บท 389: Batman's Nightmare
Captain Marvel and Superman had already charged up to the front of the battleship. The two of them, one on the left and one on the right charged straight in like drills.
However, Thanos was prepared as well. After all, he had suffered losses before and had arranged for an ambush within the battleship. As soon as Captain Marvel and Superman rushed in, they were immediately surrounded.
At the same time, a blue teleportation light descended, and Thanos, clad in armour and wielding a longsword, made his formal entrance!
"Are you ready to face destiny?"
This version of Thanos was not the casual one from the original timeline. After several chaotic incidents, he had realized that he couldn't collect all the Infinity Stones and had also noticed the Earth's stubborn resistance. He was no longer the carefree Thanos in a suit but was fully armed and serious.
Thanos from the normal timeline might have had some feelings, believing himself to be the "saviour" of the entire universe while pursuing "balance." In a way, he invaded Earth and sought the Infinity Stones with a sense of pity for the people.
In other words, he didn't really consider the superheroes like the Avengers a threat back then. His perspective and ambitions had transcended that, at least in his own mind.
In that state, even if he was beating down the Avengers, he didn't go all out, unlike the later Thanos in the Endgame battle. Even without the Infinity Stones, he came fully armed and immediately displayed brutality without any mercy. Every strike was lethal!
Now, this version of Thanos was fighting seriously. Captain America reminded everyone, "Be careful, this madman has formidable combat skills and awareness. Most importantly, he's not as arrogant as before!"
After analyzing the video of Thanos' battles, the players believed that their only advantage against Thanos with the Infinity Gauntlet was his potential arrogance and overconfidence.
Arrogance often teetered on the edge of failure, especially when calculating with and without intention. Their chances of success increased with this factor.
However, their interference had made Thanos more alert, compensating for his arrogance. It was a classic case of the butterfly effect - small actions leading to unforeseen consequences.
Nevertheless, they had gained some advantages. At least Thanos had only managed to collect two of the Infinity Stones for now...
"Wait a minute, does he have three Infinity Stones on his gauntlet?! Am I seeing this correctly?" Peter Quill noticed the loophole and suddenly felt a chill. "Oh no, did something happen to Gamora?"
"Don't panic!" Captain America frowned. "We just said goodbye to Gamora, and she's perfectly fine. Thanos doesn't have the Space Stone, so it's impossible for him to capture Gamora on Earth in such a short time."
Doctor Strange added, "But he did obtain the Soul Stone."
"Even if he found the location of the Soul Stone, how did he get it without a sacrifice?"
They were all puzzled, not knowing that Thanos had acquired the Soul Stone using a unique method. At the moment, they could only be extra cautious.
Thanos slowly approached them, not rushing to attack. He planted his longsword into the ground and faced the superheroes like they were formidable foes. He sneered, "Ignorant fools, you've been praised and cheered as saviours, have you also fallen into the trap of such foolish praise and applause, making you blind to the right path?"
Bruce Wayne descended from the sky, wearing the Batman mask. His eyes were calm and emotionless, but he exuded an aura of seriousness.
"There are many right paths, just not the one you see."
Batman's voice was low. "No need for words; let's get to it!"
As he finished speaking, he suddenly disappeared, appearing behind Thanos in the next moment, as if he teleported. He positioned himself in mid-air, gathering strength, and struck down with a powerful punch towards Thanos' head!
Bang!
It seemed like Thanos had anticipated this. He raised his left hand and grabbed Batman's fist. The Power Stone on his gauntlet shimmered with a purple light.
Two immense forces clashed, instantly creating a shockwave.
Even in his Super Saiyan state, Batman felt a bit overwhelmed. The amplification from the Power Stone was simply too significant!
However, Thanos didn't send him flying; instead, he pulled Batman towards him and used his right hand to grip Bruce Wayne's neck. A dispassionate expression covered Thanos' face. "You possess great power, but your soul doesn't match that power... What do you fear, Batman, the Bat or the pearls?"
Bruce Wayne's eyes widened, trying to counterattack, but suddenly, he felt an indescribable pain from deep within his soul. It was a stabbing pain.
He felt like he was back in that dark and gloomy alley, facing the armed robber, his helpless mother, the crisp sound of a gunshot, and the pearls scattered in a pool of blood...
To outsiders, Batman's eyes seemed to have lost their lustre, and his body appeared limp, held up by Thanos as if he were a lifeless doll. If not for the occasional twitch, it would seem like he had died!
Seeing this scene, the others were shocked. They knew how formidable Batman was, with strength and physique comparable to Superman's in his Super Saiyan mode!
He also had a calm and intelligent mind, rarely making mistakes, a true combination of brains and brawn.
And yet, this powerful Batman had been easily defeated by Thanos with a single touch?
"It's the Soul Stone!" Doctor Strange's expression turned grave. "His soul is under attack!"
As he spoke, he swung his energy whip, not aimed at Thanos but at the dazed Batman.
At the same time, Captain America and Iron Man also stepped forward, launching their attacks on Thanos. One used his shield to clear a path, while the other unleashed full firepower. Two small cannons appeared on the left and right shoulders of Iron Man's suit, firing peculiar projectiles that seemed like small black holes.
With a snap, the energy whip struck Batman, and Thanos had to release his grip due to the attacks from Captain America and Iron Man.
Bruce Wayne finally regained his senses. He immediately jumped back and warned the others, "Be cautious of his Soul Stone."
"Is it manipulating the mind, causing illusions?" Peter Quill asked curiously.
Batman's expression darkened. "No, it's not that simple. Those were not mere illusions."
Even though he had shaken off the deep soul pain, he still felt mentally drained. It was an illusion of fatigue; his strong body wouldn't tire so quickly.
The real fatigue was in his soul.```
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