Chapter 73: Chapter 73
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The three cars hovering around the armored figure crashed down in front of the venue, completely sealing off the exits.
Tony scrutinized his opponent, noting at least seven arc reactors embedded within the armor—located on the chest, shoulders, backs of the hands, and knees. This setup was designed to provide ample energy for transforming strong electromagnetic forces into combat power.
While the multi-energy source design mirrored some of Tony's earlier concepts, the introduction of the second-generation arc reactor had changed everything. With its enhanced energy output, a single reactor could easily supply several times the energy of the older models, eliminating the need for multiple energy sources to enhance his armor's capabilities.
Of course, Tony hadn't abandoned the idea of multiple energy sources entirely; his wrist-mounted laser weapons still utilized smaller palladium-based arc reactors as their power source.
"Tony Stark, I've been waiting for this day for a long time!"
The voice was unmistakably unfiltered, and Tony's eyes widened as recognition struck him.
"Zeke? Zeke? Stan? What are you doing here?"
"Tony Stark," Zeke replied, his voice dripping with resentment, "my father had to go to jail for your supposed murder—why can't I have my turn?"
He continued, fury building in his tone, "My father and yours were both veterans of Stark Industries. Why do you get to live freely while I am forced to serve you? My father cleans up your messes time and again. Stark should belong to us; it should be called Stan!"
With that declaration, Zeke activated the seven rectangular energy sources on his armor. A hum filled the air as electric arcs danced across his body, generating a powerful magnetic field that lifted the remaining two vehicles, which hurtled toward Tony like missiles.
Reacting swiftly, Tony raised his hands, firing energy blasts from his palms to redirect the first car, sending it crashing into a nearby wall and averting potential harm to the crowd.
But the second car was already upon him, and he had no time to repeat his maneuver. Tony stretched out his arms to catch it, but Zeke seized the opportunity, hurling the first car he had just redirected straight into Tony's hold. The combined weight of the two cars bore down on him, slamming Tony onto the ground.
Zeke, unrelenting, readied another attack with the battered car, but before he could strike, a whirlwind of sparks erupted around him. A swirling portal opened, sucking in the shattered vehicle.
At the same moment, another portal appeared behind Zeke, and the car that had just been absorbed flew out, crashing into him and sending him sprawling.
On the sidelines, Abel, cloaked in swirling black smoke, stood firm. With a wave of his hand, portals opened before the terrified civilians.
"Leave immediately! You won't be safe here much longer!" he commanded.
Once his words echoed through the venue, Abel gestured to Natasha, Pepper, and Happy, who immediately took the lead, guiding people through the portals. As the crowd began to disperse, the chaos threatened to devolve into a stampede.
With civilians evacuating, Tony and Zeke disentangled themselves from the wreckage and stood, ready to face each other again.
Zeke narrowed his eyes at Tony and Abel, who was enveloped in black smoke. "My father warned me about your superpowered friend. You're all in this together."
Tony stepped forward defiantly. "Zeke, where's Obadiah? Where's the guy who built the arc reactor?"
"Oh, you'll see them soon enough," Zeke replied ominously.
As he spoke, the blue lights in Zeke's mask shifted to a menacing red. Simultaneously, the steel soldiers displayed on stage activated, their eyes glowing with the same crimson hue.
Instantly, the soldiers raised their arms, opening fire on Tony and Abel.
Bullets rained down as Tony shot upwards through the shattered ceiling, well aware that Abel could handle himself. He trusted Abel's abilities; those bullets wouldn't touch him.
As expected, Abel morphed into black smoke, gliding out of the venue and soaring into the open sky.
Zeke, undeterred, pursued Tony, firing his arc pulse gun. The armor's limitations meant it could only accommodate a handful of weapons, but Zeke made up for that with his fierce determination.
Hum! Hum!
Energy blasts erupted between them, but Zeke's relentless barrage, aided by the steel soldiers, put Tony at a severe disadvantage. Just when things seemed dire, help arrived.
The sound of a six-barreled Gatling gun roared to life, unleashing a torrent of bullets that tore through the ranks of the steel soldiers, destroying three in a single sweep.
"Rhodey, you finally made it!" Tony shouted through the communication device, relief flooding his voice.
"If you think I'm going to let you handle this alone, you've got another thing coming!" Rhodey replied, determination clear in his tone.
"Perfect timing! With you and Abel, we've got more than enough firepower to take him down!"
However, before Tony could celebrate, their communication was hijacked. Obadiah's voice crackled through.
"Tony, it's not just Zeke who wants to settle the score with you—it's us!"
As he spoke, a large truck compartment in a nearby parking lot burst open. Two distinctly designed suits of armor emerged, quickly soaring into the air!
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone