As the epic clash between the Number One Hero and his arch nemesis went on, the Hell Charger was driving as quickly as possible away from the battle ground. With the rush of adrenaline finally wearing off, Peter began to feel woozy and was on the verge of losing consciousness.
Danny activated his quirk and started to use his Chi on one of his classmate's exposed wounds, with Cho wrapping some with the torn fabric from his shirt. Wanda meanwhile supported Peter's head in her lap, doing her best to keep him awake.
"You're going to be alright, Peter," she said, lightly patting his cheek to make him focus. "Just keep your eyes open and look at me."
Ava watched the proceedings from her shared seat with Flash. The blond himself kept his eyes on the road, similar to Roberto.
"Broken bones, bruising, and all these cuts..." Danny said quietly, "What did they do to you, Peter?"
At that moment, Amadeus's cell phone began to ring. Bringing it up from his pocket, the name revealed it was Riri Williams calling. He pressed the green answer key and set it to speakerphone.
"How is he??" Riri's voice asked worriedly.
"Fading in and out of consciousness," Cho replied, examining Peter's body for other injuries. He tore more fabric and tied it around the wound on his leg. "They put him through hell, but he's still alive."
The inventor could be heard sighing with relief, "That's good... What about you guys? Are you safe?? Did anyone see you??"
"I don't think so," Ava replied. "We're on our way to the nearest hospital. But I'm worried that the League may come after Peter for revenge."
"I'll get in touch with S.H.I.E.L.D," said Roberto. "If anyone can keep him under the radar, it's them."
"You've got a contact with S.H.I.E.L.D?" Riri asked.
"Oh yeah! Coulson, right?" Interjected Cho, "He's a good dude."
"In any case, we all made it out before that last earthquake hit, whatever it was," said Ava. "I suggest we keep moving and have Coulson meet us."
"Agreed," replied Danny, powering down his fist. "I've done what I can, but he needs a professional to see to his injuries."
"I'll call him up now," Roberto reached into his pocket to retrieve his phone as Flash shot out a hand to grab the steering wheel.
"Eyes on the road, hothead!!" He ordered, "You wanna get us killed after all we just went through?? Call the suit after we get to a doctor!"
Roberto sighed, "Alright, fine." He brushed Flash's hand aside as he resumed the 10-2 placement on the wheel.
Pendejo, he thought.
"If you guys need someone to meet you, I can call up S.H.I.E.L.D myself," Riri offered over the phone. "I did accidentally hack into their systems at 9, so I'm probably on a list with them."
"Well that raises many questions," said Ava, a bit hesitant. "But go for it. We're about 5 minutes away from the hospital with Peter if they want to meet us."
"And we're not leaving his side until they do," Wanda added firmly, before looking back down at Peter.
The teen's eyes had begun to tear up, not from the accumulated pain, but from the show of compassion his friends were giving him. Peter understood what they were risking to have come all this way, and they did it anyhow, just to get him back.
"...Thank you," he whispered, barely able to talk at this point.
Wanda smiled in response, her fingers lightly stroking through Peter's hair in an act to bring comfort.
"Still, all that being said, should we have left everything the way we did?" Asked Cho, worriedly. "It looked like a war zone back there and we were leaving Iron Man to handle it all by himself..."
"Idiot, it's Iron Man, he can handle anything," Flash replied bluntly. "And without the bug around to get in the way, he doesn't have to hold back anymore."
"Poorly worded as usual," Ava scolded with a disapproving look. "But he's right. We all would've been in the way if we stayed. The smart thing to do was leave him to it. The other Pros can help him out."
Thompson scoffed and looked away out the window instead of arguing Ava's remark. He watched the buildings they passed, and in the side mirror, saw brief flashes of light illuminating the night sky.
We made the right decision... Didn't we?
From within the back of Flash's mind, a dark presence briefly stirred before quieting back down again.
"What's happening back there now?" Asked Wanda, "Can you turn on the radio please?"
Roberto nodded and hit a button on the wheel with his thumb. A moment later, the voice of the Daily Bugle's radio personality 'Kat' Farrell filled the car as she described the ensuing chaos from the company's helicopter.
"The scene below's straight out of a nightmare. Half of downtown Harlem was demolished in a single, horrifying instant."
Peter turned his head, eyes focusing on the radio as if he could see everything that was happening.
"Iron Man is currently fighting the villain who appears to have caused the blast."
There was a brief pause, as if the reporter was taking in the scale of the widespread destruction.
"I-I can't believe it. How is one person so powerful? This level of destruction is incomprehensible, and he's more than holding his own against the Symbol of Hope..."
At the epicenter of said destruction, the helicopter observed everything from a safe distance as the cameraman zoomed in to try and get a clear view for the live viewers. This was so big, it was being streamed over in Times Square, where thousands of people had stopped to watch.
At M.A's Campus, Principal Lee watched from his office with several other staff members. Our plan has been thwarted! He thought, It's up to you now, Iron Man!
