The Vanko Tech press conference had reached its climax and was gradually coming to an end.
Suddenly, the Iron Armor on the stage began to move. The audience gasped in shock, completely confused about what was happening.
The unexpected scene threw everyone into panic. People scrambled toward the exits, trying to escape, while Ivan Vanko stood at the podium shouting in horror, "Impossible! Absolutely impossible! Everyone, run!"
Tony Stark immediately sensed that something was wrong. His instincts flared as he scanned the room cautiously—this had to be one of Ivan Vanko's schemes. The atmosphere was thick with tension.
"Rhodey, get Pepper out of here—now."
"Tony, be careful." Pepper could tell that the warning was meant for Tony. After all, she had come today to see what kind of tricks Ivan Vanko was playing after his attack in Monaco.
"Relax, these piles of scrap can't handle me." Tony patted Pepper's shoulder. "Go."
The Iron Armor's eyes flared a deep crimson, its imposing figure radiating dominance. As it powered up, the mechanical arms on the stage came to life, revealing a full array of weapons and systems.
The crowd screamed and scattered as chaos erupted. Tony realized the danger immediately. He activated the wrist device, summoning his suit. Pieces of metal flew toward him, locking into place one after another until the familiar red and gold armor of Iron Man was assembled.
Tony's armor glowed brilliantly as he soared into the air, his flying skills precise and fluid. He looked down at the rogue armor, his face filled with anger and resolve.
"Ivan! You maniac!" Tony's voice rang with fury and warning.
"I don't know what's happening! I swear I don't!" Ivan shouted from the stage, panic written all over his face.
"Hm?" Tony frowned inside his helmet. His instincts told him this was still part of Vanko's trap.
Tony's gaze hardened. He would not allow Vanko's scheme to succeed, nor would he let anyone get hurt because of it.
Iron Man dove from the sky, unleashing a blazing energy beam that instantly destroyed several rogue suits. But Vanko's army was vast—relentless and heavily armed.
The scene descended into chaos. Explosions and the screech of metal clashing filled the air. Tony fought furiously, cutting through the enemy lines.
Vanko looked terrified, glancing around frantically as if searching for a way to escape.
Suddenly, a massive explosion shook the hall. Smoke billowed through the air. When it cleared—Vanko was gone. Only the ruins of the venue remained.
Tony hovered amid the wreckage, eyes narrowing. Vanko's disappearance only confirmed his suspicions—this was just one part of a larger plan.
Just then, J.A.R.V.I.S. spoke: "Sir, incoming communication from Director Nick Fury."
"Patch it through."
"Tony, listen carefully! Justin Hammer has initiated his plan!"
"Justin Hammer?" Tony said, dodging a volley of missiles midair.
"Our intel confirms Hammer has hijacked Vanko's control systems. He's using the drones to kill you—then pin the blame on Vanko and seize his tech."
The line cut off. Fury turned to Natasha. "Go to Vanko's control center. Hawkeye will meet you en route."
"Understood," Black Widow replied, moving out swiftly.
"Damn it," Tony growled, weaving through the sky as a new wave of Iron Drones surged toward him with a thunderous roar.
Reacting instantly, Tony darted between them like a streak of red lightning. His armor's mobility allowed him to evade attacks while countering with precise energy blasts and micro-missiles.
The battle erupted in full force. Metal clanged, explosions boomed—Tony's heart pounded, his senses razor sharp.
A massive armor lunged, its colossal fist swinging toward him. Tony dodged at the last second, then struck from behind, slicing through the armor's plating with a concentrated beam.
Another drone fired missiles. Tony rolled aside, retaliating with a flamethrower burst that engulfed it in fire. The drone screeched under the heat but kept coming.
The fight raged on. Every strike Tony delivered hit true, his energy radiating with unstoppable power. But there were too many enemies—an endless tide. His energy reserves were draining fast, and fatigue began to set in.
Then, a familiar voice crackled through the comms. "Tony, I brought you a little surprise."
"Rhodey?"
War Machine descended from the smoke, his armor gleaming. "Now, call me War Machine."
Tony couldn't help but grin. His best friend had arrived. Together, Iron Man and War Machine faced the steel army for one final showdown.
They fought side by side, perfectly in sync. War Machine unleashed heavy rockets from his shoulders while Tony's repulsors tore through the enemy lines. Their attacks intertwined like a deadly dance—swift, precise, unstoppable.
Missiles exploded, fire and smoke filled the air, but neither man faltered. Every movement, every counterattack was flawlessly timed.
Under their combined assault, the Iron Army began to crumble. One by one, the drones fell until only flames and wreckage remained.
Breathing heavily, armor scarred and scorched, Tony and Rhodey stood side by side—victorious.
"Nice work, Rhodey," Tony said, patting his friend's shoulder.
"Watch each other's backs—that's what we do," Rhodey replied with a grin.
A cold metallic thud echoed. From above, a golden Iron Armor descended slowly.
"Justin Hammer! Do you even know what you're doing?" Rhodey shouted angrily.
"Hahahaha! You're both going to die here!" came Hammer's distorted voice from within the armor.
Tony frowned. "J.A.R.V.I.S., analyze that voice."
"Yes, sir… comparing data now… Sir, the voice is 100% AI-generated."
Tony's eyes narrowed. "So it's you… Ivan Vanko."
Truthfully, Tony had doubted Fury's intel at first—Justin Hammer was arrogant, yes, but not suicidal. He wanted humiliation, not murder.
"Rhodey, this is Vanko's trap," Tony said firmly.
"Vanko again?"
"Yeah. Hammer's voice—it's synthetic. He's not in there."
"Doesn't matter," Rhodey growled. "We'll scrap this thing first."
"Couldn't agree more."
A deep metallic rumble answered them. "You two will die together!"
The golden armor stood tall before them—an unyielding fortress radiating immense power. Tony could feel the energy surging within it. This was going to be a brutal fight.
The battle began. The golden armor struck first, its punch crashing down like thunder. Tony dodged, but the shockwave hurled him across the room, slamming him into the wall.
Rhodey opened fire, missiles and bullets raining down, but the golden armor's defenses were nearly impenetrable. Even under War Machine's firepower, it barely took damage.
Tony and Rhodey fought in tandem, pushing their suits to the limit. Tony darted around the enemy, targeting weak points with precision blasts, but the golden armor adapted quickly—learning their patterns, countering their moves with terrifying speed.
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