On the plane back to New York, Kamala leaned back in her seat and fell into a deep sleep.

Three consecutive days of high-intensity training, coupled with the life-and-death struggle against the Destroyer, had pushed this young woman's body and spirit to their limits.

Yet a satisfied smile graced her face—the tranquility of a warrior after being baptized by the fires of battle.

Levi sat by the window, gazing at the sea of clouds stretching for miles at high altitude outside the porthole.

He could clearly feel the surging power within him—the roar of thunder, the resonance of cosmic energy, and those faint yet incredibly pure threads of the Odinforce.

Planet Level.

What did this rank signify?

It meant that with his full-power strike, he could now destroy a small planet.

It meant he could survive in the vacuum of space.

It meant he already stood at the pinnacle of the vast majority of Earth's powerhouses.

But Levi remained clear-headed.

In this universe, Planet Level was merely the threshold for entering the ranks of the truly powerful.

Thanos, Odin, the Ancient One, Dormammu... these beings who truly stood at the apex of the universe were all at the Skyfather-level or even higher.

And his current self was still two major ranks away from the Skyfather-level.

"Not enough..." Levi murmured under his breath.

He closed his eyes and began to sort through the gains from this return.

Power of Thunder (Weak) — Though only at a weak level, this was divine power of the same origin as Thor's. Levi attempted to channel it, and silvery-white arcs of electricity immediately danced at his fingertips.

"Zzzzt..."

Tiny bolts of lightning flickered between his fingers. Though not powerful, they contained the pure essence of destruction.

Asgardian Language — Instantly mastered the common tongue, ancient language, runes of Asgard, and even the pronunciation methods for some magical incantations.

Bifrost Temporary Positioning Permission — This was an unexpected boon. Levi could now sense when the Bifrost was being activated. Though he couldn't control it, he could detect Asgard's movements in advance.

Odinforce Fragment (.1%) — This was the most precious harvest.

That faint fragment of the Odinforce had merged deep into Levi's soul. Though only.1%, it was the power source of the All-Father himself!

Levi could feel this strand of power slowly transforming his body, elevating his life essence towards that of the divine realm.

"If I could obtain a few more returns like this..." Levi opened his eyes, a flicker of anticipation within them.

The system's prompt sounded at the opportune moment:

【Current Strength Assessment Complete】

【Rank: Planet Level (Initial Stage)】

【Combat Power: Capable of single-handedly destroying rocky planets with a diameter below 500 kilometers】

【Energy Reserve: Equivalent to one day's energy output of a star】

【Required for Skyfather-level: At least two more S-Rank major event returns】

Levi nodded.

According to the timeline of the Marvel Universe, the next major event was the 2012 Battle of New York — the Chitauri invasion, Loki opening the portal.

That was a war concerning Earth's survival, and also the first assembly of the Avengers.

"Still a year and a half to prepare..." Levi calculated.

Before that, he would also need to deal with another significant event — Hydra's infiltration of S.H.I.E.L.D.

Thinking of this, Levi took out the business card Coulson had left him.

It read:

Phil Coulson S.H.I.E.L.D. Senior Agent Phone: XXX-XXXX-XXXX

Levi put the card away.

Fury wanting to see him was expected. Any intelligence organization would take note of a "teacher" capable of nurturing a warrior who could confront a Skyfather-level weapon.

But Levi was in no hurry.

The timing wasn't right yet.

...

By the time the plane landed in New York, it was already late at night.

Kamala rubbed her eyes awake. Seeing the familiar city lights outside the window, she couldn't help but smile.

"Home..."

"Mm," Levi said. "Go back and rest well. Come to the dojo tomorrow. I have something to give you."

"What is it?" Kamala asked curiously.

"You'll find out," Levi replied with a mysterious smile.

After seeing Kamala home, Levi returned alone to the martial arts hall.

The system prompt sounded again:

【Detected Apprentice Kamala Khan's combat power increase】

【Original Rank: Street-level】

【Current Rank: City-level】

【Title Acquired: Thor's Comrade-in-Arms】

【Apprentice's strength breakthrough triggers special return】

【Return: Kree Warship Fragment ×3】

【Return: Divine Energy Affinity Constitution (Weak)】

Levi was taken aback.

Divine Energy Affinity Constitution?

This meant Kamala could now more easily absorb and utilize various types of divine energy. If she continued her training, she might one day reach the threshold of the divine realm.

"A good constitution..." Levi nodded in satisfaction.

He entered the secret chamber of the martial arts hall and took out that "meteorite" from his backpack—now transformed into a genuine fragment of uru steel.

Beneath its dull surface lay the distinctive luster unique to Asgardian divine metal.

Levi planned to reforge it into an amulet to give to Kamala.

After all, the battles ahead would only grow more dangerous. An extra layer of protection was always good.

Meanwhile, at S.H.I.E.L.D. Triskelion Headquarters.

Nick Fury stood before the floor-to-ceiling window of his office, overlooking the nightscape of Washington D.C.

His single eye was fixed on the file on his desk—Levi's photo placed on top.

"Coulson," Fury said without turning around, "are you certain he's really just a teacher?"

"According to our investigation, yes," Coulson replied from the doorway. "Levi, 28, Chinese-American, runs a small martial arts hall in Flushing, New York. But..."

"But?"

"But his students are not ordinary," Coulson said, opening his tablet and pulling up several files.

"Peter Parker, a middle school student, is very likely the Spider-Man active in New York.

Kate Bishop, an archery prodigy who defeated Hawkeye's record holder.

Kamala Khan, an energy manipulator who just confronted an Asgardian war machine head-on in New New Mexico."

Fury was silent for a few seconds.

"Three students, three superhumans," he turned around. "Do you think that's a coincidence?"

"Unlikely," Coulson said. "I'm inclined to believe Levi discovered and nurtured their abilities."

"And what about him?" Fury asked. "What abilities has he shown?"

"Very little," Coulson shook his head. "At Tony Stark's Expo, he demonstrated energy manipulation. In New New Mexico, he observed and instructed from the sidelines the entire time, never personally intervening."

"A teacher..." Fury mused thoughtfully. "One who can train students capable of confronting a Skyfather-level weapon. How strong must he be himself?"

Coulson didn't answer, because he didn't know either.

"Director," he hesitated, "should we..."

"Reach out to him," Fury interrupted. "But carefully. With someone of this caliber, forced recruitment would only backfire."

"What do you propose then..."

"Observe first," Fury said. "Apply no pressure. If he's willing to cooperate, all the better. If not..."

Fury paused. "At least ensure he doesn't become an enemy."

"Understood," Coulson nodded.

After Coulson left the office, Fury looked back at Levi's file.

"Could it be you..." he murmured softly, "the person the Avengers Initiative needs..."