Marvel : The God Of Punishment System

The weight of mortality pressed heavily on Odin's shoulders as he shifted in his golden throne. Each divine sleep left him weaker, age catching up even to the All-Father. His sons' immaturity gnawed at his mind like a persistent wound.

Two threats loomed largest in his ancient consciousness. First, Hela—his firstborn daughter, the Goddess of Death, locked away in the deepest dungeon of Asgard since she'd proven too bloodthirsty even for his warrior culture. Second, the World Serpent Jörmungandr, his own treacherous brother twisted by dark magic into a monstrous form, sealed away before he could fulfil his destiny of bringing Ragnarok.

These were the reasons behind his bargain with the Midgardian warrior Jason. By taking Thor's hammer, the mortal had unknowingly accepted a piece of Thor's fate—a clever manipulation that might save his realm.

Recently, subtle vibrations had disturbed his magical awareness. Something stirred within the Eternal Prison's void. Destiny's threads were beginning to weave once more.

A fierce light sparked in his remaining eye. If this Jason could somehow destroy the great serpent, what obstacle remained to accepting him as family?

Jason settled into his seat at the press conference, curiosity piqued by Stark's mysterious announcement. He'd expected revelations about the Extremis virus—something worth his attention—but instead found himself staring at what appeared to be... a gaming device?

Tony Stark commanded the stage with his typical showmanship, gesturing grandly at the sleek pod behind him. "Ladies and gentlemen, the future has arrived! Stark Industries proudly presents: Total Immersion Virtual Reality!"

The audience gasped as holographic displays materialized above the stage, showing people inside the pods experiencing impossible scenarios.

"This isn't just gaming," Stark continued. "We've created a perfect digital replica of New York City. Every building, every street, every sensation—all accessible through our proprietary neural interface technology."

Jason raised an eyebrow. Neural interface? That's how he's hooking people?

"Imagine truly feeling the wind as you fly. Experiencing the raw power of superhuman strength. Living your wildest dreams with complete sensory feedback!" Stark's eyes gleamed with an almost manic enthusiasm.

The crowd cheered as demonstration videos played: businessmen transforming into superheroes, struggling artists becoming celebrities, ordinary people living extraordinary lives.

"But here's the revolutionary part," Stark announced, raising his hands for silence. "These pods are prohibitively expensive to manufacture. Limited production means limited access... unless we change the paradigm entirely."

A murmur of disappointment rippled through the audience.

"That's why Stark Industries will not be selling these to private consumers!"

Confusion replaced disappointment.

"Instead, we're launching a global network of VR Experience Centers. For the price of a movie ticket, anyone can access this technology. We're democratizing the impossible!"

Jason studied the crowd's renewed excitement with deep suspicion. Tony Stark, champion of the masses? This stinks worse than week-old sushi.

"Want to experience piloting the Iron Man armor? Done. Curious about the Hulk's perspective? We've got you covered. Every flavor of superhero, every impossible scenario—all waiting for you in our centers!"

As applause thundered through the venue, Jason made mental notes. Get the tech team on this immediately. Anton needs to dismantle one of these pods down to the last microchip.

He observed Stark's triumphant expression, a disturbing realization forming. Were the Avengers working themselves into redundancy? Was this Stark's solution to boredom—creating problems more magnificent than they could solve?

Back at the compound, Jason reviewed the Avengers' mission board with newfound purpose. If Stark needed direction, he'd provide plenty.

"Let's see... Petrification incidents in Paris? Perfect for our armored genius."

He scrolled further. "Dead marine life in the Mariana Trench? Nothing like deep-sea exploration to keep him busy."

A particularly interesting entry caught his eye. "Iron Man copycat in Los Angeles? Oh, Tony's gonna love dealing with that intellectual property issue personally."

Before he could assign more tasks, a familiar cosmic energy signature blazed outside the window. The Rainbow Bridge announced its arrival with prismatic light, depositing two figures in the courtyard.

"Of course," Jason muttered. "The Asgardian royal pain-in-the-ass tour."

Thor stood tall and brooding, his eyes immediately locking onto Mjolnir resting casually on Jason's desk. The god's expression cycled through devastation, longing, and desperate hope—like a man watching his ex-wife with her new husband.

"Jesus, Thor, stop looking at that hammer like it's gonna run away with you again," Jason groaned, sweeping Mjolnir into his pocket dimension.

"No! Wait!" Thor reached out helplessly. "Perhaps it dislikes being confined in your strange dimensional space. It needs to breathe, to feel the winds of—"

"It's a chunk of enchanted metal, not a hamster," Jason interrupted. "If you hadn't shown up, I wouldn't have bothered hiding it."

