069. The Coming of the Hurricane

The Mandarin wasted no time. As soon as he finished speaking, he activated his ice storm. In seconds, the entire office was encased in frost, with only the area around Jason spared from the biting cold. The temperature plummeted, and Mandarin didn't hesitate. He swiftly triggered the vortex ring, creating a powerful whirlwind to propel himself toward Jason. Everything unfolded smoothly; Jason seemed frozen in place, not reacting to the incoming attack.

Mandarin's confidence surged, his heart racing with a newfound sense of triumph. This was it!

Just as he closed in on Jason and prepared to unleash the cutting beam at close range, he felt his footing slip. Out of nowhere, his body lurched backward, his feet losing all traction on the slick floor. For a second, he was stunned, his body betraying him. The ground… it's too slippery!

Panicking, Mandarin fought to keep his balance, desperately trying not to fall. He twisted and spun with surprising agility, nearly performing a full 360-degree turn before crashing down in front of Jason.

For a moment, Mandarin was dumbfounded, as were the congress members watching from the conference center. They squinted at the screen, murmuring in bewilderment:

"What happened to the Mandarin? Why did he just sit down?"

"Maybe he's summoning even more power?"

"Exactly, he must be planning a massive counterattack! Pyro could be in serious danger…"

Everyone speculated, their eyes wide with anticipation. But the truth was simple—the Mandarin had slipped on his own icy floor.

Realizing the absurdity of his situation, Mandarin looked up to see Jason shaking his head, barely containing his laughter."Not bad," Jason remarked with a smirk. "Seems the years haven't dulled your flexibility."

Mandarin was mortified. How could he explain that he hadn't intended this slip? His pride burned hotter than ever as he tried to gather himself. "Why did I even freeze the ground? I could have just used the vortex alone to close in…"

He took a steadying breath, brushed off imaginary dust, and stood slowly. But as he rose, his legs trembled again. He wobbled, barely managing to right himself, before adopting his usual prideful stance, chin raised high.

"Was that a 360-degree freestyle wrestling move?" Jason asked, his tone dripping with amusement. "A challenging routine?"

Mandarin maintained his silence, his jaw clenched. At this point, words would only worsen the humiliation.

"You know," Jason added, chuckling, "not a bad performance. But I'd only give it a four out of ten."

Before Mandarin could retort, Jason's energy surged, releasing a shockwave that shattered every window in the office. Mandarin was caught off guard, the blast of energy crashing into him, its sheer force sending him flying out of a nearby window. The ground rushed toward him, the Stark building's towering height making his descent seem endless. Mandarin realized he had only moments to react, quickly activating his vortex ring to form a whirlwind beneath him, halting his fall midair.

Hanging in the air, Mandarin struggled to catch his breath, his entire body rattled by the impact. The intensity of Jason's power was beyond anything he had anticipated. He had assumed Jason was simply riding on sheer luck—but now, he saw the depth of his strength.

Jason, however, had refined his abilities through countless battles, each one pushing his strength and speed further, a fact the Mandarin was only now beginning to understand.

"Just warming up," Mandarin called out, forcing himself to stand straight within the whirlwind. Gathering his composure, he shouted, "Now, witness a real storm!"

Drawing on every ounce of strength, Mandarin intensified the whirlwind, transforming it into a massive cyclone that devoured everything around him. The ground cracked and shuddered as debris whipped into the air. The fear was palpable among the people watching from afar, their earlier hopes waning as they witnessed Mandarin's terrifying might.

"My God, what is that?! The end of the world?"

"Pyro can't possibly match him!" another voice trembled. "He's controlling the very weather itself!"

They stared in awe and dread as the Mandarin's power raged, their voices filled with anxiety. The hope they had felt at Jason's arrival was fading quickly as they realized just how powerful his opponent was.

"Pyro can't beat the Mandarin… he's too strong," someone murmured.

"Yeah," another voice echoed. "That strength… it's terrifying!"

As the whirlwind grew, the Mandarin reveled in their terror, his voice booming:"This is only the beginning! Witness the power of the Ten Rings!"