The frigid breath exhaled by Superman swept across the skies of Asgard like a world-altering hurricane. The temperature plummeted rapidly, and the hurricane influence caused a staggering white mist to rise into the sky.
The warships, zipping back and forth, were instantly frozen within this mist. Their engines ceased functioning, and the ships, like falling meteors, plummeted to the ground and exploded on impact.
Boom!
In an instant, the number of warships around Superman visibly decreased. Everyone was stunned, including Thor, the Prince of Asgard, who was fighting in the same sky, holding his hammer.
His face filled with incredulity as he watched Superman actions, unable to articulate his amazement at the man formidable prowess.
On the ground, the expressions of the Asgardian civilians watching this unfamiliar man were even more exaggerated than Thor.
"Who is he?"
"Is he our reinforcement? Why haven't we ever heard his name?"
"Could he be a secret weapon that Asgard has been hiding?"
"Look at those muscles, I knew this guy was no ordinary!"
At that moment, the civilians forgot their previous doubts about Superman.
In all of Asgard, there was one person who remained utterly calm as if everything unfolding was expected.
That person was none other than Odin, the king of Asgard standing within the palace.
"Things have changed," Odin murmured after a sigh, his gaze shifting inside the palace where his wife, Frigga, the queen of Asgard and mother to Thor and Loki, was shielded by his divine power. He smiled faintly at her.
Elsewhere, under the shocked gaze of everyone, the enemy warships began to regroup rapidly. They seemed to abandon targeting Thor as all their forces turned towards Superman.
With Jane Foster in his arms, Superman appeared to be taking a leisurely stroll through the sky, effortlessly dodging the barrage of energy missiles aimed at them.
During this, his eyes emitted bursts of heat vision, and from his mouth came the blasts of his super breath. One by one, the warships fell.
Under the intense scrutiny of countless eyes, Superman single-handedly took on the entire fleet of Dark Elves. And the latter suffered heavy losses.
Boom! Boom!
In the sky, the Dark Elf ships, piloted by soldiers, could no longer harm any part of Asgard due to Superman heat vision and super breath blocking their path. Instead, the Dark Elf fleet itself faced relentless attacks from Superman, continuously crashing in disarray.
Panic began to spread through the Dark Elf fleet communication channels as the battle turned against them.
"Report, the enemy is powerful, we need reinforcements!"
"Requesting immediate support!"
"We can't match his data we don't know who he is, but he is extremely powerful. Recommend that the commanders consider him a top-level threat."
"A top-level threat?"
This information quickly reached Malekith, the leader of the Dark Elves, who was stationed in the control center of their enormous flagship, comparable in size to the Asgardian palace.
Even if his soldiers hadn't assessed Superman threat level, Malekith, overseeing the entire situation from the control center, had already witnessed the shocking developments and was preparing to order his fleet to change their strategy and not to engage directly with Superman.
Thousands of years ago, the Dark Elves, who battled with the Asgardians, were defeated and exiled from their dark world, but they managed to preserve a spark of their power.
Now, after thousands of years, the remnants of the Dark Elves power, those scattered sparks, have fully recuperated.
Malekith has revived, and with the recuperated strength of those once scattered sparks, he returns to the Nine Realms, once again possessing the confidence to rival Asgard.
Of course, confidence aside, watching his own forces fall at such an alarming rate is still painful.
"Leave him to me."
Malekith thinks for a moment, his gaze falling on the woman in Superman arms, who appears powerless. He seems to see through something, his eyes emitting an unprecedented fierce glow.
Without further thought, he immediately gives his orders.
"Continue the attack on Asgard. He is mine."
"Understood!"
The Dark Elf fleet, upon receiving the command, immediately turns their ships around, targeting Thor and the palace below Superman.
"Hmm? Again?"
Thor, noticing this, turns serious, repressing his astonishment at Superman, and a trace of anger arises.
Is this picking on the weaker?
Thor, seasoned in battle, can discern the motives of the Dark Elf fleet.
Clearly, the might of Superman has intimidated them, prompting them to leave him to the stronger Dark Elves, while Thor, seen as a lesser threat, is to be dealt with first by consolidating their forces.
"To think that I, Thor, would be seen as the weaker target one day."
Thor snarls, though not in satisfaction, and raises his weapon.
In the next moment, terrifying lightning bolts, as thick as arms, descend from the sky, striking through his raised Mjölnir.
Boom!
The sound of thunder echoes for miles.
Zzzzzzz!
Electric light flickers, and a terrifying attack meets the ships coming for him.
Thor is once again embroiled in a tough battle.
In the palace.
Odin stands still, his scepter raised above his head, maintaining a seemingly endless output of divine power.
His shield of divine power continuously protects the entire palace.
During this, he has a brief lapse of concentration.
But soon, Odin gaze, through multiple obstacles, falls not far from Superman in mid-air.
There, emerging from a colossal ship rivaling the palace in size, is a Dark Elf in dark golden armor with pale skin.
As the hatch opens, a group of heavily armored individuals respectfully usher him out.
This scene captures the attention of many.
Everyone gaze, like Odin, instinctively ignores Thor in the midst of battle and focuses on this figure.
"Malekith..."
Odin muses for a moment and recognizes the identity of this person.
Thousands of years ago, his father Bor led Asgard in a great battle against the Dark Elves, and Malekith was the leader of the Dark Elves back then.
Of course, Malekith is still the leader of the Dark Elves today.
"Who is that?"
