Chapter 70: Arthurland!
Washington, Capitol Hill.
Today is both the darkest and the most glorious day in American history.
Dark, because the United States, a nation established over two hundred years ago, will come to an end today.
Glorious, because a new theocratic empire will rise from the ruins.
The plaza in front of the Capitol Building is no longer a sea of the Stars and Stripes.
In its place is a field of gold.
Those are the banners of the Homelander Group, featuring Arthur's personal logo—a giant golden 'H' surrounded by the rays of the Sun.
Hundreds of thousands of people have gathered here, their expressions no longer the frenzy of an election, but a near-religious piety.
There is even a hint of fear.
Because today, that man is not smiling.
Atop the high platform.
Arthur wears his deep blue suit, his red cape trailing on the ground, and the golden eagle pauldrons shining with a cold light under the Sun.
He does not wave to the crowd as he usually does.
He just stands there quietly, hands behind his back, looking down at the masses with cold, indifferent eyes.
The sense of oppression is so heavy that the very air seems to have frozen.
Behind him.
Is a row of kneeling, trembling people.
Current President Ellis, the Speaker of the Senate, the Speaker of the House, the Minister of Defense, the Chief Justice...
These elites who once held the highest power in this country.
At this moment, they are like a flock of lambs waiting for slaughter, kneeling at Arthur's feet, not even daring to lift their heads.
"These are your leaders?"
Arthur finally speaks.
His voice is not loud, yet through the speakers spread across the city, it drills clearly into everyone's ears.
It carries a hint of disdain, a touch of mockery.
"A bunch of useless trash who only know how to wag their tails like dogs for mercy."
He extends his foot and lightly kicks Ellis's backside.
This Mr. President actually cooperates by crawling forward two steps, a fawning smile on his face.
The crowd is in an uproar.
Everyone is stunned.
This is the President they elected? In front of Homelander, he is actually as humble as a dog?
"Tsk."
Arthur shakes his head, his face full of disgust:
"It seems this so-called 'democratic' system only produces this kind of garbage."
"Since that is the case."
Arthur suddenly looks up, and his blue eyes instantly turn crimson.
Boom!
A terrifying aura surges into the sky, directly scattering the clouds above!
"I hereby declare—"
"From this moment forth, the United States of America is dissolved!"
These words, like a thunderclap from the highest heavens, instantly stun the entire World.
Dissolved?
What is he saying?
Has he gone mad?
But Arthur does not give them time to react.
He spreads his arms as if to embrace the entire World, his voice like a great bronze bell:
"The old order has collapsed!"
"A new order shall be born beneath my feet!"
"This nation, this land, and every single one of you."
"From now on, you are all my private property!"
"I bestow upon this nation a new name—"
Arthur pauses, his lips curling into an extremely arrogant smile:
"Arthurland!"
"I am your only King, your only God, and your only Law!"
"Who is in favor? Who is opposed?"
Dead silence.
A deathly silence falls over the entire World.
Even a madman would not dare to say a single word of dissent at this time.
Because in Arthur's hand, a purple gem has appeared at some point.
The Power Stone!
He clenches his hand slightly.
Hum—!!!
A ripple of purple energy instantly spreads out, sweeping across all of Washington.
Rumble!
In the distance, the Washington Monument, the symbol of the American spirit.
Under that purple light, it instantly turns to dust!
Not even a fragment remains!
This naked display of force completely shatters everyone's psychological defenses.
"Long live! Long live King Arthur!"
No one knows who started the shout.
Immediately after.
"Long live! Long live!"
The waves of sound erupt like a tsunami.
The people fall to their knees, prostrating themselves before the man on the high platform.
Whether they are sincere or feigning, whether they feel adoration or fear.
At this moment.
They have only one choice—submission.
[Ding! Global order restructuring detected! Host's prestige has reached its peak!]
[Ding! popularity points +10,000,000!]
[Ding! popularity points +20,000,000...]
Arthur listens to the notification sounds in his mind and looks at the dense mass of heads at his feet.
The sense of satisfaction in his heart is simply beyond words.
"Refreshing!"
"This is the kind of life a transmigrator should live!"
"The days before, having to act and please the audience, were simply a waste of time."
He turns around and looks at the group behind him, the already stunned 'The Seven'.
Magneto's hands are shaking; he has controlled magnetic fields all his life, but he never imagined someone could control a whole country.
The cigar in Logan's mouth falls out, and he doesn't even notice it burning a hole in his clothes.
The awe in Jean Grey's eyes deepens.
"Why are you still standing there?"
Arthur says coldly:
"Don't you hear my subjects cheering?"
"Go, take down that tattered flag for me."
He points to the Stars and Stripes atop Capitol Hill:
"Replace it with my 'H' flag."
"And."
Arthur glances at Ellis kneeling on the ground:
"Throw this trash out."
"From now on, this White House is my bedchamber."
"Remember to change the bed for me; I want the biggest one."
...
This day.
Is known as the 'First Year of Arthur'.
Maps all over the World have to be reprinted.
The original superpower has vanished, replaced by a theocratic empire ruled by a god.
Top floor of Stark Tower.
Tony Stark sits slumped on the sofa, holding an empty bottle of whiskey.
He watches the golden 'H' flag slowly rising outside the window.
He lets out a desperate laugh.
"Heh..."
"Lost."
"Completely lost."
"We thought he came to be a hero."
"Turns out he came to be a slave driver."
Pepper stands to the side, her tears flowing uncontrollably:
"Tony, what should we do?"
"What to do?"
Tony staggers to his feet and walks to the armor display cases.
He looks at the Mark armors that were once his pride.
At this moment, they look like a pile of scrap metal.
"What else can we do?"
"Either kneel and be a dog."
"Or..."
A flash of resolve crosses Tony's eyes:
"Die like a man."
Just then.
"Knock, knock, knock."
A knock sounds at the door.
It isn't a polite knock, but a loud banging as if to smash the door down.
Then.
The voice that has caused Tony countless nightmares rings out from outside:
"Tony, old friend."
"I've moved into a new home; won't you come out and congratulate me?"
"By the way..."
"Hand over all that scrap metal of yours."
"As a citizen of Arthurland, possessing weapons of mass destruction is a serious crime."
Tony's hand freezes in mid-air.
He knows.
That tyrant has come to confiscate his 'toys'.
...
S.H.I.E.L.D. Headquarters.
The place is already in total chaos.
Agents are burning documents and destroying data.
Nick Fury stands in the command center, looking at the man on the big screen giving his 'coronation speech' to the whole World.
"Director! Our satellites have been taken over!"
"Director! Our Agent list has been leaked!"
"Director! The Homelander Group's army has surrounded the Triskelion!"
Agent Hill's voice carries a sob.
Fury does not speak.
He just silently pulls that pager from his coat.
The pager he has been hesitating to press.
"Carol..."
Fury's finger is trembling.
He knows that even if Captain Marvel returns.
Facing the current Arthur, she would likely just be going to her death.
The Silver Superman high-grade template plus two Infinity Stones.
With this setup, he is basically invincible in this Universe.
"Unless..."
A flash of madness crosses Fury's eyes.
"Unless we can find that legendary object."
"The one that can rewrite reality and erase everything—"
"The Infinity Gauntlet."
But before that.
He must survive.
"Pass down the order."
Fury takes a deep breath, his voice raspy:
"All Agents, go underground."
"S.H.I.E.L.D.... is dissolved."
"From today on, we are the Resistance."
...
Arthur sits in the President's Office in the White House.
No, it should be called the 'God-King's Hall' now.
He rests his feet on the two-hundred-year-old Resolute Desk, playing with the Reality Stone in his hand.
"Comfortable."
He looks around this center of power.
"Though it's a bit small, it'll do for now."
"After I conquer Asgard, I'll go live in that Golden Palace."
Wesley walks in holding a long list.
"Your Majesty."
Wesley has changed his address quickly, his face full of flattery:
"These are the congratulatory telegrams from various countries."
"These are the letters of allegiance from the Fortune Global 500 companies."
"And..."
Wesley hesitates for a moment:
"Wakanda has refused to recognize your rule."
"They say... they are not subject to any human jurisdiction."
"Wakanda?"
Arthur is stunned for a moment, then smiles.
An incredibly cruel smile.
"A bunch of primitives playing with spears made of Vibranium."
"They actually dare to refuse me?"
He stands up, the red light in his eyes surging.
"Perfect."
"My palace is still missing a few Vibranium pillars."
"Pass down the order."
"The Seven, assemble."
"Target: Wakanda."
"Since they don't want to be my subjects."
"Then let them be my miners."
Boom!!!
Arthur soars into the sky.
