Steel Showdown, a Hero's Trial! Yu Xian Found This Serious Blockbuster Not Thrilling Enough!

"Is this still the world we know?"

"My God, I never imagined something so unreal could happen in real life!"

"Viewers, at our most perilous moment, an unknown hero has stepped forward!"

"His achievements are 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 constantly being blown apart and shot down by Tony Stark in the air.

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

"And they also have an Iron Monger that has yet to act. By my calculations, our chance of victory is only 30%!"

"JARVIS, forget the damn odds. Calculate the best way to defeat them at full capacity. These armors should never be in the hands of people who shouldn't control them."

"Yes, sir!"

In the distant sky, a long path of ice crystals wound through the high air. It was the air itself, frozen by extreme cold into shattered crystals.

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

"It's already started?"

"Looks like Tony's having a great time!"

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

This was our Iron Man's battle of growth, so I'd better not interfere too much!

I just need to enjoy the show.

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

That wasn't the 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.

"Tsk, tsk. The effects are no worse than a movie."

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

In the air, Tony was surrounded by more than thirty armors. Though he nimbly flipped and dodged through the sky, several energy blasts still struck him, sending sparks across his armor's surface.

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

The reporter downstairs cried out as the camera focused on the lone red-and-gold figure in the sky.

"Look! He's been hit!"

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

"He's just too outnumbered!"

"..."

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

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

Suddenly, a powerful energy blast hit his thruster. Mark 3 lost balance and began falling.

Three armors fired energy beams at the same time, 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 crystal-clear ice spears appeared out of thin air above his head, refracting a frigid glow 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 shocked everyone.

Obadiah Stane, who had been watching as though a cat playing with a mouse, frowned as he saw the suddenly attacked armors crash down.

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

He leisurely took another lollipop from his pocket, unwrapped it, and put it in his mouth.

"Looks like Tony still needs a little help!" Yu Xian muttered indistinctly around the lollipop. "But I'm just here to lend a hand. He's still the protagonist."

Tony seized the chance to stabilize himself and take to the air again. He quietly wondered where that sudden assistance had come from, but he had no time to think about it 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 are still active. Your energy reserves have dropped to 67%."

"67%? That's enough!"

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

Catalina climbed onto Yu Xian's rooftop, panting heavily. Seeing how relaxed he looked, she was instantly irritated.

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

In front of their televisions, people across the country watched the battle nervously.

The news reporters hoarsely delivered live updates.

"The hero has shot 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 swarm of armors, with energy beams firing at him from every direction.

He dodged nimbly, but he was ultimately outnumbered. A powerful energy blast struck his right thruster.

"Sir, system damage detected. Right thruster efficiency has decreased 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 that scene, Tony inexplicably thought of someone lazy 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 everything from beginning to end, asked in confusion.

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

He pointed at the growing crowd of reporters and civilians below.

"They need a hero. A real hero."

"A hero?"

Catalina silently savored those two words in her heart.

[Detected that the host is pleased to help Tony. Pleasure points +100]

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

But through the cooperation between him and that "mysterious force," 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 in Iron Monger.

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

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

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

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

Tony barely dodged, but the massive shockwave still blasted him back dozens of meters.

Obadiah did not pause. He strode forward, grabbed Tony, and slammed him viciously into the ground again.

Iron Monger raised its massive foot over Mark 3's chest, stomping once, twice, three times...

Bang! Bang! Bang!

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

"For thirty years, I've been carrying you."

"I built this company from nothing!"

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

"Especially you!"

Obadiah roared, controlling Iron Monger as it kicked Iron Man away. A barrage of missiles launched from the armor and flew straight toward Tony Stark.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Obadiah laughed. "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 this scene in despair.

"The hero has been defeated!"

"Oh God, is there no one who can 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 the blazing explosion, only to be pinned beneath Iron Monger's foot once more.

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

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

"Your era is over!!!"

"All are brave!"

"..."

"All need not hide!"

"..."

"Who says those covered in mud can't be heroes~"

"..."

"Who says only those standing in the light can be heroes~"

"..."

On a distant rooftop, Yu Xian's phone rang. A picture of a dark-skinned bald man appeared on the screen—S.H.I.E.L.D. Director Nick Fury.