Those time travelers that year

“I do want to go mad…” Loki said in a low voice, “However, my reason tells me I cannot go mad, at least not until I fully understand what is true and what is false. I do not want to give up and go mad!”

"Because I know that if I really go crazy, I will be reduced to a clown puppet on a stage, manipulated by people with invisible threads!"

"...It seems you've learned something terrible!" After a moment of silence, Charles spoke, "Something that's enough to break you, but also something that has ignited your fury...Do you need me to listen?"

"Hmph! I'm not so weak that I'm acting like a child!" Loki sneered. "Besides, no matter how high the probability is, I need to be completely sure before I flip the table!" He downed the drink in his glass in one gulp and chewed the ice cubes in his mouth with a crunching sound.

"...So, what can I gain, and what is my position?" Leaning back in his chair, Charles asked with interest. "That should be related to your upcoming plans, right?"

“Of course, of course…” Loki’s face showed a slightly crazy smile. “Thanos is too far away from me. Besides, I have no intention of going to pick a fight with that tyrant. On the contrary, I want to pick a fight with something else, as long as it is completely proven to be the truth.”

"By the way! Wizard, have you read the myths that circulate in Midgard?" Suddenly, Loki changed the subject, asking an unrelated question, "Viking myths, Norse myths?"

"What do you mean by bringing this up?" Charles asked curiously. "Do you want me to comment on your practices in mythology, or do you want me to express my contempt?"

"No, on the contrary, Wizard, have you ever wondered why some mere mortals, some mortals eliminated hundreds of years later, could record the death of the gods?" Loki chuckled. "Hahahaha, and before that, I didn't even know anything about it. I only discovered it when I was with Midgar and specifically went to look for it... Hahahaha, so I was destined to be a villain, destined to be a disaster! Hahahaha..."

"Ragnarok, the end of the world... Hahahaha, the great ship made from the fingernails of the dead carries the souls of the dead from the realm of the dead, the World Serpent coils around Midgard, spewing poisonous gas to blot out the sky, Fenrir devours the sun and the moon, the world is heading towards its final countdown..."

"And in mythology, those are my offspring, hahaha, my biological 'father,' my 'offspring,' and my entire family of three generations are all villains... hahaha, it's fate... do you know what I thought when I saw the record in the book?"

Loki laughed and screamed wildly, his eyes filled with bloodshot red rage and madness. He glared at Ciel and said, "What the hell am I? A puppet on strings or a toy for entertainment?"

"Why? Why? Why?!" Thump! Loki slammed his fists on the table, like a crazed gambler, his eyes bloodshot.

……

After a long while, Loki let out a long sigh, regained his original expression, and leaned back in his chair with a dejected air.

"That's just a story?" Charles said. "Just a myth, and besides, isn't the content of the story completely different from reality?"

"In Norse mythology, Sif was Thor's wife, yet Thor loved that mortal girl, didn't he?"

“…Yes! It’s all just a ‘story’!” Loki said in a low voice. “Just a… utterly ridiculous story, Norse mythology, ha, Ragnarok, hahahahahaha. Okay! That’s right, it’s just a story, but I, like in the story, unsurprisingly… am heading towards the abyss.”

"You think Norse mythology is your future?" Charles asked. "But if you don't want it, the Ragnarok ending in Norse mythology is just a joke."

“But what if you have no choice? Alright! Let’s not talk about that… I do have some plans, and believe me, Wizard, I need your help. Of course, you can also gain enough power!” Loki changed the subject, a wicked smile spreading across his face as he continued, “An opportunity you definitely won’t let slip!”

"What opportunity?"

“…Father,” Loki said in a low voice, “I’m giving you the opportunity to become God the Father, and even beyond that.”

"...Are you kidding me?" Ciel stared blankly at Loki and said, "You didn't get knocked out of your mind by that punch, did you? Or did the Hulk give you some kind of shock?"

“I’m not lying, my ‘ally’…” Loki laughed, “because, in my next plan, I need you to become the Father… or rather, to replace one of the Fathers…”

232. Back to London

London, the capital of the United Kingdom, is one of the world's leading metropolises and a deindustrialized city. During the era when the British Empire was still in power, it was notorious for its fog, even more severe than Beijing's smog today. At its peak, chimneys and factories of all kinds stood tall on this island nation, creating its glorious era of unparalleled global dominance. However, times have changed, and this once-mighty British Empire has ultimately come to an end.

