[SL in Marvel] Ch: 9 [Thor vs Jason]

[Flashback] [Asgard]

Asgard, the home of the gods, was a place of unmatched beauty and splendor, with golden towers stretching up to the sky. The Hall of Valor, where only the strongest fighters gathered, was filled with excitement. News had quickly spread across the city: Thor, the God of Thunder, had challenged Jason to a duel.

They have erected an arena in the middle of the city for the event. Warriors from all over Asgard gathered to watch the fight, eager to witness the clash of two powerful beings. Thor, who was next in line to be king and one of the strongest beings in the universe, stood at one end of the big arena. Opposite him, Jason was leaning on a pillar, with a little smile on his face. The atmosphere was heavy with tension, and even the bright light that filled the place seemed to grow dimmer as the fight was about to start.

Thor's eyes were stern, his pride hurt by what had happened on Earth. Jason, a human, had taken care of something that was supposed to be Thor's job—defeating the Destroyer and stopping Loki's plans. Even though the All-Father had praised Jason for his bravery and allowed him to enter Asgard freely, Thor couldn't get over the feeling that he hadn't done enough. It was one thing to be outdone by another god, but to be outdone by a human? It was a hit to his pride that he couldn't forget.

"Are you ready to face the might of Thunder, mortal?" Thor's voice boomed across the hall, his fists clenched at his sides.

Jason laughed softly, stepping away from the column and moving to the middle of the fighting area. He wore a simple outfit, a loose shirt and trousers, looking calm as if this was just a casual practice match. But his eyes, with a subtle red glow, suggested that there was a strong force hidden inside him.

"Thor, my man," Jason replied, his tone light and mocking, "You know, I really didn't want to do this. But hey, if you insist on getting your ass kicked in front of all your friends, who am I to deny you?"

Thor's jaw tightened, his blue eyes narrowing. He pointed his finger at Jason, and yelled, "You mock the gods, Jason, but you forget where you stand. This is Asgard, and here, you are nothing more than a mortal who has overstayed his welcome."

Jason grinned, unaffected by Thor's words. "Overstayed? Oh, please. You guys love having me around. The girls, the warriors, and even your dad like me. Besides, isn't this the part where you throw your hammer and end this in one hit? Oh, wait..." Jason’s grin widened as he crossed his arms. "You’re not going to use Mjölnir, are you?"

Thor's eyes showed his anger, understanding that Jason was trying to provoke him. The challenge was set up in a way that using the hammer would feel like relying on help, something Jason knew Thor's pride wouldn't accept.

"Very well," Thor said after a moment's silence. "I will defeat you with my bare hands then."

"Now we’re talking," Jason said, cracking his knuckles. "Let’s keep this clean, shall we? Just our fists. You know, for fun."

"Fun you say, huh?! For me, this is a matter of pride and honor. You should be honored that I would choose to fight you with my bare hands!"

Jason laughed. "Whatever helps you sleep at night, buddy."

The warriors watching from the sides cheered for Thor, while those who had seen Jason fight earlier were cheering for him instead. Odin, seated in the high seat above the arena, watched silently. Thor glanced at his father and was surprised to see him smile as if he already knew how the fight would end.

Thor shook his head, returning his focus to the opponent before him. Jason stood relaxed, his posture open and inviting. Thor decided to test him first, throwing a punch toward Jason's face. But the latter didn't move an inch and stood there unfazed. Thor's fist stopped just before his face. "Why didn't you move?" Thor asked, confused.

"There was no power nor bloodlust behind that punch. Why bother dodging? C'mon, try again," Jason taunted by holding his arms behind his back.

Thor threw another punch. This time he was serious. The blow came fast, and Thor put all his strength into it. Jason dodged it by taking a step backward, as Thor's fist moved past the tip of his nose. Thor followed up with two more punches, but both missed their target.

"Whoa, careful now," Jason joked, "You nearly messed up my hairstyle."

"ARGGG!!" Thor roared in frustration, swinging his fist again, this time with more force. But Jason sidestepped, his movements effortless and almost lazy.

"Come on, Thor," Jason smirked while dodging all the oncoming attacks without breaking a sweat, "I know you're stronger than this. Or has all that ale slowed you down?"

Thor's eyes blazed with fury as he rushed towards Jason, throwing punches rapidly. However, as usual, Jason kept dodging each punch by just a small margin. The way he effortlessly evaded the attacks only made Thor angrier, and soon the God of Thunder was attacking wildly, losing his calm.

"Seriously, man?" Jason chuckled as he avoided another punch. "Is this your strongest effort? No wonder Loki always has the upper hand with you."

