambush Pietro.

This battle seemed quite different from Thor's usual straightforward style.

But in reality, this is combat. No matter the method, the goal is to put the enemy at a disadvantage to defeat or kill them.

Clearly, Thor was serious about this battle, using every possible tactic to defeat Pietro.

Wanda was neither tense nor worried for Pietro because she knew that with Bi Xiao around, Pietro would be safe. On the contrary, she was observing and thinking about how to win against an opponent like Thor.

Pietro was currently struggling, showing his lack of experience in high-level combat despite his raw power and speed.

Wanda knew her physical abilities were far inferior to Thor's. Pietro, at least, had super strength and speed to counteract.

She did not. While she had super strength, her close combat skills were far behind the two, especially in speed.

However, her advantage lay not in close combat but in magic.

~~~

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