Chapter 84: 83. Let me teach Thor what justice is?
[Special Hidden Side Plot Node Triggered]
[Mission: Ragnarok]
[Current Node Character: Thor the God of Thunder]
[Objective: Prevent/Complete Ragnarok (Different objectives trigger based on following the node character)]
[Reward: Unlocked after triggering the objective mission]
To be honest, Loya didn't quite understand this special hidden side plot.
The Destroyer was the boss of the Thor 1 plot, classified by the system as a main story boss.
And Ragnarök, he remembered, was the plot of Thor 3. Based on the Destroyer's positioning, Ragnarök should also be part of the main story.
But now it was classified as a special hidden side quest.
Clearly, this Ragnarök was very likely not the Ragnarökfrom his memory.
Furthermore, this mission actually had two possible ending objectives.
The fact that he could even choose to 'complete' Ragnarökleft Loya even more puzzled.
Could he actually take the villain route?
This was the uniqueness of this variant universe; some plots and character settings had changed, so he couldn't entirely apply the stories from his memory.
The Vampires and The Hand were good examples.
The Hand was causing trouble everywhere, while the Vampires were hell-bent on researching their own genes and even collaborating with The Hand.
This had led to many different changes.
Those mutated bosses were the result of such changes.
Since the node character was Thor, Loya placed a 'portal' he had obtained earlier back on Earth and then teleported to Thor's side.
Regardless of which ending was ultimately triggered, the current plot node was centered on Thor.
This was a special plot; with the word'special' attached, the rewards generally wouldn't be bad.
Loya wasn't about to let such a good mission slip away. No matter how difficult the final mission might be, he'd do the prerequisite tasks first.
It was the same logic as playing a video game; whether the boss was strong or not was one thing, but it would be a waste not to do the prerequisite quests.
"Loya, can we take this helmet off now?" Thor's somewhat embarrassed voice rang out.
If he had any other choice, he really didn't want to wear this helmet.
The pink color didn't suit a tough guy like him at all. If the citizens of Asgard saw him, how would he ever show his face again?
"Fine."
Loya didn't say much else and casually removed the control device.
After this round of actual combat, the practicality of the 'true game device' proved to be extremely high.
Especially when given to a player like Thor, whose stats were heaven-defying but whose micro-management was lacking, the effect was even more astounding.
Under Loya's high-end manipulation, Thor could exert strength far beyond his previous level.
If this device were used on the Hulk, the effect would surely be excellent as well.
He just wondered if Thor's body could retain muscle memory when he was controlled to mobilize energy and use custom moves.
Currently, Thor couldn't use his divine power, and while being controlled, he couldn't even feel his own body, so Loya couldn't even ask.
If it could, then the utility of this device would be even greater, serving as a powerful tool for training others.
After removing the device and regaining control of his body,
the first thing Thor did was raise his right hand and shout, "Thunder!"
However——
Nothing happened.
Everyone watched his performance with looks as if they were looking at an idiot.
Thor rubbed his nose awkwardly; as Loya had said, he couldn't use his divine power once the helmet was removed.
He lamented in his heart: "Wearing the helmet means I can't control my body; taking it off means I can't use my divine power. Sigh, how distressing."
But now that he was back in Asgard and the Bifrost was destroyed, he could stay in Asgard.
Thinking of this, Thor asked cautiously, "Loya, do you know some kind of teleportation magic that allows you to travel freely?"
Loya guessed what he was thinking and smiled slightly, teasing him on purpose: "I wouldn't call it free teleportation, but I left a portal on Earth, and I'll place another one in Asgard later. Then you can go back and forth between the two places as you please, without worrying about having nowhere to be exiled. How's that, happy?"
"Ah?" Thor was stunned. Happy my foot. He blurted out, "Can you please not——"
"Not what?"
Before he could finish, an aged and majestic voice suddenly interrupted Thor.
Thor's expression changed, and he turned his head sharply, his voice instantly dropping: "Father, you're awake?"
Odin snorted coldly and glared at Thor with a stern face, then turned to look at Loya with a smile. He looked amiable and kind, just like an old man from next door.
He spoke softly in a friendly tone: "My friend from afar, could you wait for me to handle my family matters before we have a proper chat?"
Loya was slightly startled, thinking to himself: "Odin, the king of the nine realms, is more approachable than I imagined."
He then nodded and replied, "Of course."
After Odin arrived, he first sent people to seal off the Bifrost, then took Heimdall for treatment, and finally left with Thor and Loki, prepared to deal with the mess these two boys had created.
Before leaving, he specifically instructed Sif and the others to take Loya on a tour of Asgard.
After a brief tour, Loya's biggest impression was that Asgard was truly wealthy.
Asgard's buildings were almost entirely made of gold, supplemented by precious stone and wood, with various rare gems embedded within them—it reeked of money.
During the tour, the Warriors Three and Sif appeared exceptionally excited about the previous battle where Lokiwas pummeled, discussing various combat details.
On one hand, they had been annoyed by Loki for a long time; on the other hand, they were amazed by Loya's combat techniques and control of power.
The moves and use of divine power Thor had displayed back then were far superior to what Thor could do himself.
They had fought alongside Thor for a long time, and Thor's fighting style was almost always about brute force, lacking technical finesse.
After seeing him being controlled with such precision, they realized his potential was far from fully developed.
The favorability ratings of several people also shot up.
The Warriors Three reached fifty points.
Sif even reached sixty-five points.
After agreeing to spar sometime in the future, Loyareturned to the guest room they had prepared.
[Mission 'Evil Younger Brother' completed]
[Rewards: EXP +2000, Thor Favorability +20, Item 'Flower Pot', Item 'Villa Capsule']
['Flower Pot': Can grow any plant as long as its growth conditions are met]
['Villa Capsule': Upon use, generates a luxury villa fully equipped with furniture and appliances. If the villa is damaged, retracting it into the capsule will allow it to slowly repair itself automatically]
"Lately, the rewards have been Flower Pots and Bone Meal. I wish it would give me a powerful plant so I can put them to good use."
Loya complained silently to himself, then closed his eyes to meditate, while also practicing his fine control over Telekinesis.
Not long after, a faint light flashed in the room, and an elderly man with the same eye-patch style as Fury quietly appeared.
Odin said with a chuckle, getting straight to the point: "Friend from Midgard, could you do me a favor?"
[Odin has issued a mission to you]
[Mission: Path of the King]
[Note: This is one of the Ragnarök node missions]
[Objective: Help Thor understand what justice and responsibility are, and what the true essence of power is]
[Reward: EXP +1000, Odin Favorability +30, Special Item *1]
Loya: "???"
End
Chapter 85: 84. Can Scam More Funding Again
Upon hearing the system prompt, Loya was somewhat dazed.
Let him teach Thor what justice and responsibility are?
What kind of development is this?
Because of him, the plot of this stage had progressed quite quickly; the incident had ended before Thor could comprehend his power.
But Loya hadn't expected the butterfly effect to land on himself.
Teaching Thor to use his power more delicately, or teaching him how to kill people, would be more like it.
He only had theoretical knowledge of such high-minded concepts, but clearly, theoretical knowledge couldn't possibly convince Thor; otherwise, Odin wouldn't have needed to exile him.
However, out of respect for the mission, Loya naturally wouldn't give up on it.
If he couldn't do it, it didn't mean others couldn't.
