Chapter 111: Activation of the Magic Cube

“Damn Loki.”

Michael was furious. This guy had clearly planned everything in advance.

Of all places, he had to choose Michael’s own building.

He vowed that once this crisis was over, he would strengthen the building’s defenses.

Through satellite surveillance, Michael observed Loki quietly standing on the penthouse floor, calmly watching everything around him.

Professor Selvig and Max were setting up some device—most likely the mechanism to activate the Cosmic Cube.

Suddenly, Michael recalled that Max had been involved in the building’s electrical maintenance and was very familiar with the circuitry of the Angel International Tower.

So this guy had also been premeditatedly controlled by Loki.

Damn traitor.

“By the way, where’s Rhodes? I haven’t seen him since yesterday.”

If Rhodes were here, he’d have given you a piece of his mind after that argument today.

Steve replied, “Rhodes was recalled by the military yesterday. Apparently, it was for some maintenance coordination.”

Michael said, “Notify Rhodes to come over and tell the military that S.H.I.E.L.D. intends to requisition their suits.”

The army had two hundred sets, the air force eighty, and the navy one hundred and fifty—altogether a considerable amount of combat power.

Though these suits weren’t top-tier, they could still serve as powered super-soldier armor.

Michael watched the surveillance for a moment before saying, “I’ll go distract Loki. You guys try to stop Professor Selvig.”

“Got it.”

Everyone except Tony, who went back to change into his suit, remained on site.

Loki, watching the incoming fighter jets, felt a flicker of panic but addressed Professor Selvig, “Are you ready?”

Professor Selvig confidently replied, “All set.”

Only then did Loki relax.

Michael descended swiftly, landing before Loki. “Loki, if you keep being stubborn, your fate will be grim.”

“I have an army. I won’t fail.”

Michael smiled wryly. “You severely underestimate Earth’s technology. Except in space travel, Earth’s advancements are among the world’s best.”

To put it simply, aside from building spaceships, Earth can manufacture almost anything other planets can.

Earth even possesses many super-technologies alien civilizations can hardly comprehend.

Take nuclear weapons, seemingly simple but incredibly difficult to produce.

When it comes to warfare, Earth’s internal competition has forged experience that outclasses them by a dimension.

Loki’s plan to conquer Earth with the Chitauri army was simply impossible.

“We will stop you, Loki.”

Others disembarked from the other side of the aircraft, slowly making their way toward the penthouse.

“You cannot stop me, mortal.”

Loki looked at Michael with a smug smile.

Runes lit up on the ground, encircling Michael.

Excited, Loki said, “Within this magic circle, only I can wield magic. They’ll be too busy dealing with you to interfere.”

Loki slowly extended his Mind Staff toward Michael, intending to seize control of his mind.

Michael regarded Loki oddly, then reached out and grabbed the staff. “Did you forget something?”

Loki was stunned, trying to pull the staff free, but it wouldn’t budge—as if welded to Michael’s hand.

With a raised knee, Michael struck Loki squarely in the chest, propelling him backward.

Michael had successfully taken the Mind Staff, which could transform its shape according to its wielder’s will.

In Michael’s grasp, the staff’s serrated blade lengthened while the handle shortened, gradually becoming a longsword. The mind gem was embedded in the crossguard.

“Not bad. Fits nicely.”

“This is my staff now.”

Loki scrambled to his feet, glaring at Michael with fury.

Michael smiled, uninterested in his impotent rage, and calmly said, “It’s mine now.”

“You despicable, vile human! You will regret this. I will capture you, whip you mercilessly, skin you, strip your bones, and finally curse you into a toad.”

Michael chuckled. “Don’t worry. I plan to test everything you just described—on you.”

“You cannot stop me, mortal.”

Michael was speechless. Always calling him mortal—it was like a dog barking at its own mother.

In an instant, Michael was before Loki, lifting him with one hand and plunging his sword into Loki’s abdomen.

Loki stared in disbelief. He couldn’t fathom that anyone dared lay hands on the son of the King of Gods. Not even the Chitauri’s master had earned his contempt like this.

He never imagined there was such a ruthless man here, one who dared strike him without hesitation while Odin still lived.

Loki smiled faintly and vanished from Michael’s grasp.

It was an illusion. Since Michael couldn’t use magic, he hadn’t immediately realized it was a trick.

Loki peeked from behind a column, scowled at Michael with hatred, then disappeared again.

“Kaiya, have you broken the spell?”

Kaiya replied, “I don’t think it’s necessary. Just dismantle the formation. Besides, you don’t need to stay here.”

Michael slapped his forehead. How could he be so foolish?

He flicked his sword, erasing some runes on the floor. The magic power surged back into him.

“Loki, don’t chicken out.”

Loki stayed hidden, but Max, who had been guarding Selvig, was enraged.

You have to protect your master, right?

With a furious roar, Max charged at Michael, crackling with billions of volts.

Michael hadn’t noticed and was caught off guard, getting knocked back.

But to control Max, Michael grabbed him mid-charge and they both fell off the roof together.

Seeing Selvig now unguarded, Steve immediately said, “Take this chance to subdue Selvig.”

Hawkeye shot a grappling arrow onto the roof and quickly climbed up.

Spider-Man shot a web and swung up in an instant.

Gwen couldn’t help but comment, “Was this how I used to swing through the city? There’s definitely some innuendo in this.”

She used her jet boosters to fly up directly.

Captain and Black Widow broke through the rooftop door, entering in the most straightforward manner.

Tony, suited up, descended from above and landed in front of Selvig.

The professor, unaccustomed to such a scene, was terrified by the aggressive crowd and wanted to flee.

Even in his darkest state, Thanos would have put on his helmet faced with this.

Selvig raised his hands double, signaling he carried no weapons.

He was genuinely scared—worried one slip of their hands might end him.

Suddenly, the Cosmic Cube emitted a beam of energy shooting skyward, knocking everyone to the ground with its overwhelming power.

When they got up, many alien soldiers were already rushing down on strange hoverboards.

From a portal emerged a gigantic leviathan, its appearance terrifying beyond words.