章 241: Weaklings
At this moment, the superheroes who had once refused S.H.I.E.L.D.'s call realized that this time, S.H.I.E.L.D. wasn't bluffing. They rushed from all over to join the battle. Unfortunately, even their combined strength couldn't turn the tide. They could only slow the Chitauri invasion at best.
Meanwhile, Magneto, who had the power to change the course of the battle, stood by coldly, with no intention of intervening. As Nick Fury had said, this cunning old man preferred the chaos. With the major forces preoccupied, the mutants might finally have a chance to rise.
Professor X, the perennial good guy, was at the X-Mansion, fully focused on suppressing the sporadic outbursts of power from the Phoenix Force within Jean Grey. He couldn't spare a moment to help. Without his constant suppression, the Dark Phoenix would have destroyed Earth long before the Chitauri could make their move.
Despite the numerous superheroes fighting bravely, the scales of victory continued to tip in favor of the Chitauri, and the tipping was accelerating.
Tony's suit eventually ran out of power, leaving him unable to fly. His ammunition was exhausted. He landed on the ground, using his armor to fight the Chitauri soldiers hand-to-hand.
Thor looked utterly exhausted, barely able to stand. As for Captain America and Black Widow, it was a miracle they were still alive.
Only the Hulk kept fighting, tirelessly smashing Chitauri warships. However, everyone noticed that the clarity in his eyes was fading fast. He was losing control, increasingly ignoring the fleeing civilians around him.
Everything seemed to be heading towards the worst possible outcome. It looked like Earth was truly doomed.
As the arc reactor in Tony's chest went dark, he glanced towards Zane's villa with a flicker of hope in his eyes, which quickly extinguished. He couldn't think of any reason for that man to intervene. Perhaps that twisted bastard was enjoying popcorn, watching their struggle like a movie.
With the sound of metal being torn, Tony slowly closed his eyes and exhaled deeply.
'Dying like this... it's kind of a relief,' he thought. 'I've done my best.'
As his faceplate was torn away, a vision of Pepper Potts appeared in his mind. "I'm sorry, the one unworthy has always been me. Thank you for everything," he silently said.
At the same time, Pepper, watching the live broadcast at the X-Mansion, felt an inexplicable surge of sorrow. Tears flowed uncontrollably.
"Tony..." she whispered, looking towards the battlefield.
Just as the enemy's spear was about to pierce Tony's forehead, a terrifying presence descended in an instant.
With the arrival of this terrifying presence, time on the battlefield seemed to come to a standstill. The wind halted, and the burning flames ceased to flicker. Everyone, including Thor, found themselves unable to move even a finger. Only their darting eyes indicated they still had consciousness.
The source of this strange phenomenon was the figure suddenly appearing above the battlefield. Tony, expecting pain, opened his eyes in confusion. He saw a blade hovering just centimeters from his forehead and then noticed the figure standing in the air. The midday sun shone on his imposing form, and the rising smoke and frozen flames became mere background to his presence.
At that moment, the entire world's attention seemed focused on that figure. No one had the heart to continue fighting. Under Zane's overwhelming pressure, everyone struggled to turn their gaze and see his face, like moths drawn to a flame, unaware of why they felt compelled to do so.
"You still came... thank you," Tony murmured, staring at Zane's figure.
Zane, overlooking the battlefield, smiled slightly. Instantly, time resumed its flow. The wind roared again, and the blade poised above Tony's forehead viciously struck down. Fueled by a renewed will to survive, Tony rolled with all his strength, barely dodging the deadly blow. The Chitauri soldier lost interest in pursuing Tony, instead directing a gaze of intense fear towards Zane.
Yes, fear. Though he couldn't fully grasp Zane's existence, he had once seen Thanos from a distance. The feeling of having one's life and death controlled by another was unforgettable. The fear Zane inspired surpassed even that of Thanos.
"Hello, ugly aliens and Earthly weaklings," Zane called out, waving a hand in greeting. His smile was radiant but carried an unmistakable malice. Everyone's souls echoed with Zane's words, and the battlefield fell silent. No one spoke, no one fought. It was as if their fates were no longer their own. The war seemed meaningless now.
Seeing everyone quietly listening, Zane nodded in satisfaction, a mischievous glint appearing in his eyes. Simply destroying the Chitauri army seemed too dull. It might be more fun to play a game, and it was a good chance to test the Mind Stone's abilities.
"I want to play a game. I hope you all cooperate," Zane announced. As he spoke, the space-time portal above continued to pour in reinforcements. A massive Chitauri Leviathan with metal jaws charged towards Zane.
However, Zane didn't seem to notice. He didn't even turn his head. A gray light flickered in his eyes, and the giant creature instantly disintegrated into ash, gently drifting down from the sky.
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