At that moment, Sif couldn't help but wonder: if the Quinjet had fired at the Asgardian palace earlier, could the palace's shield withstand it? And would they even have time to activate it?
With such firing speed, Sif genuinely feared that the shield might only be halfway up before the roof was blown off.
And what if the ship fired from a distance outside Asgard?
Wouldn't it potentially destroy Asgard's very foundation?
As Sif trembled, imagining Asgard being mercilessly bombarded, her body continued to shake until her back was drenched, sweat trickling down like rivulets...
Yet opposite her, Farbauti looked completely indifferent.
"Relying on a mere artifact to slay a beast—what does that prove? We Frost Giants also possess artifacts, ones far stronger than yours. Do we boast about it?"
Su Ye chuckled. "So, you're saying you'll only admit defeat if we beat you without relying on the Quinjet or any external weapons?"
"Exactly!" Farbauti snorted. "Relying on artifacts makes you no different from Odin wielding Gungnir. Our strength as Frost Giants lies in our power and physique, not in external tools!"
Su Ye couldn't help but laugh. "So, no external tools—pure strength, right? Then tell me, does my ability to immobilize all of you alone count as strength?"
Farbauti fell silent for a moment before muttering, "Your strength alone doesn't count!"
"Alright then," Su Ye sighed, unwilling to waste more time on this nonsense.
"In that case, let's settle this with a fight—same number of combatants on each side. Let's see if Earth's warriors are stronger than your Frost Giant champions."
Farbauti immediately shouted, "As the Frost Giants' king, I won't participate in the fight. Neither should you!"
"Deal!"
The agreement was set, and the Great Wall Defenders quickly selected a ten-member team.
Captain America, Hawkeye, Harry, Max, Terry, Abomination, Kisame, Wolverine, Riptide, and Nightcrawler.
This team clearly didn't represent the Great Wall Defenders' peak combat strength, but it was more than enough to deal with the Frost Giants.
Su Ye and Farbauti stood on opposing hills, staring each other down. On the other side was a group of barely clothed Frost Giants, while Su Ye was surrounded by a company of fierce and elegant warriors.
Gwen, Sharon, Raven, Natasha, the young mutant Angel, and the Asgardian warrior Sif—a formidable team, to say the least.
Su Ye thought to himself that even with his skills, he might not stand a chance alone against this lineup.
Before long, the battle below erupted in full force.
Though Captain America was merely a super soldier, he charged at the forefront, as was his trademark.
With every charge, his red-and-blue shield emblazoned with a white star was always at the forefront.
It symbolized not only himself but also the United States—a representation of national will, cultural export, and brand identity.
Of course, that was during his time with the Avengers. Now, as part of the Great Wall Defenders, Cap's shield no longer bore the red-and-blue rings with a white star. Instead, it featured a pale blue background, an olive branch wreath, and a world map centered on the North Pole.
That's right, it bore the design of the United Nations flag.
This was Su Ye's transitional plan—to use the UN flag design to dilute the influence of the Stars and Stripes.
Later, they could transition to a red background with a gold star, representing the ultimate identity of the Great Wall Defenders.
Since they bore the name "Great Wall Defenders," they were meant to embody the spirit and legacy of the civilization that built the Great Wall.
Though Captain America was just a super soldier, and his "fair fight" skills had limited impact in mass combat, his exemplary leadership was invaluable.
If even a mere super soldier was fighting with such ferocity, could the others afford to slack off?
Especially Abomination and Kisame, both single-minded fighters. Upon seeing this, they immediately split off to launch ranged attacks.
One leapt into the air like a cannonball, crashing into the Frost Giant ranks, while the other used "Water Style: Water Shark Bomb," transforming into a water shark and diving at the enemy.
On the ground, the Frost Giants weren't to be outdone. They quickly formed weapons of ice in their hands, shouting that they would repay the humiliation of being immobilized by Su Ye.
The other Great Wall Defenders wouldn't back down either. Especially the two newly recruited mutants, Riptide and Nightcrawler, who were determined to prove their worth as they fought to redeem themselves.
They refused to be seen as disposable members of the team. They were determined to earn their rightful place and respect through their strength.
