Next uninvited Guest

Edward, who had been acting as the priest, cleared his throat, drawing the attention of the guests back to him. "Now that the... performance is over, shall we continue with the wedding?" he asked, his eyes flicking toward Tony and Pepper.

Pepper smiled warmly as she nodded, and Tony, ever the confident one, gave a quick nod in agreement.

"So, as I was saying, if anyone has any objections, please step forward or forever hold your peace," Edward declared, his voice carrying an authoritative yet calm tone.

The crowd hushed, all eyes on the couple. There was a brief moment of tension in the air as some guests glanced around, half-expecting someone to stand up and object. But after a few tense seconds, no one moved, and the silence remained unbroken.

Edward smiled softly, his voice steady as he said, "It seems you two are good to go." He looked at Tony and Pepper with a reassuring nod.

Just as he was about to continue, "So, here I—" he was abruptly cut off by a sudden attack.

Out of nowhere, a crackling energy whip lashed out toward him with deadly precision. Edward's reflexes were lightning-fast. With a smooth motion, he raised his hand, and in an instant, a red katana materialized in his grip. With a sharp swing, he sliced through the energy whip, severing it in one clean motion.

But the whip wasn't done. It moved like a living thing, coiling and snapping toward him with intent. Edward's eyes narrowed. He let the whip wrap around the blade, then with a swift flick of his wrist, he turned the tables. The katana, now acting like the whip, twisted through the air with deadly grace.

From the far side of the hall, the doors burst open with a thunderous crack. The whip wrapped itself tightly around a man, yanking him off his feet and pulling him through the air. He flew forward, crashing through the doors with a loud bang as he landed roughly on the ground before Edward.

The hall fell silent, eyes wide as Edward stood over the intruder, the katana gleaming in his hand. He didn't even seem fazed by the interruption. Calmly, Edward looked down at the man struggling to rise from the floor.

"Mr. Vanko," Edward said, his voice as smooth as silk, "do you have a problem with the proceedings?"

With a gentle flick of his wrist, Edward retracted the energy whip, allowing it to disappear as if it had never existed. He stared down at the intruder, his expression one of mild amusement as if this interruption was nothing more than a minor inconvenience.

One of the guests chuckled, breaking the silence. "Tony never could settle for a boring, simple wedding."

The whole room erupted in laughter, and Tony couldn't help but smile at the remark. He looked around at his guests, raising an eyebrow as if acknowledging a shared secret. "Of course, I like a bit of excitement," Tony said with his trademark smirk.

Spreading his arms wide, he added, "You all know me."

More laughter followed, with guests nodding in agreement. Tony's charm was undeniable, even in the midst of chaos.

"So, this is Vanko, right?" Tony asked, glancing toward Edward, who nodded in confirmation.

"Of course I'm right!" Tony exclaimed proudly, puffing out his chest. "I'm Tony Stark, the genius!" His boastful tone had everyone clapping and cheering—until one guest suddenly blurted out, "But no, wasn't it Max Potts?"

A collective silence fell over the room as everyone turned to look at the man. After an awkward pause, they slowly nodded in agreement, their cheers fading.

Tony scratched the back of his head, smiling sheepishly. "Come on, people, just ignore the small details." He tried to brush it off, but the air of awkwardness lingered.

Turning his attention back to the trembling Vanko, Tony tilted his head. "What did you do to him?" he asked Edward, his voice dropping to a curious whisper.

Edward glanced down at Vanko before responding casually, "Just a bit of paralysis poison. You could say it's... temporary."

Tony nodded thoughtfully, bending down to look at Vanko's twitching form. "Seriously," Tony said in mock disappointment, "I paid you guys for a good fight, and here you are, losing so easily? Where's the fun in that?"

With a snap of his fingers, Tony watched as Vanko vanished from sight. The guests chuckled, and some began to clap, but the enthusiasm was short-lived.

"Another boring show," one of the guests muttered aloud, and soon, the room was filled with boos and jeers from the crowd.

Tony raised his hands in a half-hearted attempt to calm them. "Okay, okay, I get it! We'll make the next one better," he called out, trying to keep the mood light.

The crowd, still laughing and booing, gradually settled back into their seats, leaving Tony shaking his head in good-natured frustration. He turned his head slightly toward Edward, and over the Focus—Max's small Bluetooth-like device that connected everyone in the organization—he sent a message.

"Why are they even getting inside?" Tony asked in a frustrated tone, glancing over at Pepper. Her calm smile amidst the chaos sent a chill down his spine. It meant trouble.

'Not to mention... she's the strongest in the organization after Max,' Tony thought to himself as he took a deep breath. He silently prayed to whatever god might still be paying attention in this messed-up world, hoping for one thing: that no more surprises would come their way.

Because the last thing he needed was for the entire city to experience Pepper's wrath.

'We aren't letting them in. It's like they're just... popping out of nowhere,' came the guards' frustrated response through the Focus.

Tony sighed, rubbing his temple. 'Max, what's going on?' he asked, his voice betraying his weariness.

'I don't know,' Max responded, his tone laced with concern. 'I thought letting one or two in would give the wedding a little punch, but it's not the guards letting them through. It seems someone here can use Blink or a teleportation spell.'

Max frowned, feeling the weight of the unexpected situation. What had started as a controlled plan to spice up the event was quickly spiraling into something much more chaotic. 

the weight he felt wasn't from the unknown enemy as he know he can defeat all of them but from the anger that Pepper might unleash.