Chapter 137: Ever Heard of the Circle Swing?

The superheroes had joined the battle, each fighting their own foes along the entire block. Outside the towering buildings, a mere glance upward revealed dense swarms of dark dots filling the sky, streaming by in an endless flow.

Loki suddenly broke into a smile. Looking at Luke, he said amiably, "It seems we haven't introduced ourselves properly. I am Loki, son of Odin, the rightful heir to the throne of Asgard. If you are willing to swear allegiance to me from this moment on, once I ascend the throne, the Earth can be yours to rule. There will be a place for you in Asgard as well."

Luke paused slightly, then chuckled with a soft *pfft*. "Sounds alright. But can anyone actually trust the God of Mischief?"

Hearing this, Loki's expression shifted slightly. The smile remained fixed on his face. "It seems there has been some misunderstanding between us. Thor has clearly spoken to you about me. Perhaps he failed to mention how he betrayed me? Originally, I regarded him as my dearest brother, but he..."

"Alright, spare me the nonsense and hand over the scepter," Luke said, extending his pinky to clean his ear with a look of impatience. "Forgot to tell you, most people where I come from know you. You're quite famous in my hometown."

"Oh?" Loki's interest was instantly piqued, and he asked with a smile, "You're not from Earth? Where do you hail from? Svartalfheim? Or Alfheim? As long as you are one of the Nine Realms, I can let you return and become the king of that world! Provided you support me..."

Luke interrupted him once more. "Back home, everyone calls you the God of Jokes. Ever heard of that?"

Loki's smile gradually froze. Then, a hint of anger crept onto his face as he slammed his scepter heavily onto the ground. "Vile mortal! How dare you mock your god!"

"Vile? I feel as though my heart has been deeply wounded," Luke whistled, rolling his eyes.

"Hmph. Ant, either submit beneath my feet—"

*Crack!*

A blinding flash of white lightning struck straight down from directly above Loki's head!

Caught completely off guard, Loki was struck instantly. His entire body went rigid, and he looked up in horror, yet there was nothing above him.

"Thor? Where is he?"

Loki had dealt with Thor for a millennium; no one was more familiar with lightning attacks than he was. Raising his scepter, he scanned his surroundings warily, filled with extreme caution and suspicion.

Yet, he failed to spot the figure he had in mind emerging from the shadows.

Loki was filled with bewilderment. Not long ago, he had sent Thor flying off. But he knew Thor wouldn't die so easily in that transparent cage. He had assumed Thor was back to cause him trouble.

Watching the bewildered Loki, Luke nearby couldn't help letting out a soft *pfft* of laughter.

"Are you mocking me?"

Loki's expression turned as dark as night. His pride was most intolerant of such contempt from others, especially since, in his eyes, these ants from a low-level world actually dared to look down on him. "You, lowly human..."

*Crack!*

Before Loki could finish his sentence, another bolt of lightning struck him dead-on!

Smoke rose from Loki's hair, and a chill ran down his spine. He stared fixedly at Luke in utter shock. If he still couldn't figure out where the problem lay, he wouldn't be the God of Mischief.

"It was you?! Why do you know such tricks too?!" Loki glared at Luke with a gloomy gaze, as if trying to pierce through some secret on Luke's face. A kid who could wield the power of the Thunder God, could he possibly be...

Suddenly, Luke felt the hairs on his body stand on end!

A Nen guard burst forth from within his body, and an orange-yellow protective shield abruptly knocked a figure behind him flying outward. That figure was unmistakably Loki as well!

Meanwhile, right in front of him, that "panicked" Loki gave a eerie smile and slowly dissolved into nothingness.

"What the hell? The one I've been talking to this whole time was just a clone?"

Luke was somewhat speechless, thinking to himself that he truly lived up to his title as the God of Mischief. Loki loved using this trick to deceive his opponents, especially enjoying using it to play tricks on Thor. And yet, simple-minded Thor fell for it every single time, a method Loki never grew tired of.

Only, Loki hadn't expected this trick to fail against an inconspicuous kid.

And just a short while ago, on the Helicarrier, Phil Coulson had been stabbed to death from behind by Loki using this exact trick.

Loki, having been pushed back by the Nen shield, steadied himself and looked at the defensive barrier around Luke with an extremely grave expression. As a master of magic, he could naturally sense the immense defensive power contained within it.

Luke gave a faint hmph. "Clones? I can do that too."

As the words fell, Luke's figure trembled slightly in place, blurring for a moment. Then, four figures identical to Luke appeared before him, behind him, to his left, and to his right.

Five identical Lukes stood in a row, smiling as they looked at Loki.

Shock rippled through Loki's heart; he could not tell which one was Luke's true body.

"You know magic too?" Loki's heart sank steadily. This kid was far more troublesome than he had initially thought, and it seemed he still had equipment he hadn't even used yet.

"Magic? It certainly is magic." Luke casually scooped up a long staff that had materialized beside him and gave an ill-intentioned grin. "Care to experience the Circle Swing?"

Seeing the five Lukes opposite him make the exact same movement, Loki's eyelids twitched, a bad premonition rising in his chest.

Suddenly, Loki raised his scepter. Gritting his teeth, he fired a blue energy blast straight at the Luke right in the middle of the group!

The Luke who was hit instantly dissolved into nothingness.

At that very moment—

"Circle Swing!"

The remaining four Lukes thrust their staves toward him simultaneously. Loki tried to dodge, but was strangely pinned in place by an invisible force.

Four Lukes, four staves, yet only one was real.

With a flick of the real Luke's Circle Swing, Loki was effortlessly hoisted high into the air, and without a moment's pause, he was slammed heavily onto the ground in the opposite direction.

Loki was taken aback. Just as he tried to break free with all his might, the skill continued to bind him. With another lift from Luke, Loki flew over his head once more and was slammed heavily back down on the other side.

*Bang, bang, bang, bang!*

Thus, quite cheerfully, Luke slammed Loki back and forth against the ground without a moment's pause.

A moment later, Loki was left completely dizzy and disoriented. Only then did Luke stop.

Lying flat on the ground, Loki stared blankly up at the sky, contemplating the meaning of life.

"Respecting the original work."

In the end, Luke muttered those enigmatic words.

He lowered his head, picked up the scepter Loki had dropped, and secured it. Without even glancing at Loki, he put away his staff, dismissed his clones, clapped his hands, and walked back out to re-board his mecha.

No sooner had Luke left and Loki staggered to his feet than a massive green brute smashed through a shuttle and leapt heavily into the room.

Hulk spotted Loki.

Hulk's expression turned wrathful.

Hulk charged toward Loki.

Looking utterly battered, Loki pointed at Hulk and cried out in grievance, "Enough! You wretched, vile creatures! I am a god! I tell you, I will not be subdued by some ant—"

*Smash, slam, thud, bang!*

A short while later.

"Hmph! Puny god," Hulk grumbled with dissatisfaction, then strode away.

Leaving only Loki lying flat in a crater, staring blankly up at the ceiling with lifeless eyes, utterly questioning his existence...