Call out! Call out! Call out!
Several young girls in distinctive costumes raced through the streets, while the hero squad led by the formidable Thunderbird rushed over after receiving the alarm.
On the road, Hanmer Industries utilized the Skynet system to track Lorna and allowed her to pass by herself. This was a test for the hero team.
In recent days, the hero squad had only dealt with ordinary criminals, not those with superpowers. While their efforts had a deterrent effect on general criminal activity, superpowered criminals continued to cause trouble. This time, their target was the Iron Army, serving as both practice and a chance to showcase their abilities.
"Big sister is really powerful," Thunderbird remarked, shivering. The sight of Lorna controlling the magnetic field from afar was nothing short of impressive. It made him feel inadequate about his own mutant abilities.
"Zero Nine Zero," Thunderbird said, "They say all people are created equal, but in reality, there are always inequalities—between mutants and humans, and even among mutants themselves. Some mutants are born with high-level abilities, while others are low-level throughout their lives. Even as a captain, I know I'm not as powerful as those with advanced abilities."
"The eldest sister is Magneto's daughter. She must be incredibly strong," Gali said, referring to Lorna.
"Almost there. We need to solve this quickly; otherwise, All Might will go crazy," Gali added.
At the mention of All Might, everyone tensed up. All Might was known for his rigorous and unforgiving training methods.
The exhibition hall was filled with a chaotic scene as people screamed and fled from the Manzhan Hall.
"According to the original plan, Flash will help us teleport in. Rachel, go ahead and check if there are any criminals hiding in the dark," Thunderbird instructed calmly.
With a flicker, Flash appeared, creating a purple Uzumaki that allowed the team to teleport into the exhibition hall. Thunderbird led the way with Gali supporting, while Rachel used her psychic abilities to detect any hidden threats.
Flash's teleportation was still developing, so she could only transport two people at a time, forcing her to take multiple trips. Meanwhile, Andy and Lauren entered from another direction.
Inside the exhibition hall, Tony Stark and Colonel Roddy were fiercely battling the steel armors. Tony's powerful energy beams tore through the armor like it was made of paper.
However, Tony quickly became sluggish. The energy drain was significant, and his armor's capacity was reaching its limit. They were being overwhelmed by small missiles from the armor.
"Sir, there are some teenagers in the Development Hall who seem to be students from the Hero Academy mentioned by Miss Pepper," Gali's voice reported coldly.
Tony, already annoyed by the situation, was not in the mood for help, though he knew he was in no position to refuse it.
"I guess I'll have to admit I need help after all," Tony muttered. His pride was wounded, but the situation demanded it.
"Drink!" Thunderbird charged through the purple Uzumaki and hit a nearby steel armor with a powerful blow. The force caused the armor to stagger and nearly fall.
A dazzling white light beam pierced through the armor, while the combined efforts of Thunderbird and Gali brought down one of the steel armors.
Another steel armor hovered in mid-air and started shooting directly below. Suddenly, a tearing force enveloped it from all directions, smashing it into pieces. Metal fragments rained down, and Andy, observing from a corner, felt a sense of satisfaction.
Meanwhile, a steel armor, equipped with mini missiles, fired them toward Andy. Calmly, Andy used his telekinetic powers to slam the armor into a wall, creating an invisible force field that protected him from the explosion.
"Don't hide yourself," Lauren said, using her ability to control air and water molecules to create a defensive force field. Her power complemented Andy's telekinesis perfectly.
Flash and Gali continued to perform short-range teleports, quickly dismantling another steel armor.
"Wow, the hero squad did great," Tony said, landing beside Thunderbird after taking out a few more armors. He clapped Thunderbird on the shoulder, causing him some discomfort.
Thunderbird realized that Tony's gesture was tinged with jealousy. Despite their strengths, the steel armors could not compare to Iron Man's Mark series. Thunderbird could topple an armor with brute force, but Mark 9 would have stood its ground.
As the young heroes gathered to celebrate their victory, some of the remaining people in the exhibition hall came out to applaud them. The young mutants felt a surge of honor, aligning with the hopes of Charles and All Might.
A few reporters approached with cameras. Tony, initially wanting to speak, found himself overshadowed by Gali's interview. He felt a bit embarrassed but took it in stride.
Roddy, taking a break, joked, "Why does our Tony always get overshadowed by the media?"
Tony forced a smile and replied, "No, no, I'm just giving the younger generation a chance to shine."
He felt a bit lighter, knowing that while he had chosen to become Iron Man to make the world better and prevent the tragedies of his past, he was not alone. The emergence of groups like the young heroes affirmed his choice and lessened his burden.
"Sir, there's an energy response similar to the Ark nearby," Gali reported.
Simultaneously, Rachel's telepathy detected a unique, malevolent mental presence and alerted everyone.
Before the warning could fully register, a silver-gray steel armor descended from the sky. It was smaller than the Iron Overlord but larger than the Mark armor.
"Ivan Vanke!" Tony shouted in anger. "This is between you and me. We will settle this elsewhere."
The onlookers, who had previously hidden, were now fully exposed to the threat of Ivan.