Corvus Glaive, Proxima, and Bucky

Chen Tian appeared atop the Trident Building, azure cursed energy slowly dissipating around him. He looked down at the Mind Scepter in his hand, the gem's glow reflecting off his face with an almost sinister beauty.

"JARVIS, report the battlefield situation." He walked toward the Tesseract device as he spoke in a low voice.

"Mr. Chen Tian, Thor and Hulk have successfully suppressed Cull Obsidian. Mr. Madara's battle with Ebony Maw is still ongoing, while Mr. Stark is clearing the remaining Chitauri forces in the air," JARVIS replied in a steady, efficient tone. "Civilian evacuation has been completed."

"Good." Chen Tian nodded, sweeping his gaze across the rooftop before settling on the unconscious Alexander Pierce. The Hydra executive lay sprawled on the ground, his suit in disarray and bruises from the fall still visible on his face.

"Tch." Chen Tian curled his lip, a trace of disgust flashing through his eyes. He raised a hand, cursed energy gathering at his fingertips, and shouted without hesitation, "Cursed Technique Reversal: Red!"

"Boom—!"

A terrifying repulsive force erupted instantly. Pierce's body shot away like a cannonball, tracing a graceful arc across the rooftop before vanishing into the distant sky.

"Sir, your throwing accuracy is remarkable," JARVIS said at just the right moment. "You threw the target directly into a Leviathan's mouth. He has now been completely pulverized. According to biological scans, the Leviathan's digestive system classified him as 'low-quality protein,' and the remains are currently being expelled through its waste ducts."

Chen Tian's mouth twitched. "...JARVIS, are you mocking me?"

"I am merely stating the facts, sir." The AI's tone remained calm.

Chen Tian shook his head and stopped dwelling on it, instead walking toward the Tesseract device. The blue cube floated at the center of the mechanical framework, continuously channeling energy into the wormhole in the sky.

"Now, it's time to shut down this damn portal." He tightened his grip on the Mind Scepter.

However, just as he was about to act—

At the instant Chen Tian prepared to close the portal, an icy chill suddenly crawled from his spine to the back of his neck. His cursed energy senses screamed warnings as the surrounding air warped strangely—

A black-and-gold blade flashed toward his heart at a speed beyond the limits of vision!

"Whoosh!"

"Clang—!"

The sharp ring of metal striking metal exploded through the air. The black-and-gold war blade stopped dead just one centimeter from Chen Tian's back.

The blade tip trembled as it violently scraped against a suddenly manifested blue cursed energy barrier, scattering blinding sparks. The energy flowing over the golden blade and the cursed energy corroded each other, producing a teeth-grating hiss.

Chen Tian slowly turned around and saw Corvus Glaive's desiccated, corpse-like face right in front of him.

Thanos's most dangerous general wore dark purple armor, crimson light flickering within his sunken eye sockets. A cruel curve hung at the corners of his mouth.

He gripped his signature black-and-gold double-bladed weapon with both hands—the Peerless Blade. The chains wrapped around its black handle trembled faintly with the flow of energy.

"Corvus Glaive..." Chen Tian narrowed his eyes, though a playful smile curled across his lips. "Should I say I'm honored? Thanos actually sent the leader of the Black Order to deal with me."

Corvus did not answer. He merely withdrew his blade and retreated three steps like a ghost. He first looked at his weapon in surprise, confused. He had clearly been about to pierce this human. Why had the blade stopped one centimeter in front of him?

Corvus Glaive slowly lowered the Peerless Blade, his crimson eyes fixed on Chen Tian. His cracked lips twitched slightly. "Interesting..."

As Thanos's deadliest assassin, Corvus Glaive never fought a battle he was not sure of winning.

He cautiously circled Chen Tian, his boots striking the ground in a measured rhythm. His dark purple armor gave off faint metallic scrapes with every movement. Those crimson eyes locked onto their prey like a venomous snake's, trying to find a flaw in this human.

Chen Tian looked at Corvus's arrogant posture and curled his lip disdainfully. "Finished looking?"

Before the words had even faded, he sharply raised his right hand. "Cursed Technique Lapse: Blue!"

