Marvel: You Call This A Sorcerer?

A familiar, dramatic BGM seemed to play in the background.

Ronan smirked, taking an unnoticed step back to distance himself from this overly theatrical group.

He was genuinely afraid Thor might break into an awkward dance routine at any second.

"Son of Odin, your arrogance will be your downfall!"

"Attack! Kill him!"

Malekith, growing impatient, had his eyes locked on the Aether.

As long as he could obtain the Aether, his grand ambitions could be realized!

To achieve that, he had to capture Jane Foster!

With Malekith's command, the Dark Elves roared and charged toward Ronan and the others.

Thor raised his Mjolnir, signaling an attack in response.

"Charge!!!"

In an instant, battle erupted on both sides.

Thor swung his Mjolnir, summoning thunder from the sky to strike down the Dark Elves with ferocity.

Tony Stark soared into the air, unleashing repulsor blasts from his palms in rapid succession at his enemies.

The warriors of Asgard engaged in combat, even Jane Foster wielding a weapon for self-defense, ever vigilant against threats.

The battlefield was ablaze with intensity, and as the star of this confrontation, Thor immediately faced off against Malekith.

Soldiers against soldiers, generals against generals—this phrase couldn't be more fitting.

Tony Stark, knowing his role, distracted Malekith's lieutenant, giving Thor and Malekith the space for their duel.

"Years ago, your grandfather won through despicable and dishonorable means."

"Now, I'll take everything back. But first, I'll kill his grandson and show him true pain!"

Malekith conjured a longsword, clashing it against Thor's Mjolnir.

Sparks erupted in the air with each collision.

The two locked eyes, and in each other's gaze, they saw only hatred.

"Then bring it on!"

Thor roared, swinging Mjolnir down with immense force, but every strike was met and countered by Malekith.

It was clear that Malekith was holding his own against Thor, appearing entirely at ease.

As the two fought with passion, a discordant scream rang out from the battlefield.

The voice was strangely familiar.

Ronan had conjured the Ring of Raggadorr to block an attack from a cursed warrior.

However, in the next moment, Ronan was struck by what seemed to be a heavy blow, his body flying back uncontrollably.

He was flung a good ten meters through the air.

While airborne, Ronan even fussed with his cape, ensuring it stayed neat.

Well…

He was just making sure the dirt on the ground wouldn't stain his clothes upon landing.

After all, his cape had matured greatly under his careful tutelage, learning self-cleaning spells over time.

Sometimes, the cape would even hop into the washing machine itself, adding water, detergent, and completing its own spin cycle.

If his clothes got dirty, Ronan would have to clean them himself—not ideal!

In the next instant, Ronan "crashed" onto the ground.

Strangely enough, his body continued sliding backward several meters due to "momentum," ultimately removing him entirely from the central battlefield.

Finally, he closed his eyes and tilted his head, effectively going AFK!

Tony Stark, witnessing the entire scene, was dumbfounded.

"I'm reporting a cheater here!"

Someone was throwing the fight from the very start—how could the team fight like this?!

Meanwhile, the cursed warrior who had just faced Ronan was equally stunned.

He stared at his hands in disbelief, his expression one of sheer astonishment.

Even he had no idea he was capable of sending someone flying ten meters with a single blow!

Had his skills reached mastery?!

Yet, before he could savor the moment, Sif appeared with her blade, striking swiftly.

The cursed warrior smiled, casually raising his weapon, confident in a skillful counter.

Schlunk!

Unfortunately, before he could even complete his counter, Sif's sword pierced through his heart.

Sif's face betrayed a hint of confusion.

Her expression seemed to say: "Really? That's it?"

For such weak skills, how could he have shown such confidence?

The cursed warrior fell to the ground, his eyes wide with disbelief.

Hadn't he just mastered his powers?

How had he been so easily defeated?

Could it be… he'd been duped?

And thus, this nameless cursed warrior met his end.

Ronan, of course, would never admit to anything.

At this moment, while no one was paying attention, he had already retreated behind a small hill.

Peeking with one eye to survey the surroundings, he casually tossed a spell ring to eliminate a cursed warrior trying to sneak up on him.

Before he could close his eyes again, Tony Stark's voice crackled in his earpiece.

"Hey, you over there pretending to be dead, Mr. Fantastic."

"How about actually breaking a sweat?"

