Escanor's reign of power quickly caught the attention of the Avengers. The display of might was far too extraordinary to be ignored, and the Avengers knew that they had to confront this new force before it spiraled out of control. A call went out, and soon, a team of Earth's mightiest heroes arrived on the scene.
Captain America, Thor, Iron Man, and Black Panther were the first to approach, with a cautionary approach. They had seen beings of immense power before, but Escanor's sheer energy, the aura of the sun around him, felt like nothing they had ever experienced.
Escanor, still basking in the pride of his newfound strength, turned his head slowly to face the heroes. His eyes glowed with an almost blinding intensity, the reflection of the sun mirrored in his golden irises.
"You seek to challenge me?" Escanor's voice rang out, booming across the area. "I am Escanor, the pride of the sun. No one, not even gods, can stand against me when the sun is at its peak."
Captain America stepped forward, his shield raised. "We don't want to fight you, but we can't let you destroy the city either. We're here to stop you if we must."
Escanor smirked. "You think you can stop me?" He laughed, his voice echoing. "The sun itself fuels my power, and you're no match for it."
Without warning, Escanor launched a blast of pure solar energy, sending a wave of heat so intense it felt as though the sun had descended upon the Earth. Thor reacted first, summoning his lightning to intercept the blast, but the energy was too overwhelming. Iron Man activated his most powerful suits, deploying his most advanced technology, but even his suit struggled against the solar onslaught.
Black Panther tried to get in close to Escanor, but the sheer heat around him made it impossible to land a blow. He swiftly realized that this new Escanor wasn't just powerful—he was beyond their capabilities at his peak.
"Cap, we're going to need help," Tony Stark said, his voice strained as he scanned the battle.
Escanor, his pride filling every fiber of his being, taunted them. "Is this all you can do? I am Escanor! The might of the sun flows through my veins! You are nothing before me."
But as Escanor's power raged on, a sudden, piercing voice cut through the battlefield. It was the voice of Doctor Strange, who had appeared to assess the threat.
"Escanor!" Strange's voice rang out in calm yet authoritative tones. "You have great power, but you cannot let pride consume you. The sun is mighty, but you are not the only being of power in this universe."
Escanor's gaze faltered for a moment, a strange feeling creeping into his heart. His pride was indeed immense, but for the first time, he wondered if there was something even greater than his strength.