Corvus Glaive's pupils contracted sharply, and the Peerless Blade instantly crossed before his chest. Yet the terrifying attraction still made him stagger—at that critical moment, his body suddenly blurred, leaving an afterimage behind as his true form flashed ten meters away.

"Not a bad trick, human." Corvus's hoarse voice came from behind him. "But it's not enough—"

His mockery abruptly stopped.

Because Chen Tian had already appeared behind him. His formerly black hair had somehow become an unusual mixture of black and white, and suffocating cursed energy rippled around him. Corvus only had time to see a fist wrapped in black energy rapidly fill his vision—

"Black Flash." "Bang!"

The punch landed squarely on Corvus's withered face. Amid a burst of black light, Corvus Glaive flew like a cannonball through the rooftop, smashing through floor after floor before finally blasting a massive hole in the middle of Trident Tower.

Amid the billowing dust, Chen Tian shook his wrist and looked at the damage he had caused. "Now, it's time to end this farce."

Holding the Mind Scepter, Chen Tian leaped down through the hole in the shattered rooftop. The gem at the tip of the scepter bloomed with an eerie radiance, forming a pale blue energy barrier around him.

The instant he landed—

"Bang bang bang bang bang!"

Countless bullets howled in from all directions, only to abruptly stop one centimeter from his body as if they had struck an invisible wall. The bullets trembled violently in midair, throwing off sparks, but could not advance even an inch farther.

Chen Tian frowned slightly and glanced around.

He had landed in a broad corridor on one of the middle floors of the Trident Building, and it had clearly become a fierce battlefield. On the left were the Hydra armed forces led by Rumlow, dressed in black tactical gear and wielding sophisticated weapons as they fired wildly from behind cover. On the right were the S.H.I.E.L.D. agents led by Steve Rogers. Captain America held his Vibranium shield, Barton had his bow drawn, while Coulson and Melinda May each occupied advantageous positions, fiercely exchanging fire with Hydra.

The two sides had originally been locked in an intense stalemate when the ceiling was suddenly blasted open. Corvus Glaive crashed through it like a cannonball. Before anyone could react, another figure descended from above, and every bullet had somehow stopped in front of him.

"..."

The entire battlefield fell eerily silent for one second.

"Fire! Who cares what that thing is?!" a Hydra commander roared.

The Hydra soldiers turned their muzzles toward Chen Tian, bullets pouring down on him like a storm. Yet every attack halted in front of him, and the suspended bullets soon formed a dense metal barrier in the air.

Chen Tian sighed. "Seriously... annoying."

He gave a light wave of his left hand—

"Cursed Technique Reversal: Red."

"Boom—!"

Terrifying repulsive force erupted, sending every suspended bullet flying back even faster. They pierced with perfect accuracy through each Hydra soldier's forehead, heart, or other vital point.

Steve immediately raised his shield to defend himself, but the bullets seemed to have eyes, flawlessly avoiding every S.H.I.E.L.D. agent.

"Chen Tian?" Barton lowered his bow, asking in surprise, "Why are you—"

"No time to explain." Chen Tian cut Barton off, his gaze fixed on the smoke-filled ruins ahead. "The boss fight isn't over yet."

As soon as he spoke, dark purple energy erupted from the ruins. Rubble blasted away as Corvus Glaive slowly rose to his feet, cracks spreading across his damaged armor and face while madness burned in his crimson eyes.

"Human..." he growled hoarsely, the Peerless Blade trembling violently. "You have enraged me."

Chen Tian suddenly turned and threw the Mind Scepter to Steve. "Captain, catch!"

Steve instinctively caught the scepter, his face full of confusion. "This is...?"

"You can use that to close the wormhole." Chen Tian spoke rapidly. "The device that opened it is on the rooftop. And don't lose the scepter under any circumstances, or we'll never be able to stop the Chitauri army."

"Wait, why aren't you going yourself?" Barton asked with a frown.

A smile tugged at Chen Tian's lips as he turned his gaze toward Corvus Glaive. "Because I need to stay here... and kill the boss."

Steve and Barton exchanged a glance. The former nodded solemnly. "Understood. Hawkeye, let's go!"

"Hey, can you win?" Barton shouted to Chen Tian before leaving.

Chen Tian waved without looking back. "I'll win."

