Chapter 23: Hard Against Thanos

"So, the mighty overlord of the universe is too afraid to face me himself? Sending in lackeys to tire me out first?" Thor laughed, eyes fixed on Thanos.

A flicker of annoyance crossed Thanos' face.

Why am I even playing around with this bloated fool? he thought, irritated. Truthfully, Thanos hadn't felt the need to get involved himself; to him, Thor was just another privileged son, fattened by indulgence. He certainly hadn't expected his elite team to be so quickly overwhelmed.

As Thor leaped forward, he raised Corvus Glaive's double-edged spear, now crackling with lightning, and brought it down on Thanos. Thanos met the strike with his own massive broadsword, expertly intercepting the blow at the spear's hook. With a powerful thrust, he threw Thor backward.

Thor hit the ground, rubbing his sore arms. Despite his advantage in position and momentum, Thanos had shrugged off his attack with ease. There was still a massive power gap between them.

As Thor steadied himself, thunderclouds gathered overhead, and bolts of lightning rained down, hammering Thanos. Thor seized the moment, swinging the spear down on Thanos with all his might. Thanos, caught off guard by the lightning, barely had time to block the blow, his arm numbed by the impact as his sword flew from his hand.

Thor moved in for a follow-up strike, but Thanos grabbed the spear's shaft and wrenched it—and Thor—down against a stone pillar with terrifying force.

CRASH! The pillar shattered, sending chunks of stone flying as Thor crumpled to the ground. Dazed, he bit the tip of his tongue to stay conscious and lashed out with a punch, meeting Thanos' fist head-on.

The force of their blows sent shockwaves through the room, knocking the Black Order's remaining members back several feet. Thanos stumbled back three steps, but Thor was launched across the room like a kite with a snapped string.

Had his body not been as resilient, that punch would've shattered his arm in a dozen places. Even so, Thor's arm throbbed with numbness. No wonder Hulk practically gave up on fighting this guy!

The young girl behind him—Thanos' daughter, Nebula—watched in shock. Though she had long hated Thanos and dreamed of defeating him, she knew how hopeless that dream was. Just seeing Thor knock him back, even slightly, was a victory.

Thanos, however, showed no urgency, allowing Thor to struggle to his feet. He seemed almost leisurely, as though he were waiting for Thor to wear himself out. Thor remembered in the movies, where Thanos had made short work of him, but here the Mad Titan seemed to relish every punch, every kick—only to drag Thor up to continue the beating.

He really holds a grudge, Thor thought grimly. Thanos: provoke a dragon, a tiger, but mess with me? You don't stand a chance.

Refusing to back down, Thor summoned another bolt of lightning, sending it crashing toward Thanos, who absorbed the blow with hardly a flinch. Thor charged again, dodging and weaving, using his lightning to disrupt Thanos' defenses. This time, he lasted three full minutes before being knocked down again.

"Finish him, Nebula," Thanos commanded coldly. "Do this, and I'll forgive your defiance—for now."

Nebula's face twisted in fear and hesitation, struggling against her inner turmoil. Thanos waited patiently, as if giving her time to make the "right" choice.

From the shadows, Gamora arrived just in time to witness the scene, her hand instinctively reaching for the dagger at her waist. She was torn, fearing for Nebula but also hoping her sister would resist becoming Thanos' tool.

"No!!!" Nebula screamed suddenly, her voice filled with rage. "I've had enough! You monster! You destroyed my home, turned me into a weapon, and tried to make me a soulless killer! I refuse to be part of this anymore!"

She faced him, her expression warped by hatred and defiance. "You're not my father. A devil like you doesn't deserve anyone's loyalty!"

"Is that so?" Thanos murmured, unfazed. "Then that's unfortunate."

He approached slowly, flanked by the Black Order. Ebony Maw raised a hand, and Nebula was hoisted into the air, struggling.

Gamora's hand tightened around her dagger, eyes locked on Thanos with dread.

Just as Thanos closed in on Nebula, Thor roared, unleashing every ounce of his power in a blinding bolt of lightning—the largest and most powerful he'd summoned yet. The energy surged through him, striking Thanos head-on.

Thanos barely had time to react. The blast was too close to avoid, and while he could brace himself, he couldn't come out unscathed.

But within that blinding flash of purple-blue lightning, neither Thanos nor his generals noticed the small spark of deep purple hidden in its core.