Doesn't Earth still have an idealistic warrior? Putting these two together might be just right.
The mission had already been triggered, but Loya still asked, "Lord Odin, please elaborate."
Odin nodded and sat to the side, a deep exhaustion showing in his eyes. "I won't beat around the bush with you. Simply put, my power grows day by day, and I must fall into a deep sleep to control the balance of this power.
But Thor is reckless and lacks the air of a king. If he were crowned King of Asgard, it would only ignite the fires of war across the Nine Realms. As for Loki—"
At this point, he sighed. "He is the son of Laufey, King of the Frost Giants. Initially, I adopted him hoping to settle the long-standing grievances between our two races.
But as time passed, I came to treat him as my own child. I did not favor one over the other between Thor and Loki, treating them both equally. Yet he does not see it that way; he has even fallen into paranoia, leading to a great mistake."
Odin seemed to have aged significantly, his eyes somewhat weary. "In my limited moments of lucidity, I must make Thor a qualified king, one who protects the Nine Realms rather than conquers them.
Midgard is a good place. Humans have an extremely dark side, but also a side of light. Only by experiencing life as a mortal can Thor understand weakness and know what responsibility and duty are."
He looked toward Loya, his gaze sincere. "You are one of the powerful beings of Midgard. By having Thor follow you for training, I need not worry about his safety, and I can peacefully balance the divine power within my body."
"Of course," Odin showed a hint of a smile, "I won't let you help for nothing. The reward for this matter is a weapon forged from Uru Metal. State your requirements, and I will have the dwarves custom-make it for you."
Hearing the reward, Loya's eyes lit up.
This was simply killing two birds with one stone. Not only would he get system rewards for completing the mission, but he'd also get a weapon forged by dwarves.
Located in one of the Nine Realms, Nidavellir is the kingdom of the dwarves, and their forging skills are famous throughout the Nine Realms.
The weapons they forge are of extremely high quality; for instance, Mjolnir and the future Stormbreaker both came from their hands.
Being able to obtain a custom-made weapon was clearly extremely precious.
Moreover, it would be forged from Uru Metal. If he added his pay-to-win enchanting table to it later, wouldn't he just take off?
As for why Odin was giving such a generous reward, Loyawas too lazy to think about it.
When your strength is insufficient, thinking too much only adds to your troubles. Since the mission required contact with Thor anyway, he'd just go for it!
Essentially, this was just a transaction. Perhaps he possessed some value that made him worth Odin's investment.
Loya didn't hesitate for long and nodded. "No problem, I will do my best."
"Good," Odin nodded with satisfaction.
Afterward, once the type of weapon Loya needed was finalized, Odin departed.
Yes, this reward was given in advance, not after the task was completed.
One could only say that Asgard was far too wealthy, and perhaps trusted Loya too much.
Time soon reached the second day.
A melancholy-looking Thor came to Loya's room.
Clearly, his hope of staying in Asgard had fallen through, and he had likely been given a lecture.
"What's wrong? Not happy about going to Earth?" Loyaasked intentionally.
Thor sighed, then put on a smile again and threw an arm around Loya's shoulder. "Forget it, Earth is Earth, it's fine too.
Good friend, I'll be counting on you from now on."
Having seen Loya's use and shaping of his own divine power, he had already made up his mind to learn and train this ability from Loya.
When he regained control of his divine power in the future, he would surely conquer all the races that refused to submit to Asgard!
Loya didn't know that Thor's mind was still on conquest and war; he just patted Thor's shoulder. "Leave it to me, I'll make sure you're well taken care of."
He was now the guardian of Thor, personally appointed by Thor's father.
From Earth's perspective, he was the diplomatic ambassador between Asgard and Earth.
Now that he had to look after Thor, shouldn't he make S.H.I.E.L.D. pay for it?
When they got back, he'd make Fury bleed money.
He believed Fury would be very happy too; this meant the evil Nick Fury could ask for more funding from his superiors again.
How nice it is for everyone to make money together.
"By the way, how is Loki?" Loya asked.
Thor shook his head helplessly. "He's been put in solitary confinement. He still refuses to repent and thinks he was right."
"Oh, right," he rested his chin in his hand, "I told Loki that I was only that powerful because you were controlling me. He was so happy, he laughed out loud and said he would repay you properly in the future. I guess you beat him into submission."
Loya: "..."
"
Do you really have zero emotional intelligence? Can't you tell good intentions from bad?
Forget it, he was too lazy to dwell on it. "Is there anything else to do? If not, we're heading back to Earth."
Thor shook his head, a look of guilt on his face. "It's a pity there's no chance to hold a banquet this time. When I recover my divine power, I will definitely host a grand feast for you."
"Oh! We're buddies, don't mention it," Loya waved his hand. "Just get me some more Asgardian specialties in the future, like Uru Metal or something."
Thor: "—"
Never mind then; he still wanted a full set of Uru Metalarmor himself.
"Since there's nothing else, let's get ready to go back."
With that, Loya took out a disc-shaped object and placed it on the ground.
The next moment, a light screen about two meters wide and three meters high appeared before them.
This was the "portal"; the other one was on Earth.
Thor looked at this portal somewhat blankly. This thing looked like neither technology nor magic; what was it?
And that device that controlled his body earlier—he didn't understand that either. He didn't know where Loya got these miraculous little gadgets with such amazing effects.
"Wait for us!"
Just as the two were about to leave, several familiar shouts suddenly came from outside the room.
It turned out to be The Warriors Three and Sif.
Sif looked at Loya with a smile. "The Bifrost is still under repair, and there are no wars lately. We might as well go to Earth for a vacation. Don't forget we have an agreement to spar."
"Fine," Loya nodded. This meant he could ask for even more funding.
Then, the group returned to Earth through the portal.
Deep within the Golden Palace.
Odin sat on his throne, wisdom gleaming in his lone eye.
Beside him was the elegant and noble Queen Frigga.
"What did you see?" Frigga asked softly.
Odin sighed. "Great power is not enough to end a predetermined fate. I cannot do it, but Thor's potential is higher than mine; perhaps he can. But he needs a sufficiently reliable and powerful helper."
He looked at Frigga, his gaze tender. "And what did you see?"
—
Frigga's gaze was profound, as if she could see to the end of the universe. "At the moment Thor and Loya became friends, fate... became blurred."
Chapter 86: Matt's Urgent Call for Help
New Mexico, S.H.I.E.L.D. temporary base.
Loya stepped out of the portal with Thor and the others.
Coulson outside the door was completely dumbfounded as he watched the figures appear one after another.
Why are there so many people?
Wasn't it estimated that only Thor would be here?
He instinctively rubbed his temples, feeling his scalp go numb.
The cultural habits between the two places were vastly different. One more person meant an additional diplomatic risk, and the subsequent arrangements and coordination work wouldn't be easy.
"Why the long face?"
Loya patted Coulson on the shoulder, immediately seeing what he was thinking.
"Alright, I'll handle entertaining them. You report to Furyand have him prepare to send funds for me, the diplomatic ambassador."
Hearing this, Coulson raised an eyebrow.
If only he had said so earlier. He genuinely didn't want to deal with these tricky alien affairs. The pressure was too great; his already sparse hair couldn't bear much more.
Not long after.
After returning the Destroyer Armor to Asgard via a portal, Loya prepared to lead everyone back to New York.