The moment Chen Tian said, "I'll win," his expression stiffened. He raised a hand and gave himself a crisp slap.

"Smack!"

Chen Tian rubbed his reddened cheek, looking deeply annoyed. "Damn it, has that two-and-a-half Gojo's ability contaminated my mind? I actually dared to raise this kind of flag..."

Before the words could fade, Corvus Glaive suddenly turned into a streak of purple-black lightning, the Peerless Blade stabbing toward Chen Tian's throat with enough force to rip apart space!

"Ding—"

The blade once again stopped one centimeter from Chen Tian's throat, colliding with Limitless and throwing off blinding sparks.

Chen Tian tilted his head and looked teasingly at Corvus Glaive, who stood almost within reach. "Hey, hey, sneak attacks aren't a good habit, General."

Corvus Glaive's crimson pupils violently constricted, his dried face twisting with fury. He yanked back the blade and retreated several meters, the rune chains around the hilt trembling frantically.

"Human... what exactly are you?" For once, Corvus's hoarse voice carried a trace of alarm.

Chen Tian shrugged, one hand tucked into his pocket as he stood there lazily. "Thanos sent you here without telling you who I am?" A dangerous curve formed on his lips. "Then... you're in for a very bad time."

The next second, Chen Tian vanished. When he reappeared, he was already standing behind Corvus Glaive, his black-and-white hair fluttering as cursed energy boiled around him.

Corvus Glaive instinctively turned to block, only to see Chen Tian's fist wrapped in pitch-black energy hurtling toward him faster than the eye could follow!

"Triple Black Flash!"

"Bang! Bang! Bang!"

Three heavy punches struck Corvus Glaive's chest, abdomen, and jaw with perfect precision. In bursts of black light, Thanos's strongest warrior flew away like a rag doll, smashing through seven walls in a row before crashing violently into the underground parking garage.

Amid the dust, Chen Tian shook his wrist and murmured, "Told you I'd win..."

Suddenly, as if he had remembered something, he slapped himself again. "Damn! I said it again!"

At that moment, JARVIS's voice sounded in his ear. "Sir, Corvus Glaive's life signs are still increasing. I recommend ending the battle as soon as possible."

Chen Tian sighed. "I know, I know..." He looked toward the huge hole leading down to the underground parking garage, his expression gradually turning serious. "Looks like I'll have to get serious."

Chen Tian instantly appeared in the dim underground parking garage, cursed energy forming a faint blue halo around him. Shattered concrete and twisted steel bars lay scattered everywhere, yet Corvus Glaive, who should have been lying there, was nowhere to be seen.

"An ambush, huh..." Chen Tian narrowed his eyes as his cursed energy perception spread outward like ripples. Then a playful smile appeared on his lips—just as expected, another unfamiliar energy signature had appeared within his senses.

In the darkness, three crimson beams suddenly shot out, striking for Chen Tian's throat, heart, and brow like venomous snakes flicking their tongues!

"Whoosh—"

Chen Tian vanished from where he stood. The three red beams pierced through the afterimage he left behind, melting three smoking holes into the concrete wall.

"This attack method..." Chen Tian appeared beside a pillar ten meters away, looking thoughtful. "Could it be..."

Before he could finish, Corvus Glaive's Peerless Blade thrust out from the shadows, its tip only a hair's breadth from Chen Tian's heart!

"Ding!"

At the critical moment, the cursed energy barrier around Chen Tian automatically activated. The blade collided with the barrier in a shower of blinding sparks. But this attack was completely different from before—the blade was wrapped in strange crimson energy that was slowly eroding Limitless's defense!

"I see." Chen Tian flashed away, opening the distance as he locked his eyes on a spot in the darkness. "Proxima Midnight came too."

A cold snort came from the darkness, and a tall figure slowly stepped out. She wore dark gold armor and held an oddly shaped spear, three crimson points of light hovering around its tip. She was Thanos's daughter and one of the Black Order—Proxima Midnight.

"Corvus, you're truly pathetic this time." She mockingly looked toward her husband, who emerged from the shadows on the other side. "To think a Blue Planet human pushed you this far."

Corvus Glaive did not respond, only tightening his grip on the Peerless Blade. Chen Tian noticed that the wounds on his body were healing at a visible rate. Proxima Midnight's arrival had clearly provided him with some kind of energy support.

