Cull Obsidian burned with fighting spirit.
Netero, in contrast, showed no expression at all.
With fury and the intent to kill, Cull Obsidian charged once more. Netero simply tilted its head, as if observing something trivial.
"Die!"
Cull Obsidian roared, bringing his massive axe crashing down. The sheer force whipped up a violent gale that tore across the battlefield.
Even Corvus Glaive, a warrior of immense strength, was slightly surprised by the power behind that strike. In terms of raw strength alone, Cull Obsidian was the strongest among them.
Seeing that Netero did not dodge, Corvus Glaive sneered.
"Looking for death."
He had already decided how this would end.
Then, in the next instant—
Boom!
The axe slammed down… into Netero's hand.
Cull Obsidian's face twisted in shock.
His axe had been caught. Barehanded.
Impossible.
In his mind, not even Thanos himself should be able to do that so casually. Yet reality stood before him, undeniable.
He tried to pull the axe free, but Netero's grip was like an iron vise. The blade did not budge.
Then Netero moved.
It stared at him and threw a punch.
Bang!
The blow landed cleanly, snapping Cull Obsidian's head back. Still, he clung stubbornly to his weapon.
He was the most durable among the Black Order. One punch, no matter how strong, would not be enough to bring him down.
With a roar, he pushed forward again, refusing to accept defeat.
But Netero answered with something far more overwhelming.
Its fists blurred, striking faster than the eye could follow. At first, Cull Obsidian held his ground. Then, gradually, his vision blurred. His consciousness began to fade.
At last, his grip loosened.
His massive body plummeted from the sky and crashed heavily to the ground.
For a brief moment, the battlefield fell silent.
Cull Obsidian… defeated?
Many in Thanos' army felt a chill run through them. To them, the Black Order stood just beneath Thanos himself, the pinnacle of power.
And now one of them had been crushed so decisively.
For the first time, doubt crept in. Could even their master lose?
Thanos' expression darkened.
"Useless."
His voice was calm, but cold.
Cull Obsidian represented his authority. That defeat was an insult.
Corvus Glaive stepped forward, gripping his glaive.
"My lord, allow me to deal with that thing."
Before Thanos could answer, Netero vanished.
In the next moment, it appeared directly in front of Thanos. Its claws slashed toward his head.
Just as the strike was about to land, Thanos moved.
His blade rose in a flash, intercepting the attack. Netero's claws clamped onto the weapon, but before it could follow up, Thanos twisted his arm and flung it away.
Netero was hurled dozens of meters before crashing to the ground.
Inside the ship, Nolan's expression turned serious.
"Fast."
He had assumed Thanos relied primarily on brute strength. He had hoped Netero's sudden strike might gain an advantage.
The attack had been sudden, yes. But Thanos' response was even faster.
Strength and speed combined perfectly.
No wonder he ruled the cosmos.
After forcing Netero back, Thanos remained calm.
"So this is the confidence behind Rock Tech?"
There was faint disdain in his voice.
To him, Netero's performance was impressive, but nothing more.
It was not enough.
He did not even bother looking at it again. He had already determined it was nothing more than a machine. Its true controller had to be somewhere outside Knowhere.
Nolan did not stay silent.
This battlefield had been prepared long in advance. His eyes and ears were everywhere.
Among the mechanical forces landing on the Collector's planet, a Terminator T-800 suddenly stepped forward.
"This is part of it. But not all of it."
Almost instantly, Proxima Midnight attacked. Her spear shot forward with terrifying force, piercing through the T-800 and several machines behind it in one strike.
She frowned.
The attack had achieved nothing.
Nearby, another machine spoke.
"Too impatient."
Then another.
"Too impatient."
All around them, every machine opened its mouth and repeated the same words.
An eerie atmosphere spread through the air.
Ebony Maw let out a cold chuckle.
"My lord, it seems our enemy has no intention of retreating."
Thanos studied Netero, standing alone in the distance.
Then he moved.