Tony Stark, still in his Iron Man suit, landed beside Ronan, clearly amused.

"Go away. Don't block my view of this glorious Dark Realm sunlight."

"And remember, Thor said our plan was to feign weakness, wait for Malekith to extract the Aether from Jane, ensure her safety, and then launch a full counterattack."

"What's the point of fighting hard now?"

Ronan closed his eyes, unwilling to engage further with Tony Stark.

They were supposed to act like they were losing—why expend energy unnecessarily?

He was saving his strength for when it mattered.

What would Tony do if his suit ran out of power later?

"Hah, a sorcerer of your caliber, sent flying ten meters by a minor grunt?"

"Who would even believe that?"

Tony Stark lifted his faceplate, a subtle grin on his face.

"Maybe I'm just a minor grunt myself—ever think of that?"

"And it wasn't ten meters—at most, eight!"

"Also, instead of lecturing me, why don't you kill a few more enemies?"

Ronan flipped onto his side, feigning nonchalance.

Accuracy mattered; he couldn't let this become a ten-meter tale.

"I'm supervising you and giving helpful reminders!"

Tony crouched behind the small hill, joining Ronan in his "supervision."

As they bickered, the main battlefield underwent a shift.

With a mighty roar, Malekith sent Thor flying, seizing control of the fight.

The Asgardian warriors, seemingly exhausted, dropped to their knees, watching Thor's solo performance.

It looked almost like some dark ritual.

"Now!"

Seeing Malekith lift Jane Foster into the air, Tony Stark immediately closed his faceplate and took off.

Ronan sighed, muttering about the poor acting skills of his comrades.

But he begrudgingly stepped through a portal back to the central battlefield.

As the Aether particles floated ominously in the air, a terrifying energy emanated.

Even from a distance, Ronan could sense its immense power, surpassing even the Space Stone.

Malekith, enraptured, began absorbing the Aether into his body.

"Now's the time!" Thor yelled, wielding Mjolnir as it sparked with thunder.

Tony charged his repulsor cannons, while Ronan reluctantly summoned Bolts of Balthakk.

Three powerful attacks collided with the Aether, unleashing a terrifying explosion of energy!

How to describe this situation...

While saying "the sun and moon darkened, and the world changed colors" might be an exaggeration, it was enough to make Ronan's expression shift.

Even though he had anticipated it, when he saw the shockwave unleashed, he couldn't help but step back.

From the beginning, he knew that destroying the Aether Particle wouldn't be so simple.

Even Thanos had needed the combined energy of all six Infinity Stones to destroy them by making them collide with one another.

The combined force of the three of them attacking the Aether was nothing compared to that kind of energy—merely a drop in the ocean.

The visible energy shockwave instantly sent Thor flying backward.

Ronan had prepared for this and enlarged the Ring of Raggadorr, positioning it in front of him as a shield.

The shockwave slammed heavily into the ring, and in that moment, Ronan's face changed drastically.

The Ring of Raggadorr had the ability to absorb some energy and convert it for his own use.

However, as the overwhelming energy surged into his body, nearly causing him to burst apart, Ronan instinctively raised his right hand. Without even forming the Sword of Light's Sealing, he released the energy outward in a massive blast.

The enormous energy hurtled forward.

Boom!

A deafening explosion echoed, and a dozen cursed warriors were caught in the blast.

Blood splattered, and limbs flew in all directions.

Screams of agony filled the air as Ronan noticed several experience notifications flashing in the corner of his vision.

[Experience +222]

[Experience +233]

Ronan exhaled lightly. As the enormous energy was expelled from his body, he finally relaxed.

If he'd had more time to process and utilize the energy, far more cursed warriors would have perished in the explosion.

Glancing at the experience points floating by, Ronan didn't feel any excitement.

His initial targets hadn't been these small fry but Malekith and the dark elf standing near him.

These minions were worth mere scraps.

It was the bigger enemies that carried the real payload.

[Experience +3333]

As this notification flashed, a faint smile appeared on Ronan's face.

But it was short-lived.

As the thick fog cleared, Malekith still stood there, unscathed. The Aether Particle, however, had vanished.

Still alive...

And in an instant, Malekith had absorbed the Aether Particle.

He must have used the energy of the Aether to shield himself from Ronan's attack.

Finally, Ronan had time to assess his surroundings.

