"Now!" Just as Malekith gave the order and turned to leave, and the Kursed warrior stepped forward to kill Jane before moving on to Loki, Loki suddenly shouted.
Before Loki finished speaking, a hammer flew directly over, hitting and sending the Kursed warrior flying—it was Thor's Mjolnir.
As Mjolnir struck the Kursed warrior, Thor appeared and immediately rushed towards Jane on the ground. To Thor, Jane was more important than the Aether at that moment.
Malekith, still holding the Aether and not far away, noticed the commotion behind him. He turned to see Thor appear again and frowned. He then waved his hand, signaling two Dark Elves to stay behind while he continued forward.
Malekith didn't care about the lives of his subordinates. As long as he completed his plan, even if all his men died, it would be a victory for the Dark Elves.
"Room, slaughterhouse." As Malekith continued moving forward, he suddenly felt something wrong in his hand. Looking down, he discovered that the Aether had turned into a fist-sized stone.
Malekith scanned his surroundings and immediately spotted Daniel Davis holding a small glass container with the Aether inside.
Although the Reality Stone was immensely powerful, before it was activated, Daniel could swap it using the powers of the Operation Fruit. The glass container was given to him by Queen Frigga to store the Aether, preventing it from attaching to someone else's body again.
"Don't look at me like that. I'm just following orders." Seeing Malekith's fierce expression as he charged toward him, Daniel rolled his eyes and ran.
Daniel didn't know Malekith's true strength. Although he could have tried to fight him, he had to be cautious since he was carrying the Aether. If it got stolen again during the fight, things would get really bad.
Daniel ran towards Thor and the Kursed warrior, firing fireballs at the pursuing Malekith. As the leader of the Dark Elves, Malekith was unfazed by the fireballs. Even when hit, he only paused slightly without taking any real damage.
"The Aether is secured. I'll leave the rest to you guys." Reaching Thor, Daniel saw him angrily hammering away at the Kursed warrior.
Loki lay on the ground nearby, a short sword embedded in his chest, looking gravely injured.
Not far from Loki's body were several dead Dark Elves.
Loki's death had triggered Thor's rage. Normally, Thor couldn't defeat the Kursed warrior. Although Thor was powerful, he was still young and couldn't fully utilize his divine power. Without Mjolnir, he wouldn't even be the God of Thunder.
Thor regarded Mjolnir as a symbol of his identity, not realizing that his own divine power was the key. As Odin once said, he was the God of Thunder, not the God of Hammers.
But for now, Thor was indeed a God of Hammers.
"This guy is faking his death again." Seeing Loki's body, Daniel's first reaction was that Loki was pretending. Except for the one time with Thanos, Loki's deaths were always fake. Even falling from the Bifrost didn't kill him.
"Troublesome." Seeing Malekith approaching, Daniel quickly drew a golden portal with his right hand and threw Jane and the glass container with the Aether into it. The other side of the portal led to Asgard's palace.
Seeing the Aether disappear, Malekith screamed in rage and charged at Daniel. The timing for using the Aether was crucial. Missing this window meant he couldn't use the Aether, even if he got it back, until the next alignment of the Nine Realms.
With his existence now exposed, Malekith didn't believe he could wait for the next alignment. Thus, he harbored a deep hatred for Daniel, who had ruined his plan.
Facing the charging Malekith, Daniel met him head-on.
"Hmm, he's strong but weaker than the Kursed warrior. Is this guy really the leader of the Dark Elves?" Watching Malekith, whom he had just kicked away, Daniel pondered. The powers of the Operation Fruit didn't work on Malekith, making it impossible to simply cut him.
Daniel didn't know that Malekith's weakened state was due to severe injuries sustained in the past. Years of hiding hadn't allowed him to recover. Additionally, the Dark Elves' power was fully unleashed only in darkness, making him easier to handle now.
Boom.
While Daniel and Malekith were evenly matched, Thor was kicked over by the Kursed warrior. Thor had been suppressing the Kursed warrior with a burst of strength, but he couldn't maintain that state and was quickly overpowered.
"Damn, Thor." Seeing Malekith join forces with the Kursed warrior, Daniel noticed a grenade-like object on the warrior's belt.
"Hold them off for a moment. I need to think of a way to defeat them." Daniel stepped back, pushing Thor to the front.
"Hurry up." Thor, wielding Mjolnir, charged at the fierce Kursed warrior and Malekith.
