Chapter 248: C240
Loki shook his head disdainfully, leveling the scepter at Thor. His face twisted with anger and arrogance as he roared, his voice echoing across the battlefield.
"I have never needed the hearts of Asgardians! I have never cared for the throne that you so casually disdain. The only thing I care about is proving that I am better than you!"
"Why should I remain hidden in your shadow? The world sees only you—shining brightly, carrying glory and the weight of everyone's expectations."
"Is it because I have the blood of a Frost Giant?"
"Since they've abandoned me, I have only one path to take: the path Odin once walked. I will conquer them with fire and iron. They will kneel at my feet, looking up to me with humility and piety!"
Each of Loki's words struck Thor like a hammer, battering his heart. He froze in place, stunned by the sheer venom in his brother's voice.
For a long moment, Thor stared at Loki, disappointment evident in his storm-filled eyes. Slowly, he raised Mjolnir and pointed it at his brother. His voice was low but resolute.
"This isn't you, Loki. You've never been this person."
"You have always been an Asgardian."
Thor's expression softened as he continued, trying to reach the brother he once knew.
"When I was exiled to Midgard, I witnessed incredible things. They showed me that greatness isn't determined by blood or by conquest."
"Humans, who we once thought of as mortals with fleeting lives, have proven that they can rise beyond their limits. Through their effort and ingenuity, they've shown they can surpass even those who call themselves gods."
Thor's voice carried sincerity, a plea for Loki to see reason. But Loki's eyes remained cold, his mind consumed by rage.
"We'll never agree," Loki said, his tone icy. "War is the only way to settle this."
"If you want war, Loki," Thor replied, his expression hardening. "Then so be it."
Boom!
As Thor's voice echoed, a deafening thunderclap erupted around him. Lightning surged from his body, illuminating the battlefield in a blinding flash.
All around, Chitauri soldiers raised their energy weapons, taking aim at the God of Thunder.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
A barrage of energy beams rained down like a deadly storm. But Thor was faster. Lightning crackled around him, slowing the world as he moved like a raging tempest. With Mjolnir in hand, he charged forward, his target clear: Loki.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Chitauri soldiers in Thor's path stood no chance. The moment he reached them, they were obliterated by the furious might of his lightning. Across the battlefield, a glowing line of destruction marked Thor's advance.
In seconds, Thor had crossed the battlefield, closing the gap to less than a hundred meters from Loki.
The Chitauri King, standing silently beside Loki, finally spoke in a hoarse, guttural voice.
"It's time to prove your worth, Loki. Don't disappoint the master."
Loki glanced at the Chitauri King, his expression unreadable. Then he stepped forward, raising the scepter in his hand.
Boom!
A terrifying blue beam of energy erupted from the scepter, slicing through the air like a scimitar. It was so fast that Thor couldn't react in time. The beam struck him square in the chest.
Boom!
Thor was hurled backward, the force of the blast overwhelming him. His body crashed through Chitauri soldiers and debris, spinning uncontrollably through the air before slamming into the surface of the mothership's upper deck. He hit a massive cannon with a resounding crack, the impact creating spiderweb-like fractures across the structure.
Embedded in the wreckage, Thor groaned as he pulled himself free, landing on the deck with a heavy thud. Lightning crackled around him as he swung Mjolnir, deflecting incoming energy blasts from the Chitauri.
His sharp gaze fixed on Loki's scepter, doubt creeping into his mind.
Loki had fled Asgard with Gungnir—the eternal spear. But the weapon he now wielded was far more potent, capable of delivering a strike that even Thor couldn't withstand.
"Loki!" Thor growled, his voice filled with suspicion and fury.
This wasn't a simple struggle for the throne. Thor's instincts told him there was something far more sinister at play.
As he pieced the puzzle together, realization struck him like a bolt of lightning. Behind Loki's ambition, there was a greater force—a shadowy figure lurking in the background, manipulating events from afar.
Thor's grip on Mjolnir tightened. His heart burned with a desire for justice.
"No matter who's behind this," he vowed, "I'll uncover your conspiracy, destroy it, and take your heads as trophies."
Boom!
Thor raised Mjolnir high, summoning a massive storm. A sea of thunder and lightning erupted, consuming the entire top deck of the mothership. Chitauri soldiers disintegrated instantly, reduced to ash by the sheer power of the storm.
Amid the chaos, a rainbow-colored beam of light descended from the sky, enveloping Thor.
Loki watched in frustration, understanding all too well what was happening. Heimdall had activated the Bifröst, pulling Thor back to Asgard.
Though Loki longed to stop him, he knew the Chitauri alone weren't enough to hold Thor.
For now, he could only watch as his brother disappeared into the light.