"Stop!"
Watching Surtur go berserk and destroy Asgard, Hela's expression turned grim. Her power was bound to Asgard itself the longer she remained there, the stronger she became. But the moment Asgard was damaged, even worse, destroyed, her strength would plummet to its weakest state.
There was no time to care about Thanos anymore. The immediate threat was Surtur. Hela spun around and charged toward the flaming giant.
Thor froze where he stood. He had already lost Mjolnir, one of his eyes was gone, and his body was beaten to a pulp by Hela. Now, he was left to face Thanos and the black blade alone. It was hopeless.
But Thor had come back to Asgard with the resolve to die. A bitter yet defiant smile crossed his face as he raised his remaining strength and rushed straight toward Thanos.
Thanos observed the chaotic battle between Hela and Surtur, the corners of his mouth lifting in quiet amusement. This situation was better than he could have ever planned.
He only needed to wait wait for the goddess of death and the fire demon to tear each other apart. Then he would simply collect what was left.
As for Thor? Thanos considered him little more than an appetizer before the real meal.
With mockery in his eyes, Thanos toyed with the god of thunder. His black blade slashed through Thor's flesh again and again, leaving deep wounds that stopped just short of killing him.
Thor soon realized the Titan was toying with him, rage boiling in his chest. With a roar, he summoned the last of his divine power, lightning exploding around him in a brilliant storm as he prepared to make one final, desperate stand.
"Boom!"
The lightning struck, blasting half of Thanos's body apart.
But to Thor's horror, the wound began to heal almost instantly. The Thanos wielding the Black Death Sword had gained a terrifying regeneration an unending life force.
"Son of Odin," Thanos rumbled, his deep voice filled with contempt. "Offer up your power to me."
He had grown bored of the game. Striding forward, he stomped Thor into the ground, raising the black blade high to pierce the god's heart.
As the sword fell, Thor gave a faint, self-mocking smile. So this was how it would end for him and for Asgard both.
Clang!
Just as death was about to strike, a golden hand shot out from the void, gripping the Black Death Sword mid-swing.
The metallic ring echoed like thunder across the ruins.
Thanos's eyes widened. The power resisting his blade was immense unnatural. His gaze followed the golden light, and his heart leapt.
The Infinity Gauntlet.
Four of the Infinity Stones shimmered upon it, radiating irresistible waves of energy that made even Thanos tremble with a twisted mix of desire and dread.
The sword shuddered violently, but it couldn't break free from the gauntlet's crushing grip.
Rowan tightened his hold, his face calm and composed. Then, with a single motion, he raised his foot and kicked.
Boom!
Thanos shot through the air like a cannonball, flying tens of kilometers before crashing through a mountain.
Rowan had already ascended to the stellar level his kick carried the power to split a world in half.
"Rowan?!" Thor gasped, disbelief and relief flooding his battered face as he recognized the figure.
Rowan turned, flashing a teasing smile. "You've gone full one-eyed warrior now, huh?"
Thor barked a laugh despite the pain. "Just a scratch!"
If Rowan was here, if he could kick Thanos into the horizon like that, then perhaps just perhaps Asgard still had hope.
Thanos tumbled through the air for nearly half a minute before finally regaining control. His armor was cracked, and his expression darkened.
Meanwhile, Rowan examined the Black Death Sword still clenched in his left hand. The blade pulsed with malevolent power too dangerous to be left intact, especially if Thanos got his hands on it again.
Narrowing his eyes, Rowan squeezed harder.
The Power Stone embedded in the gauntlet began to blaze with deep violet light.
"The Infinity Gauntlet…" Thor whispered, finally noticing it. His single eye widened in awe and disbelief.
The sword trembled violently, as if screaming in protest. Between Rowan's stellar-level strength and the Power Stone's energy, the weapon sensed annihilation approaching.
"Still holding together?" Rowan murmured coldly.
He tightened his grip further. Flames of pure violet burst across his body, his hair whipping upward as it ignited in the same color.
"Divine Battle Form."
With that, his physical power doubled again. The air cracked like glass.
A sharp crack echoed the first fracture split across the black blade. Then another. And another.
Within seconds, the entire weapon was covered in glowing fissures, black light spilling from within like the screams of countless lost souls. A dark, ancient consciousness stirred, its gaze turning upon Rowan from beyond the void.
"Break," Rowan commanded.
He poured his full strength into his grip. All four Stones on the Gauntlet flared to life.
"Boom!"
The sword exploded into dust, scattering across the skies of Asgard like black ash.
The heavens split open. The storm ceased. The very world fell silent.
"No!" Thanos roared, his voice filled with fury and despair. His power collapsed as the cursed weapon shattered, leaving his body trembling and weak.
Rowan's only answer was a quiet, disdainful chuckle.
With a flick of his wrist, twenty spectral daggers formed, glowing a deadly blue.
They sliced through the air faster than sight.
The unarmed Thanos barely had time to move before the blades tore through him, reducing the Mad Titan to a mist of blood and flesh.
Thanos was dead.
Rowan exhaled softly. The cosmic shadow that had loomed over everything was finally gone.
Across the battlefield, Hela and Surtur were locked in a final, frenzied clash. Surtur, knowing his replica sword couldn't last, gathered every ounce of his remaining strength into one final strike.
"This ends now!" he bellowed, thrusting the blade downward toward Asgard's heart.
"You won't!" Hela screamed, conjuring a storm of obsidian blades to intercept him.
But before her magic could strike, a violet beam cut through the sky, vaporizing every dark sword she had summoned.
Her eyes widened. Rowan floated above, cloaked in violet fire, a playful glint in his gaze.
"No!" she cried.
Surtur's blade plunged deep into the realm.
The world shook. Mountains crumbled. The sky split apart.
Asgard began to fall.
"Master!" Ebony Maw and the remaining Black Order turned, horror written across their faces as they saw Thanos's lifeless remains.
Their faith shattered. Their despair was complete.
Rowan extended his hand, releasing a brilliant pulse of violet energy. The Titan's massive warship in orbit shattered into molten fragments.
Without the ship, none of Thanos's army would escape. They would all perish with Asgard.
"Thor," Rowan said calmly, "take your people to Earth. I'll grant your kind sanctuary."
Thor hesitated, then nodded solemnly. "Thank you, my friend."
Rowan turned and soared into the void, leaving behind the burning remnants of Asgard.
The realm of the gods was gone.
But life endured. Thor led the remaining Asgardians to a quiet corner of Earth, where they would begin anew. Rowan did not demand their heritage or relics. Earth would one day be their home it was only a matter of time before their two worlds became one.
With Thanos and his lieutenants gone, only scattered remnants of his forces remained no threat worth concern.
For the first time in ages, Rowan could breathe easy.
His attention turned once more toward the Swallowed Star Universe a world filled with endless potential for growth.
"Luo Feng," Rowan said with a grin, "you're giving me these three Spiritwood Essences?"
The young warrior nodded modestly. "Yeah. I had a pretty good harvest this time."
Rowan chuckled. "Not bad. So, what's next?"
"I'm planning to explore the ruins of Ancient Civilization Site No. 9. Have you been there before?" Luo Feng asked curiously.
Rowan shook his head. "No need. The curator already gave me a full set of Black God Armor back then. Whether I go or not doesn't matter."
Luo Feng smiled faintly. "Then I guess I'll see how far I can go on my own."
Rowan studied him quietly. He knew that within those ruins awaited both peril and opportunity and that Luo Feng's journey there would change everything.
But that was a story for another time.
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