Marvel Magic Case Files

Chapter 108 Asgardian Warfare Methods

"Wait, I've seen you before! At the EU Young Scientists Competition, that chemical analyzer!" Tony Stark's eyes widened behind his helmet. "Is he one of your junior agents? Or did S.H.I.E.L.D. recruit you because of your talent? And what are you wearing? You look like a wizard! Jarvis, pull up his file."

"Sir, Salomon Damonette, born on December 25, 1995, is currently a student at Eton College..."

"You probably don't have the authority to know this, Stark. Publicly available information doesn't prove anything." Nick Fury said with a hint of smugness. After all, knowing secrets others don't inevitably breeds a sense of superiority, and Nick Fury felt it had been a long time since he'd experienced this feeling since meeting Salomon. Now that Stark had walked right into his trap and asked the question he'd been waiting for, Nick Fury wasn't about to let this opportunity to exercise his mystical style slip by.

Being a riddle solver is really fun.

Tony Stark glanced at Salomon, who was texting beside him, and snorted with displeasure, but didn't ask any further questions. However, he had already made up his mind to investigate S.H.I.E.L.D. thoroughly—it was already excessive for S.H.I.E.L.D. to place Natasha Romanoff by his side; after several transfers of ownership, Stark Industries was now completely his property. He needed to know just how many spies S.H.I.E.L.D. had planted around him, and whether every stranger was a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent.

Stark closed the Quinjet's rear hatch. He stepped forward, removed his mask, and stood in front of Nick Fury, staring at him intently.

"You say you need me here, but you'd better make sure this is really as important as you say, worth me coming over right after a fight," he said. "If I hadn't overheard your conversation, I would have thought this was a drill. Tell me, what exactly are you fighting? Don't bring up Norse mythology, I don't believe in old lady fireplace stories."

"The facts are as you've heard, Stark." Nick Fury wasn't surprised by Tony Stark's wiretapping; he knew Stark's temperament and ways of doing things. He wasn't even angry, because it saved him time from lengthy explanations. "The gods of Norse mythology have descended to Earth. To maintain the relationship between Asgard and Earth, we must protect one of them against the enemies attacking the heirs of Asgard." Nick Fury handed the computer to Tony Stark. "Take a look for yourself. You'll probably only believe that the myths aren't entirely baseless after seeing this. But we need to be quick; we're running out of time."

Tony Stark took the laptop with a hint of skepticism, quickly skimming through its contents. After a moment, he handed it back to Nick Fury, looking at him with the eyes one would use to look at a mentally challenged child. "They're just aliens. Maybe they came to Earth in the past, and some primitive tribe worshipped technologically advanced Asgard as their god. It's nothing special, and it doesn't mean they're gods. Okay, they look a lot like humans, at least this Thor looks no different from an Earthling; after all, not all aliens look like E.T.," he said. "I think even your little agent could figure that out. Am I right, Salomon Damonette?"

Tony Stark deliberately steered the conversation toward Salomon. Although he appeared nonchalant, his curiosity about Salomon was practically exploding—this was supposed to be a place inhabited by aliens, so what was Salomon's identity that Nick Fury would bring him here?

Salomon, however, ignored Tony Stark and continued to direct Luca's actions, determined to ensure the messages were delivered. Therefore, Luca's safety was paramount, at least for now.

"Why is he ignoring me?" Tony Stark looked at Salomon in disbelief, then turned to Nick Fury, pointing at the sorcerer. "Don't tell me this is the work of your S.H.I.E.L.D., cutting off a child's tongue and deafening him."

“We wouldn’t do that. He just doesn’t want to talk to you,” Nick Fury sighed. “He has nothing to do with you, Stark. Stop asking questions and focus on the task at hand.”

"Does Congress know about your fight with aliens here?" Stark scoffed. "Who will get the footage of that battle? What if those incompetent politicians in the Senate find out where I used my armor...?"

"S.H.I.E.L.D. will handle it for you," Nick Fury said. "Those senators' security clearance isn't high enough for them to know about this."

"What about Congress?"

"That's beyond my control. S.H.I.E.L.D. is a global organization, not a U.S. government agency," Nick Fury lied through his teeth. He continued, "But I can share some intelligence with you, Stark. I know you're curious about Asgard, and I have Asgard information here. You can review it after the mission, I promise. But I won't tell you my source."

"It's a deal!" Stark removed his mask, preparing to turn and leave. In fact, he wasn't as reluctant as he seemed—this was aliens, a third-kind encounter! He had fantasized about aliens when he was a child! No little American boy who hadn't had such daydreams after watching "E.T."! Moreover, that Asgardian weapon was very similar to his armor, and he really wanted to see the structure of that Asgardian armor. Stark believed that it would definitely give him inspiration to improve his armor.

Tony Stark was already excited, but he was too embarrassed to show it. After all, he was already forty years old, and showing enthusiasm for aliens would only make him seem a bit childish.

"Sir, ground forces are requesting support," Agent Romanov's voice came from the cockpit. "They've used everything they have, and the Asgardians are preparing to engage."

