188

Chapter 188: Stealing the House for a While

Thanos' plan from the beginning had been to divert attention. The remaining three members of the Black Order were in disarray—Corvus Glaive was being defeated on the southern coast, Ebony Maw had already been subdued, and Proxima Midnight had yet to make her appearance.

Proxima Midnight had been waiting for the right moment, hoping Thor would leave the sanctuary. This was a crucial part of the plan, and only Thanos himself could handle it.

However, Thor was not easily deceived. After all, his home had been stolen once in Asgard, and another time at Sanctuary II. If one didn't guard the crystal well, it was like handing over a mallet.

With defeats on several fronts and fires at the rear, Thanos had no choice but to act personally.

He couldn't understand why Thor had such a relentless desire to kill him. Even though he hadn't provoked Asgard initially, Thor's animosity was apparent.

The only person capable of leading Thor was Thanos himself. The task of infiltrating the Sanctuary and destroying it fell to Proxima Midnight.

Thanos' presence alone could turn the tide of battle, but if Thor refused to relent...

"You're moving too slowly."

"You're no longer the Destroyer you once were; it's time for you to retire."

"The rear waves of the River push forward, while the front waves die on the beach. You're the one I've pushed to death on the beach, so stop struggling."

"Why are you hiding? If you're a man, just come here..."

Thor continued to exhale deeply.

Despite years of countless battles, he had never felt as comfortable as he did now.

This was the first time he had truly overpowered Thanos in a direct confrontation.

Thanos was indeed stronger and more skilled in combat.

Yet Thor was more than just a warrior. His combination of magic and martial prowess provided him an advantage. Even if the power of thunder couldn't directly harm Thanos, it still created significant disruption.

Moreover, Thor's superhuman resilience allowed him to exchange blows with Thanos without hesitation.

Thanos' left arm, still recovering, was not as visible, but it proved to be a severe disadvantage in a life-and-death battle.

From the start, Thanos had no real chance of winning.

When the battle axe and the broadsword clashed, Thanos saw an opportunity. He slashed with all his might against the axe.

While Thor was momentarily off-balance, Thanos executed a rapid series of strikes.

"Bang bang bang"

Thor's hands went numb from the impact. The axe was slightly deflected, and the broadsword came dangerously close to his neck.

Thor barely managed to deflect the blow, but Thanos tried to pull back his weapon. Thor seized the blade with one hand.

Despite the pain, Thor's grip delayed Thanos, allowing the battle axe to cut along the sword.

"Click"

Even though Thanos withdrew his hand quickly, it was too late. The electric current from Stormbreaker made his limbs numb, slowing his movements. The axe's blade grazed Thanos' waist.

"Ugh..." Thanos grimaced, clutching his waist and gasping for breath.

Thor raised his left hand, which still held the sword, and taunted—

"It took all that effort just to make me bleed a drop?"

Thanos' expression darkened with frustration.

Nearby, Stark, who had been watching the battle closely, gave Thor an approving thumbs-up—well done!

The saying goes that it's better to break one than to injure ten, and Thanos knew this well.

But knowing something and achieving it are different. With Thor's current strength, it was difficult to inflict significant damage unless he stood still and offered his neck willingly.

Despite Thanos' extensive fighting experience, his sword had only managed to leave shallow cuts on Thor. For a seasoned warrior like Thor, these were merely minor injuries.

Trying to accumulate damage over time, hoping for a significant change, was a futile dream.

On the other hand, Thor's attacks were lethal. He had struck Thanos' waist, causing severe bleeding...

And throughout, Thor had not ceased mocking Thanos.

Suddenly, the sky brightened as flames spread, accompanied by continuous explosions.

Both Thanos and Thor knew it was the destruction of the massive battleship .

Having sustained countless attacks, the battleship, now nothing more than a defenseless shell, was completely destroyed.

Thanos glanced at the wreckage with a hint of nostalgia before turning his gaze back to Thor: "Do you really believe you've won?"

Thor remained silent.

Thanos smirked cruelly: "After all this time, some things should be nearly done."

He then looked towards the direction of the Sanctuary.

The expressions of Stark and the others changed dramatically.