Bolts of thick lightning tore through the darkened sky, illuminating everything in blinding bursts. Jane Foster swung Mjolnir with all her might, and torrents of lightning crashed down on the Destroyer's armor.
Crack! Crack! The tortured sound of metal under extreme pressure echoed through the battlefield.
Far away in Asgard, Loki's expression twisted. He understood now—Thor wasn't confronting him directly because he saw this as a test for Jane, his "little girlfriend."
Seething with frustration, Loki intensified the Destroyer's power, preparing an even more devastating attack. If I can't beat Thor directly, I'll break him!
Inside the Destroyer's helmet, golden energy gathered in a deadly glow.
But Jane moved first. She shot forward, faster than any mortal, slamming Mjolnir into the Destroyer's visor just as it was about to release a lethal blast. Her blow not only shattered the visor but also disrupted the energy buildup within, causing the Destroyer to spasm uncontrollably.
For a moment, it seemed they'd won. But then, the Destroyer's head erupted in a violent explosion.
"Watch out!" someone yelled. The blast hit Jane full force, throwing her backward. Mjolnir slipped from her grasp, and the spectral armor she wore faded as the surrounding lightning dissipated.
In midair, Jane felt herself being caught. She opened her eyes to see Thor's approving gaze.
"You did well," he said gently. "Now leave the rest to me."
Jane managed a faint "mm" before the exhaustion hit, and she slipped into unconsciousness.
Headless yet undeterred, the Destroyer staggered upright, its decapitated body moving menacingly toward the group. Thor signaled his allies to fall back and then stepped forward, facing the mechanical beast alone.
"Oh, my foolish little brother," he muttered with a wry smile. "Why do you always focus on the fight but never on the bigger picture? Isn't it easier just being a happy little prince?"
In Asgard, Loki's fury reached a breaking point. The mere sight of Thor's taunting smirk brought back memories of countless humiliations over the years. Driven by rage, he commanded the Destroyer to punch Thor with full force.
The impact sounded like a plane crash. But Thor caught the Destroyer's fist in both hands, grunting as he twisted its arm. With a loud tear, he wrenched the armor's arm off, leaving it shattered and dangling.
"The more he fights, the stronger he gets!" Fandral whispered, amazed.
"That's why he's the boss," Sif muttered, unable to hide a trace of frustration.
She'd once become a warrior for Thor's sake. After years of training, she had earned her place as Asgard's most powerful female warrior, even ranked third strongest after Odin and Thor. But despite all her efforts, she'd never quite closed the gap. And now, watching him effortlessly tear the Destroyer apart, that gap felt wider than ever.
Glancing at Jane, unconscious and serene, Sif's heart sank. It wasn't just the armor that made them look like a couple…
Within moments, Thor had reduced the mighty Destroyer to a heap of mangled metal. He hadn't even needed his thunderous powers to do it; his sheer physical strength was enough.
In Asgard, Loki was already fleeing, abandoning the Destroyer without a second thought as he rushed toward the Bifrost. While Thor's busy showing off, he thought, I need to hurry and set the next phase into motion.
Beside the Bifrost, where Heimdall stood encased in frozen ice, several tall, blue-skinned figures appeared. They looked upon the radiant Asgardian landscape with excitement and anticipation.
Their millennia-long hatred was about to be settled.
Loki approached, smiling with satisfaction. "Welcome to Asgard!" he declared.
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