A golden stream of light cuts across the horizon, carrying endless killing intent as it charges toward that mysterious African nation.
The expansion of Arthurland.
Has begun.
Chapter 71: Wakanda, Destroyed!
Africa, the border of Wakanda.
This is the most mysterious place on Earth, and the most technologically advanced hidden nation.
But today, that mystery was about to be brutally torn apart.
Outside the massive holographic camouflage barrier, a team had gathered that would make even aliens tremble.
No army.
No tanks.
Just seven people.
Arthur hovered at the front, his red cape snapping in the savannah wind.
He crossed his arms, looking mockingly at the seemingly ordinary jungle before him.
"This is Wakanda?"
Arthur sneered:
"Hiding like a tortoise in its shell."
"Since you refuse to come out and welcome your new king, I'll just have to..."
"Knock on the door."
He tilted his head slightly, glancing at Magneto behind him.
"Eric, although there's no metal for you to play with here, I think you should have a way to give these primitives a wake-up call, right?"
Magneto elegantly adjusted his cuffs, a cruel smile curling at the corner of his mouth:
"Of course, Your Majesty."
"While this is a jungle, don't forget that the Earth's crust hides rich iron deposits."
Magneto reached out both hands and made a sudden grasping motion toward the ground!
Rumble—!!!
The ground began to shake violently, as if a subterranean dragon were turning over.
Countless iron sands and ores burst from the ground, converging in the air into a giant black hand that blotted out the sun!
"Open up!"
Magneto pressed his palm down.
The giant hand, composed of millions of tons of iron ore, slammed into the invisible barrier with World-shattering force!
Boom!!!
A dull, heavy thud.
Blue ripples suddenly appeared in the once-transparent air.
Then.
Crack!
The Wakandan shield, claimed to withstand nuclear attacks, instantly shattered into a massive gap like smashed glass!
Revealing the Golden City inside, filled with a sense of future technology.
"Oh-ho."
Arthur whistled:
"Seems this turtle shell isn't that hard after all."
"Boys, go!"
"Bring all those glowing stones back for me!"
At Arthur's command.
The Seven moved.
Logan, like a Beast out of a cage, roared as he charged into the gap.
"Wah-ha-ha-ha!"
He unsheathed his steel claws, slicing several charging Wakandan border tribe warriors and their rhinos in half.
"Even this little bit of Vibranium is still Vibranium! Don't let it go to waste!"
While Logan killed, he didn't forget to strip the Vibranium armor off the warriors.
This was the aftermath of having been poor for too long.
Quicksilver Pietro turned into a streak of silver lightning, weaving through the city.
He specifically snatched Vibranium bracelets and necklaces from the hands of civilians.
"Sorry, ma'am! This is for national construction!"
Pietro laughed heartlessly as he looted.
Meanwhile, Wanda and Jean Grey flew in the air, their red Chaos Magic and Phoenix Force intertwining like two human bombers, raining destruction down on Wakanda's defense towers.
"Boom boom boom!"
Explosions rang out one after another.
All of Wakanda fell into chaos.
"Enemy attack! Enemy attack!"
King T'Chaka, wearing the Black Panther suit, rushed out with Prince T'Challa and a group of Dora Milaje.
Seeing his devastated home, T'Chaka's eyes turned blood-red.
"Stop! You Bandits!"
T'Chaka roared:
"Wakanda will never yield!"
"Yield?"
A mocking voice descended from the sky.
Arthur slowly descended, hovering right above T'Chaka's head.
He looked down at this so-called king with eyes full of disdain.
"Old man."
"Have you misunderstood something?"
"I'm not here to make you yield."
"I'm here to inform you that your country now belongs to me."
Arthur extended a finger and tapped lightly.
Sizzle—!!!
A thin, thread-like Heat Vision shot out.
Before T'Chaka could even react, the Vibranium spear in his hand was instantly sliced through.
The cut was smooth as a mirror, glowing red and hot.
"This..."
T'Chaka was pale with shock.
That was Vibranium! The hardest metal on Earth!
In front of this man, it was as brittle as a cracker?
"Impossible! This isn't scientific!"
Princess Shuri screamed from the side.
"Scientific?"
Arthur laughed.
"In the face of my fist, science is a joke."
"Since you love Vibranium so much, I'll grant your wish."
Arthur gave a sudden wave of his hand.
Magneto understood immediately.
He raised both hands as if conducting a grand symphony.
Buzz buzz buzz—!!!
From beneath all of Wakanda came the ear-piercing sound of metal grinding.
The Vibranium ore veins, buried for hundreds of millions of years, were forcibly shaken at this moment by Magneto's terrifying magnetic force!
Rumble!
The Earth split open.
Countless Vibranium ores, shimmering with blue-purple light, gushed from the ground like a fountain and flew into the sky!
"No! That is our soul!"
T'Chaka roared in despair.
He tried to rush forward to stop it, but was kicked to the ground by Logan.
"Stay put, old-timer!"
Logan stepped on T'Chaka's chest, flicking cigar ash onto his Black Panther mask:
"This stuff belongs to the boss now!"
Arthur nodded in satisfaction as he watched the Vibranium flying through the air.
"Not bad, not bad at all."
"With this much Vibranium, I could make a hundred toilets."
He turned his head to look at T'Chaka pinned to the ground and T'Challa, who was struggling frantically while trapped by Wanda's magic.
"You lost."
Arthur said indifferently:
"In this World, weakness is the original sin."
"And you are guilty of possessing treasures you cannot protect."
"As punishment..."
The red light in Arthur's eyes flared.
"I'll be taking your head."
"To announce to the World the consequences of defying me."
"No—!!!"
T'Challa let out a heart-wrenching scream.
But it was too late.
Sizzle!!!
Two beams of Heat Vision swept across.
T'Chaka's head, still wearing the Black Panther helmet, instantly flew off.
Blood geysered out, staining the soil of Wakanda red.
Dead silence filled the area.
All the Wakandans fell to their knees.
Their king was dead.
Their god, Bast the Panther God, had not appeared.
In front of that blonde man, all faith had collapsed.
...
Half an hour later.
Live broadcast to the entire World.
Arthur stood atop the royal palace of Wakanda.
Holding the Black Panther's head in his hand.
Behind him was the burning city and the Vibranium ores flying through the sky.
He looked into the camera and gave an extremely cruel yet divine smile.
"Good evening, my subjects."
"I want to show everyone a piece of art."
Arthur shook the head in his hand:
"This is the result of refusing me."
"Wakanda, this selfish, greedy nation that hid away good things and refused to share them."
"Today, it has been liberated by me."
"All Vibranium now belongs to the Arthurland!"
"For the future of humanity! For the progress of technology!"
"Cheer!"
In front of their screens.
Countless people watched this scene; though they felt fear, there was even more of a morbid fanaticism.
"Long live! Long live King Arthur!"
"Good loot! Why should those primitives monopolize Vibranium?"
"This is our god! Those who follow him prosper, those who oppose him perish!"
popularity points soared again!
[Ding! popularity points +5,000,000!]
[Ding! popularity points +8,000,000!]
Arthur casually tossed the head to Wesley beside him.
"Hang it on a lamppost in front of the White House."
"I want everyone passing by to see it."
"This is the price of disobedience."
...
However.
Just as Arthur was immersed in the joy of victory.
The dark side of the World was quietly stirring.
Inside an unknown underground Base.
Nick Fury watched the images on the screen, a raging fire burning in his single eye.
"He crossed the line."
"He's no longer a man, nor is he a god."
"He is a devil."
Fury turned around and looked at the long table behind him.
The table was surrounded by people.
There was the grey-haired Steve Rogers, the hollow-eyed Bucky, and Hawkeye, who was wiping his arrows.
And...
That kid in the red and blue spandex swinging on webs.
That bald old man sitting in a wheelchair with wise eyes.
There was even a skeleton in leather riding a motorcycle.
"Everyone."
Fury's voice was raspy and firm:
"We have no way back."
"For Earth, for freedom."
"We must kill him."
"The Anti-Homelander Alliance... is officially formed."
"The first step of the plan..."
Fury pointed to a spot on the map:
"We need to go find the legendary—Infinity Gauntlet."
"Only by gathering the Six Stones can we erase this devil from reality."
And in the even more distant depths of the Universe.
A massive spaceship was heading toward Earth.
Thanos sat on his throne, watching the man on the screen holding the Black Panther's head.
A meaningful smile appeared on the face of the Purple Potato Spirit.
"Interesting."
"It seems the keeper of this stone is a bit stronger than I imagined."
"But..."
Thanos put on the golden gauntlet, though it was still empty.
"You are just a keeper."
"When I arrive, you will know."
"What true—destiny is."
