Kamen Rider ZZZ, the American comic book spiritual mentor

Jormungandr?

Lin Nan was taken aback. He hadn't read many Thor comics; he had mainly watched the movies.

Jormungandr does not appear in the movie.

However, he happened to be interested in mythology from various countries. He had read a lot of it in his previous life. In orthodox Norse mythology, Jormungandr was the descendant of Loki and the giantess. He was exiled by Odin to Midgard, and his mouth and tail were connected so that he could circle the world.

Why would Thor mention that name, and why would he ask himself that question?

Lin Nan shook his head: "I've never heard of it, I've only seen it in mythological texts."

Tony chimed in, "Big guy, don't tell me you guys dumped another giant snake on Earth. How come you have so many messes to clean up?"

“Mortal, watch your words!” Thor’s voice was icy.

He is rational, but that doesn't mean anyone can challenge Asgard's dignity, especially by making such flippant remarks.

"Your brother's actions resulted in two hundred casualties."

Thor was immediately discouraged, thinking to himself that if Loki were caught, he would definitely be locked up in prison and made to reflect on his actions for a thousand years!

"I already told you, he's adopted..."

“Guardian of Midgard, if you have any news about Jormungandr, you must tell me. It is really important to the entire Nine Realms.”

Thor's sincere words and the weight of his tone startled Lin Nan. From his words, it seemed that Lin Nan should know the whereabouts of Jormungandr, but he really didn't.

If a giant snake with a body large enough to encircle the world were to appear on Earth, how could it possibly hide? Or is it simply not that big?

Thor noticed the armored man's confusion and explained, "The three goddesses said that you and he have formed a karmic bond, and by staying by your side, you will eventually find it."

The Three Goddesses? The three riddle tellers in Norse mythology who foretold Ragnarok?

In the Marvel stories he knew, there didn't seem to be anything like it. How did it come out in this universe?

If the three goddesses' authority is truly as it is in orthodox mythology, then what they say is highly likely to be true.

But having been in this world for so long, my only contact with Asgard has been in New Mexico. How could I have come into contact with Jormungandr?

Is there something important that you've overlooked?

Chapter 96 Bewitchment

Lin Nan pondered for a long time but couldn't figure out what connection she had with this legendary snake. Just as she was about to ask something in an attempt to get more information, she heard Tony's somewhat anxious voice.

"What? Loki's back?! I'm on my way!"

Tony's thrusters flashed, his body hovered, and his voice was heavy: "Knight, Loki has reappeared. His address has been sent to your communication channel. I'll head over there first."

It then soared into the sky, its speed increasing dramatically, emitting sonic booms as its figure grew smaller and smaller until it quickly disappeared from sight.

Upon hearing the news of his brother, Thor's expression shifted. He swung Mjolnir, carrying Tony Stark into the air, and followed in his footsteps.

Lin Nan followed closely behind, flying towards the target location.

At the same time, using the Harmony Capsule to sense the distance, he discovered that Loki was not concealing himself and was standing openly on the top of a skyscraper in Manhattan.

Loki's every appearance has a strong purpose. What is his purpose this time?

Something's fishy; this is better than someone courting death.

Lin Nan stopped in mid-air, looked at the other side, and then changed direction.

He should go to Hell's Kitchen first. Matt's strange behavior has been lingering in his mind. He hasn't seen him in his lucid dreams for the past few days. In addition to the strange things Peter said, could it be that Loki secretly contacted Matt and gave him some kind of influence?

[Harmony] The capsule's long-distance sensing is not accurate enough. It is necessary to first determine the situation at close range to prevent the fortress from being breached from the inside.

With Thor, Iron Man, and Captain America on his way, things shouldn't get too chaotic for now.

Lin Nan flew to the airspace above Hell's Kitchen, hovered, and landed with the light effect reduced. He deactivated his armor in a deserted alley, approached Matt's law firm, activated [Harmony], and increased the precision.

Matt is sitting in his office, dressed in a suit, chatting with his cousin.

Lin Nan activated [Harmony] and quietly sensed.

There were no signs of being bewitched or controlled, and no magical fluctuations from Loki; he finally breathed a sigh of relief.

Although Matt's role in the plan to fight Loki and the Chitauri is more about rescue and support than core, he still needs to personally confirm it to be completely at ease.

.........

Under the black sky, the moonlight outlined Loki's long silhouette, and a gentle breeze ruffled his dark green cloak.

Tony's gold and red armor pierced the night sky, hovering in front of Loki, his palm cannons emitting a faint blue light.

Thor followed closely behind, and with a thunderous roar, landed on the other side of the rooftop, his long golden hair fluttering in the wind, and arcs of electricity crackling on his armor.

"Loki, put down what you're holding and come back to Asgard with me to face judgment!"

His voice was deep and resonant, like muffled thunder, echoing over Manhattan.

Meanwhile, Captain America gently descended with his parachute.

The three leaders have subtly formed an encirclement around Loki.

But Loki remained completely calm. He didn't answer Thor's question, but instead turned his head slightly, his gaze sweeping over the three of them: "Good brother, you're still as reckless as ever, thinking you can solve all problems with brute force and your hammer."

Then, his gaze turned to Tony, his smile becoming even more sarcastic: "Tony Stark, I've learned a lot about you from that female agent—your talent, your achievements, and your arrogance and fear."

