Chapter 131 – The Bait
"I've got a new opponent for you to play with."
Qin Xiao pulled the Abomination into his Mirror Dimension. He also pulled Logan in for good measure.
"An opponent? If he isn't on Hulk's level, I'm not interested," Abomination said, now quite picky.
"That kind of opponent? I'll introduce you to a few eventually, and we'll see how well you hold up," Qin Xiao replied, a new plan forming in his mind. He couldn't guarantee everything, but he could certainly find worthy combatants.
"Who are you introducing me to this time?" Abomination asked, his eyes gleaming with excitement. Fighting was the only meaning he had.
The Mirror Dimension shifted. Suddenly, Cull Obsidian—who had been standing alone on the streets of New York—was yanked into the void.
Cull Obsidian looked around, confused. He hadn't moved, yet he was transported. It was clearly the work of those sorcerers, much like the one who had disappeared the Maw earlier. He looked ahead and saw three figures: two looked like puny humans, but the third was a behemoth that rivaled his own massive stature.
"Who are you? Why have you brought me here?" Cull Obsidian asked, his voice a deep, hollow rumble.
"Qin, I didn't expect you to bring me such a big toy," Abomination grinned. "He's big enough to be worth a fight."
Abomination began to stride toward him. Cull Obsidian knew that visitors who dragged you into alternate dimensions were rarely here for tea. He flicked his mechanical chain-axe, the sharp blade snapping into position.
THUD.
Cull Obsidian struck first, bringing his axe down with devastating force. Abomination didn't even bother to use the Quake-Quake Fruit; he took the blow head-on with his own raw strength.
CLANG!
The force of the blow pushed Abomination back a few paces, but he only laughed. "Hah! Good! Now that's power!"
Abomination lunged back in. Cull Obsidian realized his opponent was made of sterner stuff than he'd anticipated and dodged to the side, trying to catch Abomination with a sweeping strike. Abomination dodged, but Cull Obsidian's axe had a hidden feature—it extended.
SHING!
The sound of metal chains rattling through the air warned Abomination, but it was too late.
BOOM!
The massive blow sent Abomination tumbling through the dimension. He flipped, landing on his feet, and smirked. "Interesting. Fighting you has its perks. But I can't let you have too much fun, or I'll look like an amateur."
Abomination's fists began to glow with a faint white light. The Quake-Quake Fruit was active.
Cull Obsidian readied his axe for another strike, but this time, Abomination didn't dodge. He threw a single punch, wrapped in vibrations, directly into the mechanical axe.
CRACK!
The vibration shockwave shattered the internal mechanics of the weapon instantly. Even if the axe had been forged with advanced alien craftsmanship, it was no match for the localized tremors that had already dismantled Chitauri Leviathans.
Before Obsidian could recover, Abomination landed a flurry of blows.
THUD. BOOM. THUD.
Each punch carried the force of a seismic tremor, bypassing Cull Obsidian's natural armor and turning his internal organs to jelly. Had it not been for his immense resilience, the alien would have been dead instantly. He collapsed to the floor, gasping, his weapon ruined.
Qin Xiao walked over to the defeated giant. "Well done. Now that you understand the disparity in our power, we have things to discuss."
Cull Obsidian stared at the small human. Is this little thing the leader? Like Ebony Maw?
"I know you represent Thanos. I know his goals," Qin Xiao said, looking down at him. "But you've seen it for yourself—Earth is not a world you can just walk into and conquer. However, I can offer you something. A way to enhance your power. You can ask Thanos if he's interested."
Cull Obsidian's breath hitched. "What… what do you mean?"
"You will be the test subject," Qin Xiao said.
A ripple appeared in the air, and two strange, patterned fruits materialized in Qin Xiao's hands. The Devil Fruits.
Logan looked on, deeply unsettled. "Qin, are you sure about this? He's an enemy."
"I know what I'm doing," Qin Xiao said calmly. "I'm using this to bait Thanos. If he comes, the Ancient One and Odin are still here—they'll seal him away. If he doesn't come, it's just one Devil Fruit. You lot could take this giant down regardless. It won't change the outcome of the war."
Logan frowned but stepped back. He trusted Qin Xiao's judgment, especially when it involved the "Ancient One" and the "All-Father."
Cull Obsidian stared at the two fruits growing out of thin air. "Why would I eat those?"
Qin Xiao didn't lose his temper. He looked at Abomination. "He doesn't want to eat them. You two can help him."
Abomination grinned, grabbing one of the fruits. "Oh, I'd be happy to. And don't worry, Qin—I don't mind being a little rough."