Chapter 72: I'm Also Thinking About This Question
The smoke of battle in Wakanda had not yet dissipated.
Yet, the global live broadcast signal had already been cut off.
But that final scene frozen on the screen—
That man, draped in the Stars and Stripes, holding a king's severed head, and treading upon the Vibranium veins.
He was already deeply etched into the minds of every human being on Earth.
It was absolute violence.
And absolute authority.
...
Washington, the White House (now renamed "The Hall of the God-King").
The Oval Office, which originally belonged to the President, had been completely remodeled.
The two-hundred-year-old Resolute Desk had been tossed into the fireplace.
Taking its place...
...was a massive desk forged entirely from Vibranium, emitting a faint blue glow.
And behind the desk...
...was a broad throne, also cast from Vibranium and draped with the fur of the Wakandan royal Black Panther.
Arthur was leaning lazily against the throne.
He was toying with an unrefined Vibranium ore in his hand, feeling the energy contained within.
"Tsk."
"Now this is what I call professional."
Arthur casually tossed the priceless piece of Vibranium onto the desk with a sharp "clink."
"Wesley."
"I'm here, Boss."
Wesley was still dressed in a sharp suit, though his back was straighter than ever before.
After all...
As the "Voice of God," his status on Earth was now even higher than that of the former UN Secretary-General.
"How are things being handled over in Wakanda?"
Arthur asked nonchalantly.
"Have those primitives learned how to be good miners yet?"
Wesley pushed up his glasses, a cruel smile appearing on his face.
"Rest assured, Boss."
"Mr. Magneto... oh no, he should be called 'Grand Duke of Metal' Mr. Eric now, his methods are very effective."
"He used magnetic fields to control all the Vibranium weapons, turning them into Swords of Damocles hanging over the heads of those Wakandans."
"The moment anyone dares to stop their work..."
"...the next second, they'll be pinned to the ground by their own spear."
"Currently, the efficiency of Vibranium mining in Wakanda is a hundred times what it used to be."
"The first batch of refined Vibranium will arrive in New York tonight."
"Very good."
Arthur nodded with satisfaction.
He loved this kind of high-efficiency exploitation.
"Tell Eric not to kill everyone."
"After all, they are a non-renewable resource."
"Also..."
Arthur pointed to the Superman Bracer on his wrist.
"Tell Tony, that tin man, to use this Vibranium to forge a brand new suit for me."
"It needs to be cooler, shinier, and tougher."
"While he's at it, have him upgrade the gear for the other members of The Seven as well."
"After all, they're my people. It'd be embarrassing if they looked too shabby."
"Understood, Boss."
Wesley quickly recorded everything on his tablet.
Just then...
Arthur's brow furrowed slightly.
His system-enhanced Super Hearing caught a hint of an unusual vibration.
It wasn't on Earth.
But outside the atmosphere.
It was the low-frequency vibration of air being forcibly torn and space being folded.
"Hmm?"
Arthur stood up and walked to the bulletproof floor-to-ceiling window.
He looked up, and a golden light instantly flickered in his deep blue eyes.
Super Vision!
His gaze instantly pierced through the White House dome, through the clouds, reaching straight into outer space.
In Earth's low orbit...
...a massive spaceship shaped like a donut was slowly emerging from a space jump point, revealing its hideous hull.
It was not a human creation.
That rugged, dark style, permeated with the aura of Death...
...was all too familiar to Arthur.
Those were Thanos's vanguards!
"Heh."
A playful smile curled at the corner of Arthur's mouth.
Deep within his eyes, two red flames began to flicker faintly.
"So they've finally arrived?"
"I was starting to get impatient."
"The Purple Potato Spirit's delivery boys."
...
Meanwhile...
Over Manhattan, New York.
The once clear sky suddenly turned gloomy.
A massive shadow loomed over the entire city.
Countless citizens looked up in terror.
They saw that colossal ring-shaped spaceship descending slowly like a floating mountain, bringing with it a suffocating sense of pressure.
The intense airflow caused car alarms on the streets to wail frantically.
Glass curtain walls shattered amidst the tremors.
"Boom—!!!"
The ship hovered above Stark Tower (now bearing the Homelander Group logo).
A blue tractor beam descended.
Four strange-looking figures, exuding a terrifying aura, slowly landed in the middle of the street.
Leading them...
...was a slender, noseless alien dressed like a medieval mage.
Ebony Maw.
Behind him...
...was the hulking, beast-like Black Dwarf.
Corvus Glaive, holding a glaive with a venomous gaze.
And Proxima Midnight, wielding a spear.
The Black Order (minus Supergiant) had descended upon New York!
"This is Earth?"
Ebony Maw floated gracefully in mid-air, glancing disdainfully at the panicked crowd around him.
"It reeks of inferior beings."
He waved his hand.
An invisible surge of telekinesis erupted instantly.
Several nearby cars were flipped through the air and crashed into adjacent shops.
"Listen, ants of Earth!"
Ebony Maw's voice wasn't loud, yet it seemed to explode in everyone's mind.
"Rejoice! Be glad!"
"For you are about to receive a great salvation!"
"Hand over the Infinity Stones!"
"Otherwise..."
"This city shall be reduced to ashes!"
...
"Wow."
"Those lines sound a bit familiar."
Just as Ebony Maw was about to launch into a long speech...
...a mocking voice rang out abruptly above their heads.
It was being broadcast through speakers all over the city.
Ebony Maw frowned and looked up.
Atop the tallest skyscraper...
...a figure draped in a Stars and Stripes cape with a golden "A" on his chest stood with hands on his hips, looking down at them from above.
Sunlight pierced through the dark clouds, shining right onto him.
Divinity.
Majesty.
And... an arrogance as if looking at the dead.
"So you're the dogs Thanos keeps?"
Arthur's voice was magnetic and resonant, carrying an undisguised contempt.
"You certainly have... unique looks."
"Especially you, the noseless one."
Arthur pointed at Ebony Maw.
"Are you a relative of Voldemort's?"
"Impudence!"
Black Dwarf let out a roar, swinging his massive axe to send a shockwave toward the building.
But Ebony Maw stopped him.
The cunning strategist narrowed his eyes, staring intently at the bracer on Arthur's wrist.
There...
...three stones—yellow, blue, and red (the Aether)—were emitting an alluring glow.
"The Mind Stone, the Space Stone, the Reality Stone..."
A flash of greed crossed Ebony Maw's eyes.
"Finding them was effortless."
"The keeper is him."
"Human."
Ebony Maw bowed slightly, performing a hypocritical gentlemanly gesture.
"Hand over the stones."
"The great Thanos might grant you a dignified Death."
"A way to die?"
Arthur laughed.
He descended slowly, hovering before The four generals of the Black Order, less than ten meters away.
For powerhouses of this level, such a distance was practically face-to-face.
"I'm also thinking about that question."
Chapter 73: Tell The Seven to Come Down and Greet the Guests!
Arthur tilted his head, looking at these four XP packs.
He opened the system panel.
[Ding! Emergency Mission Triggered: Invaders!]
[Mission Description: Thanos's Vanguard has arrived on Earth, intending to seize the host's private property (Infinity Stones).]
[Mission Requirement: Wipe out the Black Order (Four Generals)!]
[Mission Reward: 50,000,000 popularity points! Silver Superman Template proficiency increased!]
"Fifty million?"
Arthur's eyes lit up instantly.
These aren't just aliens.
These are clearly walking gold mines!
"Since you're being so polite, coming all this way to deliver your heads."
Arthur cracked his neck, letting out a series of sharp pops.
The smile on his face gradually became menacingly kind, and the red light in the depths of his eyes began to boil.
"Then I'll reluctantly..."
"Accept them!"
Boom!!!
Before his voice could even fade.
Arthur's figure vanished instantly!
It wasn't teleportation.
It was pure speed!
Speed so fast that even light didn't have time to refract!
Bang!
A dull, wince-inducing thud echoed.
Black Dwarf, the largest and most defensive of them all,
Didn't even have time to react.
He was struck squarely in the chest by a seemingly ordinary fist!
Crack!
That was the sound of a sternum shattering.
Black Dwarf's massive body was like a golf ball being struck.
He instantly broke the sound barrier, trailing a series of vapor cones as he flew backward several thousand meters!
Rumble!
He crashed through three skyscrapers in a row before finally slamming into the lake in Central Park, kicking up a hundred-meter-high water column!
An instant kill!
With just one punch!
The remaining three aliens hadn't even seen what happened.
Arthur's figure had already returned to his original spot.
Even the swing of his cape hadn't changed its rhythm.
He lightly blew on the non-existent dust on his fist.
Looking at the bewildered Ebony Maw, he revealed an extremely arrogant smile:
"Next."
