Asgard's Golden Palace!
At this moment, the Goddess of Death, Hela, wearing a crown resembling giant stag antlers, was on the palace's terrace, pressing her half-brother firmly against the railing.
Thor, who had already lost an eye to his half-sister, had lightning flickering in his one remaining eye, as if he were back on the cliffs in Norway, seeing his father once again.
Just then!
Hulk's voice, accompanied by a phoenix scream, resounded in the chaotic Asgardian sky.
"In the name of Phoenix, Nidavellir, you shall receive my Eternal protection!!!"
"..."
Hela, clutching Thor's throat, suddenly raised her head upon hearing this voice, then looked toward the realm of Nidavellir.
"Nidavellir?"
"Phoenix."
"Very well."
On Hela's sunken face, with her eyes gray and white like dust-covered pearls, emerged a faint cold smile.
She had been back in Asgard for quite some time now.
But...
Especially since Hela had been gone for so long, long enough for Odin to erase her existence from history completely, making it impossible for Hela to smoothly take over Asgard.
In simple terms.
No public support.
But no matter.
Hela believed in blood and fear; those who wouldn't be taught could simply be killed.
This was how she dealt with the uprising in Asgard: since her people wished to die in battle and go to the 'Heroic Spirit Hall,' she would fulfill their wish.
Thus, after returning, Hela unleashed a bloody storm in Asgard.
All of Asgard's armed forces were annihilated by Hela.
As for Asgard's civilians?
Although many Asgardian civilians hid in Asgard's refuge caves with Heimdall's help, many still lost their lives in the revolt. However, since they died in battle, they had the chance for their souls to reach the 'Heroic Spirit Hall'!
This was how Hela treated Asgard.
And she treated other realms similarly.
Especially Vanaheim.
It was the homeland of the God Empress Frigga, yet it was technically also Hela's maternal family.
After all, the Aesir Race had always married into the Vanir Race.
But this returned Hela had no courtesy for her maternal family, Vanaheim. After reviving the Army of the Dead from the Eternal Flame, which had been sealed separately by Odin with her, the first thing she did was to unleash her undead army upon Vanaheim.
Leaving nothing behind, obliterating everything in its path.
Don't ask why Hela was so ruthless.
Because they deserved it.
At least that's what Hela thought. Being her maternal family, instead of finding ways to rescue her after she was imprisoned, they sent a new wife to Odin.
Very well.
Since the Vanir Race wanted to be cowards, Hela thought her job was simple.
To turn them into dead cowards!
Thus, Hela ordered her Army of the Dead to completely level Vanaheim.
Originally, Hela planned to sweep through Vanaheim, and then, when sending her Army of the Dead to proclaim the end of Odin's rule in other worlds and the beginning of her reign, the rebellion in Asgard had already grown more intense.
So Hela thought of handling Asgard first, then dealing with other realms.
After all, the other realms, like the Frost Giants, the Flame Giants, and the Dark Elves, had been debilitated by Odin and Hela in the early days, and had always been under Asgard's blockade.
As for Nidavellir.
The planet of craftsmen, Hela considered it insignificant.
That's why when Hela returned and Asgard was in turmoil and Vanaheim ran blood-red, the other realms and Nidavellir remained uninvolved.
But now?
Nidavellir had dealt her a massive blow.
Odin had fallen, but she was still here, yet Nidavellir refused to sign a new alliance with her and instead entered a sacred guardian pact with an outsider.
What would you call this?
Betraying one's own interest.
Traitors.
So...
Hela was extremely angry now, furious enough to head to Nidavellir immediately, to massacre it, using their blood to deliver a bloody message to other realms.
She, the Goddess of Death, Hela, has returned.
However, as much as she wanted to, the immediate problem needed solving first.
Initially, Hela had not planned to kill Thor.
After all, the souls of slain Asgardians would return to the 'Heroic Spirit Hall.'
That was a good place.
With mountains and water, carefree and serene, it's practically Heaven on the World Tree.
But Hela did not intend to let Thor go to the Heroic Spirit Hall.
She originally planned to defeat Thor, toss him aside, and then deal with him after the battle.
That way, Thor wouldn't go to the Heroic Spirit Hall; his soul would have only one destination.
Her Helheim.
But not now.
