Chapter 1108: Suppression
After the explosion’s fiery light had swept through, the temperature within the pit suddenly rose by several degrees. However, the flames quickly extinguished after brushing against the pit’s surface.
The entire bottom of the pit seemed to have been transformed into a vacuum in an instant due to a powerful burst of air.
Crackling~
With the explosion subsiding and the flames gone, the crystalline formations at the pit’s bottom emitted a crisp cracking noise following this additional round of scorching.
At the explosion’s epicenter, the colossal metal semicircular plate remained firmly lodged in the ground. Despite appearing battered and scorched from the fiery onslaught and riddled with fragmented bullet marks, the metal plate had not been destroyed by the explosion.
Meanwhile, Loki, the intended target of this missile barrage, still stood in front of the metal plate, though his posture had shifted slightly. The staff that he had swung earlier was now thrust into the ground, and although his robe remained largely intact, it had taken on a somewhat disheveled appearance.
His feet had even sunken a few inches into the ground. It seemed that Loki had effectively shielded himself from the previous missile onslaught.
Exhaling~
In this relatively enclosed environment, a breeze seemed to have sprung up around Loki, gently fluttering his slightly disarrayed robe.
As his robe billowed in the breeze, Loki lowered his head slightly, then suddenly raised it to fix his gaze upon the ma.s.sive Iron Man suit hovering in midair ahead of him. Needless to say, Loki was well aware of the source of the recent missile attack.
“You!… You’ve truly angered me!!” Staring at the colossal Iron Man suit before him, Loki’s eyes gleamed with fierceness, and his voice carried a chilling tone as he uttered these words.
Swish!
Before Loki’s declaration could conclude, his voice had scarcely faded when his figure vanished from the spot. Witnessing Loki’s sudden disappearance and hearing his clearly agitated words, Thor, whose body had only just shed the remnants of the electrical charge, displayed an unmistakably less tranquil expression.
Although Loki had perpetually played pranks on Thor from childhood, Thor understood that if Loki was genuinely angry and serious, even Thor’s formidable strength might not be enough to handle him.
“Ah! I hope Loki remembers that we’re on Earth. Although Jackson and his allies might not be as strong, it won’t be easy dealing with them if they are provoked!” Having given up trying to dissuade Loki, Thor could only harbor such hopes now.
He believed that if Loki were to cause significant trouble, the Ancient One and other powerful sorcerers wouldn’t turn a blind eye.
Swish, Swish, Swish!
Just as Thor concluded his thoughts, Loki, who had disappeared moments earlier, reappeared. However, this time, it wasn’t just one Loki who materialized— it was a total of eight identical Lokis.
These eight replicas of Loki were strategically positioned to surround the colossal Iron Man suit floating above Thor’s head. In the next instant, each Loki raised the staff in their hands toward the encircled Iron Man suit.
Exhale!
Yet, just as Loki prepared to launch an attack, the colossal Iron Man suit encased within the circle had already responded.
In fact, as Loki reappeared, the towering Iron Man suit above Thor’s head had already initiated its action. With its robust arm swiftly raised, the Iron Man suit unleashed a laser beam aimed precisely at one of the Lokis.
Thud!
A flash of white light streaked by, and the blue glow that had just manifested on Loki’s staff was obliterated by the laser beam fired from the ma.s.sive Iron Man suit. Astonishingly, the beam’s target was Loki’s true form among the eight replicas.
Under the a.s.sault of the laser beam, Loki’s staff was knocked from his grip, causing his entire body to sway unsteadily in midair.
“How is this possible?!…” With his staff effortlessly knocked away, Loki’s genuine expression of shock surfaced as he exclaimed incredulously.
Crackling sounds~
However surprised Loki might be, the colossal Iron Man suit before him wasn’t about to relent just because Loki had lost his staff. As Loki stood there in astonishment, a series of rapid mechanical noises emanated from the Iron Man suit.
Subsequently, like Transformers, dozens of gun barrels emerged from the Iron Man suit, all pointed directly at Loki’s true form, the one that had previously encountered the laser beam.
Pew, Pew, Pew!
In the next moment, tongues of flame shot forth from the gun barrels, striking Loki who had no time to evade.
Even though Loki was a member of Asgard’s G.o.dly race, a hybrid combining the strengths of both Asgardians and Jotuns, he was still sent plummeting to the ground under the dense barrage of firepower.
Thud!
From Loki’s initial reappearance near the colossal Iron Man suit to his being knocked to the ground lasted merely one or two seconds. As Thor’s reflections weren’t yet over, the transformation occurring right before his eyes led him to widen his gaze once more.
While Thor was still dumbfounded, Loki’s true form was instantly struck, and he remained pinned down by the successive barrage of firepower, appearing particularly grim.
As Loki found himself suppressed to the ground by the sudden onslaught of firepower from the colossal Iron Man suit, the seven illusory Lokis that had surrounded the suit vanished in an instant.
Evidently, this was just one of Loki’s illusory spells. It was unclear whether this phenomenon occurred because the colossal Iron Man suit, essentially controlled by the non-human intelligence J.A.R.V.I.S., was not susceptible to distraction or due to some other reason.
Ratatatata!
The relentless barrage of firepower persisted for over ten seconds before gradually ceasing. However, the colossal Iron Man suit remained in an attacking stance, poised to strike again should the target below make any movements.
Beep, Beep, Beep!
And just as the firepower of the colossal Iron Man suit ceased, a rapid alarm echoed within the suit’s interior.
“Target energy levels continuously rising! The threat level upgraded to Level Five! Engage maximum combat stance!” Alongside the urgent alarm emanating within the suit, J.A.R.V.I.S.’s composed voice resonated within the interior.
Click, Click, Click!
Following this, the gun barrels that had previously extended from various parts of the suit swiftly retracted. After a rapid structural transformation, the initially ma.s.sive suit became more streamlined.
Furthermore, faint traces of special patterns hidden within the suit’s red armor could be discerned.
“Enough!!” Just as the colossal Iron Man suit completed this series of changes midair, a furious shout from Loki resounded from the deep pit that had been engulfed in firepower.
Thud!
With a resounding crash, Loki, who appeared somewhat disheveled on the outside, soared into the air once more.
Although his robe remained intact, the chest plate of his armor had sustained minor damage from the earlier barrage. Moreover, his helmet had become askew, and his once-elegant hair now appeared slightly disheveled.
……
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