Just like in the HP universe, London, while still maintaining its prosperity and flourishing, has aged. With the tides turning, this country, where there are now more civil servants than military officials and even outsources some business to mercenaries, is truly no longer worthy of respect. However, the US, across the ocean, needs a troublemaker to remain in Europe, disrupting its order, turning the so-called EU into a mere "European bloc," and extinguishing the naive dreams of the old aristocracy to revive Europe.

Therefore, in a sense, it can be said that the last time Ciel came to London was in the HP universe in 1991 before the millennium, and now it is in the Marvel universe after the millennium.

Years later, stepping onto the streets of London once more stirred a sense of nostalgia in Charles. Back then, he was merely a warlock with no other fundamentals, yet he had risen through the ranks step by step, ruthlessly eliminating countless obstacles in his path. In D&D, his evil aura would have blinded even the most righteous paladins. Even now, in D&D, he would be considered an absolute powerhouse, easily crushing weaker deities, and wouldn't be intimidated even on their home turf.

And now, I've stepped onto the streets of London once more. Everything has changed; even the world is different now. Of course, the naive John Bull remains as naive as ever. Although the world's Bull is already embroiled in a fierce debate over Brexit, the damned camel continues to follow the lead of the Eagle, the Bear… and the completely unrelated Rabbit, step by step, kicking the entire EU into the abyss.

That's wonderful news!

……

"You seem to have some feelings about this city?" Walking down the streets of New York, Ciel's momentary lapse in concentration was noticed by Loki. Curious, Loki asked, "Have you been to this city before?"

“No! I’ve never been to this ‘city’ of this ‘world’ before!” Charles said with a double meaning. “It’s just that I was thinking about when I was a carefree mortal like these people.”

"Huh? Boring thoughts!" Loki didn't catch the underlying meaning in the Ciel's words. He just looked at the Ciel, who had suddenly become sentimental, with a strange expression, and said bluntly, "Hundreds of years are just a blink of an eye for us. And this city, although it had its glory days, accompanying this poor country... how long did it last? More than a century seems like a short while to us, but for these mortals, it is several generations."

"That's why I'm on the path of pursuing greater power!" Charles said casually. "Because it's hard to be an ordinary good person, and I don't believe I would give up what I've already gained because of kindness, in the face of greed and goodness. So, I don't think these ordinary humans are the same kind of people as me!"

"...My brother is infatuated with this mortal world, and with that mortal girl." Loki laughed sarcastically. "In that respect, he's not as good as you. A hundred years from now, that mortal girl will just be bones, while he will still be the Thunder God of Asgard. They were never even from the same world, yet he actually believes love can conquer all... How naive!"

"Let's put aside all the family matters..." Charles said, casually surveying the crowds in the city. "So... why did you bring me here, to this city on the other side of the ocean?"

"Don't you want the power of a Heavenly Father?" Loki sneered. "And here, there lies the power to make the impossible possible... a powerful artifact... This artifact is powerful enough to grant you enough strength to slay a Heavenly Father, combined with your original power..."

“Wizard, you have the ability and the opportunity to rebel and usurp the throne of the Father…”

"So what about you, Loki? What exactly are you planning to do?" Ciel stared intently at Loki, asking in a tone filled with doubt and wariness, "...If you grant me sufficient power, are you sure I won't break the agreement?"

"Hehe, no... Believe me, by then, my plan will be complete!"

"As for my goal, it's very simple: I want to change some predetermined fates—I want to reverse the future!"

——————————Divider Line——————————

This is an abandoned factory, with shipping containers piled on the broken concrete floor. Resilient weeds have broken through the dry ground, sprouting from beneath. An abandoned cement truck lies on its side, its white and red paint peeling off, and rust covering its entire body…

Outside some of the factory buildings, steel plates and brickwork had been nailed shut, sealing off the windows and doors, giving the entire factory a dilapidated appearance. Whatever it was used for before, it was now just a place forgotten by the city.

