Chapter 76: Loki Who Dies Again

"At the moment, his strength should be slightly below yours," Thor noted. Natasha's abilities had advanced significantly, thanks to the magic bracelet he'd given her early on, boosting her well beyond her original skills.

"However, Tony Stark's power will continue to grow," Thor continued. "His armor will undergo updates and iterations. In a future war that may devastate billions, he'll be an essential member. If the worst comes to pass, he might even be our last hope."

Thor's high regard for Stark caught Natasha off guard.

"As for his character," Thor added with a smirk, "you can trust him almost as much as Captain America, though he can be a bit… well, cocky."

Natasha took note of these insights, then asked, "If possible, I'd love to assess you too. Will you always be by my side? And what's your true strength?"

Thor paused, then raised an eyebrow. "Is this a question from you or from Fury?"

"Me," Natasha replied, her smile teasing. "You know me well. I can't resist knowing all I can about you."

Thor considered her words before answering. "First, if you mean standing by you, yes. But if you mean S.H.I.E.L.D., then no. S.H.I.E.L.D. has been compromised, and you know it. I arrested Zola myself, but the government decided to bring him into S.H.I.E.L.D. That's a ticking bomb that could one day tear it apart from within."

Natasha was about to respond, but Thor gently placed a hand over her mouth. "There's no use asking more right now. It won't solve anything and could make things worse."

"As for my strength," he continued, "if I went all out, I could withstand every nuclear weapon on Earth and sink any fleet within minutes. Right now, there are only two beings more powerful than I am—one is sealed away, and the other will only act if humanity is on the brink of extinction."

Natasha's eyes widened. She'd always known Thor was powerful, but not to this extent. No wonder he was unfazed by politicians trying to keep him in check. If this information ever reached Washington, it would cause an upheaval.

…

Their conversation was interrupted by a loud roar, and suddenly a beam of rainbow-colored light shot down from the sky, connecting heaven and earth. The Bifrost glimmered brightly before fading.

Jane rushed over, her excitement palpable as she held up her instrument. "Hey, hey! I just detected a massive spatial disturbance outside the city. Based on my data, it's likely the legendary Bifrost just opened!"

These past few days, Jane had been reading up on Asgardian lore, expanding her knowledge. Though she'd decided to embrace her new powers, she hadn't given up on her original scientific ambitions.

Just then, Natasha's communicator buzzed. She listened to the report, then looked up at Thor. "An agent reported spotting a few people dressed… rather strangely, out in the suburbs. Described as looking like—Wonder Woman, Jackie Chan, and Robin Hood? They're definitely here for you, right?"

The moment Thor saw the Bifrost, he'd guessed who had arrived, and there could be only one reason for their visit.

With a sigh, he muttered, "Loki… you're up to something again."

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