Across the city, and indeed around the world, citizens were made aware of the climactic battle occurring. Live posts on social media ensured that it was broadcast to every corner of society. Comments and live streams voices opinions ranging from concern over the battle and damage to Iron Man, while others were quick to point out a growing discontent over the lack of involvement from other heroes.
Within his armor, Tony had begun to cough up blood. The strain of prolonged battle in his most advanced armor was getting to him. Yet in the heat of it all, he found himself reliving moments from his past. Specifically, the moment he'd truly begun to walk the Hero's path.
It was several years ago, a 16 year old Tony Stark was accompanying his father his business partner on a trip outside the country while he had summer off from M.A. What was meant to be a time of rest and relaxation quickly turned into a hostage situation that left him in life threatening danger and resulted in the loss of both his father and his mentor figure...
But he couldn't afford to dredge up the past now, not when it wasn't just his life, but the fate of society as a whole on the line.
"Your pathetic weaponry is no match for me, Iron Man," Mandarin said. With a wave of his hand, the villain reflected a repulser blast back to its sender, knocking him over. "The power of the Ten Rings fills me with a strength beyond your comprehension."
Iron Man charged forward, trying to stay in this losing battle, only for Mandarin to stop him in his tracks with a single hand.
"With even a pinky's worth..." He added, as the ring on his corresponding digit glowed and shot forth a beam of ice.
Iron Man narrowly dodged the beam with a brief thrust of his boosters and aimed a downward punch at his foe. Unfortunately, the Mandarin nimbly avoided the strike with a flip, causing the hero to punch the ground with a tremendous force, cracking it on impact.
Firing off another quick boost of power, Iron Man retaliated with a high speed kick. Mandarin raised his arms and blocked, but the attack still knocked him backwards as his boots dug into the earth to try and stop himself. Bits of his gauntlets began to break off, and Mandarin's face began to grimace slightly as the glowing outlines of his suit began to glow brighter.
"Boss!" Friday spoke up, "I'm detecting an increased surge of power within the Mandarin's suit. However, the output is becoming quite unstable."
So that's it, Tony thought, eyes narrowing. The armor disperses the power of the rings so it doesn't overload his actual body. Break it down enough, and he risks destroying himself... If I wanna beat him, I've gotta get him out of that suit!
Iron Man blasted after him, cocking his right fist back. "I still have enough firepower to deal with you!!" He declared, throwing it forward to strike.
However, Mandarin caught the fist within his left palm. His cold expression had returned to his face, "Years of fighting in that armor has made your chin weak!"
Using the momentum of his opponent, Mandarin spun himself up and over the arm, landing a solid kick against Iron Man's helmet. The hero was knocked against a building, the wall nearly collapsing from the sudden force.
Mandarin used that moment to focus, and his suit began to reform around him, like pieces of sand merging together. It even remade his discarded helmet.
He's using nanotech?? Tony thought, rubbing his chin. How'd he get his hands on that stuff!? But he couldn't stay and think about it for long, as Mandarin surged forward. The rings of his right middle and pinky fingers glowed as the wearer's speed suddenly increased.
"Special Technique; Flashstep!!"
Crap, he's gotten faster! Tony cringed, firing off his boosters to dodge another strike. Mandarin's fist burst through the brick, empowered by the glowing gem on his right ring finger.
Iron Man landed off to the side, gathering power and shooting off a repulser blast from his left hand. Only for the Mandarin to dodge once more and charge forward with enhanced speed. He grabbed Tony's gauntlet, squeezing it with his right hand as it began to crack and spark.
"Power at 13 percent..." Said Friday, "Critical injuries detected in your left forearm."
"Yeah, I can feel them!" Tony groaned, as he struggled to fight back. It was then, however, that an idea came to mind.
"As I said, your armor..." Mandarin said, as his own protective suit began to reform. "Is nothing against the Ten Rings."
"You know what?" Tony looked into his enemy's eyes, "You're absolutely right! Mind if I try some?"
With his free arm, Tony had manipulated the nanotech of his armor into a blade. Swinging it up, he sliced through Mandarin's exposed skin. The villain roared in pain as the limb went flying through the air, Tony catching it in his now freed hand.
"I'll bet that was upsetting," he quipped, aiming a charged repulser at the villain. "You wanna raise your other hand before you lose it too?"
"Tch... That was uncharacteristically vicious of you," Mandarin hissed. "Almost a pity I did not foresee this potential outcome."
Raising the stump where his hand once was, a golden aura surrounded it and blasted a shocked Iron Man back through a building wall.
After that, the orange ring on Mandarin's left ring finger began to flicker as the bloody stump vanished and his right hand reappeared in place as if nothing happened.
Iron Man emerged from the rubble clutching his helmet with one hand. He froze froze upon seeing the newest development, "How did-? Of course..." The hero eyed the orange ring. "That's the one that screws with my brain, right? Makes me see illusions?"
"Correct. But I can do more than create mere illusions," Mandarin grinned, as he clenched his fist.