"Perfect opportunity." As Thor fought the Kursed warrior, Daniel found his chance and quietly opened a small portal, snatching the grenade from the warrior's belt.
Kamar-Taj's portal magic, the Secret Door, could vary in size. Just like Doctor Strange grabbing books from the library, Daniel could perform similar feats.
"Goodbye." Holding the grenade, Daniel sprinted away using Soru. Once at a safe distance, he activated the Operation Fruit and swapped the grenade with Thor.
Seeing the grenade appear before them, Malekith and the Kursed warrior were momentarily stunned before being sucked into the black hole created by the grenade.
The black hole grenade left a deep impression on Daniel, similar to a certain idiot's gravity grenade. Gravity grenades were common in the universe, but black hole grenades seemed unique to the Dark Elves.
If the Kursed warrior weren't so tough and Odin's support hadn't arrived, Daniel would have kept the grenade as a trump card.
Especially since he could use the Operation Fruit's abilities to maximize its potential.
But he had to use it now. Malekith's hatred for Daniel was evident. Compared to Asgard, Malekith hated Daniel more.
"It's over." With the enemies defeated, Thor, visibly saddened, rushed to Loki's body and held him.
Seeing Thor's sorrowful expression, Daniel silently opened a portal to Asgard.
What followed was simple: Malekith and the remaining Dark Elves were exterminated, finally eradicating their race. Asgard immediately used the Bifrost to secure Svartalfheim and check for any surviving Dark Elves.
Asgard's actions frustrated Daniel. He had planned to claim Malekith's spaceship, but Asgard took everything, leaving him empty-handed.
Due to Loki's heroic fight and sacrifice, Odin pardoned him and granted him a grand burial. Thor, feeling guilty for endangering the universe and causing Loki's death, requested self-exile, deeming himself unworthy of Asgard's throne.
Daniel interpreted Thor's plea as a desire to live a peaceful life on Earth with Jane now that the crisis was resolved.
Odin, after a long silence, agreed to Thor's request.
But before that, Thor had to deliver the Aether to the Collector in the Void.
Daniel found this decision odd. In the original story, the Aether was sent away because Asgard already had the Space Stone, and keeping two Infinity Stones close was unwise. Now, Asgard didn't have the Space Stone.
Regardless of his confusion, Daniel couldn't argue with Odin's decision. It was a good opportunity for Daniel to visit the Void.
Stark, eager for an off-world adventure, joined the group, which included Jane and Sif. The five of them boarded a spaceship bound for the Void.
The Bifrost was powerful but limited to the Nine Realms, and the Void lay beyond that.
Through this journey, Daniel and Stark were exposed to cosmic knowledge. To navigate the universe, a spaceship and star maps were essential. Without them, one could easily get lost in the vast cosmos.
This wasn't an issue for Daniel. Once he visited a place, he could freely travel there using dimensional magic.
Daniel's interest in the Void stemmed not from the Collector but from the fact that it was once the severed head of an ancient celestial being.
A head the size of a planet implied an enormous body. Even Ego hadn't reached this level, though he might with continued growth.
The Marvel universe was vast and complex. Thanos, currently prominent, was just the tip of the iceberg. Fortunately, those ancient beings rarely appeared and had no interest in the Infinity Stones.
The Void was the domain of the Collector, Tivan, whose wealth came from the resources provided by this former celestial head.
As a celestial being's head, the Void contained rare resources like celestial cells, tissues, and organic matter, all highly sought after on the black market.
Only a few cosmic overlords, like Thanos, dared to confront Tivan, which might be why Odin chose to store the Aether there.
More importantly, the Aether could fetch a huge sum of money. The Collector would undoubtedly be interested in one of the six Infinity Stones.
"This is an alien planet." Upon landing in the Void, Stark seemed disappointed. It didn't match his expectations of an alien world.
"This is a chaotic place. Don't wander off." Daniel, knowing Stark's character, kept a close watch on him to prevent trouble. As for his own tasks, they could wait for another visit.
"The Aether." The Collector, Tivan, rubbed his hands eagerly. He had heard of the Infinity Stones but had never seen one until now.
"The Collector is not a good person. Luckily, this isn't the Power Stone,
or there'd be chaos." Tivan was harsh with his slaves, leading to a rebellion when the Power Stone appeared. Though Tivan wasn't harmed, he suffered significant losses.
