Iron Man shook his head, dispelling absurd thoughts. He gestured to Black Panther and the Wakandans. "Support them when you can. Their sacrifices are immense."
"Got it, Mr. Stark!" Spider-Man eagerly agreed, shooting webs and diving into the fray. His punches packed 30 to 50 tons of force, each blow downing an Outrider.
Soon, he reached Black Panther. T'Challa, in his vibranium suit, was virtually invincible. The armor absorbed impacts, storing and releasing energy—a walking tank with counter-damage perks.
"Your Majesty! Do I need to kneel? Or… high-five?" Spider-Man babbled.
T'Challa sighed, rolling his eyes. "Focus on the fight. You can visit Wakanda later."
Spider-Man's chatter had a rhythmic rap-like quality, distracting even T'Challa's combat flow. Damn it!
---
Elsewhere, Strange descended, cracks forming in the earth. Dark energy erupted, ensnaring Chitauri and dragging them underground.
"Uatu's built a sturdy dark dimension below. Who's trapped here? Hulk?" Strange muttered. He summoned a portal, floating as the ground split.
Within seconds, he saw Uatu's dimension. "Time to free the big guy."
Captain America, hearing him, arrived mid-swing. "Need help?"
"Just keep them off me," Strange said.
Cap slammed his shield into Mjolnir, creating a shockwave that cleared the area. "I've got your back."
Five minutes later, Strange breached the dimension. Banner emerged, roaring.
"Hey, Banner! You're in control, right?" Strange asked cautiously.
"Your teacher's hot. And her boyfriend's a badass!" Banner quipped, hurling a boulder at a mega-ape.
Strange stared. "What happened in 2008?!"
"Their love story," Cap deadpanned. "Heisenberg's a great match for her."
"Not the point!" Strange groaned.
Iron Man landed nearby. "Strange, is this the one victory from 14 million futures?"
"I don't know. None of those futures had the guy who's curb-stomping Thanos," Strange admitted.
"Guess we're winning easier now. Your teacher's gorgeous, by the way!" Tony teased.
"Shut up!"
---
Meanwhile, Clint Barton, the epitome of a cursed archer, had the most critical job: guarding the Infinity Gauntlet. Dodging enemies while clutching the gauntlet, he was a sitting duck.
Wasp buzzed past, confused. "Where's my husband?"
"He's finding the quantum tunnel. We need to return the stones!" Clint explained.
"Got it. Stay safe!" She zipped off.
Clint's luck turned instantly. The gauntlet slipped, flying into Uatu's hands. Before he could react, Uatu slammed him into rocks.
Gamora intervened, saving Clint. "Damn, too late!" She contacted Nebula via her future comms. "Uatu's got the gauntlet!"
Nebula and Quill sprinted toward Uatu. Quill fired his gun, but Uatu deflected the shots. "Only four stones?" Uatu sneered, donning the gauntlet. "Enough for my master's return."
As he looked skyward, a blinding red beam erupted from the heavens. Instinctively, he activated the Space Stone, teleporting away.
Strange, sensing the threat, opened a mirror dimension, pulling allies to safety.