Marvel: The Villain

Chapter 315 315 King

Loki arrived at Stark Tower aboard a stolen transport.

This neon-lit monolith, powered by clean energy, had become a defining landmark of the New York skyline—a symbol that the world's energy paradigm was entering a new chapter. At the very top was a cantilevered terrace, complete with a pavilion and umbrellas. It was a space originally designed for Tony to enjoy grilled steaks and city views; now, it was occupied by an old, white-haired man and a cluster of bizarre machinery.

"Dr. Selvig!" Loki called out, approaching him. "What is the status?"

Dr. Selvig, his hands dancing across the controls, spoke with feverish excitement. "It's a success! The Tesseract has been activated. The portal can be opened at any moment."

Satisfied, Loki nodded. He turned his back to the doctor, overlooking the glittering expanse of Manhattan. "Then let us begin."

Selvig engaged the final sequence and quickly scrambled back. The active Tesseract began to bleed massive amounts of energy, which the machinery channeled and focused. The power surged until it erupted into a brilliant blue beam that pierced the sky. The night fog over New York was torn asunder, replaced by a swirling cosmic void.

On the other side of that hole lay the Chitauri army, waiting in the silence of deep space. The appearance of the portal was their bugle call. Hideous soldiers atop hovering chariots swarmed toward the opening.

"Haha... my army has arrived."

Clad in his emerald robes, Loki gazed up at the stars, his pride radiating from him.

BOOM!

BOOM!

BOOM!

Suddenly, a thunderous roar of artillery erupted from the streets below. The first wave of Chitauri hadn't even had a chance to admire the view before they were shredded by concentrated anti-air fire.

"What?" Loki's face darkened as he peered over the edge.

Unbeknownst to him, the bustling streets of Manhattan had been cleared of civilians. The wide avenues were now choked with a dense thicket of tanks, armored vehicles, and specialized artillery batteries.

"A trap... the mortals were prepared?" Loki's confusion was genuine. How could they have known he would choose Stark Tower? His internal intelligence shouldn't have leaked.

He didn't dwell on the question for long. It didn't matter. Once the bulk of the Chitauri forces made planetfall, it would be over. The primitive firepower of Earth was no match for what was coming.

Indeed, the first wave had merely been scouts. Unfazed by the resistance, the Chitauri deployed their heavy hitters: the Leviathans. These weren't ships in the human sense; they were colossal, flying biological serpents. With armored carapaces, gnashing maws, and thousands of rippling fins, they looked like monsters mutated by cosmic radiation.

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

The ground batteries unleashed a frantic volley. However, the Leviathans' armor was exceptionally thick; the barrage caused only superficial damage, failing to slow their advance. Droves of Chitauri soldiers—serpent-faced beings in grey-black armor—leaped from the sides of the beasts, clutching long energy rifles.

PEW! PEW! PEW!

The counterattack began. The Chitauri energy rifles possessed the punch of a heavy anti-materiel rifle, but with zero recoil and a rapid-fire rate. Within thirty minutes, over twenty Leviathans had entered Earth's atmosphere, with an endless stream behind them.

Initially, the two armored divisions in New York held the advantage through sheer volume of fire. But as the number of alien warships grew, the human artillery's lack of penetration became a fatal flaw. The tide began to turn. Manhattan, the epicenter of the conflict, was transformed into a sea of fire. Cars were crushed, buildings were leveled—it looked like the end of the world.

Loki stood on the roof, silently admiring the carnage. Then, a swarm of lights appeared on the horizon.

It was Tony and his Iron Legion, followed by two fighter squadrons from the Helicarrier—over a hundred Quinjets in total.

"Jarvis, turn the Legion loose. Priority targets: the long ones."

"Right away, sir!"

The Iron Legion and the Quinjets dived into the fray. Their arrival provided much-needed air support for the ground troops, significantly relieving the pressure. Tony flew straight for the Tower, staring at the blue beam. "Jarvis, did we cut the building's power?"

"Sir, the power is off, but the Tesseract is its own power source."

Frustrated, Tony landed on the terrace. "Dr. Selvig, shut it down immediately."

Selvig, eyes glazed with zeal, pointed at the sky. "It's already started! No one can stop it now!"

"Fine. Then I'll break it." Tony raised his arm and fired a repulsor blast at the machine.

KABOOM!

A shimmering energy shield protected the device. The blast did nothing to the machine, but the resulting shockwave sent Tony skidding back several meters. Poor Dr. Selvig, being the closest, was tossed through the air and knocked unconscious.

"Sir," Jarvis reported, "The barrier is composed of pure energy. It functions similarly to Jason's shields."

An impenetrable shield backed by infinite energy. Great, Tony thought. No way through.

He sighed and flew into his private penthouse levels. Loki was waiting by the door, greeting him like a host welcoming a guest.

"Tin Man, you're late. My army is here. You have only one path left: to kneel."

Kneel? Tony thought. "This is your army? Sorry, I don't see the resemblance."

The jab hit home. Deep down, Loki knew this was a borrowed force, and he was merely a general without a kingdom.

"What does it matter?" Loki countered. "The Chitauri will dispose of you, and I shall be the sole master of this world."

"Trust me, you're never sitting on that throne." Tony raised his hand and fired.

Loki dove to the side. With a flick of his wrist, two daggers materialized in his hands.

The duel was fierce but brief. A minute later, a red laser from Tony's gauntlet caught Loki square in the chest.

Loki collapsed, clutching his wound. The laser hadn't killed him, but it had hurt. Tony loomed over him, repulsor aimed at his head. "Do you know why you'll never be king?"

Loki didn't answer. He just maintained a faint, knowing smile.

"Because you're too weak!"

BANG!

The repulsor blast shattered the expensive floor tiles where Loki had been lying, but the God of Mischief was gone. Tony frowned. "An illusion?"

Loki's voice echoed as he stood up behind him, sounding like a victor. "To take the throne requires more than brute strength, Stark. It requires wisdom... and patience."

Tony scoffed. "Can a king who can't beat a mortal even keep his seat?"

Loki looked at him provocatively. "Why don't you wait and see?"

With that, the illusion vanished into thin air.

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