Chương 198: C197 Death of a [Former] Loved One

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Tony struggled to stabilize himself after the brutal hit from Stane. His suit's thrusters sputtered for a moment before regaining balance, but the shock from the attack still coursed through his system.

Stane laughed darkly, hovering in the air above Tony, his stolen Iron Man suit gleaming in the flickering light of battle. "You're too soft, Tony! You should've finished me when you had the chance."

Tony gritted his teeth, the sound of Stane's voice grating on him as old wounds reopened. Betrayal, anger, and disappointment flashed through his mind. This wasn't just a battle for survival—it was personal. Stane hadn't just sold Stark Industries' weapons to the enemy; he had turned on Tony, on his own family, seeking only power and recognition.

"Is that why you sold out to the Decepticons, Obi?" Tony spat back, his voice laced with bitterness as he powered up his repulsors. "Because you were too much of a coward to make it on your own? Always hiding in the shadows, waiting for a chance to stab me in the back?"

Stane's eyes burned with rage, his face twisting into a sneer as he fired a barrage of missiles toward Tony. "Coward? I was fighting politicians and generals from the State Department to build Stark Industries into what it is today while you were nothing but a cell in your father's ballsack! This was my chance to finally have what was mine, what I worked for, and you ruined it!"

Tony ducked and rolled, his suit's sensors going haywire as the missiles exploded around him, but he was quick to recover, launching into the air and circling around for a counterattack. "You're delusional! You would have been nothing without my family, and you know it!"

The two suits clashed in the sky, metal against metal, as repulsor beams and energy blasts cut through the air in a deadly dance. Tony's HUD flashed warnings as Stane's hits connected, but his reflexes were sharp, dodging and weaving through the barrage of attacks.

"I built this company, Tony! I carried Stark Industries while you were out ruining its name by gallivanting with wh*res, partying, and getting arrested!" Stane shouted, slamming into Tony midair, knocking him off balance again. "All the Starks ever did was overshadow me! Your father, and now you! I should be the one in charge! I should be the one at the top!"

Tony winced as the impact rattled his suit, but he retaliated quickly, delivering a swift punch to Stane's chestplate, sending him crashing into the side of a nearby hill. "You know, my mother was right about you," Tony muttered under his breath, landing on the ground with a heavy thud. "You've always been a parasite, feeding off the Stark name. We just couldn't see it…"

Stane, enraged, ripped himself from the rubble and launched forward again, his repulsors glowing as he closed the distance between them. "I'll make sure there's no Stark name left to overshadow me!" he bellowed, firing a concentrated blast directly at Tony.

Tony raised his arms just in time to deflect the hit with his energy shields, but the force of it pushed him back. His systems were starting to overheat from the strain of the battle, and the suit's power levels were dropping rapidly.

"Jarvis, I need something here!" Tony called out, desperation creeping into his voice as Stane pressed the attack.

"Running calculations, sir," Jarvis responded, his calm voice a stark contrast to the chaos surrounding them. "However, I would advise a more immediate retreat."

But Tony wasn't listening. He had to end this, here and now.

Using his suit's limitless power reserves, Tony blasted toward Stane, catching him off guard with a powerful uppercut that sent Stane spiraling into the air. Without hesitating, Tony followed through, slamming Stane into the side Decepticon ship.

The impact sent shockwaves across the battlefield, and Stane's suit sparked and groaned under the pressure. Tony hovered a few feet away, breathing heavily as he stood over his former mentor, his repulsors glowing.

Stane groaned, trying to stand, but his suit was damaged. His face was contorted with pain, but his eyes still burned with hatred. "You think… you've won, Tony? You can't even finish me."

Tony stood over him, his expression hard but conflicted. Stane had betrayed everything Tony stood for, everything Stark Industries had been built on. But Tony wasn't a killer.

"I don't need to finish you, Obi," Tony said, his voice quieter now. "You're already finished."

For a brief moment, it seemed like the fight was over. Tony sighed, ready to call it in. He didn't want to kill Stane, no matter how much he deserved it.

