Peak of the Nine Realms, Asgard.
The Rainbow Bridge, spanning the starry sky, still radiated splendid light, connecting the magnificent Golden Palace to the vast universe.
In the past, this was synonymous with majesty and holiness.
But today.
The sky here changed color.
HUM————!!!
With a violent distortion of space, the originally dazzling starry sky seemed to be covered by a massive curtain.
One ship, two ships, a hundred ships... ten thousand ships!
A full ten thousand Star Destroyer-class battleships, pure white and printed with the purple "Fu" (Fortune/Blessing) emblem.
Like a white steel tsunami, they instantly crowded the outer space of Asgard!
Massive shadows were cast down, completely shrouding this eternal city in darkness.
And in the very center of the fleet.
That extremely luxurious flagship, the Emperor, slowly pressed forward like an imperial palace surrounded by stars.
Observation Deck atop the Bridge.
Frieza still sat in that golden eggshell hover pod, swirling a glass of millennial vintage wine in his hand.
Through the transparent shield, he overlooked the city built on the floating continent below.
Golden spires, golden palaces, even the floor was golden.
"Tsk..."
Frieza curled his lip in disdain, putting down the wine glass.
"This is the so-called Asgard?"
"Tacky."
"Too tacky."
"This nouveau riche aesthetic is simply worse than that guy in the tin can on Earth."
Frieza extended a finger, pointing at the highest palace of Asgard.
"Director Thanos."
"Subordinate is here."
Thanos, wearing black and gold heavy armor and carrying a double-edged warblade on his back, floated steadily beside the pod, his purple face full of solemn killing intent.
"I don't like this complex of illegal structures."
"Pass down the notice."
"Commence demolition operations."
"Except for the gold which can be kept for recycling, the rest..."
Frieza made a flat pushing gesture with his hand.
"Flatten it all."
"As you command, my Lord."
Thanos turned around abruptly, facing the mighty fleet, and raised his right hand adorned with a golden bracer.
In his eyes burned a flame of desire to prove his worth.
This was his first battle after joining the Frieza Group!
He must win beautifully! He must win thoroughly!
"All ships, listen to my command!"
Thanos's voice exploded inside every battleship via quantum communication, majestic and cold.
"Target: Asgard surface."
"Indiscriminate fire coverage!"
"Send greetings from the King to this bunch who call themselves gods!"
"FIRE!!!"
BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM————!!!
Ten thousand main cannons, upgraded with the energy circuits of the Power Stone, spat out deadly purple brilliance at the same instant!
The scene was simply like ten thousand purple suns exploding simultaneously over Asgard!
Beams of destruction poured down like a torrential rain!
However.
Just the moment those beams were about to touch Asgard's buildings.
Hum—!
A layer of golden semi-transparent energy shield suddenly rose from the depths of the Golden Palace, instantly enveloping the entire floating continent.
Odin's protective barrier!
Rumble!
Terrifying explosions blossomed on the surface of the barrier, kicking up sky-filling golden ripples.
Although deafening, although seemingly teetering on the brink of collapse.
This shield actually forcibly withstood the first wave of volley fire!
"Oh?"
Frieza raised an eyebrow, a trace of playfulness flashing in his eyes.
"The turtle shell is quite hard."
"It seems that one-eyed old man plans to be a stubborn nail household?" (Nail household: stubborn holdout against demolition/development).
Meanwhile.
Asgard, by the Bifrost.
Heimdall drew the sword Hofund, his roar resounding through the clouds:
"For Asgard! For Odin!"
"Face the enemy!!!"
Whoosh!
Countless flying skiffs shaped like Viking longships rose from all parts of the Golden Palace.
Densely packed Einherjar holding spears and shields let out war cries of defiance against death.
There were also the remnants of the Valkyrie legion in silver armor riding pegasi, drawing streaks of silver light in mid-air.
Asgard's counterattack had begun!
"Hmph, a bunch of primitives holding cold weapons."
Thanos looked at the Asgardian army charging up from below, a sneer of disdain curling his lips.
He leaped down violently from the battleship!
"Ginyu Force! Charge with me!"
Thanos roared in mid-air.
"Yes! Director!!"
