Those time travelers that year

Second update!

186. The cold reality

A black eagle soared through the sky, its vantage point offering a panoramic view of the earth below. Standing atop a building, he watched as the chaotic citizens, aided by S.H.I.E.L.D., evacuated the city. But Ciel never once glanced down; instead, through his familiar, he remained observant of the steel giant known as the Destroyer.

Frankly, this steel giant's performance so far hasn't been particularly impressive, even less so than Loki's illusionary army maneuver the night before last. However, a construct like the Destroyer, created with unimaginable technology, doesn't seem to require much additional equipment. With its indestructible steel body and light energy capable of destroying and incinerating everything, it's a tireless, perpetually fighting killing machine on the battlefield.

This isn't something for ancient, cold-weapon battlefields; in fact, this construct is perfectly suited for interstellar warfare. Compared to Earth, a region lagging behind many civilizations, the Destroyer should ideally be used in interstellar battles, showcasing the Gundam-like feat of single-handedly annihilating enemy warships. Moreover, the Destroyer could easily overwhelm the vast majority of Gundams. Of course, if you're talking about things like the Moonlight Butterfly, we'll discuss that separately.

In short, taking weapons designed for interstellar warfare and placing them on Earth, a planet that hasn't even ventured beyond our solar system, is practically humiliating. All means of combat are utterly ineffective; bullets, shells, bombs… they're like child's play against the Destroyer. Xia Er even suspects that even a nuclear explosion wouldn't be able to inflict any effective damage.

If it's the movie version, that's fine, but if it's the comic book version, then the Destroyer Armor is a super artifact created by Odin to fight against those overpowered Celestials, and it's the kind of god-level equipment that can actually win. In the comics, after the Destroyer Armor was forged, it was blessed and empowered by all the gods. If Odin, at the level of the Heavenly Father, wore it, he could easily take on multiple Celestials at once.

However, it now seems that this Marvel universe is based on the movie version, with some additions from the comic book version. At least the kind of wildly inaccurate plot twists seen in the comics are unlikely. In other words, the Destroyer armor still has a chance of being defeated. But that's for Shire; for Coulson, it's almost impossible.

"What is that steel giant?" Coulson asked anxiously.

“Asgardian weapons of war!” Shire, who was staying in the city, replied unhurriedly. “I think this thing would be a waste of its potential on Earth. In order to maintain his power, that god of deception really has some of the style of mythology.”

"Is there any way to deal with that big guy?"

"If I were you, I would personally suggest airdropping nuclear warheads directly." Watching the Destroyer rapidly approach the city, Charles calmly said, "Sacrificing this city and the lives of tens of thousands of people would slow that guy down. Of course, if you also take out that Thor and his companions, perhaps that God of Deception would be happy to accept your declaration of attitude—well, your attitude of submission."

“That’s impossible…” Coulson denied. “Besides, I don’t have the authority to deploy nuclear weapons.”

"Then let's leave it to fate," Charles said, shrugging. "Anyway, it's only about ten thousand lives."

"You!" Coulson was furious, nearly driven mad by Charles. "Those are the lives of tens of thousands of people..."

"But what does that have to do with me?!" Charles's icy words poured cold water on Coulson. "I'm not your employee. That steel giant can only destroy this city and kill tens of thousands of people at most. On Midgard, the number of mortals dying every day is much higher than that."

"A few tens of thousands more or less won't make a difference..."

If he could, Coulson would have loved to punch Charles in the face right now, but reality doesn't allow for "ifs," and besides, he couldn't beat Charles. Just as Charles said, this crisis for Coulson was nothing to him. Similarly, Charles truly had no right to fight a war for them.

"What conditions do you need to stop that steel giant?" Coulson asked directly. After all, compared to others, Charles was the one who could truly resolve this crisis. In fact, as long as the tens of thousands of citizens in Old Bridge City could be saved, Coulson felt he could agree to many conditions with Charles. At least, he was sure that even his dark-skinned boss, Wu Ke, would be willing.

