Across Earth, the war was finally drawing to a close.
Although Thanos's army was overwhelmingly powerful, the moment their commander, Ebony Maw, died, fear spread through their ranks like a plague.
What terrified them most was how quickly Ebony Maw had been killed. He hadn't even been able to put up a fight.
That sight awakened a deep, instinctive dread within every soldier.
How were they supposed to win against an enemy like that?
Many of them had participated in the battle at Knowhere before. They had seen Nolan Locke with their own eyes.
That was the man who could stand toe-to-toe with their master, Thanos.
Even more unforgettable was the terrifying mechanical swarm he commanded. The memory of that endless tide of machines was etched into their minds and could never be erased.
"Run!"
Countless voices shouted the same word.
The moment fear consumed them, their will to fight vanished.
Unfortunately for them, even escape was impossible.
Nolan had no intention of letting any invaders leave Earth and return to Thanos with information about the planet.
If Thanos learned the truth, he might decide not to come at all.
Or worse, he might come fully prepared.
At that point, even Nolan couldn't guarantee that he would be able to repel, much less defeat, Thanos.
So he immediately issued a new command.
"Eliminate every invader."
The vast mechanical swarm launched another offensive.
Without Ebony Maw's magic support, the soldiers of Thanos's army became little more than living targets.
The Avengers were equally energized. Each of them unleashed their abilities to hunt down the fleeing enemies.
A few managed to reach their ships.
One spacecraft slowly lifted off the ground.
As long as they escaped Earth's atmosphere, they would survive.
The soldiers aboard were ecstatic.
Then, in the next second, a laser beam pierced straight through the ship's energy shield.
Far behind them, the cannon of an orbital tank cooled after firing.
As more ships attempted to take off, more orbital tanks unleashed their terrifying firepower. Countless laser beams crisscrossed the sky, weaving together a brilliant tapestry of light.
It was a beautiful sight.
Unfortunately for Thanos's army, that dazzling display was a death sentence.
It was a cage from which there was no escape.
Less than thirty minutes later, the battle was over.
Not a single enemy remained alive on the battlefield.
Meanwhile, in the royal palace of Asgard, Thor had finally returned.
"Everyone, there aren't any more rebellions, right?"
His impatience was obvious.
He wanted to rush to Earth immediately.
There was still someone there he was deeply worried about.
Seeing Thor's anxious expression, Loki could only sigh helplessly.
"No. Everything's under control. If you want to head to Earth now, you can."
Thor didn't hesitate.
He summoned Mjolnir and leaped into the air, flying toward Heimdall.
Moments later, the Bifrost descended onto the battlefield.
The instant he arrived, Thor roared:
"You miserable bastards! Witness the power of the God of Thunder!"
Lightning erupted across the sky.
Thunderclouds expanded endlessly, as if they intended to tear apart the heavens themselves.
Thor prepared to unleash the storm upon the battlefield.
Then he noticed something strange.
Everyone was staring at him.
Their expressions weren't just surprised.
They looked... confused.
Thor finally realized there were no enemies left.
The battlefield was still a scorched wasteland, but only the Avengers and countless machines remained, cleaning up the aftermath.
"The war is already over? That's impossible!"
Shock filled his face.
Steve Rogers walked over and patted him on the shoulder.
"The battle was tough, but we won."
"But that was Thanos's army..."
Thor stood there with his mouth hanging open.
The reason he had rushed over so urgently was because he had recognized the army's insignia.
Throughout the universe, Thanos's forces were infamous.
Their master was one of the greatest cosmic overlords.
In terms of power, he was no weaker than Asgard.
His domain even surpassed the Nine Realms under Asgard's rule.
How could such a formidable army be defeated so quickly after arriving on Earth?
"Thanos's army?"
Tony Stark walked over, curiosity written across his face.
"What's that supposed to mean?"
He had never heard the name before.
But the enemy's combat strength had certainly alarmed him.
If more alien invasions came in the future, Earth might not survive them.
He wanted answers.
Thor didn't hesitate.
"Thanos is one of the dominant powers in the universe. He's even stronger than Asgard. His army is his primary military force, and its reputation is feared throughout the cosmos."
His expression grew serious.
"In my opinion, even Nolan Locke wouldn't be able to stop Thanos."
As he spoke, Thor glanced toward Nolan.
Tony's face immediately darkened.
So Thanos's army was that powerful?
If that was true, then the force they had just defeated probably wasn't even the main army.
One day, the real Thanos might come to Earth himself.
And that would be the planet's true trial.
Tony turned toward Nolan.
He knew Nolan had traveled the cosmos and interacted with many alien civilizations.
"Have you heard of Thanos?"
Nolan nodded.
"Anyone who's had meaningful contact with other intelligent species has heard that name."
The answer sent chills through the group.
They had already assumed Thanos was dangerous.
Nolan's response made him seem even more terrifying.
"Then... is he really that powerful?"
Natasha couldn't help asking.
She hoped Nolan would give a different answer.
Maybe the army they had fought was already Thanos's elite force.
Maybe things weren't as bad as they seemed.
Instead, Nolan's answer made her expression sink.
"Yes. He may be even stronger than you're imagining."
"I fought him once."
"I lost."
