Black Sky rushed in front of Mavuika and raised a hand to strike with a claw.
His fingers had transformed into black talons, with nails as sharp as blades.
Mavuika dodged to the side and slapped a palm against his chest in a counter-move.
Gold-red flames erupted once more.
Black Sky was sent flying, crashing through a pile of containers on the pier and getting buried in the rubble.
Murakami's expression changed.
"Is that it?" Thor curled his lip.
Madam Gao's smile only deepened.
"It's not over yet."
A low growl echoed from the ruins.
The containers began to vibrate, twist, and deform.
Then—
Black Sky stood up from the wreckage.
His body had changed.
Black runes spread across his entire body, wrapping around his limbs like living vines.
His muscles swelled as his height skyrocketed from 1.8 meters to 2.5 meters; his skin turned dark gray, his nails became talons, and fangs sprouted from his mouth.
His eyes—
They were still pitch black, but within that darkness, something was moving. It looked like countless snakes slithering, or perhaps countless faces screaming.
The "Beast"—had descended.
Black Sky lunged again.
This time, his speed was twice as fast as before.
Thor strode forward and smashed a fist toward its face.
Bang—!
His fist hit Black Sky's face as if striking a steel plate. Black Sky didn't budge an inch.
Thor was momentarily stunned.
Then Black Sky swiped a claw across his chest.
Thor was sent flying backward, tumbling several times on the ground before finally crashing into a pile of wooden crates, smashing them to pieces.
"Thor!" Mavuika shouted.
Thor crawled out of the debris, several bloody gashes marking his chest—this was his first injury since coming to Earth.
"I'm fine!" he shouted. "This thing is actually interesting!"
He charged in again.
This time he had learned his lesson; instead of meeting force with force, he utilized his speed advantage, throwing left and right hooks specifically targeting Black Sky's joints.
Black Sky's reactions were fast, but Thor was faster.
Within seconds, he landed over a dozen punches, each powerful enough to punch through a wall.
But Black Sky just stood there, unmoving.
It looked down at Thor, and in those pitch-black eyes, there seemed to be a hint of... ridicule.
Then it raised a hand and slapped a palm onto Thor's shoulder.
Thor was slapped down to one knee, a sharp pain radiating from his shoulder.
"Damn it..." He gritted his teeth. "Without the hammer, this is a real pain..."
Black Sky raised a foot, preparing to stomp down.
Loki prepared to step in and help, but Thor stopped him.
"Let me do it!"
Thor roared, his voice hoarse but determined.
He steadied his footing, wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, and looked at Black Sky.
In those blue eyes, there was no fear, no retreat, only a nearly obsessive stubbornness.
He said, "Let me do it myself."
Loki's hand stopped mid-air.
Thor charged once more.
This time, he was like a wounded Beast, pouncing recklessly on his prey.
Fists, knees, elbows, forehead—he used every weapon his body had to offer, attacking Black Sky frantically.
A punch to the face.
A knee to the gut.
An elbow to the back of the head.
A headbutt to the bridge of the nose.
Every strike was with full force, carrying all of his rage and refusal to lose.
Black Sky was beaten back repeatedly, letting out low growls.
But its counterattacks were even more ferocious—talons left wound after wound on Thor's body. As more blood flowed, Thor's movements began to slow.
He knelt on one knee, gasping for air.
Blood trickled down from his forehead, blurring his vision.
Black Sky stood before him, looking down at him. In those pitch-black eyes, there was no mercy, only cold killing intent.
It raised its talons, preparing to deliver the final blow to Thor.
Loki hurriedly raised his hand, and a green light of magic hit Black Sky, freezing it in place.
Black Sky's talons stopped above Thor's head, less than an inch from his crown.
It struggled, letting out an angry roar, but it couldn't move.
Loki walked over to Thor's side and looked down at him.
"Don't mention it," he said.
Thor grinned, his blood-stained face bearing an expression of relief.
He said, "Who's thanking you? Though, there really are times when one shouldn't try to be a hero alone."
He struggled to stand up, his body swaying, but his eyes were bright.
Loki gave him a hand.
"Next time you need help, you can just say so," he whispered.
Thor laughed.
He stood straight, took a deep breath, and his gaze fell into the distance—on the Black Sky that was held in place by Loki.
Then he reached out his hand; he had a feeling that he had broken through his father's seal.
"Mjolnir," he said softly.
In the distance, Mjolnir, lying quietly in Mavuika's house, began to vibrate.
It let out a low hum, as if responding to its Master's call.
Then it took flight.
Mjolnir cut through the night sky, accompanied by the whistling wind, spinning as it flew toward Thor.
Thor reached out and gripped the handle.
In that instant, lightning descended.
Dark clouds rolled in the sky as a bolt of lightning struck down, hitting the hammer.
The current spread from Thor's arm to his entire body, illuminating the entire pier.
The wounds on his body began to heal, the blood Vaporized in the lightning, and his tracksuit was shredded, revealing the solid muscle beneath.
Thor stood amidst the lightning, his blonde hair fluttering, blue electric light flickering in his eyes.
He raised Mjolnir and let out a long cry toward the heavens.
"Ha—!!!"
Thunder roared, and lightning flashed in all directions.
The containers on the pier were shaken askew, and spiderweb-like cracks appeared on the ground.
Black Sky struggled within Loki's restraint, and for the first time, fear appeared in those pitch-black eyes.
Loki let go.
Black Sky regained its freedom, but it didn't lunge at Thor—it took a step back.
It was afraid.
Thor looked down at the hammer in his hand, feeling that familiar power of lightning flowing through his body.
He looked up at Black Sky, a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth.
"Now," he said, "it's my turn."
Thor moved.
His speed was incredibly fast, like a bolt of lightning streaking across the pier.
Mjolnir, carrying the power of thunder, smashed toward Black Sky, the hammerhead tearing through the air with a sharp whistle.
Black Sky raised its talons to parry.
Boom—!
Hammer and claw collided, erupting in a deafening explosion. The Impact Swirl spread outward, sending gravel on the ground flying.
An ominous crack came from Black Sky's arm—its bone had fractured.
It let out a pained howl and stumbled back.
Thor gave it no room to breathe.
He pursued it, bringing down a second hammer strike.
This strike hit Black Sky's shoulder; the shoulder collapsed, and the entire being was smashed to its knees, shattering the stone slabs on the ground.
A third strike hit Black Sky's chest.
Black Sky's body flew out like a cannonball, crashing through a row of containers on the pier before becoming embedded at the pier's edge, half its body hanging over the river.
It struggled to get back up, but its injuries were too severe.
Under the bombardment of the lightning, those black runes began to peel off, drifting away piece by piece like charred paper.
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