Meanwhile, Loki's gaze carried pure venom. Where Thor mourned a lost relationship with a weapon, Loki stewed in humiliation and rage from their previous encounter.

"Got something to say, Reindeer Games? Or are you just practicing your death glare for the mirror?"

Loki stepped forward, magic crackling around his fingers. "Insolent mortal! I am the greatest sorcerer of the Nine Realms—"

"We're NOT here to fight!" Thor grabbed his brother's shoulder firmly. "Don't make father regret sending us."

Loki stopped mid-gesture, genuinely surprised by Thor's newfound maturity. When had his oafish brother developed impulse control?

Thor turned to Jason seriously. "Father detected disturbances in the Eternal Prison. He sent us to investigate... with your help."

Jason felt his pulse quicken. The serpent's awakening. Of course. Outwardly, he remained casual. "Sure, I'll play demon hunter. Where do we start?"

The princes exchanged blank looks.

"We're... uncertain of the specifics," Thor admitted.

"Father was vague," Loki added unhelpfully.

Jason resisted the urge to facepalm. "Great. The All-Father sends you on a quest without a map, GPS, or even a general direction. Fantastic planning."

Thor opened his mouth to defend Odin, but Jason cut him off. "Fine. Lucky for you, I know someone who can actually help with mysterious problems."

"Who?" they asked in unison.

"Our favorite billionaire arms dealer: Tony Stark."

Loki scoffed. "That preening peacock with the metal suit?"

"The same. Now get lost while I arrange transportation."

The Avengers' Washington facility—the massive complex formerly housing S.H.I.E.L.D.'s operations—now served as their primary manufacturing and research center. Jason found Alexander Pierce in his restored office, reviewing production reports with methodical efficiency.

"We need to dig into your Hydra archives," Jason announced without preamble. "Does Red Skull have any children? Specifically, daughters?"

Pierce's poker face faltered momentarily. "Not that I'm aware of. But Hydra doesn't exactly run background checks on members' family planning. An illegitimate child wouldn't surprise me."

"So if this mystery daughter exists, you'd have no leads?"

"Correct. Johannes Schmidt kept his personal life more classified than our doomsday weapons."

Jason pressed further. "Right before Germany's defeat, did Red Skull perform some kind of sacrificial ritual? Seeking divine intervention?"

Pierce stroked his chin thoughtfully. "There were rumors... an operation so secret that even inner circle members were kept in the dark. Some kind of ceremony to invoke godly power."

"Find everything. Old reports, witness accounts, even urban legends. I need to know where that 'divine gift' landed."

"Consider it done."

Stark Tower's penthouse gleamed with opulent excess as Mephisto raised his crystal champagne flute in mock toast. "Brilliant work on the gaming pods, Stark. Best investment I've made this millennium!"

Tony lounged before a wall of monitors displaying real-time statistics from his VR centers. Numbers climbed steadily—participation rates, user satisfaction scores, and most importantly for Mephisto, soul quality metrics.

"The sheep are practically lining up to be fleeced," Stark smirked. "High-value souls are logging hundreds of hours weekly. Your contract department should prepare for overtime."

Mephisto's laughter carried hints of sulfur and ancient malice. "This is merely the beginning. Help me secure the grand prize, and I'll grant you true immortality—not your pathetic tech-based life extension."

"Thanks, but I'll solve death on my own terms," Tony replied confidently. "The Extremis virus will make your demonic deals obsolete."

"Ah yes, your little genetic project." Mephisto's smile faltered. "You're certain of its success?"

Before Stark could respond, the Rainbow Bridge's cosmic display lit up the Manhattan skyline like a divine aurora.

"Well, well," Mephisto purred. "Asgard responds faster than expected."

Tony's brow furrowed. "What did you do?"

The demon lord strolled to the window, watching the cosmic light fade. "I've awakened a soul—one driven mad by millennia of solitude and rage."

"What soul?"

"There's an old Asgardian prophecy you should know about," Mephisto began, clearly relishing the dramatic reveal. "It's called Ragnarök—the day Jörmungandr, the World Serpent, rises from his prison. The day Thor falls in battle against him."

Understanding dawned on Stark's face. "You released this Jörmungandr?"

"Directly? No. I simply... facilitated his recovery. Someone else will perform the actual release."

"Who?"

Mephisto's grin widened impossibly. "When the World Serpent emerges, who faces him first?"

"The Avengers," Tony answered without hesitation.

"Precisely. Now consider this: in all of Earth's history, has anyone hated the Avengers with such burning intensity that they'd embrace apocalypse itself for revenge?"

The implications crystallized in Stark's mind, and despite his ambitions and dark turn, a chill ran down his spine.

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