But before departure, a group of new guests arrived outside the S.H.I.E.L.D. facility.
It was Jane Foster and her companions, the ones who had originally knocked Thor over and taken him in at the start of the plot.
They had fabricated a fake identity for Thor and tried to take him away.
Coulson mercilessly exposed their lie, stating that if they wanted to befriend Thor, they could ask for Thor's opinion.
What followed was the conversation between Jane and Thor.
Nothing much to say, just reeking of that cloying scent of new love.
After giving Thor her contact information, Jane said she would go to New York to find him once she finished handling matters here.
It seemed that even though the process had deviated somewhat, Thor and Jane's story would still continue.
As far as Loya knew, Jane's mentor, Dr. Erik Selvig, had already been quietly invited by Coulson to join S.H.I.E.L.D.'s scientific research team.
Although Coulson didn't tell Loya why, he knew the general plot.
The events concerning Asgard must have greatly stimulated Fury, accelerating his research plan for the Tesseract.
The only question was, with Loki not having fallen into the cosmic wormhole this time, could he still escape the Asgardian dungeons?
With all preparations complete, everyone boarded the S.H.I.E.L.D. private jet back to New York.
On the plane, several Asgardians gathered together, chattering excitedly about matters on Earth, their words filled with curiosity.
Meanwhile, Loya was on the other side whispering with Steve.
"Steve, how about doing me a favor?"
Steve blinked in confusion. "What kind of favor?"
Loya pointed at Thor, who was boasting, and whispered, "Thor's father asked me to help Thor understand what justice and responsibility are. I think you're more suitable for the job than I am."
This move of his was called outsourcing, and the kind you don't have to pay for.
Steve fell silent for a moment, even more puzzled. "You traveled across star systems to Asgard, just for something this simple?"
"Tsk, that's not right." Loya shook his head. "Thor's situation is different. He was born noble, and Asgardconsiders dying in battle an honor. Some things can't be understood just by talking or looking; you have to experience them."
Steve was slightly taken aback. Somehow, he felt this statement wasn't just about Thor.
He pondered for a moment, then nodded. "You're right. I'll help you then. I really should see this world for myself instead of just cramming knowledge at S.H.I.E.L.D. Besides, staying at S.H.I.E.L.D. is truly unbearable."
Helping Thor understand justice and responsibility was nothing much for Steve, probably no different from training soldiers back in the day.
Loya smiled and said no more.
This matter wasn't as simple as Steve thought. Thor was incredibly stubborn.
He turned his head, closed his eyes, and went to check his system mission rewards.
[Mission'Sudden Situation' Completed]
[Rewards: EXP +10, Coulson Favorability +30, Item: Sunflower Seeds]
[Sunflower Seeds: Sunflowers grown from these can resist evil erosion within a certain range, can keep people in a good mood, and increase movement speed]
By the time they returned to New York, night had fallen, dotted with stars.
Fury had long since purchased several villas near Loya's place, specifically for accommodating Thor and his group.
This concerned the formal contact between two civilizations; he couldn't afford not to be cautious.
As for how much money Fury had embezzled in the process, Loya couldn't be bothered to care, since he had taken a cut too. The feeling of money just being handed over like that was, admittedly, truly satisfying.
Just as they were about to arrive at the villas, he also received a mission from Fury.
[Fury has issued you a mission]
[Mission: Maintain Friendship]
——
[Objective: Properly entertain the Asgardian guests]
[Rewards: EXP +10, Random Item *1]
Outside the villa.
Several barbecue grills were already set up, meat sizzling and aroma wafting everywhere.
The Warriors Three and Sif had changed into Earth clothing, taking out their own Asgardian Fine Wine around the grills.
It was a liquid that looked more like oil than wine, smelling of honey and spices.
Holding a wine cup, Thor said, "Loya, this is genuine Asgardian Fine Wine. An ordinary person would get drunk from just one drop. Want to try?"
Loya scoffed. "Do you think I'm an ordinary person?"
He casually took an entire bottle, downed it in one go, and said nonchalantly, "Tastes pretty good, just no challenge at all."
With his current physique, drinking this wine was no different from drinking sweet water.
"Impressive!"
"Great capacity!"
Seeing him finish a bottle without changing expression, Sifand Volstagg and the others cheered.
Asgardians loved feasts and were extremely fond of alcohol, regardless of gender. Such drinking capacity earned Loya their great favor.
"Who's afraid of who? I'll do it too!"
Thor's competitive spirit was roused, and not to be outdone, he also drank a bottle.
Then————
*Thud!*
He fell straight to the ground.
Speaking of ordinary people, the current Thor wasn't much stronger than one.
Everyone burst into laughter.
After putting Thor back in his room, the others continued eating meat and drinking, sharing their own experiences and stories.
Amidst the atmosphere, Steve also drank several cups, but a trace of worry remained in his eyes.
After several rounds of drinks, it was already past midnight.
The Warriors Three and Sif couldn't hold on anymore, each collapsing drunk and unconscious.
After sending them back one by one, Loya sat down next to Steve and smiled. "What's wrong? Something on your mind?"
Steve sighed. Only in front of Loya could he let his guard down.
His eyes were confused. "Maybe I've been in that dream for too long, my expectations for the outside world were too high. The world isn't how I imagined it would be."
As if remembering something, Steve's face showed genuine disgust. "And I've found that Fury trusts no one, always monitoring everyone as a potential threat, me included. If it weren't for old times' sake, I'd really like to give his other eye a punch too."
Loya raised an eyebrow. That would be quite the hit. He had intended to comfort Steve, but unexpectedly, the phone in his pocket suddenly vibrated.
Picking it up, the caller ID showed Matt.
Matt was also one of those who rarely contacted him proactively. A sudden call definitely meant something was up.
As soon as he answered, Matt's anxious voice came through: "Loya, help me! Elektra's in trouble! I'm about to lose control of her!"
In the background noise, there was also some terrifying, eerie howling.
[Matt has issued you a mission]
[Mission: Evil Infiltration]
[Objective: Awaken Elektra's rationality]
[Rewards: EXP +10, Random Item *1]
"Alright, at the office, right? I'll be right there."
Hanging up, Loya raised an eyebrow at Steve. "There's a bit of a sudden situation. Want to come along? Perfect chance to show you another side of the world."
Chapter 87: 86. The Lost Steve
High in the sky, two figures moved forward rapidly, yet without making a sound of wind.
Looking at the city skyscrapers flashing by, Steve's eyes widened. "Wait, how can you fly too?"
Loya didn't even turn his head as he laughed. "I never said I couldn't fly. How could you assume I couldn't?"
Steve was silent for a moment. Thinking about it carefully, it seemed to make sense.
But Loya was simply too versatile.
All sorts of magical items, a powerful physique and combat skills, mastery of some magic, and according to Fury, a very powerful healing ability—and now he could even fly.
To describe him using the files he saw at S.H.I.E.L.D., he would be called a 'Hexagon Warrior' who could heal, fight, and escape.
However, he currently only knew of Loya as a Super Soldier.
When he asked Fury about others, the man was always vague, saying it was top secret.
Could it be that Fury had many more Super Soldiers like this under him?
Then S.H.I.E.L.D. was truly terrifying.
Soon, they entered the area of Hell's Kitchen.
As if crossing an invisible boundary, the scene before them suddenly changed drastically.