The white ring on his thumb began to glow brighter as light surrounded the hero, taking corporal form into several figures.
The first was a colossal set of grey armor. It lumbered forward aiming a wrist mounted rocket toward him; the Iron Monger.
The second was a man in a metal exosuit with a matching mask. His arms transformed into a set of tendrils which held an electrical charge; Whiplash.
The third was a woman in a white and black outfit. Her face was solid gold and she wielded dual pistols; Madam Masque.
The fourth was a slimmer, but still bulky set of armor compared to Iron Monger's. It was a deep shade of red with a white star painted on its chest; Crimson Dynamo.
The final, and largest, was a draconic creature with green scales and a long neck. It stood bipedal and roared menacingly toward its foe; Fin Fang Foom.
Iron Man clenched his fists, as five of his greatest foes stood ready to attack. "Really Mandy? You think a couple of hard light constructs are gonna-"
But he's cut off as one of Whiplash's tendrils wrapped around his torso, sending an electric charge through the suit. Fortunately, Tony's armor was insulated against these kind of attacks. But he found himself unable to escape the binding.
"There is an old saying in my country that I find most appropriate," Mandarin said. "'The supreme art of war is to subdue the enemy without fighting'. I believe it still applies here."
"Sun Tzu, huh?" Iron Man grunted. "Lemme guess, you met him? Or maybe you were him?"
"No, no," Mandarin chuckled darkly. "I killed him."
With a snap of his fingers, Iron Monger, Crimson Dynamo, and Madam Masque began to shoot a volley of rounds at the restrained Iron Man. Missiles and bullets flew through the air and impacted the armor from all angles. Lastly, Fin Fang Foom flew up into the air, and brought his fists together as he fell toward the ground.
The impact shook the ground for a moment as dust flew about. Finally as it began to clear, Mandarin could just make out the destroyed husk of the Mark L armor. Something was missing, however; the body of Tony Stark. The armor was completely empty!!
Mandarin's eyes narrowed dangerously, "Well played, Stark... But you cannot hide forever!!!"
When Tony was previously knocked back from Mandarin's blast attack, he'd jettisoned from the armor and set it to Sentry Mode. This was a last ditch effort meant to buy him time, while his suit ran on an independent battery that kept it moving remotely for approximately 5 minutes.
Using a special headset and mic, Tony could see everything happening while finding a safe place to hide. This gave the impression that he was still piloting his suit, when in actuality Friday was the one behind the wheel.
"Boss, what's your next move?" Asked Friday. "Shall I prepare the Helios as a last resort?"
"Absolutely not!" Tony scolded firmly. "I don't care how bad it gets, I am not firing an orbiting space laser at one of the world's most populated cities! The slightest miscalculation and it could kill more people than the Mandarin!"
"Alright, it was just a thought," the Irish A.I soothed. "That being said, with the Mandarin's various powers, you'll need the force of a veritable army to combat him."
"Yeah, well I'm kinda-" Suddenly, Tony's eyes widened with inspiration. "Friday! Activate the-"
But before he could complete his sentence, the connection to his faithful assistant went dead. Peeking out from his vantage point, Tony watched as the suit began to shut down from the lack of power source.
"Nononononono!!!!!" He exclaimed, trying frantically to restore the connection manually. "Come on!!!" Unfortunately, it was to no avail. What's worse, the Arc Reactor was now running on emergency backup power with just 10 percent left to maintain his vitals.
Dammit, Tony thought, lamenting his situation as he attempted to remain hidden. I've gotta get a message through. It's my last shot...
He brought out a cellphone, and kept himself hidden as he selected a contact and typed out a brief message. With the pressing of the 'send' button, Tony Stark executed what would be the start of his final gambit.
Meanwhile within the Stark Industries HQ, Pepper Potts had been monitoring the developments in the fight between her husband and his mortal enemy. She'd been preparing to suit up in her Rescue armor when her phone began to buzz, getting her attention. Picking it up, her heart nearly leapt up to her throat when she read the text.
"No suit, no Friday. Activate H.P.P."
Realizing the gravity of his situation, as well as what he was asking, Pepper's demeanor quickly became all business. Moving to the keypad on her office desk, she pressed a button.
"Happy, you there?" She asked.
A man's voice quickly answered, "Always, boss. What's up?"
"Meet me at sub-level 7, now," the redhead replied, pulling out a black card from a hidden compartment of her desk. "And bring your keycard."
The voice took a moment to register what was being asked. "I'm on my way," he said before hanging up.
Opening up a hidden keypad, Pepper typed in a code that revealed an elevator door behind the bookshelf.
Entering the car swiftly, it took her to the sub levels of the building where Tony kept the archives from his years of heroic exploits. As the door opened, light began to flicker on as a great room was slowly revealed.
Boxes of scraps and other odds and ends were strewn about as if this was simply a basement. But on the other side of the room, a long display case was revealed. Within were seven sets of armor, the very first ones Tony Stark had constructed.
