Corvus, Proxima Midnight, and Bucky

Chen Tian's figure flashed onto the rooftop of 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 a touch of eerie beauty.

"JARVIS, report the battlefield situation," he asked quietly as he walked toward the Tesseract device.

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

"Good." Chen Tian nodded, his gaze sweeping over the rooftop before finally settling on the unconscious Alexander Pierce. This high-ranking Hydra official was sprawled limply on the ground, his suit in disarray and bruises from the fall still visible on his face.

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

"Boom—!"

Terrifying repulsive force erupted instantly. Pierce's body shot away like a cannonball, tracing a graceful arc over 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 into a Leviathan's mouth. He has been completely pulverized. According to biological scans, the Leviathan's digestive system has classified him as 'low-quality protein,' and the residue is 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, no longer dwelling on that detail, and turned toward the Tesseract device. The blue cube floated at the center of its mechanical framework, endlessly 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 very instant Chen Tian prepared to close the portal, bone-chilling cold suddenly crawled from his spine to the back of his neck. His cursed energy senses screamed warnings as the air around him twisted strangely—

A gold-and-black blade streaked toward his back at a speed beyond the limits of sight!

"Whoosh!"

"Clang—!"

The crisp ring of metal striking metal exploded through the air. The gold-and-black war blade came to an abrupt halt just one centimeter from Chen Tian's back.

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

Chen Tian slowly turned around and saw Corvus Glaive's withered, mummy-like face right before him.

Thanos's most dangerous general wore dark-purple armor. Crimson light flickered in his sunken eye sockets, and a cruel curve hung at the corner of his mouth.

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

"Corvus Glaive..." Chen Tian narrowed his eyes, though an amused smile tugged at his lips. "Should I be honored? Thanos actually sent the leader of the Black Order to deal with me."

Corvus Glaive did not answer. He merely yanked back his weapon and retreated three steps like a phantom. He first glanced at his weapon in surprise, baffled. He had clearly been about to pierce this human, so why had the blade stopped one centimeter in front of him?

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

As Thanos's deadliest assassin, Corvus Glaive never fought battles he was not certain of winning.

He cautiously circled Chen Tian, his boots striking the floor in a steady rhythm while his dark-purple armor gave off faint metallic scrapes. Those crimson eyes locked onto his prey like a venomous snake, searching for a weakness in this human.

Chen Tian watched Corvus Glaive's arrogant display and curled his lip disdainfully. "Done looking?"

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

Corvus Glaive's pupils shrank sharply, and the Peerless Blade instantly crossed before his chest. Yet the terrifying pull still made his body sway—at that critical instant, his figure suddenly blurred, leaving an afterimage behind as his true body flashed ten meters away.

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

His taunt abruptly stopped.

Because Chen Tian had already appeared behind him. His black hair had somehow become a strange mix of black and white, and suffocating cursed-energy waves coiled around his body. Corvus Glaive only had time to see a fist wreathed in black energy rapidly fill his vision—

"Black Flash." "Bang!"

The punch struck Corvus Glaive's desiccated face squarely. Amid the explosive flash of black light, Corvus Glaive shot through the rooftop like a cannonball, smashing through layer after layer of floors before blasting a massive hole into the middle of the Trident Building.

Amid the billowing dust, Chen Tian shook his wrist and looked at the destruction 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 atop the scepter bloomed with an eerie glow, forming a pale-blue energy barrier around him.

The instant he landed—

"Bang bang bang bang bang!"

Countless bullets screamed in from every direction, only to stop abruptly one centimeter from his body, as if they had struck an invisible wall. The bullets trembled violently in the air, sparks flying everywhere, yet they could not advance another inch.

Chen Tian frowned slightly and looked around.

He had landed in a wide corridor on one of the Trident Building's middle floors, and it had clearly become a fierce battlefield—on the left was the Hydra armed force led by Rumlow. Dressed in black tactical gear and carrying advanced weapons, 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, and Coulson and Melinda May each occupied advantageous positions as they exchanged fierce gunfire with Hydra.

The two sides had been locked in an even battle when the ceiling was suddenly blasted open. Corvus Glaive crashed through like a cannonball, and before anyone could react, another figure descended from above—and every bullet stopped in front of him.