Dilapidated and decaying, with bursts of gunfire, armed thugs roamed the streets, acting with reckless abandon.
This was Steve's first impression; even the air here seemed different from elsewhere, more turbid.
Hell's Kitchen and the other neighborhoods felt like two different worlds.
Despite the speed and height, Steve's eyesight allowed him to vaguely catch glimpses of the street scenes.
His brow furrowed, and his expression grew increasingly grim.
How... how are there so many homeless people here?
In streets and alleys, amidst piles of trash, ragged homeless people could be seen everywhere—some collapsed on the ground, others dancing in a bizarre manner.
So many, too many!
Steve's mind felt like it was exploding, buzzing incessantly.
This was completely different from what he had expected.
Not only that, he could see many people in uniforms lifting those collapsed homeless people into vehicles, as if they were disposing of trash.
Just moments ago, they were drinking, eating meat, and having a campfire party; seeing this scene in the blink of an eye gave him a powerful shock.
Moreover, in the national status reports he had seen at S.H.I.E.L.D., there was no mention of this at all. He felt deeply deceived.
That bastard Fury really can't be trusted!
"Why is it like this here?" Steve's voice trembled. "Doesn't the government do anything?"
He was dazed, as if in a dream.
His previous expectations and understanding of the new era collapsed instantly.
This was no different from the slums of his era, perhaps even more terrifying.
It was hard to imagine that after nearly seventy years, things hadn't just failed to improve but had become more horrifying. What were the rulers even doing?
Loya smiled. "They do. Why wouldn't they? Those people in uniforms you just saw are government people. And it's not just the government; the private sector is involved too."
"What do you mean?" Steve frowned and pressed further. The actions of those people were extremely rough; they didn't look like good people at all.
Loya didn't tell the whole truth, fearing he might scare Steve, so he only shared a part of it.
"You know, the human body is very valuable, and America's medical science is very advanced. Do you understand now?"
Steve was stunned at first, a hint of confusion flashing in his eyes, but he soon realized and looked on in disbelief. "You mean those homeless people are all—"
"Wait!" Loya waved his hand, interrupting. "Let's not talk about it. That's only one part."
In fact, Hell's Kitchen was even more terrifying than it appeared. Previously, The Hand had even built an underground palace out of bones; this was nothing compared to that.
He didn't tell Steve everything because he feared Steve wouldn't be able to accept it all at once.
"What?!"
"That's only one part?"
Steve's face flushed with anger, his breathing quickened, and it felt as if something in his mind had shattered.
He had nearly given his life to stop Hydra.
He had also fought that monster in his dreams for nearly seventy years, all to protect this world, the weak, justice, and freedom.
Yet the war was won, and this was how things turned out in the end.
Freedom?
Justice?
Protecting the weak?
It was all bullshit.
Steve was no fool; he instantly understood many key points.
In prosperous New York, during such a basically peaceful era, for there to be a corner where the weak had no protection, it must be linked to government indulgence or corruption.
This left him feeling incredibly lost. Was his struggle truly meaningful?
The world shouldn't be like this.
Steve sighed deeply.
The expectations of nearly seventy years turned out to be a bomb that shattered all his hopes.
His mind was a mess, and a deep sense of powerlessness welled up in his heart.
"Damn it, I might as well have died in World War II!"
Steve rubbed his forehead, unable to help but curse inwardly.
Seeing him like this, Loya comforted him. "The world is just like that. It's neither black nor white, but a refined gray. It makes it hard to distinguish right from wrong, and equally hard to see the direction."
Steve sighed. "But I really find it hard to accept. After finally winning the war, people aren't living better as expected. My efforts seem to have been meaningless."
"And—" he paused, his expression complex, "even if I wanted to change something, who is my opponent? I can't even find a direction."
Loya didn't know what to say for a moment.
There were far too many opponents.
If he wanted to change things, Steve running for President of America would be one way.
But he wouldn't mention that for now; he suspected the guy might actually do it. Stabilizing Steve was the priority.
He also had a special mission associated with Steve; from any angle, he had to keep things under control.
Loya stroked his chin and said seriously, "Actually, you have many opponents, but also many like-minded people. The person we're going to help now is involved in a crisis that threatens the world.
And that person has always been dedicated to changing Hell's Kitchen in his own way. I think you'll get along. Don't feel lost; there's much you can do, and the world is still vast."
Hearing this, Steve's brow gradually relaxed, and his gaze became calmer.
Yes, perhaps he was too impulsive. He hadn't seen the full picture of the world, so how could he decide so quickly?
He could try to influence others in his own way and change this shitty world.
Thinking of this, Steve slowly calmed down and said gratefully, "Thank you, Loya, for letting me see the truth hidden by Fury. He really was lying to me. Only you haven't lied to me."
[Steve's Affection +5, Current Affection: 85]
Hearing this, Loya thought to himself, "If you found out I was Hydra, you'd probably have a breakdown."
He couldn't say that. He waved his hand and said grandly, "Why say all that? We're bros!"
A smile appeared on Steve's face. This scene reminded him of his long-lost best friend; they used to talk about everything like this.
A few minutes later, they finally arrived at Matt's office.
The office doors were tightly shut, with a 'Closed for Renovation' sign hanging outside.
With a thought, Loya's telekinesis swept over the lock, and with a click, the door opened.
Telekinesis is so convenient; he didn't even have to move a finger.
Stepping into the office, Loya's ears twitched as he located the storage room, where there were extremely faint growls.
Sure enough, pushing open the storage room door, he saw a muscular Matt straddling Elektra, who was emitting black smoke, tightly covering her mouth.
Elektra's expression was distorted as she struggled desperately.
If Loya hadn't been prepared, he would have thought Matt was committing a crime.
Matt heard the door open, but before he could speak, Elektra beneath him stopped struggling.
He was somewhat confused and instinctively let go, saying with concern, "Elektra, are you okay? It's me, Matt."
Elektra didn't respond to him but stared blankly at the door, letting out a piercing scream: "Loya! You again!!!"
Matt: "???"
Aren't I your ex-boyfriend?
How come you shout someone else's name first after regaining consciousness?!"
Chapter 88: Matt's 91 Affection Points
Elektra's voice was shrill and piercing, with an incredible penetrating force that made the doorframe tremble and eardrums ache.
Steve looked at Loya, his eyes carrying a hint of gossipy curiosity.
There must be a story here.
Loya smiled slightly, clenched his hand, and Elektra's mouth was instantly sealed by an invisible force, leaving her only able to make muffled whimpers.
His telekinesis wasn't practiced in vain. With the focus boost from "Mind Meditation," his control over telekinesis had improved by several levels.
Sealing someone's mouth with just the right amount of force like this was quite easy, unlike last time when he crushed the water glass.
Loya waved his hand: "Matt, it's fine. She can't move anymore. You don't need to hold her down."
Matt took a deep breath and slowly got up from Elektra.
Holding down Elektra had exhausted him; he had no idea where she got such brute strength.
Sure enough, under the suppression of an invisible force, Elektra's entire body was pressed tightly against the floor, completely unable to move.
"Good thing you came, otherwise I couldn't have controlled her."
Matt sighed with relief, still shaken.
"Tell me, what happened?" Loya ignored Elektra's murderous glare and asked casually.
Matt spoke rapidly: "Do you remember that guy who injured me and hit me with dozens of shuriken before?"
