Those time travelers that year

“A weapon for self-defense!” Coulson said without hesitation.

"Sir, excuse me for interrupting!" Just then, a researcher in a white lab coat walked over with a notebook, interrupting Charles and Coulson's conversation. "That hammer has undergone some changes... some subtle changes, and we cannot yet determine whether these changes... or whether they pose any danger!"

"What's going on?" Coulson reached out and took the notes from the researcher's hand, flipping through them as he asked.

"That hammer, made of some unknown material, is emitting a large amount of electromagnetic waves and some signals that our instruments cannot detect..." The researcher paused, seemingly organizing his lines, before continuing, "...It seems that this object possesses artificial intelligence, and is sending signals to try to contact something!"

"Ha!" Coulson stopped what he was doing and looked at the researcher standing in front of him. "Are you sure!"

"Of course, sir!"

175. Thor (Part 2)

As the sun dipped below the horizon, night fell. It was a starless night, with dark clouds appearing out of nowhere and blanketing the desert sky. Occasional claps of thunder and flashes of lightning signaled to the inhabitants that a heavy rain was imminent. Desert weather is unpredictable; mornings can be unbearably hot, while nights can be freezing. But for Coulson of S.H.I.E.L.D., this sudden appearance of dark clouds and the impending downpour was clearly unusual.

After taking the time to investigate the recent weather forecasts for the area, he noticed that the forecasts clearly did not include rain that night. Furthermore, as time passed, the energy fluctuations and electromagnetic signals emanating from Thor's hammer—a weapon that should only exist in Norse mythology—became increasingly intense, indicating that the impending downpour was inextricably linked to it.

"Do you think he'll be back tonight?" Coulson turned to look at Shire, who was playing an online game called League of Legends using their SHIELD satellite network, and asked, "I mean, the 'Thor' who's stranded on Earth and lost his 'divine powers'?"

"Didn't you send people to 'buy' all of his little girlfriend's things?" Charles said without turning his head. "Plus, you deliberately sent people to spread rumors in town while they were eating. What do you think?"

“Ahem… Mr. Grett, this wasn’t my idea, it was your plan!” Coulson said. “I don’t want to take the blame…”

"Hehe... If the world's largest criminal organization doesn't take the blame, who will?" Charles said with a smile. "Don't worry, even if that Thor from Asgard picks up his warhammer again, breaks his seal, and becomes the all-powerful Thor again, I will step in to stop him."

"I hope so!" Coulson muttered. "That Thor, he's only been on Earth for a short time and he's already hooked up with an American female scientist, and now I've offended her lover at your behest..."

"Don't worry, don't worry..." Charles waved his hand. "If the person who comes is Odin, the god-king of Asgard, I will run as far away as possible right now. But if it is just a Thor who cannot unleash the full power of Mjolnir, I still have a chance of winning."

"Besides... um?" Charles stopped playing his game and turned his gaze outside.

"What's wrong?" Coulson asked curiously when he saw this.

"coming!"

"They're here? That 'Thor'?"

“Yes! They’re all here!” Charles nodded. Seeing this, Coulson quickly activated the communication device on his headset and began contacting Hawkeye, who was watching from the shadows. Coulson, with his back to Charles, didn’t notice that at that moment, Charles’s gaze shifted in another direction. Simultaneously, a flash of twilight firelight appeared in his eyes. Beyond the walls of this camp, erected by S.H.I.E.L.D. with advanced technology in a single afternoon, a figure clad in golden armor and wearing a helmet resembling goat horns entered the camp. However, this uninvited guest walked into the heavily guarded camp as if no one else was there; neither the guards, the surveillance cameras, nor the hidden infrared thermal imaging all seemed to notice him.

Or perhaps no one even noticed his arrival.

“Interesting. What is this? Mental interference, a real illusion? No, it also involves the displacement and alteration of shallow space…” Through his extrasensory vision, Charles bypassed all obstacles and immediately spotted the uninvited guest, beginning to analyze the magic he carried. “Huh!” Suddenly, the uninvited guest paused in his vision, then turned towards Charles. Charles was startled and immediately deactivated his extrasensory vision. “Found me? No, not yet, he just sensed something was wrong… Indeed, the movie world and the real world are different!”

Shire sighed inwardly. The uninvited guest, unnoticed by anyone but him, was none other than Loki, the god of trickery from Asgard, just like Thor. However, while many, even the inhabitants of Asgard, perceived Loki merely as the god of trickery, in Norse mythology, Loki was more than just that—he was also the god of fire. Marvel movies and stories often feature elements of a corrupted Loki, portraying him as a cunning and scheming villain.