"Who is it?"
Dead silence.
Whether it was the citizens hiding in the ruins or the S.H.I.E.L.D. Agents monitoring the scene via satellite,
Everyone held their breath at this moment.
Too strong.
Is this the current Homelander?
Even Thanos's top generals can't withstand a single punch from him?
"Damn it..."
Corvus Glaive gripped his warblade tightly—a weapon capable of slicing through atoms.
"Together!"
"Kill him!"
"For Thanos!"
Proxima Midnight also raised her spear, and the three of them launched an attack simultaneously.
Ebony Maw's hands danced as concrete blocks, steel bars, and cars were instantly swept up by telekinesis, turning into a torrent of steel that ground toward Arthur!
"Playing with telekinesis?"
Arthur looked at the flying trash and curled his lip in disdain.
He remembered that Magneto was still downstairs drinking coffee.
However,
To deal with this kind of trash, he didn't need to call in his subordinates.
"Watch."
Arthur's eyes suddenly widened.
Buzz—!!!
Two massive beams of orange-red Heat Vision, radiating an aura of destruction (Mind Stone-enhanced version),
Instantly erupted!
Sizzle—!
The torrent of steel formed by telekinesis,
Melted and vaporized the moment it touched the Heat Vision!
It couldn't even block it for a single second!
The Heat Vision was unstoppable, piercing straight through the torrent and heading directly for Ebony Maw.
"What?!"
Ebony Maw was struck with horror, hurriedly deploying layers of Telekinetic shields in front of him.
But in the face of that absolute high temperature and energy impact,
His Telekinetic shields were as fragile as plastic wrap.
Poof!
The Heat Vision grazed his scalp.
Ebony Maw's proud levitation ability instantly failed, and he fell pathetically to the ground, half of his ear burned away.
"Ahhh—!!!"
This was only because Arthur had shown a bit of mercy.
After all, this was a fifty-million-point deal.
If they died too fast, where would the fun be?
"Too weak."
Arthur floated in mid-air, shaking his head with a look of disappointment:
"These are the subordinates of the Overlord of the Universe?"
"They're not even qualified to tickle me."
He turned his head to look at Corvus Glaive, who was preparing a sneak attack.
That guy's warblade was about to stab into Arthur's lower back.
Clang!
A sharp sound rang out.
The warblade, which was capable of slicing through Vibranium, struck Arthur's suit and only managed to kick up a few sparks!
It didn't even leave a white mark!
Corvus Glaive was stunned.
He looked at the chipped edge of his weapon, questioning his very existence.
"This is your trump card?"
Arthur turned slowly, his red-glowing eyes staring at Corvus Glaive.
"Didn't you eat today?"
He reached out and grabbed Corvus Glaive by the neck.
He lifted him up like he was carrying a dead chicken.
"Since you guys like to play so much,"
"Then I'll let you witness,"
"What true—"
"Power is!"
Arthur's fingers gradually tightened.
Corvus Glaive struggled desperately, but under that hydraulic press-like grip, his neck bone began to let out an overburdened groan.
Just then,
"Stop!"
An unexpected voice suddenly rang out from the edge of the battlefield.
Arthur's movements paused, and he slightly tilted his head.
Only to see at the other end of the street,
A group of people dressed differently yet all radiating extraordinary auras stepped out.
Leading them was none other than the "dead" Captain America Steve Rogers.
Behind him,
Were Winter Soldier Bucky, Hawkeye Barton, and Falcon Sam.
There was also a bald old man in a wheelchair (Professor X) and a skeleton riding a flaming motorcycle (Ghost Rider).
Even that little kid in the red and blue spandex, Spider-Man, was among them.
The Anti-Homelander Alliance!
They finally couldn't resist jumping out!
"Oh?"
Arthur looked at the group, a playful smile curling on his lips.
He casually tossed the half-dead Corvus Glaive aside.
"I wondered who it was."
"So it's just a bunch of rats."
"What?"
Arthur looked at Captain America with a contemptuous gaze:
"You bunch of defeated losers."
"Are you here to plead for these aliens?"
"No."
Captain America raised his shield, his eyes firm:
"We are here to stop you."
"To stop you from turning Earth into your playground."
"And also..."
Captain America glanced at the skeleton on the motorcycle beside him:
"To send this alien trash back to hell."
"Heh."
Arthur laughed.
He laughed with peerless arrogance.
"Interesting."
"It seems today's show will be even more exciting than I imagined."
He clapped his hands, his voice echoing through the entire area:
"Since everyone is here,"
"Then there's no need to hide anymore."
"Wesley!"
"Tell The Seven to come down and greet the guests!"
"Today,"
"I will take these disobedient bugs and this alien trash,"
"And sweep them all into the dustbin of history!"
Boom!!!
At the top of Stark Tower,
Seven peerlessly powerful auras erupted instantly!
The great battle was on the verge of breaking out!
Chapter 74: Not Even Qualified to Warm Me Up
The wind at the top of Stark Tower is strong.
But this wind cannot move the two opposing sides.
On one side is the "Anti-Homelander Alliance" led by former Captain America Steve Rogers.
They are ragged, their equipment is pieced together, and some are even injured.
They look like a pack of stray dogs crawling out of ruins, baring their fangs at the lion high above.
And on the other side.
Is the newly arrived "The Seven".
Magneto is hovering in mid-air, his purple cape flapping, surrounded by countless deadly metal projectiles.
Jean Grey is burning with the faint Phoenix Force, the destructive aura making the air feel scorched.
Wolverine Logan spits out the cigar in his mouth, his adamantium claws sparking harshly.
There is also Scarlet Witch, Quicksilver, Electro...
How is this a battle?
This is clearly an all-star level—
Slaughter show.
"Gulp."
Spider-Man Peter Parker gulps.
He looks at the man who was once his idol, the one whose poster was even on his bedroom wall.
Right now, he is looking at them with eyes that look at trash.
"Cap, Captain..."
Peter's voice trembles under his mask:
"Can we really win? That's Homelander... and Magneto..."
Steve Rogers tightens his grip on his shield.
The shield is already covered in scratches, no longer shiny and new.
But the light in his eyes is firmer than ever before.
"Kid."
Captain America's voice is low and powerful:
"If we don't fight because we can't win."
"Then we have already lost."
"Freedom is not given as charity; it is earned through bloodshed."
"Even if it means bleeding the last drop of blood."
Arthur stands between the two groups.
He crosses his arms, the Stars and Stripes cape behind him spreading in the strong wind, like the wings of a god.
He looks at Captain America's righteous appearance and cannot help but laugh out loud.
"Pfft—"
"Hahahaha!"
Arthur laughs until he is bent over, even reaching out to wipe the tears from the corners of his eyes.
"Steve, oh Steve."
"Save your outdated patriotic speech for the elementary students at the museum."
"This is reality."
"A reality where power is supreme."
Arthur suddenly stops smiling, his eyes becoming cold and piercing.
He points to the bustling New York city beneath his feet, his voice entering the ears of every citizen through the loudspeakers spread across the city:
"Look at these people."
"They collude with aliens, trying to subvert my rule, trying to destroy this hard-won peace."
"They are traitors."
"They are sinners of America."
"Now."
Arthur waves his hand, like an emperor issuing an execution order:
"The Seven!"
"Give me—"
"Clean up the trash!"
Boom!!!
As Arthur's words fall.
Magneto Eric moves first.
He elegantly raises a hand, as if conducting a grand symphony.
"Charles."
Eric looks at his old friend sitting in the wheelchair, a flash of complexity in his eyes, but more of a victor's arrogance:
"You are always so naive."
"Do you think you can change the World with this rabble?"
"Wrong."
"Only power can reshape order."
Hum—!!!
The steel structure of the entire Stark Tower emits a teeth-grinding, twisting sound.
Countless steel bars, like pythons emerging from a cave, instantly pierce through the concrete and strike towards Professor X and Captain America and the others!
"Eric!"
Professor X frowns, pressing two fingers to his temples.
Vast mental power erupts instantly!
He tries to rush into Magneto's brain to make him stop this crazy act.
But.
Just as his thought tentacles touch Magneto's helmet.
Zzz!
That special helmet, upgraded with Homelander Group technology, glows with an eerie blue light.
Directly bouncing Professor X's telepathy back!
"It's useless, Charles."
Eric sneers:
"This is new equipment bestowed upon me by the Boss."
"Your tricks are outdated."
Boom!
The steel python crashes down.
Captain America raises his shield, forcefully resisting this immense power.
"Thud!"
Captain America's knees slam heavily into the floor, and the floor instantly cracks.
"Scatter!"
Captain America roars through gritted teeth.