"Over here, Pep," a voice called over and got her attention. Standing by a large control consul was a heavyset man in a black suit and a light beard. This was Happy Hogan, Tony's former bodyguard and now head of security for Stark Tower.
"Been watching the fight," he said. "How's Tony? Is it as bad as it looks?"
"Worse," Peppet replied. "He's on his last legs, and his armor's gone. We're his only lifeline right now."
The two inserted their respective keycards into a designated slot at each end of the consul. With a nod from Pepper, they turned the cards 90 degrees clockwise, and a green light emitted from beneath their hands.
All around, lights began to turn on, revealing the true extent of the duo's surroundings. The walls began to open up, revealing they were lined with several dark figures hidden within. The floor immediately beneath began to open, revealing a hidden level.
"What're we sending to replace it?" Asked Happy, turning to Pepper. "Nightclub? Shotgun? Python?"
"Everything," she said firmly, as she began to type in the password on her keyboard.
Happy was momentarily stunned, but nodded and started pressing buttons. On cue, the dark figures began to change. A blue light began to glow in their chests, as well as where their eyes would be. This reaction spread to the figures below as well.
"They're ready," said Happy. "Just needs vocal confirmation from you."
Pepper leaned forward and spoke into a microphone set next to her computer, "Activate, House Party Protocol."
"I took you as many things, but I never thought you were a coward," the villain muttered, as his constructs searched the area for the missing Tony Stark. High above, the camera crew scanned the ground, transmitting video of Harlem's destruction for the world to see.
"I must admit, I find myself conflicted!" Mandarin bellowed so anyone hiding within earshot could hear. "The League has been the one to chip away at society's trust in heroes, so is it fair that I should land the final blow?"
As if to illustrate his point, he shot a concussive beam against collapsed building. Rubble shot out everywhere as the former three story brownstone was reduced to nothing.
Just gotta be patient... Tony winced as bits of brick and debris landed around his hiding spot. If I know Pepper, she would've grabbed Happy, ran down the sub-levels, and set it all in motion.
"You know, Stark, as much as you hate me, I think I probably loathe you more," the villain went on. "I killed your family, your mentor, caused you to walk the very path you tread!! But you, you took away so much from me, everything I spent centuries building. That's why I want you to suffer until your last breath, and die broken and disgraced, for all the world to see!!!"
Just then, the faintest sound could be heard only by those on the ground; crying. Mandarin waved his hand, the debris beginning to rise as dissipate, until finally, he found the source of the noise.
It was a little girl crying, no more than 6 years old, clutching a teddy bear. She was bleeding from a cut on her forehead.
Tony's eyes widened in terror, Oh no...
The Mandarin stepped forward, picking the child by the front of her overalls.
"See what I've found, Stark!!" He raised the girl high for all to see, "Another fool in a long line of those you falsely claim to protect! And yet, here you are, allowing her to face the magnitude of my power while you hide away in shame!!" Mandarin began to charge up his rings.
"STOP!!!"
Tony's voice echoed over the battlefield. The sound itself was coming from the busted armor, but originating from Tony's headset. Mandarin paused his action in anticipation.
"I'm coming out, but you let the kid go, alright?" Tony said, attempting to sound stronger than he felt.
Mandarin, powering down, gave a nod and tossed the child aside. "Very well, then," he replied, floating back up in the air. "Instead, let's destroy your self-respect, and ridiculous public image. Show the world how pitiful you truly are, 'Symbol of Hope'!"
The hero took a deep breath, Well folks, this is it. Get your cameras out, you're about to see the real deal...
The sound of crunching gravel and footsteps grew louder as a lone figure walked out into the battered city block. The wind from the helicopter picked up the dust as it blew away to reveal Tony Stark, in all of his emaciated, battle weary glory.
He had cuts on his cheek and over his right eye. Bruising covered what was surely a broken left arm. His pants were torn and his tank top was covered in sweat. What was even more jarring, grey, circuit-like lines had expanded out from the center Tony's chest, traveling up his neck and down his exposed limbs.
It was a miracle he was still breathing at this point.
From the helicopter, the reporter was speechless and the cameraman sat frozen as he transmitted the true form of Tony Stark for the world to see.
Back with the students, Flash had brought out his cellphone and found live video of the fight. While Peter was being loaded onto a gurney, he and several others watched the events unfold in real time. They were completely stunned at what they were seeing.
And they were hardly the only ones. The crowds of people watching the battle stood in silence over the bizarre, albeit heartbreaking, revelation.
"Hollowed cheeks and sunken eyes," Mandarin mocked. "To think that you're their greatest hero. Now the adoring public knows your true form. Try not to be too ashamed."
But much to the villain's shock, Tony Stark ignored his pontificating. Instead, he walked straight over to the crying child, bent down, and gave her a hug.
"It's gonna be alright kid. I'm here," he reassured the girl, gently holding her until she stopped crying. Breaking the hug, Tony looked her in the eyes, "Now run along, there's safer places to be than here..."
