Chapter 21: Boss Appears
It was a behemoth larger than any spacecraft Thor had ever seen, almost equivalent to a small satellite. Perhaps it wasn't quite right to describe it as a spaceship; it should be called an interstellar fortress.
Thanos' Sanctuary!
For the people of Earth, the Chitauri' strength wasn't particularly overwhelming, even though these soldiers seemed to be more formidable than ordinary Chitauri. For Thor, who had awakened his supernatural powers, no matter how many of these soldiers appeared, he could handle them calmly.
However, it all depended on who owned the dog. The key issue was that Thor couldn't face the dog owner!
Thor was distraught, realizing he was being thrown into the enemy's stronghold!
Hiding in a corner, he pondered how to escape. Should he call Carol and preemptively demolish Thanos' base?
Thor forcibly suppressed this tempting thought. If he did that, they might both end up in trouble...
This was Thanos' base camp. Looking through the window, Thor saw countless giant leviathans, star destroyers, and cruisers filling the void, blocking out the last rays of light in the starry sky.
The ease with which Sanctuary of the Avengers Alliance was being dismantled was due to Thanos bringing only this place, without the destroyer; the carrier defense was inherently limited...
Thor found a layout map and got a general idea of the fortress's design and fleet formation.
Near a deck at the front of the fortress, numerous fighter jets were ready to take off at any moment.
There were relatively few escort ships nearby, and there was a jump point not far from the opposite side...
If Thor could seize a fighting force and rush to the wormhole quickly, he would have a good chance of escaping, despite the strong firepower here .
"Ah! Don't...let me go...give me another chance..." Thor, who was moving quietly, suddenly heard a woman's cry.
Uh, Thanos, when did the Chitauri start kidnapping civilian girls?
There was a loud gunshot, followed by the sound of footsteps approaching quickly, which Thor saw just in time.
Uh, are the top executives of Chitauri this depraved? This girl looks underage at first glance!
The girl in front of him was delicate and youthful, about fourteen or fifteen years old. She held a dagger in one hand and a confiscated Chitauri firearm in the other.
"I said I was passing by, do you believe me?" Thor asked helplessly.
The pursuing soldiers were momentarily stunned, then quickly raised their guns and fired. For this unknown individual, they had no patience and intended to kill him on the spot.
"Well, I was trying to keep a low profile." With a wave of his hand, lightning erupted, and the surrounding soldiers were instantly reduced to charcoal.
It must be said that the abilities gained after awakening were perfect for showing off, and the girl beside him widened her eyes in awe.
A piercing alarm sounded.
"If you don't want to die, follow me." Although the girl was cute, it wasn't the time for sympathy. In this place, even self-preservation was a challenge.
The girl gripped her weapon and followed without a word. Now that their presence was exposed, there was no need to hide, and rushing to the destination as quickly as possible was the only option.
Along the way, they encountered numerous obstacles: Chitauri soldiers, vanguard guards, outriders, and giant apes...
Ordinary soldiers couldn't halt the God of Thunder in his full assault. To Thor's surprise, the girl beside him was also highly skilled, not much worse than Natalia had been a few years ago. And when she fought, it was clear this wasn't her first time.
Secretly speculating about the girl's identity, Thor pressed on.
The fighter jet was only a few hundred meters ahead, but those meters seemed like a natural barrier.
Thor gazed ahead with a serious expression and came to a halt.
Five figures of varying shapes came into view. Leading them was a massive purple humanoid with explosive muscles, nearly 2.5 meters tall. Holding a double-edged blade, he stared at Thor with eyes that seemed to pierce through the world.
Even from a few meters away, Thor could feel the overwhelming oppression as if a mountain was collapsing. The girl behind him was visibly struggling to breathe.
The supervillain, Destroyer—Thanos.
Chapter 22: Showdown
"You're Thanos? The Titan who destroyed his home planet? Hey, it's okay!" Thor taunted as he poked Thanos' sore spot. Initially, he hadn't planned to speak first, but Thanos' intimidating presence made it difficult for him to stay silent.
Next to him, Ebony Maw, Thanos' top lieutenant, stepped forward and was about to reprimand Thor, but Thanos stopped him. He said calmly, "Oh? You know me? Odin's brat, you have quite a bit of nerve."
Then he glanced at the little girl trying to hide behind Thor. "Why, didn't answer your father call?"
The girl trembled, her eyes filled with both hatred and fear. She bit her lip and refused to speak.
Thor sneered, "Oh, a purple-skinned monster with blood on his hands, who kills half the population, actually has a daughter? Hahaha, I really want to get to know this! Who is the mother ? Could it be..."
Glancing at Proxima Midnight beside him, he gave an expression that any man would recognize, "Not bad, not bad, the blood doesn't flow into foreign fields—capable and skilled!"
