NOVEL NEXT Chapter 254: Precious Materials
Thinking about all this, Nick Fury couldn't help feeling a bit helpless. Before Smith Dole rose to power, S.H.I.E.L.D. had managed to plant a few agents in the League of Assassins, but those early efforts were during a time when the organization didn't guard itself too tightly.
After Smith's rise, however, the League's headquarters almost never recruited new members. When they did, it was either one of the two batches of extraordinary individuals from Britain, or someone like Ivan Vanko — a person with exceptional scientific ability.
The agents sent afterward never penetrated the headquarters. Most were placed within the Assassin Brotherhood or the League's legitimate companies, gathering little useful intelligence. Natasha had been the closest to the core, but Fury had recalled her for other assignments.
Getting someone into the heart of the League again might take one or two generations — or even longer — unless they targeted important individuals' inner circles, perhaps by becoming a lover or forging an even closer relationship.
But such operations wouldn't yield immediate results. They would require careful, long-term groundwork.
…
Asgard.
Loki and Thor were locked in fierce battle atop the Bifröst's energy bridge. With the Eternal Spear in hand, Loki held his ground — neither side going for a killing blow, but neither giving in.
In the final moments, Thor unleashed his lightning, knocking Loki down. As Loki struggled to rise, Thor dropped Mjolnir on him, pinning him to the bridge.
Unable to lift Mjolnir, Loki could only watch as Thor headed toward the control chamber.
But during their fight, the Bifröst's output had continued to climb. The raging energy storm around the control chamber made it difficult even for Thor to approach.
Lying on the ground, Loki strained every method he knew but couldn't move Mjolnir an inch. Unwilling to admit defeat, he taunted:
"Look at you, mighty Thor."
"With all your strength — and yet, what good is it now?"
"Can you hear it?"
"Brother, you can't stop it."
Thor saw the Bifröst's beam pounding Jotunheim. If he didn't act, the realm would be destroyed.
He called Mjolnir back to his hand and, without hesitation, swung it down onto the bridge's energy conduit.
The strike left a deep crack in the structure. Even Odin, watching from the shadows, was stunned. First the boy had smashed his Destroyer armor, and now he was going to wreck the Bifröst itself.
Odin wanted to teach Thor compassion — not to have him demolish Asgard's treasures. The Destroyer's loss could be tolerated as a lesson, but sparing Jotunheim? That realm's destruction could have been turned into propaganda for Asgard's power.
No longer willing to remain in his Odinsleep, Odin merged his spirit and body, rushing to stop Thor.
Thor struck again, widening the cracks.
"What are you doing?" Loki cried out in shock.
"If you destroy the bridge, you'll never see her again!"
Thor ignored him. "Forgive me, Jane!" he shouted, hammering away.
Loki leapt forward with the Eternal Spear, but Thor landed the final blow first.
The explosion blasted both brothers into the air. The control chamber collapsed, and the unleashed energy tore open a cosmic abyss — a void that began devouring everything nearby.
Loki dangled from the Eternal Spear, Thor clutching its other end. With no foothold, Thor would be pulled in as well.
In that desperate moment, Odin arrived, seizing Thor's arm.
"Father, I could have done it! I could have destroyed Jotunheim — for you, for us!" Loki cried.
"No, Loki…" Odin began, but Loki's face twisted in despair.
After all his efforts, Odin still didn't acknowledge him. Feeling the sting of rejection, Loki released the spear.
"Loki, no!" Thor roared, his voice breaking.
Odin's eyes widened as his foster son fell into the abyss. He had always considered Loki his own child — that's why he had entrusted him with Asgard and the Eternal Spear.
But now, all he could do was pull Thor up and take him back to the palace. He had lost one son; he would not lose another.
…
League of Assassins Headquarters.
Smith Dole entered Bulma's lab, unloading the remains of the Destroyer. The pile was so massive that only Bulma's spacious workspace could contain it.
Looking at the heap of fragments, Bulma asked in puzzlement:
"What's this?"
"This is the Destroyer armor," Smith said.
"A divine artifact forged by Odin, king of the Asgardian gods. The materials used are among the rarest in the universe. It has powerful self-repair capabilities, exceptional energy conduction, and even without a wearer providing power, it can fight independently."
"…"
(End of Chapter)
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