"Do you think I'm the type of person who can be easily defeated?" Obadiya's voice crackled with fury, his desire to eliminate Tony Stark finally breaking through his control.
High in the air, Tony dodged another attack from the Iron Overlord, seamlessly twisting his body in midair. As he did, he fired a high-energy beam in retaliation. "Obadiya, you're mistaken. I don't consider myself self-righteous. I just know the power of my abilities and the technology at my disposal. And you? You're a pitiful worm, driven by nothing but greed and ambition."
"Shut up!" Obadiya roared, his anger reaching its peak. "If it weren't for you, I would have ruled Stark Industries! You, Tony Stark, took everything that was rightfully mine!"
Tony smirked, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "Oh? Is that so? Have you ever wondered why my father left the company to me instead of you? Maybe he saw your true nature long before I did."
"You!" Obadiya trembled with rage, his hands clenching the controls of the Iron Overlord. "What do you know, you arrogant child? I've sacrificed everything for this company, and now, because of you, it's all gone up in smoke!"
Tony hovered steadily in the air, the faint glow of the Ark Reactor pulsing in his chest. "No, Obadiya. The company didn't survive on betrayal and brute force. It thrived on innovation and integrity. You lost because you chose the wrong path from the very beginning."
"Hmph! Innovation? Integrity? What nonsense!" Obadiya sneered, his voice laced with contempt. "In this world, only power and strength matter!"
With that, the Iron Overlord unleashed a volley of dense mechanical cannon fire. Tony expertly dodged the barrage, countering, "Oh really? Then let's see how your so-called power measures up to my steel armor and high-tech weapons."
Their words were as sharp as the weapons they wielded, a battle of not only fists and tech but raw emotion. Resentment and anger crackled between them, the weight of their past history exploding in the air.
Meanwhile, Lin Mei and Colson continued to pursue the remaining members of the Ten Rings gang ahead. The situation was becoming more precarious by the second. Lin Mei felt the strain of her magic reserves—she couldn't hold on for much longer.
Summoning the last of her wind element magic, Lin Mei's eyes flashed with determination.
"Stop, Lin Mei! If you push yourself any further, the balance of your magic will collapse again!" Elain's voice echoed in her mind.
But Lin Mei paid it no mind. She had lived once before, leaving behind the people she loved. She would not hesitate now.
The imbalance of her powers was the least of her concerns.
"Let's go!" she shouted to herself, pouring the remaining wind magic into her legs.
In an instant, her speed surged, her body moving with the force of a storm. The members of the Ten Rings gang, spotting her, raised their weapons in a futile attempt to stop her.
But it was too late.
The distance was enough.
"The Secret of Dragon Destroying: Red Lotus Explosion Flame Blade!" Lin Mei shouted, channeling the fire dragon's power into two blazing, fiery blades that swirled around her arms. She spun, launching the fiery blades forward.
The gang members had barely time to react before the flaming slashes hit their target.
"Oh, God!" they screamed in unison as the last of the Ten Rings gang vehicle was cleaved in two. The explosion that followed engulfed the remaining members in a hellish inferno.
The shockwave of the blast sent Lin Mei stumbling backward, but her grin was wide.
"Hahaha! This is awesome!" Lin Mei laughed, caught up in the thrill of the battle.
"No wonder those Dragon Slayers in Fairy Tail are such battle maniacs," she murmured to herself, almost intoxicated by the rush.
"I'm so happy! You guy!" Lin Mei's thoughts were interrupted by Elein's frantic screams.
The voice of her inner companion was panicked, trying to suppress the chaotic surge of dragon magic.
"If it weren't for me, you'd probably be a genius by now," Elein muttered, struggling to maintain control.
Lin Mei's body flickered and swelled momentarily as the magic surged out of control. It was a dangerous sign that Elein's warnings were not without merit.
"Oh! Oh my god!" Melissa shouted, rushing out of the car with Little Chili in tow, hurrying towards Lin Mei.
Colson was right behind, catching up quickly. He extended his hand to help Lin Mei, but she immediately stopped him.
"Don't bother. Tony should be fine, right?" she said, still catching her breath.
At that moment, Tony Stark and the Iron Overlord shot upward, both seemingly on their way into the atmosphere. However, the Iron Overlord's armor began to freeze, losing power as it spiraled downward. Tony, drained from the battle, also began to plummet.
"Just a little longer, Tony," Lin Mei muttered under her breath.
Suppressing her magic, she inhaled deeply, gathering every last bit of energy.
"Lin Mei!" Colson shouted, noticing her small form swelling and fading in strange intervals.
"Lin Mei, you crazy bastard! You're using Dragon Destroying Magic again! Are you out of your mind?!" Elein screamed, almost in tears.
But Lin Mei had no intention of stopping.
"Roar of the Thunder Dragon!" she cried out, unleashing the full force of her magic.
As Tony Stark descended to within 100 meters of Lin Mei, her thunder-infused Dragon Killing Magic struck his steel frame with a tremendous force.
"Energy levels at 200%!" a mechanical voice rang out. Tony's eyes widened as he stared at the screen in disbelief.
"I love you so much, little wizard-powered battery!" Tony exclaimed, a grin spreading across his face as he realized he wasn't about to die. He had expected Lin Mei's energy attack to be his end, but to his surprise, her lightning strike had come at the perfect moment.
With the surge of energy, Mark II's systems were rebooted, all power restored. Now, Tony felt confident. He could take on Obadiya with ease—so much so, he could practically see the Iron Overlord begging for mercy.
Without wasting another second, Tony took control of Mark II and shot up into the sky, heading toward the location where the Iron Overlord had fallen.
Meanwhile, Lin Mei was in a far worse state. Her body's energy balance was completely shattered. She collapsed to the ground, trying to meditate, hoping to recover like she had before.
But this wasn't like last time. Previously, Lin Mei had only overdrafted a single attribute. Now, she had used all three—wind, fire, and thunder. Recovering wasn't going to be as simple.
"SHIELD!"
Back at SHIELD headquarters, everyone watched Lin Mei's struggle unfold on the screen. A tense silence fell over the room.
Nick Fury's one eye was glued to the monitor as he watched Lin Mei with intense focus.
"This… this can't wait," Fury muttered under his breath. "The Avengers initiative needs to speed up." He was already making plans to visit Tony Stark's residence. It was clear that the stakes had just been raised, and things were moving faster than anyone had anticipated.
Back on the battlefield, Lin Mei was in critical condition. The meditation techniques from the Fairy Tail world weren't enough to control the chaotic surge of magic racing through her body.
Ice began to form around her, its crystalline surface shimmering with an eerie light. A thin metallic sheen covered her skin, while dark, toxic energy leaked from every pore, polluting the air around her. It was a sight of pure, uncontrollable power—unpredictable and dangerous.
Colson, Melissa, and Little Pepper watched in horror, their faces filled with concern as they saw Lin Mei's condition deteriorate.
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