[Op Marvel] Ch: 4 [Arena of Thunder and Flame] (Patreon)

AN: Just to be clear, the Thor here is the early version. He hasn't reached his peak yet. And I kinda went a bit carried away with the fight lol. Anyway, hope you like it. 🫡🫡

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I tightened my grip around Loki's throat, feeling his pulse hammering against my fingers. The little bastard struggled like a caught rabbit, kicking and clawing at my wrist, but I barely felt it. Part of me wanted to snap his neck right there. It would have been so easy. One twist and the entire Nine Realms would be a little quieter. But starting a war on day one in Asgard sounded stupid even for me.

Thor's face was a mix of shock and worry. Valkyrie had her hand near her sword, but she had not decided whether she should intervene or just watch the show.

I sighed and loosened my grip. Killing him right now would ruin my night. And honestly, after finally eating real food again, I was in too good of a mood to deal with Asgard's political fallout.

I swung Loki toward Thor's feet. He hit the ground with a grunt, clutching his throat and glaring at me like a wet cat.

"Next time I see you sneaking around me, I'll rip you in two," I said without any anger in my tone. Just a promise.

Thor crouched to help Loki up. Loki slapped his hand away like a brat, then got up on his own with whatever dignity he had left.

"That was unnecessary," Loki said, his voice hoarse. "I was merely observing."

"Observing what," I asked, stepping toward him, "the veins in your neck while I squeezed the life out of you?"

He took a step back. Smart choice.

Thor finally spoke. "Loki, what were you doing here? You know better than to spy on guests."

Loki brushed imaginary dust off his clothing. "I was making sure our guest was not a danger to Asgard."

I snorted. "If I wanted to be a danger, you would know. Actually, you wouldn't. You would just be dead."

Sif crossed her arms and looked at Loki. "Did you really think sneaking around him was a good idea?"

Loki lifted his chin. "It was research."

"On what?" Valkyrie asked, "How fast can he choke you?"

Even Thor laughed at that, but Loki didn't. He coughed again and glared at me like he was memorizing my face for future vengeance. Good. Let him try something stupid in the future. I wanted him to. I needed a reason.

"How did you know he was there?" Thor asked out of curiosity. Can't blame him since Loki pranked Thor many times and even tried to kill him in the guise of a prank.

I crossed my arms and stared down at the trickster. "I could smell him from the feast hall."

Loki blinked, offense flashing across his face. "Impossible. My concealment was flawless."

"Nope," I said. "You stink of magic and cheap cologne."

Even Sif snorted at that. Valkyrie outright laughed. Thor tried not to, but failed spectacularly.

Loki's ears went red. He looked angry for a second there. "Nice joke. How did you find me?"

"You stink, man. Get a bath," I said as I turned to Thor. "So, where were we? You asked what I want in return for your little monster shopping spree."

Thor looked at me, then at the dragon corpse, then at Loki, who was still rubbing his throat. "Right. That."

His expression shifted. Maybe a bit more cautious now. Maybe a bit more respectful. Hard to tell with this guy.

"What I want is to stay in Asgard for the moment and train a bit. I gotta check how strong I am in this dimension and who could be better opponents than you all? So, I'll supply you with monsters and you'll spar with me in return," I lay down my terms.

I could have asked for gold, weapons, and whatnots, but I got enough of those. Right now, I need to know my power level and the timeline I am in. Then I can plan my next move. 

...

[1 week later]

A week passed in a blur of sleeping, feasting, and the constant buzz of rumors about real dragons spreading through every corner of Asgard. Word traveled fast, and by the end of the week, every warrior from the palace guard to the outer villages wanted a piece of the action.

The royal builders carved out a massive arena along the side of a mountain. The place looked like a colosseum carved straight from the rock, with natural terraces rising high enough to hold a crowd of thousands. It was a perfect place to fight monsters that could level a city.

Today's the day of battle.

The crowd filled every seat in the colosseum. Warriors in new armor, nobles draped in gold, Einherjar who lived for battle, and the kind of idiots who just liked seeing things explode. Everyone was buzzing and waiting for the fight to start.

In the center of the arena, Thor landed with a crackle of thunder. The air boomed as his boots hit the stone. He lifted Mjolnir into the air, and the crowd erupted. Cheers rolled down the mountain like thunder, and the ground trembled from the sheer noise.

I stood in the waiting area where all the warriors gathered before their turns. Some were stretching, some were sharpening weapons, and others were praying that I did not give them something with too many teeth. I looked past the iron gate leading into the battlefield.

Thor raised a hand toward me in signal. Show time.

I stepped closer to the gate and aimed my hand at the open field. The summoning circle flared beneath my feet, its red glow spreading across the ground like fire cracking through stone. 

Then a giant red magic circle appeared over the arena for a few seconds, and the fire dragon erupted into existence.

It hit the arena floor with a roar that shook dust loose from the upper stands. The creature was massive, easily twice the size of the red dragon from before. Its scales glowed with a dark red hue. Flames crawled across its wings, leaking sparks like dripping embers. The crowd gasped, then screamed with excitement.

Just to be clear, I held back with the summoning.

Thor grinned like a kid seeing his favorite toy. He spun Mjolnir in his hand, lightning dancing across the weapon.

"I shall slay you, beast," He yelled with a grin.

The fire dragon snapped its wings open, each beat sending a furnace blast across the arena. With a roar, it launched itself upward, flames trailing behind it like a comet tearing through the sky. The heat alone made the stone beneath our feet shimmer.

