For a moment, Thor forgot their original purpose for returning to Asgard, instead becoming completely engrossed in the impending duel between Chen Chen and Heimdall.
"Young man, you possess considerable courage," Heimdall said, his calm, golden eyes meeting Chen Chen's dark pupils.
*Sizzle!* An invisible lightning seemed to crackle between their gazes.
*Boom!* A thunderous explosion shook the hall. The special material floor where Heimdall had stood instantly cratered.
Heimdall's figure vanished amidst the thunderous blast.
*Whoosh!*
A sharp sound cut through the air as the King's Sword, held aloft by Heimdall, descended in a deadly arc toward Chen Chen's head.
"Watch out!" Sif cried, but it was too late.
A thunderous *boom* echoed as the entire blade of the King's Sword, held by Heimdall, sliced through Chen Chen's body. The blade continued its path unimpeded, burying itself deep in the ground and leaving behind a nine-meter-long, bottomless trench.
Heimdall, momentum carrying him forward, stumbled a few steps before regaining his balance.
"I told you," Hogun said in a low voice. "This would take less than three seconds, maybe even just one."
"Go check on him," Volstagg said, patting Sif on the shoulder. "Our Asgardian healers should be able to handle that strike."
"First strike, stay back!" Heimdall's voice rang out as they moved forward, stopping them in their tracks.
Heimdall's usual composure had vanished, replaced by bewilderment and shock. His brow furrowed deeply as he muttered, "This is wrong! Terribly wrong."
His strike against Chen Chen hadn't felt like cutting through flesh and bone. It had felt like swinging through empty air during training. "Could it be...?"
As if to verify his suspicions, Heimdall immediately turned and looked at the spot where he had just struck Chen Chen. He saw that the Chen Chen he had struck was now becoming increasingly ethereal and indistinct.
"That's his afterimage," Heimdall said.
He had only struck Chen Chen's illusion. Thor and the others nearby also noticed something was amiss.
"That looks like a shadow!"
"An afterimage! His speed is actually faster than Heimdall's."
Thor rapidly scanned the area with his eyes, moving them left, right, up, and down, but he couldn't find any trace of Chen Chen. "Could he have used an invisibility spell?"
Unable to track Chen Chen's movements at all, Thor felt increasingly frustrated as the distance between him and his opponent widened.
"Let's see where you're hiding!" Heimdall closed his eyes, then snapped them open. A golden light flashed from his eyes—the Heimdall's Eye, legendary for its extraordinary perception, capable of sensing the existence of all things.
Yet despite Heimdall's thorough search, he still couldn't find any trace of Chen Chen.
"What in the world is going on?"
"By the way, were you looking for me?" A familiar voice came from behind Heimdall. He turned to see Chen Chen pressed uncomfortably close to his back, the distance between them no more than a fist's width.
Seeing Chen Chen so close behind him, Heimdall's hair stood on end.
Since the battle began, he had likely only perceived afterimages of Chen Chen, completely unable to track his movements.
It's worth noting that Heimdall's perception was among the top three in all of Asgard.
He was an incredibly powerful being, capable of observing events across all Nine Realms—even knowing when an ant moved food. Yet now, he couldn't even see a human's actions. To Heimdall, this was utterly inconceivable.
"Young man, how did you manage this?" Slowly lowering the King's Sword in his hand, Heimdall's battle intent vanished completely. A new question now burned in his mind: How had Chen Chen evaded his sensory search?
"I simply dodged and circled around behind you," Chen Chen replied matter-of-factly to Heimdall's question.
When Heimdall had attacked him earlier, his movements had been incredibly swift, yet to Chen Chen, they appeared as if in slow motion, as if slowed down countless times. By the time the sword was raised, Chen Chen had already stepped forward and circled behind Heimdall. As the god charged forward, Chen Chen kept pace with him all the way.
Throughout their duel, Chen Chen had relied solely on his physical agility, without using any special techniques or magic.
"That's impossible," Heimdall shook his head, refusing to believe Chen Chen's explanation. "Such spectral speed is far too terrifying for a Midgardian. Without any auxiliary means, the human body simply couldn't withstand that level of velocity."
"Well, I'm telling the truth. If you don't believe me, I can show you again," Chen Chen said, stifling a yawn. His half-lidded eyes glanced at Heimdall, as if he were bored with this child's play.
"Excellent!" As he spoke, golden light once again shimmered in Heimdall's yellow eyes. Heimdall's Eye was activated!
In an instant, Heimdall's senses surged to their peak. Now, he could perceive not only the ants in the Nine Realms, but even a speck of dust drifting outside them.
*This time, I'll see what tricks you've been using.*
His gaze locked onto Chen Chen, his expression so focused that he seemed unwilling to divert his attention for even a moment.
Then, he saw it.
Chen Chen's foot extended and lightly touched the floor. His body trembled slightly, then remained motionless.
*What is he doing?* Heimdall wondered, watching the motionless Chen Chen. *Is he preparing to unleash some kind of attack?*
Just as Heimdall was fully focused on observing Chen Chen and pondering his actions, a familiar voice echoed from behind him: "Can you see it this time?"
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