Although Loki was defeated by the Avengers and brought back to the helicarrier, despite Thor's intervention, he was successfully returned. However, the chaos had not ended.
Natasha, after talking with Thor and Loki, heard an argument as soon as she reached the laboratory door.
The reason for the argument was simple: Banner had discovered that Nick Fury intended to use cosmic magic to create powerful weapons. This act was strongly opposed by Captain America, as the weapons created by the Cosmic Cube had led to the deaths of many of his comrades at the hands of Hydra and the Red Skull.
"I don't want to waste time with you on trivial matters," Banner said, walking up to the electronic screen and pointing at it, loudly questioning Nick Fury. "I just want to know why S.H.I.E.L.D. is using the Cosmic Cube to develop weapons of mass destruction."
Nick Fury didn't hide anything, pointing at Thor at the doorway and saying, "It's because of him."
"Me?"
Thor was confused when Nick Fury mentioned him. They were arguing, and he had just arrived, having done nothing. Why was he the reason?
Nick Fury ignored him and continued, "Last year, Earth received an alien visitor whose personal vendetta resulted in the flattening of a small town. We learned that not only does the universe contain other life, but they are also far more powerful, advanced, and developed than us."
Thor retorted, "My people have no ill intentions towards Earth."
"But you are not the only ones in the universe, and you are not the only threat. There are many people in this world who cannot find opponents and cannot be controlled."
Although Nick Fury only mentioned Thor, as the director of S.H.I.E.L.D., he was aware of other powerful beings like the Kryptonian son of Superman and alien visitors like the Martian Manhunter.
However, unlike Thor, the Kryptonian and Martian civilizations had been destroyed. While these two special individuals were powerful, Superman had been raised by human parents and considered Earth his home, and the Martian Manhunter had a fatal weakness to fire.
In comparison, Thor and Asgard, whom he represented, were far more dangerous.
A fully existing alien civilization, especially one that called themselves Asgard and claimed to be gods, with a single individual casually flattening a town.
If left unchecked, who knew if these so-called gods would target Earth.
"It was your development of the Cube that attracted Loki and his allies. To other planets, this is a signal that you humans are preparing for advanced warfare."
"Advanced warfare? You force us to act, and we need to have countermeasures..."
"Like nuclear deterrence," Tony added before Nick Fury could finish. "That'll make everyone calm down."
Tony's sudden interruption didn't faze Nick Fury. "Why don't you tell us how you made your fortune, Stark?"
...
While everyone was arguing, no one noticed a fighter jet stealthily approaching, its occupants mercenaries controlled by Loki's scepter, led by Hawkeye.
As the jet reached its designated location, the hatch opened. Hawkeye, standing at the entrance, drew his bow, nocked an arrow, and fired it at one of the helicarrier's engines.
Then, he pressed the detonation button.
Boom!
With an explosion, the entire helicarrier tilted to one side, the resulting shockwave instantly claiming the lives of several nearby crew members.
After the explosion, everyone went into combat mode. Even Stark and Captain America, who had been arguing, joined forces to head to the site of the explosion, attempting to repair it.
Unfortunately, as a soldier, a World War II veteran, Captain America was not very skilled with current technology.
Meanwhile, Natasha, who was preparing to check on Loki's situation, encountered trouble. The explosion startled Banner, causing his heart rate to spike, transforming him instantly into the enraged Hulk, who attacked Natasha indiscriminately as she passed by.
Facing the nigh-invincible Hulk, Natasha's small pistol was no match for him, and she was forced to flee.
Fortunately, Thor appeared midway and saved the day, forcibly relocating the Hulk to a more open area.
The final outcome was that while Thor successfully knocked the Hulk off the helicarrier, he himself was tricked and captured by Loki, confined in the special cage where Loki had initially been imprisoned.
Coulson arrived with a laser cannon derived from Destroyer's research, only to be stabbed in the back by Loki's illusion.
Loki showed no mercy to his brother and decisively pressed a button.
The bottom hatch opened, and the cage was dropped from ten thousand meters in the sky.
As the falling speed increased, Thor knew he couldn't just wait to die. However, the immense feeling of weightlessness rendered him powerless to lift his hammer and break free.
As he got closer and closer to the ground.
Suddenly.
Bang!
The surrounding glass shattered. In an instant, Thor felt as if he had been pushed from behind, thrown out of the cage and into the sea.
On a building not far away, a mysterious figure in a black cloak watched all this, nodded, and turned to leave.
And on the helicarrier above.
Loki, after sending Thor away, prepared to leave but was stopped by Coulson's words.
"You've lost."
Loki turned back strangely and asked, "I lost?"
"It was inevitable."
Feeling that the situation was under control, Loki didn't rush to leave and couldn't help but say, "Your heroes are scattered, and your fortress is about to fall from the sky. What do I have to worry about?"
Perhaps feeling that he needed to deliver a finishing blow.
Loki approached Coulson, who was leaning against the wall, as he spoke.
"You have no conviction."
"But I don't think so..."
Before Loki could finish, Coulson pulled the trigger. A searing laser struck him, blasting him away, leaving a gaping hole in the metal wall.
Coulson said this not just to taunt Loki, but because he had brought the weapon and it would be a waste not to test its power.
Although Coulson successfully hit Loki with the cannon, his own condition was dire. If he didn't receive treatment soon, he would likely die there.
As Coulson, suffering from severe blood loss, entered a state of delirium, a mysterious figure appeared before him.
This figure wore a S.H.I.E.L.D. uniform but wore a horse mask.
"You... Who are you..."
The mysterious figure ignored him, knelt down, and placed a hand on Coulson's shoulder, saying, "You cannot die yet, so live."
Instantly, a powerful surge of magic coursed through Coulson's body, and the stab wound in his back healed at a visible rate.