073. Brother Wild's energy pillar is truly magnificent.

“Athena, hold steady! As long as you master psychic sensing, taking down that guy won’t be difficult for us!” Su Ye shouted, seemingly to reassure Athena, but in truth, his words were meant for Loki.

There were nine fighters on the team, and among them, only Athena’s psychic perception posed a significant threat to Loki, who excelled at stealth. Therefore, as long as Athena was eliminated first, Loki would be practically invincible.

But to take out Athena, one would first have to deal with Su Ye, who was acting as her bodyguard.

This was precisely the idea Su Ye wanted to plant in Loki’s mind. Even if Loki didn’t act immediately, just casting a glance at Su Ye and harboring a killing intent would be enough for the spider-sense to pinpoint his location.

As expected, the moment after Su Ye shouted, the fine hairs on his body bristled, and a sense of danger flashed through his mind. Though it lasted only an instant, that was all he needed.

The shadow of a dagger flickered through the void once more, shooting toward the fighters. Yet Su Ye ignored it, clenching his fist as he charged at a seemingly empty spot to his left.

Blazing Punch!

Crimson fire lit up the night sky. Just as everyone thought Su Ye was panicking and swinging wildly, hoping by chance to hit something, there was a resounding thud.

That flaming fist struck an invisible face in midair. Loki’s entire body was torn from his hiding place, spinning three and a half times before crashing into a nearby wall with a bone-shaking boom.

“So the bastard was hiding here all along?” Dong Joe shouted, rushing forward with a flying kick, catching Loki’s neck between his legs and slamming him from the foot of the wall to the ground. He then unleashed a savage flurry of moves.

“Blazing Hurricane Tiger Kick! Ora ora ora ora!”

A frenzy of punches, knee strikes, and whirlwind attacks pummeled Loki like a punching bag, sending him flying into the air and keeping him there for what seemed an eternity.

As Dong Joe’s onslaught ended, Ryo Sakazaki let out a roar from the other side.

“Dragon Tiger Rampage! Ora ora ora ora!”

A flurry of rapid blows accompanied by fierce shouts landed on the other half of Loki’s body.

When Ryo finally stopped, Loki crashed to the ground, lying there like a battered rag doll, his breaths barely a whisper: “Ah…~…”

Loki should count himself lucky that Ralf from the Angry Team wasn’t present. Otherwise, after a ‘Super Argentine Backbreaker,’ the damage would rival Hulk’s signature slams—not just bodily harm but an insult to his very dignity, a blow to both body and soul.

“Who the hell is this guy, anyway?” Dong Joe and Ryo Sakazaki stood on either side, arms crossed, glaring at the fallen Loki with clear displeasure.

“He doesn’t seem like a fighter, but after taking both our ultimate moves, he’s still alive. This guy is no ordinary man!”

“Terry, Robert, do you want to try out your moves too? There’s nothing quite like the feeling of your fists landing solidly on someone—it’s exhilarating!”

“Ye, you can sit this one out,” Dong Joe said slyly, sneaking a glance at Mai Shiranui behind Su Ye. “You’re not really the type for this kind of brawl…”

Terry and Robert were both itching for a turn. After all, learning martial arts wasn’t just for health and fitness—when you have a legitimate chance to let loose, why hold back?

“That’s enough!” Loki shouted from the ground, struggling to his feet.

“You Midgard natives, show some respect! I am a god—from Asgard!”

Dong Joe scoffed. “So what? An Asgardian god is nothing special!”

Ryo Sakazaki grunted, looking ready to start another round at the slightest provocation.

Loki’s lips twitched. “If you really think a god could be trampled by you like this, you’re sorely mistaken. The power of a god is beyond your comprehension.”

Yuri Sakazaki, who had been quiet until now, wrinkled her nose. “I think you’re just bluffing!”

“Heh, you’ll see soon enough!” Loki retorted, and with a flick of his hand, an ice-blue box appeared.

The sight of it made Su Ye’s brow furrow.

It was the Casket of Ancient Winters, also known as the Ancient Winter Chest—a powerful artifact of the Frost Giants, capable of unleashing vast waves of freezing energy. In the war between the Frost Giants and Asgard centuries ago, it nearly brought the entire Earth to an icy standstill.

Once thought to rival the Cosmic Cube in power, it had long since become a mere ornament, gathering dust in Odin’s vault, even after Asgard’s destruction.

Perhaps Loki’s reluctance to use it stemmed from his aversion to embracing his Frost Giant heritage—wielding the Ancient Winter Chest would expose his true nature. Thus, he’d always left it untouched.

Whatever Loki’s motivations in the canonical MCU, the Loki before them seemed to have abandoned all pretense.

With the Ancient Winter Chest in his grasp, his skin and face instantly turned an icy blue, his eyes burning crimson.

Without hesitation, Loki unleashed the artifact. A biting, tempestuous cold burst from his fingers, surging toward the fighters.

Wherever it swept, thick ice formed instantly on the ground. Dong Joe, the closest, was instantly encased in a layer of frost, frozen solid where he stood.

“Terry, come! The rest of you, run!” Su Ye shouted.

Though confused, Mai and the others obeyed at once, retreating quickly.

Su Ye darted behind Dong Joe, grabbed his frozen form, and hurled him backward, calling out, “Mai!”

“Got it!” In mid-sprint, Mai Shiranui leapt into the air, spinning gracefully as she met Dong Joe’s flying ice sculpture with her signature move, ‘Flame Dance!’

A burst of fire shattered the ice encasing Dong Joe. He tumbled to the ground, scrambled up, and dashed away, shivering violently. “My god, I’m freezing!”

Meanwhile, Terry stayed by Su Ye’s side, facing the oncoming chill unflinching. He raised his fist and slammed it into the ground without hesitation.

“Power Geyser!”

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Several fiery energy columns erupted from the earth, blocking the freezing air’s advance toward Su Ye. Yet the effect was limited—the frost spread too wide and fast. Terry’s Power Geysers were like twigs before a raging storm.

Just then, after tossing Dong Joe, Su Ye adjusted his posture in midair. Landing, he too drove his fist into the ground.

“Power Geyser!”

The same move, but this time, the fiery pillars were larger, taller, and faster than Terry’s.

Massive columns of fire not only blocked the oncoming frost but pierced through it. One even erupted directly beneath Loki, launching both him and the Ancient Winter Chest high into the air.

Terry couldn’t help but marvel, “As expected of Ye—when will I be able to summon such massive and powerful geysers myself?”