The forest didn't survive the first clash.
The moment all three of them moved, everything broke.
Hulk moved first. He always did. The ground exploded under his step as he charged, tearing through what was left of the terrain like it wasn't even there.
Thor followed at the same time. Not behind. Not after. He stepped forward with Mjolnir already in hand and hurled it.
The hammer cut through the air with a sharp crack, lightning trailing behind it as it tore toward Lord.
Lord stepped into both of them.
The space around him tightened, then shifted.
The Hulk's fist came down first. This time, Lord didn't redirect it. He met it. The impact detonated through the forest, trees snapping in every direction as the ground beneath them gave way.
Lord's feet dug into the earth, then slid.
"…You're stronger now," he said under his breath.
The Hulk roared and pushed harder.
Mjolnir struck. Lightning exploded outward on impact, but Lord was already moving. The energy bent around him, dragged off course just enough to break its direct path. The hammer flew past, curved, and shot back toward Thor.
Thor caught it cleanly and immediately brought it down again. Lightning followed the swing, this time hitting the ground directly beneath Lord. The explosion forced the ground to ripple outward.
Lord shifted through it, then glanced at Thor.
"…That's better."
Then something answered.
Lightning formed again—not from the sky, but from him.
It snapped outward in a sharp arc, meeting Thor's next strike head-on.
Thor's grip tightened around Mjolnir as the two forces collided.
"You wield it?"
Lord shrugged faintly. "…I've seen it before."
The clash cracked the air.
The Hulk broke through both of them. He slammed into Lord from the side, sending him crashing through the ground and tearing a trench through the earth before he stopped.
The Hulk didn't stop.
He grabbed, lifted, and threw him.
Lord twisted mid-air and vanished.
He reappeared behind him, hand already raised.
Fire ignited—tight, controlled. It wrapped around the Hulk as he turned, burning along his arms and shoulders.
The Hulk roared, but pushed through it.
"…Yeah. That figures."
Thor moved again, Mjolnir spinning in his hand before he threw it once more. This time faster.
The hammer struck Lord directly, driving him back—but before it could carry through, he caught it.
For a moment, everything stopped.
Thor pulled. Mjolnir resisted—then broke free, snapping back into Thor's hand.
Lord glanced at it. "…So it always comes back."
"It answers only to me," Thor said, stepping forward as lightning gathered again through the hammer.
The Hulk came back in—faster, stronger.
This time, Lord moved first.
He stepped in, met the strike, and matched it.
The collision cracked outward, the ground beneath them collapsing completely. For a moment, they stood locked—then the Hulk pushed harder.
And won.
Lord was driven back further this time. He steadied himself, then exhaled lightly.
"…Alright."
That was enough.
The air changed.
The space between all three of them tightened, pulling everything inward.
Thor raised Mjolnir, lightning gathering at its head. "…What are you doing?"
Lord didn't answer.
The Hulk charged again—and this time, Lord didn't let him through.
The space in front of him folded sharply, forcing resistance where there had been none.
The Hulk slowed—for the first time.
That was all Thor needed.
Mjolnir came down.
Lightning followed, crashing directly into the Hulk and driving him into the ground hard enough to crater everything beneath them.
The forest was gone now. Nothing left standing.
Only impact. Only force.
The Hulk pushed up again, breathing heavier, stronger, angrier.
Lord watched him.
"…You just keep going."
The Hulk roared and charged again.
Thor moved with him, Mjolnir spinning, lightning building—both of them converging on Lord at once.
This time, he didn't move.
He stepped forward.
And everything bent.
Thor hit first.
Mjolnir slammed into Lord with everything behind it, lightning exploding outward—and this time, it landed clean.
Lord was driven down. The ground collapsed beneath him, a crater forming instantly.
The Hulk followed. Both fists came down at the same moment.
The impact shook everything.
For a moment, there was nothing but dust.
Then—
Lord stood.
Not fast. Not rushed.
He pushed upward—and both of them were forced back. Not thrown. Moved.
Just enough.
He looked between them. This time, no testing. No curiosity.
Just focus.
"…That's enough."
The space around them twisted sharply. More than before. More than anything he had done yet.
The air compressed. Everything tightening.
Lord stepped forward, hand raised—
And then—
It stopped.
Not gradually. Not resisted.
Stopped.
A presence pressed down over everything.
Heavy. Ancient. Absolute.
The sky shifted.
Light fell—
And Odin stepped through.
At the same moment, the air behind them folded silently—
And Ancient One appeared.
No sound. No flash.
Just presence.
The impact of both of them arriving was immediate.
The pressure alone forced everything outward.
Lord and the Hulk were hurled back.
The Hulk hit the ground and tried to rise immediately.
Of course he did.
The Ancient One raised her hand.
A single motion.
The space around the Hulk shifted—smooth, controlled.
Final.
He froze—
Then vanished.
Gone.
Silence followed.
For the first time since the fight began—
Everything was still.
Thor stood, breathing heavy, Mjolnir still in his hand.
His gaze moved from the Ancient One—
To Odin—
Then to Lord.
Odin stepped forward slightly.
"This has gone far enough."
Lord looked at him.
And for the first time—
There was something different in his expression.
Recognition.