136 Battle at Asgard (2)

Authors Note-

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When Thor saw Ivan blocking his hammer, his face registered sheer astonishment. The hammer, infused not only with his power but also the supergravity resulting from the interplay between Thor's hammer and the Asgard force field, posed an unparalleled threat. No adversary had ever successfully evaded this move. Today, however, someone shattered Thor's preconceptions. Observing the steely resolve on Ivan's face, Thor immediately sensed trouble.

"Charge!" Ivan bellowed. A surge of blue energy erupted from his being. Thursday, the god of thunder, bore the brunt of the force and was violently propelled backward. The four warriors were similarly swept away, coming to a halt several hundred meters away, disheveled and covered in soil, appearing thoroughly embarrassed.

Ivan ascended, fixing his gaze on Thor and the four warriors who rose to their feet. Swiftly stowing the two swords in his sleeves, he deftly formed intricate handprints, conjuring a mass of blue energy between his palms. With a casual toss, the energy dispersed into nearly a hundred smaller units. After a brief undulation, each unit transformed into an Ivan. The closest one hovered in the air, densely occupying the space and glaring coldly at Thor and the others, instilling a palpable sense of pressure.

This unique magical prowess, a fusion of Ivan's understanding of magical energy and the reality gem's transformative capabilities, dissipated upon energy depletion or substantial impact.

While these clones individually lacked formidable strength, their sheer numbers wielded a miraculous effect and proved effective for intimidation. The bewildered expressions on Thor and his companions attested to that. At Ivan's command, the legion of clones materialized blue energy staffs and fervently charged toward Thor and his group.

"Fear not! Together, we shall vanquish the enemy for the glory of Asgard, with Odin by our side!"

Reacting decisively, Thor surged forward. His straightforward nature and fearless disposition lent him a certain charm. Witnessing their leader take the lead, the four warriors overcame their lingering apprehension. Thor embodied the type who would charge forward without looking back, even if faced with an insurmountable obstacle. Upon colliding with the clones, he swung his hammer down, shattering them into fragments that dissipated into blue light spots.

The morale of the four warriors soared as they realized these clones were nothing more than subpar imitations. With Vostar at the forefront, brandishing his battle axe, and Sif and Fandral flanking with swords, Hogan, wielding a whirring mace, the quartet joined forces against dozens of Ivan's clones in a fiercely contested battle.

Assisted by the four warriors, Thor charged forward, dispatching a few clones before reaching Ivan's genuine form. He raised his hammer, ready to strike.

Ivan chuckled, unfazed by the impending attack. He effortlessly wielded the Zhenjin double knives, countering Thor's assault.

Initially, Thor assumed that Ivan's avatar technique required meditation for maintenance, expecting it to dissipate once initiated. However, he soon realized his miscalculation. Ivan's advanced brain and formidable mental power allowed each clone autonomy, independent of his concentration. The relentless clones, unafraid of death, mercilessly battered the four warriors with their energy sticks.

Thor, witnessing the suffering of his comrades, felt a deep sadness. Helplessly, he yearned for swift reinforcements to alleviate the four warriors' plight.

Observing from the shadows, Loki wore a surprised expression. Despite his dislike for Thor's mission, he acknowledged Thor's strength. Astonishingly, this unknown individual not only subdued Thor and the four warriors effortlessly but also seemed capable of handling the situation with ease. Loki, gripping his staff tightly, pondered the origins of these formidable opponents. Unbeknownst to Loki, Ivan, even in the heat of battle, keenly observed his actions. Two crows circled overhead, Odin's pets, representing memory and thoughts, signaling that Odin was monitoring Loki's every move.

Realizing Loki's actions were exposed, Ivan refrained from openly challenging Odin's adopted child. Despite Odin's unseen presence, Ivan pondered why the Allfather hadn't intervened to halt the senseless conflict.

Mid-fight, Ivan contemplated this enigma. As he swung Thor's Hammer with his left hand and prepared to strike Thor's face with the back of the knife in his other hand, an unexpected energy beam disrupted his plan. Ivan instinctively dodged, losing the chance to strike Thor.

Surprised, Ivan discovered Loki wielding a staff, the source of the unexpected energy beam. He wondered why Loki, usually discreet, took such a bold action, risking potential consequences from Odin.

Ivan extended his mental power to investigate and swiftly grasped the situation—a battalion of golden-armored warriors, roughly a thousand strong, was rapidly approaching. While Loki sought to flaunt his prowess in front of them, Ivan found it an opportune moment to impart a lesson.

Sneering inwardly, Ivan calculated that the Golden Armored Warriors would take some time to arrive, providing ample opportunity for him to deal with Loki.

Forcing Thor to retreat, Ivan ascended and headed toward Loki. However, Loki's staff emitted another energy beam, momentarily impeding Ivan. Seizing the chance, Thor, wielding Thor's hammer, swiftly joined Loki at the forefront, catching Ivan off guard.

As Ivan approached, Thor positioned himself as a human shield, while Loki skillfully directed beams of light to counter Ivan. The brothers' seamless cooperation surprised Ivan, hindering his attempts to break through.

Despite the future animosity between Thor and Loki, at this moment, their collaboration was unblemished, marked by absolute trust.

Ivan attempted several attacks, but Thor's resolute defense, combined with Loki's timely interventions, frustrated his efforts. Distraction set in as Ivan grappled with the method of countering the formidable duo.

With a swift motion, Ivan's figure blurred, dividing into two, then four. Each iteration of Ivan brandished double swords, converging to besiege Thor.

Witnessing this, Thor recoiled, recognizing the deceptive maneuver that had once fooled him courtesy of Loki.

Unable to distinguish reality from illusion, Thor opted for a serious approach. Thor's hammer swung, summoning lightning bolts that struck the four Ivans. However, the moment the lightning hit, the duplicates vanished, leaving Thor perplexed.

Suddenly, Loki's alarmed exclamation reached Thor, who swiftly turned around. Ivan had stealthily approached Loki, poised to strike.

"Stop!" Thor's desperate shout pierced the air as he sprinted towards Loki, driven by fraternal love.

Unfortunately, despite Thor's swift charge, he failed to intercept Ivan's sword. As the lethal blade approached, Loki's terrified expression transformed into a smile, and the sword pierced through the air as Loki disappeared—another illusion. Thor halted, sighing inwardly at being deceived once more.

"Fascinating!" Despite falling victim to Loki's trickery, Ivan bore no anger. Upon opening his eyes, a surge of spiritual power emanated, detecting an anomaly nearby. He extended his hand, and a beam of spiritual light revealed ripples in the seeming space. Loki's figure materialized his expression one of shock. Ivan had skillfully unraveled his proud illusion.

Seizing the moment before Thor could react, Ivan swiftly advanced, reaching out to grab Loki.

Panicking, Loki raised his staff, attempting to obstruct Ivan with an energy beam. However, Ivan absorbed the spell, grabbing Loki by the neck and restraining him.

Despite Loki's resistance, Ivan shook the hand around Loki's neck, resulting in an unsettling sound as if bones were disjointed, rendering Loki's limbs limp.

In a desperate attempt, Thor hurled Thor's Hammer at Ivan, hoping to save his brother.

Ivan sneered, swiftly turning around and pointing Loki toward Thor's Hammer.

Thor, alarmed, wrestled control over Thor's Hammer, altering its trajectory with a suppressed groan, experiencing a slight backlash.

"Release my brother, or I'll end you. I swear in the name of Thor, son of Odin, the god of thunder," Thor threatened, fearing for Loki's safety.