"That person was Elektra, but at the time, she was shrouded in black mist, so I didn't recognize her."
He sighed: "A few days ago, while dealing with a thug, I encountered Elektra. She was about to hurt an innocent person.
I intervened to stop her, only to find she didn't recognize me and had been implanted with another set of memories. So, I captured her and brought her to the office to prevent her from harming others."
"Things were going fine these past few days. With my efforts, she seemed close to remembering me."
Matt frowned, looking weary.
"But just before I called you, she suddenly went berserk, becoming so unfamiliar it scared me. That definitely wasn't Elektra; she was like she was possessed by a devil!"
Matt's somewhat clouded eyes looked at Loya: "That thing inside her seems to know you?"
Earlier, concern had clouded his judgment. Only now did Matt realize it wasn't Elektra calling Loya's name, but the entity inside her.
Hearing this, Loya understood why the dozens of shurikenMatt was hit with weren't poisoned. It was his ex-girlfriend who attacked; she must have still had some memory left and held back.
But being able to shoot so many at once was still pretty exaggerated. Indeed, you shouldn't mess with women.
However, looking at the current situation, Elektra had clearly become a complete vessel for The Hand to bear power.
And the entity inside Elektra was an old acquaintance.
Loya nodded, his tone teasing as he deliberately joked: "Your guess isn't wrong. She is indeed possessed by a devil, and the one possessing her is my defeated opponent—a dead dog by the roadside."
As soon as the words fell, Elektra struggled violently, her lips trembling, eyes bloodshot, glaring at Loya as if she wanted to devour him whole.
It was predictable that if not suppressed, she would have lunged to bite.
Loya wasn't nervous at all. He slowly crouched down, seeming to see another existence through Elektra's body.
"You get angry when I call you a dog? Look at yourself now, still wanting to bite? What else is that if not a dog? By the way, you're called the Beast. Could your true form actually be a dog?"
The air seemed to freeze for a moment. Elektra struggled even more violently, her eyes red with hints of black, wishing she could eat Loya alive.
Seeing the effect achieved, Loya released the seal on Elektra's mouth.
Immediately, a sharp voice exploded: "Loya! One day, I will kill you and eternally imprison your soul!"
"Oh." Loya responded flatly, "Then come at me now. Why just talk tough? Trash is trash, no wonder Mephisto said you're not worthy of being compared to him."
The Beast was stunned for a moment, then roared: "That damned red-skinned bastard dares say that about me? I'll kill both you and him!"
Loya curled his lip. This Beast's vocabulary was truly lacking, repeating the same two lines. It really was far inferior to Mephisto.
He hoped this simple attempt at sowing discord would work, letting them fight each other.
With a thought, a brilliant holy light surged from his palm: "Alright, you can get lost now. I just wanted to see how much you differ from Mephisto. Now get as far away as possible."
"Hahaha!" Seeing the holy light, it didn't fear it but instead laughed loudly.
"You underestimate me too much. This woman's heart has completely fallen into darkness.
This isn't external force. Your holy light is useless; that power that expels everything is useless!
She will keep committing evil until you kill her. Hahahaha!"
"Moron!"
Loya said no more. He stood up, his hand making a grasping motion, and an ancient-looking staff made of special metal appeared in his hand.
The staff was about two meters long, entirely golden, engraved with complex magic patterns.
[Amplification Staff: Amplifies effects related to magic]
He raised the staff high and slammed it forcefully onto the ground.
"Taste my holy light!"
Boom!
Dazzling golden light suddenly erupted, as if a great sun had risen!
The room was illuminated as bright as day.
"Ah! My eyes! ×2"
Steve and Matt cried out simultaneously, covering their eyes.
Sizzle!
Sizzle!
Sounds like something being intensely scorched rang out, accompanied by faint, miserable shrieks.
The black mist on Elektra melted away like snow meeting fire, vanishing completely in an instant.
Only an unwilling roar was left in the air: "Loya! I will return!"
By the time the holy light dissipated, the black mist on Elektra was gone, and she lay quietly on the ground.
Steve rubbed his eyes, teary-eyed, and said helplessly, "Next time you use magic like this, give a warning first. You almost blinded me."
Loya shrugged and smiled: "Don't worry, this holy light also has healing effects. You were cured before you even went blind."
Steve: "——"
"If you hadn't said that, I'd have thought it was a magic spell to disrupt vision."
Meanwhile, Matt made a gesture resembling a pilgrimage toward Loya. In his heart, Loya's ability to release holy light had already made him a messenger of the Lord.
At the same time, a system prompt sounded in Loya's ear.
[Matt's Affection Points +5. Current Affection Points: 91]
[Matt's Affection Points at 91. Using Matt as an anchor, performing a special draw.]
[Congratulations, you have obtained the ability: Mind's Eye]
[Mind's Eye: A profound and mysterious supernatural sense. Possesses abilities such as perceiving emotions, discerning weaknesses, sensing danger, precise intuition, and mental resonance. Can observe the world from another dimension, see all things clearly without opening eyes, and comprehend their essence.]
[Evaluation: Look at the world with your heart, and you might gain different insights.]
[Unlocked Bonded Character: Matt Murdock]
[Bond: Supernatural Senses, Unyielding Will]
[Supernatural Senses: All senses are enhanced.]
[Unyielding Will: Willpower is enhanced.]
A series of prompts left Loya a bit dazed.
However, before he could examine them closely, Elektra, lying on the ground, made some strange noises.
"Matt~ Matt~"
Elektra closed her eyes, her body wriggling slightly, murmuring Matt's name with a strange hint of craving in her tone.
Concerned for his ex-girlfriend, Matt didn't notice the oddity. He quickly leaned down, his face showing a gentle expression, his tone somewhat unnatural: "Elektra, I'm here. How are you?"
Elektra suddenly opened her eyes, filled with lust, and shouted loudly: "I'm good, I'm very good, Matt! Let's make babies!"
"Huh?" Matt was instantly stunned and instinctively said, "That's not appropriate, is it?"
Who knew the next moment, Elektra shouted even louder, her eyes fixed on Loya and Steve: "And you two! You come with me too! Let's all make babies together! Whoever doesn't, I'll eat them! Hahahaha!"
Wriggling and grinning maniacally, she looked like a perverted female demon.
Reacting, Matt covered Elektra's mouth, only for Elektra to lick his palm with her tongue.
He shuddered all over and turned to look helplessly at Loya: "Loya, help me!"
Loya stroked his chin, showing a thoughtful expression: "It seems we need to implement Plan B."
Chapter 89: Matt's Corrupted Ex-Girlfriend
Elektra was frantically licking Matt's palm, making him hunch his waist uncomfortably.
He didn't know what that damn demon had done to turn his beloved ex-girlfriend into this.
If he hadn't discovered Elektra by chance, he didn't know how many green hats would be piled on his head in the future.
Loya was also amazed; he had just obtained 'Mind's Eye,' which allowed him to perceive others' emotions.
At this moment, Elektra was filled with a lust that was almost overflowing, along with a nearly insane murderous intent.
It had to be said that while the Beast was sometimes a bit slow-witted, its methods were truly no joke.
This was done through some means to infinitely amplify a certain negative emotion in Elektra's heart, thereby twisting her personality.
Even if the power of the Beast was expelled, the personality twisted by negative emotions had already become fixed and was difficult to restore.