However, it seems this god of deception and conspiracy isn't the weakling depicted in the movies. After all, someone capable of hand-to-hand combat with Thor doesn't seem like a pathetic chicken being dragged and smashed around by the Hulk. Of course, this doesn't apply if the Hulk's rage has reached its peak…

——————————Divider Line——————————

Although his divine power was stripped away and sealed, transforming him from an invincible Asgardian Thor into a weak mortal, Thor clearly didn't see it as a major problem. In his view, as long as he could retrieve Mjolnir, he would regain his divine power.

Similarly, after regaining his original identity, before leaving Midgard, he still needs to help the Midgard girl he recently met... or rather, started dating, get her things back. However, once he regains his power and identity, what audacity would the mere mortal kingdom of Midgard have to disobey Thor's orders?

With this in mind, the arrogant Thor infiltrated the S.H.I.E.L.D. camp. Having lost his divine powers, Thor couldn't charge through obstacles as recklessly as before, so he resorted to his old infiltration techniques… which, to be honest, were disastrous! If Coulson hadn't given the order, his infiltration skills would likely have been riddled with bullets by machine guns and heavy firepower. However, if it was just for show, it was much easier.

Moreover, with a temporary 'ally' by his side, Coulson believed the situation wouldn't get out of his control. Even if there were some losses, as long as he could obtain enough intelligence, the slightest loss would be within his acceptable range.

"Coulson, are you sure you really want to do this?" Hawkeye Barton's voice came through the headset. To be honest, as one of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s top agents, Clint Barton didn't approve of this risky move at all, and was even more worried about Charles Gretel. In his mind, this young man, who looked to be in his teens and was only a little over 1.7 meters tall, was not safe at all. The intuition he had developed through life-and-death experiences constantly warned him of the guy's danger.

“I want to see. There’s no such substance on Earth, let alone such a magical thing… I want to confirm.” Coulson’s serious rejection of Barton’s proposal silenced the poised Clint Barton. After all, he was just a subordinate, not the kind of person who was good at arguing, and he was loyal enough.

Since Coulson disagreed with him, his current task and responsibility was to obey Coulson's orders. As long as Coulson did not betray S.H.I.E.L.D., he, as an agent, could not turn the tables.

Double update today too!!!

176. Loki (Part 1)

Because Thor's hammer, embedded in the rock, cannot be moved by any force, even if the lower rocks are knocked away, the hammer will simply fall downwards, leaving no way to move it. Therefore, after S.H.I.E.L.D.'s subsequent aid arrived, Coulson's team built a rudimentary laboratory here. Of course, this laboratory was far superior to most others, but compared to the central laboratory at S.H.I.E.L.D. headquarters, the equipment airlifted here was still quite basic.

Even though the equipment was rudimentary, it still had the essentials. On the platform made of radiation-proof tempered glass, through the one-way transparent glass, Coulson, with a serious expression, and Charles, with a casual expression, looked down from above.

Even without his divine powers and artifacts, Thor, with his rich combat experience, could still easily deal with ordinary people who didn't use firearms. Although those 'ordinary people' in his eyes were all S.H.I.E.L.D. agents, at least elite soldiers in the military. He could easily take on five people hand-to-hand, but against this barbarian from Asgard, he was far inferior. Watching Thor sweep through the agents they encountered along the way, Coulson's face was still very grim. After all, seeing his subordinate's 'terribly incompetent' performance in front of an outsider was indeed very embarrassing for him.

He tolerated the embarrassment, knowing that as long as he could obtain enough information, he could easily put aside his pride. Soon, Thor finally arrived in front of Mjolnir, his face beaming with undisguised excitement. Then, as he had done for thousands of years before, he bent down and grasped the handle of the hammer.

Unfortunately, before Odin pardoned him, and before he met the demands of the All-King, Thor was clearly no longer the man he once was. The hammer he thought he could easily lift and wield, Mjolnir, did not respond to his request at this moment.

Having enjoyed the benefits and conveniences of power and authority, how would one feel upon suddenly losing them? The Ciel Phantomhive, for one, would never accept such an ending. He would rather end his life than lose his extraordinary power. Similarly, for Thor, the prince of Asgard, it would be even more unbearable.

Despair, despondency, fear, self-denial, and self-collapse...

With a mournful cry, Thor, who had experienced immense ups and downs in just a few days and had always held unwavering confidence in himself, finally collapsed to his knees. From that moment on, he was no longer the Thor of Asgard.

“He can’t lift that hammer!” Coulson looked at Charles with a questioning gaze.

“It’s not that he can’t lift it!” Charles replied. “The hammer accepted him, but… another force began to seal the connection between the hammer and himself, as well as the power that should have resonated between them.”

"A seal?" Coulson's tone was full of doubt. "You mean, someone sealed away that hammer and this 'Thor'?"

"Who in Asgard has the ability to seal him and his hammer?" Sharl smiled, ignoring Coulson's question. "It's just... a family farce."

