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After thoroughly discussing the next stage of their plan with Coulson, Shen He found her spirits lifting, even if the situation remained tense.
If one were to point out the true "rich second generation" of the Avengers, it wasn't Iron Man Tony Stark with his inherited industrial empire, nor Black Panther T'Challa with his Vibranium riches. It was Thor Odinson—Asgardian royalty, heir to the throne of a godly realm untouched by mortal strife or bankruptcy.
Asgard boasted not only untold wealth and magic-forged treasures but also advanced cosmic technology, a battle-hardened army, and a heritage that commanded respect across interstellar civilizations.
Indeed, Asgard was a galactic superpower.
From a pragmatic standpoint, if Thor could be properly cultivated as an ally, and the Twilight of the Gods—Ragnarök—could be avoided or mitigated, then once Odin passed on and Thor ascended as king, the Chaldea organization would find itself backed by a power capable of granting them prestige across the stars.
Shen He wasn't content for Chaldea to be dismissed like the Guardians of the Galaxy—misfits constantly overlooked, despite saving the universe multiple times. She wanted Chaldea to be recognized as a legitimate authority across dimensions and cosmic courts.
While Thor, Sif, and the Warriors Three escorted Loki to Chaldea's secure zone through the assistance of a virtual reality interface network, the internet was already ablaze.
The Virtual Reality Company, under whose infrastructure the incident had taken place, immediately released an official statement attempting damage control.
The core points of the release were threefold:
First, the attack had been carried out by Loki Laufeyson, the adopted prince of Asgard who had previously been exiled.
Second, Chaldea's leader, Shen He, held a personal bond with Prince Thor. Upon mutual consultation, Thor agreed to work with Chaldea in dealing with Loki's actions on Midgard (Earth).
Third, Chaldea was fully committed to rescuing the thousands affected by Loki's mental domination and ensuring the threat to civilian life was eliminated.
Alongside these points, supplementary data concerning Asgard was provided. While much of it had already surfaced during the S.H.I.E.L.D. leaks—an incident still hotly debated on conspiracy forums—the narrative had been splintered, with misinformation and partial truths obscuring the reality. Now, under Shen He's hand, Chaldea was seizing the opportunity to become a central, trusted source of cosmic knowledge and incident management.
This was the reason why the statement was released under Chaldea's name and not that of the Virtual Reality Company.
Shen He's intent was clear: let this incident be proof that Chaldea was the ultimate authority when gods and extraterrestrial threats were involved.
Public attention, however, latched most desperately onto the fate of those under Loki's control—over three thousand victims. It now stood as the largest terrorist attack in recent history, measured by direct psychic subjugation.
Outrage flooded every platform—mainstream news, social media, even forums frequented by conspiracy theorists and anti-meta factions.
> "Where were the authorities?"
"First the Guardians exposed our security's failures—now Chaldea steps in while the government twiddles its thumbs?"
"Are we paying taxes to the Avengers or to Chaldea now?"
"If gods walk among us, what hope do mortals have?"
Despite the scattered voices, Shen He noted the emerging through-line in public sentiment: people were scared, but they were also looking for someone to trust.
That fear and confusion, though disruptive, worked in Chaldea's favor. With no blood spilled—yet thousands saved from a long-term psychic collapse—the organization now stood on the cusp of solidifying itself as Earth's spiritual successor to S.H.I.E.L.D., one with divine backing.
It was then that Thor entered the conference chamber, accompanied by his loyal warriors.
"My friend!" Thor bellowed, Stormbreaker hanging loosely at his back. He walked over and gave Shen He a bear hug. "I apologize for what Loki has done on your realm. He's brought trouble where he shouldn't."
These mighty beings sure loved hugging.
Shen He, once again, felt herself awkwardly pressed into someone's chest. Between Captain America's solid physique and now Thor's, she was practically building a ranking system for pectoral musculature.
World Online would have its debates settled today: Thor's pecs did beat Captain America's.
"Thor," she said, casting a glance toward Loki—currently restrained with enchanted cuffs and under guard—"This is the second time your brother's caused a planetary-scale incident. And this time... the damage could've gone irreversible."
Thor's joviality dimmed. "He'll surrender the Tesseract. I'll ensure it."
Though his words were swift and resolute, Shen He could tell—Thor was torn. Loki might be adopted, but he was family. And family, especially for Asgardians, carried a gravity far deeper than blood alone.