She needed to finish Thor quickly and then head to Nidavellir as rapidly as possible to deliver a swift counterattack to Nidavellir and that outsider god Phoenix.
Therefore——
Looking at her half-brother under her grasp, Hela let out a cruel smile from her cold lips.
"Farewell, my dear bro..."
"Crack!"
Just as Hela's words fell, without hearing Hulk's voice, Thor, who heard his father Odin's voice, opened his one eye.
In the next instant.
A massive, thick lightning bolt appeared. As Thor's single eye and hands sparkled with bright arcs of electricity, it struck Asgard's Golden Palace with a loud boom.
The terrace where Thor and Hela stood was engulfed in endless lightning.
Then...
In the massive lightning storm, Hela was blasted off the Golden Palace by the electric surge.
And Thor.
Thor descended from the sky, his whole body crackling with lightning, his one eye also glowing with electricity, landing on the Rainbow Bridge, beginning his divine moment as the God of Thunder.
"Finally!"
"He's a god now."
"Not bad."
Using the Reality Gemstone, Hawk, hiding above, watched the mighty display of Thor, and under the Phoenix helmet, a genuine smile appeared, happy for his friend's progress.
This wasn't insincere; it was the truth.
Even though he was thinking of waiting like a mantis stalking a cicada, with a hawk behind.
But just like Hawk said before.
Private is private, and public is public.
The most important thing.
The gears of the Twilight of the Gods have already turned, unstoppable by anyone.
Even Hawk cannot stop it.
Indeed.
He could intervene now and delay the arrival of the Twilight of the Gods, but he still couldn't kill Hel.
Because Hel's power comes from Asgard.
As long as Hel stands on Asgard's land, her power will only grow.
Didn't you notice when Hel first appeared, her clothes were tattered, like a punk girl, but after returning to Asgard, her clothes gradually restored, and she regained her vigor?
So, as long as Asgard is not destroyed, Hel is almost invincible.
The most important thing.
Hawk intervening would be all harm and no benefit to himself.
If lucky, he helps a friend.
But if unlucky.
Don't forget, once he intervenes, he will be exposed to time, and what if time traps him for his kindness?
Hawk helps friends.
But if it costs him personally, then sorry.
This isn't Hawk avoiding harm.
Rather, it's...
Knowing he can't change anything and risking himself isn't kindness; it's foolishness.
Let's put it this way.
If it were an Eastern silhouette, even knowing it was futile, he would proceed.
Because the East believes in the principle that even amidst predestined paths, there's always a sliver of escape.
In the East, there is always a chance of hope.
But this is the West.
So!
Hawk just stood quietly above Asgard, watching Thor unleash his divine power against the Army of the Dead on the Rainbow Bridge.
And...
The Hulk, battling with the Fenrir wolf, while drinking water in Asgard.
Yes.
The Hulk.
You heard right, the very Hulk that Hawk drowned once in his memory, then killed him brutally.
Hulk has revived again.
However...
Hawk's face showed little surprise upon seeing the Hulk battling Fenrir.
Because this Hulk is not the one he killed.
Because even time itself cannot resurrect a dead Hulk.
It's impossible.
Hulk was killed by Hawk.
Not once.
Twice.
And in Hawk's past, Hulk occupied several important pages; simply put, Hulk's death became a fixed point in Hawk's timeline.
In short.
In Hawk's time, Hulk must die.
And Hulk did die.
So, with time already contracted, even the Main Cosmos cannot resurrect Hulk.
Therefore, there's only one possibility.
This Hulk must have accidentally crossed over from some multiverse, filling the void caused by Hawk, leaving the Main Cosmos without a Hulk.
Hawk already sensed the faint spatial aura on this Hulk.
But he wasn't interested in this Hulk, nor did he have the desire to kill him.
Their grievances were settled.
The first kill cleared their dues, and the second was Bruce Banner willingly sacrificing for love.
Hawk merely fulfilled his wish.
So...
Hawk just glanced at this foreign Hulk battling Fenrir, then turned his gaze to Hel, who appeared once more, intending to fight Thor to the death on the Rainbow Bridge.
No, wait.
Where is Loki?
Hawk's brows furrowed.
The next moment.
His gaze pierced through space, soon spotting Loki taking advantage of the chaos, running towards Odin's treasury on Thor's instructions.
Hawk's mouth curled up.
Finally—
It's about to begin!
...