"Hah! Even the heavens are on my side!"
Ryuuto's grin split wide as his blood started to burn with excitement. The mysterious map shimmered in his hands, pulsing toward a location northwest of New York City. Whatever was calling him from there—it wasn't just random treasure. His instincts screamed that something big was waiting.
"Treasure hunt?" Gwen perked up, eyes sparkling. "Count me in!"
"Same here!" Susan added, smirking. "With you around, what's there to worry about?"
Katie Dee clasped her hands together, looking up at Ryuuto like a kid about to see fireworks.
"Alright then," Ryuuto said, stretching his shoulders. "Let's make it a team trip."
And just like that, the group—Ryuuto, Gwen, Susan, and Katie—shot off into the sky, a streak of energy racing toward destiny.
Far above Earth, a golden streak of light cut through the void, falling fast. It wasn't a meteor—it was Loki.
"Wonderful," he muttered, face twisted with irritation as he hurtled through the atmosphere. "Thor sends me to deal with some brat, and somehow I'm the one doing the dirty work. When I'm done, I'll take that damn throne myself."
He reached into his robe, pulling out a small parchment—the list Thor had handed him. Names of potential allies and powerhouses gleamed across its surface. Loki smirked.
"Heh. Once I gather these fools… dealing with one mortal kid will be child's play."
His eyes flared with excitement as he adjusted his descent. "Let's make this little planet remember the name Loki!"
Meanwhile, back on Earth—
"Wait a sec…" Ryuuto frowned, standing in the middle of a barren wasteland. Endless dunes stretched beneath a pale, yellow sky. "The map led us to this? Great, I'm about to get sand in my soul for nothing."
He was about to toss the map when Katie gasped and pointed upward. "Bro, look! A meteor!"
The others followed her gaze. A blazing streak tore through the heavens, growing brighter with every second. The wind howled around them as sand whipped through the air.
"Uh, it's… coming straight for us," Gwen muttered, stepping back.
"Relax," Ryuuto said, smiling faintly. "It's just a rock. Probably."
But his eyes glowed faintly, tracking its descent. "Actually… how about we make this fun?" He turned to the girls, smirk playing at his lips. "You want to see fireworks?"
Katie's eyes lit up instantly. "Yes! Blow it up, bro!"
"Alright then…" Ryuuto's hands flashed through seals faster than the human eye could follow.
"Fire Style—Fire Dragon Ball!"
The air roared as a massive fireball erupted from his mouth, heat rippling through the desert. It shot upward like a comet, streaking toward the falling figure at supersonic speed.
Up above, Loki was mid-descent, ready to strike a dramatic pose upon landing.
Then came the sudden whoosh.
"What the—"
A tidal wave of heat slammed into him. His elegant black hair curled instantly. The next second, a searing fireball collided dead-center.
"YOU'VE GOT TO BE KIDD—"
BOOOOM!
The explosion lit up half the desert. Flames bloomed like a scarlet sun. The night sky burned red, and the shockwave rolled across the sands in waves of shimmering heat.
Katie jumped up, cheering. "That was beautiful! Again, bro, do it again!"
Ryuuto chuckled, brushing ash from his sleeve. "Give me a sec. Let's see if I can turn that into a barbecue next time."
Even Susan and Gwen couldn't hide their awe as they looked at him, their faces glowing in the firelight.
Then came a voice—hoarse, furious, and full of divine ego.
"WHO THE HELL DARES ATTACK THE GOD OF MISCHIEF?!"
The ground split open as a smoking figure crawled out of a crater, hair half-burnt, armor melted in patches. Loki's eyes blazed with anger as he stomped the sand. "Show yourself, you mortal pest! I'll—"
He froze mid-sentence.
Because standing a few steps away, smirking like the universe's biggest troll, was Ryuuto himself.
"Yo," Ryuuto said casually. "Nice landing. You're the firework, right?"