"So, if something happens to him on Earth..." Coulson pointed to Thor below, whose faith had crumbled, and said, "a massive army from Asgard will immediately arrive on Earth?"

"Let me remind you, in Asgard, even ordinary warriors without divine authority possess strength measured in tons, far exceeding that of many street-smart superheroes. They're also immune to most modern weaponry on Earth. With their weapons and equipment, you'd better be prepared to face a bunch of Iron Men." With that, Charles left Coulson alone, ignoring him.

"This is really not good news!" Coulson replied awkwardly after a long pause, then turned around to order his men to imprison the surrendered 'Thor' below, while simultaneously seeking the opinions of the experts. He quickly learned from them that Shire's words were entirely true. Just moments before, when Thor held the hammer handle, the electromagnetic signals and energy ripples reached unprecedented levels, even directly influencing the climate and causing torrential rain. However, at the same time, Thor, as 'Thor,' also emitted a signal identical to the one emanating from the hammer. This incomprehensible signal interaction shattered the scientists' worldviews.

The signals from these two parties were originally able to connect, like an electronic lock. However, at this moment, another inexplicable form of information interference appeared out of nowhere on Hammer and Thor, forcibly severing the signal connection between them.

"So this is what they call alien technology?" Coulson looked at the report in his hand, puzzled, and said with a headache, "This is really something, we can't fight it, we can't scold it... How am I supposed to explain this to the higher-ups! Even if Fricken believes me, those guys on the UN Security Council won't!"

Shaking his head, Coulson tossed the report aside. At the same time, Clint Barton breathed a sigh of relief, lowered his bow and arrow, and returned to the ground from the building.

Collapsed and numb, Thor allowed the agents to drag him away and lock him in a room, where interrogation was scheduled. However, his identity posed a real challenge for Coulson, who could only clean him up and conduct a brief, routine interrogation before hastily gathering his information.

Leaving the interrogation room, Coulson returned to the command center, then stared blankly at Charles, who was gazing at a mirror made of ice that had appeared out of nowhere, a strange smile playing on his lips. Reflected in the mirror, another mysterious visitor was shown in the room.

"What's going on?" Coulson looked at the electronic image on the other side, puzzled. There was nothing on it; Thor was sitting dejectedly in a chair, saying nothing. But in the mirror in front of Shire, Thor and the mysterious visitor were indeed talking to each other.

“Another…god?” Charles answered without turning his head.

"From Asgard?" Coulson tensed. "But how come we're here..."

“Magic! That visitor interfered with your electronic devices, distorted the light here, and even disrupted the structure of a shallow space,” Charles said. “Your electronic devices are useless, and you can’t see or even touch him. To you, he is just an invisible, transparent shadow.”

"However, he was too confident and didn't notice me here. In fact, in Midgard, most mortal wizards and superhumans are not as skilled in magic as him and cannot detect him. But I am about the same level as him. Since he was caught off guard and careless, I could spy on him with a little bit of mirror magic, but that's all I could do..."

"Who is he?" Coulson asked with concern, feeling even more strongly that Earth really was like a public toilet, where anyone could come and go as they pleased.

"In Norse mythology, in Asgard, which god is most skilled in this area? Skilled in magic? Apart from the god-king Odin?" Charles didn't answer, but asked instead.

"Loki, the god of deception!" Coulson said with a slightly bitter tone, "This is truly... a huge problem!!!!"

177. Loki (Part 2)

Seeing Thor's dejected and sorrowful expression, Loki paused for a moment, but then turned and left the room. He had already said everything he wanted to say to Thor, and seeing Thor's lost and distraught state, he still felt somewhat uneasy, even though they had grown up together. But then, Loki coldly put all those emotions aside.

Their situations were now different. Thor was exiled and stripped of all his power, unable even to lift Mjolnir again. And with Odin in his slumber, and the Queen of the Gods, their mother, caring for him, Loki had effectively seized control of Asgard. Having tasted power, for the first time, Loki didn't want to relinquish what he had already obtained.

Let Thor remain forever in the mortal world of Midgard, never, ever to return to Asgard...

Thinking this way, he did just that. Now it seems that his idea as the god of deception has become a reality; Thor, having lost all fighting spirit, is no longer a threat. A Thor who has lost even his fighting spirit can probably never lift Mjolnir again.

However, speaking of Thor's hammer, this top-tier artifact of Asgard was left behind in Midgard, and Loki was unwilling to accept it. So, after leaving Thor, using magic as cover, Loki swaggered around as if nothing was there and went alone to the location of Thor's hammer.

There was no one there; Mjolnir sat alone, embedded in a rock. Odin, the Allfather, sealed Thor's divine power and placed it within the hammer. Loki witnessed Odin's magical incantation: whoever could lift Mjolnir would gain Thor's power. Thor's power was among the greatest in the entire Golden Palace of Asgard. For Loki, who had effectively banished Thor, if he could bring Mjolnir back to Asgard and obtain its power, no one would question his authority, and he would completely replace Thor, proving himself the rightful King of Asgard.

