Chereads / Marvel in Between Flesh and Steel. / Chapter 97 - Machine Man 94 Vs Destroyer Part 2

Chapter 97 - Machine Man 94 Vs Destroyer Part 2

Alex stood before the now-reformed Destroyer, feeling the intense heat wash over him. The giant machine's power was unlike anything he had faced before. Its glowing body radiated such intense energy that even his Shining Hopper armor struggled to keep the temperature in check.

"Damn it," Alex muttered, clenching his fists. "That old man Odin must be pissed that I'm interfering."

Without a second thought, Alex tapped into his cosmic power, his body morphing from the inside out, switching to his most powerful cybernetic upgrades, replacing his flesh to machine. His internal power source, the newly-developed Thousand Sun-reactor, hummed to life, flooding his body with raw energy. He needed more power if he was going to stand a chance.

Keeping his cool, Alex reached out as if pulling something out of thin air, he generated another Progrise Key. This one was darker, more intricate than the others. He pressed it against his belt buckle, and the AI voice echoed announcing, "HYPER JUMP!"

With a flick of his wrist, Alex turned the key, and the AI continued and intoned, "OVER RISE."

As he raised his hand to the sky, golden energy began to pulse around him, wrapping him in an aura of power. Above Earth space, multiple satellites began to flicker with energy readings, sending signals across the planet, they each launch a beam of energy from different spectrums of light, they all formed and collided into a single beam. In the SHIELD monitoring room, alarms blared as energy readings shot off the charts.

"Sir, all of Arasaka's satellites are showing massive energy signatures!" a SHIELD agent reported frantically. "It's even stronger than the Bifrost recent readings!"

Coulson, on the line, narrowed his eyes. "What the hell is Alex doing?"

Alex breathed heavily, his armored form standing firm, he knew his now fighting someone who have fought and killed celestial, although it's just his Armor it's still the Destroyer of Celestials. The Destroyer's power had grown exponentially, the searing heat radiating from it distorting the air around them. Its very presence seemed to make the sky ripple.

High above, the sky cracked with the sound of thunder, though no storm had formed. A bright beam of light suddenly pierced the sky, settling overhead with a resonant hum. From that beam emerged a shape—something mechanical, something… powerful.

A giant bus size mechanical grasshopper, its design menacing and jagged, descended from the heavens. Its neon-green legs shimmered against the smoky background, while its buzzing wings vibrated with such intensity that they created their own sonic booms, sending shockwaves through the air. The metallic creature hovered above Alex like a sentinel, its imposing form silhouetted against the fiery orange sky.

"PROGRIZE," the AI voice boomed from Alex's belt, the word echoing like a command across the battlefield.

The grasshopper's red eyes gleamed as it shot a powerful beam of energy directly at Alex. His current armor began to recede, folding away piece by piece and was absorb by the giant mechanical grass hopper until only his black base form remained—sleek, agile, and minimal. The beam didn't destroy him; instead, it bathed him in raw, overwhelming power. His belt buzzed with energy as the transformation process began.

"WARNING. WARNING. THIS IS NOT A TEST," the AI voice cautioned, its tone cold and mechanical. The tension in the air thickened as the warning rang out.

The giant grasshopper hovering above Alex slowly began to deform. The hiss of machinery and the grinding of gears filled the air as the mechanical insect split apart with precision. Its body and structure broke down into five distinct forms as it shrink. The main body, which housed a helmet and armor, detached first, then the two gauntlets, and finally, two armored guard for Alex's shins. Golden energy surged between the separated pieces, connecting them in a dazzling web of light that stretched over Alex's body like veins of molten gold.

"HYBRID RISE," the AI voice declared, its tone sharp and deliberate.

Each piece, now fully separated, slammed down toward Alex with incredible force. The first to fuse was the helmet, snapping into place over his head with a satisfying clink, followed by the armor and gauntlets locking onto his body and forearms, the shin guards securing themselves to his legs. His entire body glowed with golden energy as the transformation reached its climax. Although the armor is compressed and smaller compared to before, it still made Alex stand close to 10 feet tall almost matching the height of the Destroyer.

The air around Alex crackled with power, the neon-green glow from his new armor illuminating the battlefield. His chest plate gleamed with the red brilliance of the Thousand-Sun-Reactor, burning like a miniature sun, pulsating with every beat of his heart. The four legs and antennae of the mechanical grasshopper fused into his armor, adding jagged, sharp edges across his silhouette. His new form was sleek yet fearsome—streamlined yet heavily fortified. The neon-green lines now ran along his limbs, intersecting with dark blue and red lines that streaked across his black armored body like veins of energy.