Although Apocalypse, Magneto, Loki, and the others felt awkward about the title "Director," their bodies followed extremely honestly.
"Roar! Let me smash this turtle shell!"
Apocalypse, in mid-air, instantly gigantified!
Turning into a hundred-meter-tall blue giant, he smashed ruthlessly towards Asgard's shield like a meteorite!
BANG!!!
This collision shook heaven and earth.
The shield emitted a wail of being overwhelmed.
Immediately after, Magneto, Erik, clenched his hands in the void.
"The metal content here is even richer than I imagined!"
Asgard's buildings, flying skiffs, and even the weapons in the soldiers' hands were mostly made of metal.
This was simply Magneto's paradise!
"Break... for me!"
Crunch crunch!
Countless charging Asgardian skiffs.
Like soda cans squeezed flat by an invisible giant hand, they disintegrated instantly in mid-air!
Soldiers inside screamed as they fell.
"For the glory of the King!"
Loki, holding two daggers, with a cunning and cruel smile, turned into countless illusions and charged into the Valkyrie camp.
"Although this is my home... sorry, I changed bosses now!"
Splat!
Blood splattered.
Although Asgardians were incredibly brave, each a warrior worth ten men.
Under the unreasonable technological and superpower crushing of the Frieza Legion, the defense line was collapsing at a speed visible to the naked eye.
Thud!
Thanos landed heavily on the Rainbow Bridge.
The double-edged warblade in his hand spun like a windmill, instantly mincing a squad of charging Einherjar into meat paste.
"Too weak!"
Thanos kicked Heimdall flying and strode towards the gate of the Golden Palace.
"Odin! Get out here!"
"Hand over the land deed, and maybe I'll leave your corpse intact!"
Just the moment Thanos was about to stomp the gate of the Golden Palace to pieces.
Swish—!
A blade as black as ink shot silently from the shadows behind the door!
So fast that even Thanos only had time to tilt his head.
Ding!
The blade flew past Thanos's cheek, slicing off a small piece of his helmet, and nailed deeply into the golden floor behind him.
It was a black longsword emitting an aura of death.
Necrosword!
"Who?!"
Thanos stopped abruptly, his gaze grave.
"Hehehehe..."
A low, husky laughter, full of queenly arrogance, came from the depths of the hall.
Immediately after.
Click, click, click.
A woman wearing dark green skintight battle armor and a black headdress shaped like antlers.
Walked out slowly with an elegant and dangerous cat-walk.
Behind her, a black cape fluttered without wind.
Her hands casually grasped the air, and two black longswords condensed out of nothing.
Hela, the Goddess of Death.
She stood on the steps, looking down at Thanos.
"Purple ugly freak."
Hela tilted her head, a cruel smile curling her lips.
"Who gave you the courage to shout in front of my, Hela's, palace?"
Thanos narrowed his eyes, sensing the massive divine power on her that seemed endless, as if one with all of Asgard.
A powerhouse.
An absolute powerhouse.
"You are Odin's eldest daughter? The Goddess of Death?" Thanos said in a deep voice.
"Since you know my name, why not kneel and accept death?"
Hela snorted disdainfully.
"Big talk."
Thanos tightened his grip on the warblade, a hideous smile appearing on his purple face.
"Perfect timing. The King said."
"If the nail household doesn't cooperate, then forced demolition!"
"I want to see if you, a has-been goddess, are harder, or my blade is harder!"
BOOM!
The Rainbow Bridge beneath Thanos's feet cracked instantly.
Like a heavy tank, with unstoppable momentum, he charged ruthlessly at Hela!
"Seeking death!"
Hela waved both hands, and countless Necroswords shot out like a storm of pear blossoms.
Clang clang clang clang—!
Sparks flew!
The collision of two powerhouses instantly exploded a terrifying shockwave at the entrance of the Golden Palace!
High in the sky.
Sitting in the hover pod, Frieza watched the fierce battle below and yawned boredly.
"Oh my, my. Is this woman Hela?"
"She has quite the charm, pity that hairstyle is too non-mainstream."
Frieza shook his head, his gaze penetrating Hela, looking towards the deepest part of the Golden Palace.
There, an even more massive, more dangerous aura was awakening.
"Old man Odin..."
A smile of expectation curled Frieza's lips.