The sound of rapid footsteps echoed through the cave, drawing the attention of the bald-headed leader. He glanced up, his bloodshot eyes locking onto the armored figure that stood before him—a towering, imposing man clad in a suit of steel that radiated menace.
For a moment, the bald leader's breath hitched. He stared at the armored figure, then at the chaos outside—the battlefield reduced to smoldering ruins, filled with the screams of the dying. His mind raced back to the last transmission from the other outposts: "The devil... the devil is here..."
The figure in front of him could only be one thing—the devil himself.
Before Watson, could utter something dramatic, another series of gunshots rang out deeper in the cave, followed by desperate, bloodcurdling screams.
"AAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!!!"
The terrorists froze, exchanging nervous glances.
Watson, standing amidst his summoned chaos, tilted his head. "What the heck was that?"
Inside the cave, Ethan stumbled forward, wielding a makeshift weapon. The mild-mannered scientist looked surprisingly fearless as he defended Tony Stark.
Watson couldn't help but chuckle under his helmet. This guy. Everyone talks about Tony Stark being Iron Man, but Ethan? He's the real MVP. Without him, there'd be no Iron Man—just a billionaire with no heart, both literally and figuratively.
"Isam! Isam! Where are you?" Watson mocked in a high-pitched tone, imitating the panicked cries of the freedom fighters. He looked toward the commotion and smirked under his helmet.
Just as he prepared to intervene, a cocky voice echoed from deeper within the cave.
"Hey, tin can!" Tony Stark, now fully suited in his crude, makeshift Mark I armor, stepped into view. He exuded confidence, though his prototype suit groaned and hissed with every movement. "Are you Rhodey's backup? Because I'm good. I can handle this trash myself."
Watson's eyebrow twitched beneath his helmet. Armor little treasure? He chuckled to himself. Ah, Stark—always the one to throw in a jab, even in life-or-death situations.
Watson noticed movement on the mini-map. A group of terrorists had scaled the cliffs above the cave and were preparing an ambush. His smirk widened.
"Alright, if Stark wants his solo performance, I'll let him have it.Raven, come down and pick me up."
A deafening roar announced the descent of Watson's Raven, The massive creature landed with a thunderous crash, its black scales gleaming in the moonlight.
The freedom fighters panicked, their weapons shaking in their hands.
"What the hell is that?!" one shouted.
Watson leapt onto Raven back, casually addressing Stark. "Don't mind me, just taking the VIP seats for your little show." He turned to Ethan, extending a hand. "Let's get a better view, shall we?"
Ethan hesitated but eventually climbed onto Raven. The wyvern took off, soaring high above the battlefield. Ethan clung to its back for dear life, his face pale as they climbed into the sky.
"Are you sure Tony's going to be okay?" Ethan asked, his voice trembling.
Watson waved him off. "Relax. The guy built a walking tank in a cave with scraps. If anyone can survive this, it's him. Besides..." Watson smirked. "This will knock some of that arrogance out of him."
Back on the Ground
Tony Stark surveyed the battlefield, his suit clanking as he adjusted to its weight. "Let's get this over with." His voice dripped with determination.
The freedom fighters opened fire, their bullets pinging harmlessly off the armor's front plating. Sparks flew as Tony stood his ground, unfazed.
"Now it's my turn," Tony muttered. His suit's flamethrowers roared to life, spewing jets of fire that sent his enemies scattering.
But before he could finish them off, a series of gunshots rang out from above and behind him. A group of terrorists who had been lying in wait ambushed him, aiming for the vulnerable spots in his rudimentary armor.
Bullets struck exposed joints and wiring, causing Tony to stumble. One hit his left leg joint, forcing him to his knees, while others tore through vital systems along his back. Sparks flew, and his suit groaned in protest.
Gritting his teeth, Tony fired a missile at the cave ceiling, causing an explosion that sent rubble crashing down on his attackers. Those above the cave entrance were blown clear off their perch, their fate sealed as they hit the ground below.
The bald leader and his men weren't spared either, the rubble burying them under a deadly avalanche of stone.
Tony barely had time to recover before a rocket missile struck him square in the chest, sending him flying backward. He hit the ground hard, the force leaving him dazed but alive.
In the Sky
Ethan gasped as the explosion lit up the cave below. "Watson, we need to help him!"
Watson watched the scene unfold, leaning back casually on Raven saddle. "Relax, Ethan. This is Stark we're talking about. He's got a flare for the dramatic. Trust me, he's fine."
But beneath his calm exterior, Watson kept an eye on his mini-map, ready to step in if things took a turn for the worse.
On the Battlefield
Smoke billowed as Tony Stark, battered but not broken, pushed himself up. His suit was damaged, his movements jerky, but his resolve was unshaken.
"You want to play rough?" he growled, his voice amplified by the suit. "Let's play."
The terrorists, now reduced to a terrified few, hesitated. Their so-called "devil" had torn through their ranks, and the "man in the iron suit" was still standing.
Above, Watson grinned. "Alright, Stark. Show me what Iron Man's made of."