The child nodded, and ran off toward the end of the perimeter set up by law enforcement. Once she was safe, Tony got back to his feet, and turned to meet the sharp gaze of his foe.
"See that's something you never got, Mandarin," he began. "It's not the machine that makes me Iron Man. I mean sure, it helps, but any schmuck with a sizable I.Q can build a suit. Hell, just look at yours. HammerTech, I'm guessing? That guy never saw an idea he wouldn't rip off"
Tony's tired gaze turned to steely determination as he began to raise his voice. "All that power, but what really matters is the man behind it," he went on, making a fist. "If I needed a suit just to be a hero, then I never deserved to be one in the first place. You can take away my shiny toys, my money, even my body."
He clutched his Arc Reactor, "But in my heart, I'm still the Symbol of Hope. And there's nothing you can do to take that from me!"
Tony pointed at his nemesis, "You had the power to reshape the world, you could've changed it for the better! But instead, you became a conquerer, you let yourself become corrupted by that power for centuries. That's why I was able to beat you the first time, and it's why I'm gonna beat you now!"
"Even now, you spout such nonsense," Mandarin shook his head. "I had hoped for a more glorious victory, but I suppose this shall have to suffice."
He aimed both of his fists at Tony, "Tony Stark. You were once a mighty adversary, and for that you have my respect. But your time is ended. Put on your suit and I'll allow you to finish this battle with dignity."
The rings on his fists began to glow brightly while the constructs of Iron Man's enemies prepared to attack as well.
"Nnngh," Tony groaned as he felt his body straining to keep moving. By now, the accumulated damage was catching up and his weakened body was barely keeping up with his brain.
"Unfortunately... That suit's seen a bit of mileage, plus you've got the Ring-Pops of Destiny," he gestured to the Mandarin's hands tiredly. "Guess I'll just have to borrow one... How about yours?"
Mandarin smirked, "Apologies, but even I'm not that charitable."
Tony rolled his eyes, "That's figures, you never did like to share."
Suddenly, before the Mandarin could fire his attack, as if on cue, something struck the back of the armored villain, exploding on impact. He turned, only to be taken aback by what he saw.
Flying towards the duo was an Iron Man suit. More specifically, it was the predominantly pale gold Mark XLII, better known as the 'Prodigal Son' armor. It came to a halt and hovered in mid-air, as if waiting for its opponent to make a move.
"What trickery is this..?" Mandarin looked back to Tony in confusion.
"Would you believe me if I said my bodyguard was Iron Man the whole time?" Tony asked sheepishly.
The villain's eyes narrowed as he prepared to strike down the hero once and for all.
"Yeah, I didn't think so," the hero deadpanned.
As if on cue, a blast attack struck the Mandarin, this time from the side. It was another Iron Man suit, emerging as if out of nowhere. This was the Mark XVIII, or 'Casanova', with built in cloaking tech similar to the one used on the S.H.I.E.L.D Helicarrier.
Tony smirked, "I know a little Sun Tzu as well: 'In conflict, direct confrontation will lead to engagement, while surprise will lead to victory'."
He extended his arms out, grandly revealing a sight that made the Mandarin's eyes widen with shock. Flying toward and over the inventor was just about every armor he'd ever constructed, roughly 49 in total not counting the busted one on the ground. They surrounded the villain and his constructs, armed and ready to fight.
A voice crackled in Tony's earpiece, "I finally got through! Tony! Can you hear me?"
The hero smiled in recognition, "Ms. Potts, cutting it a bit close, aren't we?"
"Well, you do love dramatic entrances," added another voice, Happy Hogan's. "What's the game-plan, boss?"
"Happy, take half the armada, and target the hard-light energy signatures. Disable with extreme prejudice, but keep within the perimeter. I don't want anything getting close to civilians," Tony replied, as a suit came down and landed in front of him.
It was the Mark IV, or 'Old Reliable', the very suit he'd made his heroic debut in as Iron Man. Best of all, it didn't require a ton of power to operate compared to his newer ones. It opened up before him, as if welcoming its wearer home. With a light smile, Tony stepped forward as the armor closed and enveloped him into itself.
"Pep, I'm gonna need your help with Mandarin," he went on, the systems of his armor coming online. "Keep the suits on him and break down his tech. Smash them if you have to, just do as much damage as you can."
"What're you gonna do, Tony?" Pepper asked from the control desk.
"What I do best," he replied, selecting a song from his automated playlist and wirelessly hacking a nearby p.a system. The visor of his helmet lowered and the eyes glowed bright, "Put on a show."
Suddenly, a familiar guitar riff echoed across the battlefield, as AC/DC's Shoot to Thrill began to play. Taking it as a battle cry, a number of armors split off and began to gang up on the individual constructs of the villains, either picking them up or blasting them with weapons. Finally, the way was clear for Iron Man to fight the Mandarin.
I'm not just being flashy, he thought, flying toward the villain with several armors flanking him. That song's a timer. The power sources running the suits are only temporary. We've got less than 5 minutes to get the job done!