What surprised him was that, besides himself and Sif—who had been standing near him—everyone else had been blown away.

"Where is everyone?"

Ronan glanced around.

Sif tilted her head toward the back, indicating the others were behind them.

Her gaze, however, remained fixed on Malekith, vigilantly monitoring his every move.

Ronan sighed.

"Don't bother watching. He's already absorbed the Aether Particle."

"He has no intention of fighting us now."

As Ronan spoke, Tony Stark and Thor rejoined the fray, flying back to the scene.

When they saw Malekith standing unscathed in the same spot, their hearts sank.

At this moment, Malekith's body began emitting a crimson glow.

Under the ominous light, Ronan and the others could clearly see the cracks forming on Malekith's skin.

Malekith appeared to be in immense pain.

Yet, beneath that pain, he wore a maniacally excited grin.

"Ahhhh!!!"

Thor roared, lightning surging from Mjolnir as he raised the hammer high and launched himself toward Malekith.

But this time, things were different.

Malekith calmly extended his hand, and the crimson energy of the Aether materialized into tendrils, easily intercepting Thor's hammer.

The tendrils surged forward, binding Thor's limbs and even his neck.

Ronan smirked faintly and lowered his raised left hand.

He had considered stopping Thor, but it was too late.

"Thor!"

Sif shouted, her concern for Thor's life evident as she moved to rush forward.

But Ronan placed a firm hand on her shoulder, holding her in place.

Sif found herself unable to move.

Feeling the strength emanating from Ronan's right hand, she looked at him in astonishment.

On one hand, she couldn't understand why Ronan was stopping her from saving Thor.

On the other hand, she couldn't comprehend how someone so physically strong could have been sent flying by a mere grunt earlier.

Ronan offered no explanation. Instead, he signaled Tony Stark with a glance.

Tony immediately understood, taking off and soaring into the sky.

For the Asgardians, there was no effective way to counter energy-based attacks.

If Sif charged in, it would only result in another casualty.

High in the air, Tony Stark raised his arms, launching a barrage of micro-missiles from his suit.

Whoosh!

The missiles arced through the air, bypassing Thor, and targeted Malekith's back.

Boom!

A deafening explosion echoed as dust and smoke engulfed the battlefield.

But as was often the case, the smoke cleared to reveal no damage.

The Aether energy had formed a solid shield behind Malekith, blocking the micro-missiles entirely.

Malekith sneered.

"Son of Odin, is this the strength of your allies?"

"They seem utterly powerless."

But before Malekith could continue, a voice interrupted him, whispering in his ear:

"You can insult my friends, but you can't insult me."

Bang!

Ronan's fist landed squarely on Malekith's face, a solid punch that connected perfectly.

Even the Aether didn't react to protect him.

No—Ronan narrowed his eyes. This wasn't a lack of automatic defense; it was because Malekith consciously chose not to defend himself.

Realizing this, Ronan summoned one of Kamar-Taj's signature techniques to his right hand.

Transform shield into saw!

The crimson Ring of Raggadorr—no, the Chainsaw of Raggadorr—manifested, slicing through the Aether tendrils binding Thor.

With a swift follow-up, Ronan landed a precise kick to Malekith's chest, sending him flying backward.

Teamwork!

In the next moment, Ronan grabbed Thor's wrist and locked his gaze on Malekith.

His left hand, equipped with the Space Stone embedded in the Infinity Gauntlet, began to glow faintly.

A ripple of spatial energy surged forth, enveloping Malekith in an instant.

Seizing the opportunity, Ronan activated the Space Stone's power, teleporting himself and Thor back to their original position.

Crack!

As Ronan landed, a faint sound of something breaking reached his ears.

Turning his attention back to where Malekith had been, he realized the dark elf was nowhere to be seen.

Ronan's expression turned odd.

"Where's Malekith?"

Thor, now kneeling on the ground, also noticed the absence of their enemy.

"He must have escaped."

"He moved so quickly I only saw a flash of red light," Tony Stark said as he descended from above, flipping up his faceplate.

Oxygen levels be damned—if Ronan was still standing, the air must be fine.

After all, unlike Asgardians, Ronan couldn't survive in space. If there was no air, his combat ability would drop to zero.

"Damn it!"

Thor slammed his fist into the ground, his frustration evident.

Even though they had successfully extracted the Aether from Jane Foster, removing the immediate threat to her life, they had failed to prevent Malekith from obtaining it.

