Steel Showdown, A Hero's Trial! Yu Xian Said This Serious Blockbuster Wasn't Exciting Enough!

"Is this still the world we know?"

"God, I never imagined something this unreal could happen in reality!"

"Viewers, in our darkest hour, an unknown hero has stepped forward!"

"His achievements have been the most remarkable since the battle began. So far, nearly fifty steel armors have been destroyed and brought down."

"Can he stop this disaster?"

A female reporter shouted excitedly at the camera. Behind her, Obadiah Stane's Iron Legion was continuously being blasted apart and sent plummeting from the sky by Tony Stark.

JARVIS's voice came through Tony's earpiece as he flew through the air. "Sir, I must remind you that the enemy's numbers are overwhelming!"

"And one Iron Monger has yet to make a move. By my calculations, our chances of victory are only 30%!"

"JARVIS, forget the damn odds. Calculate the best way to destroy them at full capacity. These armors should never be in the hands of people unworthy of controlling them."

"Yes, sir!"

In the distant sky, a long path of ice crystals wound through the high air—the air itself had been frozen into shards by extreme cold.

A pale blue streak of ice flashed past as Yu Xian finally arrived.

"It's already started!"

"Looks like Tony's having fun!"

He stared intently at the armored battle in the distant heavens. Seeing that Tony was not in any immediate danger, he cast aside his slight concern.

This is Iron Man's battle of growth. I'd better stay out of it as much as possible!

I just need to enjoy the show.

If I don't have to act, why would I?

That goes against the great way of slacking off!

Yu Xian glanced at a nearby rooftop, leisurely flew over, and sat on the edge. He took out a bag of chips from his pocket and watched the battle while eating, as though he were watching a movie.

Thanks to the extraordinary vision granted by "Star Platinum," every detail of the battlefield hundreds of meters away was clearly visible to Yu Xian.

"Damn, these effects are no worse than a movie's."

[Detected that the host is in a pleasant mood. Pleasure Points +50]

In the air, Tony was being besieged by more than thirty armors. Though he flipped and dodged nimbly through the sky, several energy cannons still struck him, sending sparks flying from the surface of his armor.

"Iron Man can't hold on much longer!"

The reporter downstairs cried out, her camera aimed at the lone red-and-gold figure in the sky.

"Look! He's been hit!"

"Oh God, how can he fight so many armors alone?"

"He's simply too outnumbered!"

"..."

On the battlefield, Tony had indeed fallen into a difficult situation.

He fought desperately, charging left and right through the swarm of armors.

Suddenly, a powerful energy cannon struck his thruster. Mark 3 lost balance and began falling.

Three armors fired energy beams simultaneously, aiming directly at the falling red armor.

"Watch out!" someone on the ground shouted.

"Looks like it's time." Seeing Tony in danger, Yu Xian lightly waved his right hand. "Ice-Make Magic: Ice Spear!"

Dozens of crystalline ice spears appeared out of thin air above his head, refracting a frigid gleam beneath the moonlight.

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

They shot at astonishing speed toward the armors preparing to deliver a fatal blow to the falling Tony.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

The ice spears precisely pierced the armors' joints and reactors. Several armors froze instantly, lost power, and fell from the sky.

This sudden attack stunned everyone.

Obadiah Stane, who had been toying with his prey like a cat with a mouse, frowned as he watched the suddenly attacked armors crash down.

Under the cover of night, no one noticed Yu Xian's attack.

He leisurely pulled another lollipop from his pocket, unwrapped it, and popped it into his mouth.

"Looks like Tony still needs a little help." With the lollipop in his mouth, Yu Xian muttered indistinctly, "But I'm just here to make up the numbers. He's still the protagonist."

Tony took the opportunity to stabilize himself and rise back into the air. He privately wondered where that sudden assistance had come from, but he had no time to think about it now and charged back into battle.

Time passed, and one steel armor after another was shot down.

"JARVIS, how many enemies are left?"

"Sir, approximately six hundred armors remain active. Your energy reserves have fallen to 67%."

"67%? That's enough!"

