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Chapter Twenty-Three: Hard Against Thanos

"The mighty warlord of the universe is so shameless that he sent his minions to drain my energy!" Thor laughed.

Thanos, however, had a grim expression on his face.

What is this insolent fool trying to prove?

In truth, Thanos believed he could handle the situation without much effort.

To him, Thor was merely a pampered second-generation who had grown fat and complacent. He was not even worth Thanos' full attention.

After all, as the boss, Thanos felt it beneath him to handle everything personally. It was just that he hadn't anticipated his minions would be so ineffectual.

Thor leaped high, raising his double-edged spear crackling with lightning, and struck downwards.

Thanos raised his broadsword and met the spear, striking it precisely between the tip and the hook. The force was so strong that it sent Thor flying backward.

Thor grimaced as he rubbed his sore arms. Despite his initial advantage, he found himself outmatched by Thanos. There was still a significant gap between their strengths.

Thunderclouds erupted overhead, and bolts of lightning bombarded Thanos.

Thor seized the opportunity to strike Thanos with all his might.

Caught off guard by the lightning, Thanos raised his sword to block with one hand but was overpowered by Thor's sheer force. The sword slipped from his grasp, leaving his arm numb.

Before he could launch another attack, Thanos grabbed the spear and hurled Thor into a side pillar.

"Boom!" The pillar shattered into pieces, and Thor fell, dazed. He bit his tongue to stay awake and punched Thanos, who was following up.

"Boom!" The impact of their clash sent the four members of the Black Order (though the count had oddly increased to four) flying back.

Thanos stumbled back three steps before stabilizing himself, while Thor was sent flying like a kite with a broken string.

If not for Thor's robust physique, that blow could have broken multiple bones. Even so, his arm felt numb.

It was no wonder the Hulk, who was known for his strength, had become withdrawn.

The little girl, who had been adopted by Thanos, watched in shock. She had always hated Thanos and wanted to kill him, but his strength was overwhelming. Even the ability to repel him seemed like an accomplishment to her.

Thanos did not pursue Thor but waited for him to stand up.

At this point, Thanos had never experienced a fight like this. It was a far cry from the battles he'd seen in the movies, where Thor would be finished off quickly. Instead, Thor was picked up and beaten again and again, a bitter irony considering Thanos' own rage...

It was indeed a deep-seated hatred.

Thor, refusing to surrender, climbed to his feet. A thunderbolt struck Thanos, but he absorbed it without flinching.

The battle resumed, with Thor using lightning to disrupt Thanos. He managed to hold his own for a few minutes before being knocked to the ground again.

"Nebula, kill him. As my daughter, I will forgive you this time."

Thanos said coldly. He was eager for her to take action.

Nebula's expression changed as she struggled with her emotions. Thanos seemed patient, giving her time to decide.

Nearby, Gamora, who had just arrived, looked at Nebula with concern. She hoped Nebula would comply and avoid punishment, but she didn't want her to become a ruthless killer.

"No!!!" With a furious roar, Nebula suddenly erupted. "I've had enough! You monster, you destroyed my homeland, forced me to become your weapon, and even tried to turn me into a killing machine! I'm done with this life!"

Her eyes were filled with pure hatred, and her previously beautiful face appeared twisted with rage. "You are not my father! A devil like you doesn't deserve any love!"

"Is that so? What a pity." Thanos walked forward slowly, followed closely by Ebony Maw. Nebula was lifted and held by the Black Order.

Gamora reached for the dagger at her waist, her eyes darting nervously between Thanos and Nebula.

As Thanos approached Nebula, Thor, from his position on the ground, roared with renewed strength. A massive thunderbolt, thicker and more powerful than ever before, surged from him and struck Thanos with incredible force.

Heh, did you think I didn't see through your tactics? You're about to become even more desperate. How could the battle-hardened Thanos not recognize such tricks? This distance was too close to evade, but Thanos braced himself to withstand the blow.

Neither Thanos nor the Black Order noticed a small, deep purple hue within the purple lightning.

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