Thanos' words didn't just stun Alex—Steve, Tony, and the other Avengers also exchanged shocked glances, their expressions a mixture of disbelief and dawning horror.
Even Rhodey and Scott's eyes nearly popped out of their heads as they stared at Alex, as though waiting for him to confirm or deny the impossible.
Thanos was afraid of Alex?
This was Thanos they were talking about—warlord of the cosmos, destroyer of worlds.
Had Alex beaten him up before?!
The sheer absurdity of the idea was mind-blowing, rattling the foundations of everything the Avengers thought they knew about power.
But then, this was Alex—the man who had made gods and monsters alike tremble with nothing more than his fists and will. If anyone could pull off the impossible, it was him.
Of course he'd fought Thanos.
A sobering realization crept in like ice water down their spines.
The Alex standing beside them wasn't the one they remembered.
This was past Alex—from an era when he was still finding his limits, still sharpening himself against the universe.
Not the fully ascended, planet-shaking force of nature who had left Thanos wary enough to remember his name.
Would this Alex be enough?
The silence stretched, heavy and suffocating, until Alex finally broke it.
"Thanos, whether I fight or not isn't up to me. It's up to you."
His tone was steady, firm, carrying no hesitation. The words dropped like iron, echoing through the rubble-strewn battlefield.
Thanos' brow furrowed. His deep voice rumbled like distant thunder.
"What do you mean? My offer wasn't generous enough?"
The titan's eyes narrowed, sharp as blades.
"I know your goal. The other Stones don't concern me. But the Space Stone? That's mine."
Alex shrugged, the movement casual, almost dismissive, though the air around him seemed to tighten with barely restrained power.
"So whether we're enemies or not—that's your call."
Thanos' frown deepened, shadows gathering across his face.
Since when did the Space Stone belong to Alex?
His intel said it was locked away in Asgard's vault.
But Thanos knew Alex well enough to recognize that this wasn't a bluff.
If Alex wanted a fight, he'd simply attack—without excuses, without delay. That much was certain.
And yet… something was off.
This Alex lacked the crushing, suffocating aura of the one he remembered. He was strong, yes, but not overwhelming. Almost like…
But without omniscience, Thanos could never guess that Alex, like him, had time-traveled.
Regardless, the truth remained: he needed the Space Stone.
Even if it meant fighting Alex.
Especially since this Alex seemed… weaker.
"Then it seems neither of us has a choice."
Thanos rose to his full height, every movement deliberate, and donned his helmet with grim finality. The metal rang with a sharp clang that echoed like a war drum.
Alex's response was calm, but his eyes gleamed faintly, betraying the rush of adrenaline pumping through him.
The outcome was predictable.
Thanos would never surrender the Stones.
And neither would Alex.
Even against a cosmic tyrant who had leveled civilizations.
A spark of exhilaration lit within him despite the danger.
How would he fare against Thanos?
His mind flicked through the comparisons, cold and analytical even in the face of battle:
Speed: 6 (near-light)
Durability: 7 (nigh-invulnerable)
Energy Projection: 7 (cosmic-level)
Strength: 7 (2000+ tons)
Speed: 5 (supersonic)
Durability: 6 (bulletproof+)
Energy Projection: 5 (heat vision)
But this was movie Thanos, a stripped-down version of the titan:
No energy projection.
Speed likely equal to Alex's (supersonic).
Durability weaker—Tony had managed to draw blood.
The numbers weren't meaningless.
Alex could hold his own.
He might not win outright, but he wouldn't be crushed in seconds either.
And with his additional tools—flight, heat vision, telekinesis—his odds only sharpened. ᴛhis chapter is ᴜpdated by novel★fire.net
There was no reason to back down.
The Avengers, who had been holding their breaths, exhaled in unison, a ripple of relief spreading through them.
If Alex had chosen to step away, their chances would have been grim. Now, at least, hope flickered again.
"Then it's settled, Alex. Our fight is inevitable."
Thanos raised his massive double-bladed sword, its edge glinting with the promise of bloodshed, and leveled it at Alex like a decree.
"Wouldn't have it any other way."
Alex's lips curled into the faintest smirk.
The ground cracked under his feet as he blurred forward, the air tearing apart in his wake. His fist drove toward Thanos' face with bone-crushing force.
Thanos met him head-on, swinging his colossal fist to intercept.
The collision rang out like thunder.
The shockwave rippled outward in a violent ring, rattling the ruined structures around them. Dust burst skyward, stones split, and even the earth seemed to groan under the pressure.
Alex was hurled backward by the impact, boots gouging deep trenches into the ground as he skidded to a halt. His arm throbbed, muscles protesting, his skin tingling with numbness.
And his blood was singing.
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