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Pepper looked at Tony with a self-mocking smile. "You said... you really love me?"
"I do." Tony's voice was filled with urgency. "After Jack took you away, I finally realized it. Pepper, I love you. Come with me. Give me one chance to protect you."
Pepper fell silent for a long moment before slowly shaking her head.
"Tony... I can't go with you."
"...Why?"
"Aren't you already aware of the reason?" Pepper smiled bitterly, though there wasn't the slightest trace of happiness in it. "We can't go back. Things can never return to how they were. If... if you had said these words to me before everything changed, perhaps it would have been different."
Tony's face darkened.
"So it's because of him... because of Jack?" His voice rose uncontrollably. "You actually like him? Pepper, are you blind?"
Pepper suddenly raised her voice.
"That's right! You're right—I like him! I fell for that bastard!" Her breathing became uneven as she glared at Jack. "He's a scumbag... a brute... shameless... lustful... and he has countless flaws. There are hardly any good qualities about him."
Jack casually rubbed his nose.
"Sounds like I'm not that disappointing."
Pepper ignored him and continued looking at Tony.
"I'd rather stay with someone like him than go back with you."
Tony's expression twisted as if he had suffered the greatest humiliation imaginable.
"You'd rather choose someone like him... than choose me?"
"I like him..." Pepper's voice softened, becoming complicated. "But I hate him too. Tony... I still can't go with you."
Tony suddenly burst into loud laughter.
"Hahaha! Hahahaha!"
"I understand now. Since that's the case..." His eyes gradually filled with madness. "Then you can both die together!"
Jack smiled faintly.
"So arrogant." He looked at Tony as though looking at an idiot. "Do you really think becoming that so-called 'Sir's' dog makes you something special? In my eyes, killing you is no different from crushing an ant."
"Don't underestimate me!"
Tony roared furiously.
The Arc Reactor on his chest suddenly burst with dazzling light, releasing a powerful energy beam that slammed directly into Jack's psychic barrier.
Boom!
Ripples spread across the barrier before cracks rapidly appeared across its surface.
Crash!
The barrier finally shattered into countless fragments of light that disappeared into the air.
"Jack!"
Tony charged forward the instant the barrier vanished, throwing all his strength into a punch.
Jack slowly opened his eyes.
His pupils had already transformed into three golden windmill-shaped blades.
Transforming T-Human Mode.
With one arm, Jack continued holding Pepper securely in his embrace. His free hand casually reached forward and effortlessly caught Tony's incoming fist.
"You managed to break the barrier..."
Jack smiled coldly.
"...Unfortunately, that's also the beginning of your disaster."
Boom!
Tony's Iron Man armor exploded apart without warning.
Armor fragments scattered across the sky like fireworks, while Tony himself was blasted out of the armor. Blood sprayed from his mouth as he crashed heavily into one of the giant steel beams suspended above the ship.
Jack looked at him indifferently.
"This... is the difference between us."
At the same moment—
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Every Iron Man armor surrounding them activated simultaneously.
Some fired repulsor blasts.
Others launched miniature missiles.
The remaining suits charged directly toward Jack at full speed.
"Ah!"
Pepper instinctively screamed as she saw dozens of attacks converging from every direction.
Jack merely smiled calmly.
"As long as I'm here... nothing will happen."
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Before any of the attacks could even reach him, every Iron Man armor exploded one after another.
The night sky instantly blossomed into countless brilliant explosions.
Golden flames lit up the ocean as shattered armor fragments rained down onto the ship and the sea below.
Within only a few seconds...
Tony's entire Iron Legion had been completely destroyed.
Hanging weakly from the steel beam, Tony stared blankly at the burning wreckage falling from the sky.
"My... armor..."
His voice trembled.
"My entire Legion..."
His fists tightened until blood dripped from them.
"...Damn it!"
A mocking voice suddenly sounded beside him.
"You couldn't do anything."
Tony stiffly raised his head.
Jack had already appeared before him while still carrying Pepper in his arms.
"You can't change anything."
Jack looked down at Tony as though looking at someone insignificant.
"Stop pretending to be a hero."
"You were never cut out for it."
Tony spat another mouthful of blood.
"Sir... Sir will definitely kill you!"
Jack laughed dismissively.
"Again with your mysterious murderer?" He shrugged. "Maybe he'll kill me someday."
"But..."
"I can kill you right now."
A blue flash appeared in Jack's hand.
An energy shield materialized instantly before transforming into a golden battle axe.
The razor-sharp blade rested lightly against Tony's neck.
Jack smiled.
"Ready to die?"
Tony met his gaze without fear.
"If you've got the guts..."
"Then kill me!"
Jack slowly raised the axe.
"Good."
"Since you've made such a request..."
"I'm kind enough to fulfill it."
The axe swung down.
"Wait!"
Pepper suddenly shouted.
Jack stopped the blade only inches away from Tony's neck and turned toward her.
"Pepper."
"If you're asking me to spare him..."
"Forget it."
"Once I decide to kill someone, no one can stop me."
Pepper snorted.
"I never asked you to spare him."
"I just want to tell you something."
Jack raised an eyebrow.
"What?"
Pepper looked at Tony quietly.
"He came here... to save me."
"No matter what happened between us... Tony still risked his life to rescue me."
"If he dies here..."
"I'll carry that guilt for the rest of my life."
Tony laughed bitterly.
"You don't need your sympathy."
"If you're going to kill me..."
"Then do it."
Jack remained silent for several seconds.
Finally, he nodded.
"...I understand."
The golden axe descended once more.
Just before it reached Tony's forehead—
It suddenly dissolved into countless particles of light and disappeared from Jack's hand.
Tony slowly opened his eyes in disbelief.
"...Why?"
"Why didn't you kill me?"
Jack smiled casually.
"Killing someone is effortless for me."
"Whether you live or die makes no difference."
"But if sparing your worthless life means Pepper won't blame herself..."
"Then keeping you alive is the better choice."
Tony's eyes instantly turned bloodshot.
"Jack!"
"I'll never forgive you!"
"We are enemies forever!"
Jack shrugged indifferently.
"That hatred in your eyes..."
"Not bad."
"Next time we meet..."
"Try getting a little stronger."
Pepper looked toward Tony.
"Tony..."
"From today onward..."
"Neither of us owes the other anything."
"This is goodbye."
Tony's expression twisted with resentment.
"You ungrateful woman..."
"I'll never forgive you!"
Slap!
Jack suddenly appeared in front of Tony and struck him across the face with a brutal slap.
The force instantly shattered several of Tony's teeth.
"My woman..."
Jack said coldly.
"...isn't someone you have the right to insult."
"Ahhh!"
Tony let out a miserable scream as the slap sent him flying off the steel beam.
His body plummeted toward the dark ocean below.
Pepper widened her eyes.
"You killed him?"
Jack replied calmly,
"My woman..."
"Only I have the right to criticize her."
"If anyone else dares..."
"They deserve to die."
"I'm not your woman!"
Pepper immediately protested.
Jack smiled mischievously.
"Still denying it?"
"You admitted it yourself earlier."
"You said you liked me."
Pepper turned her face away.
"I was just talking nonsense."
"I only said that to reject Tony."
"Don't misunderstand."
Jack nodded thoughtfully.
"That's unfortunate."
"I choose to believe it."
"I don't care whether you meant it or not."
"As far as I'm concerned..."
"It was real."
Pepper glared at him angrily.
"I hate you."
"I'll hate you forever."
Jack looked straight into her beautiful eyes.
"The thoughts of women..."
"They're really difficult to understand."
He smiled faintly.
"So even if you hate me..."
"You still like me, don't you?"