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"What the hell is this pressure?!"
Electric arcs exploded from Max's body as he struggled against the crushing force descending on him.
But no matter how much voltage surged through his veins, the massive divine panther claw forged from Bast's god-force remained locked over him.
He could only stare, helpless, as the energy slammed downward.
BOOM!
A massive stone fist formed entirely from compressed sand erupted from the earth and uppercutted the divine claw, blasting Bast off her perch and into the air.
The energy claw fractured mid-crush, and in that moment, Max vanished in a streak of lightning, escaping death by inches.
Bast flipped and landed gracefully.
But the earth itself was rumbling now.
From the shaking soil rose a giant made of sand and gravel, humanoid and massive. His face slowly formed from dust and wind.
Flint Marko.
Sandman.
Floating above, Max smirked. "You gods really have no manners."
Bast glared at him. "Do you people ever consider peace before violence?"
T'Challa, now surrounded by Wakandan airships bristling with vibranium cannons, shouted from his command deck:
"Oscorp, are you declaring war on Wakanda?!"
Two of Oscorp's ace enforcers, Electro and Sandman, were now on the battlefield.
T'Challa's blood boiled.
Then, behind Bast, the Red Hulk roared back to life. Bruised and battered, but not beaten, Ross hurled himself forward again, landing in front of Bast with a seismic shock and unleashing a hammering blow.
BOOM!
She blocked, countered, and kicked him into another crater but before she could refocus—
Max struck again.
Lightning surged from the sky like a heavenly storm. Thunder cracked as Max's voice echoed across the valley:
"Oscorp wants access to Wakanda's vibranium reserves. Fifty years. Full co-development rights."
"Agree, and we'll back off right now."
The skies flashed white as electricity rained down, forming a lightning cage around Bast. The entire region flickered in a strobe-like glow, like a storm god had descended.
Gasps echoed across every screen and radio frequency.
Fifty years? That was enough time to strip-mine Wakanda's richest vein of vibranium.
"You're thieves!" T'Challa said. "Vibranium belongs to Wakanda!"
Max floated, arms crossed. "Our boss protects Earth. Doesn't that mean Earth belongs to him?"
"You didn't discover vibranium. Your so-called god didn't forge it. You've just been squatting on it."
T'Challa's fury was matched by Iron Man's suspicion.
"So this whole war was engineered… by Oscorp?" Tony asked coldly.
Max shrugged. "Let's not go wild with accusations, Stark. Let's say... opportunity knocked."
From the sidelines, Magneto, standing atop a rising slab of metal, watched in silence.
"Oscorp's still just a den of thieves," Erik said darkly.
Max laughed. "You're lucky our boss still likes you, Erik. Otherwise, you'd be buried with your precious metal friends."
Erik gritted his teeth. "I earned that deal. It wasn't charity."
"Exactly," Max smirked. "So quit pretending you're the noble one."
---
At that moment, a portal of golden energy opened in the sky.
From within stepped two figures:
A man in silver combat armor, with a shimmering red cape and an insignia that resembled an eye on his chest.
A woman in a flowing scarlet cloak, her body radiating chaos magic.
Nolan.
And Wanda Maximoff.
The battlefield went silent.
Nolan hovered effortlessly, footsteps landing on invisible stairs in the sky. His tone was casual.
"Erik... are the mutants really getting involved in this?"
Wanda's magic flared behind him like crimson wings.
Nolan had seen enough.
He'd watched Bast fight. Measured her speed, strength, and durability. She was powerful, yes. But she had no major soul-based defense, no high-level reality warping. All her strength came from god-force pure belief turned power.
Nolan had psy-energy, Dragon essence, and the Power of the Vishanti.
He was ready.
Bast snarled, tearing through the lightning prison.
But then she froze.
Her eyes widened.
She saw it on Nolan's chest a relic shaped like an eye.
The Eye of Agamotto.
And behind him the Cloak of Levitation.
"You... you're the heir of the Sorcerer Supreme..."
Memories of a past confrontation returned. The previous Sorcerer Supreme had stood toe-to-toe with gods.
Now, his successor stood before her.
"More or less," Nolan smiled. "But I prefer Superman. Or... Supreme Superman."
He glanced toward Erik and Storm.
"If the X-Men want to insert themselves into this, don't blame me for what happens next."
His voice was still gentle, but beneath it was steel.
Storm paled as Erik received a message from Hank:
"Sentinels are approaching the school."
Erik growled. "Nolan, you son of a—"
"You're no better," Nolan cut in smoothly. "You throw yourself into every war like it's your playground."
---
Bast's gaze remained locked on Nolan.
He was radiating divine-tier potential.
Power from three distinct disciplines.
And that relic... it was not of mortal origin.
"What do you want, mortal?" she finally asked. "If it's something I can give, I will... in respect for your master."
The crowd blinked in disbelief.
Bast... was backing down?
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