Tony's voice remained calm, and the blue light in his palm flickered continuously, seemingly gathering power, but he didn't release it immediately: "Wearing a costume, do you think you're a magician who can read my mind?"

Whether you can read it or not is not important; what matters is that you know whether what I'm saying is right or wrong.

"Billionaire, genius, playboy, philanthropist, hero in Iron Man armor—on the surface, you're a darling of fate, but I know you're just a pathetic creature living in fear, afraid you're not good enough..."

"I'm afraid that even if I try my best, I won't be able to save the people I care about, like my parents..."

“Shut up!” Tony yelled.

Loki's language has a peculiar rhythm that seems to pierce the soul.

Then, he tilted his head slightly and turned his gaze to Captain America: "Steve Rogers, the first superhero in the eyes of the world, awakens from a seventy-year slumber in the glacier and finds that the world has changed drastically."

"You've given everything to this world—your youth, your love, even yourself—but when you wake up, you find that the world hasn't gotten any better."

"The war continues, the people continue to suffer, conspiracies continue to breed, and lies, hunger, corruption, and disease continue to erode the entire world."

"You've also witnessed the changes in this world and realized your own insignificance. You discover that you're just an old soldier in a theatrical costume, doing your best to pursue the meaning of the battle."

Steve didn't speak, but his jaw was clenched and his fists were tightly knit.

Finally, Loki's gaze fell on Thor, and he said in a complicated tone, "And you, my dear brother."

Do you really know why your father always favors you? Is it really because of your strength and courage?

"You are wrong, precisely because of your stupidity. You never think and never reflect."

"You're just wielding a hammer, putting into practice everything your father instilled in you, nothing more!"

"You're just more obedient and easier to use than me. I'm far superior to you, but Father hasn't seen that!"

"Loki, shut up! Your father is never wrong, you are!"

“Look! This is you,” Loki said, opening his arms wide, his smile as bright as a crescent moon. “You always think you’re right, no different from the other two mortals around me.”

“You are all wrong. Although you are on the same side now, I can clearly see your differences and weaknesses. You are not a team, but three bombs that will explode when you get close, and sooner or later you will turn the whole world into a wasteland.”

Loki's words were like poisoned needles, piercing the hearts of the three.

The three people on the rooftop remained silent.

However, the initial bond of shared hatred among the three was beginning to crack.

"You're right."

Suddenly, a figure descended from the sky; it was Lin Nan, wearing wing-shaped armor.

The knight's words immediately attracted the attention of the three men, who turned to look at him, their eyes filled with confusion and surprise.

Lin Nan repeated: "You do have disagreements and shortcomings, and that should be acknowledged."

"But what's the problem? Everyone has flaws and disagreements, which is normal."

“Tony, you’re always afraid that you’re not doing enough. You’ve seen too many tragedies that you couldn’t stop, but you use that fear to motivate yourself to stand up. It’s your motivation, not your weakness.”

"Captain, you are indeed feeling somewhat lost in the face of the changes in this world, but the world is not good enough, which is why it needs heroes like you to step forward, inspire more people, and make it a better place."

"Thor, you love your brother and believe in everything Odin has given you, but you are no longer the person you once were, are you?"

“Loki wants to prove that he is stronger than you. You have been tolerant of his harm time and time again. Is this weakness? No, this is precisely a kind of strength.”

Lin Nan withdrew his gaze, his tone deep. The energy of [Harmony] dissipated with his words, dispelling the seductive intent in Loki's words and gradually smoothing the rift between the three.

“Loki wants you to split up, which proves that he’s afraid of you uniting. As a great man from the East once said, seek common ground while reserving differences. We all have the same goal: to make the world a better place. A hero is not perfect, but is defined by his heart.”

"That's why we're a team."

Upon hearing this, the three exchanged a glance and couldn't help but smile at each other, an unspoken understanding emerging between them.

Snapped!Snapped!Snapped!

Loki clapped softly, his eyes filled with a hint of seeing a kindred spirit, and said with some appreciation, "Today I have finally touched your soul, knight. You and I are the same kind of people."

"But you are far more hypocritical than I am. Is your true purpose really to make the world a better place, or is it merely for your own selfish desires?"

"Are you a true hero? You're full of hypocrisy, do you deserve the name of a hero? I see into your heart!"

Unexpectedly, Lin Nan immediately nodded: "I'm not a hero. At most, I'm a hypocrite. But as a sage in the East once said, 'Judge by actions, not intentions. If a hypocrite is a hypocrite for a lifetime, then he is a true gentleman.'"

Moral blackmail? Not at all. I'm not a hero, and I'll never claim to be one!

Loki was taken aback by this sincere statement. After a few seconds of silence, he snorted coldly, "Shameless, truly shameless. When it comes to shamelessness, you Midgards are the best."

Lin Nan immediately reminded him, "Sol, it's best not to let your brother speak anymore, otherwise who knows what kind of trouble he might cause."

Thor nodded, his patience wearing thin, unwilling to waste any more words with Loki. He strode towards him, hammer raised high: "Loki, if you have anything to say, just surrender first!"

Loki shrugged. "I'm afraid I'll have to disappoint you, my foolish brother. You can't catch me because... I'm not here!"

"Loki!" Tony's expression tightened, and a palm-shot pierced through Loki's chest.

However, no blood flowed out, only a soft laugh.