"That looks pretty good. So, you want to try out the armor's power now?"
Malrick stepped forward with a teasing glint in his eyes, twisting his wrist in challenge.
Tony smirked and took a step toward him. "Of course. The Anti-Superman Armor's debut deserves a match against Superman himself."
Through their faceplates, tension built like electricity.
A second later, Tony turned toward Clark, who had been watching the scene unfold with his arms crossed. "Clark, mind helping me test this suit's performance?"
"Me?" Clark blinked, pointing to himself in mild surprise.
"Exactly. I don't hold back when fighting Malrick—I'd rather not break him on day one," Tony said lightly.
Malrick shrugged, stepping aside. "Right. What Tony means is that he's afraid his fancy new suit might get torn apart if I hit him too hard. So, Clark, you handle him."
Clark tried not to laugh. "Alright, I get it."
He took position opposite Tony, while Tony muttered inside his helmet, "Malrick's just being stubborn. Go all out, Clark."
Clark planted his feet and placed his hands on his hips, still dressed casually in a flannel shirt. "Before we start—there's no Kryptonite in that armor, right?"
Tony waved dismissively. "Nope. Besides Malrick, there are no other Kryptonians around here. Kryptonite's useless right now."
Clark nodded. "Then let's get started. Just a regular spar?"
"Exactly."
"Then bring it on."
Clark rolled up his sleeves with a grin.
Without hesitation, Tony launched forward. The Anti-Superman Armor roared to life, his first punch carrying the full momentum of flight and technology combined.
Clark didn't resist. As usual, he let the first few hits connect to gauge his opponent's power.
A thunderous impact sent him skidding backward across the field. Before he hit the barn, Malrick appeared behind him and caught him midair.
"You good?" Malrick asked.
"I'm fine," Clark replied, brushing off the dust. His clothes remained intact, protected by his bio-field.
Tony's faceplate lifted, his expression a mix of shock and awe. "You sure you're okay? That wasn't exactly a light hit."
"I'm fine," Clark repeated with a chuckle. "Honestly, that punch was no weaker than mine."
He clapped Tony on the shoulder. "As expected of Iron Man. To build something like this in just two days—that's impressive."
Superman's genuine praise sent Tony's ego skyrocketing. For a brief moment, he looked ready to challenge Malrick right then and there.
But he restrained himself. "Let's finish the test first."
The two squared off again.
This time, when Tony swung, Clark caught the punch effortlessly. After a few exchanges, Clark began countering, their blows coming faster and heavier.
Each strike carried the force of a punch capable of destroying a mountain, yet there was no destruction around them. Clark's bio-field absorbed and neutralized every shockwave.
They fought for over ten minutes before both men stepped back, breathing hard.
Malrick stood watching with his arms crossed. To him, Clark looked like any ordinary man brawling in his backyard—mostly because he wasn't wearing the cape and suit.
"Tell me you were holding back," Tony said between gasps, his armor vents hissing from heat.
Clark wiped his forehead with the towel Lois handed him. "Not really. Your armor's impressive, Tony—it actually puts pressure on me."
Tony's eyes lit up. "Seriously?"
He turned toward Malrick, his grin returning full-force. "Hear that, Malrick? My Anti-Superman Armor can pressure Superman himself! It's only a matter of time before I finish the Anti-Malrick Armor."
Malrick snorted. "Why wait? Do it now—unless you're afraid."
Tony raised an eyebrow. "Afraid? Please. Let's see how you handle this."
Jarvis's voice cut in smoothly. "Sir, Mr. Kent's condition is not comparable to his past encounters across universes. Are you certain you want to engage Mr. Malrick?"
"Of course I'm sure," Tony replied confidently. "This time, I'll make him feel a little pressure for once."
He re-sealed his helmet and strode forward, muttering to himself, "Besides, he'll hold back. Probably."
The morning sun bathed the open field as they faced off.
"I'm going to attack," Tony warned.
"Go ahead," Malrick replied calmly, hands behind his back.
"Don't come crying when you get hurt."
"Don't worry. I'll be the one comforting you."
"Jarvis, go full power!"
Tony charged. His speed broke the sound barrier instantly, closing the distance in a blur. For a moment, Tony was sure he had the upper hand.
Then his vision spun. His arm went numb. The next thing he knew, the world turned upside down—and then, black.
Bang!
"Sir," Jarvis reported evenly, "you have been subdued by Mr. Malrick using an anti-joint lock."
"Yeah, I can tell," Tony grumbled, pinned face-first into the dirt. His arm was twisted behind his back like a perp being arrested.
"Damn it—how are you this strong?!"
"That's natural," Malrick said, releasing him. "Your armor's impressive, but still has room to grow."
He dusted off his hands. "Clark usually suppresses most of his power. A huge portion of his super brain's processing capacity goes into restraint. What you fought earlier was just a few hundred thousand tons of force. That's about your armor's current output."
Malrick tapped the chest plate of Tony's armor with a metallic clang. "Still, that's a big improvement. Your previous suits barely hit a few thousand tons."
"Noted," Tony muttered, brushing dirt off his face. "But that still means my Anti-Superman Armor is a success."
Malrick smirked. "Yeah, as long as you remember to avoid flattening civilians when you use it."
Tony continued testing throughout the morning, measuring the armor's limits in strength, speed, durability, and impact control.
By noon, the field around Kent Farm looked like a small test range.
After a final meal with Clark's family, it was time to leave.
"You sure you don't want to stay a few more days?" Clark asked as they stood by the porch.
"No way," Malrick said with a grin. "If we stay any longer, Tony—your sons' hero—will end up taking over their room."
Tony laughed. "Next time, boys. I'll come visit again. But right now, Malrick needs to find the Life Codex, and Uncle Tony's tagging along to keep him out of trouble."
"Don't believe him," Malrick said dryly as he activated his traversal ability. "He's just looking for more chaos to stir up."
With a flash of light, the two disappeared into the horizon.
____
Thanks for the Power stones...but it's still not enough for a bonus chapter
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