"Pepper, I've come to save you!"
Tony Stark, clad in his Mark III, descended from the sky with an incredibly flashy display, like a New Century Evangelion or a towering, mighty Optimus Prime.
However, when Tony saw Pepper chatting and laughing with Rimuru, he suddenly felt a lump in his throat—a sense of frustration he couldn't even put into words.
WTF!
What in the world is going on here?
Especially when Tony saw the Iron Monger, that big oaf, lying stiff on the ground like a zombie, Tony Stark instantly took a hundred points of critical damage.
He was supposed to save the world and win the girl's heart, right?
Yet he made his heroic entrance, only to find the world already saved? And the girl happily chatting with someone else?
He wasn't some police officer in a Hollywood movie. Speaking of which—why was he late?!
Fifteen minutes ago, he'd been ambushed by Obadiah with a super-frequency paralyzer, leaving his body frozen and unresponsive.
He knew Pepper was in danger. With great wisdom and sheer determination, he even transformed into Voldemort—just to successfully install the first arc reactor, the one Pepper gave him as a memento, into his chest.
He had rushed over, risking his life!
When a flower blooms, people only admire its current brilliance! Yet its budding sprout was soaked in tears of struggle and sprinkled with the blood of sacrifice.
"Tony, when did you get here? I'm glad you're alright!"
Seeing the Mark III piloted by Tony Stark, Pepper's eyes lit up.
Pepper's words made Tony's heart twitch. He had been there for a while—striking poses until he was tired—yet she only just noticed him?
"I'm fine. Sorry to worry you. Pepper, are you okay?"
Tony Stark forced a smile uglier than crying. He was suffering inside, but he wouldn't say it.
"Of course! Tony, you don't know—Rimuru's Wind God is so cool! It's the coolest mech I've ever seen! You wouldn't believe it, she took down that big, clumsy Obadiah in just a few moves!"
Pepper spoke vividly, clearly captivated by Rimuru and the Wind God, looking as if she was about to become a full-on fangirl.
Tony Stark instantly felt as if he was being stabbed repeatedly in the chest, taking tens of thousands of critical hits.
Perverted slime—stealing my kill, flirting with my girl—draw your sword!
However, at that moment, the Iron Monger, who had just been lying stiff, suddenly moved. He abruptly extended his right hand and grabbed the Mark III, which was hovering not far above him.
Tony Stark was caught off guard, his right foot seized by the suddenly active Iron Monger—and then used as a club.
Bang, bang, bang, bang!
Thrown left, thrown right, thrown up, thrown down!
In the Iron Monger's hands, Tony Stark received the same glorious treatment as Third Princess Loki.
Tony lay on the ground, body stiff, eyes glazed over, questioning his life.
Why did this happen?
"Tony, you shut down the weapons division, but you built the most powerful one. I've never liked anything, but I like this armor."
Having been defeated by Rimuru earlier, Obadiah had accumulated far too much resentment. Now he unleashed all that resentment—doubled—on Tony Stark.
Bang!
Bang!
Bang!
The Iron Monger repeatedly stomped on the Mark III, pressing Tony into the ground again and again, grinding him down.
"Forty years—I've always supported you. I started this company from scratch, and I won't allow anyone to stand in my way!"
Seeing Tony being stomped on by Obadiah, Pepper was extremely worried. "Oh my God! Rimuru, please help Tony!"
"Don't worry, Pepper, I'll go save Tony right away!"
Rimuru said, and her helmet mask covered her face.
Hearing Rimuru's words, Tony Stark instantly got angry.
He still needed someone to save him?
"Jarvis, max power!"
Boom!
A maximum-energy pulse cannon erupted from the Mark III's chest, instantly sending the Iron Monger flying.
But the Iron Monger was thick-skinned and tough, with near-max physical resistance—completely unharmed. He flipped back up and wrestled with the Mark III again.
The battle was intense; the two fought from the research center all the way to the highway.
In close combat, the Iron Monger had a crushing tonnage advantage; in terms of weapons, he was a walking arsenal; in terms of conscience—Tony had it, while the Iron Monger had none.
Whether it was cars or motorcycles, the Iron Monger picked up anything he could and hurled it at the Mark III.
The Mark III was suppressed by the Iron Monger the entire time!
Pepper watched in disbelief. Was this big, clumsy guy really this strong?
When Rimuru was piloting the Wind God, it took only a few moves to defeat the Iron Monger.
There's no harm without comparison. With this comparison, Pepper was left speechless.
Tony, you're too weak!
Regardless, the battle continued.
Because the first arc reactor wasn't designed for sustained combat, the Mark III piloted by Tony Stark was consistently unable to defeat the Iron Monger.
Ultimately, Tony still used the same tactic as in the movie—taking the Iron Monger into the stratosphere and relying on the icing problem to freeze him.
It was just a pity that even falling from high altitude, the Iron Monger was still basically unharmed.
When Tony descended back down with great difficulty, he was once again pummeled by the Iron Monger.
Pepper watched, losing hope. "Rimuru, I beg you!"
Although Tony Stark was indignant, he truly had no better solution at the moment.
And honestly, he really wanted to see how Rimuru's Wind God defeated the Iron Monger so easily.
Then Rimuru used her old trick—once again giving Obadiah an ultimate ultrasonic brainwashing.
"Aoo~!"
Obadiah howled miserably, his cry so piercing it made listeners' hearts ache.
Even Tony Stark was startled. There was such a tactic? Using the penetrative nature of ultrasonic waves to ignore steel armor and directly attack the pilot?
If he had been fighting the Wind God earlier, Tony Stark felt a chill down his spine at the thought.
"It seems the Mark III's silencing system needs an upgrade!"
The mech flew at high speed, even reaching supersonic levels, and its silencing system was quite good.
But like a spear and shield—if the spear is strong, the shield is weak. This excellent silencing system still seemed vulnerable to powerful ultrasonic weapons.
And Rimuru had actually equipped her Wind God with ultrasonic weapons—truly a genius move.
Sparks of inspiration flew, and Stark felt countless good ideas emerging in his mind.
"Tony, are you okay?!"
Pepper rushed over, worried.
Tony was a proud man, and this blow was quite significant.
She hoped he wouldn't take it too hard.
"What could be wrong with me? I already have ideas for improving the Mark IV!"
Pepper suddenly felt speechless. Should she praise Tony's admirable ability to grow stronger after setbacks, or be annoyed that he was always obsessed with mechs?
Mark was her biggest love rival!
Thinking this, Pepper couldn't help blurting out, "Why do mechs need to be updated so quickly? Look at Rimuru's Wind God—Tony, your design ideas are too immature!"
Stab!
Being used as a club by the Iron Monger—Tony didn't get discouraged.
Being stomped on and ground into the dirt—Tony didn't get discouraged.
Taking the Iron Monger into the stratosphere and failing—Tony still didn't get discouraged.
But Pepper's single sentence instantly dealt Tony Stark a hundred thousand points of critical damage!
The Wind God's design is perfect? That piece of junk?
His design ideas are too immature?
Are you kidding me?
Are you getting too bold, or has Tony Stark become too weak to lift his sword?!
more power stones, more chapters