Iron Man streaked across the city, the Mark III a blur of red and gold, his targeting system locked onto the signals emanating from District 16. He found Obadiah Stane inside the massive warehouse, hulking and monstrous in the makeshift Iron Monger armor, powered by Tony's stolen Arc Reactor.
The battle was immediate, brutal, and moved with terrifying speed. Obadiah, driven by years of suppressed envy and pure rage, was madly reckless. He didn't care about collateral damage, unleashing heavy artillery that tore through the warehouse structure and spilled out onto the nearby streets, engulfing surrounding vehicles in the chaos.
Tony, despite his superior speed and maneuvering, struggled to contain the fight, constantly having to divert energy to protect nearby citizens. He knew he couldn't beat the Iron Monger in a pure strength match, especially since Obadiah's reactor was a more powerful, giant version of his own.
He resorted to strategy, luring the slow, massive armor to the rooftop. With the aid of Pepper Potts, who was coordinating with Coulson nearby, Tony managed to overload the massive, secondary Arc Reactor that powered the District 16 building.
The resulting electromagnetic pulse was catastrophic, disabling the Iron Monger suit and sending Obadiah plummeting into the reactor core, where the explosion finally destroyed him and the monstrous armor.
The sheer scale of the battle—the destruction of the warehouse, the street damage, and the presence of two giant metal figures fighting in public—made secrecy impossible. Agent Coulson, arriving on the scene with S.H.I.E.L.D. assets, immediately grasped the magnitude of the fallout.
"It's over," Coulson muttered into his comms. "The cover story is officially dead."
Reporters swarmed the perimeter like vultures, their cameras flashing relentlessly. News media from every corner arrived, broadcasting live reports from the wreckage.
"Hello everyone, I'm reporting live from Stark Industries' District 16 industrial park," a breathless reporter announced. "A massive battle involving what eyewitnesses describe as two colossal steel robots has occurred. The damage is staggering! We have reason to believe these were Stark Industries prototypes. We are awaiting an official explanation!"
Tony, retrieved by Pepper and Coulson, was quickly ushered into an armored vehicle. A makeshift press conference was hastily organized. The goal, according to Coulson's rapidly typed briefing, was simple: Deny everything. Disassociate Tony from the metal suit and attribute the chaos to an industrial accident or some unknown party.
Tony, protected by a phalanx of S.H.I.E.L.D. agents and Happy Hogan, was pushed into the blinding lights of the press scrum.
"Mr. Stark! What do you have to say about this incident?"
"Are those robots Stark's latest products?"
Tony, glancing at the carefully worded denial drafted by Coulson, felt a powerful surge of defiance. He had faced death, been betrayed, and saved a city. He wouldn't hide.
"Everyone, please, you will get your answers. Be quiet!" Tony yelled, raising his hands. He recited the first lines of the prepared statement about being home due to his health, then stopped. He looked at Pepper, then at Coulson, and finally at the sea of microphones.
He crumpled the denial speech in his hand.
"The truth is," Tony announced, his voice ringing with absolute certainty, "there are hidden dangers in this world that ordinary people cannot cope with. The world needs protection. It needs superheroes."
He paused, letting the silence build, then delivered the final, defining declaration of his life.
"I am the hero wearing the armor. I am Iron Man!"
The collective gasp from the crowd was deafening. The press conference dissolved into instant chaos as reporters surged forward. Coulson, grimacing, quickly ordered his agents to extract Tony and Pepper. The secret was out.
The story of "Iron Man" instantly eclipsed all other news. The "Spider-Bully" video, already losing steam, was utterly buried by the global frenzy surrounding Tony Stark's unprecedented public admission.
In the university classroom, the chatter was ecstatic.
Ned Leeds, the excitable, slightly chubby boy, practically vibrated with energy. "Peter, did you see that?! Tony Stark! A real-life, armored superhero! It's absolutely insane!"
"That Mark III armor is incredible! If I had the money, I would build one instantly!" Ned pressed on, launching into a detailed fantasy about the suit's capabilities. "A man's true romance is mecha, Peter!"
Peter Parker was equally excited, a small, awestruck smile on his face. "I saw it, Ned. It's... amazing."
Peter, however, looked slightly troubled. Ned, noticing his friend's subdued energy, quickly changed the subject. "You haven't seemed yourself lately, Peter. What's wrong?"
"I... I just found some old belongings of my mother's," Peter mumbled, partially covering his true concerns about the mystery of his parents.
"Oh, Pete," Ned said sympathetically, assuming it was grief. "I'm sorry. But look, next week, after our visit to Osborn Industries, we should go out and clear your head, okay?"
Peter, suddenly remembering his self-imposed mission to investigate his parents' past, hesitated. "I... I might have some things to do, Ned. Maybe later."
Ned looked disappointed but relented.
At S.H.I.E.L.D. headquarters, Director Nick Fury watched Tony's declaration on a massive screen, his single eye narrowed in frustration.
"He actually did it," Fury sighed, running a hand over his bald head. "Tony Stark truly believes he is the savior of the world. This admission... it shatters years of careful planning. We can no longer operate in the shadows."
He turned to a nearby agent. "The world knows about Iron Man now. The era of superheroes is officially beginning."
Fury massaged his temples. The conversation with Su Yi echoed in his mind. Su Yi refused to join the Avengers because of the HYDRA infiltration, but he promised to help if absolutely necessary.
"At least we have a contingency," Fury murmured. "Su Yi, the 'Spider-Bully,' is a variable, an unpredictable powerhouse. We need to maintain contact with him and Natasha. We need to deal with this HYDRA problem first. It's truly a headache."
The world now knows Iron Man exists, and Nick Fury is forced to accelerate the superhero initiative. Su Yi, having played his role in the crisis, now has Betty Brant giving him the dreaded "friend card."