"..."

The entire battlefield fell eerily silent for a second.

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

The Hydra soldiers swung their guns toward Chen Tian, bullets pouring down on him like rain. Yet every attack stopped before him. The hovering bullets quickly formed a metal barrier, packed densely through the air.

Chen Tian sighed. "This is... annoying."

He casually waved his left hand—

"Cursed Technique Reversal: Red."

"Boom—!"

Terrifying repulsive force erupted, sending every suspended bullet flying back at even greater speed. They pierced precisely through the vital points of every Hydra soldier—their foreheads, hearts, and more.

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

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

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

As soon as he finished speaking, a surge of dark-purple energy suddenly erupted from the ruins. Rubble was blasted aside as Corvus Glaive slowly rose to his feet, his armor damaged, his face covered in cracks, and madness burning in his crimson eyes.

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

Chen Tian suddenly turned and tossed 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 opening the wormhole is on the rooftop. And don't lose the scepter, 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 curved Chen Tian's lips as his eyes turned toward Corvus Glaive. "Because I need to... kill the boss here."

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

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

Without turning around, Chen Tian waved a hand. "I'd win."

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

"Smack!"

Chen Tian rubbed his reddened cheek, looking annoyed. "Damn it, has 2.5 Gojo's ability corrupted my mind? I actually dared to raise a flag like that..."

Before his words had faded, Corvus Glaive suddenly transformed into a streak of purple-black lightning. The Peerless Blade pierced straight toward Chen Tian's throat with force enough to tear space apart!

"Clink—"

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

Chen Tian tilted his head, looking teasingly at Corvus Glaive right in front of him. "Hey, hey, sneak attacks aren't a good habit, General."

Corvus Glaive's crimson pupils contracted violently, his withered face twisting with rage. He abruptly pulled back his blade and retreated several meters, the rune chains on the handle shaking wildly.

"Human... what exactly are you?" Corvus Glaive's hoarse voice carried a rare hint of alarm.

Chen Tian shrugged, one hand in his pocket, looking utterly relaxed. "Thanos sent you here without telling you who I am?" A dangerous curve rose 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 wreathed in pitch-black energy hurtling toward him at a speed beyond sight!

"Triple Black Flash!"

"Bang! Bang! Bang!"

Three heavy blows landed precisely on Corvus Glaive's chest, abdomen, and chin. Amid flashes of black light, Thanos's strongest warrior flew away like a rag doll, smashing through seven walls in succession before slamming viciously 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 quickly as possible."

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

Chen Tian's figure instantly appeared in the dim underground parking garage, cursed energy forming a faint blue halo around him. Broken concrete and twisted steel bars littered the ground, but 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 senses spread outward like ripples. Suddenly, an amused smile appeared on his lips—sure enough, another unfamiliar energy signature emerged within his perception.

Three crimson beams suddenly shot from the darkness, striking at Chen Tian's throat, heart, and brow like venomous serpents!

"Whoosh—"

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

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

Before he could finish, Corvus Glaive's Peerless Blade stabbed out from the shadows, its tip just a hair's breadth from Chen Tian's back!

"Clink!"

At the crucial moment, the cursed-energy barrier around Chen Tian activated automatically. The blade and the barrier collided, scattering blinding sparks. But this attack was entirely different from the previous ones—the blade was wrapped in strange crimson energy that was slowly eroding Limitless's defense!

"So that's how it is." Chen Tian flashed away and created distance, his gaze locking onto a point in the darkness. "Proxima Midnight came too, huh?"

A cold snort came from the darkness as a tall figure slowly walked out. She wore dark-gold armor and held a strangely shaped spear. Three crimson points of light floated around its tip—Thanos's daughter and one of the Black Order, Proxima Midnight.

"Corvus, you really are pathetic this time." She mocked her husband, who emerged from the shadows on the other side. "A Blue Star human actually pushed you this far."

Corvus Glaive did not respond. He merely tightened his grip on the Peerless Blade. Chen Tian noticed that the wounds on his body were healing at a visible speed. Proxima Midnight's arrival had clearly given him some form of energy support.

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

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

Faced with that flawless coordinated attack, Chen Tian instead revealed an excited smile. "Now that's more like it!"

