The once-vibrant city of New York lay in ruins, the air thick with the scent of blood, as if it had been soaked in crimson.
Tony gazed at the now-closed spatial portal, the tension that had gripped him loosening as he descended slowly.
Despite orchestrating a successful ambush on the Chitauri forces, the battle had not come easy. Without the Seer's foresight, which revealed their every plan, this ambush could have led to a catastrophic disaster for Earth.
In a century or a millennium, if humanity still existed, tales of America being wiped from the map would surely be spoken of.
Fortunately, having learned of the Seer's abilities, Tony had imagined all possible scenarios and made preparations in advance. Without the Seer's warnings, they would never have managed to gather the nuclear bombs in just over two minutes.
At best, they could have simply closed the portal, sparing Earth from this calamity. But if they hadn't decisively struck fear into the Chitauri, the next time they attacked, it wouldn't just be a clash of soldiers but a brutal assault using terrifying cosmic technology that could decimate Earth without a chance for retaliation.
"Did we succeed?" Captain America, Steve Rogers, asked, looking at the vanished portal in the sky as he turned to Tony.
"Partially successful," Tony replied. "Even if we haven't completely destroyed the Chitauri, we've significantly weakened them. They won't be able to amass such a large army again for a total assault on Earth anytime soon."
"They'll likely return, but with some time to regroup, we'll be better prepared for the next battle."
Tony let out a sigh of relief, knowing that if this war had ended poorly, he would have been marked a villain in history. His proposal to lure the enemy in for a decisive strike was a gamble, one that, if it had failed, would have left Earth vulnerable.
In a hypothetical scenario where his forces were repelled by an enemy with superior technology, even a catastrophic loss wouldn't dissuade the Chitauri from returning.
This time, the Chitauri's arrogance had led them to underestimate Earth's inhabitants, but they wouldn't make that mistake again.
The next Chitauri invasion would be a true confrontation between civilizations.
"JARVIS, show me the panoramic view of New York."
"Also, calculate the casualties and damages from this battle. I want a detailed report."
Tony issued the orders, and though compiling such information wouldn't be instantaneous, JARVIS quickly retrieved satellite imagery, projecting a 3D view before Tony.
"It looks like we've won, at least," Tony remarked, surveying the devastation across New York with mixed emotions.
While repelling the Chitauri and inflicting heavy losses was vital, it was also critical to acknowledge the destruction wrought upon the city.
"Compared to the last resort of using nuclear bombs, at least New York can still be rebuilt," he thought. "So, we did win."
"Thanks to you, Tony Stark," Steve comforted, noticing Tony's lack of confidence.
This was a different experience for Captain America than his previous battles. He had witnessed the ravages of war across the globe for decades.
In the years since his awakening, while some parts of the world, like Japan, had recovered relatively well, others had not been so fortunate.
As Tony's strategies had pushed for this victory, Steve recognized it as a positive outcome. After all, it was far better than New York being utterly obliterated.
"Didn't expect to hear that from you," Tony replied, surprised by Steve's supportive words. "Aren't you supposed to be scolding me?"
"I've been through war, so I understand. If given the choice, most ordinary people would prefer to avoid conflict," Steve said earnestly.
"Yet war happens because some politicians benefit from it, driving it for their gain."
"This battle likely brought you little profit, so I have no reason to criticize you."
"And most importantly, we won, didn't we?" Steve added, a complex expression on his face.
"I get your point, but if I hadn't believed in our ability to win, I wouldn't have pushed for this war to start so soon," Tony said, his eyes glinting with determination.
"However, you seem to have finally stopped thinking of yourself as the strongest, accepting that there are greater forces in the universe," he continued, a confident smile creeping onto his face.
"More powerful beings exist in the universe; Earth may face even more challenges in the future."
"Your strength won't be enough against that kind of future."
"If you seek greater power to change your fate," he said, "after I finish addressing a few things, you're welcome to come to me. I can't guarantee you'll earn that person's approval, but if you don't, I can build you a suit tailored to you."
"Superpowers are often innate and difficult to control or replicate. However, advanced technology can be engineered and controlled."
Seeing Steve no longer consider himself the pinnacle of strength but accept the reality of the broader world, Tony felt reassured that his decisions were correct.
"That person's approval?" Steve asked, puzzled.
"Once you've made up your mind, come find me, and I'll explain everything in detail."
"I have a lot to attend to right now," Tony concluded, casting a glance at Steve.
He then exchanged greetings with Reno and the others, and together they returned to Stark Manor.
If he stayed much longer, his suit might just fall apart.