172

Chapter 172: Heavy Injury

As soon as the Red Skull's fist collided with Thanos, it reverted to its original form.

Thanos saw Thor's most menacing expression again.

Drawing on his vast combat experience, Thanos concentrated all his strength into a swift punch and knocked Thor back with a single blow.

Thanos himself took a few steps back, nearly reaching the edge of the cliff. He staggered momentarily before stabilizing himself. Thor would not miss such an opportunity and quickly charged forward, attempting to push Thanos off the cliff.

The two rolled down the cliff.

Thanos reacted swiftly and struck Thor's chest with all his might.

Thor's formidable defenses made Thanos's arms go numb, but Thanos had a victorious grin on his face. The strike had propelled Thor down to the bottom of the cliff, and Thanos used the recoil to propel himself back up to the cliff's edge.

Thanos grinned grimly, feeling as though Thor had unwittingly aided him.

"Boom..."

A powerful thunderbolt descended from the sky, striking Thanos directly. Thanos, mid-air, had no chance to avoid it.

The rising momentum was halted by the thunder, and Thanos fell like a kite with a severed string. However, Thor, who should have been falling, was suspended in mid-air.

"Foolish? I can fly!"

Thanos thought bitterly, feeling a deep-seated hatred for the Asgardian Prince—no, the King of Asgard now.

Thanos deeply regretted not bringing the Overlord's Heavenly Blade; it could have served as a high-speed propeller to lift him back up.

"Boom."

After the thunderous impact, Thanos finally fell to the bottom of the cliff.

Upon landing, an orange light burst forth, and an extremely cold force began to invade Thanos's body.

The Soul Gem!

At the bottom of the cliff lay a mysterious black magic array. This magical circle was designed to unleash the full danger of the Soul Gem, capable of claiming anyone's soul.

Even Thor, with his unparalleled strength, would find it perilous to face the Soul Gem here.

Not to mention Thanos, who, despite his remarkable willpower, struggled to control the Soul Gem's power. In an instant, his soul began to detach from his body.

"Uh ah ah ah..."

Thanos roared in agony, clenching his fists as his soul was being consumed.

A brilliant green light suddenly erupted, momentarily overpowering the Soul Gem's orange glow.

Time seemed to freeze for Thanos, and his soul, which had been on the verge of departure, was instantly restored to his body.

"Boom..."

Without catching his breath, Thanos sprang into the air like a skyward monkey, landing back on the cliff and breathing heavily.

It was a terrifying experience! In that fleeting moment, he had felt the proximity of death. Everything happened so quickly that Thanos managed to leap back before Thor even reacted.

Neither Thor nor the Soul Gem had a chance to respond.

Gamora, who witnessed the entire event, had an indescribable expression on her face.

Thanos, still shaken, glanced at the faint orange light below, realizing that the Soul Gem was already in Thor's possession. He understood now that Thor had deliberately set him up.

As Thanos turned to speak, a glint of cold light flashed before his eyes.

Instinctively, he raised his right hand and deflected the attack.

"Boom."

"Crack..."

If Thanos had been wielding the authentic Infinity Gauntlet, made of the same material as Stormbreaker, it might have barely blocked the blow from the axe.

But since Thanos was using an imitation gauntlet, it shattered upon impact. He could not withstand the force of Stormbreaker. The axe, initially aimed at his neck, was deflected slightly and struck his shoulder instead.

The pain was excruciating, and Thanos's left arm was severed.

Thanos gritted his teeth, quickly raising his right hand to make a fist. He fired rays from the Time and Mind Gems simultaneously.

The gem rays were powerful, though not as strong as Thor's lightning, they were still formidable, comparable to Captain Marvel's energy blasts.

This long-range attack was highly practical for Thanos, who was currently at a disadvantage.

The rays hit Thor, knocking him back but causing no significant damage.

Seizing the opportunity, Thanos retrieved his severed arm and fled.