The universe operated under a brutal law of the jungle. Compared to that, Earth was peaceful and fortunate.
For civilizations that hadn't ventured into space, the first encounter was often one of plunder. Slave trade thrived in the universe, even in the Nova Empire.
Stark, upon learning the harsh realities of the universe, fell silent, seemingly making a decision. He uncharacteristically refrained from wandering around.
By selling the Aether, Asgard gained immense wealth. Daniel and Stark also benefited. Despite the chaos, the Void had its rules.
Moreover, Asgard's reputation deterred troublemakers. Odin's past exploits had earned him a fearsome reputation, comparable to Thanos in some ways.
"He dared to deceive me." Reading the information in his hands, Stark was furious. Excited by alien technology, Stark had pooled their money to buy tech from a merchant.
But most of it was useless, some even inferior to Earth's technology. Despite his anger, Stark could do nothing as the merchant had disappeared, leaving him truly deceived.
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"Forget it, just consider it tuition fees," Daniel Davis whispered to comfort the visibly upset Stark.
In such black market transactions, if you got cheated, you could only blame your bad luck because there was no way to track the swindler. The Void itself was a lawless place where even Asgardians had no effective recourse. While ordinary people would avoid provoking Asgardians, they also wouldn't offer any help.
In the Void, official powers like the Kree Empire and Nova Empire didn't pose much threat. Instead, forces like Thanos and Ronan the Accuser held significant sway.
Once their business was done, Sif and Thor were ready to leave immediately. For Asgardians, the Void was not a favorable place. They wouldn't come here unless necessary.
"Let's visit Xandar in the Nova Empire. I hear it's a renowned civilized planet," Daniel suggested on their way back to Asgard.
Daniel initially intended for Stark to make this request, but Stark was too depressed after being scammed to notice Daniel's hints.
"It's rare to get out. You might as well take the opportunity to explore. Once we return, you won't have another chance," Daniel's proposal received Jane's support. Reluctantly, Thor agreed upon Jane's insistence.
While Thor was happily nodding, Sif gave Daniel a meaningful look, making him scratch his head. This was the very reason he wanted Stark to make the suggestion.
Upon hearing that the Prince of Asgard was visiting, the Supreme Leader of the Nova Empire personally welcomed them to Xandar. Knowing Thor was merely there to sightsee, he arranged for his subordinates to give them a tour.
Stark, rejuvenated upon reaching Xandar, eagerly explored the alien lifestyle and political system, finding value even without the technology he had hoped to acquire.
"You don't need to worry so much. I suggested coming here not for them but for you," Daniel said, approaching Sif, who seemed somewhat down.
"For me?" Sif asked, puzzled.
"Of course. On Earth, having common interests is crucial for couples," Daniel explained, recalling the dating advice he had read, which, though mostly useless, presented fresh ideas to Asgardians.
"They like each other because of distance. If they spend more time together, things might change. Distance makes the heart grow fonder."
Thor and Jane's eventual breakup was partly due to Jane understanding Thor's personality after living together for a while.
It's like idol worship—living with a star daily would diminish the excitement. Daniel was a living example of this.
He once admired the golden trio of Harry Potter, the characters from Attack on Titan, and the Straw Hat Pirates from One Piece. But after entering these worlds, his admiration faded, and reality's complexities could even make them adversaries.
This is akin to the adage "like an idol but don't live with them."
Watching anime, Daniel liked Luffy and the Straw Hat Pirates. However, in the One Piece world, he nearly abducted two of their vital members—Nami and Robin, essential for their navigation and historical knowledge, respectively.
Marvel's world was similar. Despite Hydra's threat, Daniel prioritized his own interests, not informing SHIELD directly.
Reality is different from fiction. Defeating villains doesn't always end happily; there's a need to deal with the aftermath.
Unlike in fiction, where heroes win and move on, real-world heroes have to deal with possible revenge and consequences.
For instance, the New York battle in movies is thrilling, but in reality, it involves superheroes risking their lives, with cleanup efforts continuing long after.
So you can relax," Daniel reassured Sif, explaining Thor and Jane's relationship dynamics, which finally eased Sif's mind.
Daniel wasn't badmouthing Jane but stating facts. After Thor and Jane's breakup, Thor couldn't return to Asgard and wandered, eventually leading to the events of "Thor: Ragnarok."
"Earth still has a long way to go before reaching the stars," Sif said, sharing information about Xandar, making Daniel realize Earth's many countries hinder its space exploration potential.
