"Crackle!" Just as Ebony Maw thought he had successfully seized Loki, a surge of electricity filled the area, illuminating everything and instantly paralyzing Ebony Maw's body.
"Ugh!" Ebony Maw let out a groan as his telekinetic power surged wildly, trying to resist the thunderous energy coursing through him. However, to his dismay, he found his telekinesis significantly weakened, and his consciousness was starting to fade.
With a "thud," Ebony Maw collapsed to the ground, but he didn't die from the thunderous assault. Thor had held back, intending to leave Ebony Maw to Loki for retribution. Ebony Maw lay there, battered and helpless, unable to move or even muster his telekinetic abilities.
It was unclear whether the injuries he had sustained weakened his powers or if his failed attempt to counter Thor's thunderous energy had disrupted his abilities. Perhaps he was simply disoriented from trying to use his telekinesis without his usual hand gestures, something he might have relied on like a magician's spellcasting.
"Are you okay, Loki?" Thor asked, turning to Loki, who had just picked himself up from the ground, looking none too pleased.
"I'm fine!" Loki replied, casting a deep glance at Thor before turning his gaze back to Ebony Maw.
Truth be told, Loki's primary focus had been on Ebony Maw. The humiliation he had endured recently far surpassed anything he had experienced over the centuries. Not even Robert's attack had left him feeling so degraded.
The feeling of being a puppet, completely under someone else's control, doing whatever they commanded, was something Loki never wanted to experience again. What made it worse was that he had been fully aware of his actions during this time, unable to stop them. That helplessness had carved itself deeply into Loki's heart.
Since regaining consciousness, Loki had been consumed by thoughts of revenge. He barely noticed Thor's changes, his mind fixated solely on making those who wronged him pay.
But when Thor effortlessly defeated Ebony Maw once again, Loki hesitated. For the first time, he found himself focusing on Thor's newfound strength.
Thor's growing power meant the gap between them was widening, and enemies Loki couldn't even begin to handle were now being easily dispatched by Thor—without even using Mjolnir.
Loki knew Mjolnir well, even if he couldn't lift it himself. Over the years, he had observed Thor wield it countless times and understood its capabilities.
In Loki's memory, Thor often used Mjolnir without tapping into its thunderous power. He relied on its indestructible hammerhead and immense weight to deal with foes. Only when faced with overwhelming numbers would Thor unleash the hammer's hidden thunderous might, devastating everything around him.
But the thunderous power Thor had just wielded was far greater than any attack Loki had ever seen Thor use with Mjolnir.
"Damn it! What has Thor gone through? I've been out here suffering, and he's been getting stronger somehow?" The more Loki thought about Thor's strength, the more agitated he became. Thoughts of revenge against Ebony Maw faded as new doubts took hold of his mind, filling him with increasing frustration.
"Loki? What are you thinking about? Planning what to do with him?" Thor's voice snapped Loki back to reality. Thor was watching him with concern, making Loki fall silent once more.
"It's understandable. You've always been more of a trickster than a punisher. If you need, I can lend you some people," Thor suggested with a smile, thinking Loki was struggling to come up with ways to torment Ebony Maw.
Though Thor hadn't yet built the powerful New Asgard he envisioned, he had managed to establish a small following on Earth. Among his followers were those skilled in the kind of "persuasive" techniques often associated with groups like Hydra.
When it came to torture, these followers were quite adept. Even if they weren't particularly strong, they were proficient in their methods. If Loki was at a loss on how to deal with Ebony Maw, Thor figured it would be best to let those experts handle it while Loki watched.
"Here? Lend me some people? Or back in Asgard?" Loki asked, bewildered, glancing at Thor, then at the Warriors Three and Sif. His expression was one of hesitation.
Loki didn't remember anyone in Asgard who specialized in torture. Asgard's enemies were either killed outright or imprisoned in the inescapable dungeons of Asgard, where they would remain until they died of old age. As for interrogation, Asgard had a team of sorceresses with powers similar to Proxima Midnight's, making physical torture unnecessary.
"Of course not Asgard. I haven't been back there in a long time," Thor said with a laugh, shaking his head. "We've been on Earth for quite some time and have set up our own little faction here. After we deal with this gray octopus guy, why don't you stay on Earth and help me expand our power?"
"How old are you? Playing pretend?" Loki retorted instinctively, then looked at the Warriors Three and Sif with incredulity. "And you? You're abandoning your roles as Asgardian gods to play make-believe in this primitive, barbaric, and dangerous Midgard?"
"This isn't playing make-believe!" Thor's expression darkened as an aura of authority radiated from him. His eyes flashed coldly as he looked at Loki and spoke sternly, "Do you have any idea how dangerous Earth is? Despite all the invaders, they still couldn't overcome it. Only in such a challenging environment can we truly grow stronger!"
