The long-accumulated tech points suddenly vanished.
In their place, something appeared, encased within a strange force field.
Holding the unremarkable object in his hand, Nolan's gaze flickered with unease.
If he could avoid using it, he truly would.
It was too dangerous.
One miscalculation, and the Earth itself could be destroyed.
But there was no other choice. To confront the Planet Devourer, this was his only opportunity. He couldn't rely on a stable yet underpowered weapon when the threat was so immense.
Nolan looked at Carol Danvers.
"Are you ready?"
"For what?"
Carol frowned, clearly not understanding.
Nolan held out his hand, his expression tinged with mockery as he regarded the Planet Devourer's manifested energy form. Then, in a low voice, he uttered a single command.
"Run."
With that, he flung the small device toward the energy form.
"Run!"
Even before shouting, Nolan was already moving.
Carol, confident as she was, couldn't help but acknowledge Nolan Lock's strength.
If even Nolan feared this weapon, she had no intention of confronting it head-on.
The small device drifted slowly after leaving Nolan's hand, but the Planet Devourer's energy form was cautious. In an instant, it dissipated.
The energy form was a psychic construct, but the Planet Devourer's true existence encompassed the entire nebula. No weapon, no matter how dangerous, could threaten it completely.
"Run faster!"
Nolan shouted, sprinting with no concern for appearances or stamina.
When the Planet Devourer's tendrils lashed out to stop him, he didn't hesitate, blasting them aside with his strongest attacks just to put more distance between them.
"Damn it!"
Carol muttered, bewildered. There was no time to waste. They were already at the heart of the Planet Devourer's being. If they got too far, all the previous efforts would have been for nothing.
Reaching the core was no longer easy. The initial breach had been achieved through Silver Shadow's self-detonation and the massive mobile fortress blasting open the outer layers. Such an opportunity could hardly be replicated.
But hearing the slight tremor in Nolan's voice, Carol dared not pause.
No one knew Nolan better than Nolan.
He was holding a weapon capable of destroying entire star systems. Granted, this was a weakened version. Even so, its name remained unchanged Dimensional Collapse.
A final weapon from the Trisolaris world.
Nolan sprinted, Carol close behind.
Boom!
A tremendous explosion erupted as they broke free from the Planet Devourer's form.
Only then did Nolan ease his pace slightly, glancing back at the chaos behind them.
"What exactly is that?"
Carol called out as she caught up.
Nolan said nothing, eyes narrowing as he observed the Planet Devourer.
The Dimensional Collapse had yet to detonate, and the enemy was cautious, avoiding direct contact. A special force field enveloped the device, but it was draining its power.
Then, a humming sound.
Carol noticed the Planet Devourer's body shifting unnaturally.
"What's happening?" she asked.
"Ah!"
A pained roar erupted from the Planet Devourer. Even its rational mind returned, previously submerged beneath instinct and pure appetite.
Now, fear the fear of death gripped it.
Its massive body began collapsing outward, yet it could do nothing to resist.
"Have you heard of a dimensional strike?"
Nolan spoke calmly.
Carol shook her head. This was a new concept. She had heard similar terms but had never studied it herself.
"Our universe is three-dimensional. A dimensional strike reduces a three-dimensional space to two dimensions," Nolan explained. "Think of it like an image on a television or a painting on a wall. The Dimensional Collapse works the same way."
Carol's pupils constricted. She thought she understood. But how could such a force be possible? Even the Planet Devourer, a being of nearly incomprehensible power, couldn't resist it?
"Unfortunately, repeating this attack is nearly impossible," Nolan said, a hint of regret in his voice. This was his ultimate ace.
The devastation in New York, and much of America, showed the Planet Devourer collapsing from three dimensions into two a hopeless end with no means of resistance.
"Is the Dimensional Collapse controllable?" Carol asked, concern etched in her features as she watched the flattening effect spread.
"In theory, yes."
"In theory?"
Nolan shrugged, letting out a weary sigh. There was no other choice.
"Based on my calculations, the collapse should cease once the Planet Devourer's core is destroyed. But such a device is inherently unpredictable, which is why I didn't want to use it."
Carol didn't need him to explain the consequences if it went wrong. The Earth itself could be obliterated.
As the Planet Devourer lost all ability to resist, even Nolan couldn't help but feel a chill. This was the devourer himself, yet it was being erased by a dimensional weapon.
