章節 16: The Mad Titan
"Is this the crisis the wizard mentioned that we must use the Infinity Stones to confront?" Captain America tightened his grip on his shield, his tone heavy with concern.
"Hey little, step back. We're going in," Tony Stark said as he donned his helmet, casually directing his words to Rocket Raccoon.
Rocket Raccoon, having spent years traversing the galaxy, had long heard of Thanos' infamous reputation. Having faced Thanos firsthand five years prior, he was well aware of the Mad Titan's overwhelming power. Hearing Iron Man's seemingly dismissive but actually considerate words, Rocket obediently stepped back a few paces, taking cover in the rubble and hiding behind a rock, with only his head poking out to observe the battlefield.
Once Rocket was safely tucked away, Thor stretched out his arms, summoning lightning that coursed through his body. A deafening thunderclap echoed through the sky as Mjolnir and Stormbreaker flew into his hands, one in each.
His attire shifted into his distinct Thor armor.
"This time, let's finish him once and for all," Thor declared resolutely.
With those words, the trio of Avengers began their slow advance toward Thanos, who was idly playing with dirt.
"You refuse to accept defeat. But what difference does it make? You'll still have to face me," Thanos remarked, unperturbed by the Avengers' approach.
"I thought eliminating half of all life would allow the remaining half to thrive, but you have proven that to be impossible," Thanos said calmly, seated on a rock.
As Thanos spoke, the trio—Iron Man, Thor, and Captain America—continued moving, gradually shifting into a triangular formation to surround him.
"As long as there are people who cling to the past, they will never embrace the future. Resistance is inevitable," Thanos continued, undisturbed by their encirclement.
"You're right—we're that stubborn," Tony Stark retorted, listening to Thanos' monologue.
With the formation in place, Tony, believing that hesitation would only worsen the situation, was eager to eliminate his nightmare once and for all.
"Thank you," Thanos said unexpectedly.
"Because now I know what I must do. I will reduce this universe to atomic dust," Thanos declared as he rose to his feet. "And then, using the Infinity Stones you so helpfully brought to me, I will create a new universe."
"A universe where life has no resentment for loss, only gratitude for what is given," he continued.
Both sides readied themselves for battle as Thanos concluded, "A universe filled with gratitude."
"A universe stained with blood," Captain America countered.
"They won't know, because you won't live to see it," Thanos sneered, his face twisting into a menacing expression.
This final taunt ignited the Avengers' fury. Thor let out a mighty roar as lightning surged across his body. Swinging Stormbreaker, he charged at Thanos.
But five years of neglect, coupled with an extra 300 pounds of weight, rendered Thor's movements sluggish. Thanos dodged the attack with ease.
Seizing the moment, Iron Man's armor transformed his hand into a massive blade as he flew into the air, slashing down at Thanos from above.
Surprisingly, the Earthling's speed outpaced Thor's. Having just dodged Thor's axe, Thanos found himself unable to evade Iron Man's strike! However, though Iron Man's speed was superior, the power behind his attacks was not. Thanos simply raised his double-bladed sword, the "Tyrant Slayer," to block the blow.
Duang!
Unfazed, Captain America hurled his vibranium shield at Thanos. But with a casual swipe of his weapon, Thanos knocked the shield aside. Despite Captain America's inexplicable "plot armor," which caused the shield to boomerang back into his hands, the reality remained: his attacks were ineffective.
Even so, for a mere mortal to participate in a god-level battle and trade blows with Thanos was a testament to Captain America's strength.
After deflecting Cap's attack, Thanos turned back to face Thor, who had launched another strike. Despite his weight-induced sluggishness, Thor's attacks carried even greater force than five years prior—after all, Asgardians grow stronger with age.
Thanos had no choice but to divert his attention to fend off Thor's onslaught, which opened an opportunity for Iron Man to attack.
Taking advantage of this, Tony activated his boosters, soaring into the air behind Thanos and firing two powerful beams of energy at the back of Thanos' head. Though these beams emerged from his repulsors, their power rivaled that of his chest-mounted Unibeam, perhaps even surpassing it.
Yet, even with such immense energy, Thanos simply raised the Tyrant Slayer behind him, deflecting the attack effortlessly. Tony increased the energy output, but the weapon held firm.
"Tony, looks like you're struggling!" Rhodey's voice suddenly crackled through Tony's comms.
Moments later, a massive War Machine suit streaked across the sky, unleashing a barrage of missiles and bullets at Thanos.
This time, thanks to the Avengers' prior warning, all their members were battle-ready. Rhodey had donned the latest version of his armor and maintained heightened vigilance, avoiding the earlier movie's scenario. He now joined the fight alongside the others.
BOOM!
Explosions erupted, shrouding Thanos in a thick cloud of smoke. Iron Man, Thor, and Cap regrouped with Rhodey and Ant-Man.
"What's the plan now, Cap?" Rhodey asked, staring at the lingering smoke.
Although he wasn't familiar with the cinematic "smoke-never-kills" trope, Rhodey knew his firepower alone wasn't enough to defeat Thanos. He turned to Cap for tactical guidance.
Captain America instinctively began to say, "Together," but realizing the gravity of the situation, he held back. He glanced around at his teammates, his eyes landing on Hawkeye, who was holding the gauntlet embedded with the Infinity Stones. He recalled Ned's repeated warnings and thought to himself, Where's Carol? Why does she always vanish at critical moments?
The others noticed Cap's gaze fixed on the gauntlet and immediately understood his plan.
"This time, let me handle it," Thor volunteered without hesitation.
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