In the center of the battlefield, dust flew everywhere.
Apocalypse, the progenitor mutant once worshipped as a god by countless civilizations, was currently wiping the blue blood leaking from the corner of his lips with the back of his hand.
Although he had just been blasted back dozens of meters by a single punch from the Hulk, there was not the slightest trace of fear in his pale eyes. Instead, a perverse excitement was burning within him.
"Heh... interesting."
Apocalypse twisted his neck, producing loud cracking sounds.
He slightly tilted his head, glancing out of the corner of his eye at Frieza, who was floating high above, arms crossed, wearing an expression of watching a show.
His Master's gaze was fixed right here. This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to prove himself.
Being instantly defeated by that guy named Thor with an axe had already made him lose all face in front of his Master. If he couldn't even handle this green-skinned beast who only knew how to roar and shout, how could he, Apocalypse, possibly survive in the Ginyu Force?
He feared even Loki, who only knew how to wield a dagger, would end up riding roughshod over him.
"Beast, your strength is commendable."
Apocalypse extended both hands, fingers splayed, palms facing the roaring Hulk charging toward him.
"Too bad. Against true power, brute force is nothing but a joke."
"Watch closely, this is how power is utilized."
Buzz!
The air instantly solidified.
A massive telekinetic force, strong enough to crush mountains, grabbed hold of the charging Hulk like an invisible giant hand.
"Rargh?!"
The Hulk's forward momentum abruptly halted, as if he had run into a pool of solidified concrete. He struggled furiously, his green muscles bulging high, and his veins crawling beneath his skin.
The ground beneath his feet instantly cracked into countless fragments, unable to withstand the terrifying opposing force.
"Kneel... before me!"
Veins bulged on Apocalypse's face as he slammed both hands downward.
Boom!
The Hulk's massive body was actually forced down onto one knee.
"Rargh! Hulk... won't kneel!"
The Hulk squeezed out a beast-like growl from his throat, his eyes bloodshot, glaring fiercely at Apocalypse.
"Still talking tough?" Apocalypse sneered and flicked his finger.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
The invisible telekinesis transformed into heavy hammers, repeatedly smashing down on the Hulk's head and chest.
In just a few seconds, the Hulk was battered and bruised, green blood splattering everywhere.
If this were anyone else, they would have long been pulverized into meat paste.
But who was the Hulk?
He was the green monster who grew stronger the angrier he became.
"ROAR—!!!"
Just as Apocalypse prepared to deliver the final blow to the Hulk, a roar loud enough to shatter eardrums erupted.
The Hulk's pupils instantly turned a strange, fluorescent green.
Rage!
Absolute rage!
Being bullied by that blonde devil was one thing as he couldn't beat him.
But now, even this blue-skinned freak dared to walk all over him?
Crack!
The telekinetic field restraining the Hulk actually shattered like glass, unable to withstand the explosive power erupting from within.
"What?!" Apocalypse's face changed drastically.
Before he could react, a massive green fist rapidly expanded in his vision.
"HULK... SMASH!!!"
Bang!
The punch landed squarely and solidly on Apocalypse's astonished face.
Apocalypse spun like a top in the air for over a dozen rotations before landing face-first, plowing a deep furrow into the marble ground, looking utterly wretched.
"Nice! That's the way!" Peter shouted from not far away.
On the other side of the battlefield.
The atmosphere was equally tense.
Tony, wearing the latest Mark VII armor, hovered in mid-air. The repulsor rays in his palms shone brightly, aimed directly at the elderly man opposite him, Erik, who was dressed in a white and purple bodysuit and wearing a red helmet.
"Looks like you can fly too?"
Erik stood with his hands clasped behind his back, several twisted steel bars orbiting his body, looking at Tony with indifference. His gaze was full of the superiority of an elder watching a junior's antics.
"These days, if you can't fly, you're too embarrassed to go out and greet people."
The voice beneath Tony's faceplate was still filled with that stubborn, defiant tone. "Old man, if you accidentally throw out your back, Stark Industries' medical insurance won't cover it."
"Hmph, sharp tongue."
Erik gave a cold snort and slowly extended his right hand.
"In this city built of metal, I am a god."