With each piece locking into place, the AI voice echoed again, "SHINING ASSAULT HOPPER!"

The armor was complete. Alex felt the surge of power course through him, his new form more formidable than ever. The jagged edges along his pauldrons and chest plate radiated energy, making him look like a futuristic knight fused with a warrior insect. His helmet's visor gleamed a vivid red, while his entire body exuded an aura of raw power, the reactor at the center burning brighter with each passing second.

The AI's voice rang out once more, this time colder, more ominous: "No chance of surviving this shot…"

The words "shot" seemed to linger in the air, echoing like a death sentence.

Alex clenched his fists, now encased in the powerful gauntlets. The air around him shimmered with golden wisps of energy as his power reached its peak. He could feel the weight of his new form—the energy coursing through him was almost overwhelming, but it was exactly what he needed.

He looked up at the Destroyer, which now stood towering over him, its molten form glowing brighter than ever. It was a hulking, mindless force of destruction, yet Alex felt no fear. The neon lights of his armor cast a defiant glow against the red-orange sky, reflecting off the shimmering metal of the Destroyer.

"Alright, Odin," Alex said under his breath, his voice filled with determination. "Let's see if your armor can handle this." This isn't just a simple transformation or an armor that he can just materialize with his cosmic power he gained through the cosmic storm, it was a carefully crafted machine and equipment the size of a bus which compressed can form an armor that allows him not only to link multiple Zea Satellite which increases his computing ability but also allows him to wield the power of a thousand miniature sun in his body without him burning.

The air between them crackled as the two titans faced off. The battlefield around them fell silent for just a moment—a calm before the storm—before the sound of their next clash would shake the heavens.

 

Back in space with their Astral form, Odin watched the energy swirling around Alex with a raised brow. "Your chosen has created an interesting toy, the power of a thousand sun. How remarkable." he remarked to Yao.

 

Yao smiled serenely. "He's creative, no doubt. It's a shame he lacks talent for magic, but this… this should be enough to match your Destroyer. Would you like to test him? He should be able to show more, I know since I personally spar with him once."

 

Odin chuckled, shaking his head. "I love to personally test him and go there, but I won't be stepping in. Let the young ones shine in their new Era." As he left the Destroyer's control to Loki, which is now infuse with the Odin Force.

 

---

The Destroyer's steel body surged forward, breaking the sound barrier as it charged at Alex. Its fists came down like meteors, but Alex was faster with the help of his Sandevistan and power from the thousand sun-reactor. He dodged, moving so quickly that he seemed like light glistening through the air, creating sonic booms with every movement. The two titans clashed in midair, their fists meeting with enough force to shatter the sound barrier again and again. Each punch and kick echoed like thunder, shaking the ground below.

 

Alex gritted his teeth as he blocked a blow from the Destroyer with a shield of golden light. The impact sent him skidding back, his boots digging into the cracked pavement. "Not bad," he muttered under his breath, "but I'm not going down that easily."

 

With a fierce glare, Alex summoned golden energy projections from his armor. The light shimmered and pulsed around him, forming into an array of shapes—giant drills, energy blasts, and all sorts of projectiles. He swung his hand forward, and a colossal drill of light burst towards the Destroyer, its spinning form tearing through the air with a whirring sound.

 

The Destroyer reacted swiftly, concentrating its energy into a blazing beam that collided with the drill. The impact created a massive explosion, sending shockwaves rippling through the sky. Alex's golden barrier flickered as it absorbed the energy, but the sheer force of the blast was so powerful that it tore the sky apart, creating a rift of swirling clouds and an opened blue Sky so clear you can almost see the stars.

 

"Let's see how you handle this!" Alex shouted, conjuring a giant bat of hard light. He swung it with all his might, the bat glowing golden with intense energy. It connected with the Destroyer, sending the massive construct flying backward through the air. The Destroyer crashed through a layer of clouds, leaving a trail, ripping through to outers space.

 

High above the Planet Earth, the battle continued with relentless intensity. Alex and the Destroyer exchanged blows, their movements so fast they seemed like meteors clashing. The clash of their attacks shattered the heavens, and every punch and kick created thunderous booms that reverberated through the sky.

Sif squinted up at the sky, her eyes narrowing as she tried to make sense of the extraordinary fight. "Thor," she called out, her voice filled with wonder and concern, "do you perhaps have another sibling?

Hogun who rarely speaks can't help but ask, "Is this warrior some sort of demigod, or perhaps a child from another pantheon?"

Frandal, his gaze fixed on the frenetic energy dancing across the sky, nodded thoughtfully. "This warrior," he said, "possesses a power beyond mortal it's as if, his a god…?"