The Mandarin charged up his rings and flew at Iron Man, the two coming together in a clash of fisticuffs.
As Tony got back into the fight, faith was slowly being restored in the hero as the now millions watching around the world cheered for their hero.
"I can't believe what I'm seeing!" Exclaimed one onlooker in Time's Square. "He's still got a chance!!"
"Keep going, Iron Man! We need you!" Yelled another.
"Tear this sucker apart!!!" Called a cab driver.
"GO!!!!" Cheered a pair of twins.
"Come on, Iron Man!!!!!"
Iron Man parried a blow from the Mandarin, responding with a punch of his own. Mandarin blasted his opponent's shoulder with a Disintegration Ray from the Remaker ring, destroying that part of the armor. Iron Man attempted to shoot Mandarin with a repulser beam, only to have that parried as the villain chopped into the crimson torso, breaking it apart.
Heating up his hand using the Incandescence ring, he grabbed Iron Man's right arm, attempting to burn him from the inside out. Tony groaned within his armor, trying to withstand the heat and grabbed Mandarin's other hand hand with his own, yanking it to the side.
"Unibeam!!" Tony called, as his finisher move fired point blank at the Mandarin's chest. Unfortunately it was having little effect. The attack was causing damage, yes, but the nano-machines would repair the damage just as quickly as it was made.
The Mark XXIX, or the 'Fiddler' armor, took on Madam Masque and Whiplash. They'd been dropped on a rooftop away from the main battle and were trying to get back. As they drew their weapons to fight long range, Fiddler used its Pneumatic Hammers, driving them into the roof and causing the surface to become upended.
The duo flew up toward the armor, where it promptly knocked them both aside with its primary weapons. As they fell, they were finally blasted apart by repulser beams from the Silver Centurion armor, disintegrating into nothing.
"Power is at 7 percent!!" An automated warned blared in Tony's ear as he finally began to stop his Unibeam. The situation was precarious; his power was draining fast and the suit he was in was falling apart.
"Eject!!" Tony called, and he was jettisoned out the back and right into another waiting suit; the Mark XXIII, or 'Shades'. Unlike his previous armor, this one was built to take the heat.
The ruined Mark IV self destructed in the Mandarin's grip, causing him to instinctively shield himself from explosion. A pair of suits took that opportunity to shoot missiles into Mandarin's back. They detonated, but this angered the villain more than hurt him, and he proved it. With a swipe of his hand, Mandarin blasted them out of the sky with a burst of lightning.
However, Iron Man took that moment to tackle the Mandarin from the front and deliver a monster haymaker. He grabbed the villain and dragged him along the ground as he flew toward a building, throwing him into it head first. Iron Man quickly followed up by shooting a wrist mounted Tank Missile after him, causing the place to blow up and collapse on top of him.
Iron Monger landed atop the nearby water tank, firing its weapons and swatting at the armors flying around him. The construct fired missiles and machine gun rounds to take a couple down. But it couldn't hit all of them, and the stealthy managed to land on its back.
Using a palm laser, it cut through a weak part of the armor and removed the helmet, essentially decapitating the villain construct. The lights powered down and the colossal suit fell to its knees before vanishing into nothing.
Mandarin shot out from the demolished structure, and the villain's eyes were beginning to flash different colors, similar to the lines on his suit. He was somewhat dazed, but still plenty angry. The most telling sign of his condition however, was that his armor was showing signs of wear. It took longer to knit itself back together and there were even minute patches where it barely held up.
Iron Man watched this development carefully, It's working!! Just gotta keep piling it on!!!
"Pepper! You're up!!" He called, as four more armors flew in to take on the Mandarin. Taking advantage of the momentary confusion, two of them grabbed onto the villain's arms to restrain him. While the other two hovered at his front and back, off Unibeams until they depleted their power and fell to the ground.
The Mandarin seethed with rage, and powered up both hands. One shot ice through a set of armor via the Zero ring, while the other was crushed into a ball of scrap by the Remaker. He looked around intently for the armor currently housing Tony.
Powering up the Spin ring, he increased his speed to avoid another attack from an unmanned armor, striking it down when he punched a hole through the helmet.
"That looks fun!!" Called a voice, "Lemme take a swing!!" Tony came charging in from out of nowhere in a new suit. This time, he wore the sea green Mark XXXVII, which he'd dubbed 'Hammerhead'.
With a downward punch, Iron Man dented the Mandarin's helmet following up with a concentrated blast of energy to the armor's abdomen. Mandarin grit his teeth before charging and firing his Remaker ring at Tony.
The armor around the hero began to constrict, tightening against his body. Tony struggled to jettison his suit but was unable to activate the function as he found himself suspended in the air.
Another suit, the Mark XL 'Shotgun' came barreling over at high speed, smashing into the Mandarin. The crash destroyed part of the armor and forced him to drop Tony. The hero quickly shot the remaining parts of his suit off at his nemesis, the impacts knocking him back as Tony leapt into another armor.