"Two against one?" Chen Tian tilted his head, his white hair stirring without wind. "Perfect. I could use the exercise."

Proxima Midnight sneered and thrust out her spear. Three crimson beams shot toward him in a triangular formation. At the same time, Corvus Glaive vanished, the Peerless Blade slashing toward Chen Tian's neck from the exact opposite direction!

Facing this flawless joint attack, Chen Tian instead revealed an excited smile. "Now we're talking!"

"Cursed Technique Reversal: Red!"

Terrifying repulsive force erupted from Chen Tian, knocking both attacks away at once. Yet Proxima Midnight's red beams strangely curved after being deflected and continued their pursuit. Meanwhile, Corvus Glaive used the force of the blast to twist his body impossibly in midair, his blade drawing a perfect arc!

"Clang! Clang!"

Chen Tian gathered cursed energy in both hands, his left blocking the Peerless Blade and his right intercepting the crimson beams. The shockwave from the collision of the three energies flipped every vehicle in the underground parking garage, alarms blaring everywhere.

"JARVIS," Chen Tian said while still battling, "how are things on the rooftop?"

"Agent Barton has successfully closed the wormhole, sir," JARVIS immediately replied. "However, Captain Rogers is pursuing the Winter Soldier. Barton was attacked after closing the wormhole, and the Mind Scepter was taken."

"Hm?" He took a step back to create distance. "Are Barton's injuries serious?"

"He was shot in the shoulder and leg, but his life is not in danger. Agent Natasha is tending to him."

"Mm, send a Medical Pod to assist them. Tell 2B to pursue the Winter Soldier. Don't let him leave with the Mind Scepter."

"Miss 2B has been notified."

Chen Tian's cursed energy instantly surged. His hair, now completely white, whipped wildly in the energy storm. "Looks like I'll have to end this quickly!"

Proxima Midnight's spear suddenly split into three crimson rays, weaving together in the air into a net of death. Corvus Glaive became a purple afterimage, the rune chains on the Peerless Blade extending like living creatures to seal off every route of retreat.

Just as the two lethal attacks were about to touch Chen Tian—

"Unlimited Void."

A pitch-black domain suddenly unfolded. Endless white light and Void instantly appeared within it, and then the entire space turned black.

Corvus Glaive's Peerless Blade froze just one centimeter from Chen Tian's throat. Proxima Midnight's spear halted in midair, and the three crimson beams vanished without a trace.

Corvus Glaive's crimson eyes were filled with terror. He could clearly feel his thoughts being washed over by an infinite torrent of information, every movement requiring an endlessly long process of thought. Proxima Midnight's expression froze in that instant of shock. The speed she had always been proud of was meaningless here.

Chen Tian lightly snapped his fingers. "Now, let's end this game."

Chen Tian stood in the center of the black domain, his white hair drifting faintly through the Void. He slowly raised his right hand and spread his fingers. "Blue."

An invisible attraction erupted, pulling Corvus Glaive and Proxima Midnight uncontrollably toward each other.

"It's over." Chen Tian spoke softly, forming a hand seal before his chest with his left hand while a dazzling blue-violet sphere of energy gathered in his right palm. Countless stars seemed to revolve within it, radiating a pulse that made one's heart tremble.

"Hollow Technique: Purple!"

With Chen Tian's low shout, the energy sphere suddenly erupted into a purple beam several meters wide. Wherever it passed, space itself warped, and the concrete structure of the underground parking garage was effortlessly torn apart like paper.

The reflection of the approaching destructive light filled Corvus Glaive's pupils. He desperately tried to raise the Peerless Blade to block it, but could only watch helplessly as the beam swallowed him and his wife.

"Boom—!!!"

The purple beam pierced through the entire Trident Building, shooting upward from the underground parking garage, tearing through dozens of floors before finally breaking through the roof and blasting into the sky. The entire building shook violently, and countless windows shattered beneath the shockwave.

When the light faded and the dust gradually settled, Chen Tian's domain dissipated as well. He stood at the center of a massive circular crater, surrounded by melted steel bars and crystallized concrete.

On the ground, only a cracked Peerless Blade remained, embedded at an angle. The runes that had once shone along its blade had all gone dark.

