Dust and smoke rolled across the battlefield as Loki's expression abruptly shifted.
The massive arcane formation flickered, unstable and trembling, as though it could collapse at any moment.
But in the end, it held.
And then, the Titan Mech descended before everyone's eyes.
Standing over twenty meters tall, its frame was more than ten meters wide an unstoppable steel colossus. Even Tony Stark's Hulkbuster armor and the Hulk himself looked small before this monstrous creation.
Tony's eyes widened in awe. For the first time, the genius billionaire was at a loss for words.
He could tell Nolan Locke had definitely lied about the specs.
The reported dimensions and power output were clearly understated. Even a few meters' difference in build meant a world of disparity in combat performance.
Still, the stronger the Titan Mech was, the happier Tony felt. Humanity needed a weapon like this.
Loki's smirk faltered. He tried to maintain his usual composure after all, he was the greatest sorcerer of the Nine Realms, Prince of Asgard, and the self-proclaimed future ruler of Earth.
He sneered. "Impressive, I'll admit. But what of it? Even if you fire that attack ten more times, the result will be the same!"
Nolan's lips curved into a faint smile.
"Oh? You think that was all the Titan's firepower?"
The tone of his voice carried an unsettling calm.
A chill ran down Loki's spine. For the first time, unease clawed at his heart.
Even across the cosmos, few mechanical weapons could pierce his defensive barriers. On this primitive planet, such power shouldn't even exist.
Earth's technology was laughable barely scratching the surface of energy weapons. Compared to Asgard's hybrid of magic and science, humanity was still playing with sparks.
And yet, the attack he had just witnessed had already exceeded the limits of Earth's technological evolution.
But this, Nolan knew, was only the beginning.
He looked down from the Titan's cockpit, his eyes glinting with amusement no one could see.
The true strength of the Titan was yet to be revealed.
"Let's turn it up a notch," Nolan murmured.
Jets of blue-white plasma flared from beneath the mech's feet as it launched skyward, rising above the burning skyline of New York.
Below, chaos reigned. Nolan's mechanical army, once dominant, was being pushed back as the Chitauri mounted a fierce counterattack.
Military reinforcements flooded in tanks, fighter jets, and experimental combat drones but the alien onslaught was endless. Every block became a battlefield.
At the same time, the World Security Council had been in an emergency meeting for hours. Faces from around the world flickered on holographic screens, each shouting over the other.
This was humanity's first interstellar invasion, and fear made politicians desperate.
While Nolan's mechanical forces held the line, suspicion toward Locke Industries was rising rapidly among world leaders.
"Gentlemen," one councilman finally spoke. "This war must end now."
The words silenced the room.
"Malick is right," another added grimly. "Our priority is ending the conflict, not debating."
Within minutes, consensus formed.
Someone suggested the unthinkable nuclear strike. Others protested the catastrophic consequences. Arguments flared again, voices rising.
Until Malick spoke once more.
"Isn't the choice simple? Which is the greater threat: losing New York, or letting aliens overrun the planet?"
A heavy silence fell.
They all knew the answer.
They weren't New York's government. They were the World Security Council.
"Authorize nuclear launch."
"Agreed."
"Do it."
Moments later, a jet armed with a nuclear warhead took off from S.H.I.E.L.D. headquarters in Washington.
The command bypassed Director Nick Fury entirely issued directly from the Council.
Their decision was final: destroy New York, and take the Chitauri with it.
Inside the cockpit, two pilots exchanged glances, grinning.
"Hail Hydra."
Meanwhile, high above the city, Nolan's Titan Mech hovered amidst the smoke.
Thousands of Chitauri aimed their weapons at him, but before they could fire, a blazing grid of plasma artillery erupted from the streets below, cutting them down in a storm of light.
Nolan raised both mechanical arms. Plasma cores on his forearms glowed, while the rotary cannons on his shoulders spun up with a rising whine.
He spoke softly. "Scatter."
Then, the Titan unleashed hell.
Every weapon port opened in unison.
The sky itself seemed to tremble as the sheer force of the bombardment threw the massive mech backward, engulfed in smoke and flame.
A shockwave rippled outward, shattering windows and hurling Chitauri soldiers aside like paper.
The ground quaked under the sound of destruction.
Inside a magical barrier nearby, Thor's eyes widened, sweat running down his brow. The powerful enchantment flickered violently and then shattered like glass.
Freed at last, the God of Thunder charged toward the Tesseract generator, seizing Dr. Erik Selvig by the collar.
