Magic.
This was not the first time Tony Stark had witnessed magic.
The battle in the Dark Dimension remained one of the most unforgettable experiences of his life.
In that war, even after giving everything he had, he had been little more than a ripple in an endless ocean.
The spells unleashed back then were far more terrifying than the one before him now.
Yet the feeling was completely different.
Because during that battle, the ones standing directly against those forces were Nolan and Stephen Strange.
Both possessed extraordinary mastery over magic. Even when facing overwhelming mystical power, neither had shown the slightest weakness.
But now?
Not a single member of the Avengers was truly a mage.
Tony could not even imagine what would happen if that spell landed on the battlefield.
Wanda took a deep breath and stepped forward, placing herself between the enemy and everyone else.
At a moment like this, only she could try to stop it.
She wasn't confident.
Not even close.
But retreating was not an option.
Seeing Wanda step forward, the others quickly understood.
She might not be a sorcerer in the traditional sense, but the power she wielded was magical in nature.
Maybe...
Just maybe...
She could stop it.
Scarlet Chaos Magic poured from her hands.
The crimson energy expanded outward, forming a massive protective barrier that enveloped the battlefield.
Across from her, Ebony Maw's eyes widened slightly.
"Earth actually possesses a mage of this caliber?"
He had believed he was already giving Earth more credit than it deserved.
Any civilization capable of forcing his fleet from the skies was far from weak.
Yet in his eyes, Earth had always been nothing more than a primitive world once protected by Asgard.
Now he realized he had underestimated it.
Even after all his caution.
Earth was far stronger than he had imagined.
But what of it?
He was one of the most renowned masters of magic in the universe.
"You want to stop me?"
A cold smile appeared on his face.
"Then try."
With a wave of his hand, the enormous sphere of dark energy shot toward the area where the largest concentration of NS-5 combat robots had gathered.
Wanda immediately shifted the position of her barrier.
Too late.
The black sphere slammed into the Chaos Magic shield.
For a brief moment, both forces collided.
Then the crimson barrier began to melt away.
In seconds, the shield was disintegrating.
Yet only a tiny fraction of the dark sphere's power had been consumed.
The remaining energy continued its descent.
Everything it touched was erased.
The moment it struck the ground, the sphere suddenly collapsed into a single point.
Then...
BOOM!
A deafening explosion shook the battlefield.
Terrifying energy erupted in every direction.
The blast engulfed both the Avengers and portions of Thanos' army alike.
Wanda immediately withdrew her scattered magic and concentrated everything around her allies.
A second shield formed.
The pressure was overwhelming.
Her face turned pale.
Only after the explosion finally subsided did she dismiss the barrier.
The moment she did, her legs gave out beneath her.
Fortunately, Pietro reacted instantly and caught her before she hit the ground.
"Damn it..."
Supporting his sister, Pietro scanned the battlefield.
His expression darkened immediately.
"Everyone, we've got a serious problem."
The others looked around.
Silence fell.
The battlefield had become a blackened wasteland.
The countless NS-5 combat robots that had emerged only moments ago were gone.
All that remained were pools of shimmering molten metal.
"How is that possible..."
Steve Rogers muttered.
He had always believed he understood fear.
Or perhaps that he had simply grown accustomed to it.
Now he realized how wrong he had been.
No one becomes accustomed to fear.
When a greater terror appears, every previous fear resurfaces.
And at this moment, he felt a dread unlike anything before.
We're finished.
Those two words echoed through his mind.
The shock wasn't limited to the battlefield.
Inside the White House, politicians observing through emergency satellite feeds sat frozen in disbelief.
"Can a living being really do something like that?"
No one could comprehend what they had just witnessed.
One person.
One spell.
Yet an entire battlefield had been transformed.
If someone like that existed on Earth...
What was the point of armies?
One individual could rule the world.
They had seen footage from Nolan's battles in other dimensions before.
But those recordings lacked any real frame of reference.
This was different.
This was Earth.
Reality.
"Contact the Pentagon immediately."
The President's voice trembled with urgency.
"Activate the final plan. I'm done waiting."
At this rate, the nation might not survive another two days.
Only nuclear weapons.
Only overwhelming nuclear force could eliminate enemies like this.
Many around him agreed.
Yet one voice interrupted.
"Mr. President, you're forgetting something."
Everyone turned.
The speaker was General Ross.
Once one of Nolan's fiercest opponents, he had since become little more than a political figurehead.
His conflict with Nolan had cost him much of his influence.
Ross shrugged.
"Anyone who has truly dealt with Nolan Locke knows how powerful he is."
"I hate admitting it."
"But there is no one on Earth stronger than him."
"If anyone can stop a war that threatens the entire planet..."
"It will be Nolan Locke."
"But we can't contact him," someone argued.
Ross shook his head.
"He'll know."
"And even if he doesn't, someone will make sure he does."
His confidence surprised many.
Despite everything, Ross had developed a strange faith in Nolan.
Not trust.
Certainly not friendship.
But faith in his strength.
The President hesitated before nodding.
"Fine."
"We wait a little longer."
He checked the time.
"Where is our military?"
"The invasion has already begun, yet our soldiers still haven't reached the battlefield while a group of volunteer superheroes are fighting in their place."
"That's a disgrace."
