"I don't want to be deceived…"
A simple yet forceful warning—classic Ritual style.
Shen He nodded silently. Trust wasn't built with words but actions.
Even so…
"I'll check things out. Since I'm involved, I have some responsibility. You stay here." Shen He stopped the truck and took Violet with him.
Ritual watched his back as he left.
She was upset.
Her brows furrowed again. She knew it was because of what she had said, but she had made her stance clear from the beginning.
Meanwhile, Shen He sighed. He just wanted to save Asgard, yet now he had left an impression of being a "deceiver" on Ritual.
At worst, it was just a little manipulation.
He removed his coat, placing it over Violet's head, then climbed to a high point against the wind and sand. Using binoculars, he spotted Thor crouching in a rundown village, lying in wait for the incoming terrorists.
This was a world of superheroes.
Back when he watched Marvel movies, he was mesmerized by the flashy effects, epic battles, and world-saving glory.
But in reality, being a hero wasn't that simple.
Heroism meant protection—standing tall when all hope was lost, defending the innocent, and bringing courage in the face of despair.
Right now, Thor wasn't there yet.
---
Thor crouched behind a crumbling house, gripping the gun in his hands.
Use your head, use your head… But how?
He had always led the charge in battle, diving into enemy ranks and emerging victorious no matter the odds.
So his plan was simple: wait for the bastards to arrive, gun them down, and prove himself to Shen He. Maybe then, he'd earn his power back.
Crack!
A porcelain bowl shattered.
Thor turned and saw a little girl in tattered gray-and-white clothes. She covered her mouth, eyes wide with terror.
"Shh—"
Thor put a finger to his lips, offering a reassuring smile.
The girl hesitated, then slowly backed away.
Thor sighed in relief—until her scream echoed through the village.
Damn it!
Thor barely had time to move before a mob armed with crude weapons swarmed him. Their eyes burned with fury, and one man jabbed a spear at the ground near Thor's feet.
"You dare attack Thor?!"
Thor retaliated instinctively, knocking the man down with a single punch. Then, fists started flying.
Before the terrorists even arrived, he was already brawling with civilians.
"What do we do in this situation?" Qi Mu's voice echoed in Shen He's mind.
Shen He put down his binoculars with a deadpan expression. The scene was too embarrassing to watch.
Boom!
A sudden explosion rocked the village, sending dust and debris flying.
Trucks stormed in, gunfire erupted, and chaos descended. The terrified civilians scattered in all directions.
Their crude weapons were no match for modern firepower.
"Haha! Finally!"
Thor rolled his shoulder, grinning as he raised his rifle and fired at the approaching enemies. His warrior instincts kicked in, and despite his lack of experience with guns, his combat reflexes made him an immediate threat.
The sight of civilians rallying behind him only fueled his excitement.
"Yes! That's it! Hahaha!"
Thor fought with reckless abandon, reveling in battle. The sensation of crushing his foes reignited something within him—the thrill of victory, the power he once held. The relentless gunfire and explosions fed his adrenaline rush.
"He's died three times."
Qi Mu Kusuo stood on a rooftop, relaying his report to Shen He.
Thor was too caught up in the fight, forgetting his true task—protecting the people. If it weren't for Qi Mu, several civilians would already be dead.
Shen He remained silent. Through the binoculars, he saw more terrorists arriving, along with a tank.
Boom!
A shell exploded near Thor, missing him but demolishing a house.
The deafening blast finally snapped him out of his frenzy.
"No, no, no…"
Thor turned, horrified.
Civilians were still running for their lives, gunned down indiscriminately.
Then, he saw her.
The little girl.
She was sobbing, running towards her fallen parents. Not far away, a terrorist took aim with a rocket launcher, grinning as he locked onto her.
Thor reacted instinctively, throwing his rifle. The gun struck the terrorist's head, knocking him out.
For a split second, Thor believed he had saved her.
Then—
BOOM!
Another shell from the tank.
The little girl and her parents vanished in a fiery explosion.
"NO—!!"
Thor roared and charged toward the flames, but he was too late.
For the first time, he felt it—not just loss, but powerlessness.
Victory meant nothing.
If only he had his power. If only he could have stopped it.
Lightning flickered in his eyes.
Then—
Another explosion.
Thor was sent flying, pain wracking his body. His ears rang, his vision blurred.
And regret crushed him.
"End this, Qi Mu," Shen He ordered.
Qi Mu Kusuo appeared beside Thor, raised his hand, and in an instant—all the firearms lifted into the air, crushed into a massive iron ball. The tank's barrel twisted backward. Within seconds, the deafening gunfire ceased.
Special forces stormed in, swiftly eliminating the stunned terrorists.
As Thor slowly regained consciousness, his vision cleared.
Shen He was standing before him.
Jane rushed to his side.
"I'm sorry…" Thor muttered his first words.
"You don't need to apologize. No one died. Qi Mu saved them, including the little girl and her parents." Shen He sat beside him. "Now—do you finally understand why I said you're not ready to be king?"
Thor clenched Jane's hand.
"I'm not just sorry… I regret it. I regret not kneeling before my father when I had the chance… asking for his forgiveness for my ignorance and recklessness."