Chapter 58: Crimson Reckoning

The video feed flickered to life, and suddenly both Natasha and Pepper's faces appeared on Aetheris's screen.

"Oh, thank goodness you're alright!" Pepper's voice trembled with relief, her eyes glistening.

"Hmph, of course I'm fine. That so-called martial arts master from Russia thought he could take me on? Dream on."

Natasha looked mildly exasperated.

"Can the two of you save the sweet talk for your honeymoon?"

Before Aetheris could respond, a red dot zipped across Natasha's computer screen, closing in fast.

"Tony, incoming hostile! This one's different, energy readings are off the charts," Natasha warned, her red lips pursed in concern.

"Alright, I'll handle this one first," Aetheris said with a glance at Pepper, "then we can talk about making the next generation."

"Be careful. Don't get hurt," Pepper said softly.

"Tch, I'm the great Iron Man!" Aetheris activated his sensors and scanned his surroundings.

Central Park was unnaturally quiet. He could even hear the distant trickle of water.

Suddenly, a massive figure came crashing down from the sky.

Boom!The ground shuddered beneath the impact, sending shockwaves through the trees in a ten-meter radius.

"State your name, warrior!" Aetheris called out.

"Russia's Big Ivan!"

The mech's helmet snapped open, revealing Ivan's face—his hair slicked back, a more menacing version of the slim thug from before.

"Feels good to be back!"

Aetheris raised an eyebrow, puzzled by Ivan's confidence.

Ivan grinned wickedly. With a heavy swing, he unleashed both mechanical arms.

Szzzz! Szzzz!Two electric whips sparked to life—longer, thicker, and far more terrifying than before.

Crack! Crack! Crack!Ivan cracked them through the air and charged at Aetheris with explosive speed.

Boom! Boom! Boom!Aetheris fired a volley of micro-missiles. They struck Ivan's mech but didn't leave so much as a dent.

"Damn it!" Aetheris cursed, launching himself into the air to gain distance.

But Ivan's whip shot out, wrapping tightly around Aetheris's leg and slamming him into the ground.

"You've really pissed me off now!" Aetheris grunted, struggling to his feet.

"Heh. So what if you're angry?" Ivan sneered. "You think it's okay for the powerful to wreak havoc, but not for the rest of us to resist? You've crushed so many, Tony. Today, I crush you!"

With a guttural roar, Ivan raised both whips and charged.

"Tony! Your life is mine!"

Aetheris's expression hardened. He exhaled slowly.

"Goodbye, Big Ivan."

In the next instant, his armor unleashed a barrage of crimson laser beams.

Ka-ka-ka!A storm of red light shredded Ivan's mech—splitting it into pieces. Ivan himself was cleaved cleanly into thirds.

Blood sprayed as Ivan collapsed, eyes locked on the sky, filled with unwillingness.

In that final moment, he thought of home—Russia's vast, cold landscapes.

Aetheris felt a flicker of pity. But for enemies bent on killing him, he had one rule:

Kill.

"Sir, you're under arrest!" Several New York police officers stormed onto the scene.

"What? Me? I was helping!" Hans exclaimed in shock, staring at Pepper. "I thought we were allies! You're just trying to wipe out your rivals!"

"Move it!" an officer barked, slapping handcuffs on him and shoving him along.

Hans turned back and muttered to Pepper, "Think this is over? You've only just made things worse. Believe me, we'll meet again soon."

Pepper watched him disappear, a growing sense of unease curling in her chest. His words felt all too real.

Just then, Aetheris's voice came through.

"Pepper..."

"What is it, Tony?" Her voice trembled slightly.

"It's nothing. Just arrange" He trailed off, staring at the red blinking lights now flashing on the chests of the Iron Soldiers.

"Get away from them now!" Natasha's voice rang out, urgent.

"What's going on?" he demanded.

"They're rigged to self-destruct! There's a kill switch embedded!"

Aetheris's eyes widened. He launched himself into the air, flying toward Pepper at full speed.

Meanwhile, outside the convention center, Pepper remained on the phone, unaware. At her feet, one of the Iron Soldiers lay motionless, its chest blinking red.

"Faster! Go even faster!" Aetheris barked, adrenaline spiking.

"Sir, we are already at maximum velocity," Paul responded coldly.

"Divert all available energy to the thrusters!"

"Warning: Overload may cause thruster failure or explosion."

"Just do it!"

He didn't care about the risk. He wasn't the same Tony Stark anymore. Even a missile wouldn't stop him now.

The red light pulsed faster.

Then, he saw her. Pepper.

Without hesitation, Aetheris dove, scooping her up in his arms.

At that exact moment, the timer on the Iron Soldier hit zero.

The red lights erupted in chaos.

A piercing beep.

BOOM!

The explosion thundered through the air. The heatwave sent Aetheris and Pepper hurtling backward.

It felt like being strapped to the wildest roller coaster on Earth. Aetheris flipped and twisted so violently, he nearly vomited.

But through it all, he held Pepper close. She screamed uncontrollably.

Five seconds later, Aetheris steadied his flight and landed shakily atop a small hill.

Thud.He hit the soft ground, armor cracking and sparking. The Hellfire suit sputtered, spent.

With effort, he crawled out of it.

Pepper sat frozen, dazed. Her body trembled from the violent flight.

As she slowly came to her senses, she noticed a strange warmth soaking through her stockings. Looking down, her heart dropped—she had wet herself during the panic.

"It's okay now. Everything's fine," Aetheris whispered, wrapping his arms around her.

The cold mountain wind howled as it swept over them.

Pepper buried her face in his chest, unable to meet his eyes.

It was utterly humiliating, she had lost control in front of the man she loved most.

(End of Chapter)

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