"I barely escaped."
There was a trace of nostalgia in Nolan's voice.
Even now, he couldn't forget that battle.
Among all the enemies he had faced, Thanos remained the strongest.
The Ancient One had also been incredibly powerful.
But now Nolan believed she had merely been holding back.
If she had truly gone all out, he might never have had the chance to deploy weapons like the Water Drop.
Of course, that was only speculation.
Dormammu had also possessed overwhelming strength.
The pressure he exuded rivaled, and perhaps even exceeded, that of Thanos.
But Dormammu had been sealed.
The numerous restraints placed upon him near Earth prevented him from displaying his full power.
Otherwise, the Nolan who hadn't yet awakened his second-generation Super Soldier Gene would never have been able to oppose him.
Thanos was different.
He had directly overpowered Nolan even after Nolan had activated his second-generation Super Soldier Gene.
If there was anyone comparable to Thanos, it was Hela.
But Hela lacked both Thanos's vast empire and the Infinity Stones in his possession.
The difference was obvious.
Everyone stared in disbelief.
Nolan Locke had lost.
Just moments ago, the powerful sorcerer on the opposing side had been killed effortlessly by Nolan.
Every enemy who had attempted to attack him couldn't even touch the corner of his clothing.
Yet even someone like Nolan had been defeated by Thanos.
And Nolan wasn't alone.
He commanded a mechanical empire.
No one believed he had faced Thanos without his machines.
That left only one conclusion.
Nolan had been completely overwhelmed.
Personally.
Militarily.
In every possible way.
After all, Nolan had described his retreat as "barely escaping."
That wasn't the language of someone who had withdrawn calmly.
Tony Stark frowned deeply.
"Thanos is stronger than we imagined. But we still don't know why he's interested in Earth."
"If he comes here personally next time, I can't even imagine how we'd fight him with our current level of strength."
He looked directly at Nolan.
"Earth needs stronger weapons."
"If Thanos arrives, we need the power to resist."
"And that's not something I can provide."
His eyes shone with expectation.
Nolan smiled.
"You're right."
"Earth's military technology is far too weak."
"If enemies like Thanos are beginning to appear, then we need to become stronger than ever before."
His expression became serious.
"I'll be opening access to several experimental super-weapons developed by Locke Industries."
"Hopefully they'll strengthen Earth's overall combat capabilities."
"However, these weapons are still considered laboratory projects because their production costs remain incredibly high."
Nolan shook his head as though it were an unsolvable problem.
Natasha's eyes immediately lit up.
"I don't know about anyone else, but I can guarantee that S.H.I.E.L.D. will prioritize purchasing equipment from Locke Industries."
Nolan glanced at her and raised an eyebrow.
"Honestly, my relationship with S.H.I.E.L.D. has never been particularly friendly."
"Because of Nick Fury, I even increased the prices S.H.I.E.L.D. pays for Locke Industries weapons."
"But considering the threat Earth now faces, I'll remove those restrictions."
Natasha looked genuinely grateful.
S.H.I.E.L.D. had plenty of funding, but Locke Industries equipment wasn't cheap.
If those restrictions remained, they would never be able to purchase enough.
Now she knew she needed to convince Maria Hill.
Not just for Earth.
For S.H.I.E.L.D. itself.
Because once this crisis passed, there was no guarantee Nolan would keep these weapons available.
As for the claim that they were merely experimental equipment, she didn't believe it for a second.
High cost had never stopped a successful weapon from entering production.
As long as performance was sufficient, buyers would always exist.
Just like the black combat armor they wore now.
Despite the enormous expense, S.H.I.E.L.D. had equipped every Avenger with a suit.
Without that armor, many of them would likely have died during this war.
Even now, every suit was covered in battle scars and severe damage.
The only logical explanation was that Nolan simply didn't want such advanced weapons circulating freely.
And there was nothing anyone could do about it.
Other corporations could be pressured through politics or economic influence.
Locke Industries was different.
Nolan Locke was too powerful.
Locke Industries was too powerful.
Most importantly, Nolan's reputation was too powerful.
Combined together, those factors made him untouchable.
Which meant they had to seize this opportunity and acquire as many advanced weapons as possible.
As a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent, that was very much in her personal interest.
Steve Rogers quickly added,
"Don't worry. I'll recommend these purchases to the White House as well."
He wasn't a government official.
But he was Captain America.
His influence reached every corner of the country, including the White House itself.
That was why he could make such a promise.
Listening to the discussion, Thor's face gradually turned red.
Not from anger.
From embarrassment.
Partly because he had arrived too late.
And partly because he had heard Nolan mention those special weapons.
Earth wanted them.
And so did Asgard.
After wrestling with his pride for a while, Thor finally swallowed it and spoke.
"Asgard would also like to purchase those weapons."
His expression became serious.
"If a war of that scale breaks out, Asgard won't be able to stay out of it."
Nolan immediately nodded.
After all, he was a businessman.
These so-called advanced weapons weren't unsellable.
He had simply withheld them to maintain their exclusivity and limit Earth's overall military growth.
Now that people wanted to buy them, why would he refuse?
"Of course."
"I guarantee you'll receive a very satisfying price."
Nolan smiled.
A very happy smile.
...
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