719

[The Twilight of the Gods]

Forseti didn't speak.

At this moment, he couldn't help but wonder, is this truly the inevitable fate? Must they reenact the scene of Thanos destroying half of life to stop him?

How else could one explain Thanos' return?

Thanos now not only returned from the brink of death but his strength had soared to an unknown degree. The Eye of Reckoning revealed ten layers of energy ripples surrounding Thanos.

His strength now rivaled that of Cul. What's worse, he quickly acquired three Infinity Stones: mind, space, and power.

Forseti didn't know how to confront this Thanos, whose strength had increased tenfold and possessed three Infinity Gems.

"We've had our share of conflicts, but that's no longer my concern. Surrender the gem within her, and Asgard will fare as the rest of the universe," Thanos spoke slowly, "Otherwise, the Twilight of the Gods will be staged right here."

Hela stood beside Forseti, alongside Loki and Thor who had just been thrown aside.

"I won't allow it!" Thor gripped the Gorehowl battle axe, "If you wish harm upon Jane, you'll have to step over my corpse first!"

Thanos replied calmly, "I have no intention of harming her. I assure you, I'll minimize any harm while taking the Reality Stone."

"And you expect me to believe that?" Thor retorted.

Thanos shook his head, choosing silence.

Forseti remained silent until now, finally saying, "Hela, grant me Asgard's power."

Although they were husband and wife, he felt uneasy making this request. But there was no other option.

Only with Asgard's power could he hope to match Thanos now.

Fortunately, Hela trusted him deeply. At his request, she transferred all sovereignty to Forseti, blessing him with the entirety of Asgard's might.

Rainbow-colored light surged around Forseti, connecting him intimately with the earth beneath his feet.

Now, he stood as Asgard's king, ruler of the Nine Realms!

Thanos couldn't hide his seriousness at Forseti's formidable aura, "Challenging destiny is futile. You cannot win."

"Perhaps. But a temporary victory would suffice," Forseti responded.

Transforming into the Guardian of the Ancient Kings, radiant rainbow and holy light enveloped his form.

He lunged at Thanos with a punch, releasing dazzling light. The ensuing torrent of energy hurled Thanos across the cosmos.

Forseti pursued, his form expanding rapidly until he stood a towering giant hundreds of meters tall.

The giant Forseti's colossal hand with five fingers seized Thanos!

He clenched his palms together, aiming to crush Thanos.

Forseti's strength now surpassed even Surtur's. He might be Asgard's mightiest warrior in history, enhanced further by Asgard's royal blessing.

Where once he struggled to defeat Ego, now he could effortlessly annihilate a planet.

Against such boundless power, Thanos' Titan physique seemed frail and vulnerable.

Forseti pressed on, but Thanos wielded more than mere strength. Like Forseti had Asgard's power, Thanos had his own augmentation - the three Infinity Stones.

He realized his power alone couldn't prevail against Forseti. Continued resistance would mean death by crushing.

The three Infinity Stones on Thanos' gauntlet glowed, surging infinite power into his veins.

With this newfound strength, he withstood Forseti's colossal grasp.

Forseti sensed the sudden resistance, knowing Thanos channeled the Infinity Stones' immense power, rendering his efforts seemingly futile.

The Infinity Stones' power was limitless; Asgard's, finite.

The outcome depended on Thanos' mastery. If he wielded the Stones fully, Forseti wouldn't last a second.

Regardless, Forseti refused to surrender. He poured Asgard's energy into the battle, enlarging himself to millions of kilometers tall, a stellar giant emitting endless rays.

Such a sight would forever echo across the cosmos, preserved by civilizations with eternal celestial observance.

Yet, even as a stellar giant capable of crushing planets with one hand, Forseti struggled against Thanos.

Empowered by the Infinity Stones, Thanos matched his power, upholding the infinite light palms between them.

Such a deadlock couldn't endure.

As Asgard's power waned, the Rainbow Bridge and Crystal Crown dulled, their brilliance fading.

Asgard's gravity collapsed, land fractured, oceans stilled, and clouds dispersed. Asgard, once magnificent, now crumbled into cosmic rubble.

"Destiny defies all," Thanos bellowed, infinite power erupting through Forseti's light palms.

The Guardian of the Ancient Kings could endure cosmic injuries without mortal wounds, yet this blow drained Asgard's power irreversibly.

Forseti's stellar form shrank swiftly, returning to normal within seconds.

He gazed, pallid, upon Asgard.

Devoid of energy, Asgard shattered into disarray. The Rainbow Bridge and Crystal Crown fragmented into desolate shards.

Asgardians remained unscathed, yet the realm of gods had ceased to be.

The Twilight of the Gods, ancient prophecy, had finally come to pass...