Mandarin regained his footing after a moment, but he was in visible pain. The power of the 10 Rings was taking its toll on his increasingly unprotected body. His armor was reforming to contain it, but it the nanites were decreasing in number after taking so much damage. The villain no longer had enough to cover his entire body, as parts were remaining exposed.
Within his suit, Tony began to cough up blood again. His heart was racing, he was covered in sweat, and the poison represented by the circuitry lines around hisbody were getting dangerously close to his head.
Can't stop... Tony thought, as his Mark XXII 'Hotrod' activated. Gotta keep up the pressure!!
Over with Fin Fang Foom, the green dragon had its talons full dealing with Mark XLIV, better known as the 'Hulkbuster'. Prior to this fight, it had beaten the construct of Crimson Dynamo with its sheer size and power. But this one would not be beaten so easily. With razor sharp talons and a head attached to a long neck, it was proving a more evasive counter-striker than expected.
Taking advantage of the armor's robust strength and durability, Happy operated like a boxer; ducking and blocking as best he could while delivering powerful blows to get in closer to the monster's face.
Finally, with an added boost from its rockets, the Hulkbuster delivered a finishing uppercut that knocked the dragon backward and down for the count. It quickly vanished like the other constructs.
"Whoooo!!!" Happy cheered, "That's the last one!!"
"Great- oof!!" Tony said over the comms, taking another blow from his opponent. "Now you mind coming to give me a hand?"
"On my way, boss!" With a typed in command, the Hulkbuster leapt and lumbered its way over, the remaining armors flying over to lend their support as well. They had barely a minute and a half of power left.
The battle between Iron Man and the Mandarin had devolved to fist fighting by this point. Tony had exhausted most of the weapons in his current suit and his health was rapidly deteriorating with his remaining power focused away from his vitals and toward attacking.
Mandarin was struggling to use his abilities beyond concussive blasts. His suit had taken a lot of damage, and the amount of nanites he had left to contain his power was barely getting the job done.
Both combatants were desperately relying solely on the enhanced strength of their armors to fight now. But even in an older model, Tony Stark was showing that as Iron Man, he could more than hold its own, and was driving the villain back.
As more of the remote-piloted suits entered the fray, blasting at his armor for all their worth, Mandarin's grip on his own power lessened by the second. But the centuries old conquerer had one last trick up his sleeve.
All of a sudden, the armors ceased their actions. "This is your last chance!!" Iron Man declared, his voice now echoing out of his various suits. "Surrender now, and face justice for your actions!!"
But the villain spat to the side and stomped his foot onto the wrecked Mark L armor, his suit absorbing and incorporating the nanotech into his own, allowing it to reform around his body.
"NO!!!" Tony exclaimed, "Fire all weapons!!" His suits began to shoot everything they had at Mandarin, but he'd regained enough tech to fire up an energy shield. His armor was now a mix of his previous black and green, with red and gold added in spots. It didn't fix everything, but it was enough. Gritting his teeth, the villain activated his Nightbringer ring, plunging the area into darkness. On his wrists, newly formed laser cannons quickly charged up.
In a swift move, he spun around with the lasers slicing through most of the armors around him. Tony managed to avoid being cut in half as he ejected to the ground before his suit met the same fate as its siblings. Explosions lit up the darkness as several of his suits detonated in quick succession.
Finally, the darkness went away as Tony was left on his own, laying of a field of scrap and rubble. Mandarin painstakingly walked toward his foe, the lines of his suit glowing with barely restrained power.
"You're a fool if you'd think I'd surrender to you, Stark!!" Mandarin declared, aiming his weapon at the downed hero. "I am the Mandarin!!! And I will not be conquered by the likes of you!!!" He squeezed his fist to fire, ending this fight once and for all.
But nothing happened.
Tony grinned, "It's a one-off, guess you didn't know that." He had another reason to smile, a familiar A.I had spoken in his earpiece; "New device detected. Pairing."
Mandarin glared in anger as he brought his fist back to deliver a final blow. But for some reason, he couldn't move it forward.
"Oh, and something else you didn't know; HammerTech is EXTREMELY hackable," Tony painfully rose to his feet. "Sure, I couldn't do it remotely with the upgrades you've got on, but if some of my own tech was incorporated into it..."
The villain's eyes widened, he'd been tricked!!!
"How!?" Mandarin demanded. "I destroyed your suits!!!"
The hero smirked, thumbing back toward a destroyed apartment building. Loud footsteps could be heard echoing through the now silent night air. And from the collapsed entrance emerged a grey, bulky, yet unmistakable set of armor. It was the Mark I, the very first suit Tony Stark had ever built.
"Guess you missed one," he replied cheekily as it lumbered next to him.
Mandarin roared with an unyielding fury. "I WILL NOT LOSE TO YOU!!! NOT AGAIN!!!!"
Tony gasped and leapt back as the 10 Rings glowed even brighter than ever. Bits of armor began to crack and break as blinding light began to emerge from within, Mandarin's eyes glowing to match it.
