Chapter Thirty: Iron Man Versus Iron Monger

Now that he had mastered teleportation magic, Michael no longer needed the Ancient One to chaperone him—he could return on his own.

“Am I forgetting something?”

Immersed in reading, Michael suddenly felt as if he’d overlooked something important.

At that very moment, a handsome young man was writhing in agony in his basement. At last, his hand found his worn-out arc reactor, and he pressed it against his chest. After a long exhale, the purple hue faded from his face, replaced by a flush of color. Strength returned to his limbs.

He lay on the floor, gasping for fresh air.

“Tony! Tony!”

Rhodey appeared just in time. Seeing Tony sprawled on the ground, he hurried over and helped him up.

“Where’s Potts?”

Tony asked at once.

“She took five people to capture Obadiah.”

“Five won’t be enough.”

Tony stood up and donned his armor.

Rhodey, not yet grasping the gravity of the situation, gazed at the Iron Man suit with excitement. “This is definitely the coolest thing in the world.”

“Not bad, right? Get ready to move.”

Tony finished suiting up, preparing for action.

“Is there anything I can do?” Rhodey asked.

Tony replied confidently, “Clear the skies for me.”

With that, Tony blasted through the villa’s ceiling and soared away.

“Damn,” Rhodey muttered, glaring at the unfinished suit behind him. “Next time, I’m wearing you out myself.”

Pepper had discovered the armor Obadiah had built and, fleeing desperately, raced outside and called Tony.

“Tony, are you all right?”

“I’m fine. Get out of there immediately, Pepper.”

“Tony, Obadiah’s built a suit too—his is even bigger.”

“I know. Get as far from him as you can, right now.” Tony’s voice was taut with urgency.

“Right away!”

Suddenly, Pepper heard the sound of shattering floorboards. Obadiah, piloting the Iron Monger, burst up from beneath.

“Did you really think you could get away?”

Obadiah raised the Gatling gun mounted on his arm, aiming it at Pepper.

“You’re no longer of any use.”

At the critical moment, Tony arrived just in time and shouted at Obadiah.

Obadiah swung his weapon toward Tony and opened fire, but Tony nimbly evaded the barrage. Circling in the sky, Tony accelerated and collided with the Iron Monger, driving Obadiah out onto the street.

This maneuver rescued Pepper but imperiled the innocent citizens outside. Cars crashed and piled up in a massive traffic jam. Many were injured, but there was no time for pain—everyone scrambled to escape.

A family, unable to brake in time, skidded to a stop directly in front of the Iron Monger. Obadiah seized their vehicle, grinning at Tony.

“I do like this suit,” he taunted.

“Put them down,” Tony ordered.

“They’re just unlucky, Tony,” Obadiah replied, advancing with the car held aloft, as if victory was already his.

Determined to save the family, Tony quickly devised a plan.

“Channel all power to the chest,” he commanded.

Jarvis redirected the energy to the reactor on his chest, and a massive laser beam shot forth, blasting the Iron Monger away.

Tony caught the falling car with effort and gently set it down. But the driver, terrified out of her wits, slammed the accelerator and drove straight into Tony.

“Ma’am—!” Tony protested helplessly. His energy reserves had dropped to nineteen percent; he couldn’t risk flight, or else there’d be no power left for Obadiah.

At that moment, a white blur swung past overhead. A strand of web yanked Tony out of harm’s way.

Gwen landed atop a streetlight, looking down at Tony. “What are you supposed to be? And what is that thing?”

Tony caught his breath. “I’m… Iron Man. He’s the villain, yes—the villain.”

“I figured as much,” Gwen replied. She had already noticed the Iron Monger hoisting the car; he hardly looked the part of a good guy.

Iron Monger hefted a motorcycle and hurled it at Iron Man. Tony was sent flying, the bike bouncing away. Gwen, quick to act, caught it with her webbing and swung it to safety, preventing harm to bystanders.

“Are you all right? That was dangerous,” Gwen remarked, glancing at Tony.

“I’m fine,” Tony replied, frustrated.

“This really doesn’t fit with the laws of physics. Strictly speaking, with a collision like that and armor so thin, you should at least have some broken bones and a concussion.”

With her mask on, Gwen’s chatter became incessant.

“My shock absorbers are quite good,” Tony countered.

Gwen was about to say more, but Tony interrupted, anxious, “This is no time for a chat—he’s coming again!”

Obadiah, piloting the Iron Monger, toyed with Tony.

Gwen fired a web, snaring the Iron Monger and giving Tony a moment to catch his breath.

“So you’re Spider-Man? Help me take him down and I’ll give you a hundred million,” Tony offered.

“No, I’m on the side of justice,” Gwen replied.

Obadiah, hearing this, burst out laughing. “To hell with justice—if I win, I am justice! And if you’re not on my side, when all this is over, you’ll be wanted.”

With that, Iron Monger flexed his strength, flinging Gwen away.

Tony, facing the rampaging Obadiah, said, “I have a plan. Jarvis, how much power is left?”

Obadiah shook off Gwen and strode toward Tony.

“The company was built by my bare hands—no one will stop me, especially not you,” he snarled.

A missile emerged from his shoulder and launched at Tony. Luckily, it didn’t strike him directly but blasted him into the air. Tony’s thrusters stabilized his flight.

“Not bad—you’ve upgraded. I’ve made a few improvements myself,” Tony quipped.

Beneath the Iron Monger’s feet, enormous boosters ignited, lifting his massive frame into the sky.

Jarvis’s voice rang out. “Sir, it appears his armor can fly as well.”

“Divert all remaining power to the thrusters. Take us as high as possible.”

“Only fifteen percent power remains. High-altitude flight is not recommended.”

“Do as I say—now!”

Tony rocketed skyward. Obadiah watched with glee, convinced Tony was out of tricks.

Two figures—one large, one small—trailing brilliant exhaust, soared into the sky.

“Eleven percent power left.”

“Keep going.”

“Seven percent power left.”

“Put it on the display—don’t tell me out loud.”

Tony calculated their altitude nervously—everything would be decided here.

Obadiah finally caught up, seizing Tony by the leg and pulling him close.

“Not a bad idea, Tony. Your suit is more advanced in every way, but victory is mine.”

Tony seemed unfazed. He asked, “So, how will you deal with the icing problem?”

“Icing problem?” Obadiah finally realized that at such altitude, the Iron Monger’s surface had begun to freeze. Circuits malfunctioned in the frigid air, and the boosters began to fail.