New Mexico.
Temporary Research Facility.
After confirming that Thor was indeed the Norse god mentioned by Senju Haruto, Coulson's attitude changed completely. He not only returned Jane Foster's confiscated notebook but even invited them to stay at the temporary research center—at least until Thor could once again lift his hammer, Mjolnir.
From what Thor had explained, Odin never meant to exile him to Midgard forever—to die alone and forgotten. Instead, this ordeal was meant to humble him, to teach him compassion, so that one day he could become a wiser and kinder king.
But despite Coulson's attempts to console him, Thor's heart was heavy.
If not for his own arrogance and recklessness, his father, Odin, would never have died.
Boom!
Just as Thor was heading toward his assigned room to rest, a deafening rumble echoed through the facility. Brilliant streaks of multicolored light pierced through the windows—so bright they seemed to split the night sky itself.
Everyone felt it. Senju Haruto, Coulson, Jane, and Erik all turned their heads toward the glow.
The agents, who had only just relaxed, instantly snapped back into combat readiness.
Hawkeye slung his high-tech bow across his back and sprinted up the watchtower to get a better view.
Even Haruto frowned slightly. The timing was far too familiar.
"Could it be… the Destroyer?"
His brows furrowed as the thought surfaced.
He'd only just fought that thing not long ago.
Within half a minute, everyone gathered in the courtyard again. Thor, Jane, and Erik were tense, their eyes fixed on the sky.
"The Bifröst…" Thor muttered, clenching his fists. The sight of that shimmering bridge made his gut twist with dread.
Something told him this wasn't a friendly visit.
But this time, the ones emerging from the bridge were not enemies.
The first to step out from the radiant column of light was a woman—strong, poised, and radiant in her armor.
Sif.
Thor's longtime comrade-in-arms, one of Asgard's fiercest warriors. In Thor's eyes, her strength rivaled even that of the legendary Valkyries.
And right behind her came three familiar figures—the Warriors Three:
Volstagg, Fandral, and Hogun.
"Thor!"
Sif's voice rang with joy as she and the warriors hurried toward him. The Bifröst faded away behind them, leaving only the quiet hum of the night.
"Sif, Hogun, Fandral, Volstagg!" Thor called out, his face lighting up with genuine excitement as he introduced them to Coulson and the others.
"More gods?" Coulson muttered under his breath, swallowing hard. His mind struggled to keep up. Just yesterday, he would've sworn gods were nothing but myths. And now… they were standing right in front of him.
He honestly couldn't tell if this was a miracle—or a nightmare.
Senju Haruto, on the other hand, stayed calm.
He knew exactly what this scene meant.
Sif and the Warriors Three sneaking to Midgard to find Thor—that was straight out of the original timeline. It was their arrival that eventually exposed Loki's deception.
The only difference was the timing. In the original events, they weren't supposed to arrive until days later, when Thor was still struggling to lift his hammer.
It must've been Loki's injuries, Haruto reasoned, that caused this change—pushing Sif and the others to act sooner.
"Thor, come back to Asgard with us," Sif said after a brief exchange of greetings, her tone earnest.
But the moment the words left her lips, the light in Thor's eyes dimmed.
The excitement faded, replaced by a heavy melancholy.
He had thought they'd come simply because they missed him—to see their long-lost friend.
For a fleeting moment, their reunion had eased the pain of Odin's supposed death.
"I've already decided," Thor said quietly, shaking his head. "I won't return to Asgard."
"What?" Sif blinked, confused. "Why not?"
She and the Warriors Three exchanged puzzled glances.
Odin was in the Odinsleep, Loki was injured—and unpopular as ever. The idea that Thor would refuse to come home made no sense.
"It's… it's my fault Father is dead," Thor said, his voice thick with guilt and self-blame.
But before he could finish, Sif interrupted sharply.
"What are you talking about?"
The four Asgardians looked at one another, completely lost. They had just come from Asgard—and none of them remembered hearing anything about Odin's death.
"Your father is alive," Sif said, frowning. "He's merely in the Odinsleep. Once his strength returns, he'll awaken soon enough."
"How could you think otherwise?"
"Who told you that Odin was dead?" Volstagg asked grimly, his suspicion flaring. "Whoever it was—surely they meant you harm."
Volstagg's mind went immediately to one person.
Loki.
Only Loki would have anything to gain by feeding Thor such lies. Only he would want Thor to stay far away from Asgard.
"My father… is still alive?" Thor's eyes went wide, the shock freezing him in place. His thoughts tangled in chaos.
Someone had lied—either Loki or his friends. But if Odin was truly alive, why would Loki deceive him?
"Probably because he doesn't want you to come back," Haruto said suddenly, his tone calm but cutting. "If you stay here, Loki remains the rightful ruler of Asgard, unchallenged and all-powerful."
"Few people can resist that kind of temptation."
He tilted his head slightly, gazing up at the night sky.
"What are you looking at?" Coulson asked, noticing Haruto's shift in focus.
Thor, Sif, the warriors, Jane, and Erik all followed his gaze—but saw nothing.
Just the endless stretch of stars.
"What do you think Loki's doing right now?" Haruto murmured. "He's watching. From Asgard, he's keeping an eye on Thor's every move."
"The moment you appeared here, Sif… the moment you spoke with him… that was when his lies began to unravel."
"With Loki's nature, do you really think he'll sit quietly and wait for punishment?"
His words fell like stones into silence.
Sif and the Warriors Three exchanged grim looks as the realization sank in.
So that was why Loki had tried to stop them from coming.
He'd been scheming from the start—blinded by greed and ambition, willing to betray his own blood for power.
And they all knew one thing about Loki:
He never sat idle when threatened.
And sure enough—
Boom!
A pillar of rainbow light tore through the sky again, crashing down to the desert floor.
The Bifröst had opened once more, linking Asgard and Midgard.
From the blazing beam, a gleaming metallic arm burst forth—massive and imposing.
The ultimate weapon.
The Destroyer.