(Thanks to the generous supporters. Enough talk-five chapters!)
Tony was now fully engaged in combat with the Chitauri advance force in midair.
"JARVIS, lock onto all targets and fire!"
Tony hovered in midair as the armor hatches on his shoulders and arms sprang open simultaneously, sending dozens of miniature homing missiles screaming out with long trails of white smoke.
With unerring precision, they erupted into dazzling fireballs in the sky, blasting the Chitauri pouring out of the wormhole to pieces along with the flying chariots beneath their feet.
But there were simply too many troops pouring out of the wormhole!
Even with all his weapons blazing, Tony could only stop the few dozen enemies directly ahead of him.
Hundreds upon thousands more Chitauri roared past his defensive line from every direction, piloting their craft like hungry vultures as they dove toward the bustling streets of Manhattan below!
On the ground, the New Yorkers who had been looking up to watch the spectacle froze briefly when they saw those hideous, terrifying alien monsters actually descending from the sky. That momentary stupor instantly turned into hysterical panic!
"Oh my God! Aliens! It's an alien invasion!!"
"Run! Help-!"
Piercing screams, sobs, and the crashes of cars piling into one another instantly filled the entire avenue. Countless pedestrians fled through the streets with their hands over their heads, shoving and trampling one another, and all of Manhattan instantly became a chaotic hellscape.
Tony's expression changed drastically as he saw the enemies diving toward the ground. He wanted to turn back and defend it, but there was no time to react. He could only watch as dozens of Chitauri soldiers raised their energy rifles and pulled the triggers at the crowded masses fleeing below!
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
A dense barrage of blue-white, high-energy plasma beams