"It seems you've upgraded your armor!"
Obadiah's voice carried a hint of surprise, but he quickly shouted, "But I've made improvements too!"
As the words left his mouth, massive flames erupted from Iron Monger's feet, propelling his hulking form skyward like a rocket.
"Sir, he appears to be flying," Jarvis's voice echoed inside Tony's suit.
"Thanks for the obvious update!" Tony yelled, watching Iron Monger ascend.
The two soared higher, and from below, Hermione watched the billowing smoke, speechless.
What exactly have you improved?
Just increased the horsepower?
They battled from sky to ground and back, eventually crashing into a deserted area.
Finally, Tony half-knelt on the ground, unable to rise.
It wasn't defeat; the temporary reactor simply couldn't power the suit anymore.
In layman's terms, he was out of juice.
"Hahahaha, Tony, my armor's superior!" Obadiah's laughter echoed through the night.
Tony looked up, glaring bitterly.
No, you're not superior in the least... Hermione had a thousand critiques swirling in her mind.
Besides upping the horsepower, thickening the armor, and adding a clunky Gatling gun, what else did you modify?
The core reactor isn't yours, and there's no AI. You've won through sheer brute force. It's embarrassing to boast.
If Stark Industries were left to you, it would crumble.
"This fight's pathetic... on both sides," Hermione couldn't help but mutter.
Pepper's focus was entirely on the battlefield. Seeing Tony falter, she grew anxious and turned to Hermione.
Hermione nodded slightly, reassuring her.
As Tony faced imminent danger from Obadiah's raised fist, a voice rang out overhead.
"Confringo!"
Boom!!!
An unexpected explosion rocked Iron Monger's chest, a massive fireball erupting and sending Obadiah sprawling.
In Tony's stunned eyes, Hermione descended from above on her broom, swooping down.
Pepper rushed to Tony, relieved to find him unharmed.
Embarrassed, Tony wanted to disappear into the ground but quickly reacted, shouting at Pepper:
"Why are you here? Didn't you stay safe?"
He then looked at Hermione.
"Don't blame Hermione. I asked her to bring me to help you," Pepper explained.
By now, Coulson and others arrived, relieved to see everyone safe.
"Hmph, look at you, pretending to be tough and getting schooled in adult fights," Hermione teased, head held high.
Tony's face darkened.
Looking at Obadiah, Hermione was eager to engage, "I'll handle him."
Everyone tensed as Hermione approached Iron Monger. While Pepper and Tony had seen her power, they were confident, but Coulson was worried, fearing for her safety.
Obadiah, regaining his footing, saw a little girl in a black robe threatening him and laughed wildly.
"Hahaha! Who's this kid? Tony, your lovechild with Pepper?"
Hermione sighed, raising her wand.
The earlier spell hadn't significantly damaged Iron Monger, only blackening the chest armor.
It seems thick armor has its perks, at least defensively.
Seeing the little girl pointing a stick at him, Obadiah was puzzled.
What, she plans to beat him with a stick?
"Listen, mister, I heard everything you said," Hermione pointed at Tony.
"First, I don't want to be this narcissist's daughter."
Tony's face darkened further.
"Second, after hearing you, I have one thought."
"What?" Obadiah asked reflexively.
"How can someone be as foolish as you?"
Hermione shook her head, genuinely baffled and a bit annoyed.
"What did you say!"
Obadiah shouted in anger.
Hermione replied calmly, "You can't even build a reactor, yet you dream of selling suits. The thing in your chest is stolen from him, and you want to kill the only person who can make it. What will you mass-produce if Tony dies?"
"Moreover, after tonight's spectacle, even if you kill Tony, how do you plan to cover it up? Think you can still lead Stark Industries? You'll be lucky to avoid prison. Have you lost your mind?"
"Even a child understands this, and yet you're dreaming. If you can sit atop Stark Industries, maybe I can too."
Hermione mocked mercilessly.
"Argh, kid, you deserve to die!"
Hermione struck a nerve, and Obadiah roared, raising his fist to strike.
Tony, hearing Obadiah's fury, found Hermione's words oddly satisfying for the first time.
But seeing Iron Monger's move, he shouted, "Watch out!"
"Impedimenta!"
Iron Monger seemed to trip on air, face-planting into the ground.
Everyone: "..."
Obadiah: "?"
Rising again, Obadiah shook his head, charging at Hermione with a menacing grin.
And fell again.
Could there be a glitch in the electronics? Obadiah wondered.
Up, charge.
Face-plant.
Up, charge.
Face-plant.
This familiar scene reminded Tony of past humiliations, eyes widening.
Here it comes!
That familiar feeling!
After several repeats, even Obadiah realized something was amiss, pointing at Hermione, yelling:
"It's you! What did you do?!"
Every step, a fall. Iron Monger, reduced to stumbling like a malfunctioning robot.
The bizarre scene stirred fear in Obadiah's heart.
"Seems you're not ready to come over," Hermione said with a smile. "In that case, just stay there."
"Glacius!"
She murmured, and Iron Monger was encased in thick ice. Everything within five meters froze, a chill reaching even those nearby.
"This, this is..."
Inside the suit, Obadiah felt his blood freeze.
More terrifying was the little girl's power!
What was this?
Magic? Superpowers?
"Cold?" Hermione looked at Obadiah, nearly frozen, speaking calmly: "Then let's warm you up."
"Incendio!"
From her wand, fiery serpents erupted, encircling Obadiah as if alive.
Flames roared skyward, illuminating the night.
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