It didn't matter if he was beaten or not; he refused to be intimidated!
Aside from Thanos, whose face remained hidden, Proxima Midnight and Corvus Glaive looked furious.
Ebony Maw could no longer contain himself and shouted, "Shut up! You ignorant fools, how could you possibly understand the great master's intentions!"
Thanos said in a deep voice, "You need to understand the consequences of angering me!" He waved his hand as he spoke.
The subordinates understood. Since there was no experience to be gained from minions, Corvus Glaive was the first to charge. Thor's fabricated scandal about his wife had enraged him, and he wanted to tear Thor apart!
The double-bladed spear lunged, but Thor evaded its thrusts and grabbed the shaft as it retracted.
As Corvus Glaive prepared to react, a powerful electric shock from his weapon paralyzed him momentarily. He saw a foot surrounded by lightning growing larger...
With a loud "bang," Corvus Glaive was sent flying meters away.
Proxima Midnight moved like a streak of light towards Thor.
Thor did not dodge. He raised the Glaive of corvus glaive and struck at her with force. Proxima Midnight quickly raised her weapon to block, but the immense strength forced her to kneel.
As her weapon was knocked away and she was about to be finished off, a shadow fell before her...
"Be careful!" shouted the little girl behind her.
Thor caught Proxima Midnight and blocked a hammer hurled by Black Dwarf.
"Bang!" Another impact hit Proxima Midnight hard, causing her to fall unconscious to the side.
Black Dwarf charged forward, roaring with rage. Thor evaded his attack and moved directly towards Ebony Maw.
Ebony Maw waved his hand, causing the metal floor to twist and transform into spears aiming at Thor. The thunder surrounding Thor's glaive sliced through the projectiles, shattering them.
Thor swept his spear, knocking Black Dwarf out of the air. In the meantime, metal from the floor coiled into numerous ropes, attempting to bind Thor.
Ebony Maw sighed in relief and turned to face Thanos, but was instantly struck by a powerful thunderbolt that scorched half of his body...
For someone like Ebony Maw, who was highly effective against pure warriors or spellcasters, facing a superpowered warrior like Thor was a fatal mismatch...
Ignoring the recovering Black Dwarf not far away, Thor raised his spear, enveloped in lightning, and charged boldly towards Thanos.
With three of his subordinates down and the last one tricked by Thor, Thanos finally couldn't contain himself any longer.
This scene was too chaotic.
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.
…
Chapter Twenty-Four: Out of Trouble
A brilliant purple light flashed across the night sky, almost illuminating it completely.
Even Thanos, despite his immense power, could not block the force of the Power Stone.
The sudden close-range attack caught him off guard. By the time he realized the danger, it was too late. The combined power of the lightning and the Power Stone overwhelmed him, sending him flying backward and crashing through countless buildings.
The surrounding area was reduced to ruins.
From a distance, it looked as if the Thanos Sanctuary had been struck with a massive dark purple hole, with destruction spreading everywhere.
Ebony Maw, standing behind Thanos, was also sent flying.
Although Thanos managed to block most of the attack, the resilience of his minions was nowhere near his own, resulting in severe injuries for them all.
Among them, Ebony Maw, who was physically weaker, would have perished if he hadn't been pulled away by Black Dwarf just in time to shield him.
Black Dwarf was incredibly unlucky; his resistance to damage was his only saving grace.
Thor pulled Nebula with him and rushed to the nearest fighter. Although the Black Order was now unable to resist, Thanos would not be defeated easily. Once he recovered, Thor would have a hard time escaping.
"Are you going to stop us?" Thor asked Gamora, a crackling electric arc forming in his palm. Despite her generally favorable image, if she tried to impede him, he would show no mercy.
"No, I need you to take care of my sister and ensure she isn't recaptured," Gamora replied, throwing him a small card. This card granted access to the fighters and was more authoritative than those given to ordinary soldiers, a prize from her recent duel with her sister.
Thor accepted the card and climbed onto the fighter with Nebula.
He didn't consider taking Gamora with them. Although she was also Thanos' adopted daughter, her position in his heart was not comparable to Nebula's. If Gamora were taken, Thanos would hunt him down across the universe.
…
The fighter roared and ascended into the night sky.
The recent explosion had been so violent that the surrounding fleets were focused entirely on the Thanos Sanctuary, with numerous rescue ships circling the area. No one noticed the fighter's departure.
Even if they did, it would likely be dismissed as part of the rescue effort.
Not long after, Thanos approached. Aside from his damaged armor, he showed no significant injuries.
Gamora knelt and apologized, "I'm sorry, Father. I wasn't able to defeat him."