The reversal of personality was an internal change, so the 'Horse Talisman' was powerless.
Holy light was also useless; after all, holy light couldn't turn a good person bad, nor vice versa in this sense.
In simple terms, Elektra had been blackened.
And what does a blackened person need?
To awaken the truth, kindness, and beauty in her heart, of course.
!
It just so happened that Loya had a small prop that could be used to awaken truth, kindness, and beauty; he had thought he'd never get a chance to use it.
He sat down next to Elektra, and an ancient-looking booklet with a picture of a big-headed doll appeared in his hand.
"Loya, is there a way? I'm about to lose it." Matt bent over, his face flushing red as Elektra became increasingly intense.
"There is, there is." Loya nodded. "I think singing a song should do it."
Matt: "???"
"Is it some kind of exorcism incantation?" Matt panted, pressing for an answer.
Hearing this, Loya gave a thumbs up and grinned in praise: "Exactly, Matt, you really know your stuff."
After saying that, he opened the booklet and coughed lightly: "Please forgive me if my singing is terrible, friends."
Then, with a solemn expression, he began to sing according to the contents inside.
"Child, child, why are you so bad~"
"Sweetie, come back quickly~"
"Sweetie, you must truly repent~"
Matt:...
Steve:...
"
1
It wasn't exactly terrible; although they couldn't understand the lyrics, Loya's singing wasn't bad. Instead, it had a unique charm to it.
——
——
It was just that... no magic effect seemed to appear. Could this really work?
The two of them showed no reaction at all.
Elektra was still licking wildly.
However——
After Loya sang a segment, something unexpected happened.
Elektra, who had been torturing Matt, suddenly stopped her movements.
At some point, her eyes had filled with tears.
Next, as the strange melody slowly flowed, Matt and Steve were also affected.
Matt unknowingly shed tears; he remembered his childhood, how his father always gave his all to provide the best for him.
Steve remembered the days of fighting, the bonds of friendship, the beauty of love—everything was so nostalgic.
The three of them fell into beautiful memories through Loya's singing, unable to pull themselves out, their faces covered in tears.
"Done!"
With a light shout from Loya, the three of them snapped back from their memories.
"Matt, I—I remember everything." Elektra suddenly hugged Matt and gave him a direct French kiss.
"Eww!" Loya curled his lip in disgust and quickly backed out of the room.
Steve followed him out and conveniently closed the door.
"Loya, what kind of magic is that? It's incredible." Steve wiped his face, his voice still a bit choked up. "I felt like I went back to my childhood, back to the most beautiful time. I feel like my soul has been cleansed."
His face was covered in tears, yet he wore a happy smile.
Loya was a bit surprised. Was 'three hundred childrens songs' this powerful?
It could actually heal people's hearts and make these two big men cry.
[Three Hundred Children's Songs: Singing these nursery rhymes has a certain probability of awakening the truth, kindness, and beauty in the heart. If the awakening fails, the target will be dazed for one second.]
He said casually, "Just a nursery rhyme. I'll sing it for you again if there's a chance in the future."
"Good!" Steve nodded heavily and sat on the sofa nearby, his eyes slightly dazed as if he were still reminiscing.
Loya was happy to see it and went about studying his system rewards.
[Task 'Evil Invasion' Completed]
[EXP +1000, Item: 'Lure']
[Lure: When mixed with different substances, it has an irresistible attraction to creatures that love that substance.]
Matt's favorability had also reached the critical point of 90, allowing for a draw with an anchor point.
This confirmed one thing for Loya: this anchor point should refer to the character's own abilities, drawing rewards centered around that scope of power.
For example, Matt's ability is sensory, so he drew 'Mind's Eye,' a very practical supernatural sensory ability.
Of course, it could also be like that time with Felicia, where he drew a special attribute point in Luck.
Special attribute points are likely a pity reward.
But regardless, favorability was definitely worth farming.
These abilities were clearly more powerful than the characters' own, and they could unlock bond effects; the cumulative benefits would be infinite.
If Stark, Steve, or even Banner and Thor had their favorability maxed out, he wondered what abilities he would draw.
If he could draw an ability like Hulk's where one gets stronger with anger, that would be awesome.
It was truly something to look forward to.
Furthermore, the Mind's Eye ability was incredibly effective for farming favorability.
Just imagine: if you can perceive others' emotions and prescribe the right remedy, the difficulty of winning them over would definitely be greatly reduced.
Damn, it really feels like I'm playing a dating sim.
About ten minutes later.
Matt and Elektra finally came out of the utility room. Fortunately, they hadn't done any 'plumbing' work, or Loyawould have had to start cursing.
"Thank you, Loya." The two of them walked up to him and thanked him sincerely and repeatedly.
To be honest, Matt hadn't expected a single song to solve the problem; it was truly amazing.
Loya waved his hand; after getting a new ability, he was in a great mood.
"We're all bros, no need for that. Elektra, tell us what happened to you."
If Elektra retained her previous memories, they could go straight to raiding The Hand's headquarters.
A look of pain appeared on Elektra's face: "In simple terms, I died, then I was resurrected and controlled by some power of The Hand."
"What?" Matt exclaimed, his heart aching for her.
Elektra hugged Matt's arm, which was thicker than her thigh, a look of enjoyment on her face: "I'm still alive now, aren't I? And I have you."
Having experienced death, she finally understood her feelings for Matt.
Loya looked at the couple flaunting their affection, curled his lip, and asked, "Then Elektra, do you still remember the place where they resurrected you? And why you suddenly went into a violent frenzy?"
Elektra nodded: "I remember. As for losing control, I vaguely heard some kind of sacrificial sound, and then I was possessed by the god of The Hand."
"Good!" Loya shouted and immediately stood up. "Let me make a phone call first."
Since Elektra remembered the location, he was going to start attacking those scumbags from The Hand, and use them to research his planned way of using 'Telekinesis' while he was at it.
Walking to the side, Loya dialed Fury's number.
Fury's somewhat muffled voice sounded; he had clearly just woken up.
"Ugh... what's wrong? Loya?"
Loya got straight to the point: "I've found one of The Hand's strongholds. Should we kill them all?"
"Hmm?" Hearing this, Fury instantly woke up and pressed, "Is the information accurate?"
"I have a witness right here."
"Then good, let's do it. Do you need me to send backup?" Fury didn't hesitate at all.
"No need, I have enough people here. Just issue the mission," Loya said slowly, his tone relaxed and casual.
"No problem!"
[Fury has issued a mission to you]
[Mission: Eradicate The Hand]
[Objective: Wipe out The Hand's stronghold]
[Reward: EXP +1000, Fury Favorability +5, Random Item *1]
He'd be able to level up again after finishing this mission.
Loya hung up the phone, gave a slight smile to everyone present, and spoke in a loud voice.
"Brothers, get ready to move! Let's kill all those scumbags!"
Chapter 90: 89. Waterloo of the Tunnel Assassination Plan
"What kind of organization is The Hand?"
When Steve was with S.H.I.E.L.D., the information Furyprovided almost never involved supernatural forces.
Most of it was basic modern common sense, along with some deliberately smuggled personal agendas.
Therefore, he really didn't know what this Hand was for; the only thing he could be sure of was that this organization was a villainous one.
"The main body is people from the Land of the Rising Sun. To put it bluntly, they're fascists."
