"Alright," Thanos said, his deep voice echoing ominously. "Now it's just you."
Doctor Strange stood his ground, unwavering despite the overwhelming pressure radiating from the Mad Titan. Behind him, Tony Stark lay buried beneath rubble, temporarily out of the fight.
Strange adjusted his cloak and smirked faintly. "You may think this will be easy, but taking on a magician head-on? That's a mistake."
Thanos tilted his head, unimpressed. "Hand over the Time Stone. Its purpose is clear—to help me complete my mission. With all six Stones, half the life in the universe will vanish with a snap of my fingers. No pain, no suffering—just balance. My kindness to a universe that's lost its way."
Strange's expression hardened. "Kindness?"
Thanos continued, his tone calm yet resolute. "Completely random, without prejudice or emotion. Rich, poor, king, beggar—it matters not. That's compassion."
Strange shook his head, his voice cold. "And what comes after? A galaxy ruled by a murderer? Gratitude from the survivors you didn't slaughter?"
"No," Thanos replied. "Rest. Peace. The universe has suffered from its own greed for too long. Only the strongest will can make the hardest choices."
Strange sneered, forming intricate hand seals. "You speak of genocide with such ease. That's not strength—it's delusion."
Thanos sighed, shaking his head. "I never expected everyone to understand me."
Strange struck first, slamming his hands to the ground. Two massive bolts of magical lightning surged toward Thanos, carving deep trenches in the earth as they hurtled forward.
But Thanos leapt into the air, dodging the attack effortlessly. With a single punch, he came down toward Strange.
Though Kamar-Taj magicians were trained in close combat, they were no match for a Titan of Thanos's caliber. Strange dodged and countered where he could, but the relentless assault pushed him to his limits.
Realizing he was outmatched in raw strength, Strange resorted to a more advanced technique. "Let's see how you handle this," he muttered.
Summoning the Shape of Aishi, Strange created a series of magical duplicates. Unlike illusions, these duplicates retained portions of Strange's power, surrounding Thanos from every direction.
Red bands of magical energy shot from each duplicate's hands, wrapping around Thanos and pinning his arms. The restraints glowed brightly, their enchantments powerful enough to immobilize even the Mad Titan.
Thanos struggled, the ground beneath him cracking as he exerted his strength.
Strange smirked. "Not so tough when you're tied up, are you?"
But the Black Order had other plans.
A truck came hurtling through the air, spinning wildly. It crashed into the duplicates, shattering them like fragile glass. Only Strange's original form remained, shielded just in time.
Strange turned to see Ebony Maw lurking in the shadows, his hands outstretched as he manipulated the environment.
Before Strange could retaliate, vines erupted from the ground, wrapping around his arms and legs. He struggled but was quickly hoisted into the air, powerless to stop the attack.
Thanos strode forward, his massive hand encircling Strange's neck. "Your tricks are impressive, magician," he said mockingly, "but they won't save you."
Strange gasped, his voice strained. "Two-on-one… coward."
Thanos chuckled, ignoring the jab. He reached for the Eye of Agamotto hanging from Strange's neck, tearing it free with a swift motion.
But when he crushed the artifact in his hand, it disintegrated into dust.
"A fake?" Thanos growled, his composure slipping for the first time. He glared at Strange, his expression darkening. "You've made me very angry, magician."
Thanos hurled Strange to the ground with a resounding crash. The sorcerer groaned, his body aching from the impact.
A sudden burst of red light erupted from the rubble nearby. Tony Stark emerged, his suit damaged but operational.
"Hit me with another building," Tony muttered, "and I might just lose my temper."
Thanos turned, his gaze cold and calculating. "Tony Stark," he said, his voice calm. "The man cursed by knowledge."
Tony responded with a barrage of missiles, the explosions filling the air with smoke and debris.
As the dust settled, Tony launched himself forward, his legs merging into a single propulsion unit. With a powerful kick, he struck Thanos square in the jaw, forcing the Titan to stagger.
Seizing the opportunity, Tony funneled all his suit's energy into a single punch, aiming directly for Thanos's face.
BOOM.
Thanos touched the small cut on his cheek, inspecting the blood on his fingers. His lips curled into a sneer. "All that effort," he said, "just to make me bleed?"
It was a small victory for Tony—the first and last time he gained the upper hand.
Thanos retaliated with unrelenting fury, grabbing Tony by the arm and flinging him into the ground. He followed up with a series of brutal strikes, each one denting the armor and sending Tony reeling.
Tony struggled to keep up, his suit's systems warning him of critical damage. He fought back with missiles, blades, and repulsor beams, but nothing could stop Thanos's onslaught.
Thanos lifted Tony into the air by his helmet, his strength effortlessly overwhelming the Iron Man suit.
"You're persistent," Thanos said, his voice filled with disdain. "But persistence without power is nothing more than stubbornness."
With a final swing, Thanos hurled Tony into the remains of a collapsed building. The debris crashed down around him, burying him completely.