Tony Stark stood frozen, his gaze locked on Vision's lifeless body. The once vibrant hues of his friend's Vibranium frame had dulled, turning an eerie black in death.
What truly haunted Tony was the state of Vision's body—headless. The clean, brutal twist that had severed his neck spoke volumes of the raw strength behind the act.
Thanos had unscrewed Vision's head to claim the Mind Stone.
"B*stard," Tony growled, his voice trembling with rage. "Who did this?"
A voice answered from behind, calm but grim. "It was Thanos."
Tony turned sharply to see Doctor Strange stepping through a golden portal, his cloak billowing behind him.
"Thanos?" Tony's voice rose, a mix of disbelief and fury. "He's here?!"
For years, the name "Thanos" had loomed over Tony like a dark cloud. Ever since the Battle of New York, the Mad Titan had been a shadow in his thoughts, a specter of unimaginable power. Thor's accounts of Thanos had only deepened Tony's resolve to prepare for the inevitable confrontation.
Every suit, every upgrade—it had all been for this moment.
"After all this time…" Tony muttered, clenching his fists.
Before Strange could respond, a deep, resonant voice filled the air.
"How convenient," Thanos said, stepping into view. His massive frame exuded power and dominance, the gauntlet on his hand gleaming ominously.
Tony's breath caught. The enemy he had imagined countless times was finally before him.
"Hand over the Time Stone," Thanos said, his voice calm but commanding. His gaze shifted to Strange. "Do so, and you might live to see another day."
The air grew heavy with tension. Even without raising his voice, Thanos's presence radiated authority.
Tony tapped the reactor on his chest, signaling his AI. "Friday, call Thor. Now."
"Yes, sir," Friday responded.
The communicator beeped twice before falling silent.
"Sorry, the user you are trying to reach is unavailable. Please try again later."
"Shit!" Tony cursed under his breath.
Thanos smirked. "Your allies are preoccupied. Asgard is crumbling under Ragnarök, and Thor may not survive the day. You're on your own, Stark."
Tony gritted his teeth and activated his reactor. "Then I'll handle this myself!"
The Mark 50 armor unfolded around Tony, encasing him in a sleek, red nanotech suit. Weapons formed almost instantly: blades, cannons, shields—all at his command.
Thanos wasted no time. He lunged forward, his fist aimed straight at Tony.
Tony crouched and raised his arms, generating a shield from the nanobots. The punch connected with a resounding boom, but Tony's shield held.
"Let's see how you handle this," Tony muttered. Jets deployed from the shield, pushing Thanos backward.
Thanos staggered momentarily, giving Tony an opening. With a flick of his wrists, four half-moon-shaped drones launched from his back, surrounding Thanos.
Zzzzt!
The drones fired concentrated blue lasers, converging on Thanos in a blinding burst of light.
Thanos grunted, stepping back under the onslaught. But as the smoke cleared, he was unharmed, his gauntlet glowing faintly as he absorbed the energy.
Tony pressed the attack. A triangular dagger formed in his hand, and he charged at Thanos, aiming for his forehead.
Before the blow landed, a golden portal appeared before him. Without hesitation, Tony leapt through, reappearing behind Thanos.
"Gotcha," Tony muttered, driving the blade toward the back of Thanos's head.
But Thanos was quick. He turned, deflecting the blade with his gauntlet and countering with a punch. Tony ducked and rolled as another portal opened, allowing him to escape the blow.
Doctor Strange's portals gave Tony an edge, allowing him to strike from unpredictable angles. Each time Thanos swung, Tony reappeared elsewhere, his attacks relentless.
But Thanos wasn't called the greatest warrior in the universe for nothing. He ignored Tony's feints, his sharp eyes locking onto Strange.
Grabbing a utility pole, Thanos hurled it at the magician. Strange dodged, but the disruption caused his spellcasting to falter.
The portals disappeared.
Thanos seized the opportunity. Ignoring Tony's latest barrage of attacks, he reached out, grabbing the Avenger mid-air.
Thanos's grip was like a vice. With a guttural growl, he pulled Tony close and headbutted him with brutal force.
CRACK!
The impact sent Tony flying hundreds of meters, his armor barely cushioning the blow. Dazed, he struggled to regain his bearings. Before he could land, he instinctively fired a missile toward Thanos.
Thanos caught the missile effortlessly, examining it with a smirk before tossing it back.
Tony barely managed to roll out of the way as the missile exploded behind him, the shockwave toppling a nearby building.
The collapsing structure loomed over him, and Tony's systems screamed warnings. He tried to deploy a shield, but it was too late.
The debris crashed down, burying him beneath the rubble