'Vroom—!'
The orange beam shot out.
Loki wasn't purely evil, but he wasn't exactly merciful either.
When it came to his brother and the throne of Asgard, after a brief hesitation, he chose the latter.
A powerful beam of light shot from the Destroyer's head, a blast so intense that it could vaporize almost anything in its path—certainly something no mortal body like Thor's could withstand.
In that instant, a brilliant flash of light appeared.
[Activating directional high-energy electromagnetic pulse]
A surge of blue electromagnetic energy streaked past Thor as the silver-haired girl, with surprising strength for her small frame, channeled her power into the glowing blade of her sword.
The electric arc, carrying high-energy particles, collided with the Destroyer's beam, sending out a powerful shockwave that shattered nearby windows and knocked Thor off his feet.
"Hitomi? What exactly are you?" Tony Stark exclaimed in surprise, "I've seen this electromagnetic burst before—did you use it to take down Obadiah too?"
"Yeah, sorry I didn't tell you earlier. I couldn't find the right moment."
After the burst ended, Kagura twirled her blade, still crackling with arcs of electricity.
"According to SHIELD, I'm an energy manipulator, part of the Avengers Initiative. My power is to control various types of energy."
"And what do you say about yourself?" Tony Stark, clearly aware of Nick Fury's unreliability, asked.
"What do I say?" Kagura smiled playfully.
"I'm Kagura Hitomi, but you can call me 'Flashblade.'"
"What the—..."
Before Tony could finish his exclamation, Kagura activated her speed boost, darted forward to dodge the Destroyer's counterbeam, and plunged her vibranium blade deep into its thigh.
"If you were still at Stark Industries, you'd be fired for this!"
Tony Stark grumbled as he activated his suit's thrusters and rejoined the fray.
"My company really did take in an extraordinary little one."
...
Thor slowly regained consciousness, shaking his head from the disorienting shockwave.
In front of him, Iron Man and Kagura worked in sync, battling the Destroyer.
Kagura's vibranium blade was definitely capable of injuring the Destroyer, but she couldn't find a clear opening for a decisive blow.
Her speed boost kept her nimble, easily avoiding the Destroyer's attacks, but it was still a stalemate.
Iron Man flew around the Destroyer, using his weapons to create distractions and provide openings for Kagura.
However, the Destroyer, a formidable weapon forged in Asgard, was nearly invincible.
Even with the perfect coordination between Kagura and Tony Stark, the battle remained evenly matched.
"No matter who it is, anyone with the right qualifications can gain the power of the God of Thunder," Thor's father Odin's voice echoed in his mind.
"Do you have the qualifications, Thor?"
"Be kind to others, and stop smashing things!" Kagura's voice also reverberated in his thoughts.
"If losing the power of Thor makes you worthless, then you don't deserve that power at all."
"Being a king isn't about how much strength you have, it's about how much responsibility you can carry in your heart."
...
"Odin, Father of the Gods, I, Thor Odinson, make this vow!" Thor gazed toward the heavens.
"I will pick up the responsibilities I once neglected. I will tirelessly refine my character and strengthen my will. I will humbly walk the path toward the throne!"
"So..." He raised his right hand, pointing at the sky.
"Please grant me once again the power of the God of Thunder!"
'Boom—!'
A sonic boom sounded from the distance as something soared from the vast desert, heading straight toward them.
'Bzzzzt—!'
A blinding flash of lightning streaked across the sky, followed by a thunderous roar.
...
In the town, Iron Man and Kagura continued to hold the line.
Iron Man accelerated with his thrusters, diving toward the Destroyer and delivering a massive punch to its head, knocking it off balance.
Immediately after, Kagura soared into the air, twisting mid-flight, and slashed her blade across the Destroyer's chest, leaving a deep gash.
Before the Destroyer could regain its footing, Iron Man launched himself from behind, kicking the Destroyer in the back with his thrusters, knocking it to the ground.
'Clang!'
The Destroyer staggered again and kneeled on one knee.
Seizing the opportunity, Kagura landed and swung her sword, striking its neck and leaving another deep wound on the indestructible Uru alloy armor.
However, the Destroyer wasn't done yet.
It steadied itself, channeling orange energy through its body and raising its mask to release another scorching beam toward Kagura.
'Boom—!'
Just as the beam was about to strike, Mjolnir, Thor's hammer, flew in and hit the Destroyer's head, deflecting the blast into the air.
The Destroyer itself was sent crashing to the ground.
'Whoosh—!'
Another bolt of lightning cracked across the sky, and Thor, now wielding Mjolnir, was restored to his full power.
His silver armor gleamed, and his crimson cape billowed as the godly thunderous energy surged through him.
The God of Thunder was back!
The Destroyer slowly rose, but with Thor now fully empowered, it opened its mask and fired another beam directly at Thor.
"It's over, Loki! I'm coming back to Asgard, and you're going to explain everything to me!"
Thor raised his hammer and pointed it toward the sky, then swung it downward with all his might.
'Crash—!'
A bolt of lightning descended from the heavens, hitting the Destroyer's shoulder with unfathomable power.
The orange energy exploded, and the Destroyer's arm was blown off by the intense strike.
"Thor, do you know what the one thing I've always wanted to say to you is?"
Kagura, gripping her vibranium sword, approached.
"When you're hitting someone, always aim for the head!"
[Electromagnetic Control: Activated]
She seized the moment and leapt into the air, activating her electromagnetic powers.
An unbelievable scene unfolded.
The scattered energy from Thor's lightning surged back to Kagura, wrapping around her sword.
The silver blade seemed to ignite with a blue, ethereal flame, crackling with wild arcs of electricity.
As Thor watched in awe, Kagura swung the sword straight at the Destroyer's head.
'Boom—!'
The same thunderous strike as when Thor unleashed his divine power, now channeled through Kagura, struck with a force that seemed to be her own.
And in that moment, Thor realized something—there was an unfamiliar yet familiar power burning inside her.
'Voom—!'
In an instant, a burst of orange energy erupted from the Destroyer's head, sending shockwaves across the area.
The Destroyer's energy core exploded!
Tony Stark, seeing the danger, quickly activated his suit's thrusters and leapt into the air, shielding Kagura from the explosion with his own body.
"Ah, thanks, Mr. Stark. Looks like I owe you again," Kagura said playfully, tapping the metal faceplate of his suit.
"If you pull a stunt like this again, I swear I'll lock you in the trunk," Tony replied, opening his mask and staring at her.
Then he lightly tapped her on the head.
"You really are a handful."