The sky tore open.
A blue pillar of cosmic light shot upward, ripping a crack in the heavens. The universe blinked into view—stars beyond comprehension, swirling nebulae, colors no human language could describe.
Then a swarm of Chitauri sky-chariots slipped out of the portal — sleek flying frames shaped like futuristic yet threatening motorcycles, each with a soldier standing on its tail. Their weapons glowed with unstable energy, streaks of blue falling toward the city.
James stared at it, visor reflecting the alien monstrosity.
"Tony," he whispered, Nexus Arms deploying across his back.
"Time to unleash hell."
His voice turned to steel.
"I'm right behind you."
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Tony Stark ripped upward through the sky like a red-gold comet, leaving a roar of jet wash in his wake. His trajectory cut clean against the swirling blue of the widening portal above Manhattan — a brilliant wound in the heavens, bleeding alien metal and smoke.
Below him, James shot out of the shattered penthouse window, stabilizing mid-air before rising to the rooftop — the absolute peak of Stark Tower, the closest point to the tear in reality.
Wind whipped across the structure, the swirling energy of the Tesseract casting blue reflections in the sky.
James landed in a half-kneel, metal scraping concrete.
"Cortana," he said, voice steady. "Fixed Battery Attack Mode."
[Affirmative. Locking stabilization legs.]
The armor shifted around him — panels unfolding, servo joints tightening, both legs bracing downward as the suit anchored itself onto the rooftop like a mounted artillery unit. His right shoulder split apart, revealing the massive folded silhouette of the Arcshot EM Sniper, Nexus Arms' long-range variant. The barrel extended, rotating, connecting into place with metallic finality.
James lowered his left knee to the ground. His arms locked into firing posture.
"Remove my helmet."
Cortana hesitated — rare for her.
[James… This is dangerous. The helmet not only protects you from threats, but also from the exposure and recoil of having a high powered energy gun constantly firing near your face.]
"It's not a request," James said, voice low. "Tony needs precision cover fire. We hold the line here or else they pour into the city, Remove it."
The helmet unfolded with a hydraulic hiss, peeling backward to expose James' face to the open air — cold wind, foreign static, and the hum of alien noises.
His heart began to accelerate. Thump-thump. Thump-thump.
Everything around him slowed, colors sharpening, perspective stretching time itself.
He entered Adrenaline Mode.
Above him, Tony streaked upward, palm repulsors firing in rapid bursts.
The Chitauri sky-chariots continue to swarm in droves. They were fast — unexpectedly fast, their agility something human forces were never prepared for. In a dogfight, a modern fighter jet would be outmaneuvered in seconds. Energy weapons made counter-missile systems nearly useless.
Tony hit the first few head-on, blasting two out of the sky — but already, several slipped past him, descending toward Manhattan streets.
James inhaled once, steadying himself.
He brought the Arcshot scope to his eye.
Exhale.
Trigger squeeze.
A bead of glowing EM energy spiraled upward in a perfect arc — slicing directly through the lead sky-chariot's engine. The vehicle detonated instantly, scattering molten metal.
He adjusted to the next target.
Bang.
Another sky-chariot burst apart.
This was fixed battery mode — Nocturne's stability locking him to the tower like a sniper emplacement. He became a turret, the rooftop his bunker.
The Arcshot cycled continuously, each round a perfect kill-shot.
From a distance, it looked like Iron Man was diving into the swarm — and behind him, crimson tracer lines and electric-blue spirals rose upward like a vertical wall of gunfire, blocking every Chitauri attempt to break through.
Above them, the portal pulsed — yet only a limited number of soldiers could exit at once. The chokepoint worked in their favor.
But only for now.
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THE FAMILY WATCHES
Far across the city, in their penthouse near Central Park South, Carlos Gibson stood on the balcony wearing the first-model armor — the original Umbra Sentinel Mk I, based on the Mark II armor with better optimization and the new Badassium Core.
It was lent to Carlos to protect the family and the surrounding area of enemies that got there.
It lacked any AI, modern targeting tech, and everything else James had built into Nocturne. A simple armored suit that can fly.
Hannah sat on the sofa, hands clasped, eyes glued to the massive TV screen broadcasting chaos over Manhattan.
Mindy sat cross-legged beside her, Anny on her lap also watching the news. Mindy had two pistols beside her as well as the suits and weapons for both her and Anny.
"Anny, look!" Mindy whispered excitedly. "Aliens. Real aliens. If they rush into the building, we'll give it our all and show them our power combo."
Anny meowed in agreement, claws coming out with anticipation.
Carlos frowned at the TV as the camera panned over the battle.
He spotted his son — the matte-black armor, the silhouette unmistakable on Stark Tower.
He grabbed his phone and dialed.
"James."
The comm connected instantly.
"Dad," James said, busy, though voice steady under pressure.
"Do you want me over there? I can—"
"No." James' answer was immediate. "Without an AI, you're running manual. You won't produce enough firepower and maneuverability against an army. And I can't protect you while covering for Stark. Stay with Mindy and Hannah. Keep the building secure."
Carlos exhaled. "Alright. But if you need backup—"
"I'll call."
The line ended. Carlos didn't waste time worrying — he knew his son better than anyone. Distraction was the real enemy.
Mindy looked up. "Dad, we aren't going to fight?"