Deindustrialization is an inconceivable topic for China, Russia, and the United States. The United States, needless to say, would collapse under financial crises even with a strong financial system without industrial support, let alone continue acting as the world's policeman. China has always focused on developing its industry and then using it to attack others; having learned its lesson, it never believes the world offers a way out. While Russia has experienced setbacks and failures, it's unlikely to completely deindustrialize its own industries…

Only the inexplicable Niu Niu would pull such a stunt. Although the environment has been improved, Britain's overall national strength has been declining. Who knows what will happen to Niu Niu when those camels trigger a new European war!

However, for Ciel, Niu Niu's death had nothing to do with him. On the contrary, he was more curious about why Loki had brought him here, if his guess was correct.

"You mean? A divine artifact, hidden in this godforsaken place?" Ciel asked Loki, "In an abandoned house where a bunch of kids are playing hide-and-seek?"

“No!” Loki said, “This is just… an unexpected entrance.”

"Accident?"

“Yes! An accident!” Loki said in a low voice. “Midgar holds far too many secrets, as if all the potential dangers of the universe are interested in this little planet.” As he spoke, Loki strode into the depths of the factory.

Ciel followed behind Loki, casually making a ripple on the factory wall. A barely perceptible ripple flashed by, and magic that banished idlers instantly spread out, separating the factory from the bustling city outside into two different worlds.

“No need to be so careful!” Loki said upon seeing this. “Apart from some mischievous brats, no idle mortals come back here.”

“Safety first,” Charles replied. “Besides, the Sorcerer Supreme also has territory here in London. Don’t forget, during the Battle of New York, she forcefully suppressed the portal opened by the Tesseract and the alternate dimension that tried to overlap with Earth… By the way, when you and Thor fought head-on, along with my magic, she used it to trick those monsters from other worlds.”

"Don't tell me that with a mere illusionary clone that I could easily crush, you have the ability to deal with the Sorcerer Supreme fighting on his home turf?"

“Alright! Like you said…” Loki spread his hands and said, “Safety first!”

233. Ether Particles (Part 1)

Walking through the dilapidated, silent factory, past walls covered in cracks and dust, or stubbornly overgrown with vegetation, Loki led the way, talking incessantly to Shire, who followed a step behind:

"Did you know? In this universe, there once existed a civilization even more glorious and powerful than Asgard is today, in the long years before Odin ascended to the throne of the gods, during the time of the previous god-king."

"A race born in darkness, with a civilization far more powerful than Asgard."

"Dark Elf".

"Elves?" Charles said. "Those from Alfheim?"

“No! They weren’t those fairies who loved flowers and plants,” Loki laughed. “They were cruel, cunning, and evil monsters, originally the rulers of Alfheim. Of course, they ultimately failed and fled, barely clinging to life…”

"But do you know why they failed?" Loki asked pointedly.

"Evil cannot triumph over justice?" Ciel chuckled dismissively. "...Sorry, if they were powerful enough, how could they have been defeated and even completely wiped out by Asgard?"

"No! You're wrong this time, wizard!" Loki said sarcastically. "They truly are evil, unable to triumph over justice..."

Are you kidding me?

“This is no joke!” Loki’s face showed a very conflicted expression, a mixture of regret and sadness. “...It is true that justice cannot overcome evil, but who told them to go against the script due to an accident.”

"The script?" Ciel frowned, looking at Loki walking ahead with confusion. The Dark Elf knew that the plot of Thor: The Dark World, or rather, the entire plot of Thor: The Dark World, was simply a money-making scheme by Marvel. And the Dark Elves' failure was the kind of failure required by the plot… In short, they had to fail and become hastily-used bosses, used to give Thor, the protagonist, more screen time. Of course, this Marvel world, almost identical to the movies, might have some differences.

Just as Loki isn't the brainless character portrayed in the movies, the Battle of New York wasn't solely the Avengers' debut. Thor isn't the kind of character who needs mindless fighting skills; rather, he's a pseudo-god-level being capable of destroying cities and even influencing planets.