"If we just stay in Asgard, drinking and celebrating, clinging to the idea that we're gods, how will Asgard progress? How will we grow stronger? For centuries, we've done the same thing over and over, but have we really improved?"
"What difference is there between you now and six hundred years ago? Apart from growing older, have you become any stronger? Earth is the real crucible! Far more challenging than anywhere else in the Nine Realms. Or do you want to go back to those places and toy with weaker beings just to prop up your so-called godly ego?"
"Thor…" Loki instinctively took two steps back, stunned by the force of Thor's words. He had spent over a thousand years with Thor, but he had never felt such an intimidating presence from his brother.
In that moment, Loki saw the same imposing aura he had felt from their father, Odin—not the elderly, seemingly kind-hearted Odin who smiled at everyone, but the terrifying Odin who occasionally revealed his wrath.
This new Thor was almost identical to the god-king Odin, striking fear into Loki's heart.
However, as Loki recovered, he processed the implications of Thor's words. His eyes widened in disbelief as he asked, "Wait! What do you mean? You're the God of Thunder! Are you saying you no longer acknowledge your identity as a god? Are you giving up your divine status?!"
"What god? There's no such thing anymore! As long as we're strong, what need is there for a title like 'god'?" Thor's aura slowly subsided as he spoke with a self-deprecating smile. "In the universe, does Asgard's power truly surpass everyone else's? Do other races in the cosmos call us gods? No, they call us Asgardians, never gods."
"And if our strength isn't great enough, what's the point of calling ourselves gods? If even our so-called godhood can be broken, and our lives are just as vulnerable as any mortal's, what right do we have to call ourselves gods?"
"What… what are you saying?" Loki murmured, increasingly bewildered by the unfamiliar words coming from Thor. He felt as though he didn't recognize his brother anymore, as if years—centuries—had passed, and Thor had experienced countless things that had changed him.
"I'm saying we're not true gods. I'm an Asgardian, and you're a Frost Giant raised as an Asgardian. We're just two beings from powerful races, stronger than ordinary humans but not true gods. If we were, you wouldn't have been in such dire straits wandering the universe," Thor sighed, releasing Mjolnir.
"Buzz!"
"Bang!"
Mjolnir wasn't aimed at the defenseless Ebony Maw lying on the ground but at Black Dwarf, who, seeing the situation turn dire and realizing Ebony Maw could no longer fight back, was trying to figure out a way to escape.
But Black Dwarf was far too large to hide effectively, let alone escape unnoticed by Thor and the others. His sluggish speed left him with no chance of fleeing unless a portal suddenly opened beneath him.
So, after another collision with Mjolnir, Black Dwarf crashed through a building and hit the ground hard, his injuries worsening.
Still, Black Dwarf's massive physique gave him an advantage. Despite all the battles and injuries, and even after being knocked aside by Mjolnir, he managed to get back on his feet.
"You've got a strong body, a strong race. Big guy, would you like to work for me?" Thor's eyes gleamed as he looked at Black Dwarf and asked.
Like Tony Stark and other leaders of official organizations, Thor was eager to recruit talent. Black Dwarf's apparent lack of intelligence made him an ideal candidate, as he likely wasn't involved in Loki's torment.
And even if Black Dwarf had bullied Loki, Thor figured he could always let Loki take his revenge later. With Ebony Maw already at Loki's mercy, there was no need to waste another potential recruit like Black Dwarf.
As for why Thor didn't want to recruit Ebony Maw as well, it was because he had quickly assessed Ebony Maw's character. Someone with his
telekinetic powers would be difficult to control, and brainwashing might not be very effective. It was safer to eliminate him and win Loki's loyalty instead.
After all, Loki's abilities might not match Ebony Maw's, but they were still valuable. Loki's illusions, shapeshifting, and invisibility might not work against someone as powerful as Ebony Maw, but they could help Thor accomplish many things on Earth…
"Don't even think about it! I won't betray Father!" Black Dwarf scoffed at Thor's offer, sneering as he replied, "This invasion of Earth may have failed, but Father won't let you off the hook! Whether you're from Earth or Asgard, it makes no difference!"
"Wait! I'll submit!" Just as Black Dwarf finished speaking, Ebony Maw, struggling to gather the strength to speak, shouted desperately. "I have value! I can tell you more about Thanos! I know he's collecting the six Infinity Stones, I know what cards he's holding…"
"Infinity Stones? Go on…" As Ebony Maw began to spill Thanos' secrets in a bid to save his life, a calm voice suddenly interrupted. The voice carried a hint of encouragement, and a figure emerged from the shadows, smiling as they nodded at Ebony Maw, then at Thor and Loki. "Well, well, so many familiar faces here. It's been a while!"
"It's you?!" Loki and Thor exclaimed simultaneously. Mjolnir flew back into Thor's hand as he cautiously eyed Robert, but he didn't make a move. Instead, he grabbed Loki, who looked ready to charge forward.
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