The earth trembled violently as the power of thunder collided with the fury of flames. Volcanoes erupted in the distance, their molten cores spilling into the sky as if heralding the apocalypse.
At the center of this maelstrom stood Surtur, locked in an endless cycle of destruction and rebirth. Torn apart by Thor's relentless strikes and reborn through the Eternal Fire, his once-mighty form shrank with every resurrection.
Thor's approach was different from Odin's. Where Odin had once captured the Eternal Fire to delay Surtur's return, Thor aimed to break the cycle entirely—to ensure Surtur would never rise again.
With each rebirth, Surtur's strength waned, his body diminishing. The once-colossal giant was now a shadow of his former self.
"There's no such thing as true immortality," Thor muttered, his grip tightening on the Phoenix Stormbreaker.
Elsewhere, the battle raged on.
Clad in his Celestial Armor, Tony Stark was holding his own against Thanos. The armor, built with materials derived from a Celestial's remains, made him stronger than ever before—stronger even than the Hulk.
With a devastating punch, Tony sent Thanos sprawling. Before the Titan could recover, a powerful energy ray blasted toward him, forcing him onto the defensive.
Thanos retaliated, delivering a brutal strike to the underside of Tony's arm. But his attack had no effect.
What Thanos didn't realize was that for the Celestial Armor, traditional weak points weren't weaknesses at all. In fact, they were traps designed to lure in unsuspecting opponents.
Boom!
As Thanos' fist struck the armor, a muffled explosion reverberated. He found his hand stuck, unable to withdraw it.
Tony seized the opportunity, grabbing Thanos with his free hand. Activating his thrusters, he soared into the sky, dragging the Titan with him. Within moments, they had ascended tens of thousands of meters.
"Enjoy the view!" Tony quipped before hurling Thanos into the air.
As a ground-bound fighter with no flight capabilities, Thanos could do nothing but flail helplessly as gravity began to take hold.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Tony unleashed a barrage of laser cannons and missiles, raining destruction upon the falling Titan. Each impact sent shockwaves rippling through the air.
On the ground, Obsedian Cull rose shakily, gripping his massive axe.
"I'll help—" he began, but Ebony Maw raised a hand to stop him.
"No need. Let him play," Ebony Maw said calmly. "This strange armor may trouble Thanos, but it can't defeat him."
The strategist's cold confidence remained unshaken. He knew Thanos' strength better than anyone. Tony's design was formidable, but it had been built to counter the Thanos of five years ago—not the force of destruction standing before them now.
Boom!
Thanos hit the ground with a thunderous crash, leaving a massive crater in his wake.
The battlefield fell silent.
Then, a thick arm emerged from the pit, gripping the edge. Thanos pulled himself up, his expression dark and brooding. Though he didn't speak, the fury in his eyes was unmistakable.
The Titan tore off his battered helmet and began marching toward Tony.
A missile streaked toward Thanos, its black smoke trailing like a banner. Without breaking stride, Thanos caught the projectile mid-air and slammed it against his own chest.
Boom!
The explosion scattered flames in every direction, but Thanos remained unfazed, walking through the inferno with grim determination.
Tony shot into the air, his thrusters firing on all cylinders as he prepared a gravity-assisted punch. The Celestial Armor's boosters activated, propelling him forward with immense force.
"Let's end this!" Tony yelled, his fist hurtling toward Thanos.
But Thanos was ready.
With a speed that defied his massive frame, the Titan's right arm shot out, intercepting Tony's punch.
CRACK!
The sound of metal splintering echoed as cracks spiderwebbed across the armor.
Tony's eyes widened in disbelief. Before he could react, a massive fist filled his vision.
Boom!
The impact sent Tony flying like a broken kite. He tumbled to the ground, his armor groaning under the strain.
Thanos didn't relent. His pursuit was swift and merciless, and within seconds, he was upon Tony again. The battlefield erupted with the sounds of explosions and tearing metal as the two clashed.
Tony fought valiantly, his armor's capabilities stretched to their limits. For a mortal, his resolve was nothing short of godlike.
Finally, Thanos grabbed hold of the armor's central reactor.
"It's over," Thanos growled, his voice as cold as death. "Your efforts are futile."
CRACK!
The reactor shattered in his hand, the Celestial Armor's light flickering out.
With the armor rendered powerless, Tony was trapped. Thanos tore off the chest piece, exposing Tony's face.
The Titan expected despair, but Tony only spat at him, his defiance undimmed.
"Fool," Tony sneered.
Thanos smirked darkly, gripping Tony's armor tighter. "For decades, I have conquered, tyrannized, and slaughtered without emotion. But now, I will savor every moment of destroying your stubborn, insignificant planet. This will be fun."
"Yeah? Is that so?"
A voice rang out from behind.
Thanos froze, his grip tightening reflexively.
"Everything you say might come to pass," the voice continued, calm yet filled with power. "That is, if I weren't here to stop you."