Marvel: Father of Superheroes

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*****

"Screech!"

The garbage truck came to a sudden halt, expertly maneuvered by the driver, and stopped at the landfill.

Loki stumbled and tumbled right back into the garbage truck.

Damn it!

Who's driving this thing?

Are they looking to die?!

Furious, Loki ripped a cabbage leaf off his head, practically exploding with anger on the spot.

Just then, the middle-aged driver got out of the truck. Seeing someone standing inside the garbage bin he had been hauling, the man froze, then shouted angrily, "You punk! What the hell are you doing in the garbage bin? Don't you know how dangerous that is?!"

How the hell would I know?!

Loki cursed inwardly. His narrow eyes narrowed further, a cold glint flickering through his green pupils.

The nerve… calling me a punk.

Loki ran his fingers through his flowing black hair, casually plucked off a lettuce leaf stuck to it, and leapt gracefully off the garbage truck.

Striding confidently toward the driver, he gradually realized something was wrong.

Why is this damn mortal so tall?

Standing before the driver, he had to tiptoe just to reach the man's collar. Grabbing it, he snapped, "What did you just call me?"

The driver blinked in surprise, then shoved Loki away with a slap and barked, "You little brat! Trying to act tough with me? Come back when you've grown up!"

A flash of fury passed through Loki's eyes.

Damn it!

Of course… I've lost my power. If I still had it...

He angrily waved his hand.

Wait a second.

Something felt off.

Loki's eyelid twitched. He lifted his hand and stared at it.

So small?!

Don't tell me...

A thought hit him like lightning, making him jolt.

He turned his head and spotted the truck's side mirror—then dashed toward it.

Pressing his face to the window, he stared into the mirror.

What he saw made his eyes go wide in disbelief.

In the reflection, a long-haired, delicate-featured boy was mimicking his every expression.

A little… boy?!

Loki's mind went completely blank.

How did I become… this?!

Staggering off the truck in a daze, he nearly collapsed on the ground.

Even after 1,500 years, he remembered it clearly. This was what he looked like when he was eight.

He couldn't be mistaken—because that was the year he used illusion magic to turn into a girl and made Thor confess his love to him.

When Thor found out the truth, he nearly passed out.

No, now's not the time to think about that!

Had he become like this because his powers were stripped away? Or… was this Odin's doing?

It must be Odin!

Loki clenched his fists, seething with rage.

The driver, watching Loki, asked curiously, "Hey, are you alright? Did you fall and hit your head? Or are you lost?"

Loki glared coldly at him, tempted to unleash his fury—but considering his current situation...

He put on a pitiful expression and said, "I was abandoned by my family."

The driver froze, then roared, "What kind of irresponsible parents would do such a thing?!"

"Don't worry. I'll take you to the police."

"Thank you," Loki replied, then asked suspiciously, "Can you tell me where I am?"

"You're in New York," the driver replied, operating the garbage truck as he spoke. "What, didn't you live here before?"

Loki nodded silently.

The driver sighed and began emptying the garbage truck.

Loki quickly stepped aside.

As the driver worked, a few other garbage trucks passed by. Some of the drivers greeted him, and when they saw Loki nearby, they asked about him.

The driver simply told them Loki was a relative's kid.

Once the trash was cleared out, the driver led Loki to the passenger seat, and they headed for the police station.

The police station...

No way.

So halfway there, Loki made up an excuse and slipped away.

Bathed in the golden rays of the setting sun, little Loki stood on a bustling street, his eyes filled with confusion as he looked around.

If he had his powers, it wouldn't matter where he was.

But now... he was just a powerless child.

What was he supposed to do? What could he do?

He had no direction.

As night fell, Loki wandered the streets, frowning suddenly.

His stomach growled.

If he had his powers—or even just his adult body—he could've easily solved this problem. But as a child…

Maybe this is exactly why Odin turned me into a kid.

To completely trap me in this helpless state.

No, I need to solve the food issue first.

Frowning, Loki's eyes darted toward the crowd. A mischievous glint appeared in them.

After a moment of internal preparation, he walked into the crowd.

His target was a pair that looked particularly close: a middle-aged man and a young woman.

He was going to scam them.

He planned to pretend to be the child of the man's wife's relatives and blackmail him by accusing him of cheating.

Even if they weren't what he thought, there were plenty of such couples on the streets. Eventually, he'd find one.

Meanwhile, floating in the air, Mike watched Loki's antics with a speechless expression.

Compared to the straightforward Thor who yelled "I'm the God of Thunder" in public, Loki's scheming was far more in line with being Odin's son.

Thinking of Odin's "scam-for-food" stunt earlier that afternoon, Mike shook his head and kept watching.

Failure! Failure!

Loki failed repeatedly—but he didn't give up.

In that, he showed a rare virtue: perseverance.

Eventually, Loki found the right target outside a hotel and managed to swindle some money.

It wasn't much—just over a hundred bucks—but enough to get him through the night.

Watching Loki count the money, Mike raised an eyebrow.

But when he saw a few street kids approaching Loki, he let out a soft chuckle.

Now the real drama begins.

The kids—noticeably bigger than Loki—surrounded him with ill intent. They snatched his money, and when Loki tried to resist, he got punched twice.

Loki gritted his teeth in fury, but there was nothing he could do. Hungry and desperate, he had no choice but to go back to the hotel entrance and try scamming again.

Unfortunately, after two more failures, he encountered a brute who simply beat him up.

Helpless, Loki fled and finally escaped by hiding beside a dumpster.

"Pah!"

Loki spat out a mouthful of bloody saliva. Feeling the pain all over his body, he sat down wearily.

But just as he sat down, a huge stray dog charged at him from the shadows.

This was its turf.

Loki's face changed as he scrambled away.

Without weapons and with his current body, there was no way he could take on the dog unscathed.

Luckily, the dog gave up after a short chase.

Breathing heavily, Loki realized he had never struggled this much in his entire life.

(End of Chapter)