Thor's face was etched with frustration and helplessness. His powerful gaze remained locked on the sky, his jaw clenched as he watched the battle. "I don't know," he admitted, a hint of regret in his voice. "But I do wish I could help him in his fight. If only I had my power…"

As the battle raged on, the sounds of the clash reverberated through the halls of Asgard, where Loki used his magic to observe the fight. He was seething with rage, his eyes gleaming with a dangerous light as he watched the ongoing battle. Each pulse of energy from the Destroyer and every dazzling maneuver and light construct by Alex only fueled his fury further.

Loki slammed the spear Gungnir, against the floor of Asgard with a thunderous clank, the impact resonating like a powerful beat through the halls. His voice, laden with frustration and anger, echoed through the chamber. "Destroy that mortal… no, that fool of a demigod!" he roared, his words dripping with venom. "How dare a being of such power tread on Earth! All gods should have been barred from entering the realm of mortals!"

The Destroyer, under Loki's command, intensified its assault, its energy started to burn thrumming with amplified energy.

Alex was a whirlwind of motion, utilizing Panzer Kunst—a specialized martial art designed for zero gravity and outer space. His kicks and punches were precise, each movement aimed at exploiting the Destroyer's vulnerabilities. The Destroyer's body groaned under the relentless assault, but it quickly reformed, its limbs regenerating with every strike.

 

The Destroyer fired beams of molten energy, scorching the sky and forcing Alex to weave between the blasts. With a powerful swing, Alex transformed his Engineblade into the King Rouzer, a massive five-foot-long bastard sword. The blade glowed with a golden light, the guard and base shaped like a scarab beetle with red runes pulsing along the center of the golden blade.

 

As Alex swung the King Rouzer, the sword roared to life, slicing through the air with a high-pitched whine. He aimed for the Destroyer, the blade cutting through the metal surface with sparks flying in every direction. Despite his efforts, the Destroyer's armor quickly healed, the deep cuts disappearing as if they had never been made.

 

"Damn it," Alex growled, narrowly dodging another blast of molten energy. He weaved between the Destroyer's relentless attacks, each swing of the King Rouzer leaving glowing marks that vanished almost immediately.

 

High above, Odin watched the battle unfold, a smirk playing on his lips. "It will take more than brute force to bring down the Destroyer," he mused, observing the fierce exchange.

 

Alex, breathing heavily, stood atop a space debris, watching as the Destroyer flew toward him with renewed fury. "Looks like I'll need a new plan," he muttered, gripping the King Rouzer tightly. The sword's runes glowed brighter as he prepared for another assault.

 

The sky roared as Alex charged forward once more. The battle between the two titans continued with unrelenting ferocity, each clash of their attacks sending shockwaves through the heavens. The Destroyer's molten body roared with energy, and Alex's golden projections flared with brilliance as they fought their way through the stratosphere and into the void of space.

As the battle raged in the cold void of space, the sheer magnitude of the clash between Alex and the Destroyer shattered fragments of the battlefield, vaporizing space debris in the wake of their relentless combat. Their exchange was a whirlwind of martial prowess and devastating energy; Alex, a master of light-conjured martial arts, danced with lethal precision against the unyielding might of the Destroyer, each blow sending shockwaves across the stars. The void itself trembled under the weight of their violence, and the sound of their combat echoed into the endless black, as if the universe itself bore witness to their fury.

 

Alex's armor shimmered with neon green energy, his foot glowing as he charged forward, delivering a devastating rider kick. His foot collided with the Destroyer's massive body, the force tearing through the enchanted metal like paper. The Destroyer, once an indomitable force, was flung backward by the impact, its armor cracking and splitting open under the pressure.

 

From a distant vantage point, Odin observed the battle in his astral form, his one eye gleaming with interest. His immense figure floated among the stars, arms crossed as he watched the ongoing fight. With a smirk, he raised his hand, his Odin Force crackling as he imbued the Destroyer's armor with even greater energy.

 

"He can't fight a celestial yet, you know," a voice said, calm and knowing.

 

The Ancient One, in her meditative stance, stood beside Odin, her figure ghostly but ever composed. Her gaze flickered between Alex and the Destroyer with a foresight that stretched beyond the present.

 

Odin chuckled softly, a deep rumble in the astral expanse. "It's just a little fun, Yao. Let me enjoy this one. The boy's showing promise."

 

Back on the battlefield, Alex's sharp eyes caught the subtle change in the Destroyer's stance. He could feel it—Odin's intervention again. The Destroyer's damage body were knitting back together, and the energy radiating from it was increasing once more.

