Liam's gaze flicked across the Expo, assessing the chaos. The robots were wreaking havoc everywhere and the people were running and screaming, but thankfully the Expo was quite big and most of the people had left the venue. But there were few still in mess and they needed to take care of these robots.
"Alright, let's make sure these people don't end up as roadkill." Tony said.
"Agreed. I'll take point. You hit from above." Liam said and he didn't wait for confirmation. He was already moving.
Liam shot forward, his Interceptor suit blurring as he zipped across the ground. A cluster of robots hovered ahead, targeting a group trying to flee toward a parking lot. With a flick of his wrist, he unleashed a Searching Glaive—the energized blade detached, homing in on the nearest drone before ricocheting into the next two. All three exploded in rapid succession.
"Let's see how this thing handles a proper storm." Tony hovered over a different section, locking onto five incoming robots. He raised both hands, calling on the Storm javelin's power.
A Lightning Strike erupted from the sky, hitting one drone dead-on and sending arcs of electricity surging through the others. Their circuits fried instantly, and they crashed in fiery spirals.
"Okay, that was cool," Tony admitted as he veered toward another target.
Meanwhile, Liam leaped onto a robot mid-flight, using his Tempest Strike to shatter its core before flipping off and landing in a roll. He barely missed a volley of repulsor blasts from another robot. Tony saw it and reacted fast.
"Ice to meet you!" He extended his arm, launching an Ice Blast. A massive chunk of freezing energy shot forward, encasing the robot in ice before it crashed into the pavement, shattering on impact.
"Terrible one-liner," Liam muttered through comms, even as he activated Spark Dash, cutting a bright electric path through three more robots before appearing on the other side.
Another wave of robots descended, this time targeting a mother and child stuck behind an overturned Expo booth.
"Nope, not happening." Tony threw out Living Flame—a burst of fire surged forward, chasing the robots down and incinerating them mid-air.
Liam tossed a Cluster Mine near a group of advancing ground bots. The mines armed instantly and detonated in a cascading explosion, shredding the machines apart.
A sudden metallic roar echoed from the other side of the plaza.
Both Liam and Tony turned. Iron Monger stomped forward, his massive armor illuminated by the Expo lights.
"You think a new suit's gonna change anything, Stark?"
"Let's see how fast you really are." Whiplash appeared beside Liam after he was finished taking down the last robot.
"Now the real fight begins." Liam muttered.
Iron Monger stomped forward. His glowing red optics locked onto Tony.
"You've always been a thorn in my side, Stark. Time to rip you out for good."
"You bring new toys, only to be crushed by me." Whiplash sneered.
"I get that this old man didn't get his pension, but what is up with this dude?" Tony asked.
"Your family have branded us as traitors. It is time to return the favor." Whiplash said, as he swung his whip on the ground, destroying the gravel in the process. Tony was a bit confused by this, but he would have to trust the fact that a person who could associate himself with a war criminal couldn't ever be good.
"Just get along with your shenanigans. We have more things to do tomorrow morning." Liam said.
Iron Monger's shoulder-mounted weapons flared to life. A missile launched toward Tony while two heavy-caliber miniguns spun up, firing directly at Liam. Tony barely had time to react. His HUD blared warnings as the missile locked onto him. "Oh, hell no." He thrust both hands forward, summoning an Ice Storm. A field of swirling frost erupted in front of him, slowing the missile mid-air before it detonated harmlessly in the frozen vortex.
Meanwhile, Liam was already moving. His Interceptor's speed let him weave between the hailstorm of bullets, each one barely missing as he zipped left and right in a blur. He leaped forward, activating Wraith Strike—a projection of himself dashed ahead, phasing through Iron Monger before striking at his joints. Sparks erupted as the projection's energy blades slashed through armor plating.
"That tickled," Iron Monger growled, swiping at Liam with a massive metal arm. Liam barely dodged, flipping backward as the concrete beneath him shattered.
"Hey, Tin Can! Ever get struck by lightning?" Tony called out.
Before Iron Monger could react, Tony raised his arms and unleashed a Lightning Strike directly onto the behemoth. A bolt of raw electricity tore through the sky, slamming into Iron Monger's suit, sending him into violent convulsions. His entire frame sparked, joints seizing up momentarily.
Liam took advantage. He dashed in with Tempest Strike, landing a devastating melee blow right at the weak joint between Iron Monger's chest plate and shoulder. The impact left a deep dent, sending the massive mech staggering.
"You die now!" Whiplash roared in frustration, lunging at Tony with both whips.
Tony barely dodged the first strike, but the second caught his arm, sending electric shocks surging through the Storm javelin. His HUD flickered, momentarily disrupting his systems.
"Not on my watch." Liam shouted.
He flung a Cryo Glaive at Whiplash, the freezing projectile locking onto its target. It struck Whiplash's left arm, instantly encasing it in ice, forcing him to retract his whip.
"You dare?" Whiplash hissed.
"You come into my place and ask if we dare. What kind of stupid are you." Tony said, regaining control.
He raised both arms and unleashed a Flame Burst, sending a concentrated explosion of fire straight at Whiplash. The blast hit him head-on, igniting his armor as he screamed, stumbling back.
"ENOUGH!" Iron Monger, recovering from the earlier attacks, let out a growl. His suit's back panels opened, revealing hidden thrusters. He launched himself forward at full speed, aiming straight for Tony.