At this moment, Thor's headless body still lay in a pool of blood.
It was like a fallen monument, brutally crushing the last shred of hope in everyone's hearts.
"This... this is impossible..."
Tony Stark nearly collapsed onto the ground. His faceplate was open, and his usually arrogant expression was now nothing but sheer shock.
J.A.R.V.I.S.'s data was screaming errors in front of his eyes, but he no longer cared.
Technology? Armored suits?
In front of that monster who casually wiped out an entire country, these things were as laughable as a three-year-old's squirt gun.
"Is this the meaning of absolute power?"
Reed Richards, the man called the smartest on Earth, took his hands off the anti-matter cannon.
His brain was trembling; his logic was collapsing.
This was a devastating "difference in power," the kind of despair that left you without even the thought of fighting back.
---
Meanwhile, far behind the Avenger's line.
The Ancient One, the Sorcerer Supreme, who had been calm and composed in her yellow robes, now had a rare bead of cold sweat on her tranquil face.
She had seen it.
Through the Eye of Agamotto, she had witnessed countless timelines.
But in all those possibilities, no matter which one, the outcome was the same: Earth was doomed.
"Are there no other options..."
The Ancient One took a deep breath, and a look of grim determination flashed in her eyes, which were filled with wisdom.
Since a physical fight was impossible, she would have to resort to a rule-based power.
Buzz—!
She formed a hand seal, and the Eye of Agamotto on her chest slowly opened.
A dazzling green light instantly burst forth—the power of the Time Stone!
If she could just rewind time before the demon's arrival...
If she could trap him in a time loop...
However, just as the green magic circle was about to fully form:
"Oh my, Sorceress Lady."
A light, elegant, yet infinitely chilling voice suddenly sounded right next to the Ancient One's ear.
It was faster than the wind.
Frieza, floating in the air, had turned his head without anyone noticing.
His crimson eyes were staring, with a mocking half-smile, at the green light on the Ancient One's chest.
He raised a long, slender finger and lightly made a "shush" gesture near his lips.
"I advise you not to move on that idea, okay?"
"Although I'm quite interested in that glowing little rock."
"But..."
Frieza pointed at the Avengers below his feet, a cruel smile playing on his lips.
"One-thousandth of a second before you activate that thing."
"I can blow all of you into cosmic dust."
"Do you think..."
"Your magic is faster, or is my finger faster?"
Boom!
A terrifying aura, so immense it made the very dimensions begin to warp, instantly locked onto the Ancient One.
Her hands froze mid-air.
As the Sorcerer Supreme, her intuition told her the demon was not lying.
In the face of absolute speed and power, the casting time for her time magic was simply too long.
Besides...
Even if she managed to trap him, the Avengers would be annihilated in that instant.
The demon might also grow stronger through countless loops.
In that case, what would be the point of the reversal?
Hiss...
The green light slowly extinguished in the Ancient One's hands.
The Eye of Agamotto closed again.
The Sorcerer Supreme, who had protected Earth for centuries, lowered her noble head for the first time under the gaze of those crimson eyes.
She had lost.
"Ohohoho..."
Seeing the Ancient One give up, Frieza let out a laugh of pure pleasure.
"That's better."
"We must respect the rules of the game, mustn't we? Cheating isn't what good kids do."
Frieza nodded with satisfaction, looking like a teacher who had just disciplined a disobedient student.
"Since you're all being so sensible, the Great Lord here shouldn't be too stingy."
"To commend your willingness to cooperate..."
Frieza turned and casually waved his hand toward Apocalypse, who was next to the massive crater created earlier.
Whoosh—!
A surge of purple energy swept over.
A hulking, blue-skinned figure was sucked over like a ragdoll and suspended beside Frieza.
It was Apocalypse, who had been seemingly killed by Thor's axe earlier.
Apocalypse's chest was caved in, and blue blood covered the ground. He looked utterly miserable, clinging to his last breath.
"Wake up, my Captain."
Frieza extended a finger and tapped Apocalypse on the forehead.
Buzz!
A massive surge of life energy injected itself into him.
To everyone's horror, the horrific wounds on Apocalypse's body healed at a visible speed!
In just two seconds.
The mutant original, who had been on the brink of death, suddenly opened his eyes, and his aura was even stronger than before!
"Th-thank you, Master, for this new lease on life!"
Apocalypse flipped over and knelt in the air, frantically bowing to Frieza, his eyes filled with zeal and terror.
The shadow of death he had just experienced elevated his reverence for this man to its absolute peak.
"Get up."
Frieza waved his hand dismissively.
He refocused his gaze on the desperate Avengers below.
"Gentlemen."
"The Frieza Game continues."
"However..."
Frieza pointed at the line of Ginyu Force members standing behind him in their tight suits and bizarre poses—Apocalypse, Magneto, Sebastian Shaw, Juggernaut...
"The Great Lord here is very busy and doesn't have time to play dress-up with you lowlifes whose power levels are only 5."
"You want to challenge me?"
Frieza's lips curved into a sneer.
"Then defeat my adorable subordinates first."
"Whether it's a one-on-one fight or an all-out brawl, it's up to you."
"As long as you can beat them, the Great Lord here might consider moving one of my fingers to play with you."
With that, Frieza slowly ascended, flying to an even higher altitude.
With his arms crossed, he resembled a god looking down on humanity, coldly observing the arena below.
"Go, my warriors."
"Don't embarrass me again."
"ROAR!!!"
Given his master's command, Apocalypse abruptly turned around, his blue face filled with rage and a thirst for vengeance.
The shame of being instantly defeated by Thor had to be washed away with blood!
"Avengers! X-Men!"
Apocalypse slowly descended with Magneto and the others, his terrifying presence cracking the ground beneath them.
"Are you ready to face death?!"
Looking at the enemy army before them, poised like a pack of hungry wolves.
Captain America gripped his shield, his palms slick with sweat.
He turned to look at his comrades behind him.
Every face was etched with despair.
Even Thor was taken out in a flash, and even the Ancient One didn't dare to act.
Did they...
Did they really have any hope left?
Captain America's gaze involuntarily drifted to the man in the corner, head bowed, his face hidden by long hair.
Robert Reynolds.
The Sentry.
"Does it really have to come to that?" Captain America murmured to himself.
---
Tens of thousands of feet above the ground.
Frieza watched the imminent battle below, relishing the wonderfully desperate expressions on the human faces.
\[Ding! Detected complete collapse of faith in all Avengers! Fear Value +5,000!\]
\[Ding! Detected global audience Sanity Plunge! Fear Value +10,000!\]
...
Listening to the sweet sound of the system notifications, Frieza's smile grew increasingly deranged.
"Yes, just like that."
"Struggle, howl."
"Let this fear rage even harder!"
"Once I've finished harvesting this wave of 'crops,' taken over Earth, and annihilated that place called Asgard..."
Frieza clenched his fist, feeling the power within him still constantly expanding.
"By then, even if that purple brute, Thanos, shows up, the Great Lord here will crush his skull with one hand!"
"Ohohohoho...!"