Chapter 134 Iron Man Strikes Again!

BOOM!

As S.H.I.E.L.D. agents and Tony Stark mulled over the differences between the Justice League and the Avengers, a thunderous explosion rocked the skies above.

The sound, reminiscent of rolling thunder, startled everyone, including the New York citizens who had been fixated on the scene in the sky.

All eyes locked on the site of the explosion, their gazes unwavering, afraid to miss a single detail.

At that moment, the external platform of the War Fortress, which extended from its interior, was engulfed in a blinding fireball and thick smoke, obscuring visibility.

But many had already noticed that this explosion was the result of a collision between two projectiles just moments prior.

The alien-controlled humanoid mech had unleashed a devastating blue energy blast.

Not one to be outdone, Cyborg responded with a concentrated sonic cannon.

The two blasts collided, triggering a chain reaction that obliterated the platform and sent shockwaves rippling into the War Fortress interior.

Through the chaos, Batman emerged like a sword cutting through the smoke.

Click-click-click!

Under his control, the Batmobile reoriented itself midair. Cannons emerged from the car hood and sides, aimed squarely at the obscured figures within the smoke.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Specialized rounds turned the barrels red-hot as they rained down like a deadly storm, detonating anew within the cloud of debris.

"Damn humans!"

Rang furious shout echoed across the sky, audible even to the citizens of New York below.

Delivered in flawless American English, his words surprised many.

Unaware of the backstory, the citizens didn't find it particularly odd.

In fact, with Batman now in the fray, their tension had diminished considerably.

To them, Batman was the embodiment of hope, capable of turning the tide and pulling New York from the brink of disaster.

As for the S.H.I.E.L.D. team, Nick Fury face registered a mix of astonishment and suspicion.

He couldn't quite wrap his head around why an alien like Rang was fluent in English.

Then he recalled the events of the 1990s when both Kree and Skrull visitors to Earth had spoken the same polished American English.

By that logic, it wasn't so strange for this alien, Rang, to do the same.

Still, the spectacle unfolding above was unlike anything Fury had ever witnessed—and the conclusion was far from certain.

Emerging from the smoke, Batman swung into the interior of the War Fortress using his grappling gun, disappearing from view once again.

Everyone watching, both on the ground and in the air, could only speculate on his next move.

Some guessed that Batman intended to seize control of the massive alien ship from its current commander.

The thought ignited hope and anticipation.

"Get out here!"

Rang enraged roar echoed through the War Fortress.

Under his mental command, the ship internal weapon systems came to life, targeting the recently infiltrated Batman—Anton.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Energy blasts roared toward him.

With an unflinching demeanor, Anton adjusted his cape and threw a Batarang.

The Batarang traced a wide arc, intercepting the incoming energy blasts before returning to his hand.

The resulting explosions lit up the darkened corridors, but Batman specialized cape absorbed the shockwave, leaving him unharmed.

Crack! Crack!

The impacts caused visible damage to the interior of the War Fortress.

Rang could do nothing but watch, unable to focus his efforts on repairs or reconfigurations.

His attention was locked in a separate battle with Anton Cyborg persona, preventing him from dealing with Batman directly.

Anton true goal inside the War Fortress was the Beacon.

The Beacon was the central hub around which the entire War Fortress was constructed, serving as its heart and mind.

Controlling the Beacon would grant Cyborg full command of the War Fortress, potentially transforming the alien battleship into a base for the Justice League.

This was Anton ultimate plan.

He glanced upward, spotting the Beacon—a small sphere suspended roughly a hundred meters above.

There was no mistaking it.

However, Rang had clearly identified Anton as a primary threat, directing the entirety of the Fortress weaponry to target him.

Even taking a single step forward was a perilous challenge, akin to walking a tightrope between skyscrapers in a storm. One misstep could mean utter annihilation.

"The game has just begun," Anton muttered to himself, his voice calm yet focused.

He quickened his pace, weaving through the hail of gunfire with fluid precision.

Like a fish navigating treacherous waters, he closed the gap between himself and the Beacon, his every move deliberate and relentless.

At the War Fortress external platform, the smoke cleared to reveal Cyborg hovering mid-air, locked in a tense standoff with Rang humanoid mech.

Rang clenched his teeth, fury seething in his alien form. Through the mech internal monitors, he understood Batman goal within the War Fortress. The realization stoked an anger he had never felt before.

Yet, Cyborg had him pinned here, leaving him unable to pursue Batman and deal with the intruder directly.

"Damn humans!"

Rang was far from unfamiliar with his opponents.

Having observed Earth for quite some time, he knew the names of these so-called "superheroes."

"Superheroes," he sneered, his voice dripping with mockery. "Heroes are nothing but corpses waiting to happen. Superheroes just die faster."

