A man clad in heavy plate armor and a metal helmet, looking like a medieval knight transported directly from the annals of Nordic history, stepped out of the shimmering teleportation beam. Mjölnir hung comfortably at his side as he surveyed the unfamiliar surroundings with a practiced warrior's eye, a gleam of barely contained excitement lighting his features.
Thor Odinson, Crown Prince of Asgard, who had been confined to the golden halls of his father's palace for weeks after rashly attacking the Frost Giants and invading Jotunheim—thereby incurring the legendary wrath of the All-Father—suddenly found himself transported to an entirely new realm without warning or explanation.
After being effectively grounded like a petulant child for what felt like an eternity to an immortal accustomed to roaming the Nine Realms freely...
The fresh breath of unexpected freedom lifted his spirits in a way nothing else could.
And more importantly—
Thor might have no love for artificial enhancements like the T-virus or biological modifications that lesser beings relied upon for power, finding such scientific shortcuts beneath the dignity of an Asgardian prince.
But when it came to war? To glorious invasions and the clash of mighty forces?
He was very, very interested. Passionate didn't begin to describe it. It was written into his very DNA, a calling that sang in his immortal blood.
Otherwise...
He wouldn't have continued defying Odin's explicit commands time and again, despite knowing full well the punishment that would follow. Despite having his princely privileges revoked and his beloved hammer nearly confiscated the last time.
"An unknown new world—" he mused, breathing deeply of the alien air that carried scents of metal, concrete, and something distinctly... Midgardian?
"Looks like it's my time to shine again!" Thor's face split into a boyish grin that belied his centuries of age. "Hopefully, this realm has foes strong enough to actually challenge the Son of Odin!"
Thor cracked his knuckles, the sound like distant thunder as his eyes burned with the primal warlust that had defined Asgardian culture for millennia. The energy of battle already coursing through his veins.
As for joining "factions" or following someone else's rules?
Please.
He was the God of Thunder from Asgard! The future king of the Realm Eternal! Why would he need something as restrictive as "faction loyalty" when he himself represented the mightiest faction in all the cosmos?
"In the name of Thor, God of Thunder—I shall conquer this land and claim it for Asgard!"
His deep voice echoed across the empty clearing as he hoisted Mjölnir skyward, clouds instantly gathering above at his unconscious command, electricity crackling along the hammer's surface.
A dramatic declaration to a world that had no idea what had just arrived on its doorstep.
Full of cringey teenage energy for someone thousands of years old, yet... undeniably, terrifyingly badass.
But the effect of his proclamation?
"IDIOT!"
"I knew I shouldn't have expected anything remotely sensible from that oaf Thor..."
Loki covered his face with slender fingers, twitching at the corners of his mouth as a mixture of embarrassment and amusement warred within him.
Watching from a specially enchanted scrying pool in his private chambers, the God of Mischief could only shake his head. Thor, as predictable as ever, was proving himself to be as unreliable as a Midgardian weather forecast.
What did that golden-haired buffoon think this was? Some provincial stage play for the entertainment of peasants? Did he somehow forget this was being broadcast live to countless viewers across multiple realms? The way he was talking made him look like a complete lunatic! He was dragging Asgard's reputation through the mud with every word!
Loki was profoundly relieved he hadn't teleported in alongside Thor when the strange summoning energy had appeared.
It was just...
Too embarrassing!!
And yet, beneath his mortification, Loki's mind was already calculating. A new realm, a new system of power, new possibilities... perhaps his brother's blundering would create interesting... opportunities.
"Thor?" Odin muttered under his breath, his single eye narrowing.
Seated upon Hlidskjalf, the all-seeing throne from which he could observe all the realms, the All-Father remained outwardly calm despite the concerning development.
He had long since grown accustomed to Thor's impulsive antics and wasn't particularly surprised by this latest display of foolish bravado. That was, after all, precisely why he had confined Thor to the palace—to curb those very tendencies that might one day make him a dangerous king.
What concerned him more deeply was—
"So it's Thor who was summoned by this unknown force?"
Golden light flickered in Odin's remaining eye as his ancient gaze pierced through the fabric of space itself, locking onto the exact spot where Thor had vanished from Asgard's boundaries.
His weathered expression subtly shifted into something far more serious than mere parental disappointment.
A hint of genuine caution crept into his eye. Perhaps even... fear?
He was the All-Father. The most powerful being in the Nine Realms.
And yet... he hadn't even detected the power that had reached into his kingdom and plucked his son from his protection.
"An invasion system?" he whispered, fingers tightening around Gungnir.
What kind of cosmic force could accomplish such a feat without triggering Heimdall's sight or the palace wards?
Odin's eye widened. For the first time in centuries, he felt the cold touch of uncertainty.
Meanwhile, on Earth...
The clueless viewers were just innocently watching the livestream on their devices, unable to hold back their laughter and mockery as they witnessed what they assumed was just another colorful character in a growing cast of bizarre summons.
This round of interdimensional drafting was supposed to bring in elites and champions.
But this guy? This self-proclaimed "Thor"?
He looked like a total medieval cosplay clown, complete with ridiculous cape and oversized prop weapon.
"What the actual hell is this 'Thor the Thunder God' nonsense? Thinks he's some Norse god from mythology? This dude's got terminal cringe syndrome."