An aide immediately stepped forward.
"The troops are almost there."
"Three thousand personnel from the New York base have already deployed with heavy weapons."
"The Air Force is approaching the battlefield."
"Naval vessels are maintaining bombardment support."
"We intend to secure air superiority and suppress the enemy with overwhelming firepower."
At last, the President relaxed slightly.
This was Earth.
Even without nuclear weapons, humanity still had cards left to play.
Hopefully, they would be enough.
The planet had suffered more than enough disasters already.
Alien invasions could become someone else's problem after his term ended.
The battlefield soon reflected those expectations.
The three thousand soldiers from the New York base arrived.
Compared to the S.H.I.E.L.D. agents, they possessed superior equipment and vastly greater numbers.
Most importantly, fighter jets screamed across the sky.
A squadron swept overhead and unleashed a rain of missiles.
The surprise attack inflicted significant damage on the invading fleet.
But when the fighters turned back for a second strike, Thanos' forces retaliated.
Within a single exchange, the entire squadron was destroyed.
Every aircraft crashed.
Not a single pilot survived.
The news struck the Pentagon like a hammer.
The loss of the planes hurt.
The loss of the pilots hurt far more.
Unlike ordinary soldiers, elite fighter pilots required years of training.
The men and women deployed in the first wave were among the Air Force's finest.
Now they had all died within three minutes of entering combat.
It was one of the greatest losses suffered since the end of World War II.
"Send more!"
The Air Force General slammed his fist against the table.
"Even if the entire Air Force is destroyed, we cannot lose this war!"
Meanwhile, Nolan had been quietly observing.
He knew it was finally time.
Looking at Ebony Maw, he sighed softly.
One member of Thanos' Black Order had already pushed Earth this far.
Bruce Banner could probably crush him in close combat.
But this wasn't a duel.
It was war.
With enemies everywhere, getting close was nearly impossible.
Even Ant-Man had been forced to shrink back down after becoming a giant target.
This was what a real battlefield looked like.
Individual strength alone meant very little.
At least for warriors at their current level.
Thanos' army was simply too elite.
Elsewhere, Maria Hill knocked on Nick Fury's office door.
"Director Fury, have you heard?"
Fury's expression grew serious.
"Another alien invasion?"
Maria nodded.
"These enemies are far stronger than the Chitauri."
"And one of them is completely beyond our ability to handle."
"We may need her."
Fury knew exactly who she meant.
Captain Marvel.
For a moment, he considered reaching for the pager.
Then he stopped.
"Not yet."
"Nolan hasn't made his move."
"We can't rely on Captain Marvel forever."
"Let's wait until things are truly hopeless."
"A little damage now is better than watching Earth be destroyed someday."
Maria sighed.
She understood his reasoning.
But she hated it.
The cost would be enormous.
Still, seeing the determination in Fury's eyes, she knew there would be no changing his mind.
Eventually she turned and left.
Fury watched the door close behind her.
His expression remained calm.
He believed he was right.
As long as Nolan had not failed, this decision was the correct one.
Whether anyone else understood didn't matter.
Saving the world didn't require approval.
His gaze hardened.
Then he shut the door.
Ironically, though Nolan knew nothing of Fury's decision, the two men shared almost the exact same mindset.
Had Nolan known, he would have found it surprising.
Though only slightly.
If Fury ever crossed the line again, Nolan would happily remind him how harsh reality could be.
The battle raged on.
The carnage exceeded everyone's expectations.
Every member of the Avengers was injured.
Yet Thanos' troops continued pouring onto the battlefield without end.
"How are aliens this powerful?"
Bruce Banner couldn't help asking.
Tony Stark gave a grim laugh.
"Powerful?"
"If you ever saw the beings lurking in those other dimensions, the monsters constantly watching Earth, you wouldn't say that."
"Compared to them, even that so-called powerful sorcerer is little more than an ant."
The others froze.
They wanted to reject his words.
But they knew Tony had no reason to lie.
"Damn..."
Natasha cursed under her breath.
Steve's black armor was shattered in multiple places.
Blood covered his face.
Yet his eyes remained unwavering.
"No matter what happens, we will not lose here."
"Even if we die, we'll die charging forward."
"I refuse to watch these invaders take our home."
His words reignited everyone's fighting spirit.
"That's right!"
Pietro shouted.
"Let's wipe these bastards out!"
He gasped for breath.
Maintaining super speed for so long was exhausting.
But stopping meant death.
And so he kept running.
Then, suddenly...
A golden portal opened behind them.
A figure stepped through.
A faint smile rested on his face.
The countless deaths around him seemed unable to affect him.
The terrifying war.
The overwhelming sorcerer.
To him, they were insignificant.
Ebony Maw?
Nothing more than an insect.
"Gentlemen... ladies..."
Nolan's calm voice echoed across the battlefield.
"Do you need a hand?"
For a moment, everyone froze.
Then joy erupted across their faces.
"Nolan!"
Tony Stark spun around.
"Damn it, you're finally here!"
Nolan chuckled.
"Sorry."
"I was in the mountains and didn't hear what was happening."
"But I'm here now."
He glanced across the battlefield.
"It looks like you've all been having a rough time."
His smile widened.
"Now then."
"Let's end this war."
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