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Chapter 37 - Chapter 37

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-Stane-

The walls of this cell close in on me, mocking me with their cold indifference. My body screams in protest with every movement, a symphony of aches and throbs courtesy of that blasted dinosaur. I don't even know what it was. A twisted monster? A freak of nature? All I know is that it cost me everything.

A few days. It's only been a few days since my fall, but it feels like a lifetime. Each sunrise brings a fresh wave of rage. I should be running Stark Industries. Me! Not rotting in some metal box! That was my birthright, my destiny. Howard promised me! I built that company, I kept it afloat. Where would Stark be without me? Dead in a ditch, probably.

And now? Now I'm stuck here, while Tony gets to bask in the glory, playing hero. The headlines are plastered with his smug face, praising his bravery, his genius. He calls himself Iron Man now. The audacity! He is so damn arrogant. I am supposed to be Iron Man!

But it's not just Tony, is it? That kid and his pet monster. Who the hell was that kid? How could he control such a creature? All of that power, wasted on some punk kid. I was inches away from victory. I had him, the world was within my grasp, and they took it away.

They will pay. I don't know how, I don't know when, but they will pay. Tony, the kid, the monster, and anyone else who stood in my way. I'll find a way out of here. I always do. This isn't the end. This is just the beginning. The world will see. Obadiah Stane will rise again. Stark Industries will be mine. Mine! And everyone will know my name.

I pause, my blood boiling, my fists clenched so tight my knuckles are white. Then, I hear it. A voice, slithering into my mind like a viper.

"Do you want revenge?"

My head snaps up, scanning the cell, every shadow, every corner. "Who's there?" I demand, my voice a guttural growl that echoes off the metal walls. Is this some kind of joke? Are they already messing with my head?

The voice chuckles, a sound that sends a shiver down my spine despite the inferno of rage burning within me. "Someone who knows your pain, Obadiah. Someone who understands the burning desire for retribution."

"Show yourself!" I shout, my voice cracking.

"Patience," the voice purrs, dripping with an arrogance that somehow surpasses even Stark's. "I am merely an… opportunist. I see potential in you, a raw, untapped power. Power that could be unleashed to reshape the world in your image."

My mind races. What is this? Some kind of hallucination? "What are you talking about?"

"Think about it, Obadiah," the voice continues, ignoring my question. "Stark, flaunting his genius while you rot in this cage. And that child… the one who dared to interfere, the one who stole your victory. Don't you want to make them suffer? To crush them beneath your heel and watch their world crumble?"

My breath hitches. The kid. That damn kid. He's right. Tony, I can deal with. But the kid… the humiliation of being outsmarted, outmaneuvered by some upstart brat… It's unbearable.

"What do you want?" I ask, the words barely a whisper.

"I offer you a chance to claim what is rightfully yours. Power beyond your wildest dreams. The means to exact your revenge on all who have wronged you."

"And what's the price?" I sneer. Nothing is free. I know that better than anyone.

"Oh, a mere trifle," the voice chuckles again. "Your… unwavering loyalty. A willingness to embrace the darkness within. Are you willing to pay the price, Obadiah? Are you ready to claim your destiny?"

My mind is made up. I want to destroy Tony, and I want to show that punk kid the true meaning of power. "Yes," I say, the word resonating through the room. "I accept."

The air in the cell crackles, growing cold. A ripple distorts reality in the center of the room. I stumble back in shock as a dark, swirling portal rips open, pulsating with an unholy energy. It's as if hell itself is trying to claw its way into my cell.

I thought I was making a deal with the devil. But this… this is something else. Something far more terrifying.

From the depths of the portal, a figure emerges. Tall and gaunt, draped in black, its face hidden by a hood, revealing only two crimson, glowing eyes. Horns protrude from its head, and tattered, bat-like wings cascade from its shoulders. An emblem of pure evil blazes on its chest.

"Who are you?" I gasp, the words caught in my throat.

The figure spreads its arms wide, a sinister grin spreading across its unseen face. "I am Devimon, Obadiah. And I am here to help you claim your rightful place."

[Devimon]

[Level: Champion]

[Type: Dark Angel]

[Attribute: Virus]

[Special Move: Death Claw]

[A Dark Angel Digimon clothed in jet black garb. Devimon was once a lustrous Digimon of the Angemon species, but it became a Dark Angel when it fell into the warped space of the Digital World known as the Dark Area. The prominent Mark of Evil on its chest is proof of this. Though it has a cunning and malevolent personality, Devimon is also extremely intelligent. It is said that any who stare into its glowing red eyes fall victim to its mind control, and are dominated by Devimon. Its special move is Death Claw, by which it pierces its opponent with its two extendable arms.]

Without another word, Devimon strides towards the cell door, raising a clawed hand. A dark energy crackles around his fingertips, and the metal bars twist and warp like putty, creating an opening. "Come, Obadiah," he says, his voice now a deep, resonant growl. "Let us begin your ascent."

I hesitate for a moment, a flicker of doubt in my mind. This is madness. I am walking into the unknown, making a pact with a creature from nightmare. But the burning desire for revenge is overwhelming. I can't turn back now.

I step forward, out of the cell and into the waiting darkness. Devimon places a hand on my shoulder, and a surge of raw power courses through my veins, invigorating me. The hatred, the rage, the desire for vengeance… it all intensifies, fueling the darkness within.

"Where are we going?" I ask, my voice now laced with a newfound confidence.

Devimon smirks. "Somewhere they will never expect."

He spreads his wings, and the darkness of the portal washes over me. The prison disappears, replaced by a swirling vortex of shadows. I close my eyes, and the last thing I feel is the rush of wind as we escape into the night.

The world will know Obadiah Stane again. And this time, there will be no one to stop me. I'm coming for you, Tony. And you too, kid. You will all regret the day you crossed me.

***

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