The private cinema was dimly lit, the movie on the big screen had been completely paused, the soft indoor lights were dimmed to the lowest setting, and JARVIS projected 4K ultra-high-definition real-time battlefield scenes onto the entire wall of the giant screen. The distant sea winds, the roar of war, and even the subtle sounds of metal burning were all transmitted into the cinema in sync, making it feel like you were there.
The abandoned drilling platform stands isolated on the dark sea, surrounded by churning, icy waves. The night wind is fierce and biting, whipping up thick smoke and scorching heat that sweeps across the steel structure. The platform is engulfed in flames as Tony's armored legions and Extremis soldiers attack from all sides engage in a chaotic melee. Laser beams crisscross the night sky, explosions erupt continuously, and fragments of armor and broken steel frames fall into the deep sea below. At the heart of this chaotic battlefield, Tony stands alone amidst the flames, refusing to call for support from any of his armored legions. He simply rotates through his individual armor, one after another, facing the final boss, Killian, alone, fighting to the death.
Throughout the battle Killian's veins surged with a blinding, scorching crimson light, and his body temperature was high enough to melt steel. Conventional armor fire could only briefly burn his skin, which healed instantly thanks to the Extremis Virus. Even when his arm was severed by the armor's blade, flames surged at the cut, and the limb regrew completely within seconds. His immortal physical abilities completely overwhelmed the Iron Man Armor.
His eyes were sinister, and every punch he threw carried a devastating force. One after another, sophisticated Iron Man Armor melted and deformed in the flames, the sizzling sound of the metal as it heated up sending chills down one's spine even through the projection.
Despite possessing a fully equipped arsenal—missiles, palm-mounted pulse cannons, shoulder-fired laser beams, and ultrasonic weapons— Tony locked down all long-range weapons throughout the entire fight, stubbornly abandoning all technological advantages and relying solely on his suit's robotic arms and melee combat modules to engage Killian in hand-to-hand combat. Each suit of armor burned and destroyed was immediately replaced with a brand new one, and upon landing, he continued the mindless close-quarters combat. Dozens of standby suits remained idle, not a single one offering support or assistance—his stubbornness bordering on obsession.
Natasha, who had already seen the president off, returned and walked calmly into the private cinema.
Natasha took off her combat jacket, revealing a simple, fitted black undershirt underneath. She slowly walked to the other side of the sofa and sat down. Following Lynn's gaze, she looked at the brutal and stubborn battlefield on the giant screen, leaning back quietly without saying a word.
Time ticked by, and the situation on the battlefield visibly worsened.
Tony's armor was already more than half destroyed, the ground littered with smoky wreckage. Each suit wasn't destroyed by artillery fire, but rather torn apart by Killian's bare hands and melted by flames. The Extremis Virus's healing factor completely countered the close-combat Iron Man Armor. Every punch Tony landed failed to inflict a fatal blow, while every counterattack from Killian severely damaged the suits. Tony gradually fell into a complete disadvantage, repeatedly being sent flying by heavy punches, crashing heavily into the thick steel frame. The armor's outer shell dented and cracked, internal wiring exposed and sparking. He was forced to retreat step by step, completely unable to find a way to turn the tide.
Lynn looked at the absurd and tactlessly chaotic battle on the screen, shook his head helplessly, tapped the armrest of the sofa with his fingertip, and turned to look at Natasha, who was quietly watching the battle beside him. His tone was full of confusion and helplessness:
" Tony's armor is equipped with a wide-range weapon of mass destruction. Now that the president has been safely transferred and there are no more hostages on the platform, a single long-range bombardment could cripple Killian... What on earth was he thinking?"
He pointed to the scattered, completely destroyed wreckage of armor on the screen and continued to criticize the most illogical aspects of the battle:
"Even if he's fixated on not wanting to win through a long-range ambush, there are dozens of intact battle suits waiting nearby. He could easily deploy two or three to simultaneously close in and lock down Killian, while the Arc Reactor overloads and self-destructs on the spot. The resulting explosion would be powerful enough to directly destroy Killian, guaranteeing a victory. There's no need for him to be beaten so badly."