It felt like only half their mission was complete.

To Thor, both halves were critical, but for the Nine Realms, this was undoubtedly their most perilous moment.

"It's okay, Thor. We'll face this together, no matter the danger," Sif said, crouching down and gently embracing Thor.

Ronan swore he could see a faint green glow emanating from Jane Foster's head.

Of course, it was all in his imagination.

"Wait, didn't you say his goal was to destroy the Nine Realms… or rather, plunge them back into darkness?"

"Now that he only has the Aether, he still has part of his plan to complete."

"We still have a chance," Tony Stark chimed in, recalling the earlier explanation.

Hearing this, Thor sprang to his feet, his confidence seemingly restored.

"That's right. If he wants to complete his plan, there's one place he must go!"

Thor stretched out his hand, summoning Mjolnir back to his grip.

Tony Stark glanced at Ronan and noticed the mage's expression of resignation. Unable to hold back, he asked, "That place you're talking about… it wouldn't happen to be Earth, would it?"

When Thor gave a subtle nod, Tony sighed deeply.

"Earth again. Why does it always have to be Earth?"

Invasion after invasion, Earth seemed to attract endless calamity.

"Well, we need to pinpoint the exact location of the Convergence. We still have a chance!" Thor said, turning to Ronan.

"Don't look at me. I have no idea where the Convergence is supposed to happen," Ronan replied, shrugging.

"The last time the Nine Realms aligned, humanity hadn't even evolved yet."

Even if he knew, he wasn't about to say.

"Besides, I'm not some celestial scientist or a seer."

He knew they'd figure it out soon enough anyway.

"I know someone who knows!" Thor declared confidently.

Though his statement was vague, everyone understood what he meant.

He had a contact on Earth.

"Alright, let's go together. This time, we'll stop his plot for good!" Sif said, immediately supporting Thor's plan.

But this time, Thor shook his head.

"Sorry, Sif. I can't bring you with me this time."

"This plan was my idea, and if there are any mistakes, I'll take full responsibility."

"Besides, Malekith has absorbed the Aether's power and is far stronger than before. The danger is too great."

Thor's gaze softened as he looked at Sif apologetically. Then, without waiting for a response, he looked skyward.

"Heimdall, take them back to Asgard!"

Before Sif could protest, the familiar rainbow light of the Bifrost descended.

In moments, the barren planet was left with only Ronan, Thor, and Tony Stark.

Ronan rolled his eyes toward the sky, internally flipping Heimdall the bird.

When Thor said "them," didn't that include me?

Why didn't you take me back, too?!

As for Tony Stark… meh, who cares about him.

"Alright, another classic Earth Crisis Day," Tony said with a shrug, clearly accustomed to these scenarios.

"But we're heading back to Earth, right?"

Thor shook his head again.

"Sorry to involve you both. You've done more than enough already. From here on, I'll face this alone."

Thor's tone and expression were filled with sincerity.

Anyone who knew him would recognize he was speaking from the heart.

"Come on, I'm a superhero on Earth," Tony replied.

"When Earth is in danger, do you think I'll just stand by and watch?"

His determination was clear.

Thor patted Tony on the shoulder, gratitude shining in his eyes.

Tony simply nodded and turned to Ronan.

Ronan, snapping out of his thoughts, looked at the two men who seemed to be sharing a moment of camaraderie and instinctively took a step back.

"What are you two looking at me for?"

"As a sorcerer of Kamar-Taj, it's my duty to protect Earth."

"And as the next Sorcerer Supreme, who else would step up if not me?"

Before Ronan could finish, Thor enveloped him in a bear hug.

Despite Ronan's impressive height, next to Thor, he looked almost petite.

Thud, thud, thud!

Thor delivered three hearty pats to Ronan's back, nearly sending him flying again.

"Alright, alright, let's just get back to Earth," Ronan said, quickly pushing Thor away.

If this continued, he feared he'd die at Thor's hands before Earth's crisis even began.

Opening a portal with a Mystic Gateway, Ronan gestured for the two of them to enter.

Exchanging a look, Thor and Tony nodded before stepping through.

Ronan, however, didn't follow immediately.

Instead, he extended his right hand behind him.

Plop.

A faint sound echoed, like someone spitting.

A small, inconspicuous stone fell precisely into Ronan's palm.

4o with canvas