Over his time observing Earth, Rang had compiled a list of individuals who could pose a threat. Batman and Cyborg were prominent on that list. Others, like Iron Man outside the War Fortress and Spider-Man and the Ninja Turtles battling his allies below, also featured.

But overall, Rang hadn't thought much of them.

As an infamous alien criminal with command over the terrifying technology of the War Fortress, he had vanquished opponents far more formidable than these inhabitants of what he considered a backwater planet.

"I'll deal with you first, Cyborg," Rang spat, tightening the humanoid mech fists. "Then I'll take my time with Batman."

Clang!

The mech fists flexed, brimming with power.

"This is a new game," Rang growled, his words laced with venom. "Be careful, Earthling."

The disdain in his tone was unmistakable. He viewed humanity as mere ants beneath his boots.

Yet, the fact that those "ants" had breached his first line of defense enraged him to his core.

"I was about to say the same thing," Cyborg replied coolly.

BOOM!

Their words barely settled before another volley of energy blasts clashed in mid-air.

The ensuing explosions painted the sky with fire and smoke.

From the chaos emerged a concentrated blue energy beam, brimming with icy power. It tore through the fiery aftermath with astonishing speed, freezing the flames in its wake as it barreled toward Cyborg.

Cyborg raised his hand, deploying a sonic shield that absorbed the incoming beam.

Whoosh!

Without hesitation, Cyborg jetted forward, propelled by streams of energy, aiming to engage Rang in close combat.

Anton, operating his Cyborg persona, understood Rang strengths and weaknesses well.

From a purely technological standpoint, Rang War Fortress and humanoid mech rivaled the alien technology of Apokolips and the Mother Box.

Victory wouldn't come easily.

But Rang had a fatal flaw: he lacked any inherent combat ability.

His sole reliance was on the mech and the War Fortress.

The plan was clear—destroy Rang mech and allow Batman, Anton primary form, to disrupt Rang control over the War Fortress from within. Without his mech or Fortress, Rang would be powerless and ripe for defeat.

Crash!

Under the gaze of countless onlookers, Cyborg and Rang mech collided with a resounding impact, shaking the platform and sending shockwaves rippling through the air.

Meanwhile, outside the War Fortress.

Tony Stark, observing the battle from his position, was deep in thought.

Seeing the alien preoccupied with Cyborg, he knew this was an opportunity he couldn't let slip.

"Time to contribute," Tony muttered to himself, clenching his fists.

Even if he couldn't play the leading role, he could at least lend some assistance to Cyborg or Batman.

After all, he needed to make an impression.

The earlier humiliation of failing to breach the War Fortress while Cyborg and Batman had entered with seeming ease still stung.

It wasn't just a blow to his ego; it was a very public one.

New Yorkers, their eyes fixed on the sky, had witnessed his struggle—and his defeat.

Tony had no intention of letting that image linger.

"I'm not sitting this one out."

With determination burning in his eyes, Tony prepared to make his next move.

Tony Stark felt it was necessary to restore his heroic image in the eyes of New Yorkers.

The people needed to remember that Tony Stark was still the genius inventor who embodied both talent and charm.

With this thought, Tony made up his mind.

Even though his suit energy reserves were critically low, he pushed his armor to supersonic speed, streaking toward the War Fortress like a bolt of lightning.

Boom!

The air exploded behind him, sending shockwaves rippling outward.

"Iron Man making another move!"

"He going to help Cyborg and Batman!"

The crowd eyes lit with hope as they tracked the red streak cutting through the sky.

Click! Click! Click!

Despite Rang being occupied by Cyborg relentless assault and unable to directly control the War Fortress, its external defense systems were preprogrammed to operate autonomously, functioning with precision even without his input.

Massive cannons rotated, locking onto the incoming red figure.

Tony narrowed his eyes, feeling a pang of tension.

"Sir, I've mapped out a potential route for you," J.A.R.V.I.S. announced confidently.

Using its advanced calculations, J.A.R.V.I.S. analyzed the cannon trajectories and identified a narrow pathway that could allow Tony to bypass the Fortress defenses.

"Good work, J.A.R.V.I.S.!"

Hearing this, Tony anxiety evaporated, replaced by his characteristic confidence.

With an added burst of thrust from his palms and boots, Tony accelerated, becoming a crimson blur.

Whoosh!

But just as he approached the Fortress, an onslaught of energy blasts converged, blocking his calculated path completely.

"Damn it!"

Tony voice was filled with alarm. "J.A.R.V.I.S., your route is wrong!"

"Apologies, sir," J.A.R.V.I.S. replied in its usual calm tone, throwing in a quip: "I hope I'll have the chance to recalculate."

