"This is amazing."
Hawkeye felt his movements like the wind—untouchable, invincible. No attack could reach him.
"You can't go any further," Qi Mu Nanxiong's voice echoed in his mind.
"It's okay, this is enough."
Hawkeye raised his wrist, pulled back, and released four arrows in rapid succession.
Four simultaneous explosions lit up the night sky. The gunships hovering above were instantly engulfed in flames, crashing down like falling meteors. The high-explosive arrows weren't just for show.
The battlefield shifted. The suffocating pressure that had threatened their side moments ago was gone.
"Now, Violet!"
Shen He's order came without hesitation. Violet bolted forward, her silhouette a blur of motion, graceful yet deadly—like a panther in the wild.
With the weight of defense lifted, Qi Mu could finally contribute. After all, in the Marvel world, ordinary troops were nothing more than cannon fodder.
"You're not making a move?"
At some point, Ryougi Shiki had appeared beside Shen He.
"In this kind of fight, we'd only be in the way." Shen He shook his head, a helpless smile on his face.
The battlefield belonged to Violet. Without his mirage ability and with Shiki's preference for close combat, they couldn't afford to get caught in stray fire. Qi Mu Nanxiong was already multitasking, shielding them when necessary.
"Then what am I supposed to do?"
"…You sound impatient." Shen He turned to her, their conversation more direct than before.
"You said my power was useful, but so far, all I've done is run around," Shiki complained, dissatisfaction evident.
"Your power isn't meant for dealing with small fry," Shen He replied, his gaze fixed on Violet's relentless charge. "Besides, you still lack control over your abilities. Don't act recklessly, Shiki."
"You're the reckless one," Shiki muttered. "Throwing a kid onto the battlefield like this."
She followed his line of sight, watching as Violet tore through enemies with ruthless efficiency. The sight left a bitter taste in her mouth.
Shen He had no response. He never saw Violet as just a weapon, but he also never protected her like an ordinary girl.
At that moment, a beam of light pierced through the sky, slamming into the ground nearby.
The Rainbow Bridge.
It was finally here.
"Shiki, get ready for battle." Shen He stepped out from the bunker.
The enemy's morale shattered. The sudden, otherworldly sight was too much for them. Their formation collapsed into chaos.
"Enough," Shen He called out, stopping Violet in her tracks.
For once, she wasn't covered in blood. Perhaps the lessons were finally sinking in.
Not far away, Thor was already sprinting toward the light.
"My friends! Hahaha!"
Thor cast aside his borrowed weapons and armor, his grin wide as he embraced the figures emerging from the beam.
"Oh, Thor, you've never looked this rough before." Volstagg, the burly warrior, clapped him on the back. "But it's over. We're here to take you home."
"No." Thor's smile faded as he shook his head. "My friends, though I'm happy to see you, I cannot return. My father… until I prove myself worthy, I remain banished."
"Your father is not dead."
Shen He's voice cut through the reunion.
"…What did you say?"
Thor's grin vanished entirely.
"I never told you before because I thought it would help you," Shen He continued, watching their reactions carefully. "If you don't believe me, ask them."
The four warriors exchanged glances, hesitant. Sif finally spoke.
"It's true, Thor. Your father is only in the Odinsleep. Loki has taken the throne, and he's doing everything he can to keep you from returning. We don't know what he's planning."
"So it was all Loki's doing… He deceived me?" Thor's voice wavered, disbelief and betrayal mixing. "Why would he do this?"
"You should understand by now."
Shen He had spent days telling Thor stories—stories of emperors, of ambition, of betrayal.
And deep down, Thor knew the truth.
Even his sister, Hela, once sought the throne.
But Loki? Loki never truly wanted to rule.
He only ever wanted Odin's approval.
"I have to go back." Thor clenched his fists. "If he wants the throne, he can fight me for it. But I need to know—why does he hate me so much?"
"I'm afraid it won't be that simple."
Shen He turned his gaze skyward.
A vortex was forming.
It had finally come—Odin's ultimate weapon.
The Destroyer.
A perfect battlefield.
"Violet, that's an order—retreat to a safe distance."
Shen He patted her head. She hesitated, then nodded, stepping back.
Qi Mu Nanxiong appeared beside him instantly.
They had known this enemy was a possibility long before arriving here.
"Thor, it's after you. Fall back," Shen He said.
He had no intention of letting Thor be beaten into the ground before regaining his power. That kind of redemption arc was far too basic.
If Thor was going to regain his strength, he was going to earn it.
"Alright. I won't slow you down," Thor agreed, much to his friends' shock. The old Thor would never have said such a thing.
As the last remnants of the Rainbow Bridge's light faded, a massive figure emerged from its glow.
A three-meter-tall steel colossus, its surface inscribed with glowing runes, pulsing like veins of molten metal.
The Destroyer.
It looked different from its movie counterpart—more refined, more intricate. But its presence alone was suffocating, exuding raw, unrelenting power.
"Hey, friend, we're about to fight side by side, but I don't even know your name." Volstagg approached, axe in hand.
"I'll tell you after the battle," Shen He replied, his focus never leaving the enemy.
"Shiki, do you know how to use a sword?"
A long blade materialized in his grip.
Name: Muramasa (Replica).
Origin: Akame ga Kill!
Effect: Even as a replica, it retains its deadly one-hit-kill ability.
A reward from a lower-tier draw, but still a formidable weapon. His only dagger had been given to Violet.
Meanwhile, in his other hand—
A spear, massive and lined with intricate engravings.
A relic from Coffin Princess Chaika.
It drained magic power, but Shen He had more than enough to spare.
Now, all that remained was to see how powerful this must-fight Marvel boss truly was.
"Qi Mu, try to restrict its movements."
The battle was about to begin.