Chen Tian bent down and picked up the war blade, his fingertips brushing over the cracks in its surface. "The Black Order is this weak?"

At that moment, JARVIS's voice sounded. "Sir, the Winter Soldier has escaped with the Mind Scepter. 2B was stopped by Captain Rogers, and the two are currently fighting."

After hearing the news, Chen Tian took a deep breath. Steve still could not let go of his best friend. Was he really willing to let the world fall into an even greater crisis just so Bucky could escape?

Steve and Barton held the Mind Scepter as they rapidly moved through the smoke-filled corridor. Bullets howled past them, but the two worked together seamlessly—one handled defense while the other cleared the path.

"Three more floors and we'll reach the rooftop!" Barton said between heavy breaths as an arrow pierced a Hydra soldier around the corner.

Steve raised his Vibranium shield and blocked several stray bullets. "The wormhole is still expanding. We need to move faster!"

They fought their way forward and finally reached the rooftop. Amid the howling winds, the Tesseract device emitted a blinding blue glow, its energy fluctuations warping the surrounding air.

"That's the device!" Barton pointed at the central control console. "Put the scepter in there, and it'll shut down!"

Steve nodded, and the two charged forward against the fierce wind. Just as they were about to reach the console, a black shadow suddenly dropped from the sky—

"Bang!"

Winter Soldier Bucky's metal arm slammed heavily into Steve's shield, the tremendous force driving them both back several steps.

"Bucky..." Pain flashed through Steve's eyes. "Move aside. We have to close the wormhole!"

The Winter Soldier remained expressionless, his mechanical arm clicking. "Mission... stop them..."

Barton immediately drew his bow. "Captain, I'll hold him off!"

Three specialized arrows shot out at once. The Winter Soldier agilely dodged, but one arrow suddenly exploded, smoke instantly engulfing the entire rooftop.

"Now!" Barton shouted.

Steve seized the opportunity and rushed to the console, forcefully driving the Mind Scepter into the center of the device. The gem at its tip resonated with the Tesseract, and dazzling blue light erupted—

"Boom!"

A wave of energy spread out from the device, and the wormhole in the sky began to contract violently. The invading Chitauri army instantly lost power, falling from the sky like puppets with their strings cut.

"We did it!" Barton showed a relieved smile.

But in that moment of relaxation, several gunshots suddenly rang out from behind them!

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Barton's body jolted violently. Although the nanotech suit blocked most of the bullets, two still pierced through, embedding themselves deep in his shoulder and thigh. The searing pain drove him to his knees, and the Mind Scepter flew from his grasp, sliding toward the edge of the rooftop.

"Barton!" Steve cried out, immediately turning to help.

But the Winter Soldier seized the opportunity. His metal arm slammed into Steve's back, sending him flying several meters. Steve struggled to his feet and could only watch as the Winter Soldier picked up the fallen Mind Scepter.

"Bucky... don't..." Steve's voice was hoarse. "That thing is too dangerous..."

A flicker of emotion appeared in the Winter Soldier's eyes, but it quickly turned cold again. He turned and charged toward the rooftop's edge, leaping off without hesitation.

"No!" Steve rushed to the railing, only to see that the Winter Soldier had safely reached the ground with the aid of a rope device and swiftly vanished around the street corner.

Steve gripped the railing tightly. He had to catch up—but Barton's pained groan came from behind him. Turning back, he saw Barton lying on the ground, his face deathly pale, blood already soaking most of his shoulder.

"Damn..." Steve was caught in a dilemma, fine beads of sweat appearing on his forehead. Just then, the rooftop door was violently pushed open.

"How is it?" Natasha's agile figure appeared in the doorway. Her gaze swept quickly over the scene: the open wormhole device, the injured Barton, and Steve's anxious expression.

"Natasha!" Steve said with immense relief. "Bucky took the scepter, but I can't leave Barton behind..."

Natasha was already crouched beside Barton, efficiently examining his wounds. "Leave him to me." She looked up at Steve. "Go after him, Captain. I'll handle things here."

Steve nodded gratefully. After one last look at Natasha stopping Barton's bleeding, he vaulted over the railing without hesitation and descended along the rope the Winter Soldier had left behind.