SWWW Chapter 216: Thor's Challenge, Beyond Understanding
Abandoned factory.
On one side, torrential rain poured. On the other, a bright moon hung in the sky.
The site manager, local police, astronomers, boys and girls alike—
Everyone stood frozen, staring up at the strange, divine weather phenomenon.
Since Thor had revealed himself to the world, modern scientists had studied and concluded—
No matter how powerful or legendary the gods were, they were in truth just extraordinary races, more evolved than humans.
But once their race became powerful enough, the physiques and powers they possessed, the weapons they forged, could shake the world itself.
They could even stir nature itself, producing phenomena like this!
…
"Another god? But I've never seen you before…"
Thor raised his eyes, cautious and solemn, staring at the black-haired woman who appeared in the factory.
The black-haired woman wore a loose, stylish white blouse and beige long casual pants. Her tall, graceful figure was flawless, her beautiful face cold and unmatched. Her long black hair draped over her shoulders, radiating an air of elegance and nobility.
That innate nobility—
It was far more natural and pure than Thor's silver armor, red cape, war hammer, and wild hair that made him look like a berserker.
This black-haired woman was none other than Diana, who had rushed here after receiving Xi Nian's message and following his location.
Diana didn't respond to Thor's words. Or rather, she didn't have the mood or the time to bother with him.
"Jarro, is Xi Nian inside?" Diana asked softly, speaking to the starfish in the glass jar.
"There is a very powerful and strange energy interfering with space and cognition in this area—it's unreal! Reality itself feels like it's twisting into an illusion that defies the laws of the universe!"
Jarro widened his single eye, staring at the factory building ahead in confusion, and replied telepathically: "But I can confirm Xi Nian is definitely not inside…"
"Wait a moment!"
Jarro froze, suddenly realizing: "That strange energy leaking from the factory… just now, it vanished without warning!"
Diana's fine, heroic brows lifted slightly.
The rain began to ease.
"You won't answer me?" Thor shrugged from not far away, a little annoyed at being ignored.
But then,
Thor seemed to remember something. He hefted the war hammer in his right hand, his eyes locking firmly on Diana again, his expression heavy: "I remember now. My father once told me—on Earth, there exists another ancient race that also calls themselves gods!"
"So what?"
Diana frowned slightly, glancing at him.
Right now she was worried for Xi Nian and Wanda's safety, so she had no interest in Thor's origins.
Thor stepped forward boldly, his golden hair whipping wildly in the wind, his eyes sparking with lightning. A battle-hungry smile spread across his face as he shouted toward Diana: "Draw your weapon! Fight me!"
"Why should I fight you?"
Diana's breathtaking face remained calm and cool, her beautiful eyes growing more divine and detached. If this had happened at another time, she might have humored it. But not now, when Xi Nian and Wanda were in danger.
"Thor!"
Jane ran up to Thor, slapped him across the face without hesitation, and scolded him: "Where have you been these past two years?! The last time I saw you was in the New York battle on the news, and you never even came to see me! And now you show up and start acting crazy? You're drunk, aren't you?!"
Thor didn't get angry. He scratched his head and gave a sheepish grin: "The Bifrost in Asgard was broken, and it took two years to repair. It was only fixed around the time of the New York battle. And there were many conflicts at the borders of the Nine Realms that needed me to handle."
"As for challenging her, I'm not drunk."
Thor looked straight at Diana, speaking gravely: "I don't know exactly what happened between our ancestors. But my father warned me—if I ever encounter a descendant of the other godly pantheon, no matter the time or place, I must fight them and decide victory or defeat!"
"How could this be… Is this battle unavoidable?"
Jane frowned deeply. But knowing Thor's stubborn and straightforward nature, she realized he was serious.
"It concerns Asgard's honor. And I am a warrior of Asgard, the future king of the realm of gods—there is no avoiding it!" Thor declared proudly, his aura rising higher and higher as thunder boomed again in the sky!
"I've never heard of that." Diana shook her head.
Her mother had never mentioned such a conflict between pantheons, nor had she ever had contact with her father's people.
After all, when she was born, the old Greek gods were already dead, Olympus shattered, withdrawn from the stage of the world.
"That doesn't matter. Show your weapon!"
Thor shouted again at Diana: "I won't take your life. I only need to prove who's stronger! Unless, of course, you admit defeat right now!"
"I admit defeat."
"You… what did you just say?"
Thor froze, his overwhelming momentum faltering as he stared blankly at Diana.
"I said, I admit defeat."
Diana turned with Jarro in hand, walking away from the factory.
The so-called honor of divine pantheons…
In Diana's heart, it was worth far less than one single person.
"You dare look down on me?!"
Thor misunderstood completely. Seeing Diana about to leave, he grew furious. Shoving Jane aside, he raised his war hammer and lunged!
Crackling thunder roared!
"Fight me!!"
Thor's hammer, his silver armor, even his very eyes burst into blazing electric light!
Carrying the might of storm and thunder, he became like a living bolt of lightning, crashing down with his hammer aimed at Diana's back!
…
Washington, First Central Hospital.
Inside an operating room marked "In Use."
Xi Nian gently placed the unconscious Wanda down, laying the scarlet-haired girl flat on the medical scanner.
Her small face was pale, her breathing absent, her heartbeat silent.
"This is too strange…"
The white doctor stood beside the monitor, staring at the data it displayed, his eyes filled with confusion.
From the outside, the girl seemed uninjured.
But her heartbeat was so faint, weaker than even a vegetative patient—ten times weaker!
Her body was slightly cold, her blood circulating sluggishly, keeping only the tiniest thread of life…
It was as if—
She was a living corpse.
Stephen Strange had practiced medicine for over twenty years, handling countless difficult cases. He was a genius neurosurgeon, one of the best in the field. Today, he had only come to Washington Hospital to teach.
It was no exaggeration—
In New York City, if he claimed to be the second-best doctor, no one would dare claim first.
For most surgeries, he wouldn't even bother taking them himself.
But this time—
The abnormal condition of the scarlet-haired girl was completely beyond Strange's medical understanding!
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