Marvel: Rise of the Ultimate AI

Sif gripped her long sword tightly as she stared at the colossal figure before her.

"This one isn't like the other Frost Giants," she warned grimly. "His name is the Progenitor Giant—he is the ancestor of all those Frost Giants. Trust me, you don't want to see what he looks like when he goes berserk. Because everyone who ever has... is already dead."

At that moment, Volstagg stepped forward and positioned himself in front of Gene.

"Midgardian, this is no longer your fight. His strength is far beyond what you can imagine," he said solemnly. "So I strongly advise you to back off."

The Warriors Three and Sif all drew their weapons and stood firmly between Gene and the towering Progenitor Giant.

To them, Gene may have been a unique Midgardian—bold enough to venture alone into Jotunheim—but he was no match for this ancient terror. Besides, Asgardians had always considered fighting Frost Giants to be part of their sacred duty. Their rivalry ran deep in the veins of both races.

Asgardians could be arrogant at times, looking down on other beings, but they were also bound by a strong sense of responsibility (though that often led to misunderstandings and unintended consequences).

Volstagg and his companions knew full well they were no match for the Progenitor Giant—but that didn't stop them from standing their ground, determined to protect the "seemingly ordinary" human behind them.

Gene couldn't tell if their actions stemmed from noble culture… or simply the fact that their brains were stuffed with muscle.

The Progenitor Giant's scarlet eyes swept slowly across the four defenders.

"Asgardians," he rumbled. "You should not be in Jotunheim."

His deep voice carried like thunder.

"Since you dared to trespass into Jotunheim… you will pay the price!"

"I think it's you who needs to prepare for what's coming."

Sif raised her gleaming sword and pointed it directly at the giant. With a taunting grin, she added, "You're about to get your teeth kicked in."

As soon as Sif's voice fell, Fandral charged forward, dragging his massive war hammer behind him and swinging it straight toward the giant. The hammer was grotesquely oversized and studded with deadly spikes. Anyone could easily imagine the kind of devastation it would cause on impact.

The Progenitor Giant snorted from his enormous nostrils—two blasts of steaming white vapor shot out.

He raised his massive, nearly translucent battle axe to intercept the blow.

When the colossal hammer met the ghostly axe, a resounding clang echoed through the frozen land.

Fandral was hurled backward by the impact, crashing into the snow.

The Progenitor Giant? He barely flinched.

That single clash said everything about who held the upper hand.

Seizing the moment, Sif and Hogun closed in from the sides.

Sif lunged with her sword while Hogun's meteor hammer smashed down toward the giant's knee.

The Progenitor Giant let out a furious roar and spun his giant translucent axe in a wide arc. Its terrifying sweep aimed directly at Sif and Hogun.

If they didn't pull back now, they'd be cleaved in half.

The two warriors instantly halted their attack and raised their weapons defensively. The blow came crashing down with monstrous force, sending both of them flying like rag dolls, carving long trenches in the snow as they skidded away.

Volstagg bellowed with fury, his red beard fluttering wildly in the arctic wind.

Broad-shouldered and rugged, he might not have been the most agile Asgardian—but when it came to raw strength, he ranked just below Thor.

(And of course, Odin… was on a level Volstagg didn't even dare to dream of.)

Armed with his massive hammer and club, Volstagg charged the Progenitor Giant head-on.

But no matter how strong Volstagg was, the difference in power was undeniable.

Within a few exchanges, he was already on the back foot.

A single heavy swing of the giant's axe staggered him. The next blow sent Volstagg reeling, coughing up blood as he barely managed to cross his weapons above his head to block a fatal strike.

The impact drove him to his knees, the snow beneath him cracking from the force.

Fandral, Sif, and Hogun quickly recovered and rushed back to help. The four warriors took positions around the Progenitor Giant, forming a tight formation, their weapons gleaming with cold steel and divine energy.

With another enraged howl, the Progenitor Giant unleashed a wide, devastating sweep of his massive axe—launching the true beginning of the battle.

The clanging of metal echoed through the icy battlefield as the clash intensified.

But despite their bravery, the gap in power was far too great.

Before long, exhaustion was written all over the Asgardians' faces.

Sif was the first to fall.

One brutal axe strike sent her flying, coughing blood as she crashed into the ground.

Hogun tried to reach her—but the giant's fist slammed into his chestplate, launching him like a cannonball.

His armor cracked, and blood spewed from his mouth.

Fandral, seeing the Progenitor Giant turning to finish them off, hurled his weapon in desperation.

It struck—but only left a shallow scratch.

Still, it worked.

The Progenitor Giant shifted his attention away from the wounded and now focused on the last two standing.

Fandral and Volstagg tried to hold the line, but it was clear—they wouldn't last long.

"Go, Midgardian!" Volstagg roared.

"We can't hold him for much longer—RUN! We'll buy you as much time as we can!"

With that, Volstagg raised his weapon once again and charged at the Progenitor Giant—for the tenth time.

He knew they didn't stand a chance.

But he charged anyway.

Just as the Progenitor Giant was about to strike—

A bolt of azure-blue light shot across the battlefield like a divine blade, slamming into the giant and forcing him to stagger, nearly losing his balance.

Volstagg and Fandral turned in astonishment.

A shadowy figure stepped steadily through the snow, each footfall calm and powerful.

Gene had arrived.

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