With their efforts, the battle was over in less than a minute.
The Frost Giants lay sprawled across the battlefield, clutching their knees and backs, groaning in pain. The scene was pitiful.
And this was despite Su Ye's prior instruction to the Defenders to avoid killing and fight as gently as possible.
Otherwise, these Frost Giants would have likely stopped breathing within thirty seconds.
Seeing the Frost Giants writhing on the ground, Su Ye smiled and called out to Farbauti.
"Well, what do you think of this outcome? Satisfied?"
"I… refuse to accept this!"
Farbauti retorted, "All this proves is that these few individuals are strong. One Odin and ten Thors—what does that even mean?"
"Unless you can prove that all Earthlings are this powerful, and each one matches these fighters, then we'll concede."
"Heh!"
Hearing this, Su Ye let out an amused snort. "Changing the rules, are we? Do you know what happened to the last person who tried to change the rules on me?"
Without waiting for Farbauti's reply, Su Ye coldly snorted. "As expected, showing leniency only encourages greed. I've changed my mind—everything I said before is now void."
"You rejected my offer of friendship and chose to get beaten instead. Fine, I'll grant your wish!"
Su Ye gave up. The Frost Giants had fought Asgard for centuries without yielding, so their slogan "Giants shall never be slaves" wasn't just for show. Even with food and shelter offered, they wouldn't compromise.
Since that was the case, he decided to abandon any peaceful resolutions with them.
"Originally, we were here under Asgard's request to suppress your rebellion. Do you know what suppression means? It means as long as you stop causing trouble, we don't care whether you live or die."
"Before we arrived, I thought maybe we could find a peaceful solution and offer Jotunheim a new path. But clearly, you're not interested."
"In that case, we'll go back to our original plan. For your bravery, we'll give you the highest form of respect we know—war!"
After delivering this message via telepathy, Su Ye cut off the connection with Farbauti and shouted aloud.
"Great Wall Defenders, suit up!"
At his command, everyone—from the relatively weaker Hawkeye and Natasha to the brawny, headstrong Abomination and Kisame—retreated to the Quinjet.
The Quinjet's undercarriage opened, releasing over a dozen Iron Suits that descended like dumplings, flying to each Defender and opening their chest plates.
With a series of metallic clinks and clicks, the Defenders suited up, transforming into Iron Warriors.
These Iron Suits were the ones Tony had mentioned earlier, designed for the Defenders to survive accidental exposure to space.
For heroes like Abomination, the suit didn't enhance their combat ability; in fact, it slightly constrained their movements.
However, once everyone was fully suited, the overwhelming presence of these iron-clad warriors skyrocketed.
The Iron Suits all shared the same design: Iron Man's iconic red with gold accents.
However, Su Ye had made one minor customization: each suit's chest plate bore a golden star as a highlight.
It wasn't overly prominent—just a small golden star, symbolizing their victory over an alien invasion in New York and their first act of world-saving heroism.
In the future, as their heroic deeds multiplied, so too would the number of stars.
With each mission, they'd earn another small star. Once they had five, they could upgrade to a larger star.
The limit for these stars was nine—a symbolic number in traditional culture, representing the ultimate.
After reaching nine, further accolades would be marked on the back or shoulders, starting a new count.
That's how it worked.
As for the nine missions, it conveniently resulted in one large star paired with four small stars. Any resemblance to existing designs? Pure coincidence, of course.
In any case, this was the official explanation for the design. How people interpreted it was up to them.
After all, Su Ye couldn't be bothered to control how others thought, even if he technically could.
When Farbauti saw Su Ye drop all pretenses, summoning visibly powerful gear and fully arming the Great Wall Defenders, his expression immediately darkened.
Farbauti wasn't eager for a fight. Without the Casket of Ancient Winters, the Frost Giants had long lost their foothold in the Nine Realms, reduced to living in Jotunheim for a millennium, unable to go anywhere else.
Su Ye's earlier diplomacy had given him hope that the Frost Giants might leave Jotunheim.
If Farbauti had been as brutish as he looked, he might have quickly given in. But as a cunning leader, he wasn't about to capitulate without bargaining for his people's status and benefits.
