Chapter 163: Chapter 163: The Power of the Divine Axe
Kamar-Taj had long observed the rise and fall of human societies over thousands of years, typically avoiding involvement in mortal affairs. Even during the Battle of New York, the Ancient One only acted to protect the sanctum.
But Ultron—something humanity had created itself—was a different matter. Normally, such matters were left alone. However, this time, the situation was more severe. If Sokovia fell from its current height, it would be like a small planet crashing to Earth. Even if it didn't annihilate humanity, it could plunge Earth into an ice age.
The Sorcerer Supreme's principle was always to protect the continuity of human civilization. This was part of why Thor felt comfortable venturing into space.
The Ancient One watched closely, ready to intervene at any moment.
"Wanda, could you try to stop the city from falling with your powers?" Pietro asked, even though he sounded uncertain.
Wanda shook her head, looking pale. "I don't have the strength. I might be able to hold up a building, but an entire city? It's impossible."
Tony had an idea. "What about Ms. Carol? You're supposedly stronger than Thor; can you lift the city?"
Carol rolled her eyes. "Keep dreaming. That's a ridiculous idea."
"So, is there a way to blow the city apart?" Steve asked. "Nukes?"
With the civilians evacuated, detonating a nuclear bomb on Sokovia seemed like the only solution.
Tony shook his head helplessly. "There's no time. The closest missile would take three minutes to reach us, and Sokovia will hit the ground in two. Plus, a standard nuke might not fully destroy it. We'd need something like the Tsar Bomba, with its original yield."
The Avengers fell silent. In the past, the Tsar Bomba—a super-hydrogen bomb with a theoretical 100-megaton yield—was halved in power due to concerns over nuclear fallout. If they used the uncut version, it would turn Earth into a war zone...
"Wait! I just got a message from Thor!" Carol suddenly announced, and everyone's eyes brightened. Over time, they had developed an unshakable trust in Thor, as if he could solve any unsolvable problem.
"What did he say?" Steve asked.
"He said to evacuate Sokovia immediately, at least a kilometer away."
Steve and Tony exchanged glances and nodded.
"We've done all we can. Let's trust him."
Except for Carol and a few others who could fly, everyone else boarded the jet, quickly distancing themselves from Sokovia.
"Can Thor really handle a falling city?" Tony muttered, guilt-ridden. After all, Ultron was his creation, and he felt responsible if it led to disaster.
The massive city, now less than 10,000 meters above ground, continued to accelerate, creating fierce friction with the air and turning into a blazing fireball. Hundreds of kilometers away, people witnessed the spectacle, as if a second sun was falling from the sky. Some ran and screamed in despair; others hid in cellars.
The Ancient One, far away in Kamar-Taj, sighed, preparing to intervene.
But just then, a brilliant light shot across the sky, halting the Ancient One in her tracks.
A massive beam, as if descending from the heavens, enveloped the city mid-air.
"It's the Bifrost!" Jane and Wanda exclaimed as they recognized the phenomenon.
Under the Bifrost's light, Sokovia began to disintegrate rapidly. The Vibranium-infused materials within the city vaporized in an instant.
"Wow… I thought the Bifrost was just an interstellar express," Carol murmured in awe. Though she had roamed the cosmos for two decades and seen countless wonders, this was something else entirely.
"Boom!"
Within ten seconds, Sokovia—the city that had embodied Ultron's grand hopes—was reduced to the most basic particles, scattered across the universe. Thor had deliberately withheld some power to avoid damaging Earth.
As the Bifrost's light faded, Thor appeared in the sky, holding a massive battle axe, looking every bit like a god descending to Earth.
Carol, staring at the axe, muttered, "Is that…the weapon meant to kill Thanos?"
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