Nick Fury had always been a serious and calculated man. Under normal circumstances, there was no way he'd hand over something so significant without a good reason.
But now, considering the very real possibility of having to deal with Asgard in the future, he chose to suppress his own ambitions.
More importantly, this man—Thor—was highly likely to become a future member of the Avengers. That made him, in Fury's eyes, one of their own.
And as the saying goes: keep the good stuff in the family. No need to benefit outsiders.
"Boss... we're really just giving him the hammer?" Hawkeye Barton asked in disbelief.
Thor shot Barton a glare. This was the very man who, in another timeline, had shot and killed him. What a jerk.
Just thinking about it made Thor's expression darken. He nearly acted on the impulse to attack, but remembering that he was now a mortal, he forced himself to calm down. Still, he couldn't help but scoff and mutter coldly:
"You bastard. Don't think being good with a bow makes you special. My archery skills are far superior to yours!"
Nick Fury's brow furrowed.
How did Thor know Barton used a bow? Barton didn't even have his weapon with him at the moment, and they weren't in a combat situation. That detail shouldn't have been obvious.
Clearly, something was off.
A realization struck Fury, and he asked directly, "Do you have a diary too?"
He was testing Thor now. There had to be a reason for his seemingly outrageous behavior.
Thor froze for a moment. He had just received the diary not long ago, and now someone else was asking about it as if they had one too.
Fury hadn't asked if he knew about a diary—he asked if he had one too. That alone said everything.
Obviously, Nick Fury had a diary as well.
Thor's reaction confirmed it.
Fury narrowed his eye. "Thought so."
Suddenly, all the inconsistencies and strange behavior made sense.
Why Thor hadn't come storming in recklessly.
Why he had specifically asked to meet with Fury in person.
Why he had such strong hostility toward Barton.
It all aligned—Thor had seen a version of the future where Barton shot and killed him. Who would willingly hand something over to a guy who shot them, even if it was just a possibility?
"Yeah... I do have a diary," Thor finally admitted.
Both of them summoned their diaries, confirming each other's possession. That moment of shared recognition created an odd sense of camaraderie between them.
Neither of them knew where these diaries came from, but clearly, both had been chosen. It was a bit like discovering you were part of the same secret order.
"Any idea where the diary comes from?" Thor asked, more composed now.
He'd been puzzled earlier by how smoothly everything was going—as if the gods themselves had cleared his path. But now, with the diary connection revealed, it all made sense.
Both sides had something to lose.
He had to be careful not to run into a hotheaded archer like Barton again, intentional or not.
As for Fury and the others of Midgard, they had their own concerns—killing an Asgardian prince could provoke retaliation, even war, with Asgard.
Understanding the whole picture, Thor now felt much more at ease. Everything had a reason. With clarity came calm.
"No idea," Fury replied with a shake of his head. "We don't know who created it or what their purpose is. But judging by the diary's scope and accuracy... whoever's behind it is far more powerful than we imagined."
The fact that Fury casually acknowledged him as a god made Thor feel a bit better.
"Doesn't matter who's behind it or what they want," Thor said firmly. "All I care about right now is getting my hammer back."
He was desperate to return to his divine form. Being mortal sucked.
Fury studied Thor quietly, remembering what he'd seen in the video entries from the diary—how he'd once performed an autopsy on Thor after his death and discovered that he had lived for nearly a thousand years, possibly even longer.
Though Earth's technology had its limits, the results had been conclusive enough.
"Go ahead," Fury said, stepping aside.
"Well done, Midgardian," Thor praised. Though his tone was condescending, the compliment was genuine—for him, anyway.
Fury resisted the urge to roll his eye. Thor's arrogance was on par with Tony Stark's.
Both were proud of their identities and capabilities. Both believed themselves exceptional beyond reason.
One was a super-rich, genius inventor and philanthropist. The other, a godly prince of Asgard.
Neither was a bad person per se—but the ego? It was exhausting.
Thor didn't waste any time. He strode confidently toward the center of the base, where Mjolnir was housed.
Nick Fury, Phil Coulson, and Hawkeye Barton followed behind.
"As you know, my divine power is bound to Mjolnir," Thor said gleefully. "Once I lift it again, I will reclaim my full power and become Thor once more."
His mood was almost euphoric. He was so happy he even cracked a joke at Fury's expense.
Everyone present already knew what Mjolnir was—it wasn't exactly a secret.
"I know," Hawkeye Barton muttered, half to himself. "The god of the hammer..."
He was reminded of something he read in Rowan's diary—how Thor had been jokingly called "Brother Hammer."
Or more mockingly: The Hammer God.
At first, he thought it was ridiculous. What kind of god is the god of hammers?
But now? The name seemed painfully accurate.
All of Thor's power was tied to Mjolnir. With it, he was a god. Without it, he was just... some big dumb guy.
Definitely a hammer god.
And considering how rude Thor had been to him earlier, Barton couldn't resist taking a jab when the opportunity presented itself.
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