"Let's go," Daniel suggested two days later. They left Xandar because Jane missed Earth and her friends.
Stark didn't linger either. Initially wanting to flirt with alien beauties, he lost interest after seeing them. Stark wasn't desperate to pursue any woman and preferred those who looked human.
Daniel, despite liking Western beauties, preferred Eastern women. Even rare beauties like Gamora didn't appeal to him. He wasn't a fool whose aesthetic sense adapted to the cosmos.
Boom.
With the Bifrost's activation, Daniel, Stark, Thor, and Jane returned to the abandoned building where they had left. The area was still under quarantine, but the military had withdrawn, leaving only a few police officers on guard.
They had spent considerable time in Asgard and the Void, and with Daniel's intervention killing the Dark Elves' leader, Earth hadn't faced an invasion. Only a few beasts from the Nine Realms had attacked, not even aliens.
The five major countries had debated and eventually agreed to share these creatures equally.
"Jane, you're back. Are you alright?" Jane's friend and assistant rushed over upon hearing of her return, delighted to see her unharmed. Learning that Jane had toured an alien world, she was regretful, wishing she had gone too.
Hearing Thor would stay on Earth for a while, Jane's friend perked up and excitedly pulled Jane aside for some private conversation, mostly about women's topics.
"Goodbye." Daniel and Stark waved to Thor before heading back to Stark's villa, where Daniel sensed something significant awaited them.
At Stark's seaside villa, Daniel's premonition proved correct. Nick Fury, the one-eyed SHIELD director, was already there.
"What's the situation in Asgard?" Fury asked Stark once they were seated in the living room.
"I'm not entirely sure," Stark replied, summarizing the events in Asgard. Having not participated in the fight against the Dark Elves, Stark only relayed what he had heard. Fury's face twitched upon hearing about the Dark Elves' plans and the Aether's power.
Fury then turned to Daniel, realizing Stark had mentioned Daniel fighting the Dark Elves.
"The Aether is actually the Reality Stone, one of the Infinity Stones. Its power can plunge the world into darkness. But you don't need to worry; it's been secured," Daniel explained.
"Is the Collector reliable?" Fury asked immediately.
"You don't need to worry about that. It's beyond your control. The Collector is a major player in the universe," Daniel said, knowing Fury's nature to mistrust everyone and wanting to keep all treasures himself.
Fury smacked his lips in frustration.
"Did you gather any alien data or technology?" Fury changed the topic, causing Stark's face to darken.
Stark had avoided mentioning this to prevent his embarrassment from being exposed.
"Of course, but..." Daniel looked at Stark, making Fury excited.
In Fury's mind, Daniel's look suggested the alien tech was with Stark.
"We need to share this information with SHIELD," Fury stated his demand.
"Which means sharing it with Hydra too," Daniel thought silently.
"No data," Stark admitted reluctantly, explaining how he had been cheated. Fury's face darkened further, though it was hard to tell with his usual expression.
"You..." Fury sighed helplessly. If it were anyone else, he would have scolded them harshly.
"By the way, you said Thor is staying here?" Fury recalled Thor's presence.
"Yes, he's temporarily exiled and staying with Jane. You can find him there."
"Why didn't you mention this earlier?" Fury stood up, knowing Thor's stay on Earth wasn't simple for SHIELD and the five major countries. Thor, an Asgardian prince and seemingly the only one, could cause significant trouble if anything happened to him on Earth. Fury was acutely aware of how World War I started.
While Thor was powerful enough to be unharmed by anyone on Earth, his actions on Earth were another matter. From what Stark and Daniel described, the universe's dark forest law meant Earth needed to hold onto Asgard's support tightly.
Moreover, Thor was a powerful asset, and if he had nothing to do on Earth, he could be recruited into the Avengers.
"Pepper, I'm back," Stark called Pepper after Fury left.
"You're back! I'm busy now, I'll contact you later," Pepper responded joyfully but hung up quickly, leaving Stark puzzled.
Stark immediately contacted his bodyguard Happy, who had since become head of security at Stark Industries, practically Pepper's bodyguard now.
"Boss, you're back! I have something important to report," Happy said upon answering.
"Hold on. Is something up with Pepper?" Stark interrupted.
"That's what I need to report. Someone's been visiting her frequently while you were away. They're in her office now, discussing something about brains. His name is Aldrich Killian."
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