NOVEL NEXT Chapter 308: From Missiles to Tactical Nukes—The People of New York Thank You
From the audience, Jane Foster sighed as she watched Tony Stark rain down warheads.
"This is kind of cheating. If he packed a few miniature tactical nukes, using that dump-and-bomb method, who could possibly stand against him?"
But Darcy Lewis shook her head.
"He's Iron Man. His whole thing is armor, ammo, and firepower. Strip the suit away, and he's just a regular guy—not Superman."
Then she grinned.
"Still… tactical nukes instead of missiles? Yeah, that'd push his power through the roof."
Smith Dole, sharp-eared as Piccolo, caught every word of their exchange. The thought of Tony switching to nukes sent a chill through even him. A single warhead, even "miniaturized," would devastate half of New York. Thankfully, the government would never allow it—and Tony himself wouldn't stomach unleashing such chaos.
——
On the arena floor, Wenwu braced beneath the storm. His Ten Rings linked together, forming a glowing blue barrier that absorbed the missile barrage.
"Not bad," he muttered. With a sweep of his arm, the Rings pulsed, sending a wave of energy that extinguished the flames in an instant.
As the smoke cleared, Wenwu emerged unscathed.
Tony, hovering above, narrowed his eyes.
"Let's see how you handle this."
His gauntlets locked forward. Twin beams of crimson laser carved the air, screaming toward Wenwu. These beams had once cut into the Hulk's hide—Tony was sure they'd crack this shield.
"Zzzzt!"
The beams struck. Ripples shuddered across Wenwu's barrier—the first sign of strain.
Tony poured every ounce of energy into the attack. Sparks flew from his wrists as the modules overloaded, then shut down.
Wenwu smirked.
"Close. But not enough."
The Rings retracted, snapping back to his arms. Wenwu clapped his hands together—then slammed the ground. With a blast of power, he launched himself skyward, meeting Tony at altitude.
The Rings strung into a glowing whip, lashing across the sky toward the armored Avenger.
"Clang!"
"BOOM!"
The strike connected. Sparks erupted as the impact hurled Tony down like a meteor.
He slammed into the fractured arena. Warning lights flared across his HUD—red alerts everywhere. Legs, arms, chest plate—all compromised.
Flat on his back, Tony grit his teeth.
"JARVIS. Channel everything into the chest repulsor."
"Energy at 40%. Engaging."
The Arc Reactor flared white-hot. A massive beam erupted from his chest, tearing across the battlefield straight for Wenwu.
Wenwu's Rings snapped into formation, intercepting the beam.
"Zzzzt!"
For a heartbeat, they held. Then one Ring shot loose. Another. Then a third. But before the rest could fail, the chest beam fizzled out, power drained.
Wenwu landed lightly, gesturing. The Rings zipped back to his arms, glowing steady once more.
Tony exhaled raggedly.
"JARVIS?"
"Arc Reactor reserves: 40% remaining. Armor integrity: critical."
He looked up at Wenwu, who strode closer without a scratch. Tony sighed.
"I yield."
——
Smith Dole appeared between them instantly, raising Wenwu's arm.
"The victor of the first match: Xu Wenwu!"
The crowd roared. The Ten Rings had proven their might.
Tina studied Wenwu, eyes narrowing.
"His weapon… it's not ordinary."
Gilgamesh nodded.
"He'll be a worthy opponent. Let's see if your foes are as strong."
No one dared dismiss Wenwu now. Though many still wondered: how could his children, Shang-Chi and Xialing, be so underwhelming when their father commanded such overwhelming power?
On the giant display, one of Tony's Dragon Balls floated across to Wenwu's portrait. Wenwu now held two.
Tony, meanwhile, stood and disengaged his armor. His jaw was tight.
"JARVIS. Deploy Mark 42—adamantium-alloy version. Orbital drop."
High above Earth, a Seraphim satellite shuddered as a pod detached, burning toward the Pacific like a falling star.
If Wenwu could dismantle titanium-gold plating so easily, then only adamantium could hold. With his remaining Dragon Ball, Tony still had one more chance. And next time, he would be ready.
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(End of Chapter)
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