The Avengers' New Ally

At this moment, Captain America and his team finally arrived aboard a Quinjet, albeit fashionably late.

"Stark, we're here. Uh… can someone explain to me what's with these big, flying fat guys everywhere?" Natasha asked over the comms as she observed Ned wielding his magic shield and clearing out Chitauri soldiers.

Though Natasha had no idea who Ned was, the fact that he was fighting off alien soldiers made it clear he was on their side. And since Stark had arrived earlier, she assumed he must know something about this mysterious figure.

"Were you guys on vacation?" Stark quipped upon hearing Natasha's voice. Then he added, "How would I know who this guy is? He looks like he stole his mom's cape and wandered off the set of Breaking Point. All I know is that he broke my glass window. J.A.R.V.I.S., make a note of it. Once we're done dealing with Bambi's minions, I'll settle the score with him."

"Noted, sir," J.A.R.V.I.S. replied.

Ignoring Stark's sarcasm, Captain America asked, "Is he another one of Asgard's 'gods'?"

After Stark's remark, they took a closer look at Ned. Despite his size, his outfit was indeed peculiar and otherworldly, much like Thor's. And given the sheer number of clones Ned had summoned, each taking out Chitauri soldiers with ease, it wasn't far-fetched to assume he was another Asgardian deity.

"No, Loki doesn't know him," Stark replied casually.

Before Stark could continue, a massive Chitauri Leviathan, as large as S.H.I.E.L.D.'s Helicarrier, emerged from the portal above, cutting him off mid-sentence. Even Ned's numerous clones, conjured using the shape of Aiken, opted to scatter and avoid this colossal creature.

"Haahhh!!"

Suddenly, a bolt of lightning streaked through the sky. A golden-haired man descended from above, his small hammer brimming with electric energy. He smashed it onto the Chitauri Leviathan's head, forcing its enormous body to rear up with tremendous force (reminiscent of Hulk's iconic, earth-shattering punch).

As everyone marveled at the newcomer's strength, Chitauri soldiers began leaping from the Leviathan's back, clinging to nearby skyscrapers and emitting eerie screeches. Meanwhile, the Leviathan, though momentarily stunned, slammed back to the ground and began writhing again, very much alive—leaving the group speechless.

"I remember something about that hammer being impossible for anyone else to lift, right?" Stark remarked, staring at the Leviathan, which was now struggling under Mjolnir.

"Yes, that's in the files," Natasha confirmed, catching on.

Hawkeye, having experienced the Thor incident firsthand, immediately recalled how a stylish old man once damaged his tractor trying to pull Mjolnir. The sight of the struggling Leviathan was oddly reminiscent of that moment.

"Uh…" Thor, hoping to impress with his grand entrance and thunderous strike, was left awkwardly speechless. He'd intended to silence the snarky metal man with a show of divine strength, but the scene before him left little to brag about.

"Don't pick up the hammer!"

Just as Thor reached for Mjolnir to strike again, a voice rang out. A large figure, wearing a menacing mask, descended from the sky and hovered mid-air.

'Oh, s***! This guy's even fatter than Volstagg!' Thor exclaimed internally upon seeing Ned's three-hundred-pound frame. 'Thank goodness I wield the power of thunder—there's no way I'll ever end up like this. Otherwise, Jane would definitely dump me!'

While Thor was lost in thought, Ned raised his left hand forward and his right hand back, moving them in a slow, deliberate motion. With a sharp tearing sound, a massive portal appeared, connecting to the Mirror Dimension. Ned then pushed the portal forward toward the struggling Leviathan. When the portal reached the center of the Leviathan's body, Ned rotated his right hand counterclockwise, closing the portal and slicing the Leviathan cleanly in half.

"Holy s***!!"

"Holy s***!!!"

Stark and Thor cursed in unison, their eyes wide with disbelief. Thor, in particular, was stunned. He had assumed Ned was just another trickster like Loki, a mere magician with little combat ability. But the scene before him—Ned dispatching a Leviathan in a single move—shattered that perception.

"Well," Captain America spoke up first, addressing Ned, "regardless of what just happened, we're all fighting on the same side. What should we call you?"

"Master of the Mystic Arts," Ned replied with a nod.

Stark scoffed. "Great. Congratulations to the Freak Show Alliance for gaining another member."

"Duh-duh-duh~"

Amidst the chaos, the sound of a motorbike disrupted the scene. Everyone turned to see Bruce Banner, covered in dust, finally arriving on a small, unimpressive motorcycle.

Meanwhile, more and more Leviathans emerged from the portal, filling the skies above New York. One of them was heading directly toward the Avengers.

The team instinctively looked at Ned, hoping he would use his portal technique again. Given his precision and agility with the portals, it was clear even without Mjolnir's restraint, the slow-moving Leviathans wouldn't be able to escape.

"Cap,"

However, Bruce Banner misunderstood the group's intent. Seeing the massive Leviathan approaching, he calmly dismounted his motorcycle and walked toward it.

"Dr. Banner!"

Captain America shouted, trying to stop him, but Bruce simply said, "Let me tell you a secret: I'm always angry."

With those words, Bruce transformed from head to toe, turning into the two-meter-tall green behemoth, Hulk.

Yet, despite his imposing figure, Hulk seemed diminutive compared to the Helicarrier-sized Leviathan before him, making him appear almost childlike in comparison.

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