Such is the flaw of the clever—outsmarting oneself.
After ordering the Defenders to suit up, Su Ye reached for a scroll slung across his back like a satchel.
He unrolled it and pressed his hand firmly onto its surface.
"As peace envoys, this is the highest sincerity we can offer to brave foes—Summoning Jutsu!"
With a flash of golden light, Su Ye pulled a massive steel mech from the scroll.
The towering mech, nearly 20 meters tall, stood beside the fallen Frost Beast, its imposing presence undiminished.
The mech's design was distinct from the Iron Suits worn by the Great Wall Defenders. It featured sharper angles, ornate shoulder plates, and even a skirt-like armor. The helmet had a dramatic shape, and its back bore metallic structures resembling spread wings.
This was what Su Ye had described to Tony—a super-sized mech built on the foundations of the Iron Monger and Hulkbuster suits, aptly named Gundam.
Su Ye's mech was modeled after the Freedom Gundam. Functionally, it differed from the original Freedom Gundam, as it relied on Stark tech rather than the technology of the Gundam universe.
However, its design was as faithful to the original as possible.
The color scheme, however, matched the Iron Suits of the Great Wall Defenders—gold and red, with a prominent golden star on its chest.
Upon seeing the Gundam materialize, Farbauti felt an unexplainable pang of regret.
Earlier, he had dismissed the Quinjet's weapon as comparable to their ancient artifact, the Casket of Ancient Winters—now lost, leaving them unable to replicate its power.
If even the Asgardians, who had stolen the Casket, couldn't force the Frost Giants into submission, why should Earthlings succeed?
But Su Ye had proven that the Quinjet wasn't some irreplaceable artifact like the Casket.
Whether it was the Quinjet, the Iron Suits, or even the Gundam, they were all human-made weapons. They could be rebuilt, mass-produced, and used to turn ordinary people into powerful warriors.
Could they possibly win against such Earthlings?
In the face of such human ingenuity, their millennia-old heritage suddenly felt utterly futile.
Farbauti regretted his decisions and even considered surrendering to Su Ye. Unfortunately, the telepathic link had been severed, and shouting from such a distance was unlikely to reach him.
Moreover, the moment Su Ye entered the Gundam, war had become inevitable.
Inside the Gundam's cockpit, Su Ye and Sif squeezed into a single seat.
Sif's combat abilities were insignificant at this level of warfare. If Su Ye hadn't brought her aboard, she could have been obliterated in the ensuing chaos.
To protect her, Su Ye had no choice but to bring her into the Gundam's cockpit.
While the others' Iron Suits were single-occupant systems, the Gundam's cockpit was slightly larger, making it possible—though cramped—for two people to fit.
Some might wonder, would having two people squeezed together affect the pilot's ability to operate the Gundam?
Not really. With Sif sitting on his lap, Su Ye's view might be slightly obstructed, but it wasn't a significant issue.
After all, Su Ye—combining the abilities of Professor X and Magneto—could operate the Gundam with his eyes closed, using both telepathy and magnetic manipulation.
The seatbelt wasn't designed for two, so it was a bit short. Sif had to remove her armor to reduce her bulk.
Though Sif had lived for millennia, she had never experienced anything like sitting in a Gundam, strapped in and watching it run, roll, soar, and charge across the battlefield.
The breathtaking spectacle of war made her forget the turbulence beneath her, as she reveled in the exhilarating sensation of flight.
Especially when Su Ye maneuvered the Gundam into various combat stances, firing massive cannon rounds akin to those on the Quinjet, each shot delivering a powerful recoil. Sif trembled with excitement.
She got so caught up in the action that she began playing the role of a mounted charge commander.
While Su Ye controlled the cannon, Sif shouted out commands from above.
"Forward! Straight ahead! Three short bursts, one long! Fire at a basic spread!"
"Shift left! Angled! Nine short bursts, one long! Fire half a spread!"
"Right! A bit more—yes, there! Continuous fire! Come on!"
Farbauti stood in the distance, watching helplessly as his people were decimated. His heart sank, chilled to the core.