Loya explained. He was already an expert at labeling others, and by slapping such a heavy label on them, he fiercely stimulated Steve's fighting spirit.
"What?" Hearing this, Steve's expression changed drastically, and he stood up instantly. "Those damn things haven't died out yet? They even formed an organization?"
You should know that World War II was fought against fascists, and he was a direct participant and opponent in that conflict.
Now, hearing that there was an organization formed by fascists, he began to wonder if the allegiances of those at the top of America were skewed.
"It's normal," Loya spread his hands and smiled. "There are always people who unswervingly believe they are right.
Of course, it's also for greater profit and power."
In all fairness, saying The Hand is a fascist organization isn't exactly nonsense; what they do is hardly different by comparison.
Steve frowned and nodded; that logic held up.
The one thing this world doesn't lack is stubborn fools and lunatics who will stop at nothing for profit.
Then let the newly returned Captain America deal these guys another heavy blow!
Steve looked at Matt and Elektra across from him and introduced himself: "I am Steve Rogers. We might be fighting side-by-side soon, so I think it's necessary for us to get to know and understand each other."
The first rule of team combat is mutual understanding; only then can there be seamless coordination.
Moreover, this Matt gave him a good impression—sturdy muscles, ideals, and convictions. He was a good man worth knowing.
"Hello, I'm Matt, and this is my—girlfriend, Elektra," Matt introduced. He could feel a tough, military temperament coming from this large man Loya had brought.
And this name... how was it the same as Captain America? That man had always been his role model.
Matt tried to close the distance, saying with a smile, "Your name is actually the same as Captain America's."
Steve nodded and responded seriously, "That's right, I am Captain America."
Matt fell silent for a moment. No, I was just making a joke, and you actually took it seriously? Even if you're someone Loya brought, you shouldn't just talk nonsense, right?
At this point, to prevent the two from wasting time arguing over this topic, Loya stepped in.
"That's right, Matt. He really is Captain America. A decades-Capsicle, nickname: Rock Hard!"
Steve:...
"
Can you stop giving people random nicknames?
"He's really Captain America?" After only a moment's hesitation, Matt believed Loya's words; such was their trust.
He said in disbelief, "It's been seventy years, and you're still alive? And—so young!"
"Let's not chat about that. Didn't I tell you he's an Capsicle? He was frozen for seventy years and only just thawed out recently."
Loya quickly recounted Steve's situation. Right now, he just wanted to take out that base, level up, and draw prizes—he was aiming for a speedrun.
Steve also felt they should settle it quickly: "Tell me about The Hand's situation. We need to formulate a detailed plan to take them down in one fell swoop."
"Formulate what? Just listen to me." Loya waved his hand grandly. "I'll take you to experience the tunnel warfare I'm best at. I guarantee it'll be a blast."
Half an hour later.
An abandoned warehouse district.
Hell's Kitchen was like this; abandoned factories, abandoned apartments, and the like were everywhere.
Those gangs also liked to gather in such places, using them as bases.
This abandoned warehouse district was the base of a small gang.
While it was called a gang base, in reality, this gang was an external force of The Hand, serving as a cover and basic defense.
Of course, they also steadily funneled corpses into it, acting as a sort of civilian high-end recycling organization.
And a few hundred meters away from the warehouse district.
Several figures were crouching sneakily in the shadows of the ruins.
Relying on his extremely unnatural vision, Loya got a general look at the abandoned factory area and asked, "Elektra, is the base in your memory right here?"
Elektra nodded: "Yes, I will never forget this place. There is a blood pool underground; that's where I woke up.
But the defenses here are very tight. It seems to be one of their important strongholds."
Alright, as expected, it's underground again.
It fits The Hand's style of hiding away; rats love digging holes, after all.
"What's the plan? You're not really going to dig a tunnel, are you? Why don't we do it my way? I have experience with this," Steve advised.
Although he had already seen Loya's wonders, Steve still felt that digging a tunnel was too ridiculous.
Setting aside the excavation time and the problem of transporting the dirt, how would they determine the direction? How would they know when they reached the destination?
These were all critical issues. Could he see through walls or something?
"Of course. When it comes to digging tunnels, I'm the real deal. Just trust me and that's it."
Loya was cheerful as he finished speaking and took out the pixel-style "diamond pickaxe" from his system space.
Smack!
He swung the pickaxe on the spot.
In the next moment, a square hole two meters long, wide, and high appeared before everyone's eyes.
After the diamond pickaxe underwent an area enchantment, its range increased from one meter to two meters, and its excavation efficiency was even faster. A mere few hundred meters was a matter of minutes.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
After swinging the pickaxe a few more times, Loya's figure had already vanished from sight.
Everyone fell into silence; that neat square hole was quite an eyesore.
Steve remained silent. As expected, one couldn't use common logic to view Loya.
Whatever this guy said he'd do might sound absurd, but he would actually do it and could achieve it easily.
Well, it seemed he himself had seen too little of the world; it really was full of wonders.
The group then followed him into the tunnel.
In just that moment of daze, they found they could only see Loya's back.
"This is too fast."
They quickened their pace to keep up.
However, they soon found that Loya had stopped and was standing still.
"What's wrong?" Steve lowered his voice and asked in confusion.
Loya rubbed his chin. "There's a bit of a problem. The tunnel assassination plan won't work; we have to change methods."
At this point, they were only one pickaxe swing away from breaking through into the underground passage.
Loya relied on "Mind Meditation" to see the flow of energy to determine the direction.
The place The Hand chose would definitely be an energy convergence point; there was no doubt about that.
Having dug to this point, he could also see the scene below through the X-ray ability of "Death Eye."
Compared to the bone palace he saw last time, this place was clearly much more normal.
It was just a luxuriously decorated underground palace. According to Elektra, this was the territory of one of The Five Fingers, "Madame Gao," who often practiced magic and performed sacrifices here.
The guards below were also very tight, with people stationed at key positions. It was densely packed, which was quite ridiculous.
Of course, that was nothing; killing these ninjas was as easy as breathing.
The reason was that Loya's "Minds Eye" saw something different. The tunnel was covered by some kind of mysterious power, similar to a vision magic.
As long as someone stepped into it, they would be discovered. Even the invisibility cloak wouldn't work; this kind of vision wasn't as simple as the naked eye.
I have to say, the Beast has really learned to be smart. This protection is much stronger than that previous broken palace.
And this was the difficult part. Loya wanted to capture Madame Gao alive to find out the locations of other bases. After all, she was a proper experience pack.
But "Minds Eye" gave him an intuition that Madame Gaowould definitely flee once she discovered his intrusion.
Thinking about it, it was normal. The Beast certainly wouldn't use a head-on approach.
After all, it wasn't easy for The Hand to develop, and each of The Five Fingers wasn't that easy to cultivate, let alone an old woman like Madame Gao who communicated most with the Beast.
Maybe she was even the Beast's old flame in the early years.
Hearing this, Steve immediately said, "Then let's go with my plan. Slow and steady."
Loya pondered for a moment, thought of a certain item, and his eyes lit up. "Oh, actually, we can just walk straight in."
Chapter 91: 90. We're All Bros! I Forgive You
Back on the surface.
Steve couldn't help but press, "What do you mean by 'just walk straight in'?"
[Remember this site's domain name, a massive amount of Taiwan novels are waiting for you]
He was now completely unable to keep up with Loya's train of thought.
