In the great hall, Frieza stood with his hands in his trouser pockets, chin slightly raised.
He looked at the purple giant looming over him.
"Mr. Thanos."
Frieza broke the silence first, his voice soft and elegant.
"In this Emperor's hometown, when one meets a noble Galactic Emperor, one is required to perform a kowtow ceremony."
"Could it be..."
Frieza extended a finger, pointing at Thanos's massive, albeit shoeless, feet.
"Are your knees rusted? Do you need me to help you dismantle them and oil them up?"
Hearing this naked humiliation.
Thanos's deep eyes narrowed slightly. Beneath the golden helmet, his purple face was tense.
Although he didn't know where this Earthling got his confidence.
As an Eternal of Titan, as the dark overlord feared throughout this universe...
"Kneel?"
Thanos's voice was low, echoing in the enclosed hall like muffled thunder.
"Even when the Celestials descended, they never made me bend my knee."
"Young man, although you indeed possess the power to destroy my fleet."
Thanos tightened his grip on the double-edged tyrant warblade, the blade tilting slightly, reflecting a cold glint.
"This arrogance is a bit too laughable."
"Self-proclaimed Emperor?"
"This universe is vast, vast beyond your imagination."
Looking at Thanos's lecturing demeanor, Frieza couldn't help but sigh, a look of disappointment appearing on his face.
"Oh my, my..."
"Truly stubborn."
"I was clearly being merciful, wanting to give you a chance to live."
"Since you don't appreciate kindness..."
The smile on Frieza's lips vanished abruptly. In those scarlet pupils, a chill capable of freezing bone marrow seeped out.
"Then don't blame this Emperor for not respecting talent."
"Arrogance!"
Thanos roared.
Since they couldn't agree, let the blade speak!
BOOM!
Thanos moved.
That mountain-like body exploded with terrifying speed utterly inconsistent with its size.
The special alloy floor beneath his feet shattered instantly, blasting out a deep pit!
Holding the blade with both hands, using the momentum of the charge, the double-edged warblade shrieked as it tore through the air, slashing ruthlessly towards the top of Frieza's head!
This strike was heavy and powerful!
Even if the Hulk were here, he would be split in two by this blade!
However.
Facing this slash capable of splitting mountains and cracking rocks.
Frieza didn't even take his hands out of his pockets.
He just stood there.
Quietly watching the falling blade edge.
Then.
The moment the blade was only one centimeter from the tip of his hair.
Glare!
HUM————!!!
An invisible, yet substantively pressurized aura, like a wall of high-pressure air, suddenly exploded from Frieza's body!
That wasn't any superpower.
That was pure Ki! It was the absolute pressure brought by crushing combat power!
"Wha..."
Thanos's pupils contracted violently to pinprick size.
He felt as if he had crashed into an exploding supernova!
BANG!!!
A muffled, extreme loud noise.
Thanos's massive body was like being hit head-on by a train traveling at light speed.
"Ugh!"
This cosmic overlord only had time to let out a muffled grunt.
His entire person flew backwards uncontrollably!
That terrifying impact force drilled ruthlessly into his body through his proud golden armor.
Thud! Thud! Thud!
Thanos retreated more than a dozen steps, each step stomping a deep footprint into the hard deck.
He barely stopped his retreat by stabbing the warblade fiercely into the ground.
"Pfft..."
A trace of purple blood flowed down the corner of his mouth.
Pain!
Excruciating pain as if his internal organs had shifted!
If not for the tough body of the Titan race and this armor forged by the Dwarf King.
Just that impact alone would have been enough to shatter his internal organs into powder!
Thanos clutched his chest, panting heavily.
He looked up. In those eyes that were always as calm as an ancient well, there was finally an emotion called shock.
Didn't lift a hand.
Just a look?
Just an aura?
And I was injured by the shock?
How is this possible?!
"You... who exactly are you?!"
Thanos stared dead at the man who was still standing in place, not a hair out of place.
This power definitely couldn't be nurtured by a low-level civilization like Earth!
"Oh my, what a forgetful old man."
Frieza shook his head helplessly, walking slowly towards Thanos.
Leather shoes stepped on the metal floor, making crisp click-clack sounds.
"Didn't I tell you long ago?"
Frieza stopped five meters away from Thanos, tilted his head, and revealed an elegant smile.
"I am the Galactic Emperor, Frieza."
"How many times do I have to repeat it before your ears can take it in?"
"Galactic Emperor..."
Thanos gritted his teeth, frantically searching his mind for data on all powerhouses in the universe.
None.
Absolutely no information on this person!
"If you truly are an Emperor, why has your name never been heard in this universe?" Thanos asked in a deep voice.
"Heh..."
Frieza chuckled lightly, spreading his hands.
"That's because this Emperor was relatively low-key before, busy doing business in another universe."
"As for you not hearing of me..."
Frieza extended a finger and shook it gently.
"For a small fry like you, hiding in a corner of the galaxy, isn't it normal not to have heard of my prestige?"
Small fry?
He, Thanos, called the Mad Titan, was actually called a small fry?
If it were before, Thanos would have erupted in murderous rage long ago.
But now.
Feeling the turbulent pain in his body, looking at this unfathomable man in front of him.
Thanos fell silent.
He was a rational person, and even more so, a pragmatic strategist.
The gap was too big.
So big that even if he risked his life, it would be nothing more than a farce in the other's eyes.
"Phew..."
Thanos exhaled a long breath of turbid air, the warblade in his hand falling to the ground with a clatter.
He slowly closed his eyes and straightened his back.
Although he lost, he was still a Son of Titan.
"Do it."
Thanos's voice was calm, devoid of joy or anger.
"Winner takes all."
"Since my skills are inferior, kill or cut, do as you please."
Looking at this posture of awaiting death with stretched neck, the appreciation in Frieza's eyes grew stronger.
"Ohohoho..."
Frieza laughed.
"As expected of Thanos, much more backbone than that Nova Prime who only knows how to cry."
He stepped forward, reached out, and gently patted Thanos's broad and hard shoulder.
Like a boss consoling his employee.
"Don't be so pessimistic, Mr. Purple Potato."
Frieza leaned into Thanos's ear, his tone full of temptation.
"This Emperor cherishes talent very much."
"Kill you? That's too wasteful."
"I see your body is quite sturdy, your brain works well, and most importantly..."
Frieza pointed to this massive Sanctuary II, and then to the wreckage of the fleet outside which, though destroyed, still showed its scale.
"Being able to pull up such a large team and formulate some grand plan to balance the universe."
"Shows your management skills and execution are top-tier."
"Much better than my Captain Apocalypse, who only knows how to brick people into walls."
Frieza took a step back and extended his right hand to Thanos, wearing that hypocritical yet enthusiastic smile characteristic of capitalists.
"Therefore, this Emperor now formally extends an invitation to you."
"Join the Frieza Group, Thanos."
"Be my Legion's Commander-in-Chief, concurrently serving as the Director of the Universal Demolition Office."
"How about it? This treatment is much better than you working solo."
Thanos snapped his eyes open, looking at the hand extended towards him.
His eyes were full of astonishment.
Commander-in-Chief?
Universal Demolition Office?