Tony Stark stared at Zenkichi, speechless. He hadn't expected such a blunt and confident response. The casual dismissal left Tony a little dazed—like someone had pulled the rug out from under his normally unshakable ego.
"You serious?" he asked again, squinting as if trying to read Zenkichi's mind.
Zenkichi glanced at him. "Believe me, if they dare to try anything, they'll pay for it."
With that, he turned and walked away. There were bigger things waiting. Wasting time standing over a defeated Hulk wasn't on his agenda. The Marvel universe was massive, and his plans had only just begun to unfold.
"Wait for me!" a familiar voice called.
Thor jogged forward, catching up to Zenkichi. The god of thunder had only just returned to Earth and was still disoriented, uncertain. He needed someone to help him regain his footing.
Zenkichi, the man who had handled both Hulk and chaos like it was nothing, seemed like a solid choice.
"What do you want?" Zenkichi asked, glancing at him over his shoulder.
Thor exhaled, brushing dust off his armor. "I need your help. Just for a while. Let me stay with you until I recover my strength. I'll leave after that."
Zenkichi looked at him for a long moment, recalling how Loki had threatened Thor before vanishing. He understood the stakes, but that didn't mean he had time to play guardian.
"Logically, there's no problem," Zenkichi said, "but it's not possible."
His refusal was direct. No hesitation.
But he didn't leave Thor empty-handed either. He turned and pointed toward Tony.
"You should talk to him instead. That's Tony Stark, head of Stark Industries. He can send you to S.H.I.E.L.D. They'll gladly take you in. Honestly, that's where you're meant to be."
"Meant to be?" Thor repeated, his expression souring slightly. "You're talking like it's destiny."
Zenkichi didn't respond, but the implication hung there.
Thor clenched his fists. He didn't believe in fate—not in the way mortals did. He was a god. He forged his own path, shaped his own legend. The idea that something as fragile as 'destiny' would decide his future was almost insulting.
But he could tell Zenkichi wasn't interested in a long conversation.
So, without another word, Thor turned and began to walk away.
He didn't need someone to shelter him. Even without his divine power or mastery over thunder, he believed he could rise again in this world. He was still a warrior. Still a prince of Asgard. Human fame, he figured, could be earned easily enough—and with it, he would reclaim what was his.
Following Tony Stark? That was never an option. Not really.
His pride wouldn't allow it.
It would have been smart to follow Zenkichi, sure. But he wouldn't beg. Not when he had his own strength to rely on.
Tony watched the Asgardian disappear into the distance, then glanced at Zenkichi.
"You want me to stop him?" Tony asked.
"No need," Zenkichi replied calmly, shaking his head. "He's made his choice. He'll end up with S.H.I.E.L.D. anyway."
Tony raised an eyebrow. "You sure about that?"
Zenkichi didn't answer immediately. His gaze drifted upward, to the sky—no, beyond it.
In the far reaches of space, he felt something shift. A faint tremor in the fabric of reality, like a whisper carried across the cosmos.
Something… or someone… was trying to escape.
He recognized the presence immediately.
Loki.
He smiled faintly to himself.
"He'll be back soon," Zenkichi muttered.
Tony tilted his head. "What was that?"
Zenkichi didn't respond.
Instead, he said something else—quiet, almost to himself.
"People should keep their feet on the ground. Otherwise, it gets dangerous."
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