บท 76: Chapter 76: Mjolnir (Part 3)
"What incredible physical prowess," Daniel mused as he observed Sif and the Warriors Three battling the Destroyer. Compared to the stone mason, who was already impressively strong by human standards, the Asgardians were on a completely different level. Their sheer speed and agility made Daniel question if his own physical abilities could match theirs.
Asgard's strength hierarchy was clear: commoners, nobles, and royalty differed not just in status and wealth but significantly in raw power. While average Asgardians were immune to most Earth-based weapons, beings like Thor and Loki could withstand extreme physical and energy attacks, including explosives and laser-based weaponry.
Sif and her companions attacked relentlessly, their swords and axes striking the Destroyer with immense force, each hit sparking against its armor. Yet, despite their powerful blows, the Destroyer, made of pure enchanted metal, showed no signs of damage.
"Tony, do you have a moment?" Daniel asked, pulling out his phone to call Stark.
"What's up? I'm in the middle of a workout," Stark replied, and through the phone's screen, Daniel saw him pounding a punching bag.
"We've got an alien robot here. Interested?" Daniel turned the phone's camera toward the battle scene, giving Stark a clear view of the Destroyer.
"Where are you? Turn on your locator. I'm on my way," Stark responded immediately, stopping his workout and heading toward his lab. As he walked, he commanded, "JARVIS, activate the surveillance satellite."
"Yes, sir. The target is in New Mexico," JARVIS replied promptly, pinpointing Daniel's location and displaying the satellite feed of the ongoing chaos.
The satellite view showed the Destroyer unleashing destructive energy beams, obliterating cars and buildings in its path.
"An alien robot, you say." Stark, now suited up in his Iron Man armor, launched toward New Mexico.
"Damn, what a mess," Daniel muttered as he watched Sif and the others get thrown back by the Destroyer. Thor, seeing his friends in danger, rushed to Sif's side. Daniel signaled Coulson and Melinda to step back as he grabbed his wand and moved forward.
"Confringo!" A burst of fire shot from Daniel's wand, engulfing the Destroyer. However, the flames barely seemed to affect it.
"Fiendfyre!" Daniel cast another spell, transforming the fire into a roaring dragon-shaped inferno. But even this formidable spell failed to halt the Destroyer's advance.
"Impressive," Daniel remarked, retracting the Fiendfyre. He raised his wand again, "Protego Maxima!" Multiple transparent barriers formed in front of the Destroyer.
Crack.
But the first barrier shattered with a single punch from the Destroyer. Sensing the obstruction, or perhaps recognizing Daniel as a threat, the Destroyer's faceplate began to glow red again, preparing to fire a beam in his direction.
"Apparate!" Daniel instantly teleported behind the Destroyer as the energy beam shot through where he had just been standing.
"Reducto! Reducto!" Daniel cast multiple blasting curses, causing the Destroyer to stagger backward a few steps, but they didn't inflict any real damage.
"Both magical and physical defenses are exceptionally high. It's truly a masterpiece of Odin's craftsmanship," Daniel thought as he apparated again to avoid the Destroyer's retaliatory beam. This time, he moved to the periphery of the battlefield, understanding the Destroyer's potential for 360-degree attacks from its previous movements.
"Can't say I didn't try," Daniel sighed, rejoining Coulson and Melinda with a helpless shrug.
"Don't you have any stronger spells?" Coulson asked urgently.
"My most powerful spells didn't even scratch it," Daniel replied. Just then, his phone rang—it was Stark.
"I'm almost there. Hold it off a bit longer," Stark said, having watched the battle unfold via satellite.
"For Asgard!" Sif and her companions, having recovered, charged the Destroyer once more. But they were quickly knocked back again.
"The Destroyer seems to be getting more agile. Maybe Loki is getting better at controlling it," Daniel speculated. At its initial appearance, the Destroyer's movements were much slower.
"Just hold on a bit longer. If Thor doesn't regain his powers soon, we might have to retreat," Daniel decided, stepping back in front of the Destroyer to buy time.
Instead of offensive spells, Daniel used a series of Transfiguration spells. Signs, boards, and mailboxes transformed into various sizes of eagles that swarmed the Destroyer, momentarily distracting it.
But to Daniel's surprise, the Destroyer ignored the eagles and charged straight at him.
Smash.
The impact sent Daniel flying into the air, his bones cracking from the force. He landed hard nearly a hundred meters away.
"Damn, that hurts," Daniel groaned, feeling the numbness spreading through his right side and sensing several misaligned bones. Using his Ope-Ope Fruit powers, he quickly realigned his bones.
"Good thing I used the Protego Totallum spell before the fight, or I'd be in serious trouble," Daniel thought as he struggled to his feet. The protective spell had absorbed most of the impact, preventing severe injuries.
In the Harry Potter universe, Protego Totallum was a standard defensive spell that created a protective barrier. Daniel had adapted it to form a shield-like armor around his body. Unlike the simple shields taught at Hogwarts, advanced Aurors could use this spell to create spherical barriers that could withstand even the attacks of an Obscurus.
