Saitama lifted a hand. Telekinesis wrapped around Ebony Maw and pinned him midair.
The sensation was… novel. Like holding a tiny ant between two fingers—he could crush it any time.
"So this is telekinesis, huh?"
He muttered, mildly interested. Fun trick, but he still preferred fists—simple, direct, clean. Psychic glitter felt a bit… showy. If not for his "Talent Absorption" copying the ability, he wouldn't have bothered using it at all.
"Telekinesis?! Impossible—how could you have my power?!"
Ebony Maw shrieked, thrashing in place. No matter how he struggled, he couldn't slip Saitama's invisible grip. Same weapon, different wielder: a toddler swinging a blade versus a grown man.
Tony and Strange stared, slack-jawed. They'd tasted how terrifying Ebony Maw's mind-hand could be. Seeing the same crushing force appear in Saitama's palm—yeah, that rattled them.
"I told you to leave. You didn't. If you insist on invading Earth, then I'll break you," Saitama said, stopping in front of Ebony Maw to pass sentence.
For something with Justice −5 and "monster" stamped on its soul, Saitama had zero mercy. He was, after all, a hero for fun.
"N-no! You can't kill me! I serve Thanos!"
"Let him go, Saitama!!"
The roar boomed through the bay. A towering holo flickered down from the ship's emitter—Thanos, riding his dreadnought between the stars, closing fast.
"Oh? Thanos?"
Saitama glanced over, dead-fish eyes calm.
Tony's face tightened. Even the glimpse of titan tech outclassed his current Iron Man specs. Bad sign.
"That's the 'destroyer of worlds.' You're a sorcerer—can you see our win condition?" Tony asked Strange.
"I can't. Not anymore."
Strange shook his head with a crooked smile. He used to read Thanos's timelines clear as glass—but the day Saitama existed, the river of fate grew fog. Anything that touched Saitama blurred; futures went opaque.
"Release Ebony Maw. When I arrive on Earth, we can… talk," Thanos intoned, rising from his throne, bulk radiating pressure.
"You're planning to leave Earth alone, then?" Saitama asked.
"Leave? No. The universe requires balance. I will use the Infinity Stones to complete my plan," Thanos said. "Saitama, I admit you are strong—worthy of my hand—but you are still an Earth ant. You do not stand high enough to see the whole. Life and matter must be balanced, or the cosmos dies."
Population-control director, full pitch. Six stones, one snap, half the universe gone. Fewer mouths, more years for the rest.
"Balance of life and matter? I don't really get it," Saitama said honestly. He looked simple, even dopey sometimes, but he wasn't dumb. Power had stripped away warmth from his feelings, not points from his IQ.
"I do know this: every life has the right to try and keep living. You don't get to take that choice away. Even if the universe collapses, that rise and fall is its own law—you don't make that call for everyone."
Thanos paused.
He hadn't heard it put that way in a long time.
In his calculus, culling the weak quickened evolution. Kill half to save half; energy redistributes; the garden thrives.
"My decisions do not require your approval," he said, voice dropping to absolute zero.
"Mm. But you don't have the stones—and I doubt you'll collect them all," Saitama said with a shrug, eyes dropping to the gauntlet.
One lonely red gem winked back. Reality—and nothing else. Kinda sad.
Awkward.
In the "original plot," the Titan would've entered with three or four in the bag. Thanks to a certain bald meteor, he'd pried one from the Collector—and watched the rest of his lieutenants get folded.
"Fine. I'll wait for you on Earth," Saitama said, waving him off. He turned back to the prisoner hanging in the air.
"You—what are you doing?! Spare me! Lord Thanos—save me!!"
Maw's voice cracked as he clawed at Saitama's grip with all the mind-force he had.
It didn't matter. Against Saitama's telekinesis, his own felt like a baby's.
Crack.
The pressure cinched.
The scream cut. Ebony Maw burst into red mist.
Saitama blinked at the drifting spray, then at his palm. "Uh… used a bit too much there."
Thanos: "…"
For a heartbeat, the star-warlord just… froze, watching his favored minister pop like a balloon. Then the heat hit.
FOOOOM—
A storm of rage blew out from the Titan's projection, flinging debris like leaves.
"Excellent. Saitama. Excellent! Excellent!!"
Three "excellents," veins throbbing. The Big Purple Potato glared murder.
"When I reach Earth, I will—"
Crack.
Saitama squeezed—and the holo emitter died.
Thanos: "…"
…He almost coughed blood.
"Ship looks like it's about to go," Saitama said to Tony and Strange. "Let's bounce."
Their eyes held a new, bone-deep respect. No—reverence.
This guy.
Too strong.
Every time Tony thought he'd closed the gap—new armor, new models, new math—the truth sucker-punched him: the gap was bigger than ever.
Monster.
"Move!" Strange snapped, flinging a ring of sparks open. He dove through. Saitama and Tony followed without a second thought.
(End of Chapter)
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