On the familiar grassland, Malrick and Tony stood side by side, their hair swept by the wind.
The West Coast July climate was rainy.
Dark clouds flowed in shifts, intermittently blocking the sun, casting the world in cool tones.
The grass beneath their feet rippled like layered waves in the desolate breeze.
Malrick was silent for a moment, the cold wind brushing his face.
"It's only eleven forty now, we came early."
"Punctuality is a good habit," Tony said, standing tall and confident, "Arriving early gives you home-field advantage. You don't want the Ten Rings Gang showing up at your place and tearing it apart, do you?"
"I don't live there anymore."
"Oh! Interesting. How about I clear out your room and get you a dog?"
"If you do that, I'll shove your head up your ass."
"Ugh, gross. Can we change the subject?"
"All right, just curious." Malrick glanced up at the Mark 4 flying overhead, using it as a landmark.
"Where's your new armor? Didn't you say you were going to use it to take down Wen Wu today?"
Tony's lips curled into a confident smile.
"You'll see. I guarantee it'll leave you speechless all day."
"That mysterious? Good. I'm starting to look forward to it."
Malrick raised an eyebrow.
"I hope you keep your voice down when you're screaming for help later."
"Heh," Tony sneered, "Screaming for help? Impossible! You'll only see those young men with underwear on their heads getting beaten by me."
"Is that so? The young men aren't the problem. The real issue is the old relic leading them..."
Malrick's ears twitched.
"They're here."
"Where?" Tony scanned the grassland but saw no one.
This was originally Stark's old park.
It had been abandoned and not rebuilt, with only a few palm trees nearby, and an unobstructed view for several kilometers.
Beyond that, cliffs rose above shallow waters.
"There!" Malrick pointed toward the sky.
Tony looked up and spotted seven or eight black dots flying from the horizon.
The distant hum of engines grew steadily louder.
"Wow, I thought they'd sneak up from below the cliff like assassins in a movie, but they're coming by helicopter?"
Three minutes later, amidst deafening noise, eight helicopters sliced through the damp air and landed before them.
The propellers whipped up sharp gusts, scattering grass and filling the air with the scent of wet earth and the sharp rustling of blades.
Helicopter doors opened in quick succession.
Dozens of masked men disembarked swiftly, assembling and lining up on the grassland.
The lead helicopter felt like the final boss in a game.
After everyone took their positions, the right cabin door of that helicopter slowly opened.
A shiny combat boot appeared, followed by a black ancient-style costume with a waist sash, moving deliberately.
Tony's eyes narrowed with irritation, sensing an unspoken slight.
He had expected today's duel to be a one-man assault, blasting through a thousand enemies and unveiling the mystery of this millennia-old organization with firepower.
Instead, the opponent swaggered in by helicopter.
Even disembarking, they carried themselves arrogantly, as if no one else mattered.
Meanwhile, he and his younger brother stood here, stiff and exposed, like airport greeters waiting for a VIP to arrive and hand them an umbrella.
Tony inhaled deeply.
He had never been looked down upon like this.
He was always the one doing the looking down.
"I want to twist that man's head off right now, press it onto the helicopter's propeller, and ask if he'll fly in by helicopter next time," Tony whispered to Malrick.
"Then you can start." Malrick stepped back.
"The old man strutting off the helicopter is Wen Wu."
He showed no emotion toward Wen Wu's disdain.
After all, Wen Wu was destined not to leave Los Angeles standing today.
Tony's frustrated expression, however, amused Malrick.
Tony had always misunderstood this battle.
He thought it was a formal duel—both sides fully armed, solemn, shaking hands to show honor before fighting.
Wen Wu, however, had only ever issued a death notice, his contempt constant.
Tony had added drama where there was none.
"Tony Stark, hello, I am Wen Wu."
Tony stepped forward, eyes locked on Wen Wu, but Wen Wu spoke first.
A typical East Asian man with slicked-back hair, he carried a traditional, refined demeanor.
His eyes, polished by time, held a depth suggesting a reserved intellect and hidden strength.
Like the saying of a gentleman who hides his sword but never draws it lightly.
But his words were sharp and brutal.
"You even brought your brother? What a shame. Both of you will die here today."
Tony met Wen Wu's gaze, unyielding.
"Oh? Is that so? Why can't it be you and your men who die here?"
He tried to sound harsh.
Yet his playboy charm, effective around women, fell short against Wen Wu's steely stare, as sharp as a blade.
In Malrick's eyes, Tony was at a disadvantage.
"I die here?" Wen Wu laughed as if hearing a joke.
He walked past Tony, surveying the open grassland.
"The graveyard you've chosen looks beautiful, Mr. Stark."
He turned back, raising his hand toward Tony.
"Your contributions to the world deserve respect, but the Ten Rings Gang's reputation cannot be tarnished."
"I'll give you a chance to make a move, Mr. Stark, but you won't survive. If you want to run, do so quickly."
Wen Wu looked at Tony, but in his eyes, Tony didn't exist.
Thousands of years of conquest had convinced Wen Wu he was unbeatable.
He believed the Ten Rings made him invincible.
Tony opened his mouth to reply, searching for a clever retort.
The best line he'd ever said was, of course, "I am Iron Man."
So he held back and instead poked Wen Wu's chest with a finger.
"You'll regret this."
Tony stepped back, hands steady but trembling slightly.
Seconds later, a whooshing sound came from the sky.
Dozens looked up as six or seven mechanical parts spewing fire tore through the clouds, heading straight for Tony.
"Is that… Mark 42?" Malrick blinked, stunned.
"Is this the surprise Tony promised?"
Mark 42 was the suit from the movie that could split into parts and fly to him.
Now it should be called Mark 5.
The mechanical pieces—some for hands, some for legs—all rushed toward Tony.
Except for Malrick, everyone present was visibly shocked.
---
Apologies for not uploading the chapters earlier today
I've been sick (still am, actually, lol).
That said, I'll be switching the update time back to the original schedule: 6 PM to 7 PM (WAT).