Commander Will emerged from his warship with several subordinates, hurrying toward the assembly of Asgardian forces.
"Where is King Odin? I have urgent matters to discuss with him." His gaze swept across the crowd, but the mighty figure remained absent.
"I am the King of Asgard. If you're referring to the swarm you brought along, we're already aware of them." Loki's familiar smirk curled across his face, exuding his usual arrogance. "Your actions have—"
"Get out of my way." Hela interrupted, shoving Loki aside. For someone of her temperament, refraining from outright violence was already a rare show of restraint. "I am the ruler of Asgard."
Will hesitated, uncertain how to proceed. It seemed Asgard had its own troubles — truly unfortunate timing.
Hela turned to the guards who had been surrounding her moments ago. "Deploy the defenses. Do not allow those insects to breach the perimeter."
Above the Asgardian continent, an intricate defense grid shimmered — an ancient network capable of repelling invaders. The last time it had remained dormant was during Galactus' sudden assault, compounded by his overwhelming strength.
"Quickly now," Frigga's calm voice rang out from behind. The guards bowed and scattered, rushing to their posts.
The soldiers' defiance in obeying Hela rankled her, but she clenched the Necrosword tighter and refrained from acting. Not yet.
Ignoring Frigga's presence, Hela fixed her gaze on Will. "Kree, you have brought danger to Asgard. From this moment, your fleet is under our command. Once the swarm is dealt with, we will address your transgressions. I have already marked you with the Seal of Death — do not think of running."
The Kree soldiers paled. What miserable luck. And who was this woman? They'd never heard of her.
"What's wrong?" Will noticed one of his subordinates trembling. "You didn't flinch at the sight of all those bugs."
"She's Hela... the Goddess of Death of Asgard. I read about her in the family records — a cruel, terrifying figure. If she bears a grudge, a swift death is a luxury. She toys with souls. The reason there's no word of her... is because Odin sealed her away..."
The man's voice faltered as Hela's piercing gaze swept across him. He shut his mouth, shivering uncontrollably.
Hela ignored him and turned to Heimdall. "I'm going to awaken my companions and drive out these insects. Will you try to stop me?"
Heimdall locked eyes with her, knowing that any defiance would spell his death. "Of course not. The crisis comes first."
Though Asgard's architecture resembled medieval Earth, its technology far surpassed anything on the planet — especially in the realm of light-based weaponry.
Loki and Heimdall led a group aboard the Kree command ship, unwilling to leave the infamous Kree fleet unchecked in their skies.
Dark clouds drifted over the Asgardian continent.
"They're here."
"Activate the shields." The protective barrier, though powerful, drained enormous energy and could only be deployed in critical moments.
The insect swarm descended in a frenzied mass. Those who lingered behind would be left with nothing.
"Fire!"
Asgardian soldiers manned long-prepared defense turrets, golden beams lancing into the swarm. The bugs' dense formation meant each shot felled swathes of them.
The Kree fleet ascended, unleashing a barrage of firepower that blunted the initial assault.
"Your resistance only heightens my delight." Behind the swarm, the Brood King Annihilus chirred with excitement, indifferent to his minions' losses.
At his command, massive Brood beasts lumbered forward, their maws glowing as they charged energy blasts.
A searing beam lanced through several Kree ships before crashing into Asgard's shield, rippling its golden surface.
Emerging from the Asgardian vault, Hela surveyed the battlefield. She knew neither the soldiers nor the Kree could hold back such overwhelming numbers.
"Pathetic creatures." Memories of conquering realms alongside her father flickered in her mind — no enemy too powerful, no horde too vast. "What a waste."
What she mourned — her father's fall or something else — remained unclear.
With a gesture, a stone pillar thousands of meters long erupted from the ground, skewering low-flying insects in a grotesque chain.
Her hands danced, and the continent trembled as the sky wept foul, blood-scented rain.
"Weak little bugs — no less revolting in great numbers."
From above, the continent resembled a spiked beast, countless spears jutting from the earth.
Loki's heart sank. His brief reign was surely over. No one in Asgard — nor all of Asgard combined — could match her.
"Impressive... but nothing before the Cosmic Control Rod." Annihilus unhooked the glowing short staff from his chest, clutching it tightly.
The rod granted him dominion over matter, capable of breaking down and restructuring substance. As its light intensified, white beams dissolved Hela's summoned spikes into dust.
Before she could react, a blazing energy beam lanced down, engulfing her in searing light. When the light faded, only a bottomless crater remained.
Fenrir, the great wolf, clawed at the pit's edge, howling low and anxious.
"I reign supreme in the Negative Zone — and I will rule here as well." Annihilus smugly retracted the rod. None of these creatures warranted his personal intervention.
"You're joking... right?" Will's voice trembled. They'd expected a mindless swarm — perhaps a few intelligent commanders — but a weapon of such devastating power?
They had vastly underestimated their enemy.
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TN: This fanfic has been fully translated and is available on my Patreon —— PATREON.COM / PRIMALDEMON