The battle erupts in an instant.
"Whoosh!"
Quicksilver Pietro turns into a silver flash, rushing directly towards Falcon Sam.
"Is this your speed? Too slow! Too slow!"
Pietro toys with Falcon in the air, even having time to unscrew the screws on Falcon's wings.
"No! My wings!"
Sam cries out, falling from the sky like a weight.
If Spider-Man hadn't fired a web to catch him in time, Falcon would have been a dead bird by now.
On the other side.
"Zzz zzz—"
Electro Max is flowing with blue current, hovering in mid-air like a thunder god.
"Come taste this! You bugs!"
Thick bolts of lightning strike the ground.
The proud mechanical arm of Winter Soldier Bucky shorts out under the impact of the strong current, emitting black smoke.
"Damn it!"
Bucky rolls to dodge in a sorry state, the submachine gun in his hand useless against this kind of energy being.
And in the center of the battlefield.
Wolverine Logan chews on his cigar, his claws scraping harsh sparks on the concrete floor.
He stares at the burning skull—Ghost Rider.
"Hey, toothpick."
Logan exhales a smoke ring, his expression rebellious:
"Your hairstyle is quite unique, where did you get it permed?"
Ghost Rider does not speak.
In those hollow eye sockets, hellfire burns fiercely.
"You are guilty..."
A hoarse, low voice, as if from the depths of hell, sounds.
Ghost Rider swings the chain in his hand violently.
The iron chain with hellfire wraps around Logan's neck like a poisonous snake.
Zzz zzz!
Logan's skin sizzles, but his healing factor begins to work instantly.
"Ah!!!"
Logan roars, not only not retreating, but using the pull of the chain to rush up like a cannonball!
"Then let's see if your bones are harder, or my claws are harder!"
Clang!
The adamantium claws slash heavily on Ghost Rider's skull, splashing a large amount of sparks.
The whole roof is in chaos.
But in the midst of this chaos.
There is one person who has not moved at all.
Arthur.
He is still hovering in mid-air, arms crossed, as if watching a boring circus performance.
The red cape flutters slowly behind him, the divine radiance on his body forming a stark contrast with the killing around him.
"Too weak."
Arthur shakes his head.
He looks at the Avengers who are retreating steadily under the attacks of The Seven, his eyes full of disappointment.
"This is the resistance?"
"This is the trump card you prepared for so long?"
"Not even qualified to warm me up."
Chapter 75: I'll Tear His Head Off Myself!
[Ding! All members of the Avengers have fallen into despair! popularity points +500,000!]
[Ding! The global audience is watching this 'rebellion suppression,' and their admiration for the host has reached its peak! popularity points +1,000,000!]
Listening to the prompts in his head, Arthur let out a yawn.
Being invincible is so lonely.
He was even thinking about what to eat once this was over.
He heard a new taco shop opened in Hells Kitchen that wasn't bad?
Just then.
Boom—!!!
The roar of a motorcycle suddenly drowned out all the sounds of battle.
Ghost Rider forcibly broke away from Wolverine's entanglement.
That motorcycle, burning with Hellfire, actually defied the laws of physics and charged straight up the vertical wall of the building!
He traced a fiery red arc through the air.
Targeting—Arthur!
"For the souls of the innocent!"
Ghost Rider leaped through the air, and in that instant, he abandoned the motorcycle.
He lunged at Arthur like a meteor.
"Hmm?"
Arthur raised an eyebrow.
He looked at the pouncing skull and didn't bother to dodge.
In his eyes, this was no different from a monkey on fire.
However.
This time, the "monkey" didn't use fists or chains.
The moment Ghost Rider got close, he suddenly grabbed the collar of Arthur's suit.
Those hollow eye sockets burning with flames locked onto Arthur's eyes.
"Look into my eyes!"
Ghost Rider roared.
An ancient, mysterious power carrying the force of certain laws instantly erupted!
Penance Stare!
This was Ghost Rider's ultimate killing move!
It allowed the victim to feel all the pain and guilt they had caused others throughout their life, burning them at the soul level!
If it were an ordinary person, or even a tyrant of Thanos's caliber.
Before these eyes, they would likely suffer soul damage.
Fury, watching this through surveillance on the ground, finally had a glimmer of hope flare up in his one eye.
"It worked!"
"As long as the Penance Stare takes effect, even if he's a god, he'll be burned to ashes by his own sins!"
Arthur had killed so many people in New York and caused so much slaughter in Wakanda.
He had even ignored the passing of countless lives for the sake of popularity points.
Under the Penance Stare, these sins were the best fuel!
However.
One second passed.
Two seconds passed.
Arthur just stared back at Ghost Rider.
He didn't even blink.
That so-called soul-burning sensation?
That so-called backlash of sin?
Arthur felt for it.
"That's it?"
He looked at the skull in front of him with some confusion.
"What are you doing?"
"Trying to see who has bigger eyes?"
Ghost Rider was stunned (if a skull could have expressions).
The flames in his eye sockets dimmed a bit due to shock.
"How is this possible..."
"You are guilty! You are covered in sin! Why is the Penance Stare ineffective?!"
Ghost Rider couldn't understand.
As long as there was a soul and guilt, the Penance Stare would definitely work!
Unless...
Unless the man before him had no soul at all!
Or rather, he didn't believe he was guilty at all!
"Sin?"
Arthur laughed.
He laughed with incomparable arrogance and wildness.
"Those are shackles mortals use to restrain themselves."
"I am a god."
"Everything a god does is justice."
"I kill for the sake of purification."
"I destroy for the sake of rebirth."
"My heart holds only love—a 'great love' for this World."
Arthur's logic was perfectly self-consistent.
In his perception, he was absolute justice, absolute correctness.
Without guilt, how could there be judgment?
Coupled with his mental resistance enhanced by the Infinity Stones and the iron will of a Silver Superman.
This so-called Penance Stare was nothing to him.
"Since you've seen enough."
Arthur's expression instantly turned cold.
His patience for watching this monkey show had run out.
"Then it's my turn."
"Look into my eyes."
"I'll show you what true 'heat' really is!"
Buzz!!!
Arthur's pupils instantly turned into two crimson Suns!
That was Silver Superman-level Heat Vision, reaching fifteen million degrees!
And this time.
He also added the amplification of the yellow Mind Stone on his bracer!
Physical high temperature + mental impact!
A double strike!
Sizzle—!!!
Two thick beams of light, red mixed with yellow, blasted directly into Ghost Rider's hollow eye sockets at point-blank range!
"Aaaaaagh—!!!"
This wasn't just physical burning.
It was a terrifying energy that could even swallow Hellfire!
Ghost Rider let out a shrill, agonizing scream.
His skull began to melt and crack under the high temperature.
That Hellfire, originally meant to judge others, was now being forced back into his body by the Heat Vision!
"Trying to judge me?"
"You're not worthy!"
Arthur roared, turning the Heat Vision to full power!
Boom!!!
Ghost Rider's head directly exploded!
That immortal body, before absolute power, turned into a pile of scattered bones, falling powerlessly toward the ground with residual sparks.
"Johnny!"
Captain America's eyes nearly burst seeing this.
But he couldn't worry about it anymore.
Because Arthur had already turned his head.
Those eyes, still smoking red, looked down at the battlefield below.
"Done playing?"
Arthur's voice was like the sentence of the God of Death.
He slowly reached out a hand.
On his bracer, the blue Space Stone lit up with a strange, eerie light.
"Since you like being together so much."
"Then don't separate."
Buzz!
Space seemed to turn solid.
An irresistible force of imprisonment instantly enveloped the entire rooftop.
The fighting Captain America, Bucky, Spider-Man...
Everyone's movements froze in that instant.
Like flies trapped in amber.
They couldn't move a single finger!
"This is the gap in strength."
Arthur slowly descended, his red cape hanging behind him like a river of blood.
He walked up to Captain America, who was frozen in place.
He reached out and gently patted that face, which remained unyielding even while imprisoned.
"Steve."
"I gave you guys a chance."
"But you're just useless."
Arthur shook his head with a look of regret:
"I originally wanted to arrange a decent retirement for you."
"Playing chess in a nursing home, or going to schools to tell kids stories about World War II."
"But you insisted on being Terrorists."
"In that case..."
Arthur turned around and put on an extremely sorrowful expression for the news helicopters still circling.
"To the audience."
"You've seen it too."
"This group of former heroes has now fallen into criminals endangering national security."
"They colluded with aliens (pointing at Corvus Glaive's corpse on the ground), and I'll overlook them attacking me."
"But they even wanted to destroy this city!"
"As Homelander, I am truly heartbroken."
"But..."
Arthur's eyes instantly became firm and cold:
"For the safety of America."
