The sky trembled as several bright stars streaked across it, descending rapidly and smashing into the Four Red Yang Formation with deafening roars. The resulting explosions sent shockwaves across the landscape, raising a massive mushroom cloud and obliterating everything in its path.
In the distance, Thanos smirked as he directed his gaze toward the warship's Fourth Gate, from where the energy beams had been fired. Blue particles danced around the warship, which Thanos had brought for what appeared to be a routine check on the Nine Realms' ruler, Odin. The real purpose, however, was a test of cosmic strength.
Onboard the ship, a Chitauri commander, clad in armor and helmet, urgently ordered the ship's AI, "Quickly, locate and target that human!" His voice betrayed his unease as he observed the unfolding chaos on the ground. The commander had anticipated Asgard's intervention or, at the very least, Odin's reaction. However, the situation had taken an unexpected turn with the arrival of a powerful human.
As the smoke cleared, the ground beneath was transformed—sand turned to crystal, and the surface became molten lava. Xu Mo emerged, blood trickling from his forehead, looking disheveled and stunned.
"Thanos, you actually called for backup!" Xu Mo exclaimed, struggling to maintain his composure. He had been caught off guard by the sudden attack from the sky. Although he wasn't in the blast's epicenter, the shockwave had sent him sprawling.
Thanos, equally battered with his armor in tatters and body covered in wounds, slowly rose. His eyes gleamed with a mix of respect and malice. "It seems your power spike is reaching its limit," he said, smirking. Thanos had been gauging Xu Mo's abilities, recognizing that the human's strength and speed had dramatically increased but were reliant on some form of enhancement.
Just as Xu Mo prepared to retort, he received a mental warning from his system:
Host, there are fifty seconds left. Please deactivate Asura Mode, or you will enter an unconscious state.
Xu Mo clenched his fists. He couldn't afford to show weakness now. "Not just yet," he muttered under his breath, trying to buy time. His enhanced state was fleeting, and without it, he would lose the edge he had over Thanos. As the seconds ticked down, he knew he had to make his next move count.
Above them, the warship hovered ominously, casting a shadow over the battlefield. Its cannons locked onto Xu Mo, ready to fire.
"What's your plan now?" Thanos taunted, the wind from the warship's engines whipping around them.
Xu Mo, undeterred, responded with a bold smile, "The same as always."
Thanos seemed intrigued. "You've got guts, kid. I like that. Join me, and together we'll conquer the universe's darkness," he offered, a rare sign of respect in his tone.
Xu Mo chuckled, walking towards Thanos. "It's funny," he mused, "that you think I'd be tempted by that." He continued to advance, seemingly considering the offer.
Thanos, mistaking Xu Mo's approach for submission, grinned. "What's your name, human?"
Xu Mo stopped a few feet away, looking Thanos squarely in the eye. "Call me Kakarot," he replied. The tension between them palpable, Xu Mo extended his hand as if to accept Thanos's offer.
As their hands met, Xu Mo suddenly lunged forward, but Thanos was prepared. With a quick movement, Thanos caught Xu Mo's hand, gripping it tightly. "Strong, but not strong enough," Thanos growled, his grip tightening.
The warship's tractor beam enveloped them, lifting both into the air. A smaller cannon aimed directly at Xu Mo began charging, blue energy swirling menacingly.
Xu Mo, maintaining his composure, retorted, "It's not over yet, Thanos. Your eyes deceive you."
Thanos felt a strange sensation in his nose and suddenly burst into tears, a wave of unexpected emotion overcoming him. "I'm sorry! I shouldn't have done this. I've killed so many... I'm a monster!" he wailed, momentarily releasing Xu Mo.
As Xu Mo leapt back, his system warned him again: Nine seconds...
Thanos continued to swing between rage and remorse. "I'll destroy you!" he roared, then immediately followed with, "I'm so sorry! I can't believe I said that."
Xu Mo, seeing Thanos's erratic behavior, made his escape. "Blue-Eyes White Dragon!" he shouted, and the mythical creature burst forth, its wings spread wide.
Four seconds... The system prompted again.
"Exit Asura Mode," Xu Mo commanded, collapsing onto the dragon. The pain and exhaustion from exiting his enhanced state were overwhelming.
Asura Mode has been deactivated. All skills have returned to their original state. Sharingan remains in Mangekyō form. Cooldown for Asura Mode: one week.
Thanos, now aware of the warship's imminent attack, screamed in frustration, "How dare you mock me!" The warship's cannon, now fully charged, targeted Xu Mo. However, Thanos's face twisted in pain as he muttered, "No, we can't do this... I must apologize."
"???" Xu Mo watched, bewildered,