Shen He poured a glass of celestial wine from the Gourmet Realm—a vintage gifted by Dojima Gin. "It's not just the Tesseract," she said softly. "Someone taught Loki how to wield it. Someone showed him how to tap into the true power of the Infinity Stones. Whoever that was—they're still out there."
Thor's expression darkened as he turned to Loki. "Who is behind you?"
Loki, bound and quiet until now, merely turned his eyes toward Shen He.
"I'm intrigued," Loki said with his usual theatrical air. "You weren't in any records I've seen. No whispers of your name echo in the Bifröst. So tell me, where do you come from? What is it you want? Perhaps... we share the same ambition?"
"To rule the world?" Shen He arched an eyebrow.
Even imprisoned, Loki's charisma could infect the room. He sought cracks in unity, tempting betrayal and doubt with surgical precision.
The image Chaldea projected might fool mortals or even brash warriors like Thor, but not Loki. He was a master of truth wrapped in falsehood.
Yet Chaldea had no need to lie.
"Coulson." Shen He rose. "Take Loki to our interdimensional vault. The Gate stays open—notify me if anything shifts."
"Yes, Director." Coulson nodded and turned to begin the extraction procedure.
Plenty still needed handling.
"Where are we going?" Thor asked, lifting both the wine glass and bottle as he followed.
Though the alcohol wasn't nearly as strong as Asgardian mead, its flavor left an impression. "This... this is divine."
"Chaldea's core sanctuary," Shen He replied, opening a spatial rift lined with shimmering energy. The air around it buzzed like electricity over woven silk.
Thor stepped through and found himself within a majestic marble hall that seemed carved from the cosmos itself.
As Asgard's prince, this wasn't enough to awe him. Odin's vault alone housed wonders that could rewrite galaxies. But what impressed him was that Shen He—a mortal, ostensibly—had carved such a space into the world.
"This... isn't on Earth."
"No," Shen He confirmed. "This is the World's Crevice—a dimension that exists between realities. It serves as Chaldea's true headquarters. No one enters or exits without my permission."
"You said realities..." Thor's brow furrowed. "You mean other realms? Or other worlds?"
"Other universes," Shen He corrected.
Thor blinked. That wasn't something Asgardian teaching covered. They believed in Yggdrasil and the Nine Realms. The idea of multiverses was... alien.
"You've never heard of the multiverse?"
Shen He found herself genuinely surprised.
In the modern Marvel continuity—both comic and cinematic—the multiverse wasn't just theory. It was the battlefield of threats like Dormammu, Kang, and incursions far beyond human comprehension. The Ancient One's teachings, the Darkhold's corruption, and Doctor Strange's dimensional encounters all affirmed it.
Yet Thor, raised on divine certainties, still thought there was only one universe.
Shen He smiled faintly. There was so much even gods didn't know.
And now, Chaldea was here to educate them all.
"Maybe my father will know something," Thor finally said, though his tone lacked conviction. Now was not the time to rely on old answers. "Who's backing Loki? I only know he commands an army of Chitauri, but they're not from any of the Nine Realms. And those massive planetary fortresses… they don't belong to any recognized galactic civilization."
"Thanos," Shen He said quietly, letting the name fall like a weight in the room.
Loki's expression froze. His eyes snapped to Shen He, disbelief flickering within them.
He had assumed Shen He was bluffing—projecting illusions to rattle him—but he hadn't expected Shen He to know that name, much less his dealings with that entity.
"Who is that?" Thor asked, frowning. The name meant nothing to him.
"He is known as Thanos," Shen He replied, leading them into the grand hall of the castle. Most of the attendants were already gathered there. With a wave of his hand, the floor opened beneath Loki, sending him plunging into a magical prison beneath the castle. The seals clicked into place with a shimmer of runes.
In this domain, Shen He's authority was absolute. Even a prison was but a thought away.
"Thanos is an Eternal—originating from the moon of Saturn, Titan," Shen He began, his tone grave. "But unlike most of his kind, he's embraced nihilism. He has mastered all philosophies of the Eternals, and through that, he's attained overwhelming strength, endurance, resilience, and cosmic awareness. Chaldea's analysis shows he's been systematically collecting the Infinity Stones."
He paused, eyes sharp.
"If he succeeds, the catastrophe will not be local. It will be universal."
