Chapter 714: Sensing a Hint of Something Wrong

It was not merely elves and orcs, but dwarves, human mages, assassins, and knights as well, who stood transfixed by the shop's newly released moving picture. Though they had yet to fully grasp its meaning, the shop's pedigree carried an absolute guarantee of quality.

Thus, even within this newly opened branch, those gathered to watch The Avengers were not solely veterans of the establishment, but a multitude of fresh patrons drawn in by curiosity.

"Is this the 'movie' they say features an evil god?" Amidst the crowd in the new parlor, a cluster of noble ladies, deep devotees of chivalric romance, whispered in anticipation. One wore a courtly gown beneath cascading waves of burgundy curls; the emblem upon her breast proclaimed her far above the minor aristocracy, for only within the imperial house of the Morning Light Empire could one find that crest of stars rising through mountain mists.

Beside them stood several young lords and ladies, their pedigrees clearly no less illustrious.

Having only stumbled upon these marvels today after hearing rumor of them everywhere the evening before, they had eagerly purchased membership cards and activated The Avengers, their hearts brimming with wonder.

The narrative unfurled until Loki made his grand entrance.

A sharp crescendo of shrieks erupted instantly.

They were nearly frightened out of their wits; they had, after all, approached this expecting the gentle conceits of a knightly tale.

Unlike the veteran patrons of the old shop, these uninitiated novices, experiencing such a spectacle for the very first time, felt their minds unravel. Within games, one at least possessed the fortitude of an avatar; here, they stood in the unmediated presence of an evil deity.

Consider the plight of a mortal before whom a true, malevolent god manifests; the mere breath of his aura, whispered into the air, is enough to strike tremors into the human soul.

And the system had rendered every singular detail with flawless, terrifying perfection.

In the lore of this world, such dread divinities could reduce entire realms to ash with a mere wave of the hand.

Should an evil god run rampant, unleashing lawless annihilation, the consequences were simply beyond human imagination.

"This evil god...?!"

"Ah—! Ah—!" The chorus of screaming intensified from the idle, untalented nobles who knew only romance novels; they shrieked continuously from the moment the deity appeared.

Even the stoic orcs swallowed hard, their throats dry.

In terms of plot, The Avengers was mercifully transparent. After the malevolent Loki forcibly seized the Cosmic Cube, S.H.I.E.L.D. set about assembling a cohort of superheroes to contend with the unfolding chaos.

Simple though it was, the virtue lay in its clarity; whether one was a seasoned viewer or a complete novice, the story was instantly legible.

Soon, it was time for these heroes to make their appearance.

"She seems to be naught but an ordinary human..." a group murmured, observing Black Widow.

"But she is quite beautiful," a lion-headed orc remarked appreciatively.

Yet...

They were to face an evil god! Of what use was beauty against such a force?

Then, the second superhero graced the screen.

"This one is a mortal too..." the crowd noted, watching Bruce Banner before his transformation.

"Why does he seem to possess no strength whatsoever...?"

"He actually flinches at a pistol!" Sera, who had witnessed the terrors of Resident Evil, felt a despair so profound she wished for death. "That is the puniest weapon of all!"

"And this Iron Man... he appears to be another ordinary man..." A gathering of elves gazed with innocent bewilderment at the newly arrived figure encased in a bizarre suit of armor.

"Heavens! Why is his footwear spitting flame?" Elves, orcs, and nobles alike stared in utter stupefaction as Iron Man streaked across the city sky like a fallen star, plunging into the heart of the bustling metropolis.

The nocturnal cityscape was a dazzling labyrinth, its neon signs shimmering like a sea of fallen stars, its towering monoliths entirely alien to the architecture of their own world.

"The city's night is beautiful indeed..." Though gripped by dread of the evil god, the sight-loving elves could not help but admire the scenery.

Next, Captain America stepped forward.

"This Captain America does not seem formidable either!" an orc remarked in a low, rumbling voice. "Can these humans truly claim victory in a clash against a deity?"

Yet... one had only to look upon the evil god. He possessed the power of instantaneous displacement, wielded devastating spells that the system’s faithful recreation elevated to the pinnacle of divine magic, and bore an eternal, unruffled composure, as though all creation lay within his palm.

An outlandish, extravagant suit of armor materialized upon his form, and though he walked with the leisurely gait of a man strolling through a garden, the surrounding mortals fled in wild panic.

The system's rendition allowed them to feel the crushing weight of divine majesty; without a single word spoken, the humans on screen sank to their knees, trembling in terror.

They succumbed utterly to the dreadful tyranny of the malevolent god.

And that horrific pressure was felt with equal intensity by every spectator in the room!

Could any mortal truly stand against such a presence?

"Has this evil god already restored his full divine might?!"

"I feel as though he has grown vaster still..."

"Is it not simple then?" The onlookers from the new shop stood amidst the illusory crowd, watching Loki deliver his proud sermon. "Is this not your natural state? It is the unspoken truth of humanity, that you crave subjugation. Your bright eyes will eventually yield."

At long last, an elderly man stood, his frame shaking but resolute: "Not to men like you."

Loki smiled coldly. "Look at the old man."

The scepter in his hand gathered a pale blue luminescence of sheer annihilation. "Let him be your exemplar."

Instantly, that destructive light transformed into a brilliant beam of azure death, lashing outward!

"Mercy...!"

"This is the end!"

Several faint-hearted elves and humans, unable to bear the sight of the dread god's wrath, covered their eyes in terror.

A resounding crash echoed.

"Eh?" A timid elf parted her fingers slightly, only to find the blue ray had deflected back toward its source.

Loki lay upon the earth, breathless and still for a long moment.

Captain America stood before the old man, a small, circular buckler raised high.

Then, a searing light descended from the heavens like a rocket, fueled by the overwhelming power of a nuclear core, unleashing two blinding beams of concussive force from his palms.

"Make a move, reindeer games." As the "dread" god attempted to stir, Iron Man stood over him, weapons primed.

"What—?!"

"How—?!"

"Ah—?!"

"What sorcery is this?!"

"Was that not an evil god?!"

The spectators, who had been paralyzed with fear moments before, blinked in confusion. "...Why does the narrative feel suddenly awry?"

That Captain America had seemed entirely ordinary, yet... what manner of artifact was that shield?

And that Iron Man, who appeared to wear nothing more than an iron shell no different from a common soldier... what was that flash of light that had felled a deity in an instant?

"I don't like it," Captain America spoke within the moving picture.

"What? Rock star succumbing that easily?"

...

"Could this be a stratagem...?" Hearing their discourse, the anxiety of the crowd returned. "I agree... matters are surely not so simple!"

For they saw that even in human captivity, Loki retained his air of supreme confidence, as though everything proceeded precisely according to his design.

It felt as though he were devouring humanity piece by piece, leaving them entirely devoid of recourse; at this realization, let alone the elves, even the orcs and dwarves felt the air leave their lungs.

"The evil god must have permitted his own capture intentionally!" Elder Civi muttered, her eyes locked upon the spectacle. "This deity is far too cunning... I am certain he brews some terrible machination!"

The silence stretched, absolute and unbroken.