“I won’t do it.” However, Charles’s answer plunged Coulson into an ice cave.

"Why?" Coulson shouted. "Didn't you just fight that god of deception?"

"First of all, that time Loki sneaked in; we were all illegal immigrants!" Ciel said with a laugh. "So, even when I clashed with him, it was a private conflict. But this time is different. The war weapons he sent have come to Earth openly and legitimately. Do you know what that means?"

"What is it?" Coulson asked anxiously.

"You can probably guess that Thor's condition—he's been exiled. And now, the exiled prince has been found by loyal followers who are trying to bring him back to the kingdom. However, the prince's brother is unwilling to see his elder brother return to inherit the throne." Charles said quietly, "In that case, it's only natural that he would send assassins to kill his own brother."

"Now that the 'assassin' has arrived openly, do you really think no one will know? The assassin is coming openly, don't you find that strange?"

Coulson asked bitterly, "Someone... tacitly approved?"

"Asgard isn't just home to Thor, the god of deception, and the god-king..." Shire replied, "There are other gods, like Tyr, Brunhilde, Baldr, and Holder, all of whom are Aesir gods. Why do they turn a blind eye to Loki's actions?"

"Because now, this family drama has escalated into a game of power. Either Loki kills Thor and his followers to solidify his position and power, or Thor finds a way to regain his power, return to Asgard, and thwart Loki's scheme."

“Before that, all the other gods would have tacitly approved of Loki’s actions, because this is a battle for the right to the throne. If I were to join now, it would be seen as another force trying to interfere in Asgard’s internal affairs. Don’t forget, I’m not a Midgardian either.”

"So there's no other way?" Coulson said in a desolate tone. "What are we humans? Innocent insects caught in the crossfire of war?"

“In fact, yes, Coulson,” Sharl said coldly. “I don’t think Odin is unaware of this situation. In other words, the current situation is one that Odin has tacitly approved. It is precisely because that god-king has not spoken that no other Aesir gods have intervened in this struggle; it is merely a conflict between Thor and Loki.”

"As for those of you who got involved, all I can say is—I'm sorry!"

"Let me teach you a lesson: the weak have no rights. This universe lacks everything except the strong and ambitious tyrants."

187. As a third party

The world is cruel, a fact any sensible person would understand. Take S.H.I.E.L.D., for example. Why has it managed to sit on the throne of the world's largest organization for so many years? Why is the UN Security Council the true power behind global control? The reason is simple: might makes right. To maintain their status and power, the rogue elements within the UN are willing to set aside many issues for discussion, then unite to crush any Middle Eastern powers that still dare to try and regain power.

That's why the world has S.H.I.E.L.D., and why the Middle East is a place of endless war. Because there are people who need it, war will not disappear in the Middle East, and Mullah will forever be stained with blood. And what maintains this environment is not lip service to justice, but a tightly clenched iron fist. Only under a strong fist can there be freedom—freedom belonging to oneself and one's own country. As for those small countries, they can only leave it to fate.

Conversely, what if one day some beings far more powerful than humanity treat the entire Earth as a Middle East problem? Coulson is now facing this very question. Charles's words were simple, yet incredibly poignant, like a knife piercing the heart. If possible, Coulson desperately wanted to drop a nuclear bomb here, annihilating all the dangerous elements. But he didn't have the authority.

Even if he did, he couldn't possibly do that, because tens of thousands of innocent citizens would be caught up in it. No one knows what the God of Deception who sent the Destroyer Armor to Earth was thinking. If it was just for the struggle for the throne, that would be fine, but the fear is that at this time, the struggle between the two brothers will drag human society on Earth into it.

Thinking of this, Coulson took a deep breath and then looked seriously at the black cat in front of him.

"Mr. Charles Gretel, are you still there?"

