Heroes of Marvel
chapter-1126

Being countered by the Ancient One’s words, Loki didn’t say anything further. The fact remained that he had been beaten into this state by Hulk, and he couldn’t deny it. However, if given another chance, Loki wouldn’t let that brute touch him again.

“I don’t care about your purpose for coming to Earth this time. However, according to the agreement between Earth and Asgard, I do have the authority to keep you locked up here, unless…” Seeing Loki fall silent, the Ancient One continued.

“Unless what?” Loki certainly didn’t want to be confined indefinitely, so upon hearing this, he looked up and inquired.

If it were someone else, such as SHIELD or even Tony trying to keep Loki imprisoned, he had countless ways to escape. But under the watch of the Ancient One and the Sorcerers, Loki had no such intention.

If the Ancient One were to genuinely carry out a penalty as per the agreement, Loki had no recourse to escape from it. Odin wouldn’t intervene on his behalf either.

“Unless you’re willing to help us overcome a crisis.” Presenting Loki with an opportunity to redeem himself, the Ancient One’s words seemed to suggest.

“A crisis for the Sorcerers?”

“You must have heard the name Dormammu.”

“Dormammu?! How did you get involved with him!?”

Upon hearing the name Dormammu, Loki, who had just displayed a calm demeanor, suddenly paled. His eyes revealed an unprecedented sense of dread. Clearly, even Loki, the God of Mischief, recognized the severity of Dormammu.

“The situation is quite complicated. All you need to know is that Dormammu is currently seeking an opportunity to consume Earth. So, if you’re willing to assist us, I will waive your penalty and even offer you a reward.” Sensing Loki’s fear, the Ancient One continued his explanation.

“But that’s Dormammu! Even though I’m one of Asgard’s top Sorcerers, I wouldn’t know if I can escape from him! And as for a reward, I lack nothing, and my life is more important!” Fear colored Loki’s words upon hearing the Ancient One’s proposal.

“I’m not asking you to confront Dormammu. Why get so worked up? We only need your assistance.” Unfazed by Loki’s fear, the Ancient One calmly responded.

“Uh… you could have said that earlier… But, to what extent am I supposed to help? How are you planning to deal with Dormammu this time? He’s not easy to drive away. I’ve heard that whenever Dormammu appears, he must consume at least an entire planet before he ceases his activity. Can Earth avoid his attention this time?”

Feeling slightly embarrassed by the Ancient One’s words, Loki still posed a series of questions. He was well acquainted with Dormammu. If Dormammu’s appearance this time was targeted at consuming Earth, it would be no easy feat to repel him.

After all, each of Dormammu’s appearances required the consumption of an entire planet to compensate for the energy expended.

“The main force that would deal with Dormammu is the Sorcerers. With me here, I won’t let Dormammu touch Earth in the slightest. As for you, as long as you’re not just a bystander, your inherent magic can prove quite useful in certain situations.” Addressing Loki’s successive questions, the Ancient One provided his composed response.

“If that’s the case… then I’m willing to help you. But let’s be clear, I won’t actually confront Dormammu. I won’t involve myself in dangerous situations like that!” Knowing that the Ancient One himself would take action, Loki felt more at ease and finally agreed.

“Alright, then stay near the Himalayas for now. I have a feeling that Dormammu will be arriving soon.” With Loki’s agreement, the Ancient One continued.

It had been several days since the attack on the New York Sanctum by Kaecilius. The undercurrents had been building up for a while, and it was time for them to erupt.

*Humming~*

Then, the golden magical chains that had bound Loki’s hands directly transformed into a burst of golden light and disappeared.

Free from the restraints, Loki moved his hands and stood up from the chair. “Ancient One, aren’t you afraid that I might summon the Bifrost right now and leave Earth for Asgard?”

Although Loki had agreed to assist the Ancient One in dealing with Dormammu, he was, after all, the God of Mischief, and was no stranger to deceit.

“You can try. I’ve already activated the Earth’s defense magical array. After your arrival on Earth, the Bifrost won’t be able to enter anymore.” Upon hearing Loki’s words, the Ancient One responded without hesitation.

It was precisely for this reason that when Loki took action against Jack before, Thor’s summoning of Heimdall went unanswered. As it turned out, the Ancient One had already protected Earth with a magical array.

“Uh… hehe… I was just kidding. Since I’ve promised to help, I won’t back out. So, I’ll stay here these few days. It’s also a good opportunity for me to interact with Earth’s Sorcerers… hehe…” Embarrassed by the Ancient One’s response, Loki chuckled awkwardly.

“Alright, you’re free to move around here. I’ll have Wang assist in arranging your stay.” The Ancient One’s expression remained unchanged as he nodded and continued.

“Okay.”

With that, the Ancient One took a step back and stepped into the magically conjured Portal, disappearing from sight. As for Loki, he wiped the smile off his face after the Ancient One left.

Standing in place with his head lowered, his gaze blinked as if lost in thought. A minute later, Loki raised his head, his regal demeanor as the Second Prince of Asgard recovering on his face. He then walked out of the small cell.

…

London.

Not much time had passed since the Dark Elf invasion incident. With the help of SHIELD, the post-disaster reconstruction of central London had been proceeding rapidly.

Most of the destroyed buildings had been cleared, and newly constructed skyscrapers would soon restore London to its bustling metropolis.

Yet, within this battlefield’s radius, there was a building that had remained intact despite the intense battle— it was the Sanctum guarding London. Protected by magical arrays and spared direct attacks, the London Sanctum stood out amidst the ruins.

Since SHIELD was well aware of the situation surrounding this building, there was no need for any unnecessary investigations.

And today, inside the London Sanctum, an unexpected event unfolded. Among the three Sorcerers who usually guarded the Sanctum and were on good terms, one suddenly took action against the other two while they were in meditation practice.

In an instant, he subdued them. After restraining the other two Sorcerers, this one who had clearly turned traitor randomly activated the protective magical array.

*Humming~*

Subsequently, a magical Portal appeared in the hall of the London Sanctum.

……