"You were correct," Thanos responded flatly, waving his hand. "It is foolish to rush forward to meet an invincible enemy." As a seasoned hero, Thanos often displayed a certain level of magnanimity.
Ebony Maw approached, seething with frustration. "Master, they left not long ago. If we pursue them now..."
"No need," Thanos interrupted, shaking his head. "There are too many jump points to track their path accurately. Besides, now is not the time to engage Asgard in battle. The energy we detected was likely from the Infinity Stones, correct?"
Thanos gazed thoughtfully at the dark starry sky and continued, "The locations of the Time, Space, and Mind Stones have been determined. We are still searching for the remaining three. Intensify the search."
"The universe needs redemption, and there's little time to rest before we realize our ideals."
"I am destiny!"
…
"Your sister actually cares about you very much.
The one you should truly hate is Thanos."
After several jumps through teleportation points, Thor turned to Nebula as he set their destination.
Now that she was with him, it was important to instill the right ideals and prevent her from becoming as extreme as she was previously.
Nebula was silent, overwhelmed by the day's events.
"Set course for Midgard."
"Please confirm."
"Confirmed."
Thor pressed the button to initiate their departure.
"Wait!" Nebula's urgent voice suddenly called out...
…
Chapter Twenty-Five: The Beginning of the Duel Champion
For most races in the universe, traveling through wormholes more than 50 times consecutively can cause significant physical discomfort.
"Have you checked how many times we need to jump?" Thor asked.
"Uh, it seems to be more than 1,500 times," came the response.
"Ah ah ah ah ah--"
Thor soon began to feel dizzy and nauseous.
Poor Nebula was already delirious; it was clear she wouldn't be able to endure much longer.
The fighter plane suddenly shook, struggling under the strain of continuous jumps and starting to malfunction. This small Chitauri aircraft wasn't built for such load . Thor sighed, embraced Nebula, and pressed the emergency eject button.
…
Sakaar, a chaotic planet with minimal law and order, serves as a dumping ground for various alien civilizations and a haven for criminals. The entire planet is littered with debris, and its inhabitants are rough and violent. It is a place where lawlessness prevails.
Despite its grim reputation, Sakaar has its prosperous side. Certain lucrative industries thrive here, particularly those that wouldn't be acceptable elsewhere.
One such industry is the gladiatorial games organized by the Grandmaster.
The victor of these games can gain unimaginable rewards: glory, wealth, and more. The fate of the loser, however...
No one cares about the losers.
The death rate among gladiators is so high that most people are reluctant to participate. Even those with considerable strength often find other ways to achieve their goals.
Thus, most gladiators are brought by scavengers hunted from the refuse.
Thor emerged from a mound of garbage carrying Nebula in his arms.
A group of bizarre scavengers surrounded them, one of whom brandished a strange weapon—a net with potent paralyzing effects.
"I can handle Thanos and these pests too," Thor fumed, charging forward and defeating them all, leaving them kneeling in defeat.
…
As Nebula slowly regained consciousness, Thor asked with concern, "Do you have any money? Can our cosmic coins buy us a flight?" Even if they had money, it wouldn't be enough for this place. The only funds they had were those they'd taken from the scavengers.
Nebula looked around and shook her head. "It might be enough on a normal planet, but here, with the chaos and high demand, the price might be exorbitant..."
Thor shrugged helplessly. In such a desperate situation, finding a quick way to earn money was essential. The easiest solution was the fighting arena.
…
"Our top priority now is to gather money to buy a spaceship and leave this place," Thor said in a bar, addressing Nebula. "Next, I'll sign up to compete in the gladiatorial games as a free agent and challenge the reigning champion, who is said to have won 66 consecutive battles. Winning will earn us the bounty."
"And me?" Nebula asked.
"You'll handle betting all our money on my victory."
"And then?"
"Bet all your winnings on my next match, and wager on my victory again..."
Nebula frowned. "Is it really that simple?"
But given that Thor had managed to hold his own against Thanos, Nebula was reassured. Clearly, he had the prowess to back up his claims. How could someone of Thanos' stature be defeated so easily...
To Nebula, merely surviving against Thanos for this long seemed a miracle .
…
"You're planning to sign up for the gladiatorial games? And challenge the champion directly?"
The Grandmaster, dressed in an extravagant gold coat, looked surprised. Many aspire to be the end of a winning streak, but they don't often do so at the cost of their lives. Only outlaws or forced prisoners with bomb collars typically challenge the reigning champion.
Although he acknowledged Thor's strength, he hadn't anticipated such confidence.
This assessment of Thor's strength was based on the men who had tried to prevent his entry. Three had been turned to ashes by Thor, and the last had been reduced to a burnt, dough-like mass by the Grandmaster.
…