"Captain! Are you really not going to help?"

Catalina climbed onto the rooftop where Yu Xian was, panting heavily. Seeing how relaxed he looked, she could not help feeling annoyed.

"Don't rush!" Yu Xian licked the chip flavor from his fingers, his eyes fixed on the battlefield. "Tony needs this fight. And if things really become critical, I'll step in and protect him!"

In front of live television broadcasts, people across the country watched the battle nervously.

News reporters reported the situation at the top of their lungs.

"The hero has brought down nearly forty percent of the armors! But there are simply too many enemies! How much longer can he hold on?"

"Look! Dozens more armors have surrounded him!"

Tony was besieged by a group of armors, with energy beams firing at him from every direction.

He dodged nimbly, but in the end, he was outnumbered. A powerful energy cannon struck his right thruster.

"Sir, system damage detected. Right thruster efficiency has dropped by 10%."

"Damn it!"

Ten steel armors in the distance fired fatal attacks simultaneously. Suddenly, an almost transparent ice wall formed before Iron Man, blocking the energy beams.

"An ice wall?"

Seeing the sight, Tony inexplicably thought of a lazy guy who loved slacking off.

Was it him?

"Captain, why not just use Hyorinmaru? Wouldn't it be better to end the battle in one go?"

Catalina, who had watched the entire scene from start to finish, asked in confusion.

Yu Xian shook his head. "Tony needs this victory, and besides—"

He pointed at the reporters and civilians gathering in ever greater numbers below.

"They need a hero. A real hero."

"A hero?"

Catalina silently savored those two words in her heart.

[Detected that helping Tony has put the host in a pleasant mood. Pleasure Points +100]

The battle continued for nearly an hour. Tony's armor was already covered in damage, and his energy reserves had dropped below 30%.

But with the coordination between him and the "mysterious power," more than half of the enemy armors had been destroyed.

"Sir, strategic retreat is advised. The armor is severely damaged."

"No. If I retreat, who will stop Obadiah?"

At that moment, Obadiah Stane finally made his move, controlling the Iron Monger.

The black armor was like a moving mountain as it charged at Tony at tremendous speed.

Obadiah's voice boomed through the speakers. "Tony, have you had enough fun?"

"Look at that pathetic armor of yours. It looks like you just picked it up from a junkyard."

Iron Monger raised an arm and threw a heavy punch straight at Iron Man.

Tony barely dodged, but the massive shockwave still sent him flying dozens of meters away.

Without pausing, Obadiah strode forward, grabbed Tony, and slammed him viciously into the ground again.

Iron Monger raised its enormous foot and aimed it at Mark 3's chest. Once, twice, three times...

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Inside Iron Monger, Obadiah Stane's face was filled with hatred.

"For thirty years, I've carried you."

"I built this company from nothing!"

"I won't allow anyone to stand in my way!"

"Especially not you!"

Obadiah roared as he controlled Iron Monger to kick Iron Man away. A barrage of missiles launched from the armor, shooting straight toward Tony Stark.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Obadiah laughed wildly. "From today onward, your father's company is mine!"

"The Arc Reactor technology you're so proud of is now nothing more than the power source for my army!"

The reporters on the ground watched in despair.

"The hero has been defeated!"

"God, can't anyone stop this madman?"

In front of their televisions, countless viewers' hearts sank to the bottom.

They watched the battered red-and-gold figure emerge from an explosion of raging flames, only to be stomped beneath Iron Monger's foot once more.

"Tony Stark, look at you now." Obadiah looked down at Tony from above. "The former king of arms is now nothing but an ant beneath my feet."

Energy began gathering in the center of Iron Monger's palm, its blue light growing brighter and brighter.

"Your era is over!!!"

"All are brave!"

"..."

"All need not hide!"

"..."

"Who says those covered in mud don't count as heroes~"

"..."

"Who says only those standing in the light count as heroes~"

"..."

On a distant high-rise rooftop, Yu Xian's phone began to ring. A picture of a bald, dark-skinned egghead appeared on the screen—the director of S.H.I.E.L.D., "Nick Fury."