“That’s right! The script!” Loki’s voice rose. “Some predetermined fates, some unexpected developments that shouldn’t have happened… However, an unexpected event did occur. In one such event, those who were supposed to be unknown in the script obtained a powerful artifact from the universe…”

"That artifact represents one of the essential forces of the universe. However, being too weak, they could not fully utilize its power. So they created an outer shell for the artifact, and thus—they went beyond the original script."

As Loki walked deeper into the factory from the Shire, he kept saying, "...Power brought ambition, and so the Dark Elves rose to power, ruling Alfheim and even beginning to covet other worlds..."

"And so, inevitably, Asgard and they clashed one day."

"But Asgard ultimately won the war. During the reign of the previous God-King, the Dark Elves were defeated by Asgard!" Sharl interjected. "So, putting all that aside, the power you claim is sufficient to deal with the Heavenly Father is this artifact that the Dark Elves obtained by accident!"

“That’s right, a divine artifact that can go beyond the script…” Loki chuckled softly. “Now, do you understand what I want to do?”

"You want me to use that artifact... to destroy the script!?" Charles said. "Then... can you tell me what this so-called script is? I don't want to face someone I can't fight without knowing what's going on."

"Don't worry, I'm not that stupid!" Loki said. "...Besides, I only get one chance—you'll get what you crave—'power'—and I'll get 'freedom' in the future!"

“‘Freedom’?” Charles said sarcastically. “It always feels like a terrible joke to hear that word come out of your mouth.”

"Reality is a joke!" Loki replied. "You and I are the same..."

——————————Divider Line——————————

"arrive!"

Loki stopped and said to the Shire, "The entrance!"

This is a large warehouse inside the factory. Apart from a large cement truck parked here, there's nothing there! The empty warehouse is eerily quiet…

Of course, the view of ordinary people is that there is nothing, but in the eyes of Ciel and Loki, from this point on, the world itself began to change.

The twilight-colored firelight flashed and disappeared in his eyes. To his astonishment, he discovered that from this point onward, the structure of the entire space began to change significantly. Several different subspaces were faintly linked to this area. These fragmented spaces, which should have been some obscure corner of the outer world, overlapped with this place. Although the 'Vishanti' barrier enveloping Earth prevented these overlapping subspaces from completely merging with it, they had begun to affect the real-world rules of this region.

At least the gravity in space is already in disarray here...

“The Tesseract is a communication terminal, connecting every corner of the universe…” Loki stepped forward, opening his arms as if to embrace the space before him. “The Battle of New York, that farcical alien invasion, was in fact nothing more than a cover-up… all for the purpose of sending a signal throughout the universe through the Mind Scepter and with the power of the Tesseract—a signal of awakening!”

“The Mind Scepter, the Tesseract… since they are connected, then…” Loki looked at the Shire, “are there any other items like them—similarly, Asgard clearly obtained the Tesseract a long time ago, but why did they deliberately leave it in Midgard?”

"—Because that's also beyond the 'script'!" Ciel continued, "And that's what you've considered?! Or rather, the cruel reality Thanos has shown you."

“That’s right. That tyrant would rather see a broken mind and will than suffer.” Loki’s face broke into a maniacal grin. “Coincidentally, I’m very good at acting…”

"The Dark Elves, who by chance gained power beyond the script's scope, created a powerful civilization," Loki continued. "But they also sowed the seeds of their downfall. Similarly, after that war, the Dark Elves' artifacts were seized, and the then-God-King chose to seal them away. Thousands of years later, Odin, who inherited the throne, unexpectedly discovered the Tesseract—"

"—That's also a power beyond the script, and Odin's choice, like the previous God-King, was to seal the Cosmic Cube and leave it on Earth. So, Midgard is truly a wondrous world! All sorts of beings and objects that threaten planets seem to be artificially placed here in a cluster. Aren't they afraid that one day, the entire Midgard will simply explode?!"

Loki extended his right hand to the Shire and said, "Now, the story is over... I need the key!"

Ciel gave Loki a cold look, then silently reached out and grabbed, a golden light shining in his hand. The Mind Scepter appeared in his hand immediately, and then he casually tossed it towards Loki.

Loki reached out and caught the Mind Scepter that Ciel had thrown to him. He poured his divine power into the scepter, and soon, golden light began to shine on it. The Mind Scepter returned to its original length, and the gems on it began to overflow with azure flames.