BOOM!

Before Tony could respond, he collided head-on with a barrage of energy blasts.

A massive explosion lit up the sky, sending him spinning uncontrollably.

Disoriented and losing altitude, Tony plummeted from the heavens.

The crowd below watched in stunned silence as Iron Man disappeared from sight.

No one spoke, but their collective thoughts resonated:

Good luck, Iron Man.

"Armor damage: 78%. Weapon systems completely offline. Thrusters non-functional. Flight capability lost..."

J.A.R.V.I.S. delivered its grim assessment before pausing briefly. "Sir, good luck."

"Damn it!"

Tony gritted his teeth. "J.A.R.V.I.S., if I survive this, you better hope your core algorithms don't get replaced!"

As he plummeted uncontrollably toward the TCRI building, Tony couldn't help but brace for impact.

Despite the protection of his suit, a fall from such a height wasn't something he could walk away from unscathed.

At best, he'd survive—but barely.

He squeezed his eyes shut, ready for the inevitable.

Suddenly, his fall stopped.

Tony felt himself caught in what seemed like a web.

Opening his eyes, he realized he had been saved by something—or someone.

A face loomed over him, one that sported enormous, unsettling eyes, a wide gaping mouth full of sharp teeth, and gleaming fangs.

A string of saliva dripped onto the faceplate of Tony helmet with an audible plop.

Startled at first, Tony quickly recognized his savior and let out a breath of relief.

Though grotesque in appearance, this individual was hard to forget.

"Venom!"

Tony exhaled again, a faint smirk tugging at his lips. "Eddie Brock, I owe you one."

Tony wasn't unfamiliar with Eddie. During his earlier investigation into whether Anton was actually Batman, Eddie identity—and his connection to Venom—had been one of the first discoveries Tony had made.

Even then, Tony hadn't been able to ignore just how unique Venom truly was.

Inside the War Fortress, Anton—the real Batman—was entirely focused on his mission, just as his Cyborg counterpart was locked in battle with Rang and his humanoid mech on the platform outside.

Neither was aware of the drama unfolding around Tony Stark.

For Anton and Cyborg, their attention was laser-sharp, fully committed to tackling their respective challenges.

In truth, these challenges felt less like insurmountable obstacles and more like levels in a high-stakes game.

The task: overcome the enemy and reach the final goal.

Inside the Fortress:

Anton was now just over 50 meters from the Beacon.

Behind his helmet, his expression remained calm, his steps purposeful yet unhurried.

The barrage of incoming projectiles and energy beams were deftly evaded, his agility making the chaos seem almost choreographed.

This was made possible thanks to the "backdoor" that Cyborg had planted earlier in the Fortress network, disrupting Rang control and significantly reducing the system efficiency.

Even so, the ultimate authority over the Fortress still resided with Rang.

To fully neutralize its defenses and stop the onslaught, Anton needed to seize the Beacon and strip Rang of his control entirely.

On the Platform:

The battle between Cyborg and Rang mech had reached a fever pitch.

Their close-quarters combat was an intense clash not just of physical skill but of cutting-edge weaponry.

Cyborg arsenal was a hybrid of Earth-made technology and alien advancements.

Meanwhile, Rang mech boasted the pinnacle of extraterrestrial engineering.

The sheer destructive power on both sides forced them into a mutual understanding: direct hits were out of the question.

As a result, their duel was a constant dance of attacks and evasions.

Each near miss sent dazzling explosions into the air, lighting up the battlefield like a fireworks display.

Down below, even the New Yorkers, gripped by fear, couldn't help but be awed by the spectacle.

Time ticked by.

The War Fortress assembly neared completion, its progress now at an alarming 91%.

Once fully operational, it would unleash unimaginable devastation upon Earth.

Watching the sky, Nick Fury nerves frayed further.

The battle above showed no signs of resolution, and inside TCRI Tower, Spider-Man had been gone for what felt like an eternity without any updates.

Fury hand twitched toward his pager.

On the Streets Below:

BOOM!

The clash on the streets reached its conclusion.

The combined efforts of Green Arrow and the Ninja Turtles had finally defeated Rhino and Warthog.

The two villains lay sprawled and incapacitated, their massive forms barely stirring.

Green Arrow exchanged a quick glance with the Turtles.

Without a word, they moved in unison, racing into TCRI Tower to wrest control of the teleportation beacon from the Foot Clan and aid Batman and Cyborg above.

S.H.I.E.L.D. Agents:

Seeing the Green Arrow and the Ninja Turtles take action, the remaining S.H.I.E.L.D. agents followed suit.

Even without waiting for Fury command, they poured into the tower, determined to reclaim control of the device and bring an end to the looming crisis.

The pieces were all in motion.