Chapter 264: Massacre

Thor glanced briefly at the southern battlefield before dismissing it with a wave of his hand.

Corvus Glaive? Hardly worth my attention, he thought. Even the combined forces of the Black Order were not his priority. Thor understood Thanos' strategy all too well; the shortest route to the Sanctum was also the most fiercely defended. That front was meant to drain their resources, not win the war outright.

As Corvus Glaive surveyed the mass of Avengers gathered before him, a sinking feeling settled in his chest. The element of surprise had failed. The defenders clearly anticipated his intentions, concentrating their forces in Brooklyn rather than spreading thin to cover all flanks.

He sighed inwardly, clutching his glaive tightly. Let's hope the master's final gambit succeeds…

Glaive raised his voice, shouting over the battlefield chaos, "You ignorant mortals! You cannot comprehend the love Lord Thanos holds for the universe! You are too blind to see the mercy in his plan!"

The Avengers, already briefed by Thor about Thanos' deluded "mercy," reacted with collective disdain. Captain America stepped forward, his voice carrying the weight of a leader unshaken by such rhetoric.

"Humanity will decide its own fate!" Steve declared. "We will not bow to a tyrant masquerading as a savior. On our soil, Thanos will fall, and his so-called mercy will die with him."

This was Steve's first battle since becoming President of the United States. Despite fierce opposition from political factions, he had donned his combat uniform and picked up his shield, refusing to lead from the sidelines. His rallying cry bolstered the Avengers and their allies.

"For Thanos, kill!" Corvus Glaive roared, his forces surging forward.

"For freedom and our future, fight!" Steve bellowed, leading the charge.

In Brooklyn, Ebony Maw fought with desperation etched into every fiber of his being. Sweat dripped from his brow, his breath ragged, and his eyes bloodshot from exertion. Despite knowing he was outmatched, he refused to falter in his mission to serve Thanos.

But the difference in power was insurmountable.

Psychokinesis, Maw's signature ability, was subtle and versatile. It allowed him to manipulate objects and dominate foes in ways few could counter. Yet, it had a critical weakness: when faced with a superior opponent in the same domain, his advantage vanished.

Jean Grey was that superior opponent.

Floating serenely in the chaos, her fiery red hair shimmered like a living flame. She wielded her psychokinesis with effortless precision, overwhelming Maw at every turn. The once-feared Black Order lieutenant found himself unable to lift even a small stone, his powers utterly negated by Jean's control of the battlefield.

Jean's lips curled into a cold smile. "Since you've run out of tricks, let me show you how psychokinesis is truly used."

She raised her hands, her power surging outward like an invisible storm. Chitauri soldiers screamed in confusion as their weapons were wrenched from their grasp, the guns turning in mid-air to aim squarely at their former owners.

Maw's eyes widened in horror. "No—stop this!" he screamed, straining against her power, but it was useless.

"Bang! Bang! Bang!"

The battlefield erupted in gunfire, the Chitauri falling to their own weapons. Grenades lobbed toward Jean vanished into distorted space, only to reappear among their own ranks. Explosions rocked the battlefield, scattering soldiers and wreckage alike.

Even the towering Leviathans were not immune. Jean's psychokinesis ensnared the massive creatures, pulling them down with a force they couldn't resist. They crashed to the ground like fallen mountains, crushing dozens of Chitauri beneath their bulk.

Kamar-Taj sorcerers paused in their attacks, staring at Jean with a mix of awe and unease. The young woman who had seemed so composed and unassuming now wielded power on a scale that left even seasoned warriors shaken.