Within seconds, Stark Tower vanished beneath a blanket of explosions. Everything collapsed into ruin everything except the shimmering blue field powered by the Tesseract's energy.
The devastation left everyone speechless.
Loki realized what had happened his barrier was broken.
He turned, only to see the Hulk's massive hand reaching for him.
"Run!"
Too late. The Hulk grabbed him and slammed him again and again into the floor like a ragdoll.
When Hulk was satisfied, he dropped Loki unceremoniously.
Tony Stark stepped up beside the battered god, smirking.
"God, huh? Didn't you have fun smashing us earlier?"
He grabbed Loki and repeated Hulk's move slamming him into the ground several times before tossing him aside.
"Now we're even."
Thor landed nearby with Erik Selvig, his expression grim. When the doctor began to rant in guilt and anger, Thor silenced him with a quick punch.
No one paid attention to Loki anymore. All eyes were on the Tesseract.
"How do we shut it down?" someone asked.
Selvig, clutching his head, muttered in regret, "Loki's scepter it can close the portal."
Everyone turned toward where Loki had fallen, but the scepter was gone.
Then Nolan appeared, holding it in one hand.
He had been watching closely the entire time after all, this weapon contained the Mind Stone.
He knew its value, but he didn't dare claim it. The Ancient One herself had left the stone untouched, despite knowing its power. That alone told Nolan enough. Some forces were better left undisturbed.
The true key to his survival wasn't an Infinity Stone it was his system.
As Nolan prepared to close the portal, Tony's urgent voice crackled through the comms.
"Nolan, wait!"
Tony's tone was frantic. "The Council launched a nuke straight for New York!"
Nolan's brow furrowed. That was unexpected.
"The missile's already airborne. There's only one option," Tony said firmly, staring at the swirling wormhole above. "I'll take it up there myself."
Before anyone could protest, he disengaged from his Hulkbuster armor, leaving only his lighter flight suit.
He looked up at the sky, determination in his eyes. This was his responsibility his final act as Iron Man.
Nolan didn't stop him. He knew Tony would live.
As Tony soared upward, Loki stirred.
Hidden in the shadows, he crept toward Nolan, murder in his gaze. No one would stop his conquest.
In a flash, Loki appeared behind Nolan, dagger raised.
"Die!"
The Asgardian blade struck true, sliding into Nolan's back. Loki's eyes gleamed with triumph until Nolan turned his head and stared at him, utterly calm.
With one arm, Nolan hurled Loki to the ground.
Then, the Titan Mech under Nolan's control brought down its colossal foot, slamming into the earth with enough force to shake the city.
Thor screamed, racing forward to protect his brother. He managed to catch the impact, muscles straining.
Nolan's expression didn't change. He raised the Titan's foot again, intent on finishing it only for Thor to snatch Loki away in a burst of lightning.
"Leave him be!"
Nolan's response was a salvo of Apocalypse Missiles. They streaked toward the fleeing Asgardians in a chain of roaring explosions.
Thor summoned a storm, lightning cascading across the sky.
He refused to let Loki die not like this.
Thunder roared as Thor lifted his hammer, declaring, "I am Thor, son of Odin, King of Asgard!"
Lightning became his mantle, pride his armor.
He charged.
The Titan's cannons thundered in reply.
Each strike battered Thor until he could barely stand, but still he pushed forward, swinging Mjolnir in a final desperate blow.
The hammer struck the Titan's chest only for a shimmering energy barrier to absorb the impact.
Nolan chuckled softly.
"Who said Asgard alone could wield energy?"
The Titan kicked him away, sending Thor crashing into the rubble.
But the battle wasn't over.
Did they really think the Titan was just one mech?
No the true Titan Arsenal was far greater.
One by one, shadows streaked through the air over a dozen Mjolnir-class mechs, each armed with specialized weapons and massive blades, taking positions around the Titan.
Together, they formed an unstoppable formation.
Steve Rogers and the others could only stare in disbelief. The battlefield shifted faster than they could comprehend.
Nolan's cold voice echoed from the Titan's speakers.
"Prepare yourselves for the wrath of the Titan."
In the next instant, the world drowned in light and fire.
And when the bombardment finally ceased, Thor and Loki lay motionless amidst the smoking ruins.
Nolan looked up at the sky, his tone indifferent.
"Hopefully… they're not dead."
The clouds reflected the glow of his machine army, still burning bright above a city on the edge of annihilation.
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