The lab had become a battleground.
Sparks rained from the ceiling as the reinforced walls shuddered under impact after impact. The once-sterile chamber was now a warzone, echoing with the sounds of snarling Outriders, metal tearing, and panicked breath. Equipment sparked and flickered, and the blue glow of Wakandan tech was increasingly stained by shadow and smoke.
Shuri clung to the last panel of Vision's neural interface, her fingers trembling as she initiated the final phase. Each line of code unlocked brought them closer to separating the Mind Stone.
"Noctis, above!" Wong shouted.
A trio of Outriders dropped from a hole in the ceiling, claws extended, eyes wild with hunger. Their snarls were primal, their forms barely held together by armor and muscle.
Noctis spun his spear overhead, summoning a vortex of shadows that yanked them mid-air and slammed them into opposite walls. Their bodies crumpled upon impact, black blood spattering across control panels. He didn't stop to breathe, pivoting into a defensive stance.
Wanda stood near the rear entrance, red energy pulsing from her hands. The air shimmered around her, thick with chaos magic. Her face was pale, her eyes intense. She gritted her teeth and pushed back six more Outriders clawing through a breach. Her scream echoed through the chamber as her power detonated, sending them sprawling into the walls with bone-crushing force.
"Two minutes," Shuri called out, sweat rolling down her face. "I just need two more minutes!"
Wong knelt beside Vision, forming a protective hex dome. The magic crackled under pressure. "That's all the time we'll get."
More Outriders swarmed through a growing fissure in the far wall. Noctis blinked to their flank, dispatching two instantly with precise stabs, but another lunged at Shuri.
Wanda's blast came just in time—slamming it across the lab. Her knees buckled slightly, but she forced herself upright again. "I've got you!" she gasped.
The chaos was closing in. The room shrank under pressure.
Outside, the battlefield was a storm of fire and fury. Alexander's shadows lashed like serpents, carving through the endless tide of Outriders. Each step he took toward Thanos felt like walking against the pull of gravity.
Elite Outriders—larger, armored, enhanced—barricaded his path. Their claws crackled with plasma, their movements more intelligent and coordinated. These weren't common foot soldiers. These were assassins.
Alexander's system screamed.
[CORE SYNC 94.2% — WARNING: SUSTAINED SHADOW PRESSURE AT LIMIT]
[TIME LIMIT: 03:28 REMAINING]
He gritted his teeth, shadows swirling tighter around his form. His heartbeat echoed in sync with his power, rhythm steady like a war drum.
Steve, Natasha, and T'Challa fought nearby, holding key positions and repelling flank attacks. Steve's shield shattered an enemy's jaw, Natasha ducked under a blade and countered with a stab to the throat, and T'Challa flipped over a siege beast, striking down with a kinetic pulse that sent it crashing.
"We've got your flank!" Steve shouted.
"Don't stop," Alexander called back, his voice calm despite the rising fury. "He's waiting."
Just ahead, Thanos stood—still unmoving—watching. His massive figure cast a long shadow across the battlefield, the Gauntlet pulsing faintly.
Near the southern ridge, Thor's battle with Cull Obsidian reached a fever pitch. The giant brute smashed the ground, sending shockwaves through the battlefield. Thor was blasted into a pile of wreckage, gritting his teeth as he forced himself up.
"Thor!" Rocket yelled from a mountaintop turret, firing rapid bursts to cover him.
Groot extended his arm like a whip, wrapping around Cull's ankle and yanking him off balance. The brute stumbled, snarling.
Thor rose with fury in his eyes. He raised Stormbreaker, calling down lightning from the heavens.
"Time to end this," he muttered.
The weapon crackled to life. Thor hurled it with a roar. The blast struck Cull directly in the chest, sending the massive warrior crashing into the jungle beyond the ridge. Thunder echoed across Wakanda.
"Thanks, tree," Thor said, panting.
Groot gave a grunt and rearmed himself with a new wooden blade, turning toward the next threat.
Back inside the lab, Shuri's eyes scanned the final line of code. The display glowed with a pulse that mirrored Vision's fading energy.
"It's done!" she gasped. "The Stone is nearly free!"
Wong nodded and poured the last of his strength into the hex dome surrounding Vision. The shield shimmered, barely holding under pressure.
Wanda turned to Vision. "Stay with us. Please."
For the briefest moment, Vision's eyes flickered. A sliver of consciousness surfaced.
Outside the door, the reinforced structure groaned. The final barrier began to crack under the pressure of a relentless Outrider assault.
"Brace yourselves!" Wong yelled.
Wanda screamed as she unleashed another red wave, blasting back the attackers and buying precious seconds. Her breath came in ragged gasps.
She fell to one knee, trembling. Blood trickled from her nose.
"Wanda!" Shuri rushed to her side, checking for injuries.
Noctis stood by the door, his armor scratched and spear slick with blood. "They're not done yet."
The door exploded inward.
A massive Outrider lunged for Wong, who countered with a last-second shield, the force knocking him against the wall.
Two more sprinted toward Shuri and Vision.
Noctis reacted instantly, slashing one mid-air.
But the second reached Vision.
Its claw hovered inches from the Mind Stone.
And then—
Outside, Alexander reached the final clearing.
His body burned with shadow energy, the air around him crackling. His armor was cracked, blood dripping from his chin, but his stance was steady. His system pulsed red.
[DIRECT CONFRONTATION IMMINENT]
[WARNING: SHADOW DRAIN CRITICAL — 01:10 REMAINING]
Thanos began to move.
The Titan's first step was deliberate. The ground trembled.
The Gauntlet glowed. Space distorted.
Reality shivered.
Alexander raised both hands, shadows converging into a great sword.
The battlefield cleared as if responding to the gravity of the moment.
The war paused—if only for a breath.
And then—
To be continued.
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