Nolan lifted the visor of his helmet.
In that instant, countless people watching through live broadcasts and on the chaotic battlefield finally saw his face. Some recognized him immediately, while others had no idea who he was. But one truth was undeniable: this man had just stepped into the spotlight as a new beacon of hope.
Of course, not everyone believed in that hope.
To many, he looked like nothing more than another reckless fool.
If even Iron Man, the legendary Tony Stark, couldn't win against these monsters, then what could this newcomer possibly accomplish? The soldiers and civilians watching saw the destroyed wreckage of dozens of battle suits lying scattered around once proud war machines now reduced to useless heaps of metal. To them, Nolan's mechs seemed destined for the same fate.
Even Tony himself faltered when he saw Nolan's figure standing defiantly. His first reaction was disbelief. His second was irritation. He steadied himself, flew closer, and hovered at Nolan's side.
"My advice? Walk away while you still can," Tony said sharply, his mechanical voice echoing from within his armor. "The battle ahead isn't one you can survive, much less win."
Nolan turned his head slightly and studied Tony, a faint smirk tugging at the corner of his lips.
"Is that so? Funny, because you don't look like you're in top condition either."
The jab struck home. Tony's face remained carefully neutral, but inside he bristled with anger. He, Tony Stark, was not accustomed to being mocked, especially not in the middle of a battlefield.
"You think I'm in bad shape?" Tony raised his chin, his pride shining through his words. "Don't underestimate me. My reinforcements will be here soon the real Iron Legion. That's something you can't hope to compete with."
His gaze slid briefly toward the squadron of Nolan's mechs still standing behind him. Stark's disdain was palpable, his tone dripping with contempt.
"You're not seriously betting everything on those pieces of scrap metal, are you?" He gestured toward the twisted remains of destroyed mechs scattered across the ground, each one a grim reminder of Abomination's destructive power.
Nolan chuckled softly. So Tony had already started laying the groundwork for his Iron Legion. That was faster than he had anticipated. He had thought Stark would still be taking baby steps, methodically building his arsenal piece by piece. But this… this made sense too. The choice to hold back an army was born not of weakness but of confidence. Stark could build it any time he just hadn't needed to. Until now.
Still, Nolan didn't waver. His voice rang firm and sharp.
"Sorry, Stark. But from this moment on, it's my time."
The visor of his helmet snapped shut, sealing his face once more. He twisted the throttle of his modified combat bike. The roar of its engine exploded through the battlefield, louder even than the cannons and bombs that had shaken the city all day.
Nolan shot forward like a streak of lightning. His movements were high-profile, almost arrogant, but the world could not look away. Even Tony, notorious for his ego, had to silently admit that Nolan's entrance carried the same bold energy that had once defined himself.
"Damn it, Nolan! You're going to get yourself killed!" Tony shouted after him.
Nolan didn't answer. He only glanced back once, eyes cold with determination, then leaned forward.
The modified bike screamed across the ruined street, its speed climbing beyond anything human reflexes could normally handle. If this had been the old Nolan before his awakening his brain would have been starved of oxygen at such velocity. But now, with his enhanced body and the power flowing through him, he felt only exhilaration. His blood burned like fire in his veins.
All eyes were on him.
Between two titans Hulk and Abomination this lone human charged without hesitation. His figure looked impossibly small, but there was nothing hesitant or fragile about the way he rode. His charge carried the weight of defiance itself. To the watching world, it was both tragic and magnificent.
Nolan's gaze locked onto Abomination. Hulk could wait. Abomination would be his first target.
At the final moment, Nolan leapt from the bike. His short-range thrusters flared to life, blasting him upward and forward with explosive force. In his hands, he gripped the energy war blade forged by his system. Every muscle in his body tightened as he brought the weapon down in a devastating arc.
Abomination didn't even bother dodging. Bullets and artillery had bounced harmlessly off his body all night why should one man with a sword be any different?
But then steel met flesh.
A deafening crack split the air as Nolan's blade struck home. For the first time, Abomination screamed. His monstrous bellow shook windows and rattled the bones of those who heard it. He clutched at his chest, and to his disbelief, foul, black blood gushed between his fingers.
He was hurt.
"You dare !" Abomination's fury erupted. He swung with a rage that surpassed anything from earlier, his sheer force even hurling Hulk aside for a moment. His massive fist came crashing down toward Nolan, promising instant death.
But Nolan was faster. He darted aside, his thrusters igniting again to propel him out of range. He landed lightly, muscles coiled, and then shot forward once more. His body blurred, his war blade gleaming as another strike carved deep into Abomination's flesh.
"Rrraaahhh!" Abomination howled. The impossible had happened fear flickered in his monstrous eyes.
To the crowd watching through cameras and drones, Nolan's movements were surreal. He weaved around Abomination like a phantom, each slash precise, each strike filled with devastating intent. The battlefield itself seemed to hold its breath.
Tony could only watch, stunned. His rational mind screamed that this shouldn't be possible, yet there it was: Nolan, cutting the Abomination down piece by piece.
By the time Abomination tried to retreat, Nolan was already there, pressing the advantage. He holstered his blade for a moment, drew a plasma rifle, and unleashed a storm of blazing shots. Each round tore into Abomination's already shredded body, burning and searing with agony.
But Nolan wasn't finished.
He would not stop until the monster fell.
With one final burst from his thrusters, Nolan closed the distance. His war blade flashed once more, driving deep into Abomination's exposed back. He twisted hard, shredding organs and tearing life away.
The giant roared one last time before collapsing with an earth-shaking crash. Dust and rubble exploded outward as Abomination's corpse hit the ground.
Nolan stood atop the fallen beast, one boot crushing its skull into the concrete, the other braced against its back. His war blade gleamed as he raised it high into the smoky air, a symbol of victory and defiance.
The world erupted in shock.
From the live news feed, reporter Keppel nearly lost his voice screaming into the microphone.
"M-My God! I… I can't believe this! That monster, that nightmare that defied every weapon we had it's dead! And the one who killed it… it wasn't Iron Man, it wasn't the army it was him! Nolan Lock, the genius of Lock Industries! A man standing side by side with Tony Stark himself!"
Keppel's voice cracked with awe and disbelief. He struggled to find the words, but the emotion in his tone carried everything the audience needed to hear.
"For so long, we only had Iron Man, the shining hero of Stark Industries. But today the world has seen something else another hero, one with his own name, his own power, his own legend. Not just another Iron Man… no, this man is Nolan. The one and only Nolan! A hero in his own right!"
The cameras zoomed in on Nolan's figure, standing tall over the corpse of Abomination. His war blade was still raised, his armor glowing faintly as its systems healed the damage sustained in the fight.
And for the first time, the people watching didn't just see a scientist, a weapons developer, or a rival to Stark.
They saw a hero.
They saw Nolan.
The Hero Nolan.
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