Regardless of the original plot, the fact that the Dark Elves had used the cover of night to reach Asgard and launch a surprise attack on the palace was now an unchangeable reality.
"What should we do next?"
Tony had already put on his Iron Man suit. The armor had gone through several upgrades and was now very easy to equip. The moment Thor, fully armed, announced that the Kursed had begun to act, Tony had already rushed into his suit.
In this state, he was confident he could fight anyone, especially since the armor he was wearing now was his latest work, incorporating not only all of his technology, but also many magic stones and magical techniques whose principles he still didn't fully understand.
With this suit, he was confident he could go one-on-one with Thor. Of course, whether he could win was another matter.
"I need to go deal with the Kursed. Heimdall has already sent word that the Dark Elf mothership has launched many fighters, likely to cause chaos. In this situation, nowhere is truly safe. Just make sure you keep yourselves safe."
Thor glanced at Jane, who had already woken up. "Ethan, I hope you can protect Jane."
No one was more suitable than Ethan. He didn't know Ethan's current strength, but with that teleportation magic, no one could hurt them.
Ethan shook his head, clearly speechless. "You underestimate your father too much. The Dark Elves might cause some destruction on the outskirts, but they won't be able to break into this place."
Just as Ethan had predicted, the Dark Elves were no match for Asgard in a head-on confrontation. While Odin's physical condition wasn't great, his mind was still sharp.
With advance warning and preparations in place, it was impossible for the Dark Elves to cause any damage to the city under his rule.
Even if the Dark Elves were wiped out, it wouldn't be worth celebrating if the city was destroyed.
As the Dark Elf fighters—shaped like short blades—rushed toward the palace, Asgardian skiffs that had been hidden everywhere suddenly appeared, surrounding the enemy.
"That's..."
Thor stood on the balcony, watching the distant battle. As Asgard's various defense facilities and lighting systems activated, the night was instantly lit up like day. The Dark Elves could no longer rely on darkness to hide their movements.
"Mother's magic?"
To conceal such a large number of skiffs over such a vast area, only Odin or Frigga would be capable of that in all of Asgard.
Odin's physical condition didn't allow him to use such energy-draining spells, so that left only Frigga.
But Ethan knew the magic wasn't Frigga's. The Allmother was busy using her magic to maintain Odin's health and mobility. She couldn't have spent her power on this—after Frigga's death, Odin's health deteriorated rapidly and he eventually passed away.
And Ethan was very familiar with this magical fluctuation. He had spent a lot of time with the caster.
"It's Loki's magic."
As Ethan said this, Loki stepped out from the void.
This wasn't his physical form but a long-distance projection.
"That Kursed is more troublesome than expected. If you don't go now, your friends might die in the dungeon."
Only then did Thor remember the internal threat. Since the battle outside was under control, he immediately turned and rushed toward the dungeon.
"You probably didn't show up just to remind Thor, did you?"
"Of course not."
Loki wore his usual dark green robe, the helmet Tony had once mocked as "Bambi antlers" on his head, and held the Casket of Ancient Winters in his hand. This appearance signified Loki's battle-ready state.
"I'm here to ask for your help."
"Oh?"
"Father has entrusted me with the task of leading this operation to wipe out the Dark Elves. To ensure the complete elimination of the enemy, I hope you can assist."
It wasn't surprising that Odin had made such an arrangement. His physical condition wasn't ideal, and the Allmother wasn't suited for direct combat. Regardless of the tactical arrangement, a strong presence was needed to anchor the main battlefield.
Originally, Thor would have been a suitable choice, but the Kursed needed someone strong to deal with as well. Odin also doubted Thor's ability to completely eliminate the Dark Elves—no prisoners were wanted in this battle.
Loki, on the other hand, was the perfect fit. He wouldn't show mercy to the Dark Elves, and having just returned to Asgard, he needed a military achievement to redeem his past actions and give the people of Asgard a reason to overlook his past mistakes.
At the same time, this served as a test. When Asgard faced a crisis, could Loki—would Loki—contribute?