"NO!!!" Tony exclaimed in horror, "If you do that, it'll kill you and wipe out this entire city!!"
Mandarin glared at his enemy as a dark smile grew on his face, "But you will die with me..."
Tony grit his teeth and looked at his remaining armor. Pressing a button, at the nape of the neck, it opened up to be worn as he stepped inside. As the villain continued to fight against his restraints, he could feel the suit preparing for takeoff against his will.
"You will not escape dea-" He was cut off as his helmet closed over his head, cutting off his speech.
"I'm done listening to you," Tony said resolutely, making his way over. "But I will admit you were right about one thing: it's the end for both of us."
Grabbing a hold around the Mandarin's waist, both suits set off their boosters and took off straight into the sky. The Mandarin's suit glowed even brighter, with the buildup of power begging to be released.
"Power is at 5 percent..."
But Tony ignored the A.I's warning, "Divert remaining power toward flight system."
His boosters immediately upped the intensity as the dual armors soared higher and higher.
"Power is at 4 percent..."
"Just a bit more!!" Tony fought the strain of his body and ignored the flashing red lights from his HUD.
"Power is at 3 percent..."
"Almost..." The hero coughed up blood as he hit the stratosphere. Around him, his armor began to ice up and his power began to flicker while Mandarin's suit continued to show no signs of stopping.
"NOW!!!"
Releasing his nemesis, Iron Man separated from the opposing armor like an External Tank falling away from a Space Shuttle. At that moment, Tony lost power within his suit. It was to be expected, his early suits had an icing problem when they reached a high enough altitude.
But he wasn't going to take a chance at losing control of Mandarin's armor and let him fly back toward the city once the villain was out of range. Thus, he acted as a secondary power source to ensure his villain got high enough before he detonated.
The problem now, was that he was in a free fall nearly 27 miles above the ground, and his armor wasn't exactly sporting a parachute. That was an upgrade he installed in later suits...
Still, Tony braced himself and manually deployed his flaps to break up the ice buildup. He felt like a skydiver with his current position. All he could do now was wait and hope that his systems reactivated before he went splat.
Suddenly, a massive explosion went off in the Mesosphere. The Mandarin had finally succumbed to the overload of his own power, and he disappeared in a bright flash of white light.
The shockwave hit Tony's armor and seemed to thrust him downward at an even faster rate. He coughed up more blood upon impact and struggled to maintain his senses as the ground rapidly approached.
From the helicopter, the cameraman followed the trajectory of the rapidly descending hero, unable to take his eyes off as he and the millions of viewers prayed for a miracle.
The people's faith was rewarded as finally, the lights turned on Tony's HUD, and his suit came online for the last time. He was at 2 percent power, but it was enough. Adjusting his position, he thrust his hands and boots down and fired off everything he had to slow his descent. Finally landing, his fist punched the ground as if rejecting the very idea of meeting his end like that.
Everyone was silent, holding their breaths, waiting for a sign of movement. In the background, the last moments song continued to blare over the speakers. Finally, the hero slowly stood back upright. As the instrumental hit its crescendo, Tony thrust a metal gauntlet into the air, a symbol of his victory as the sun rose behind him.
The news crew in the helicopter could barely held in their tears as the crowds below cheered with unrestrained joy and relief. The students at the hospital cheered and wept with everyone else in the waiting room.
While the masses around the world celebrated, members of S.H.I.E.L.D rushed out onto the battlefield to lend aid to their hero. Tony's Arc Reactor flickered faintly with the last of his power dimming out. It would briefly light up with the beating of his heart, but it could not support his anything like his armor ever again.
The poisonous veins had stopped short of his eyes as Tony felt the sickness taking over. But before he slipped into unconsciousness, a single thought went through the hero's head: he had done it. For what was more than likely for the final time in his life, Iron Man had saved the day.
Barber's Chair
• Man, this chapter took a while to write! I'm admittedly not the best at writing fight scenes, so mapping out and conceptualizing the events here took longer than expected. Not to mention a lengthy bout with Covid left me a bit indisposed for a while... Might look into bringing on another writer to help iron things out (no pun intended) and make certain processes easier.
• Several bits of inspiration came into play from the MCU with this fight. Doc Ock took in Tony's nanotech and was able to have his arms hacked during No Way Home, so I figured why not do something similar with Mandarin if there's a precedence for it?
• With this being Iron Man's last big fight, I wanted to bring in some old faces from his time as a hero that we hadn't seen in this series. Some have a bit of that MHA-style twist with the Quirks, like Whiplash and Masque. With 2 of them wearing armor, I couldn't really show what the "people" inside were like. But ultimately it didn't matter, they were fakes made to psyche out Iron Man and do the fighting for Mandarin, at least for a moment.
• And of course, have to bring up Iron Man 3; The House Party Protocol and the fight against Killian and his Extremis soldiers. In this case, it's the actual Mandarin and his recreations of Iron Man's enemies.