I am Thor

If someone with less self-control were in Thor's place, facing the sneering taunts from both sides, he might have snapped already. But Thanos stood calm, his face unreadable.

"Sacrificing for the future of the universe," Thanos said, "I've been ready for this since I set out on this path. For them, for me—this is fate, and it is an honor."

Cold-blooded resolve!

Thor could feel it—Thanos wasn't just feeding his followers empty words; he genuinely believed it. This wasn't about power or conquest for him. All the violence, the deaths—they were just means to a bigger end. Thanos sought balance in the universe, aiming to preserve its resources. Among all villains, none held as high an ideal. In a way, he was an idealist who dared to act on his beliefs.

In truth, Thanos saw himself as something beyond the universe's inhabitants, like a human viewing animals through the lens of conservation. The theory itself wasn't the problem.

But wiping out half of all life, including himself? Now, that was an issue. Outside the Nine Realms was none of his concern, and in the Nine Realms—Asgard's territory—Thanos was just an intruder. His vision of "balance" didn't sit well with Thor.

When Thanos snaps his fingers, it affects the whole universe. No one is exempt, and that's an unbridgeable divide.

Unwilling to waste words, Thanos lunged at Thor, intent on making his point through force alone.

As the battle commenced, Ebony Maw sprang into action, flicking his finger to unleash a wave of psychic energy. Pieces of metal plates were ripped from the surroundings and snaked toward Carol like silent, deadly serpents. Carol retaliated, her strength flaring as she shattered the metal, only to be beset by more.

Corvus Glaive kept his distance, aware of her formidable power, which rivaled Thanos himself. He raised his weapon, vigilant and ready to shield Ebony Maw from Carol's energy blasts. Years of fighting together had honed their teamwork, their strategy unspoken yet understood: their mission was to delay Carol at any cost, giving Thanos time to face Thor one-on-one.

Thanos' massive blade, the Overlord's Blade, came crashing down. Thor raised Gungnir to intercept the blow, deflecting it, only for Thanos to swing the blade down again with relentless force. Thanos was using his size and brute strength to overwhelm Thor, aiming to wear him down bit by bit.

After three successive blows, Thor's arm was numb. He seized his chance on Thanos' fourth swing, angling Gungnir's spear tip to catch and redirect the blade. He twisted to the side, pressing the blade down into the ground. While Thanos struggled to lift it, Thor struck him square in the chest.

Activating his Astral Projection power, Thor watched as a translucent projection of Thanos' soul momentarily emerged from his body before snapping back.

It was true: the hardest decisions require the strongest wills. Thanos, prepared to annihilate worlds, had an iron will unlike any Thor had encountered, even surpassing Doctor Strange. That will was formidable enough to resist Thor's Astral Projection.

As Thanos' soul returned, a golden ring appeared above his head, tightening before quickly dissipating. Thor adjusted his Sling Ring, closing the portal.

"Heh…" Thanos sneered, shrugging off the weakened spell. Thor grimaced, focusing his mental energy into more spellcasting, but Thanos strained against the glowing ring, pulling at it with both hands.

The stalemate was brief. With a sharp "snap," Thanos tore the indestructible portal apart. Thor reeled from the backlash, locking eyes with Thanos, who was now breathing heavily.

Thor finally understood why Doctor Strange hadn't tried these moves on Thanos. Thanos' physical and mental strength were nearly immune to such techniques; he could brute-force his way through soul magic and even sever a portal.

"Your tricks are clever," Thanos remarked, his tone ice-cold. He removed his helmet and let it fall heavily to the ground before readying his blade once more.

Ebony Maw's powers were mysterious and formidable, a unique threat among the Black Order. His psychic abilities made it challenging to counter him, even if one was stronger. Just as Doctor Strange could hold his own against a four-stone Thanos, he was swiftly defeated when facing Ebony Maw alone.

Had Thor not been empowered by Awakening Thunder, facing the Black Order would have been daunting. An opponent like Ebony Maw could have overpowered him entirely—a key reason why Thor didn't bring Jane Foster along.

Carol was also struggling. Though neither Ebony Maw nor Corvus Glaive could directly harm her, their strange abilities kept her off balance. They had no intention of facing her head-on, focusing instead on delaying her.

Every time she tried to fly, metal hands would emerge from the ground to grab her feet. She'd shatter them, only for another piece of debris to come crashing down from above.

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