Chapter 34: Strength and Faith

Jiang Chen was about to throw another punch when Iron Man grabbed his arm and hurled him away. Jiang Chen landed hard but quickly rose, his anger simmering. He knew Iron Man hadn't gone all out yet, but neither had he. From S.H.I.E.L.D. to the Avengers, they had all questioned and tested him. He had had enough. If they wanted to see his strength, then he would gladly show them.

Jiang Chen charged forward again, launching another melee assault.

Iron Man, having lost his flight capabilities, was forced to engage in hand-to-hand combat. The sound of steel clashing with fists echoed through the now-ruined hotel courtyard. The battle was fierce, and onlookers had long fled the scene, leaving only destruction in their wake.

Despite the armor's protection, Iron Man struggled to withstand Jiang Chen's onslaught. Every punch from Jiang Chen felt like a hammer blow, and though Iron Man managed to land a few hits, Jiang Chen's body showed no signs of damage. The Extremis virus coursing through Jiang Chen's veins gave him rapid regeneration, tipping the fight in his favor.

Both combatants launched a powerful punch simultaneously, the force sending Jiang Chen skidding back, while Iron Man was knocked to the ground.

"Sir, the suit is critically damaged. I recommend retreating," J.A.R.V.I.S. warned as the interface lit up with red alarms.

Iron Man frowned at the damage report. Jiang Chen's strength was far beyond what he had anticipated. The suit's weapons were practically useless against him, and even in hand-to-hand combat, the MK42's power was ineffective.

Who is this guy? Iron Man thought, glancing at Jiang Chen. If he had wanted to end this fight, he could have. His flames or other powers could have easily overwhelmed Tony's already damaged suit, but he hadn't.

A moment of doubt flickered in Iron Man's mind. Could he have misjudged him?

"Why were you at that bank?" Iron Man asked, still lying on the ground, his suit barely functional.

Jiang Chen sneered, "If I was behind the explosion, do you think I'd be standing here wasting time talking to you?"

Tony frowned. He had reviewed the surveillance footage from the explosion. Jiang Chen had been at the scene, and no one else survived. It was suspicious, but Jiang Chen's point hit home—villains don't stop to chat with heroes.

"What's your name?" Iron Man asked after a moment of silence.

Jiang Chen's gaze hardened. In this world, only the strong are recognized. The weak? They aren't worth even knowing by name. People only respect power. Suspicion and tests were inevitable when your strength wasn't yet acknowledged. S.H.I.E.L.D.'s probing and doubting were just psychological games, tactics he could easily ignore now.

There was a time when Jiang Chen was just a normal man, unable to take on enhanced agents like Hawkeye or Black Widow. But that was before. Now, with his strength and the Extremis serum amplifying his abilities, why should he bow to those who once doubted him? Why should he fear Iron Man just because he was a hero?

Was he a bad guy? He had destroyed a lab where innocent people were subjected to horrific experiments, killed the terrorists and the mad scientist running it, and freed the victims. How did that make him the villain?

Looking down at Iron Man, Jiang Chen's eyes were resolute. "It's not only superpowered people in your Avengers who can fight for justice," he said, his voice unwavering. "Justice is upheld by strength and faith. Whether I am right or wrong is not for you to decide. If you think you have the right to judge me, then stand up and fight me."

With that, Jiang Chen turned and walked away, leaving Iron Man lying there, stunned.

Though Jiang Chen's words carried a hint of threat, Tony couldn't help but agree with him, at least partially. Upholding justice did require strength. It was something he had learned firsthand. Before becoming Iron Man, when he was just Tony Stark, billionaire playboy and arms dealer, no one cared about him beyond his wealth and influence. But once he donned the suit and took up the mantle of hero, S.H.I.E.L.D. had come knocking.

Every hero in the Avengers had earned their place through strength and conviction. They had fought and clashed before coming together with a shared belief in justice. And now, Jiang Chen, with his power and convictions, was demanding the same respect.

Iron Man climbed out of his suit, bruised but alive, thanks to the armor. As he stood, a helicopter descended, and Happy Hogan rushed over.

"Tony, you're in the headlines again," Happy said, showing him a blurry video on his phone. The title read, "Shock! Iron Man vs. Fire Man! Defeated!"

Tony waved it off with a grin. "It's a tie, not a defeat. Maybe I'll hold a press conference tomorrow."

Happy, however, was more concerned. "Tony, S.H.I.E.L.D. is looking for you."

Tony raised an eyebrow. "I'll deal with them later."

"They're at your house. Now," Happy added with a pained expression.

Tony's smile faded. "Who let them in?"

Happy's forced grin widened. "Miss Pepper."

Tony sighed. Of course, she did.

As the helicopter took off, Tony's thoughts lingered on Jiang Chen's parting words. Justice and power—they were intertwined, and Jiang Chen had shown both.