Except for Natasha, all the female Avengers' enemies were curious—who was the man who had just intercepted their coordinated assault?
Thanos's gaze remained fixed on Alex Ray.
The two men walked slowly toward each other, every step emanating an overwhelming force that seemed to freeze the surrounding air.
When they were less than a meter apart, they stopped. Their eyes locked, and for a moment, the chaos of the battlefield seemed to vanish—leaving only the two of them in a tense standoff.
All sound seemed to vanish. The thunderous roars of battle were replaced with an eerie silence.
Every eye was now focused on Thanos and Alex. The two stood like statues at the heart of the war, commanding the full attention of the battlefield.
"Leave Thanos to me," Alex said calmly, turning slightly to address the female Avengers nearby. "This is a battle between men. How can I let a group of women interfere? Go—complete your mission."
The women frowned. They clearly weren't pleased by the implication, but they understood the gravity of the situation. Now wasn't the time for internal disputes. Whoever was facing off against Thanos was clearly one of their own—and no ordinary ally.
Truthfully, they knew they likely couldn't defeat Thanos anyway. So while Alex's words were blunt, they also brought a sense of relief.
Still, curiosity burned in their eyes. Who was this man who dared to take on Thanos alone—and why was Thanos taking him so seriously?
Thanos gave Alex another once-over and spoke in a deep, serious tone: "Who are you? Why do you insist on stopping me? This conflict has nothing to do with you."
"You don't know?" Alex asked. "That's strange. I was sure I spoke loudly enough."
"My name is Alex Ray—just an ordinary guy from Hell's Kitchen."
"I came to this universe to borrow the Infinity Stones... and to see just how strong you really are."
"And besides—you're not from this world either. Why take things so seriously? Why not leave together?" Alex said, pulling out a cigarette and lighting it. He took a slow drag before releasing a cloud of smoke.
Their conversation echoed across the field. The Avengers, who had just arrived, finally learned the identity of the mysterious warrior who could crush a battleship with one hand and now stood face-to-face with Thanos.
Gasps of disbelief rippled across the crowd.
"An ordinary guy from Hell's Kitchen… in a parallel universe??"
They already knew he wasn't from this universe—but still, the revelation only raised more questions.
"Where's this 'Hell's Kitchen' located?"
"What kind of 'ordinary' person fights Thanos solo?"
"Maybe it's literally a kitchen in hell…"
"Wait, if his universe is hell, then why didn't we go to heaven or hell when we died?"
"No way. This guy—Alex Ray—there's no way he's normal. And if his world's full of people like him, that's insane."
Some turned toward Doctor Strange, clearly expecting an explanation. If anyone could unravel the mysteries of parallel universes, it was him.
Tony and Bruce Banner, though privy to the truth, remained silent.
While Hell's Kitchen in this universe was just a gritty Manhattan neighborhood, the version Alex came from was vastly different. Strange had seen glimpses—its warriors far exceeded Earth's mightiest heroes.
Yet even Stephen Strange was bewildered. Events had spiraled beyond his grasp. He had never heard of this Hell's Kitchen—nor of an "ordinary man" capable of confronting Thanos.
Sure, there was a Hell's Kitchen in some timelines—filled with gangs, struggling citizens, the occasional vigilante like Daredevil or Spider-Man. But none of them could go toe-to-toe with the Mad Titan.
This man—Alex Ray—was definitely not from that Hell's Kitchen.
Still, Strange couldn't very well admit his ignorance. He simply smiled, acting as if this had all been foreseen.
In the middle of the battlefield, Thanos let out a dark laugh at Alex's words.
He laughed loudly—his voice like thunder rolling across the sky. The sound was heavy with mockery, contempt, and disbelief.
"Interesting," Thanos finally said. "Seems that in this universe, only one of us—two strangers—will walk away alive."
His tone was cold. Fatalistic. Absolute.
But Alex remained unfazed. "And what makes you so sure it won't be you?" he asked calmly. His voice was quiet—but ironclad with conviction.
Suddenly, Thanos's expression changed. His muscles tensed, pulsing with sheer power.
A terrifying aura exploded from him like a dark maelstrom. It engulfed the battlefield like a black hole, its oppressive pressure sending shivers down the spines of everyone present.
"Then let me see if you can back up that arrogance!" Thanos roared—and in a blur, he charged like a beast unleashed.
He moved faster than anyone could've expected—a meteor streaking across the sky.
But Alex didn't flinch.
He took another drag from his cigarette—and flicked the butt toward Thanos.
The glowing ember arced through the air and landed at the Titan's feet.
"You've seen enough. Let's begin round two."
Then, Alex's aura changed completely. His body tensed, his gaze sharpened, and his presence became impossibly heavy.
And in his hand appeared—for the first time—the Sword of Victory.
As it materialized, golden light surged around him. Energy radiated from his frame in waves.
In an instant, Alex vanished—and reappeared behind Thanos.
The Sword of Victory sliced down.
Thanos grunted and twisted—surprisingly agile for his size—and caught the blade between his massive palms.
The battlefield trembled.
Their clash ignited a storm of energy.
Golden and purple figures danced through the air, their strikes sending out shockwaves that bent the air itself.
Every collision rang like thunder across the wasteland, each blow a titanic clash of strength and will.
As the duel escalated, both armies resumed their battle.
The women's team and Thanos's alien horde charged once again. Swords clashed. Blasters fired. Screams and roars filled the sky as blood was spilled.
Elsewhere, Captain Marvel raced toward the brown van—the extraction point for the Infinity Gauntlet.
She was just about to succeed when—
A figure appeared.
Not walked. Not flew.
Appeared, like a ghost pulled from the void.
Faster than the eye could follow, the figure slammed into her mid-air and knocked her out of the sky.
The battlefield froze again—for a new reason.
Every Avenger turned toward the figure that now hovered above them.
He was clad in armor eerily similar to Thanos's. His eyes burned with the same lust for dominance. His presence was unmistakable—and chilling.
Slowly, he raised a hand.
The Infinity Gauntlet gleamed upon it.
"So this is the Infinity Gauntlet…" he murmured, eyes flickering with greed and wonder.
Captain Marvel struggled to her feet, staring at him—struck by his resemblance to the Titan they'd been battling.
With visible unease, she asked, "Who… are you?"
The question echoed across the battlefield.
The fighting ceased.
All eyes turned to this new intruder.
And the answer came:
"Thanos—at least, by your definition. A Thanos… from a parallel universe."
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Bonus Chapter - 150 Power Stones
2nd Bonus Chapter - 300 Power Stones
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