"Iron Man, where're we headed?"
Ryuuto flicked his bangs aside, sprinting across rooftops with the speed of a trained shinobi. Beside him, Iron Man soared through the night sky, armor blazing gold against the storm of city lights.
"Somewhere less crowded," Tony replied through comms. "Once they spot me, it'll get ugly fast."
"Got it." Ryuuto's grin turned razor-sharp.
The two moved as one—one streak of light, one streak of red—vanishing into the New York skyline.
Inside a luxury skyscraper uptown, Obadiah Stane stood before a window, city lights reflecting off his glass of whiskey. He didn't drink it—just stared, calculating.
Behind him, masked mercenaries approached, weapons gleaming under the dim light.
"Sir, Iron Man's entered the zone. Shall we begin?"
Obadiah didn't turn. "What does the Mandarin say?"
"He's expecting results."
"Then give him a show." He rolled up his sleeve, revealing a mechanical arm—thick, plated, and monstrous. The servos whined as he flexed his fingers. "When it's time for me to step in… you'll know."
"Yes, sir!"
The soldiers moved out. Moments later, the first explosion tore through Times Square.
In seconds, the city became a battlefield. Cars flipped. Windows shattered. Fire rained down from the rooftops as the Ten Rings unleashed chaos across New York.
Screams filled the air.
Flying between towers, Ryuuto's senses flared. "Tony—this isn't random. They planned this."
"I know," Tony said, voice clipped. "We end this fast. No holding back."
"Finally, something I agree with." Ryuuto smirked.
[System Sync: Rock Lee – Data Packet Loaded]
He crouched low—and launched. Wind cracked beneath his feet as he dove into the street like a meteor, smashing into the asphalt with a shockwave that sent soldiers flying.
"Yo!" Ryuuto shouted, dust swirling around him. "Next time you try to blow up my city, at least wear better armor!"
Above, Iron Man's repulsors lit up the sky, blasting trucks and turrets apart.
But then—
"Ryuuto, move!" Tony yelled.
Too late.
Hidden launchers unfolded from shattered windows. A storm of rockets locked onto both of them.
"Fire!"
The world turned white.
Tony's thrusters flared as he shoved Ryuuto aside—taking the barrage himself.
The explosion swallowed him whole.
BOOOOM!
The shockwave shattered windows for blocks.
"Tony!" Ryuuto crashed into debris, coughing smoke, eyes wide. Through the haze, Iron Man stood—battered, armor cracked, bleeding, but still fighting.
Even half-dead, he raised his arm and fired another beam into the chaos.
"Damn it…" Ryuuto's expression twisted into fury. "You bastards think you can just do this and walk away?"
His chakra flared—violent, red, and roaring.
"You want war?" His voice dropped to a snarl. "I'll give you extinction."
He slammed his hands together.
"Ninjutsu — Shadow Clone Technique!"
Dozens of clones erupted into existence, spreading like wildfire, cutting down enemies with brutal precision.
Still not enough.
Ryuuto bit his thumb, slammed his palm onto the ground, and roared:
"Summoning Jutsu — Ten Thousand Snakes!"
The seal flashed across the asphalt. A thunderous crack split the street apart, and from the depths rose a colossal serpent—black-scaled, eyes glowing crimson, its presence suffocating the air itself.
The serpent hissed, voice dripping with amusement.
"Oho~ what's this? So many humans in one place? You always bring me the finest meals, Ryuuto-kun."
Ten Thousand Snakes reared high, its body coiling through the wreckage. With one swipe, it crushed armored vehicles into dust. Soldiers screamed as its massive fangs tore through steel and concrete alike.
Ryuuto moved through the chaos like a shadow, his blade slicing through stragglers who tried to flee.
"Monster! He's not human!" one terrorist shouted.
"Correct," Ryuuto said flatly, vanishing and reappearing behind him. "I'm worse."
Blood fell.