If he succeeded, he would regain his position in Asgard. Even if Thor's friends disliked him, they would have to respect him. He was the son of Odin, the Prince of Asgard, Thor's brother, and the hero who had eliminated the Dark Elves and defended Asgard.
If he failed, there was nothing more to say. He would continue his quiet training and wait for the next opportunity.
"With your strength, you shouldn't need help to deal with these Dark Elves, right?"
This Loki was not the same as in the original plot, who ambushed the Kursed and got himself killed—though that outcome had been partly an act, his strength back then was indeed lacking.
The current Loki possessed formidable power. When he unleashed his terrifying ice magic, ordinary foes couldn't stand a chance. If he charged forward and went all out, he could annihilate the entire Dark Elf force in seconds.
"This is Asgard. Some techniques are too destructive to be used here."
"Understood."
That was the disadvantage of defending your home. The enemy didn't care about wrecking things, but the defenders had to hold back. If the destruction was too severe, the victory wouldn't be worth much.
"What's the pay?"
"I'll pay according to the universal mercenary rates used throughout the galaxy."
Ethan looked at Loki, who returned a smug smile.
Having spent plenty of time with Ethan, Loki knew exactly what he wanted. Especially now that Ethan had set his sights on space, what he needed most was advanced technology for interstellar travel and survival.
Asgard had plenty of such tech, but they wouldn't hand it out easily. Ethan had his principles and wouldn't steal from Asgard, so his only option was to buy from other planets.
The problem was: he had no money.
Loki knew this, so he offered to hire Ethan with proper pay.
It was a win-win deal, and he was sure Ethan would accept.
"Deal."
Ethan didn't even glance at Loki's fading projection. He opened a portal and stepped through.
He had originally planned to go alone, but unexpectedly, Tony, Logan, Laura, and even Selene reacted quickly and followed after him in a rush.
So when Ethan appeared before Loki in person, several others were now standing behind him.
"Remember, the payment must be for..." He turned and counted. "Five... six people!"
Laura reacted fast. As Ethan turned to count, she lifted Auriel high above her head. The little one, still sound asleep and clueless, was thus counted as a "person" too.
"No problem."
Loki's forehead twitched. As a god and Prince of Asgard, he disdained haggling. He agreed immediately.
By this time, the trapped Dark Elf mothership was already close to destruction. Even if they tried to retreat, it was too late. Asgardian skiffs were fast and agile, and they wouldn't just sit back and watch the enemy flee.
What was supposed to be a surprise attack had turned into a direct confrontation, leaving Malekith deeply frustrated.
Standing in the command center, he looked outside and noticed Odin was not among the defending Asgardians. This made him feel underestimated. At the same time, he sensed a chance to escape.
"Defeat this group of Asgardians first, then retreat."
The massive mothership slowly descended, stopping at the palace coast, beside the magnificent Rainbow Bridge.
A large number of Dark Elf warriors, led by Malekith, set foot on Asgardian soil. The white-haired Dark Elf leader stood at the front of his army, head high, staring down the Asgardians, especially Loki, who stood at the front of the formation.
The two sized each other up, while Tony quietly muttered to Ethan, "Why do I feel like I'm watching a medieval knight's duel?"
Ethan shrugged. He felt the same. But a bit of pre-fight posturing wasn't a bad thing. He would just enjoy the show.
Unexpectedly, Malekith didn't waste time with empty threats. After declaring his goal of reclaiming the Aether and plunging the universe into darkness, he immediately gave the order to attack.
"This guy's all business."
The battle broke out instantly. Loki, standing front and center, naturally became the target of focused fire. But all the energy blasts meant for Loki instead flew toward Ethan.
"This is a thank-you gift for your constant 'care'." Loki's voice rang in Ethan's ear. Clearly, he had used an illusion to divert the enemy's attacks onto Ethan.
But for Ethan, this level of firepower was nothing.
He casually raised his right hand, and a transparent barrier glowing with blue light appeared in front of him, absorbing all the incoming blasts.
Since many Asgardian warriors were charging forward with weapons in hand, directly reflecting the blasts might cause friendly fire. So Ethan opened a "blue window" in the air and redirected the absorbed energy downward, showering the Dark Elves below.
(To be continued.)