"And you..."
Erik'a palm clenched in the air toward Tony. "...are nothing more than a pitiful worm who encased himself in a tin can."
Buzz!
A terrifying magnetic field instantly enveloped Tony.
Erik originally thought that with a slight exertion of force, the metal man would be squeezed flat like a crushed soda can, forcing the contents out.
However—
One second passed.
Tony remained steadily suspended in the air, completely motionless. He even raised his hand and fired a repulsor blast at Erik.
Boom!
Erik casually summoned a steel plate to block the attack, his brow slightly furrowed.
"Beyond my control?"
"Vibranium?"
Erik was knowledgeable, and instantly understood the trick. If it was pure Vibranium, it would be immune to magnetic control.
"Bingo. Correct answer, but no prize." Tony whistled smugly.
"This is a gift from the Prince of Wakanda, though only a portion."
"A portion?"
A cruel smile appeared on Erik's lips.
"That makes things easy. Since it's not all Vibranium, I'll just strip away the parts that aren't."
Zzzzzzt!
A sound of tearing metal rang out.
Tony's face changed drastically. "Jarvis! What's happening?!"
"Sir, the armor's connecting components are not entirely Vibranium and are undergoing strong magnetic stripping. Structural integrity has dropped to 30%."
Clatter!
In the next second, the Mark VII armor on Tony's body was disassembled like building blocks.
Except for a few critical Vibranium plates still clinging to him, the rest—the thrusters, the weapon systems, and even the helmet—were forcibly ripped off and flew behind Erik, hovering in the air.
"Aaaah—!"
Tony, having lost power, screamed as he plummeted from a height of over ten meters.
Thud!
He crashed into a pile of construction debris, performing a perfect face-plant.
If Charles hadn't intervened at the last moment, he would be dead now.
"This is the so-called leader of the Avengers?"
Erik looked down at the struggling Tony climbing to his feet, the contempt in his eyes practically overflowing.
"Too weak."
"Not even as strong as Logan who only knows how to extend his claws."
Tony scrambled up, covered in dirt, and spat out a mouthful of bloody saliva.
He looked at the man controlling countless metal fragments before him, a chill running through his heart.
What kind of monstrous ability was this?
This was the "old friend" the bald professor spoke of?
"Tony! Look out!"
Just then, the voice of Charles, who had been behind him, rang out in Tony's mind.
"He is Erik! Magneto! He controls all metal! Normal armor is useless against him!"
"Damn it! I know now!"
Tony gritted his teeth, looking at the dense, razor-sharp storm of metal behind Erik, poised to turn him into a hedgehog.
But the word "surrender" had never existed in Tony's dictionary.
His gaze became incredibly sharp. "This thing was originally prepared for that blonde monster."
Tony reached out and pressed a special device on his wrist. "Since you have abilities like that, let you be the first to try it out."
"Activate the Anti-Frieza Armor!"
Rumble!
In the sky, a massive flight pod broke through the clouds and slammed heavily down in front of Tony. The hatch popped open, revealing a colossal, silver-white suit of armor, even bulkier than the Hulkbuster armor.
Erik's eyes narrowed, and with a slight movement of his finger, countless metal fragments turned into an arrow rain, shooting toward Tony.
"Too slow, old man!"
Tony rolled and rushed into the armor.
Clank! Clank!
The armor instantly sealed shut. At the same time, a pale blue energy shield instantly expanded.
Clink... Clink...
Countless metal fragments struck the shield, causing ripples, but failed to penetrate even an inch.
What shocked Erik even more was the feeling that his magnetic control over this new armor had failed?
"How is that possible? There's clearly metal inside." His expression darkened slightly.
"Of course there's metal."
Sitting inside the armor, Tony smirked internally.
"But I've installed a strong magnetic shielding field generator on the outer layer, as well as Wakanda's latest nano-polymer coating."
"Furthermore, compared to my new suit, this Anti-Frieza Armor is 99% Vibranium."
"Science and technology are the primary productive forces, understand? You old fossil."
Boom!
The thrusters on the back of the armor shot out blue flames.
Tony, piloting this steel behemoth, charged toward Erik with the fire of vengeance.
"Now, it's my turn to attack."