Though this was technically the 'movie world,' Shen He understood it wasn't bound by cinematic limitations. The portrayal on-screen was mere suggestion compared to the sheer depth of Thanos' abilities as described in the higher-dimensional scripts—the true canon of the multiverse. In the manga framework Chaldea referenced, Thanos was practically without flaw. His body was impervious, his psychic potential nearly unmeasurable, and his will indomitable. Even before the Death Goddess cursed him with immortality, he could survive in the vacuum of space without sustenance.
"He's the one who sent Loki," Thor muttered, jaw tightening.
He'd matured since their last encounter—no longer the arrogant prince he had once been. Now, he regarded Shen He with a warrior's respect. Anyone who could calmly speak of Thanos warranted caution.
Yet, Thor wouldn't underestimate himself either.
"If the Bifröst was still operational and the paths were open, Asgard would have protected Midgard." Thor sighed. "But it's shattered. Odin sensed Loki's movements but could only send me—using vast amounts of dark energy. My primary mission is to retrieve the Tesseract before the Chitauri invade."
Thor clenched his fist. The stakes were dire.
"And don't forget those Loki has already ensnared," Shen He said pointedly, eyes meeting Thor's. "Though he is your brother and a prince of Asgard, what he's done—controlling minds with the scepter, enslaving mortals—it will enrage all humanity. Jane Foster and Dr. Selvig are among those affected."
Smash!
The goblet in Thor's hand exploded into fragments as he surged to his feet.
Months had passed since he'd last seen Jane. That bond hadn't faded.
"I must see Loki!" Thor's fists were shaking now, barely able to contain his fury.
"If you can get him to reveal the Tesseract's location, that would be ideal," Shen He said, sipping his drink, eyes never leaving Thor's. "But don't take too long. We'll need to give the world an explanation soon."
Thor said nothing more, stalking off with one of the castle attendants.
"That won't accomplish much," a quiet voice noted from the corner.
Shen He turned, nodding. "Yes. Thor is loyal—righteous to a fault. Loki won't break under his brother's eyes. But that's not what I'm hoping for."
Because Loki's value wasn't just in information—he was a keystone to something much larger: the celestial arrival protocol.
Shen He's attention shifted as his gaze landed on the scepter Misaka Mikoto Alter carried.
"Let me see it."
The altered clone handed it to him wordlessly. The moment Shen He grasped the weapon, a wave of unfamiliar sensation surged through him. He felt detached, like an observer to his own mind. His consciousness expanded and deepened as the scepter subtly amplified his mental faculties.
Inlaid at the top was one of the six Infinity Stones: the Mind Stone.
As the Chaldea archives noted—far beyond the oversimplifications of film—the gem granted its wielder the ability to manipulate thought, dreams, and consciousness. It boosted intellect and psychic reach to terrifying heights. It held devastating energy potential. This was the artifact that, in another branch of time, would awaken the Scarlet Witch within Wanda Maximoff.
If Shen He left this scepter here, Thanos would never be allowed to reclaim it.
"Master?" Violet's voice broke the moment.
The connection between them—a spiritual tether forged at the highest level of resonance—acted as a failsafe. It drew Shen He back from the brink of obsession.
"I'm fine," he exhaled, placing the scepter on the table. "Mikoto Alter, didn't you feel anything odd holding it?"
"Psychic interference?" Mikoto tilted her head. "Not really. Maybe because I'm an electromaster—strong resistance to mental influence. Even that woman couldn't mess with me."
"The Mind Stone dwarfs the bee-eater's abilities," Shen He muttered, recalling the esper's dominance in Academy City. "Even out of Loki's hands, this artifact manipulated the Avengers—turned Banner into the Hulk. Loki clearly has some method of activating it… though he can't fully harness its power."
It was possible the gem was limiting itself—testing its wielders—or perhaps Loki lacked the neural compatibility to synchronize with its core frequency.
But one thing was certain: its power far exceeded what was displayed on-screen.
Suddenly, Shen He's eyes narrowed.
He tossed the scepter to a maid. "Store it in the third vault. Tony and Steve are arriving."
Moments later, Stark strode in, his expression grim.
"I just got off the line with Rhodey," he began without preamble. "Military command intercepted footage of Loki using that scepter to mind-control people. They're demanding we turn him and the weapon over immediately. Their tone wasn't diplomatic—they're threatening charges of illegal fighter deployment."
"Not unexpected," Shen He said with a shrug.
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