Thor’s grin widened.

He hurled Mjolnir into the air and rocketed upward after the beast. Lightning wrapped around him, crackling and snapping as he soared toward the dragon like a living thunderbolt. The crowd exploded into cheers.

The dragon twisted midair, its massive wings slicing through the wind. Fire built in its throat, glowing brighter and brighter until its whole neck looked like molten metal. Thor kept charging, completely unfazed.

The dragon unleashed a torrent of flame.

A stream of fire tore through the sky and swallowed Thor whole. The crowd gasped, some shielding their eyes, others screaming in excitement.

For a moment, the flames lit up the entire mountain.

Then the fire blew apart.

Thor burst out of the inferno, spinning Mjolnir at full speed and tearing through the flames like they were mist. 

"Hahaha! Is that all you got?"

He slammed into the dragon’s side with the force of a meteor.

The beast roared and spiraled, crashing into the arena walls before regaining its balance. Dust rained down on the spectators as the crowd let out another wave of cheers.

Thor didn’t let up. He followed.

When he reached the dragon, he smashed Mjolnir into its jaw. The impact echoed across the entire valley. The dragon’s head snapped sideways and it staggered back, wings flapping wildly as it struggled to stay airborne.

Thor laughed like a man having the best day of his life.

He spun, brought his hammer down, and smashed it into the dragon’s back. Lightning burst out from the point of impact. The dragon shrieked, flames erupting from every crease between its scales.

It counterattacked instantly.

Its tail whipped across the sky, catching Thor square in the ribs. The force sent him flying across the arena, crashing through a stone pillar and exploding out the other side. The crowd roared with excitement when Thor burst from the rubble, still smiling like this was all a warm-up.

He cracked his neck.

"Come then," he shouted. "Show me why your kin are feared."

The dragon dove at him, jaws snapping. Thor hurled Mjolnir upward again and shot toward the beast. They collided in midair. Lightning and fire clashed in a blinding storm that illuminated the arena and the thousands watching.

It looked freaking awesome from where I was standing. 

Thor grabbed the dragon by one of its horns and punched it square in the eye. The beast roared and lashed out again. For a moment, it looked like Thor was clearly overpowering it. His movements were confident and relaxed, almost playful.

He swung around its neck, lifted Mjolnir, and brought it down on the dragon’s skull. The beast went limp in the air for half a second as if stunned. The crowd held its breath.

Thor raised his hammer for the finishing blow.

He never saw the flames building in the dragon’s throat.

The creature’s eyes snapped open with a violent glow. Flames surged up its neck, more intense than before. This wasn’t a normal breath attack. This was the kind of fire a dragon only unleashes when it’s preparing to die with its killer.

A dragon’s last breath.

Thor’s grin faded.

The dragon detonated its fire.

A massive explosion erupted point-blank, swallowing Thor and filling the sky with a blazing sphere of fire. The shockwave ripped through the arena, rattling the stands and forcing even the Asgardian warriors to brace themselves. Some were thrown off balance.

The flames burned for several seconds, searing the air until it turned white.

The crowd went silent.

Then the fire dispersed, leaving a trail of smoke curling upward.

Through the smoke, Thor floated, breathing hard, his armor cracked, and scorch marks dark across his chest and shoulders. Lightning flickered weakly around him as he steadied his grip on Mjolnir.

For the first time in the fight, he looked genuinely rattled.

He glanced at the dragon slowly descending back toward the arena floor. Its body was charred and shaking, but it was still alive.

Thor wiped blood from the corner of his mouth and muttered loud enough for the audience to hear.

"So this is why everyone feared your kind."

Thor lifted Mjolnir slowly, the muscles in his arm trembling from the force of the blast he had just taken. The sky shifted, and clouds churned with violence. The air crackled and vibrated.

A low rumble rolled across the mountains.

The hairs on my arms rose.

Thunder flickered inside the storm above, spiraling and concentrating directly above Thor. The crowd rose to their feet as the air crackled so hard it felt like needles pricking every inch of skin.

Thor brought Mjolnir down.

A lightning bolt the size of a tower slammed into the arena. The impact drowned out every other sound. The shockwave blasted dust and debris outward. People clung to their seats. The Warriors held up shields. Even the stone beneath my feet trembled like it was about to give way.

The dragon roared in agony as the lightning tore through it. Its scales peeled away in burning strips. Its wings disintegrated before they hit the ground. The flames trailing its body were extinguished by diving power.

Thor finally stopped.

And when the smoke settled, nothing remained but a smoldering skeleton. It lay stretched across the arena floor, glowing faintly under the last crackles of divine lightning.

'Arrogant and strong. But it looks like the early version of Thor. Well, whatever. I'm gonna get some wine.' With that thought, I was about to go inside when...

"That wasn't the strongest dragon you got, was it?" Lady Sif asked while leaning on the wall.

"Join me for a drink and I might tell you," I said with a wink before walking out through the back door. 

With the damage the battle caused, it'd take some time to repair the arena and I doubt the others would try to fight another dragon after seeing Thor getting hurt like that. But who knows? They are battle maniacs. They might see this as a chance to climb up the ranks. 

"THOR ODINSON!!" A female's voice boomed throughout Asgard. "WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU ARE DOING?" 

A beam of yellow light crashed into the arena.

I ran down the mountain at full speed.

That was Thor's mother, and she was angry.