The ground forces were truly at their wits' end. After using guided bombs, they tried several types of missiles, all with little success, including some Stark Industries products that had previously been in service. As for certain anti-personnel weapons, such as white phosphorus bombs and incendiary bombs, they didn't even consider trying them.

"Dear Natalie Rushman, did you find a new job after being fired from Stark Industries?" Tony Stark asked sarcastically, using the alias Romanov used when he was undercover at Stark Industries. "The new job sounds pretty good, with planes to fly. Want to tell me about your new boss?"

"We don't have time, Stark," Nick Fury interrupted Stark's sarcasm. "Now, get on with the mission. I've already connected you to the channel."

"I'm not one of your agents," Stark muttered, opening the hatch again and leaping from the fighter jet. White jets of fire shot from his arms, legs, and the exhaust pipes on his back, propelling him rapidly downwards towards his target. The triangular, new-type arc reactor provided immense power to the Mark 6's electric propulsion engines. Stark felt the energy flowing through his body, within his armor, like blood; the arc reactor was like another heart to him. With each flight, with each beat, he could truly feel that the armor was his body. Only then did he truly realize that he was Iron Man.

Salomon didn't look up at Nick Fury until Tony Stark had left the Quinjet. "So this is your backup plan?" he said. "Have you considered what to do if he fails?"

"I have more than one backup plan," Nick Fury said meaningfully. "Iron Man is just one of them."

When Tony Stark arrived before the Warriors Three and Sif, he couldn't help but scrutinize the Asgardians. There was the burly man with a long beard and a round belly, clad in strange armor; the aloof, dark-haired warrior; and the dark-haired woman with a sword and shield. Frankly, he was curious about the Asgardians' fighting style, and decided to refrain from commenting on their melee weapons for the time being—who knew if they might be some kind of high-tech weapon disguised as melee weapons?

"If you're a friend, then don't get in my way!" Volstagg said in a gruff voice, seemingly chewing on something. "This is a battle of honor!"

"If you were the enemy..." Hogan said expressionlessly, swinging his chain hammer, ready to strike Tony Stark at any moment. After the ground forces failed to stop the Destroyer armor, all armored units had now been sliced ​​in two by the lasers fired from the Destroyer armor. It was advancing towards the command post with unstoppable momentum, and the human army had no way to stop the Destroyer armor from getting closer.

"You mortals have done enough," Sif said. "Now it's time for the warriors of Asgard to fight!"

After receiving orders from Nick Fury, the ground forces abandoned their heavy weaponry and retreated with their largely useless infantry companies. The Warriors Four, however, took up arms, intending to stop the Destroyer armor while covering the retreat of the human army behind them. Thor initially wanted to join the battle, but Sif and Jane Foster stopped him, as Thor was now practically indistinguishable from a mortal, and going to war would be tantamount to suicide.

Defeating the Destroyer was virtually impossible; even Asgard's bravest warriors couldn't defeat it. Thor could only watch in utter frustration as his companions went to their deaths, while he stood there, powerless to do anything. Shame was consuming him. Thor knew the Allfather was right; he had been too arrogant. In the past, he had acted like a child who never grew up, treating the throne as a game, as if it were merely the spoils of an adventure.

He felt that he had been far too reckless and naive in the past.

But this contemplation was of no use in the current situation. Thor refused to evacuate with S.H.I.E.L.D. and the ground forces; he would stand there and wait for the war to end. Whatever the outcome, he would accept it, for it was the price of his foolishness. But this price had nothing to do with the Warriors Four; he alone had to pay it. He had to find a way.

"Wait, wait, I'm here to help you!" Although Tony Stark was often flippant, he wouldn't risk a conflict with his allies over a misunderstanding in this critical moment. He said, "I have a partnership with S.H.I.E.L.D..."

"We know the son of Phil Cole," said Lady Sif, the thinking center of the Warriors Four. "Do you know him?"

"Agent Coulson, of course, I know him. I am..." Before Tony Stark could finish speaking, the armor's thrusters activated automatically, and the sudden movement allowed him to dodge a beam of light fired from a distance.

"Well done, Jarvis."

"Thank you for the compliment, sir," Jarvis said calmly, as always.

"Okay, looks like someone's getting impatient." Tony Stark was a little annoyed, because this was the first time he'd been interrupted while introducing himself. Or rather, this was the first time he'd been interrupted when he was supposed to introduce himself.

Not far away, the Destroyer armor was striding towards them, its speed increasing until it was running wildly.

"Brave mortal warrior, follow me, Odin's glory will shine upon you!" Lady Sif shouted, charging forward with her shield and longsword in hand. Volstagg was not to be outdone; he too charged forward with his battle axe, becoming the first to collide violently with the onrushing Destroyer armor.

With a loud bang, a metallic clang erupted, and Volstark and the Destroyer armor both fell backward. Sif and Hogan mercilessly slashed at the Destroyer's body with their weapons, while Fandral skillfully circled around to the Destroyer's head and plunged his slender rapier inside.

"Wait? You really only use cold weapons?"

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(End of this chapter)