If this was their confidence, real or not, it only needed to be crushed.
He had always relied on absolute power.
Schemes meant nothing to him.
He attacked.
The impact was overwhelming. Netero, who had just dominated Cull Obsidian, was sent flying again, smashing into the ground and carving out a massive crater.
But Netero had its strengths.
Under Red Queen's control, it switched into combat optimization mode, using calculated precision to engage Thanos.
For over a dozen exchanges, it held its ground.
Even Thanos showed a hint of surprise.
In all his years, this was the first time a construct like this had resisted him, even briefly.
But still, it was not enough.
Under relentless assault, Netero began to falter.
The Black Order watched, exhilarated. This was the power they revered.
No one could stand against their master.
Even the soldiers fighting across the planet felt their morale surge.
Nolan watched for a moment longer.
Then he made his move.
A portal opened. The Apostle Mech assembled around him.
This had always been his goal.
To face Thanos directly.
His previous battle against Dormammu had been against a weakened entity. This… this was different.
This was his first true confrontation with a being of this level.
The towering Apostle Mech appeared above Knowhere, its imposing form drawing the attention of the Black Order.
Ebony Maw spoke softly.
"It seems they have more to offer."
Corvus Glaive stepped forward.
"I'll handle him."
As the strongest among them, none objected.
He flew toward Nolan.
Inside the mech, Nolan felt the immense power coursing through him. Before he could act, Corvus Glaive was already upon him.
"Activate AT Field."
A geometric barrier unfolded, enveloping the mech.
Without hesitation, Corvus Glaive struck.
He expected to shatter it in a single blow.
Instead, his blade stopped cold.
The AT Field remained untouched.
Shock flashed across his face.
Before he could react, the mech's hand closed around his throat.
"Corvus Glaive."
Nolan recognized him instantly.
Even Thanos noticed.
He had yet to finish Netero, yet his most trusted warrior was already captured.
Unacceptable.
Power erupted.
Netero, already struggling, was smashed into the ground. Thanos followed with a devastating strike, splitting it in two.
With Netero destroyed, he looked up at Nolan, his gaze icy.
The message was clear.
If you want death, come and take it.
Nolan answered just as directly.
He crushed Corvus Glaive's neck.
But he did not stop there.
He knew the truth. Corvus Glaive's life was bound to his weapon.
As long as the glaive existed, he would not die.
So, under Thanos' darkening gaze, Nolan crushed the weapon as well.
"Corvus!"
Proxima Midnight's voice was filled with fury and shock.
She had never worried before. Now, there was nothing left to rely on.
Enraged, she charged.
"Stand down."
Thanos' voice stopped her.
"You are not his opponent."
Reluctantly, she withdrew.
Thanos stared at Nolan.
"I underestimated you. I thought Rock Tech was just another company."
His voice hardened.
"You will learn what fear truly means."
Nolan smiled faintly.
"I'm more curious about one thing. Did you get the Space Stone?"
He had already noticed the Infinity Gauntlet. Only one gem rested in it.
No Space Stone.
Was it still on the Collector's planet?
Thanos tightened his grip on his weapon.
"That has nothing to do with you. Your only fate is to die here."
He moved.
So did Nolan.
They collided instantly.
Relying on the AT Field, Nolan did not dodge.
But he knew better now. The barrier was not absolute.
Cracks appeared the moment they clashed.
Yet even Thanos was surprised.
The barrier had truly blocked him.
Still, his attacks did not slow.
The massive mech became a target under his relentless assault.
Nolan's heart sank.
At this rate, defeat was certain.
He pulled back.
"Red Queen!"
Behind him, the ship's bay doors opened.
Dozens of smaller mechs surged out.
War machines were never meant for duels.
Their strength lay in numbers.
Each unit was a fusion of Terminator systems and Mjolnir armor, capable of explosive bursts of power at great cost.
Now was not the time to worry about cost.
Standing amidst the swarm, Nolan spoke calmly.
"Round two begins."
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