The instant the ground gave way, Ryuuto's fingers flew through a blur of hand-signs.
"Body Expansion Technique!"
Chakra surged through his veins. His right arm stretched like living steel, shooting down into the collapsing floor. He caught Susan by the wrist just before she disappeared into the pit.
Ryuuto's strength easily overpowered Reed's rubbery grip. With a yank, he pulled Susan upward, breaking the elastic hold around her neck. Reed's concentration wavered from the impact, and his limbs snapped back to normal.
Ryuuto didn't bother to fight them — not when his full power was sealed.
With Susan in his arms, he vaulted into the air.
Susan clung to him, still breathless. "You can fly? Why'd you make me carry you before?"
He grinned. "My abilities are... evolving. The flight part just woke up after we got to this base."
Her eyes widened. "Then earlier — that was ninjutsu, right?"
"Yeah."
"So that makes you... a master of it?"
Ryuuto smirked. "Let's save the nicknames till I'm done cleaning this mess."
Behind them, Johnny Storm rocketed up in pursuit, flames roaring. Ryuuto tilted his head toward Susan.
"You mind stopping him for a second?"
She raised a hand — a ripple of blue shimmered in the air.
BOOM!
Johnny slammed into the invisible wall and his flames sputtered out. For two awkward seconds, he just hung there in the air like a stunned firecracker before sliding down.
Then came the yell: "Thunderbolt!"
Flames reignited, and he caught himself mid-fall. The Human Torch wasn't much use without his fire — just an angry guy falling fast.
Watching Ryuuto and Susan fly off, Johnny muttered, "What now?"
Reed's voice crackled over comms. "Find Loki. The energy readings are off the charts."
Ben grunted, "Great. More god drama."
The trio took off toward the storm clouds flashing in the northwest — drawn like puppets by Loki's control. Even from miles away, Ryuuto could feel the distortion in their minds. They weren't acting of their own will. Loki's illusion magic wrapped around them like chains.
Susan glanced down. "They're still being controlled."
Ryuuto sighed. "Yeah. Guess we'll have to knock some sense into them later."
Then his eyes twitched. "Wait... something just occurred to me."
"Huh? What is it?"
"You can fly. So why the hell am I still holding you?"
Susan tightened her grip around his neck. "Don't you dare drop me!"
"You're literally a person who flies."
"I get airsick!"
Ryuuto shot her a deadpan look. "You control gravity fields, and you're scared of heights?"
She huffed. "I said airsick, not scared! Besides... I like this better." Her voice softened. "When someone else's carrying me, I don't have to think. When I fly, I have to calculate every force field beneath my feet, every trajectory. It's exhausting."
He exhaled a small laugh. "So you're telling me, Miss Force-Field Genius, that this is your excuse to nap mid-flight?"
"Maybe."
"Well," he said, smirking, "guess I'll let it slide. This once."
Three kilometers northwest, the sky was tearing itself apart.
Lightning bled purple across the horizon as Thor raised Mjolnir, eyes burning like suns. Across from him stood Loki, clutching the scepter that shimmered with the light of an Infinity Gem.
Thor's voice thundered.
"Last time you brought the Chitauri to Midgard! If it weren't for me — and Stark — the planet would've fallen! I spared you because you were my brother. I took you back to Asgard, gave you another chance… and you betrayed that mercy!"
Loki's laugh was cold, cruel.
"Brother? You still cling to that lie? I am not your blood, Thor. I am the son of Laufey — a Frost Giant you dragged home like a stray! You speak of mercy, but what you offered was a cage! A prison dressed up as forgiveness!"
"Enough!"
Mjolnir flashed — a bolt of divine lightning crashed toward Loki.
The Trickster spun his scepter, a beam of blue light meeting the storm head-on. The explosion hurled Loki back several meters, tearing a crater into the ground.
Cackling, Loki straightened, cape fluttering.
"After New York, your precious Asgard cheered your victory while I rotted in chains. Tell me, Thor — that day, was I your brother... or your trophy?"
Thor's face twisted. "You are both. A brother... and a prisoner. You broke Asgard's laws, Loki. You can't expect to escape punishment simply because of blood. Mother loved you. For her sake, stop this madness. Come home!"
Loki's expression darkened. He raised the scepter, voice trembling with fury.
"Home? There's no place for me there. If you want me back—try and take me!"
The scepter flared — a concentrated blast ripped through the forest, vaporizing a tree. Thor spun Mjolnir and hurled it like judgment itself.
The hammer roared through the storm, and the heavens split apart.