While Odin recognizes Malekith, it doesn't mean the others in Asgard do.
However, seeing such a dramatic entrance by Malekith, and as the first to emerge from that massive ship, no one would consider him a minor character.
Meanwhile.
Anton, in the guise of Superman, also sees this Dark Elf emerging from the ship.
Anton is unfamiliar with Malekith, but the formidable energy emanating from him is enough to confirm his identity.
Malekith.
The leader of the Dark Elves.
In essence, the king of the Dark Elves.
"You finally show up."
Still holding Jane Foster, Anton expression is calm, his eyes even containing a hint of a smile.
He says, "If you didn't come out, I was going to go into the ship to find you."
Into the ship?
Before Malekith can react, Jane Foster, in his arms, is already stunned.
Although Superman had just spectacularly destroyed the approaching ships, the risks they faced just moments ago are clear to Jane without needing anyone to explain.
If even one missile had slipped past Superman and hit them...
Superman might have been fine.
But she would certainly have been killed on the spot.
And now, Superman is considering entering the enemy ship.
Clearly, if Superman goes into the ship, she would be going with him.
That place obviously looks like the enemy headquarters.
Terrifying!
Jane Foster buries her head in Superman chest, her hands clasping around his neck, her face very tense, as if only from this man could she gain some semblance of security.
At this moment, upon hearing his opponent words, Malekith reveals a snarl.
"Into the ship to find me?"
He looks at the man in front of him, dressed in a tight suit like himself, floating in mid-air, with a cape fluttering behind him, and his snarl turns into an unprecedented coldness.
"Boy, you are very arrogant."
As his gaze fixes on Superman, Malekith can sense the threat posed by the man before him.
However, if he were deterred merely by his perceptions, Malekith would likely have perished in the many battles he had faced in the past, let alone rise to become the leader of the Dark Elves.
"If I were you, I would willingly hand over what doesn't belong to you," Malekith continues.
This statement confuses Jane Foster, who can overhear their conversation.
Hand over what doesn't belong to oneself? What does that mean?
As Jane puzzles over this, Superman speaks again.
"If you want her, then come and get her."
Wait, in the context of their conversation, there is only one "her."
Jane eyes widen in realization.
She fully understands now.
It the Aether particles within her that both Superman and the Asgardians have mentioned!
The enemy is after the Aether particles.
In other words, she is the catalyst for this invasion.
Jane becomes momentarily stunned.
At this moment, Malekith seems to have anticipated Superman response.
His form becomes shadow-like, suddenly ephemeral and distorted. At this instant, the space behind him explodes with intense shockwaves, sending visible ripples through the air, sweeping across the skies of Asgard.
A monumental power gathers within Malekith.
This power bursts forth in blinding light, enveloping Malekith, who strikes like lightning across the sky, aiming a fierce attack at Superman, who stands still in mid-air, holding Jane Foster and watching Malekith approach.
"This is bad!"
The faces of the onlookers change dramatically.
Superman had shown formidable combat abilities in the earlier battles, but Malekith now seems to be at least his equal, if not more potent.
In terms of the energy emanating from him, Malekith power appears even greater.
To a great extent, this suggests that Superman might be defeated by Malekith.
"Why isn't he dodging?"
"Could it be that he can't dodge? That shouldn't be right..."
"Since his arrival, he hasn't moved from his spot maybe agility is his weakness. Damn outsider, if it weren't for the surprise attack, how could they be so brazen..."
"Our warriors are ready, it alright, even if he loses, it won't be a problem."
The Asgardians murmur among themselves.
Many express concern for Superman.
Only a few, like Thor hovering in mid-air, Heimdall who has been watching everything unfold and has already assembled Asgard warriors, and even the All-Father Odin, hold full confidence in Superman.
Especially Odin.
He seems to anticipate the outcome, a slight smile appearing on his aged, deeply-lined face.
Boom!
At that moment, Malekith, transformed into lightning, releases a blinding light, carrying intense and terrifying energy fluctuations that pierce Superman body.
Everyone holds their breath, staring in disbelief.
Is Superman really defeated just like that?
Thor is more incredulous than the rest. He, at least, has some understanding of Superman.
Moreover, during their first encounter, the overwhelming strength Superman displayed in a handshake competition suggested that his capabilities far exceeded Thor.
Despite the impressive energy Malekith unleashed just now, it seems implausible that Superman could be annihilated so easily.
That just absurd!
Among all present, not to mention Odin who possesses profound insight, but Heimdall alone, with his unique ability to see through all things, subtly discerns something.
"That was fast..."
Heimdall murmurs softly.
The warriors from Asgard, gearing up for battle beside him, turn their heads in confusion, unsure of what Heimdall is implying.
But in the next moment, they all understand.
Whoosh!
Above everyone heads, the body of Superman, which Malekith had pierced, gradually disperses with the wind.
It was just an afterimage.
Immediately after, the real Superman, still holding Jane Foster, reappears in everyone field of vision.
Miraculously, they are now standing behind Malekith.
At this moment, Malekith, still fixated on the vanishing afterimage of Superman, falls into contemplation.
Only when he senses something amiss does he swiftly turn around, his face registering shock as he sees Superman behind him.
"You—"
He begins to speak, only to be interrupted by Superman.
"If that was all you've got, then it my turn now... Are you ready?"
Superman speaks slowly, his gaze sharp as he looks at Malekith.
The Dark Elf leader, hearing this, swallows the words he was about to say, a flicker of panic inadvertently crossing his eyes.