"What's wrong? Didn't I say I wouldn't openly interfere in the political struggle between the two Asgardian princes?!"

“No, I mean, there’s no need for you to personally intervene in the struggle between those two princes.” Coulson’s mind raced, and soon, a flash of inspiration struck him. He quickly said to the cat in front of him, “We don’t need to get involved in this damned palace coup drama either. Of course, I don’t want anyone else to suffer losses there. So, could you go there as a third party?”

"A third party?" Charles's voice carried a hint of doubt.

“Yes, a third-party international humanitarian organization,” Coulson said confidently. “They don’t need you to get involved in the fight; they just want you to be a witness to their struggle…”

"And incidentally, to help you protect the innocent people in that city, right?" Charles continued, picking up where Coulson left off. "Well then, one more question, Coulson."

"Please speak!"

"What can I possibly gain?" Charles's tone was filled with malice. "Want to be a good person and get something for nothing? Coulson, you have a good plan! But what can I possibly get out of this?"

“That depends on Mr. Gret. What do you want?” Coulson said. “I can do anything I can for you.”

"Ha! Unfortunately, what I want is something you absolutely can't give me... Well, never mind, how about this! I can help, but I need something that your S.H.I.E.L.D. can definitely get your hands on."

"what is that?"

"In your terms, it should be called Adamantium alloy."

“This…” Coulson paused. “I don’t have the authority to do this, but could you let me contact someone higher up?”

"Of course, after all... I have plenty of time."

——————————Divider Line——————————

The Destroyer continued its advance, easily crushing humanity's attacks. Unstoppable, it rampaged towards the distant city. Its innate sensory mechanisms allowed it to clearly detect the source of information from Asgard within that city. There were five sources: four were the Warriors Three and Sif, who had just descended from Asgard to find Thor; and the other was Thor, whom the Destroyer's current controller sought to kill.

Meanwhile, far away in Asgard, Loki, remotely controlling the Destroyer through Gungnir, wasn't in a hurry at all. On the contrary, he knew the Warriors Three, Sif, and Thor's personalities; they would never choose to flee. Given that, it's no wonder he chose the area inhabited by the Midgards as the battlefield.

The Destroyer is powerful. Even if the wizard in Midgar were to intervene again, based on his performance that night, Loki was confident he could destroy him with the Destroyer's power. As for what misfortune might befall the innocent Midgards who were caught in the crossfire, that was none of Loki's concern.

A bunch of ants, so what if they die!

Just as the Destroyer was about to reach the edge of the city, a buzzing sound came from the sky. At the edge of the sky, two supersonic fighter jets flew from the nearest air force base and swooped down.

After receiving Coulson's request for assistance, it turned out that the nearest air force base happened to have fighter jets taking off for a patrol mission. With S.H.I.E.L.D.'s authority, they could have directly bypassed the usual procedures and directed the flight mission. And now, after a period of supersonic flight, these two fighter jets, which had been assigned missions midway, arrived directly here.

Naturally, the radars of the two fighter jets immediately detected the Destroyer's presence. Then, under orders from above, the two fighter jets decisively lowered their altitude and locked onto the Destroyer.

However, even faster than them was a focused beam of energy. The beam attacked from below, and in an instant, one fighter jet was reduced to a ball of fire in mid-air. The other, in a panic, hurriedly chose to climb and try to get away.

On the ground, the Destroyer, which had shot down a fighter jet, bent its legs slightly. Then, the ground beneath its feet shattered, and the Destroyer itself transformed into a cannonball that shot into the sky.

Soon, the second fighter jet was torn in two by the steel giant in mid-air, turning into exploding fireworks.

The Destroyer, having returned to the ground, crashed heavily to the earth.

Now, there is no one standing in its way.

Soon, the Destroyer entered the city, its energy rays turning everything in its path into a sea of ​​fire. And not far from it stood the Warriors Three, Sif, and Thor's group.