"For justice."
"I must place righteousness above personal ties!"
"Wesley!"
Arthur called out.
Wesley, who had been hiding in the safe house watching the show, immediately ran out.
"Boss, I'm here!"
"Take these people..."
Arthur pointed at the statue-like Avengers:
"Lock them all in the 'Deep Sea' prison."
"The one we specifically built for Mutant criminals at the bottom of the Mariana Trench."
"Don't let even a fly get out of there."
"As for this one..."
Arthur glanced at Professor X, who was sitting in a wheelchair nearby, trying to use his mind to break through the spatial confinement.
He walked over and looked down at the old man.
"Charles."
"Your mind is too dangerous."
"Though I have a Bio-electric Field and don't fear you."
"My people do."
Arthur reached out and gently placed his hand on Professor X's bald head.
The light of the Mind Stone shone once more.
"So, for everyone's safety."
"You should just take a nap."
"Sleep forever."
Buzz!
The power of the Mind Stone instantly surged into Professor X's brain.
Not to control him, but to—seal him.
Locking his consciousness within a dream labyrinth from which he could never wake.
Professor X's eyes instantly glazed over, and his head slumped forward powerlessly.
The most powerful brain in the World had, at this moment, shut down.
"Done."
Arthur clapped his hands as if he had just performed a trivial task.
He looked at the resistance army that had been wiped out in one fell swoop, his heart without a single ripple.
"Too weak."
"Really too weak."
"They don't even have the qualifications to farm popularity for me."
He looked up at the deep, starry sky of the Universe.
That was his true stage.
"Thanos..."
"Your vanguard has been sent off."
"Your dog has also been slaughtered by me."
"Next, it should be your turn, right?"
A bloodthirsty smile curled at the corner of Arthur's mouth.
"Come quickly."
"My fists are already starving for action!"
And just then.
In the remote depths of space.
A giant warship comparable to the size of the moon—Sanctuary II.
It was slowly entering the Solar System.
Upon the throne.
The purple Titan giant slowly stood up.
He put on that golden gauntlet, inlaid with a purple Power Stone (obtained through other channels, not the one in Arthur's hand; correction here, as Arthur has the Power Stone, the one in Thanos's hand might be a fake or stolen from another timeline? No, according to the setting, Arthur has Power, Space, and Reality. Then Thanos might only have Soul, Time, Mind... wait, Mind is also with Arthur.)
Wait.
Thanos looked at his empty gauntlet.
There was only a green Time Stone (not yet obtained) and an orange Soul Stone (not yet sacrificed Gamora).
Right now in his hand...
It seemed he didn't have a single one?!
Thanos's face darkened.
"That Earthling..."
"Stole all my stones?!"
"Very well."
Thanos clenched his fist, his terrifying aura making the entire ship tremble.
"Then let him know."
"The price of seizing destiny!"
"All forces, attack!"
"Target—Earth!"
"I'll tear his head off myself!"
Chapter 76: The Show Has Only Just Begun
Stark Tower top floor.
The wind stopped.
But the air became even more viscous, heavy enough to make one suffocate.
Those Avengers restrained by the Space Stone still maintained various twisted postures.
Like a group of flies solidified in amber.
Arthur was in no hurry to send them to that "deep-sea prison" located in the Mariana Trench.
Because.
A bigger show was coming.
"Bzzt..."
The moment Arthur finished speaking.
The entire sky over New York... no, the entire Western Hemisphere, suddenly darkened.
The originally bright sunlight was swallowed by some giant object.
A huge shadow shrouded the Earth.
All electronic screens, mobile phones, and even the billboards on the roadside flickered and glitched in that instant.
Immediately after.
A deep, hoarse voice, seemingly carrying endless majesty.
Through some unknown technological means, it forcibly cut into global communication channels.
"Earthlings."
"I am Thanos."
"I come for destiny."
Accompanied by this voice.
The clouds were violently torn apart.
A giant warship comparable to the size of a city—Sanctuary II.
Bringing a desperate sense of oppression, it slowly broke through the clouds.
It was like a steel beast from the abyss, hovering over Manhattan.
Blotting out the sky and sun.
The terrifying visual impact was a hundred times stronger than the previous Chitauri mothership!
"Rumble—"
The engine sound of the warship made the glass of the entire city tremble.
Countless citizens who were just cheering for Homelander now had their smiles frozen on their faces.
Fear.
Spread once again.
"What... what is this?"
"Are the aliens here again?!"
"Homelander! Help!"
Screams and cries resounded through the sky.
And on the top floor of Stark Tower.
Tony Stark raised his head with difficulty, looking at the huge warship above his head.
His face was as pale as paper.
"Is this... the end of the World?"
He recognized that level of warship.
It was a War Machine capable of destroying a civilization.
Compared to his armor that was still playing in the mud on Earth, this was simply dimensional reduction warfare.
"Is this what you wanted to see?"
Captain America, pinned to the spot, squeezed out a sentence with all his might, his eyes filled with anger:
"Is this the peace under your rule?"
Arthur ignored Captain America's questioning.
He just raised his head, looking at the huge spaceship, a smile of extreme excitement curling on the corner of his mouth.
"Tsk tsk tsk."
"Such a big show."
"These special effects, this sound effect, this sense of oppression."
"It's simply a stage tailored for the protagonist's entrance."
Arthur straightened his collar.
He turned around and looked at the members of "The Seven" behind him who were already having weak legs.
Magneto's hands were trembling slightly, and the surrounding magnetic field was in chaos.
The cigar in Logan's mouth fell out, and his steel claws also extended unconsciously.
Even Jean Grey, who possessed the Phoenix Force, had a flash of unease in her eyes.
Faced with such a Universe-level overlord, instinctive fear was unavoidable.
"What are you panicking about?"
Arthur's voice was steady and powerful, instantly steadying everyone's minds.
He walked to Magneto and reached out to pat Magneto's shoulder:
"Eric."
"Don't you always want Mutants to stand under the sun?"
"Now, the opportunity has come."
Arthur pointed to the huge warship above:
"That is your pledge of allegiance."
"Go."
"Let this Purple Potato Spirit know whose territory Earth is."
Magneto took a deep breath.
The ambition of being a hegemon once again overcame the fear.
"Understood, Boss."
He slowly rose into the air, his purple cloak flapping in the strong wind.
He opened his hands abruptly!
"For Homelander!"
"Rumble—!!!"
The metal of the entire New York City roared at this moment.
Countless cars, steel bars, and street lamps converged toward the sky like a hundred rivers returning to the sea.
Under his control, they turned into a steel dragon, roaring and rushing towards Sanctuary II!
Meanwhile.
Jean Grey also moved.
Her red hair fluttered without wind, and her eyes instantly turned into pure flame color.
Phoenix Force erupted!
A visible telekinetic ripple swept up like a tsunami!
"Me too!"
Electro Max turned into a bolt of lightning, rushing directly into the clouds, trying to trigger the heavenly thunder.
The war was on the verge of breaking out!
...
Sanctuary II, command room.
Thanos sat on the throne.
He looked at the resisting Earthlings on the screen without a ripple in his eyes.
"Pointless struggle."
He waved his hand lightly.
"Fire."
"Let this Planet feel pain."
"Boom! Boom! Boom!"
Hundreds of energy cannons at the bottom of Sanctuary II fired simultaneously!
Dense blue beams poured down like a rainstorm!
This is called "rain and dew for everyone"!
"Not good!"
Magneto's face changed drastically.
He tried his best to control the steel dragon to block it.
But in front of that star-annihilating firepower, those cars and steel bars were like paper.
They were instantly melted and blown to pieces!
"Pfft!"
Magneto suffered a backlash, spewed a mouthful of blood, and fell from the sky.
"Eric!"
Jean Grey gritted her teeth, Phoenix Force fully activated, trying to hold up a barrier.
But the sky-filling artillery fire was too dense!
"Rumble!"
The explosions connected in mid-air.
Jean's barrier lasted less than three seconds before cracks appeared.
"Ah—!!!"
Electro was even more miserable, directly swept by the aftershock of a main cannon, and was blown away like a kite with a broken string, the lightning on his body dimming a lot.
Just one encounter.
The Seven, routed!
This is the power of the Universe overlord.
This is the crushing of absolute technology and force.
On the ground.
Countless buildings were hit by artillery fire, flames soaring into the sky.
Desperate emotions spread.
People cried and prayed.
"Where is Homelander?!"
"Where is he?!"
"Why hasn't he made a move yet?!"
[Ding! Detected that the global panic index has reached its peak!]
[Ding! Detected that the public's expectation for the host has broken through the critical point!]
[Ding! popularity points + 500,000!]