Carlos shook his head. "James said stay. So we stay."
Mindy groaned dramatically. "Ugh. Fine. Let big brother solo the whole alien invasion."
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THE SKY BATTLE ESCALATES
Back over Manhattan, Tony fired a volley of micro-missiles from his shoulder pods. The tiny darts streaked forward — click-click-click — each finding a target with terrifying efficiency. Sky-chariots exploded like fireworks.
But there were more.
Many more.
"James!" Tony shouted through the comms. "I'm low on ammo— Wait, hold up—"
A massive shadow spilled out of the portal.
James' eyes widened.
A Chitauri Leviathan. A living-metal sky-beast, armored like a tank, fins acting like sharp razor blade wings. An entire platoon of infantry hidden inside its armor. Its roar shook the buildings around them.
"What the hell…" Tony muttered. "Big guy incoming."
James analyzed its trajectory.
"Still got ammo?"
"Barely! Enough energy for a couple beams, and two armor-piercers! That thing is way too big for me to stop."
"Then go reload," James ordered. "Return to base, change suits."
"What about the giant alien flying metal snake?!"
"I'll handle it."
Tony didn't argue — not with urgency snapping at him.
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FALL OF A LEVIATHAN
James lowered the Arcshot Rifle.
"Cortana — transform to electromagnetic cannon mode."
[Converting. Internal rails activating. Barrel splitting.]
The sniper rifle split along its centerline — the long outer barrel retracting as the inner magnetic rail extended forward. The energy core rerouted power, humming deeper than before.
His helmet sealed shut again.
A circular crimson targeting reticle appeared across his HUD.
[Charge at 100%. Railgun ready.]
'Good.' The Leviathan lumbered forward, jaws splitting open, roaring as it descended.
James didn't fire.
He waited.
A marksman's discipline wasn't in shooting — it was in patience.
He waited for the roar, for the mouth to open wide… Waited for the exact fraction of a second when its roar exposed the soft internal flesh…
The sky shook.
ROOOOOAAAAAR!!!—
James pulled the trigger.
A supersonic metal slug ripped through the Leviathan's at Mach-shattering speed, carving a cauterized tunnel through meat and marrow.
BOOOM—BOOOOOM—
Its entire torso bowed outward as the internal explosion tore through its core. The beast reeled in agony, twisting mid-air, spiraling downward as its body gave out.
It was falling.
James didn't stop to admire the kill.
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THE CHARIOTS BREAK THROUGH
The rooftop shook as a blast of energy slammed into Nocturne's chest. A second shot cracked across his left flank. Sand and debris blasted upward.
Chitauri chariots were swarming him now.
"Cancel fixed battery mode!" James barked.
Cortana snapped the anchors free and disengaged the bracing locks.
[Releasing stabilizers. Returning to maneuver mode.]
James was already moving before the armor fully reset — diving off the rooftop, letting the thrusters catch his fall.
"Stow Arcshot — engage Nexus Arms Deadzone!"
The sniper collapsed back into its housing with a metallic click. The left arm weapon — Nexus Deadzone — ignited in a crackling burst of energy. James fired backward while flying, rapid pulses bursting chariots apart behind him.
But he wasn't built for close-range dogfights.
Cortana compensated, pinging him of enemies, highlighting projectiles, drawing predictive flight paths — but James still felt the dizziness of an aerial battle. He wasn't Tony, born for flight.
He fought like Ezreal — hit, dash, retreat — the "flying kite" tactic.
Never letting them surround him, Never getting trapped, Keeping his distance, Keep firing and Stay alive.
But the swarm kept coming.
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TONY RETURNS — THE TEAM ARRIVES
"James, what's your status?" Tony shouted, streaking back toward the tower.
"Not great! Too many airborne hostiles!"
Below, a Quinjet streaked into view landing just below the Stark Tower.
Steve's voice came through the comms.
"We're under Stark Tower. Ready to assist!"
"Good," James replied. "Tony — pull the pursuers toward them. Let the team handle that cluster. I'll suppress the sky lane!"
Tony peeled away instantly, drawing half the swarm with him.
On the ground:
Steve issued orders to coordinate formation.
"Hawkeye, take high ground!"
Clint sprinted for a vantage point, firing arrows even as he ran.
"Thor — we need lightning, strike behind Stark! Burn the chasers!"
Thor didn't answer — he roared as he took to the sky, Mjolnir spinning, thunder clouds forming and cracking like artillery.
"Natasha, with me! and Hulk!" Steve looked deep into his eyes. "SMASH!"
The Hulk grinned and made a deep, ground-shaking roar. ㄟ(≧◇≦)ㄏ
The Avengers assembled.
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THE GROUND FIGHT IGNITES
Clint's first arrow detonated in the center of the sky-chariot swarm, the shockwave sending several vehicles crashing into a building. The second arrow hit the wing of another, sending it spiraling into a billboard.
Steve hurled his shield — it ricocheted off three targets, dropping each one with brutal precision.
Natasha's pistols spat fire — not ideal against Chitauri armor, but precise shots to joints and unarmored gaps still killed or incapacitated.
It was chaotic, violent, and overwhelming — but all under control.
James watched Natasha empty another clip, her movements efficient but under-armed, and he muttered in irritation:
He simply did not understand why she couldn't bring something packing more punch.