"Cursed Technique Reversal: Red!"

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

"Clang! Clang!"

Chen Tian condensed cursed energy in both hands at once, blocking the Peerless Blade with his left and intercepting the crimson beams with his right. The shock wave produced by the collision of the three energies overturned every vehicle in the underground parking garage, setting alarms blaring everywhere.

"JARVIS," Chen Tian said, still able to speak amid the fierce battle, "how are things on the roof?"

"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 treating him."

"Alright. Send a medical pod to assist them. Tell 2B to pursue the Winter Soldier. Don't let him leave with the Mind Scepter."

"2B has been notified."

Chen Tian's cursed energy instantly surged. His hair, now completely white, whipped wildly within the energy storm. "Looks like I need to finish this quickly!"

Proxima Midnight's spear suddenly split into three crimson rays, weaving a net of death through the air. Corvus Glaive turned into a purple afterimage, while the rune chains on the Peerless Blade extended like living creatures, sealing off every route of escape.

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

"Unlimited Void."

A pitch-black domain suddenly unfolded. Endless white light and void instantly emerged inside it, before the entire space turned black.

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

Corvus Glaive's crimson eyes were full of Man's terror. He could clearly feel an infinite torrent of information washing over his mind, forcing every action to pass through an endlessly long process of thought. Proxima Midnight's expression froze at the instant of shock. Her prideful speed was meaningless now.

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

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

An invisible gravitational pull erupted, and the bodies of Corvus Glaive and Proxima Midnight flew uncontrollably toward each other.

"It's over." Chen Tian spoke softly, forming a hand seal before his chest with his left hand as a brilliant blue-violet sphere of energy condensed in his right palm. Countless stars seemed to swirl within the sphere, radiating a heart-pounding fluctuation.

"Hollow Technique: Purple!"

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

The increasingly close light of destruction reflected in 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, rising from the underground parking garage, smashing through dozens of floors before blasting through the roof and shooting into the sky. The entire building shook violently, and countless windows shattered beneath the shock wave.

When the light faded and the smoke gradually settled, Chen Tian's domain dispersed 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 Peerless Blade bearing Man's cracks remained, embedded at an angle. The runes that had once glowed 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 spoke. "Sir, the Winter Soldier has escaped with the Mind Scepter. 2B was stopped by Captain Rogers, and the two are currently fighting."

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

Steve and Barton raced through the smoke-filled corridor with the Mind Scepter in hand. Bullets screamed past them, but the two worked seamlessly together—one handled defense while the other cleared the way.

"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, blocking several stray bullets. "The wormhole is still expanding. We have to move faster!"

The two fought their way onward and finally reached the rooftop. Amid the howling wind, the Tesseract device emitted blinding blue light, its energy fluctuations warping even the surrounding air.

"That's the device!" Barton pointed at the central console. "Insert the scepter, and it'll shut it 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 descended from above—

"Bang!"

Winter Soldier Bucky's metal arm slammed heavily into Steve's shield, the immense impact forcing both of them 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 dodged nimbly, but one of the arrows suddenly exploded, and smoke instantly engulfed the entire rooftop.

"Now!" Barton shouted.

Steve seized the chance and charged toward the console, driving the Mind Scepter fiercely into the center of the device. The gem atop the scepter resonated with the Tesseract, and dazzling blue light erupted—

"Boom!"

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

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

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

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Barton's body jerked violently. Although the nanotech suit blocked most of the bullets, two still penetrated its defenses, burying themselves deep in his shoulder and thigh. The searing pain drove him to his knees, and the Mind Scepter flew from his hand, skidding toward the edge of the rooftop.

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

But the Winter Soldier seized the opportunity. His metal arm slammed into Steve's back, sending him flying several meters away. Steve struggled to his feet, only to watch the Winter Soldier pick 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 descended to the ground with 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. Looking 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 forming on his forehead. Just then, the rooftop door was violently shoved open.

"How is it?" Natasha's agile figure appeared in the doorway. She swiftly took in the scene: the open wormhole device, the injured Barton, and Steve's anxious expression.

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

Natasha was already crouching beside Barton, efficiently checking 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 climbed over the railing without hesitation and followed the rope left behind by the Winter Soldier down.