[Ding! popularity points + 800,000...]
Stark Tower top floor.
Arthur looked at this scene, looking at his subordinates who were beaten up.
The smile on his face finally bloomed to the extreme.
"That's about it."
"The foreshadowing is enough."
"The despair has been brewed in place."
"Now..."
Arthur rose slowly.
He didn't rush up.
Instead, he used his eyes strengthened by the Mind Stone to look at the camera hovering in the air (that was Eddie Brock risking his life to film on the helicopter).
"Citizens."
"Don't be afraid."
"Because—"
"I am here."
"Boom!!!"
Before the words fell.
Arthur's figure disappeared instantly!
The next second.
He appeared directly in the sky-filling artillery fire.
But he didn't dodge.
Nor did he use any shield.
He just opened his arms and used his chest to meet the rain of energy cannons that could destroy the city!
"Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!"
Countless beams bombarded his body.
The flames swallowed him completely.
"It's over..."
Tony looked at the huge fireball, his heart feeling cold.
Even if it was Homelander, facing this level of firepower head-on, it would...
However.
The next moment.
All the explosion sounds stopped abruptly.
The smoke dissipated.
The dark blue figure was still hovering steadily there.
That suit didn't even have a speck of dust on it.
And around his body.
A faint purple halo was flowing.
That was—the Power Stone's shield!
"Is that it?"
Arthur patted his shoulder, looking disgusted:
"Thanos."
"Is this all you've got?"
"Or are you not eating?"
His voice penetrated the atmosphere and exploded directly in the command room of Sanctuary II.
Thanos on the throne stood up abruptly.
On that purple face, there was finally a trace of solemnity.
"Power Stone..."
"It's really in his hands."
Thanos clenched his fists, and the armor on his body made a clacking sound.
"I want to meet him personally."
"Teleport!"
"Hum!"
A blue beam of light shot out from the bottom of the ship.
Thanos's huge body, holding the double-edged sword, landed slowly.
He floated opposite Arthur.
The two confronted each other across the air.
One is the Universe overlord, one is the god among men.
At this moment.
The whole World held its breath.
"Human."
Thanos looked at Arthur, his eyes cold:
"You are strong."
"But you blocked the path of destiny."
"Hand over the stone, and I can bestow half of the vitality upon this Planet."
"Half?"
Arthur laughed.
He laughed extremely arrogantly and extremely arrogantly.
He raised his left hand, showing the wrist guard embedded with four Infinity Stones.
Yellow, blue, red, purple.
The four lights reflected each other, emitting an aura that made the Universe tremble.
"Thanos."
"Did you get something wrong?"
"Are you worthy of negotiating terms with me?"
Arthur pointed to Thanos's empty left hand (although wearing a glove, there was no stone):
"Look at your hand."
"Look at mine."
"Who is destiny?"
"You are just a Purple Potato Spirit."
"And the kind that isn't ripe yet."
This "Purple Potato Spirit", through the live broadcast, instantly made the global tense atmosphere a bit... weird.
"Pfft—"
In the ruins, Deadpool (if he were there) would definitely laugh out loud.
Thanos's face turned black instantly (although it was purple originally).
As a Universe overlord, when has he suffered such an insult?
"You seek death!"
Thanos roared.
The double-edged sword in his hand spun violently, carrying terrifying kinetic energy, and slashed fiercely at Arthur!
This slash was enough to cut a Planet!
But Arthur didn't even move.
He just raised a finger slightly.
"Ding!"
A crisp sound.
That double-edged sword, known as indestructible, was actually blocked by Arthur with one finger!
"What?!"
Thanos's pupils shook violently.
How is this possible?!
Is this pure physical strength?!
"Too slow."
Arthur shook his head, his eyes full of disappointment:
"Too weak."
"Is this the so-called Universe overlord?"
"Not even qualified to give me a massage."
"Boom!"
Arthur's finger flicked violently.
"Bang!"
That divine weapon blade made of Uru metal was actually chipped!
The huge recoil force made Thanos's tiger's mouth crack, and his whole body flew backward uncontrollably.
But it wasn't over yet.
"Courtesy demands reciprocity."
Arthur's eyes lit up suddenly.
Not ordinary red light.
But the ultimate Heat Vision fused with the energy of the Mind Stone and Power Stone!
"Zzz—!!!"
Two thick seven-colored light beams like pillars of heaven sprayed out instantly!
"Taste this!"
"Boom!!!"
The light beam hit Thanos, who hadn't stabilized his figure, instantly.
"Ah—!!!"
Even with the tough physique of the Titan clan, he let out a shrill scream at this moment.
The armor on Thanos's body vaporized instantly.
His skin began to scorch and crack.
The whole person was like a meteor, firmly nailed to the bottom armor of Sanctuary II!
"Rumble!"
The huge warship was pushed back continuously by this impact, triggering a chain reaction of explosions.
"This is a god!"
"This is Homelander!"
On the ground, countless people shouted crazily.
At this moment, Arthur's popularity points soared again!
[Ding! Detected that the host crushed the Universe overlord head-on! Caused epic shock!]
[Ding! popularity points + 10,000,000!]
[Ding! popularity points + 20,000,000!]
"Awesome!"
Arthur retracted his Heat Vision, looking at Thanos who was still smoking.
"Don't play dead."
"I know you're not dead yet."
"Get up."
Arthur hooked his fingers:
"The show has only just begun."
"Don't disappoint my audience."
Just then.
The cabin door of the riddled Sanctuary II opened wide.
Countless Black Order armies like a tide poured out like locusts.
Dense, blotting out the sky and sun.
"Are you planning to use human wave tactics?"
Arthur sneered.
He turned his head and looked at "The Seven" below.
"Watching the show there?"
"Didn't you see guests coming?"
"Go."
Arthur waved his hand:
"Clean up these bugs for me."
"As for this Purple Potato Spirit..."
He looked at Thanos again, the red light in his eyes jumping again:
"He is mine."
"Today."
"I want to twist his head off."
"And kick it like a ball!"
Chapter 77: Destiny? I am Destiny!
The hatch of Sanctuary II swung wide open.
Like a black tide bursting through a dam.
Countless Black Order, like a swarm of hungry locusts, poured frantically from inside the warship.
They hissed and roared, driven by pure bloodlust.
Dense and numerous, they blotted out the sun.
That sheer number was enough to drive any Earthly army to despair.
"Roar—!!!"
The Outrider army descended from the sky like a black rainstorm, crashing onto the streets of Manhattan.
On the ground, the citizens who were just cheering were instantly paralyzed with fear.
Screams rang out once again.
"Monsters! So many monsters!"
"Homelander! Help us!"
Meanwhile, on the top floor of Stark Tower.
Arthur looked at the "swarm" filling the sky, not showing the slightest bit of panic.
Instead, it was as if he were looking at some interesting toys.
He stood with his arms crossed, his red cape snapping in the wind behind him.
"Tsk, tsk, tsk."
"Is this your trump card? Thanos."
Arthur turned his head to look at the purple giant who had just crawled out of the ruins.
Thanos was in a wretched state.
His golden armor was mostly shattered, revealing the charred skin beneath.
Yet, he still stood tall and straight.
In those purple eyes burned an unquenchable fire of rage and... a nearly insane obsession.
"Human."
Thanos's voice was hoarse, yet it still carried an air of dominance:
"You are strong."
"But you don't understand destiny at all."
"Quantity is a quality of its own, sometimes."
Thanos brandished his chipped double-edged sword, pointing it at Arthur:
"Kill him!"
"For the balance of the Universe!"
"Roar—!!!"
Upon receiving the command, the Outrider army instantly changed direction.
Like a black tornado, they swept toward the top floor of Stark Tower!
The scene was ten thousand times more terrifying than a zombie siege!
However.
Arthur didn't even bat an eyelid.
He simply tilted his head slightly and snapped his fingers at The Seven behind him.
"Boys."
"It's dinner time."
"Don't let these filthy things touch my cape."
"Yes, Boss!"
Magneto Erik was the first to charge out.
With an elegant yet cruel smile on his face, he thrust his hands upward.
"In this jungle of steel..."
"...I am God!"
Buzz—!!!
Manhattan's entire underground pipe network, steel structures, and even the cars on the roadside roared at that moment.
Countless tons of metal torrents rose from the ground!
Transforming into a terrifying metal storm!
Pffft pffft pffft pffft!
The Black Order at the very front were instantly skewered by countless steel bars, hanging in mid-air like meat on skewers!
But this was only the beginning.
"For Homelander!"
Electro Max transformed into a Thunder Lord, his entire being turning into a ball of dazzling blue light.
He plunged into the swarm.
Zzzzt zzzzt!