Screams echoed as the two-dimensional collapse spread, devouring everything. Nolan and Carol didn't linger, racing toward safety.
Finally, once the Planet Devourer's core was fully reduced to two dimensions, the collapse stopped, and the energy constructs vanished.
The sky cleared abruptly. Only then did everyone realize it was still early afternoon.
Survivors felt an overwhelming rush of relief and exhilaration.
Nolan gazed at the Emperor Titan. Its power was staggering.
Unfortunately, its first test came against an opponent like the Planet Devourer. But at least it had worked. Earth was safe for now.
Nolan sighed, nursing the exhaustion of his efforts.
"What's wrong?"
Tony Stark approached, excitement in his voice now that daylight had returned. Even he, proud and composed, had been unnerved when the Planet Devourer had obscured the sky.
"Nothing. I just paid a heavy price in this battle."
Tony nodded, saying nothing. Even without full understanding, the state of Nolan's unfinished armor spoke volumes.
And hearing of the Dimensional Collapse, Tony felt powerless. There were things in this world beyond human reach. Perhaps Nolan was one of them.
Celebrations erupted across the city.
Nolan approached Susan.
"Susan, I think it's time we took a break."
Susan Stone's cheeks flushed, sensing the deeper meaning behind Nolan's words. But she also knew he was exhausted; perhaps it was just her imagination.
As they prepared to leave, Carol Danvers approached, wary.
"Nolan Lock, I'll be keeping an eye on you. That weapon is too dangerous."
Nolan raised an eyebrow.
"The war just ended, and you're already looking for trouble?"
He let out a short laugh.
"Perhaps you want to find out if I'd dare toss a Dimensional Collapse at you?"
Carol's expression darkened.
"You've made it clear you can't do that again anytime soon."
"Correct." Nolan nodded seriously. Then, a faint smile played across his lips.
"Do you think I was joking?"
He said no more, taking Susan by the hand and heading toward Lock Tower.
Carol, though striking, had a personality seemingly destined for solitude. She said nothing, frowning slightly, then turned to Bruce Banner.
"Where's Nick Fury? I need to speak with him."
"If you're looking for S.H.I.E.L.D., try Washington," Bruce answered.
Carol crouched, then rocketed into the sky, vanishing from sight.
"Annoying personality," Johnny muttered.
"Huh? You talking about yourself?"
Graham's deadpan remark earned Johnny a string of expletives. But after everything they'd been through, they understood each other's thoughts perfectly.
They had no interest in interacting with S.H.I.E.L.D., or any other organization.
Tony shook his head as the two turned and left.
Bruce muttered, "Never mind them. I'm more curious about the Dimensional Collapse itself turning three dimensions into two. That's the realm of a god."
Tony's expression grew serious.
"Indeed. That's god-level power… and Nolan Lock achieved it."
The weight of that realization settled heavily on both men.
Meanwhile, in Washington, Nick Fury watched the dawn with relief, unsure if Carol had arrived yet. Using this communicator for the first time, he had no way of knowing when she would reach him.
Boom!
An explosion drew his gaze to a blonde woman standing at the source of the sound.
"Danvers!"
Nick's face lit with relief. Carol had indeed participated in the battle. Her uniform was tattered, chestplate partly exposed. Yet no one could mistake her formidable presence.
After catching up, they exchanged stories of the battle, leaving even Fury shaken.
"Dimensional Collapse?"
Though Washington had avoided the Planet Devourer's core, Fury could grasp the terrifying implications from Carol's account. If Nolan had aimed at Earth instead…
No one could stop him.
"We need to impose some limits on him," Fury said, frowning. Containing Nolan was necessary, but they couldn't confront the hero immediately after saving the world.
"Danvers, this is your responsibility," Fury continued, calculating carefully. Unlike others, she had fought alongside Nolan. She could negotiate.
Carol hesitated but ultimately nodded. She would ensure Nolan committed to safety measures, and at least provide some control over the Dimensional Collapse technology.
Fury smiled.
"You're a huge help, Danvers."
"Being Captain Marvel has its perks," Carol replied. "But rest first. We also need to figure out how to limit Nolan Lock without making him angry."
Nodding, she set off with purpose.
Meanwhile, at Lock Tower, Nolan and Susan sat together.
After a moment, Nolan spoke, his voice soft.
"Susan, I'll be leaving soon. Not now, but the time isn't far off."
Susan shivered. She had always known Nolan would leave eventually, but she hadn't expected it to come so soon.