Unfortunately, Loki was also unable to lift Thor's hammer. He tried again and again, but no matter what he did, Thor's hammer simply ignored him and completely rejected Loki's plans.

Loki loosened his grip on the hammer handle, his expression appearing as usual, yet a strange fire ignited within him. However, the anger was swift to flare and swift to subside; as long as Thor couldn't regain his identity, as long as he couldn't return to Asgard, it wouldn't affect his plans.

To completely destroy the source of his bloodline and the plan to freeze the world.

"What's wrong? Why not give it a try? Maybe you'll get some unexpected results!" Just as Loki was about to turn and leave, a mocking voice rang out behind him. The voice made Loki pause. There couldn't possibly be anyone on Midgard who could detect his illusion, but the voice behind him told him that he had been too confident.

Calmly turning around, Loki saw a sixteen or seventeen-year-old Midgard boy leaning against the door frame, head tilted, with dark gold eyes, staring at him with an unsettling smile.

"Who are you? Mortal!" Setting aside his uneasy thoughts, Loki sized up the uninvited guest before asking in a slightly arrogant tone, "Who gave you permission to stand before me—Loki?"

"Put away those tricks! Visitor from Asgard!"

"In my eyes, you're not even qualified to talk to me like that. Who do you think you are?"

"Insolence! Mortal!" Loki roared. "Since you know I come from Asgard, you should show some respect and kneel down before me!!!" As Loki's words fell, invisible magic surged in the void, transforming into sharp mental blades that hurtled towards the arrogant Midgardian before him.

……

"Hmm?!" Ciel frowned slightly. Just now, a mental attack had swept towards him, but he had swiftly parried it. However, Loki shouldn't have received the Mind Scepter from Thanos yet. That mental spell had combined the effects of a mental blast and mind control. An ordinary person would probably have been dizzy and collapsed to the ground, and if they couldn't withstand it, they might even have been mentally controlled.

Although it's of little use to him, it seems that this god of deception, who appears somewhat weak in the movie, is not such a useless person after all.

"An interesting trick!" Charles laughed. "Then it's my turn!"

"What? How could you?" Loki was stunned. In his opinion, the spell should have taken down this arrogant Midgardian, but why had it had no effect at all? However, before the god of deception could recover, a sharp pain swept over his body.

[Suffering and Impermanence] X5

"Ah..." Even as an Asgardian god, Loki was completely immune to most weapon attacks on Earth; calling him indestructible wouldn't be an exaggeration. Even Tony's Iron Man armor couldn't harm him now. Yet, at this moment, intense pain tore his body apart. "Damn it!" he cursed under his breath, and instantly, Loki vanished from before the Shire, leaving the place and even the temporary base set up by S.H.I.E.L.D.

After instantly moving more than ten kilometers away, a golden light flashed across Loki's body, and his casual clothes transformed back into a dark gold armor. Magic surged, and as the golden light on the armor intensified, the evil spell that had caused him excruciating pain and was slowly tearing his body apart was completely dispelled by divine power. However, even so, after the magic cast upon him was dispelled, Loki's vision blurred for a moment, and he felt dizzy.

Just then, a wave of heat swept over him. Feeling the intense heat, Loki vanished from his spot once more without turning his head.

boom!!!!!

A fireball struck the spot where he had been standing, creating a violent explosion and flames that swept over ten meters. While it wasn't enough to kill Loki, it was enough to give him a hard time.

"Damn mortal!" Loki roared in fury. For the first time in his life, he had been so humiliated by a mere mortal. Even if that mortal was a wizard, how dare he attack a god of Asgard? It was simply...

Rebellious.

"What's wrong? Loki, the god of deception from Asgard?" Before Loki, swirling shadows appeared like smoke, and then the human who had attacked him appeared before him. "Was I unwelcoming?!"

"You..." Rage filled Loki's heart, and a terrifying killing intent emanated from him. Although not as valiant as his brother Thor, he had, for thousands of years, also been on the battlefield and tainted by bloodshed. This time, more disheveled than ever before, completely ignited Loki's fury and filled him with murderous intent towards the creator.

“Then I should!” Charles, who had been looking down, raised his eyes, the twilight glow flickering in his dark golden pupils. “How about welcoming them with an even bigger explosion and flames!”

[Sacrifice - Roaring Flames]

The fire wave spread rapidly from the center of the Charr, sweeping across the area.

"You are not a human from Midgard!" Golden light gathered before Loki, and then a golden barrier appeared before him, blocking the spreading flames. The next moment, endless cold expanded beneath Loki's feet, completely neutralizing the flames swept in by the Shire. "I have never seen a wizard like you exist on Midgard."