As Lucas's words fell, the atmosphere instantly became tense.
Whoosh!
Corvus Glaive and Proxima Midnight, who were beside Thanos, drew their weapons and aimed them at Lucas.
Star-Lord, Rocket, Groot, and Drax also armed themselves, confronting Corvus Glaive and Proxima Midnight.
Thanos, at the center of the conflict, remained unhurried. He didn't even stop walking towards Gamora.
He just looked at Lucas and said in a calm tone, "You were the one who killed Ronan on Xandar, weren't you? Are you here to seek revenge on me?"
"Throughout the years, countless people have tried to seek revenge on me. But they all failed, not even managing to step inside my Sanctuary I. You are the only one who has come before me."
Having said that, Thanos happened to walk up to Lucas.
The exceptionally strong and large Thanos looked down at Lucas from above. "I know I am doing the right thing, and I am willing to bear the consequences of my actions. However, you should not use my daughter."
Lucas floated into the air until his gaze was level with Thanos. "The right thing? Are you talking about slaughtering half the life on a planet, or even half the life in the entire Universe?"
"Also, I didn't use your daughter. Have you forgotten what you did to them?"
Thanos slowly looked up at Lucas. He was answering Lucas, and also explaining to Gamora. "It's a simple truth. The Universe's resources are finite. If life is unrestrained, life will cease to exist. This needs correction."
Lucas scoffed at Thanos's defense, "No matter how many flowery words you use, you cannot hide the fact that you slaughtered countless lives."
Thanos slowly shook his head. He didn't hear hatred in Lucas's tone—Lucas wasn't there for revenge, but simply to stop him. But because of this, he felt even more desolate and lonely.
"You simply don't understand. I am the only one who understands this. At least, I am the only one willing to act on it."
"I witnessed the decline of Titan. That was my homeland, it was once so prosperous and beautiful but due to population explosion, its resources eventually ran out. It quickly went from prosperity to decline."
After speaking, Thanos looked down at Gamora.
"My daughter, in the past, on your home planet, countless people lived lives of hunger and destitution. But after my salvation, children born afterward have been free from want of food and clothing. They can play to their heart's content under the blue sky."
Gamora met Thanos's gaze and said with hatred, "But my parents died."
Lucas said, "Thanos, you have fallen into obsession. The Universe has countless civilizations, countless races, and their developmental paths are all different."
At this point, Lucas paused.
Why do the civilizations in the Marvel Universe all seem so similar?
Not at all sci-fi.
"Who do you think you are, Thanos? A Universal Judge? A Guardian of Balance?"
"You are just an executioner. A destroyer. A dictator."
Words had reached their limit, there was no need for further debate.
Thanos clenched his fist and swung it fiercely, aiming at Lucas's chest.
"Who am I? I am destiny."
Thanos's heavy punch struck Lucas's chest, but no sound was heard.
Thanos's power failed to break through Lucas's first layer of defense, the kinetic energy absorption.
After confirming Thanos's attack power, Lucas was no longer polite. He used his waist in mid-air, sweeping his leg horizontally towards Thanos's face.
Thanos, ignoring his surprise, quickly retracted his hand to protect his head.
Bang!
Lucas's calf and Thanos's arm collided, and a muffled sound was heard.
Thanos retreated several steps heavily, steadying himself.
Lucas thought, 'As expected of the Mad Titan, such strong power, such thick defense. Perfect for a warm-up.'
Thanos was shocked. 'Who is he, and what's with his defense?'
Lucas descended, about to return to the ground. After all, power comes from the ground, generating full power in the air is more difficult.
Just then, Proxima Midnight seized the opportunity and threw her golden spear. The long spear split into three in mid-air, pointing respectively at Lucas's face, throat, and heart.
Corvus Glaive also took the chance to close in, hoping to catch Lucas off guard.
In a flash of lightning, Lucas caught the spear heading for his heart with one hand. Then, after a slight adjustment, he swept it fiercely, striking Corvus Glaive's chest.
Bang!
Bang! Bang!
Three muffled sounds were heard in succession.
Corvus Glaive was heavily sent flying by Lucas, crashing into the wall.
The two spears aimed at Lucas's throat and face, however, couldn't break through his defense at all. Not even his clothes were damaged in the slightest.
In the air, Lucas swung his arm again, throwing the spear back towards Proxima Midnight.
Chirp!
Proxima Midnight couldn't react in time and was pierced through the chest by the spear.
Afterward, Lucas landed and Thanos steadied himself.
The two confronted each other again, the previous punch and kick were just probes.
And Corvus Glaive and Proxima Midnight had both been injured and taken out of the fight.
The next second, their auras erupted one after another.
Thanos's internal energy began to surge, and his aura swept out, suffocating.
Star-Lord and the others suddenly shuddered.
As Thanos's aura erupted, they realized the terror, dominance, and danger of this Universal monarch.
But the next instant, Lucas's aura also erupted. Amidst the flow of divine power, a dazzling bright light flashed by and Lucas donned an energy armor.
Lucas discovered a blind spot: he didn't have a battlesuit.
This meant his clothes were easily damaged in intense combat.
His peripheral vision noticed the few people trembling under the clash of his and Thanos's auras.
His mind moved, and a portal opened behind them.
"How about you leave this place first? I'll come find you after I kill Thanos."
Star-Lord and the others shifted their feet, about to agree.
Gamora and Nebula said in unison, "No, we want to stay here. We want to watch him die."
Star-Lord tugged at Gamora's sleeve, signaling her to look around.
Corvus Glaive had already climbed out of the rubble.
On the spaceship, the rest of Thanos's soldiers were also continuously pouring out from various passages.
Star-Lord and his group were elite warriors, each with their own strengths. But on a direct battlefield, relying solely on their weapons, it would be impossible to deal with so many people.
At least, Star-Lord and Rocket were not frontline combat units.
"It's not impossible if you want to stay." Lucas pondered.
Gamora and Nebula at least helped him find Thanos, saving him time on a spaceship, allowing him to eat, drink, and play on Xandar.
Fulfilling their small request wasn't impossible.
It really was a small request.
The next instant, Lucas's aura erupted again. Invisible and intangible divine power instantly swept across the entire Sanctuary I.
(End of Chapter)
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