Darkness spread like ink across the alien sky. Stars flickered behind thick clouds of cosmic dust, and the cracked surface of the forsaken planet gleamed dully under the dying light. Itachi Uchiha stood still, his cloak slightly torn, dust covering his shoulders, as his black hair swayed in the cold, dry wind. Before him towered a figure shrouded in power and silence — Thanos.
Their earlier exchange had been brief. Thanos had asked only one question: "Who are you?" And though Itachi gave no name, something about him piqued the Mad Titan's curiosity — his calm presence, the glow of his Mangekyou Sharingan, and the eerie silence that surrounded him.
Thanos was not alone. All around them, lurking in the shadows or standing atop jagged cliffs, were members of his private legion — genetically enhanced warriors, alien brutes, and cloaked assassins. Some carried pulsating energy spears, others monstrous gauntlets. None dared speak — their master's attention was solely on the stranger.
"You are not from this galaxy," Thanos finally said, his deep voice echoing across the plateau. "Your soul does not resonate with the forces I know. But it holds... potential. Dangerous potential."
Itachi's eyes narrowed. "Power is only dangerous when it's used without understanding."
Thanos smirked. "Understanding comes through conquest. Let us see what you understand."
He raised his hand — not to strike, but to signal. Three of his warriors leaped from the cliffs, landing before Itachi. They charged without hesitation. Itachi moved like smoke — silent, fluid, untouchable. One by one, the soldiers fell, caught in genjutsu that twisted their perception of reality. One clawed at his own armor, screaming at phantoms. Another froze in fear, seeing flames consume the sky. The third simply collapsed, his mind overwhelmed.
Thanos watched with amusement, then interest.
"Illusions. Interesting. But against me, will you dare use mere tricks?"
Itachi said nothing. Instead, he stepped forward, Mangekyou blazing. The air grew heavier. Shadows stretched unnaturally. For a moment, even Thanos paused.
Then the battle erupted.
Thanos charged like a storm. Itachi countered with speed and foresight, dodging blows that shattered the earth beneath. They clashed, a titan of raw strength against a ghost of calculated precision. Energy blasts lit the sky. Thanos's gauntlet struck like thunder, but Itachi weaved through attacks, striking at pressure points, attempting to disable rather than destroy.
But Thanos was no ordinary foe. Even when his arm was caught in an illusion, he simply grunted and shattered it with sheer will.
"You are strong," Thanos admitted, briefly pushed back by a combination of shadow clones and a flaming Amaterasu strike. "But strength alone does not decide fate."
Itachi knew he could not win this battle — not here, not now. His Sharingan flared as he located the distant hangar where several alien ships were docked.
A plan formed.
He released a smokescreen, followed by a brilliant flash of chakra-infused light. Thanos shielded his eyes, growling. In the confusion, Itachi vanished.
Running across the broken terrain, he weaved between Thanos's soldiers. Some tried to block his path, but he used swift genjutsu bursts to throw them off, disappearing into shadows, reappearing atop ridges, never stopping.
Finally, he reached the hangar. The ship was large, black, and pulsing with strange tech. He leapt in, hands forming seals to override the system. The ship responded slowly, but his chakra-fueled interface managed to activate it.
Thanos arrived just as the ship began to lift.
He stared into the cockpit window. "This is not over. You cannot hide forever."
Itachi stared back. For a heartbeat, two philosophies clashed in silence — dominance and balance.
"I do not need to hide," Itachi whispered. "I need only time."
The ship rocketed into space, flames trailing behind as it broke atmosphere.
Inside, Itachi finally allowed himself a moment of breath. His body ached, but his mind raced.
That being... he's unlike any I've faced. His vision is larger than a battlefield. He sees war not just as destruction — but as creation.
He closed his eyes.
If a storm is coming to this universe, I must be ready. But I will not be their weapon. Not Iron Man's. Not Captain America's. And not Thanos's.
Stars stretched ahead like endless possibilities.
And thus, his journey continued.