I Have a Girlfriend in Marvel

Justin Hammer didn't think he was bragging—at least, not in his own mind.

Especially when dozens of Iron Soldiers—representing the army, navy, air force, and marines—rose from beneath the stage. The spectacle instantly excited the unsuspecting crowd.

Hammer Industries had done it. Iron Man was now mass-produced. These massive, toy-like machines were poised to change the world forever.

When the fully armed War Machine appeared on stage, the audience practically lost their minds.

If the Iron Soldiers carried traces of imitation that raised doubts about their power compared to Iron Man's, the arrival of War Machine shattered those doubts completely.

War Machine was clearly a direct descendent of Iron Man, right down to its iconic faceplate, though it boasted an array of additional external weapons, especially the massive shoulder cannon.

Perhaps due to its pilot being a formidable Black soldier, the cannon was so massive that it couldn't be holstered at the waist and had to be slung over the shoulder.

"Now, I am the king of the world!"

Justin Hammer roared in his mind, ready to bask in the cheers and praise of the thousands present and countless viewers at home.

Just then, a streak of fire descended from the sky without warning.

"Ah!"

The crowd's excitement soared even higher—because Iron Man had arrived.

Iron Man was here, sharing the stage with his imitators. What kind of visual feast would they deliver? The audience was eager to find out.

Unfortunately, the audience didn't realize that Iron Man wasn't there for a show. He was there to cause trouble—or trouble had found him.

As always, Iron Man didn't disappoint. Wherever he went, war followed. In this, he was utterly reliable.

"Where's Vanko?"

Iron Man stepped forward, directly questioning Justin Hammer.

James Rhodes, inside War Machine, looked bewildered. "Vanko? Ivan Vanko? Isn't he dead?"

The news had reported that Vanko died in a Monaco prison explosion, his body unrecognizable. After all, he was the daring assassin who tried to kill Iron Man—a high-profile incident.

The coverage rivaled the buzz around Tesla crashing into a utility pole out of nowhere.

Though the explosion was suspicious, since it had been officially reported, no one questioned it. Even military personnel like James Rhodes hadn't received any conflicting information.

"Ivan Vanko? I have no idea what you're talking about!" Justin Hammer feigned ignorance, wearing an indignant expression as if ready to accuse Iron Man of slander.

At that moment, behind Iron Man, all the Iron Soldiers, including War Machine, raised their weapons, aiming directly at him.

Sensing something wrong, Iron Man turned back in confusion, only for James Rhodes to shout urgently.

"Get out of here! I'm being controlled!"

Warned by Rhodes, Iron Man swiftly took off, aiming to leave the venue. The space was too confined—he needed to take the fight outside.

Trailing flames, Iron Man ascended. The Iron Soldiers on the ground raised their weapons and began firing. Just as Iron Man was about to exit the venue, an electric net suddenly appeared, blocking his path.

Unable to stop in time, Iron Man crashed into the net. Sparks flew as a surge of electricity coursed through him. His suit powered down, and his body plummeted like a massive hunk of metal.

The Iron Soldiers and War Machine on the ground showed no mercy, seizing the moment. They unleashed a hail of bullets on the falling Iron Man.

Rat-a-tat-tat!

The relentless barrage from dozens of guns left Iron Man momentarily suspended in midair, his body jerking erratically with the impact of the bullets.

Stray bullets shattered the glass ceiling of the venue, sending shards raining down on the audience like hail.

"Ah!"

"Help!"

"Run!"

At that moment, the dignified elites in the audience scrambled for the exits, pushing and shoving. No one stopped to say, "Let the women and children go first."

In the face of real disaster, the shred of civility vanished entirely.

Justin Hammer, meanwhile, had already hurried to a safe zone as soon as Iron Man took off.

Hammer knew Iron Man couldn't escape the venue. The electric net was designed and installed by him and Ivan Vanko specifically to trap Iron Man if he showed up.

The net emitted a unique electronic pulse capable of instantly cutting off the Arc Reactor's power supply. Simultaneously, signal jammers in the venue were activated.

Aside from the specific frequencies controlling the Iron Soldiers, all other signals were blocked, including the remote electronic network Jarvis used to assist Iron Man in operating his suit.

At this moment, Iron Man was like a turtle in a jar, a lamb to the slaughter, fish on the chopping block, or a grasshopper after autumn—completely trapped and awaiting his fate.

There was only one path left for him: death.

The Justin Hammer standing here wasn't the bumbling scapegoat from the movies who got duped by Ivan Vanko. He was aware of Vanko's plans and had even tacitly approved them.

Ivan Vanko had a grudge against Tony Stark, and as a collaborator, it was only natural for Hammer to help him seek revenge.

Thus, Hammer's facade of innocence was nothing more than an act.

Hammer wasn't worried about dealing with Iron Man or Green Goblin. Once they were taken down, as the victor and the military's sole partner, he could fabricate any charges against them.

Right and wrong were just a matter of perspective. As long as he paid enough, the corrupt lawyers and officials willing to pin crimes on Tony Stark and Harry Osborn could form a line stretching from New York to Washington.

In the air, Iron Man's armor had been riddled with holes, yet the suit's control system couldn't reboot. Even Jarvis's signal couldn't establish a connection.

Tony Stark was understandably panicking. Without Jarvis's assistance and with his suit unable to reboot, he was nothing more than a stationary human target. His armor being torn apart was only a matter of time.

In fact, War Machine and the Iron Soldiers had already opened their missile launchers, preparing to deliver a grand finale—a fireworks send-off to claim Tony Stark's life.