188. Make a move

"Jane, you all run!" Upon seeing the approaching Destroyer, Thor, Sif, and the Warriors Three all paled. As members of Asgard, they naturally knew what the Destroyer was. As the ultimate guardian force protecting Asgard's vaults, even Thor in his prime wouldn't dare claim he could defeat the Destroyer. Its indestructible body, the light energy that burns and destroys all matter, and its perpetually flowing energy source created a precise and efficient killing machine.

Even the giants, Asgard's enemies, were as fragile as ants when facing the Destroyer. The ice giants that secretly entered Asgard were instantly annihilated when they faced the Destroyer.

Now, this powerful construct has arrived in Midgard, and its target is this group of people.

"And you?" Jane asked nervously.

“I’m going to stay here…” Thor’s voice was filled with sorrow. “Loki’s target is me.”

"Thor will fight alongside us." The Warriors Three, on the other hand, seemed normal and quite excited.

“My friends! I am now only a mortal, and I’m afraid I can’t be of much help.” Thor looked at his friends who had come from Asgard and said firmly, “But are you still willing, still willing to accept me as before!?”

"Of course, Thor, for Asgard!"

"If today is the day we die in battle, then let us fall in the charge and return together to Valhalla to drink wine to our hearts' content!"

"Thank you, my partners!"

……

Meanwhile, at the S.H.I.E.L.D. camp, Coulson dialed Nick Fury's emergency contact and relayed what had happened to his superior.

"That's how it is, sir."

“Say yes!” Nick Fury’s resolute voice rang out over the communication.

"We... wait, you agree~!?" Before Coulson could even try to persuade Fury, the dark-skinned Wu Ke's words stunned Coulson.

"Why don't you agree?" Fury's voice came through the communication. "It's just some adamantium alloy. That William Stryker wouldn't dare offend us. Let's take this opportunity to see the fighting power of these 'alien' gods."

"Uh, so you mean you approve of my plan!?"

“Agent Coulson, I don’t have the time or the desire to haggle with those incompetent teammates at the UN Security Council over a minor personal safety issue. I’ve already told you, I’m leaving everything over there to you,” Fury said in the communications. “A mere bit of adamantium might be a precious strategic resource to others, but to us, it’s less valuable than one of Tony’s obsolete suits of Iron Man armor.”

The implication is that instead of simply storing Adamantium, which serves no purpose, it's better to use it as a starting point to examine the true power of those mythical 'gods'.

"I understand, sir!"

"When I get back, I expect to see a report analysis of no less than 100,000 words!" With that, Fury hung up the call.

"Mr. Charles Gretel, are you still there?" Putting down the communication device he was holding, Coulson quickly walked to the idle black cat and asked hastily. "We agree to your terms!"

“That’s perfect!” Charles’s voice came through. “The Iron Giant who came from Asgard has already entered the city, and your people haven’t completely evacuated all the city’s residents yet.”

"Well then, I'll leave the rest to you, Mr. Gret."

“Of course, a deal must be honored!” As Charles finished speaking, the cat sitting on the table suddenly turned into black smoke and dissipated. “By the way, make sure your people are as far away from that area as possible, at least retreat to the other side of the city.”

——————————Divider Line——————————

"Fight for Asgard!" Volstagg, a tall, somewhat obese man with a long beard, charged towards the Destroyer, brandishing his massive axe. The axe whistled through the air, leaving ripples in its wake. This seemingly overweight warrior could easily smash a modern tank with a single swing of his axe; however, the Destroyer casually swung his arm, sending him flying and crashing into a car.

At this moment, sword master Fandral and Hogan, who always wore a cold expression, had approached the Destroyer and were attacking it mercilessly with their weapons. However, their attacks were completely ineffective against the Destroyer's indestructible body.

The Destroyer simply used its iron fists to send them flying, coughing up blood, and smashing houses one after another. At that moment, Sif, wielding a spear, descended from the sky, landing above the Destroyer and thrusting the spear at it.