Natasha's gaze was calm and serene as she glanced at Tony on the screen, who stubbornly refused to ask for help. As a seasoned agent, she saw through Tony's deep-seated inner demons at a glance. She simply pursed her lips, turned her head back to the screen, and chose to remain silent, not answering Lynn's question.
Lynn understood her silence and didn't press further. With a flick of his finger, he directly connected Tony's private armor communication via JARVIS. The encrypted channel was instantly established, and clear human voices Tony's armor without any obstruction.
Lynn's blunt voice, tinged with a hint of exasperation, suddenly echoed in the cramped cockpit of the battle suit, "Where's your weapon, Tony?"
"If you want to vent your anger and take revenge, there's no need to mindlessly engage in hand-to-hand combat. First, use missiles and cluster lasers to bombard the entire drilling platform, forcibly suppress Killian's healing ability, and blast him into a state of sluggishness. After that, no one will interfere with how you want to engage in close combat and settle scores with your own hands."
"You have fully equipped technological combat power, yet you keep switching to brand-new armor to engage in close combat and trade blows, wasting armor and taking damage for nothing. What are you thinking?"
Watching another Mark Armor being torn apart by flames on the screen, and Tony crashing heavily into the inferno, Lynn couldn't help but continue his blunt criticism, each word precisely puncturing Tony's clumsy act of bravado:
"You've already destroyed over a dozen mechs for nothing; it pains me to see them destroyed. Just control a few of the wrecked mechs to lock onto Killian at close range, then simultaneously activate the Arc Reactor to overload and self-destruct. It's a zero-risk way to end the battle; you're guaranteed to win."
"Do you really want to fight an immortal enemy head-on, punch by punch? Do you only feel better if you keep getting beaten up?"
On the battlefield, Tony had just been struck hard in the chest by Killian's fiery punch. The reactor in his armor's chest panel dimmed instantly, and he was sent flying like a kite with a broken string, crashing heavily into the thick metal frame, which was dented and cracked. Suddenly, a communication voice rang in his ears, and Tony's body stiffened abruptly, his expression freezing beneath his mask.
Inside the sealed armored cabin, Lynn's clear and poignant question reached Tony's ears without missing a single word, leaving the usually stubborn and arrogant Tony speechless and unable to find any words to refute.
He knew better than anyone that everything Lynn said was the optimal solution. Long-range bombardment, mech encirclement, overload self-destruction—any one of these tactics could eliminate Killian with zero casualties and easily end the battle.
Tony, supporting himself on his tattered armor, slowly rose, wiping away the flying metal fragments and dust from his mask. His chest heaved violently as he gritted his teeth, suppressing all the panic and hesitation in his heart. Ignoring Lynn's optimal tactical suggestion, he replied firmly and stubbornly, each word spoken in a deep, resonant voice:
"Shut up, this is my fight. I just want to kill him with my own hands, without weapons, without anyone else."
Without hesitation, Tony immediately called for a new suit of armor.
His brand-new armor pierced through the thick smoke and landed. He instantly completed the armor conversion and charged alone towards Killian, once again braving the raging flames.
This time, he wasn't trying to escape fear, but to confront it head-on, and to avenge Happy.
On the giant screen, Killian watched Tony charge forward again, oblivious to his own mortality, and laughed wildly. Flames wrapped around his fists as he took the initiative to meet Tony in battle once more, the flames completely engulfing Tony's figure.
Inside the cinema, after hearing this stubborn reply, Lynn helplessly raised her hand to rub her temples, hung up the call, and stopped trying to persuade her.
"Fine, she's completely impervious to reason. How arrogant."
He watched Tony on the screen, stubbornly insisting on fighting Killian with his bare hands, and sighed softly, completely abandoning the idea of intervening in the battle.
Tonight, let Tony fight according to his own ideas. Even if he's humiliated or suffers losses, as long as he can completely resolve his inner conflict, it will all be worth it.
Natasha turned her head to look at Lynn beside her, whose expression was calm yet subtly tolerant, and said softly, "You expected him to make this choice, didn't you?"
Lynn looked up at the screen engulfed in flames and nodded calmly. "No one can change the tsundere's choice."