Chapter 151: I Can't Go Back
They finally climbed the hill and arrived at the large villa.
Waiting at the entrance was a figure clad in gold and crimson armor.
"Thor, God of Thunder, welcome to Earth."
Tony smiled at Thor and extended his hand in greeting.
"Hello."
Thor, slightly surprised by Tony's enthusiasm, hesitated for a moment before also extending his hand to shake.
He had expected Tony Stark to test his strength, but to his surprise, Tony merely gave a brief handshake and then let go.
"Now, get your hammer."
Tony didn't waste time. He raised his right hand, and Mjolnir, the hammer of Thor, flew out from the window, landing in Tony's grip.
Thor's eyes widened in shock. What had he just witnessed? Is someone other than him wielding Mjolnir?
Tony, noticing Thor's reaction, handed Mjolnir over. As Thor reached for it, Tony let go, and the hammer's immense weight nearly pulled Thor forward. He quickly released his grip, narrowly avoiding falling face-first to the ground in front of Jane and Darcy.
The hammer dropped to the ground with a thud, creating a small crater.
Jane and Darcy stood in stunned silence. The hammer's weight didn't seem to match its appearance at all.
"Could I have made a mistake? No, that's impossible..."
Tony frowned slightly as he observed the scene.
Harvey had mentioned that the key to lifting Mjolnir was possessing a heart of justice. If this was truly Thor's weapon, shouldn't the real Thor be able to lift it effortlessly? But now… what was going on?
"Are you Thor, God of Thunder?"
Tony scrutinized Thor once more, his tone carrying a hint of doubt.
"I am Thor, the one and only!"
"Hold on, don't doubt me. I can lift it, just give me a moment."
Sensing Tony's sudden suspicion, Thor's mind raced with shock, but he quickly tried to reassure him.
Thor stepped up to Mjolnir, gripped the handle with one hand, and tugged at it, but the hammer didn't budge.
A look of disbelief spread across Thor's face. He clasped the handle with both hands, veins bulging as his muscles tensed with effort.
He put all his strength into it, yet the hammer, which had accompanied him through countless battles, remained firmly planted on the ground.
"No… this can't be happening… This can't be real."
Realizing he truly couldn't lift Mjolnir, Thor collapsed to his knees, his face etched with regret.
"Thor, are you okay?"
Jane asked, concerned as she watched Thor tremble, hearing the remorse in his voice.
But Thor wasn't listening. Failing to lift Mjolnir confirmed his worst fear—his father wasn't just giving him a verbal reprimand. This was serious.
Odin had stripped him of his divine power and exiled him to Earth.
Without his godly strength, he wasn't a god anymore. Even though his mortal body was still somewhat extraordinary, it wasn't the same.
"Why, Father?! Why did you do this?!"
The devastating realization sent Thor into a spiral of regret as he howled in anguish.
However, before he could scream for long, Tony shut his mouth with a firm grip.
Thor's eyes widened as he looked at Tony Stark, who was clad in his Iron Man suit.
"Stop screaming and calm down."
"Thor, I may be able to lift Mjolnir, but I don't want to take your hammer."
"Though it seems like something's happened to you—you can't lift it anymore."
"If you want your hammer back, you'll need to explain what exactly is going on."
Tony had sensed Thor's shock, but he spoke with a straightforward tone.
It seemed like Harvey had already anticipated this situation and knew that Thor wouldn't be able to reclaim his hammer immediately.
Tony wasn't particularly interested in wielding Mjolnir. Sure, the hammer was powerful, but he preferred his tech and weapons.
Regardless, Mjolnir was destined to be returned to Thor, but it was clear that wouldn't be an easy task.
Tony needed to understand the situation before he could hand over this heavy burden.
"Mmm… mmm… mmm!"
Thor, now with his mouth free, tried to speak.
"Are you calm now? Nod if you're calm."
Tony, still gripping Thor's mouth, spoke seriously.
Thor nodded repeatedly.
Only then did Tony let go.
"Tony Stark, who… what are you?"
Now free, Thor gasped for breath and stared at Tony in shock, demanding answers.
"I already introduced myself."
"I'm Tony Stark, Iron Man."
Tony spread his arms wide, his tone light.
When he had clamped Thor's mouth shut earlier, he noticed that Thor's body was far from ordinary. Any normal person's jaw would've shattered under that kind of pressure, but Thor remained unharmed. There was no doubt—this man was indeed Thor.
"Then how did you lift Mjolnir?"
Thor, still stunned, pressed for an answer.
"You're asking me that? I should be asking you why you can't lift your own hammer."
Tony deflected the question, frustrated. He'd been wanting to get rid of Mjolnir as soon as possible. He didn't want to keep wearing the Iron Man suit at home just to avoid accidentally breaking something.
"Yeah, Thor, why can't you lift your weapon?"
Darcy chimed in, her curiosity piqued by the strange events unfolding.
"Could you tell us what's going on?"
Jane asked softly, concern in her voice as she looked at Thor.
She could tell that his mood had plummeted after failing to lift Mjolnir.
"I made a terrible mistake and angered my father deeply."
"In his fury, he stripped me of my divine power, took back Mjolnir, and exiled me to Earth."
"I had hoped that he was just speaking in anger."
"But now I realize… I may never return to Asgard."
Thor's voice was low, his words tinged with sorrow as he responded to Tony's question, sensing Darcy's curiosity and Jane's worry.