But Stane, even in defeat, wasn't done. His hatred for Tony ran too deep. With a final, desperate snarl, he reached for the control panel on his suit, activating a hidden weapon. "You're wrong, Tony. I'll never be finished!"

Before Tony could react, Stane fired one last deadly repulsor blast, aimed straight at Tony's chest.

But although Tony was caught off guard, Jarvis wasn't.

In an instant, Tony's shoulder-mounted laser deployed, the beam shooting out and slicing through the air with deadly precision. It overpowered Stane's attack and cut through his suit like butter, severing him cleanly in half.

Stane's eyes widened in shock as his body split in half, the light fading from his eyes as he fell from the sky, a small shower of his own blood following after him.

For a moment, there was silence.

Tony stood there, breathing heavily, staring down as Stane fell, his heart pounding in his chest. The realization of what had just happened washed over him, and for a second, he felt a pang of regret. But it was over. It had to be.

"Thank you, Jarvis," Tony muttered, his voice hoarse.

"You're welcome, sir," Jarvis responded, his tone as calm and collected as always. "Though I must say, I'm relieved the outcome was favorable."

Tony sighed, looking up at the sky, the sound of battle raging around him. "Yeah… me too."

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As Tony battled Stane, the war around them continued to rage. Explosions echoed across the sky, the sounds of metal clashing, plasma fire, and the roar of engines filled the air as the battle between the Autobots and Decepticons reached a brutal crescendo.

The Red Room, floating high above, held firm, its shields flickering with each impact from the Decepticon assault. Though its defenses were formidable, some of the Decepticon firepower managed to break through, sending shockwaves that rattled the entire structure.

The Autobots' ship, docked alongside the Red Room, also groaned under the strain of the onslaught, with sections of its hull smoking from direct hits. The Decepticon army outnumbered them, and even the might of the Autobots wasn't enough to keep them at bay.

The Decepticons pressed their advantage. Their soldiers swarmed the Red Room's defenses, overwhelming the automated turrets and anti-aircraft systems. The skies were thick with aerial Cybertronians, weaving through explosions as they relentlessly attacked.

The Autobot forces, despite their valor, began to falter under the sheer weight of the Decepticon numbers. Bodies of fallen Transformers, both Autobot and Decepticon littered the sky, still in free fall.

Autobots like Ironhide and Bee fought valiantly, blasting away at the oncoming Decepticon horde. But for every Decepticon they managed to take down, two more appeared, their forces seemingly endless.

Inside the Red Room's command center, Rocket slammed his fist against a control panel, watching the situation grow dire. "Damn it! We're losing ground here! Those Decepticons just keep coming!"

Peggy, holding her position near the turrets, growled in frustration, her fingers flying over the controls. "We have to hold them off until Peter's done!"

The Decepticons' overwhelming numbers began to shift the tide in their favor, pushing the Red Room's army back. Smoke and fire filled the sky as their ships and warriors fell, their defenses stretched to their limits.

Optimus, watching from a distance as the battle turned, knew it was time. He could no longer stay on the sidelines. Activating the boosters in his feet, hands, and back, he launched himself into the fray, flying toward the thick of the fight. His massive frame cut through the sky like a missile, and as he flew, he unleashed his weapons—a barrage of plasma fire rained down on the Decepticons below.

The tide of battle shifted the moment Optimus entered the fray. Decepticons that had been pushing the Autobots back now found themselves under attack from the Autobot leader, who struck down Decepticon after Decepticon with ruthless efficiency. His movements were precise, every strike with his blade and every blast from his plasma cannon finding its mark.

As Optimus carved a path through the Decepticon forces, hope began to surge among his allies once more. Ironhide rallied his forces, Jazz flanked the enemy alongside the Jedi, and Bee fought with renewed ferocity. The Autobot ship and Red Room, though still under attack, now had a fighting chance.

But Megatron wasn't about to let Optimus have the upper hand.