"He must've been sent by the monkey faction—because he's an absolute joke! 🐒🐒🐒"
"Wait, are you telling me delusional lunatics can get summoned too? Is the reason I wasn't picked because I'm not insane enough? 😂😂"
"I'm done. I'm freaking done. This guy says he's the God of Thunder? Then I'm Odin! Dude didn't even bother writing a proper script for his fantasy nonsense. At least put some effort into your delusions!"
The internet exploded with reactions.
Comments flew by in a frenzy across multiple platforms, memes were created in real-time, and video clips of Thor's declaration were already being edited with comedic music.
In no time, the atmosphere online became downright jubilant at the expense of the confused Asgardian prince.
Little did they know that the gathering storm clouds above weren't just coincidence...
"Norse Thunder God?"
Nick Fury shook his head, his single eye narrowing with skepticism. Obviously, he didn't believe any of it for a second.
It was just... too ridiculous to contemplate seriously.
Even with all this multiverse theory becoming reality and talk of an "invasion system" turning the world's power structures upside down, he still couldn't bring himself to believe Earth was now dealing with someone claiming to be an actual deity from ancient mythology.
Myths and legends should stay in storybooks where they belong.
"Probably just another delusional nutjob with an oversized ego," Fury muttered with a dismissive smirk.
As for that metallic armor Thor was wearing?
Most likely elaborate props made by a hardcore cosplayer with too much time and money on their hands.
Sure, it looked historically accurate and well-crafted.
But it wasn't practical for actual modern combat. That bulky metal helmet alone would restrict peripheral vision and make the wearer vulnerable to flanking attacks.
And seriously—who the hell uses a medieval hammer for close combat in the age of firearms and energy weapons?
"Director! We've got something urgent!" Agent Hill's voice cut through his thoughts.
"Another new arrival—this one looks genuinely dangerous! Possibly a high-tier fugitive!"
"Running facial recognition through the database now—"
Just as Fury was mentally dismissing Thor as a non-threat, Coulson's tense voice interrupted from across the monitoring room.
"Hmm?"
Fury quickly turned toward the main screen, his casual demeanor instantly replaced by the focused intensity that had made him the most feared intelligence director on the planet.
On-screen—
Another figure had appeared several miles from Thor's location.
This one looked rugged, older, with the weary look of a battle-hardened man who had seen too much bloodshed to ever truly sleep peacefully again.
The air around him seemed to vibrate with barely contained violence.
Even through the digital feed, Fury could feel this newcomer wasn't someone to be underestimated or approached without extreme caution.
And...
That face?
That distinctive hairstyle?
"It's them—"
Fury's pupil shrank to a pinpoint. A thought flashed through his mind that he never expected to have confirmed.
"The hope that Professor X mentioned?"
Jean Grey stepped out of the dissipating teleportation field with graceful caution, her emerald eyes half-closed as she extended her formidable telepathic abilities to scan the surrounding area for threats or allies.
"Jean, be careful... this place doesn't feel right,"
A gruff, deep voice sounded from just behind her.
Logan followed, his compact, muscular frame positioned protectively at her back, nostrils flaring as he took in the unfamiliar scents of this new environment. Cyclops flanked her other side, eyes hidden behind his ruby quartz visor, tense and ready to unleash an optic blast at the first sign of hostility.
"Hm?"
"I sense an incredibly powerful lifeform... approximately three miles to the west!" Jean's delicate brows furrowed in concentration as her telepathic consciousness brushed against something... ancient.
"Then west is where we're headed," Logan said without hesitation, his gaze sharpening as metal claws slid partway out from between his knuckles with a soft snikt before retracting again.
With his virtually unstoppable healing factor and skeleton laced with indestructible adamantium, the X-Men's immortal tank operated in a realm where fear simply wasn't part of his psychological makeup.
Facing the unknown?
He charged it head-on, always had, always would.
"Jean, stick close. Scott, cover our six. Let's check it out. Might be one of those artifacts the system announcement mentioned..." Logan's tactical mind was already assessing potential advantages.
With Logan's decision made and Scott's reluctant nod of agreement, the X-Men moved with practiced efficiency born from years of working as a cohesive team.
Whether they were searching for the mysterious twelve talismans that had been mentioned in the summoning...
Or identifying potential faction alliances in this new battlefield...
Standing still wasn't an option when Logan caught the distant scent of ozone and rain where no storm clouds had been moments before.
S.H.I.E.L.D. MOBILE COMMAND CENTER
"Director, the character model analysis is complete. We've found no matching records for the individual calling himself 'Thor' in any of our databases."
"But on the other hand, we have positively identified the second group... It's—"
Coulson approached with a tablet in hand, but before he could finish his report, Fury cut him off with certainty:
"Wolverine. Logan. And that's Jean Grey and Scott Summers with him."
"Uh?"
"Director... you already knew about them?"
Coulson scratched his head, slightly embarrassed that his intelligence wasn't delivering any new information to his superior.
Fury's expression twitched, but he remained outwardly composed. Of course he knew.
The mutant world had maintained two main factions for decades—the Brotherhood advocating mutant supremacy, and the X-Men championing peaceful coexistence. S.H.I.E.L.D. had extensive files on both groups, even if they officially denied their existence to the public.
And Logan? With his unmatched healing ability and berserker combat prowess? Definitely a top-tier asset or threat, depending on which side of him you found yourself.
Not only did Fury know exactly who Logan was beyond what any database could tell him...
He also knew precisely where the X-Men were headed based on their trajectory and Jean Grey's psychic abilities.
"Cap's about to have unexpected company."