That point—seemingly insignificant—made all the difference.
Pshhk!
The fake Saitama that had been tapped froze violently. Then its body collapsed and disintegrated like a punctured airbag, instantly breaking down and reverting to a formless mass of black mist. It writhed and evaporated in the air before finally dispersing completely, as if it had never existed.
The laboratory was a complete mess. Shattered barrier fragments and dented walls testified to the danger just moments ago—but the crisis was over.
Fury let out a breath, his single eye filled with amazement. Doctor Strange also dismissed the spell in his hands, his gaze toward Saitama carrying a deeper meaning. "You don't just have strength—you have the insight to see through to the essence."
Saitama scratched his head. "It's nothing. I just thought that spot looked kind of… not smooth, so I poked it to try."
Doctor Strange walked over to the portion of black mist that had temporarily calmed down—the remaining part that hadn't participated in the imitation. He cast a spell with both hands and carefully sensed it.
"Director Fury, Saitama… I think I've found something. Deep within this energy, there are some extremely ancient… rune imprints. The style of these imprints… belongs to Asgard."
"Asgard?" Fury narrowed his eye. "Those 'gods' from Norse mythology?"
"Not merely mythology, Director. They are real extraterrestrial beings," Doctor Strange corrected. He traced golden rings in the air, projecting the decoded rune images. "These runes carry very distinct Asgardian magic characteristics. It seems we must make a trip to Asgard."
The journey to Asgard wasn't by physical flight. Doctor Strange opened a portal to the realm of the gods.
On the other side of the glowing golden circle stood the magnificent, radiant Rainbow Bridge, and beyond it, Asgard's palaces wreathed in drifting clouds.
After being announced by Heimdall, the guardian of the Rainbow Bridge, Saitama, Doctor Strange, and Fury—wearing specially made protective suits—met Asgard's acting ruler, Loki, in one of the side halls.
After everything he'd been through, Loki seemed to have reined in much of his former slyness and malice, yet his eyes still carried that familiar calculation and amused playfulness. After hearing Doctor Strange's explanation and reviewing the energy-sample data Fury provided (stored in a specialized container), a knowing look appeared on his face.
"Ah… energy from the Shadow Domain," Loki said, lightly tapping the armrest of his throne with a finger. "I thought Father had sealed that nuisance completely long ago."
"The Shadow Domain?" Doctor Strange pressed.
"A small plane attached to the shadow dimension of the Nine Realms," Loki explained, a hint of unease slipping into his tone. "There is no light there, no matter—only endless darkness, and a self-proclaimed 'Shadow Domain Lord.' He once tried to project the Shadow Domain's darkness into the Nine Realms and devour the light. A very, very long time ago, the All-Father Odin joined forces with an early Sorcerer Supreme, using the power of The Eternal Spear: Gungnir to forcibly seal its entrance deep within Jotunheim."
He paused, then continued.
"Now, either Odin is sleeping and my dear brother is absent, weakening the seal's power… or that so-called lord has found some way to corrode the seal. The energy that's leaked out is nothing more than the faintest ripple of the Shadow Domain seeping through."
(End of Chapter)
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