As the missile streaked across the sea, closing in on Stark's mansion within mere seconds, Tony Stark's mind was a raging storm of chaos.
Security measures? Personnel oversight? Helicopter patrols?
Nonexistent! Absolutely nonexistent!
All those so-called precautions? Useless!
There was no Extremis virus, no elaborate assassination attempt—just the simplest, most direct method possible.
The enemy had chosen brute force: an all-out assault using armed helicopters to wipe Stark's mansion off the map.
Maybe this was why the Mandarin could so easily threaten the World Security Council. This thought must have crossed Tony Stark's mind at that moment.
Now, he truly understood—this Mandarin was no ordinary villain.
His influence ran so deep within the country that he had somehow managed to clear out the armed helicopters of the Secret Service and replace them with his own.
Seamlessly blending his forces into the patrol rotation. And under the guise of "protection," he had sent a missile straight to Iron Man's doorstep.
Maya Hansen's words were now undeniable: A.I.M. was unquestionably working for the Mandarin.
Replacing Secret Service personnel, hijacking their helicopters, and launching a surprise attack of this magnitude—it could only mean one thing: the enemy's roots ran deep within the nation itself.
Anyone with common sense would realize that a foreign warlord like the Mandarin couldn't have orchestrated such an operation alone.
If he truly had this level of control over the U.S. government's assets, he'd already be the new ruler of the world.
At this moment, Tony Stark came to a chilling realization: The enemy was already inside the house.
Of course, there was one thing he still didn't understand: this enemy was a monster of his own making.
Aldrich Killian's vendetta had been ignited that fateful New Year's Eve in 1999, when Tony Stark had left him humiliated and abandoned.
From that moment on, his hatred had festered, leading him down the path of evil.
'I will have my revenge against A.I.M.'
But that would have to wait.
Right now, Stark had a more pressing issue—his house was about to be blown to pieces.
"Huh, a missile?"
At that moment, Kagura casually strolled up to the massive glass window in the living room, watching as the projectile hurtled toward them at breakneck speed.
"Well, they've got guts, I'll give them that. Attacking Iron Man's home base head-on like this…"
"Hitomi! It's dangerous!"
Tony Stark's eyes widened in shock as he shouted, "That's regular glass! It won't stop a missile! Get away from there!"
"Hm? Really?"
Kagura tilted her head, flashing a mischievous grin. "I figured this place was already reinforced into some kind of indestructible fortress."
"No fortress! Do you think I could turn my house into a fortress in such a short time?!"
Without wasting another second, Stark lunged at her, shielding her as they hit the ground.
At the same time, he remotely activated the Mark 42 suit, sending it to Pepper Potts for her protection.
'BOOM!'
A deafening explosion rocked the area—but not in the way one would expect.
The missile detonated mid-air, a hundred meters away from Stark's mansion, as if it had collided with an invisible barrier.
The blast's energy rippled outward in a massive shockwave, revealing a shimmering, hexagonal energy grid that briefly flickered like a dazzling aurora, mocking the three attack helicopters in the distance.
"You think you can destroy Stark's house? Not a chance."
As everyone watched in stunned silence, a fleet of twelve drones deactivated their optical camouflage, forming a three-by-four defensive formation outside Stark's window.
These weren't just any drones.
They were the latest energy shield drones produced by Rhodes Island Technologies.
Facing the ocean, their surfaces gleamed with a pulsating blue glow—the telltale sign of an Arc Reactor-powered shielding system.
Perhaps Tony Stark had been too focused on his suits, or maybe he had underestimated the Mandarin's capabilities.
Either way, he had neglected to set up proper defenses for his home.
But Kagura wasn't so careless.
The moment she heard Stark had broadcasted his home address to the entire world, she secretly mobilized Rhodes Island Industries, installing a complete defense system that had effectively transformed Stark's mansion into an impenetrable fortress.
"Go ahead, take your best shot. If a single brick from Stark's house gets damaged, I'll admit defeat!"
Having suffered an unexpected setback, the three attack helicopters weren't about to back down.
They fired another volley of missiles, desperate to break through Kagura's energy shield.
But to a Rhodes Island strategic defense system—designed with extraterrestrial threats in mind—these missiles were nothing more than pebbles thrown at a castle wall.
One by one, the projectiles exploded harmlessly against the barrier, their fiery eruptions rippling across the shield like water disturbed by raindrops.
"…Uh, Mr. Stark?"
Kagura pouted, gently knocking on Stark's forehead. "As you can see, we're perfectly safe. So… could you maybe get off me now?"
"Oh! Uh… sorry!"
Tony Stark snapped out of it, realizing that he had instinctively pinned Kagura down, shielding her with his body from any potential blast shockwaves.
"This is Rhodes Island tech?"
Stark stood up, eyeing the hovering drones outside. "Gotta admit… that's pretty damn cool."
"Right? It's one of my proudest creations!"
Kagura puffed out her chest with pride. "Unlike your all-in-one combat suits, Rhodes Island focuses on developing… let's say, more unconventional equipment."
"That's a smart approach."
Stark stroked his chin thoughtfully. "Did you deploy these from the 'Halo' orbital station?"
"Nope, Mr. Stark."
Kagura smirked, crossing her arms. "Rhodes Island drones are stationed everywhere—cities, jungles, deserts, oceans, even high-altitude airspace."
"We have multiple deployment and storage platforms worldwide, ensuring rapid response capabilities. The 'Halo' station is just one of many options."
"Damn. That's impressive."
Stark let out a whistle. "I might have to pay Rhodes Island a visit sometime—you guys are really starting to intrigue me."
"Ahaha!"
Kagura grinned. "Rhodes Island Industries would be happy to have you, Mr. Stark."
"By the way, how long can this shield last? What about the energy supply?"
Stark pointed toward the helicopters, which were now revealing even more weaponry—rocket pods, missile racks, and heavy machine guns. They clearly weren't giving up.
"Ah, no worries. The shield lasts for five minutes. But…"
Kagura's smirk widened as she tapped her earpiece. "Cortana, prepare for counterattack."
Stark raised an eyebrow. "Oh? What are you dropping from orbit? More shields? Drones? Combat robots?"
Kagura casually shrugged. "Nah, nothing fancy."
"Just a good, old-fashioned artillery strike."