High-voltage arcs spread out like a spiderweb.
Wherever he passed, hundreds of Black Order were instantly electrocuted into charcoal, emitting a pungent smell of roasted meat.
"Hahaha! This feels great!"
Max laughed wildly; the feeling of unleashing his power so freely fascinated him.
"Don't steal my kills!"
Logan, with a cigar in his mouth, charged into the enemy ranks like a mad wolf.
His adamantium claws whirled into a silver cyclone.
Severed limbs flew, and flesh and blood splattered everywhere.
He stayed right at the front, letting the monsters' claws leave wounds on his body only for them to heal instantly.
He was a tireless meat grinder!
Jean Grey hovered in mid-air, her red hair fluttering.
She didn't use broad, sweeping movements like the others.
She simply reached out a hand.
Hum!
The Phoenix Force transformed into invisible ripples.
Any Outrider that came within a hundred meters of the tower saw their body instantly disintegrate into basic atomic dust.
Elegant.
And lethal.
As for Quicksilver and Wanda.
The siblings coordinated perfectly.
Quicksilver became a streak of silver lightning, knocking away the monsters trying to flank them.
Wanda used Chaos Magic to tear them apart.
At this moment.
The entire World was stunned.
These are Homelander's subordinates?
This is the so-called "The Seven"?
This is too damn powerful!
These monsters were like lambs to the slaughter before them!
"My God..."
"This is too strong!"
"Long live Homelander! Long live The Seven!"
[Ding! Global audience's extreme shock detected!]
[Ding! popularity points +500,000!]
[Ding! popularity points +800,000...]
Arthur listened to the prompts in his head and nodded with satisfaction.
These subordinates were worth the investment.
This was a good show.
"It seems your swarm tactic isn't working very well."
Arthur turned his head to look at Thanos, a highly punchable smile appearing on his face:
"Got any other moves?"
"Hurry up and use them."
"Otherwise, my audience will get impatient."
Thanos glared intently at Arthur.
He watched as his proud army was harvested like weeds before those humans.
His heart was bleeding.
But he did not back down.
Because he was Thanos.
He was Destiny!
"You will regret this."
Thanos took a deep breath.
He slammed his double-edged sword into the ground.
Then.
He pulled out a device emitting an eerie red light from his bosom.
It was a forbidden weapon he had obtained from the ruins of an ancient civilization during his conquest of the Universe.
It forcibly increased combat power at the cost of burning life force!
"For the Universe!"
Thanos roared and slammed his hand down on the device.
Boom!!!
A terrifying red energy was instantly injected into his body.
His muscles began to swell, and his veins bulged like earthworms.
His originally purple skin now turned blood-red!
His aura surged!
He was more than twice as strong as before!
"Oh?"
Arthur raised an eyebrow, a flicker of interest flashing in his eyes:
"Powering up?"
"Interesting."
"I hope you can withstand a couple more of my punches."
"Die!!!"
Thanos pulled out his blade and charged forward like a cannonball.
He was so fast that he left a red afterimage in the air!
This strike.
Was incredibly heavy and powerful!
It was enough to split a Planet!
But Arthur still didn't dodge.
He didn't even activate a shield.
He simply raised his right hand slowly.
Clenched his fist.
And then.
Swung it out seemingly at random.
Bang!!!
Fist and blade collided violently.
There were no fancy techniques.
It was a pure collision of power!
Crack!
A crisp sound rang out.
That double-edged sword, which once made the Universe tremble in fear...
...under this single punch...
...shattered directly into countless fragments!
And Arthur's fist didn't lose its momentum.
It slammed hard into Thanos's face!
Pfft!
Thanos's face, which had just been incredibly hideous, instantly deformed.
Teeth flew out, and his nose was pulverized.
He was sent flying backward, spinning as if he had been hit by a train!
Rumble!
He crashed through three buildings in a row before finally smashing into the Hudson River, kicking up a hundred-meter-high water column!
Instant kill!
Another instant kill!
Even after his power-up, Thanos was still no match for Silver Superman!
"Too weak."
Arthur shook his head, looking disappointed.
He hovered in the air, looking at the splashing river surface.
"This is the Overlord of the Universe?"
"This is the so-called ultimate villain?"
"He's not even qualified to help me warm up."
He turned around and spread his hands to the camera:
"Dear viewers."
"It seems today's program might have to end early."
"Because our guest... really can't take a hit."
[Ding! Host's invincible posture detected! popularity points +1,000,000!]
[Ding! popularity points +2,000,000!]
However.
Just as Arthur was about to go down and fish Thanos out to desecrate his body...
"Gurgle, gurgle..."
The surface of the Hudson River suddenly began to boil.
Immediately after.
A massive blue pillar of light shot up from the bottom of the river, heading straight for the sky!
That was—the light of space teleportation!
"Hmm?"
Arthur's brow furrowed.
"Trying to run?"
His figure flickered, and he instantly appeared above the river surface.
His eyes glowed with intense red light, about to fire his Heat Vision to interrupt the teleportation.
But just then.
"Buzz—!!!"
Sanctuary II, which was already nearly destroyed in the sky.
Suddenly erupted with a World-destroying energy fluctuation!
Self-destruct sequence!
That fellow Thanos actually detonated his own flagship just to escape!
Rumble—!!!
A massive fireball exploded over Manhattan.
A terrifying shockwave swept outward.
If it wasn't blocked, all of New York would be leveled!
"Damn it!"
Arthur cursed.
Although he didn't care about the lives of New York's citizens.
This was his power base!
If everyone died, who would provide him with popularity points?
"Freeze!"
Arthur suddenly raised his left hand.
The Space Stone on his bracer flared with blue light!
An invisible spatial barrier instantly expanded, forcibly locking the terrifying explosion's shockwave high in the air!
It was like forcibly stuffing a nuclear bomb that was about to explode into a jar!
And taking advantage of this gap.
The blue light at the bottom of the river flickered once.
Thanos's presence completely vanished.
"He escaped?"
Arthur looked at the calm river surface, his expression somewhat grim.
Though he didn't take Thanos seriously.
But this feeling of the cooked duck flying away made him very unhappy.
Extremely unhappy.
"Consider yourself lucky you ran fast."
Arthur snorted coldly.
With a casual wave of his hand, he threw the explosion energy imprisoned high in the air into outer space.
A brilliant firework exploded there.
"However..."
A cruel smile curled at the corner of Arthur's mouth:
"You can run, but you can't hide."
"Once I've finished dealing with these matters on Earth."
"I will go into the Universe to find you."
"When that time comes."
"I will wipe out your nest, along with that Dark Quadrant of yours."
"I'll scatter it all to the winds!"
The battle ended.
The Outrider army lost its command and was soon slaughtered to the last by The Seven.
The streets of Manhattan were littered with the corpses of alien monsters.
But that didn't stop people from cheering.
"We won! We won!"
"Long live Homelander!"
Arthur slowly landed on the top floor of Stark Tower.
He looked at his group of subordinates, who were panting with exhaustion but full of excitement.
Especially Magneto and Jean Grey.
In their eyes, the thirst for power and reverence for Arthur had reached its peak.
"Good job."
Arthur nodded and gave a rare compliment:
"I am very satisfied with today's performance."
"Everyone gets double the bonus."
"Also..."
He turned to look at Tony Stark, who looked despairing in the corner.
"Tony."
Arthur walked over and patted his shoulder:
"Don't look so downcast."
"Look, the World has been saved once again."
"And..."
Arthur pointed at the alien corpses:
"These are all good materials."
"Take them and study them; who knows, maybe your armor can be upgraded?"
Tony looked up at Arthur's smiling face.
He gave a bitter laugh.
"Yeah."
"Saved by you again."
"What should I say?"
"Thank you, Homelander?"
"You're welcome."
Arthur accepted the thanks as a matter of course.
He turned around, facing New York City under the setting sun.
That was his city.
His kingdom.
"Alright, everyone."
"Clean up the battlefield."
"Tomorrow is another day."
"And as for me..."
Arthur rubbed his chin, a glint flashing in his eyes:
"...it's time to take back what belongs to me."
"For example..."
"That Time Stone that's always hanging around the Ancient One's neck."
"And..."
"That Planet Vormir, where the Soul Stone is said to be hidden."
"The Infinity Stones—since they're here, they should be gathered together."
"Not a single one missing!"
"Gather all six stones, snap my fingers..."
"Tsk, tsk, tsk."
"That feeling must be quite something, right?"
Arthur thought slyly to himself.
"But before that."
"He had to make a trip to S.H.I.E.L.D."
"I heard that old fellow Fury ran away?"
"Heh."
"All under heaven is the King's land."
"Where could you possibly run?"
"My Lord Director."