Wasn't it supposed to be tunnel warfare?
Why did it sound like they were going for a direct frontal assault again?
Truly a fickle man.
"Sigh, looks like I really am old. Young people these days have so many ideas," Steve lamented repeatedly in his heart.
"Literally," Loya said with a smile. A card then appeared in his hand, which he immediately pressed against his chest.
The next moment.
Steve and the other two simultaneously turned their gazes toward Loya.
For some reason, Loya was exceptionally eye-catching in their sight. It was the same in Matt's perception; it was as if something invisible was pulling their attention, giving them an inexplicable feeling in their hearts.
[bro card: By presenting this card, you will receive extraordinary attention, and any outrageous actions you take will always be forgiven. However, accumulating too much may trigger a strong backlash.]
But Steve was indeed a representative of powerful willpower.
He clearly felt something was wrong, but in the next second, it felt perfectly normal, and then wrong again.
His expression switched back and forth between confusion and calm in a continuous cycle; his whole being was about to crash.
At this moment, Loya feigned seriousness and said, "Steve, actually, I've been lying to you all along. In reality, I'm Hydra. Hail Hydra!"
"What?" Steve's eyes widened, his fists clenched, and anger surged into his heart.
But before this anger could fully ignite, it inexplicably dissipated. He waved his hand and laughed heartily, "Stop joking. Why would a Hydra agent reveal their identity in front of me? Besides, so what if you are Hydra? We're all bros, why even mention it? I forgive you!"
Whoa! This bro card effect is really something.
Loya happily put away the "bro card." The effect was truly excellent; even revealing his 'ultimate' in front of Steve was fine, so what came next was in the bag!
After the "bro card" was put away, the trio's eyes flickered, and they finally moved their gazes away from Loya.
"What was that just now?" Steve rubbed his eyes in disbelief.
That feeling was bizarre, as if no matter what Loya did, he could forgive him.
Elektra subconsciously hugged Matt. She also had a feeling just now that no matter what Loya did to Matt, she would forgive him. She couldn't help but recall some bizarre plots she had seen within The Hand.
Loya spouted some nonsense: "Just a simple piece of magic. Your willpower isn't firm enough."
"—"
Everyone fell silent.
This was clearly something from two different dimensions. How could they be blamed for having weak willpower?
"So we're going in using this magic?" Steve asked. This was his first time doing something like strolling into an enemy headquarters; he was actually a bit excited thinking about it.
Loya nodded. "I'll go in using this. You guys need to change your method, or else it'll be easy for problems to arise."
The effect of the "bro card" had its limits. One person was probably fine, but with more people, it would inevitably be too outrageous. If there was a backlash and the targets escaped, it wouldn't be good.
As he spoke, Loya took out a cartoon-style flashlight, adjusted the power, and shone it toward Steve and the others.
Before they could react to what Loya was doing...
Something shocking happened.
The earth trembled violently, and everything around them expanded rapidly. Even a cigarette butt on the ground looked like a towering tree in their eyes.
And Loya became like a giant standing between heaven and earth, looking down at them from above. A terrifying sense of pressure washed over them.
"We—have we shrunk?"
Steve and the others suddenly realized, looking at each other and their surroundings with eyes full of disbelief.
This was simply inconceivable; they had actually shrunk to the point where they were barely larger than ants.
Before they could recover from the shock, the sound of wind whistled overhead.
They looked up.
They saw a giant hand that blotted out the sky descending from above!
Placing Steve and the others into his chest pocket, Loyathoughtfully opened a small window for them to facilitate their observation of the outside world.
He was using the "Shrinking Flashlight" item he had obtained previously; it was coming in handy now.
Arriving not far from the warehouse area, Loya pinned the "bro card" to his chest and strolled toward the warehouse area with great swagger.
At this time, the gang members were having a meal together.
The table was covered with sumptuous food and fine wine. Smoke filled the air, and they chattered incessantly in their gibberish language.
When they saw a stranger walking straight toward their stronghold from a distance, they immediately stood up.
A small leader shouted, "baka yarou! Who are you!"
The other gang members also stood up, grabbing their weapons and pointing them at Loya, looking ready to strike at any moment.
However—as Loya drew closer...
Their expressions changed drastically. They quickly put away their weapons, and their faces were covered in smiles.
A series of "Sumimasen" apologies rang out.
Loya nodded.
As expected, his outrageous behavior had been forgiven. The effect was unexpectedly good.
He said casually, "It's fine, it's fine. We're all bros. I'm going to take a look around your underground palace, don't mind me."
""
After saying that, he casually took a skewer of steaming Oden carrots and took a bite.
He had to admit, these japanese people really made this stuff well.
The gang members still didn't react, only silently watching Loya's back, repeatedly saying things like "We're all bros, we're all bros, forgiven and all that."
It wasn't until Loya openly entered the underground palace that they returned to their seats and continued drinking and chatting, as if nothing had ever happened.
"Woohoo, success!"
After entering the underground palace, Loya breathed a sigh of relief. Infiltrating so openly was even more thrilling than a frontal assault or digging tunnels.
Things went just as he had predicted. In fact, upon entering the underground palace, he had already been exposed to that magical field of vision.
But now nothing had happened. Clearly, the Beast had forgiven him.
The three people in Loya's pocket looked at each other, the shock in their eyes impossible to hide.
Loya's every action was constantly grinding down their worldviews. Their experience today was like a dream; if they took it out to brag, no one would probably believe them.
Who would have thought that one could infiltrate an enemy headquarters in such a way? Truly amazing.
Loya knew this matter couldn't be delayed. His presence here was an outrageous act in itself; if he stayed too long, there was a high probability he would break through that limit and cause other trouble.
Without much hesitation, he mobilized his "Telekinesis" and "Wind Manipulation" and rushed forward!
He sped along the passage and arrived at the end before long.
There was a wooden door here that looked ordinary but was actually protected by magic.
In Loya's perception, behind the door was the energy convergence center of the entire underground palace.
Now that he was here, there was no need for concealment.
Arriving before the wooden door, Loya released the three people, who returned to their original sizes, and barked, "Brothers, get ready for battle!"
He then stepped forward and delivered a direct kick.
Boom!
The wooden door, along with the magic on it, was kicked into pieces.
However, when he saw the scene inside clearly, even Loyacouldn't help but take half a step back.
In the room covered with strange runes and viscous blood, there was a huge blood pool. Floating above the blood pool was an altar made of white bones.
Between the altar and the blood pool stood a terrifying body over three meters tall, with muscles bulging like tumors.
The skin colors of the body were different—black, white, and yellow. The Hands had the claws of some kind of beast, cold and sharp, striking fear into the heart.
And on the head of this assembled body was the head of an old woman that was clearly distinct from the rest of the body. Her skin was loose, and she emitted a foul stench.
This image was bizarre and disgusting. Loya was repulsed half a step back by the sheer nastiness of it at first.
He couldn't help but wonder: in this state, if she were fed an "honesty bean paste bun," could she even speak?
The thought flashed by and vanished. With a thought from Loya, a giant axe appeared in his hand.
Forget all that, just chop her first!
Just as he stepped into the room, the old woman's head suddenly opened its eyes and slowly spoke: "You've come."
At the same time, a system prompt sounded in Loya's ear.
[You have triggered a Special Elite Battle]