"Stop running like a coward and fight back," Thor roared angrily, his punches becoming faster and heavier. Still, Jason managed to dodge them easily. Thor then tried to grapple him. But Jason simply ducked under Thor's arms and flipped to the right, landing on his feet. "Damn you!" He shouted in anger, his rage making him act without thinking. He tried to hit Jason again, but this time Jason didn't move out of the way. Instead, he grabbed Thor's fist with his hand, stopping the punch completely. The power of the hit caused a strong gust of wind to blow, sending dust flying everywhere.

"Nice try," Jason said, his voice low and dangerous, "but now it's my turn."

The air around Jason began to shimmer as he activated his Barbarian Mode.

His muscles bulged, veins popping out all over his body. Waves of red aura began to burst out of his body. The ground beneath his feet cracked and shattered, unable to withstand the raw power emerging from him. His eyes glowed a deep, blood-red, and the smirk on his face grew wider, more feral.

"Barbarian Mode: 70%," Jason whispered, and the air itself seemed to tremble.

Thor hardly had a chance to respond when Jason moved. The ground below his feet splintered from the explosive impact as he appeared before Thor at a blinding speed. His speed caused friction in the air, causing flames to burn around his body as Jason's fist smashed straight into Thor's solar plexus, the devastating hit lifting Thor off his feet as a thunderous crash followed the impact.

The Asgardians who witnessed the move were shocked beyond words, their minds unable to fully understand what just happened.

Thor's eyes grew wide with surprise as he was propelled into the air and hurled across the space, smashing into the wall with a loud crash.

The Asgardians gasped in unison as Thor struggled to his feet, his hand clutching his ribs. His vision went blurry as a sharp pain swept over his body. But before he could fully recover, Jason was on him again, moving faster than he could track.

"What's the matter, Thunder God?" Jason mocked, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "You seemed a lot tougher when you were smashing those beer mugs."

Thor yelled in rage as he tried to punch the man. However, Jason grabbed his arm, lifting him up in the air, and slamming him down onto the stone floor, leaving a large crater under him.

"You wanted me to fight back, yet look at you. The God of Thunder can't even use thunder without his hammer. Is this all you amount to, Thor? If so, I'm very disappointed."

"It's not over," Thor spat angrily as he raised his head off the floor and got on his knees, coughing blood onto his fist as he forced himself back up again. But before he could take even two steps, he fell face first back on the ground, blood spurting from his mouth. Jason stood a short distance away, his red eyes narrowed as he stared at Thor impassively.

"Well, it seems over to me. But, hey, tell you what... Use your hammer... It's no fun to fight someone this weak. Maybe with your hammer, you will at least provide a decent workout," he taunted, waiting for Thor to rise. "What's the matter, little boy? Give up already? Or do you want some more?"

Thor groaned loudly as his muscles tensed, his bones popping under the pressure, blood covering him from the head down. He couldn't believe that a mortal could inflict such damage with just two attacks. The first punch was enough to break a few of his ribs and damage his internal organs, while the second left his body nearly crippled. Yet, despite his injuries and weakness, his rage grew even further. 'This... is... IMPOSSIBLE!!.'

"Jason, cease this," Odin's voice rang throughout the hall. "The fight is over."

"As you wish," Jason replied with a sigh.

"NO!" Thor smashed his face on the floor and stood up slowly. "Father... Do not interrupt our battle. This isn't over yet."

Jason, who stood opposite to him, raised his eyebrow, seeming very impressed, "Very well then, impress me. Show me that you have something special and use that hammer of yours, God of Thunder."

"NO! There is no honor in it! I'll defeat you with my bare hands..." Thor's voice was shakey, but his glare didn't waver.

[Rumble!] The sky darkened as thunder boomed through the air. Sparks of thunder were crackling around Thor's body as his wounds began to heal, rapidly. Multiple bolts of thunder crashed down on him, charging his entire being with power and energy. After a few seconds of thunderbolts coursing through his body, Thor clenched his fists, once more.

"YES! THIS IS HOW IT SHOULD BE!" Jason's eyes lit up with excitement as a wide grin split his face in two. "MORE! Give me more! Show me your power, Thor. If I'm not wrong, this must be your first time using Thunder without your hammer, right? Interesting, interesting! Let's see how long you last."

[Barbarian 100%] [Skill Berserker: 50%]

"Come, Thor," Jason said, his voice calm and steady as he waited for his opponent. The air rippled and swayed like a lake disturbed by a large boulder, and he felt an immense surge in Thor's power.

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1 more chapter by noon.