"Bang!"
A thunderous punch, laced with a fierce gust, smashed into Thanos's face. His head snapped to the side, face caving, body lurching backward.
"Puchi--"
Blood sprayed, forming a grim arc. Teeth scattered across the barren ground.
"Bang!"
Thanos crashed down, motionless.
One second, two, five—still out cold.
Everyone's confident until they're punched in the face. Thanos was knocked out, just like he'd done to Hulk.
"Buzz!"
The Infinity Stones glowed. The ground beneath Thanos morphed into a black hole, swallowing him.
"Swish!"
The hole vanished, ground restored. Thanos reappeared nearby, using the Space Stone. His pupil-less eyes showed fear as he raised the Infinity Gauntlet.
The Time Stone emitted a green energy ball, enveloping Thanos and Samuel. Thanos's bloody, toothless grin hinted at triumph.
"Is he rewinding time to heal?" Samuel mused, unconcerned. "Perfect chance to test time negation."
He watched Thanos's mangled face, pleased with his punch's devastation. Few could do that—Wanda or Captain Marvel might kill Thanos, but not with one blow.
"I… didn't see wrong, did I?" Bucky and the others gaped. Samuel, unharmed by the Power Stone, had bloodied Thanos's face.
They knew Samuel was strong, but this? Teleportation, Hot Ray, Mirror Dimension, telekinesis, Wanda-like energy—they thought him a mystic mage, not a brawler.
"Can Hulk take that punch?" Bucky asked Bruce Banner.
Banner shook his head. Hulk fell to Thanos; he'd fare no better against Samuel.
"What's happening?" Spider-Man asked, confused by Samuel and Thanos's standoff.
"Wait," Samuel's voice echoed in his head.
"Whoa, you? In my head? What's 'wait' mean?" Spider-Man babbled.
"Wait for the wind."
"Wind? What wind?"
Samuel teleported before Thanos, smashing the other side of his face.
"Bang!"
The gust roared. "This is the wind!"
Samuel unleashed a storm of blows. Thanos swayed like a ragdoll, unable to block or stand. He staggered, spun, and finally knelt, blood dripping, defeated.
The Time Stone failed. Thanos's injuries—Samuel's doing—couldn't be undone by time reversal. Samuel's actions were fixed, unchangeable facts, immune to time manipulation. Self-healing or external aid might work, but not rewinding.
Samuel raised his left hand. Thanos's Infinity Gauntlet detached, floating to Samuel's hand. He slotted the Mind Stone into it, power surging through him.
"You did it! We did it!" Spider-Man leapt, ecstatic. Bucky and the others ran over, thrilled. Their world could be saved.
Samuel doused their joy. "I succeeded. I have the Infinity Stones. I can do anything. Not you."
Their excitement froze. "What? You won't save the world?" Spider-Man stammered. "You're joking, right? After all this?"
He looked for support, but the others were silent.
"What's your wish?" Sharon Carter asked, meeting Samuel's gaze.
"My wish is to let this world return to—"
A golden rectangular portal interrupted him.
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