 

"Sky, I need you," Alex said, his voice steady even as he saw the threat looming.

 

Skynet's voice chimed through his earpiece. "Yes, Father?"

 

"Activate the ARK ONE program," Alex commanded, his fingers hovering over the controls of his intricate belt buckle.

 

Skynet hesitated. "Father, it's still in the testing phase. We're not 100% sure it will work."

 

Alex smiled, the stars reflecting in his dark eyes. "This is the best time to test it, don't you think?"

 

With a swift tap of the belt, the system sprang to life. His comms rang out as a mechanical voice announced, "ARK DRIVER." The neon green glow of his armor flickered, then shifted—his belt buckle pulsed with light, transforming from neon green to an ominous white.

 

Skynet's voice wavered. "Father, are you sure? Are you really going to do this?"

 

"We don't have a choice, Sky," Alex replied, his smile widening as the power surged through him. "An bitter old man is out for our ass, we have to atleast do this to win."

 

With a final sequence of taps on the belt, the AI's voice deepened, resonating with an unsettling darkness: "ARK ONE. PROGRISE!"

 

Suddenly, the vast emptiness of space around Alex grew colder that his very soul can feel it. Black and red tendrils, like blood, began to seep from the cracks in the void, spreading outward in all directions. The stars themselves dimmed, swallowed by the malevolent darkness that now surrounded him. As the blood-like substance covered Alex, the air grew thick with a palpable sense of dread, as if the very fabric of reality recoiled from the transformation.

 

The AI's voice, now distorted, continued to speak in a guttural tone, its words dripping with menace. "PRIDE. GREED. LUST. ENVY. GLUTTONY. WRATH. SLOTH. Conclusion One."

 

Alex's mind expanded in that instant, connecting to multiple ZEA satellites network. Streams of data—endless 0s and 1s—flashed before his eyes, flooding his consciousness with the knowledge and emotions of humanity's darkest sins. "I can feel it, the pain, fear, awe, fury, denial, greed and sadness of countless people…." his armor, once bright and radiant, became sleek and deadly, the thickest plates turning a frosty white. His compound eyes, darkened into a crimson red, glowing with a malevolent energy as if blood dripped from them.

 

His body shrank back to his normal height and is now mostly black and white, with glowing streaks of red energy pulsing like veins. The transformation completed, and Alex slowly began walking toward the recovering Destroyer. Each step he took left behind reddish shadows, dark tendrils creeping outward from his feet, spreading across the void as if he were walking on solid ground. Blood-red kanji symbols began to materialize in the air around him, each one representing the seven deadly sins. The voices of unseen demons echoed from the symbols, mocking and laughing as they celebrated the arrival of their king.

 

The Destroyer, reeling from its injuries but still empowered by the Odin Force, turned to face Alex. Its once-unstoppable energy now wavered, as if sensing the danger that this new form represented.

 

Without hesitation, Alex flashed forward. His fists moved like lightning, each punch landing with devastating force. Every blow was infused with the dark emotions swirling inside him—anger, hatred, despair—and with each strike, the light seemed to dim, retreating from the sheer malevolence of the assault. The Destroyer staggered under the weight of the attack, its once impenetrable armor beginning to crack under the barrage of punches.

 

The dark energy swirled more violently around Alex. The shadows at his feet grew thicker, the kanji symbols multiplying as the voices of demons grew louder, rejoicing in the destruction. The Destroyer, even with the Odin Force flowing through it, struggled to heal its injuries. Something was holding it back, preventing it from recovering.

 

Alex tapped the top of his belt buckle once more, and the AI voice rang out again, each word punctuated by red lightning. "FEAR. WRATH. HATRED. DESPAIR."

 

A colossal red kanji symbol flashed on Alex's back, the energy crackling and wings, dark and blood-red, burst from his the back of his armor. His body seemed to lose control, his movements becoming more erratic as the dark power consumed him.

 

"PERFECT CONCLUSION." the AI's voice boomed across the battlefield.

 

With one final surge of power, Alex gathered all the dark energy within him. His wings flared out behind him, casting a blood-red glow across the space. He flew higher, his body contorting as he delivered a devastating kick to the Destroyer.

 

The impact was cataclysmic.

 

The Destroyer was launched across the void, hurtling toward Earth like a falling meteor. It crashed into the deserts of Puente Antigo, leaving behind a massive crater. As Alex floated in the aftermath of the battle, his breathing heavy, he gazed down at the wreckage. The Destroyer lay still, its energy depleted, its armor shattered.

 

Alex stood atop the wreckage, his blood-red eyes glowing in the fading light. He had won, but the darkness inside him still raged.