From the Nemesis, Megatron watched with cold fury as his forces began to falter under Optimus's assault. His optics narrowed as he activated his own boosters, rising from his command center with deadly purpose. He wouldn't let Optimus steal victory.

With a thunderous roar, Megatron flew out of the Nemesis, his green energy sword igniting in his hand as he soared toward the battlefield. His massive form cut through the smoke and chaos, heading directly for his greatest enemy.

Optimus sensed Megatron's approach even before he saw him. He turned, just in time to block the incoming strike as Megatron's green energy sword clashed violently with his own.

"You should have stayed out of this, Optimus," Megatron growled, his voice dripping with malice. "Now I'll destroy you, just like I'll destroy that pitiful human and take the AllSpark."

Optimus met Megatron's cold, red optics with his own unwavering gaze. "You'll have to go through me first, Megatron."

The two titans collided again, their swords clashing in a flurry of sparks. The battlefield around them became a warzone of its own as the two leaders engaged in a deadly duel. Every strike was precise, every block measured. Megatron's attacks were brutal, fueled by his hatred for Optimus, while Optimus fought with a calm determination, knowing that the fate of not just the Autobots, but the entire planet, rested on his shoulders.

As their duel intensified, the high-ranking members of both sides joined the fight. Jazz, Ironhide, and Bee launched themselves into the air, mirroring Tony's method of flight with their own boosters. They sped toward the enemy, engaging Starscream, Barricade, and Bonecrusher in a fierce aerial battle.

Jazz, always quick on his feet, darted through the sky, evading Starscream's missiles with ease before delivering a series of rapid plasma blasts that struck the Decepticon commander. Starscream, screeching in frustration, fired back, his attacks wild and filled with fury.

Ironhide, wielding his heavy artillery, fired round after round at Barricade, his massive cannons roaring as they unleashed devastation. Barricade, though tough, struggled under the relentless barrage, forced to evade or face destruction.

Bee, smaller and more agile, zipped through the air, targeting Bonecrusher. The Decepticon brute swung wildly at Bee, but the Autobot easily dodged his blows, firing precise shots at his joints, weakening him bit by bit.

The battlefield was chaos. Autobots and Decepticons fought fiercely, with no quarter given on either side. The tide of the battle shifted back and forth, neither side gaining a clear upper hand.

But just as it seemed the Decepticons were once again pressing their advantage, a sudden, powerful force rolled through the sky.

The clouds above darkened, swirling ominously as lightning began to crackle through the atmosphere. Thunder rumbled, and in an instant, bolts of lightning rained down upon the Decepticon forces.

Storm had arrived.

Her eyes glowed white with power as she floated high above the battlefield, her hands outstretched, controlling the very weather itself. Lightning ripped through the sky, demolishing Decepticon after Decepticon in a series of devastating strikes.

"Get clear!" Rocket shouted over the comms, warning the Autobots as Storm's fury descended upon the enemy. Decepticons exploded in bursts of fire and metal as Storm's lightning ripped through their ranks, leaving destruction in its wake.

And then, as the Decepticons reeled from Storm's assault, another figure appeared, floating above the battlefield with a calm but terrifying presence.

Magneto.

With a gesture, Magneto raised his hands, and instantly, the entire army of flying Decepticons froze midair. The battlefield fell silent for a moment, a ripple of shock spreading through both the Autobots and Decepticons.

The Decepticons, confused and panicked, struggled to move, but Magneto's power held them in place, rendering them helpless.

Optimus and Megatron, still locked in their duel, both paused for a brief moment, taking in the sight. The battlefield had been drastically altered, and with Storm and Magneto now in play, the tide was once again turning.

Megatron snarled in frustration, but Optimus only pressed the advantage, swinging his blade toward Megatron once more.

But deep within the Red Room, something else was happening.

Peter, still kneeling in front of the AllSpark, felt a pulse of power radiate through him. The transformation was complete. The Red Room, now fully Cybertronian, had come to life!

A/N: 2231 words :)

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