"He's still alive," Loki, watching from the Asgardian throne, scowled in frustration. Enraged, he commanded the Destroyer to launch another attack on Daniel.
Boom, boom, boom.
A series of mini-missiles suddenly bombarded the Destroyer, erupting in a chain of explosions as Stark arrived in his Iron Man armor.
"You don't look so good," Stark hovered nearby, a grin on his face.
"Be careful; this thing isn't easy to deal with," Daniel warned as he stood up, his body healing rapidly thanks to his enhanced recovery abilities and the Ope-Ope Fruit.
"Not easy to deal with?" Stark was about to comment when the smoke cleared, revealing the undamaged Destroyer. Stark's jaw dropped.
Having seen the Destroyer's formidable capabilities via satellite, Stark had launched a full assault without holding back. Each mini-missile was powerful enough to destroy even the most advanced tanks on Earth and could potentially damage his own suit if not careful.
"JARVIS?" Stark called out.
"The target is enveloped in a strange energy field. It deflects our scans," JARVIS reported.
"Let's try that again." Stark fired another volley of nearly twenty mini-missiles, thanks to the undetectable extension charms he had applied to his suit, allowing him to carry far more ammunition.
Boom, boom, boom.
Another barrage of explosions followed, yet the Destroyer emerged unscathed.
"This is impossible," Stark exclaimed. As a former arms dealer, he knew the devastating power of his mini-missiles.
"Sir, the enemy's energy readings are off the charts. I recommend retreating and alerting the military to use strategic weapons," JARVIS advised.
"I know," Stark acknowledged but still charged at the Destroyer, opting for close combat since ranged attacks were futile.
"This guy," Daniel muttered, startled by Stark's sudden decision.
Despite his newly acquired martial arts skills, Stark's punches barely fazed the Destroyer. The robot responded by sending Stark flying with a single punch. Its faceplate then glowed red, preparing to fire another beam at Stark.
Luckily, Stark managed to evade by jetting upward just as the beam blasted past. However, the Destroyer kept firing at Stark, forcing him into evasive maneuvers.
"It can rapid-fire too? Reducto!" Daniel cast another blasting curse, attempting to disrupt the Destroyer's aim.
"Where's the military? Why haven't they deployed yet?" Fury, watching from SHIELD headquarters at the Triskelion, slammed his fist on the table in frustration.
"They're still mobilizing," Hill replied.
"Enough!" Just as the Destroyer prepared for another widespread attack that knocked Stark to the ground, Thor finally stepped forward.
"Episky! Brackium Emendo!" Daniel immediately began treating Stark's injuries, using healing spells to stabilize him.
Fortunately, Daniel had also cast a Featherlight Charm on Stark during his fall, significantly reducing the impact and preventing severe injuries. Stark's suit, however, was too damaged to fly again.
Boom.
As Daniel helped Stark out of his damaged suit, they heard a loud crash. Thor had been thrown aside by the Destroyer.
"Loki really doesn't want to kill Thor," Daniel observed. Despite Loki's many schemes against his brother, he never intended to end Thor's life. After knocking Thor away, the Destroyer turned and started to leave.
Crash.
Suddenly, the sky darkened, and a massive lightning bolt illuminated the scene. Thunderclouds rapidly gathered, casting a dark shadow over the battlefield.
"What's happening? Where's the signal?" Fury's view from the satellite feed abruptly went dark.
"JARVIS, JARVIS," Stark called out, but he too had lost contact with his AI.
"It's finally happening," Daniel realized, recognizing the signs of Thor regaining his power.
Moments later, a dark silhouette flew toward Thor. Despite being unconscious, Thor instinctively caught Mjolnir. The moment his fingers wrapped around the hammer, he transformed. A black suit of armor materialized around him, and a red cape billowed dramatically behind him.
"Is this spatial magic or nanotechnology?" Daniel wondered as he watched Thor's armor appear.
He considered that Asgard, with its advanced technology, might have developed nanotechnology long before Earth.
Boom.
With a single throw of Mjolnir, Thor sent the Destroyer flying nearly a hundred meters. The power disparity was clear.
Seeing Thor restored to his full strength, Sif and the others cheered with joy, while Jane Foster looked at Thor with shining eyes.
"How did Captain America manage to fight Thor? Is his shield really that strong, or is it his unwavering spirit?" Daniel mused, considering the immense power Thor had just displayed. While Asgardians weren't literal gods, their strength was not to be underestimated.
Unfortunately, the shield Stark had found wasn't made of true adamantium. The genuine Captain America shield likely remained with the real Cap.
As the Destroyer rose again, Thor took to the skies, twirling Mjolnir to create a swirling vortex around himself and the robot.
Crash.
A blinding flash of lightning struck down, forcing everyone to shield their eyes. When they looked again, the Destroyer was in pieces, scattered across the ground.
"Forget it. Odin's still alive; it's best not to take unnecessary risks," Daniel thought, watching Thor's display of power. Despite being tempted, he decided against collecting Thor's blood samples scattered on the ground, wary of the potential consequences from Odin's wrath.
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