“Warning! Warning! Damage to waist armor, phased array radar #3 destroyed, circuits in zone 5 compromised. Cutting power to damaged areas and rerouting energy to armor modules for repair.”
J.A.R.V.I.S.’s voice echoed in Tony Stark’s ears.
The armor modules pierced by Broly’s attack began to shift and writhe like a living organism, repairing the damage.
When Tony had created the MK2, he used advanced bio-materials derived from the genes of Mystique and Darwin, which were being held by the military. Mystique’s DNA allowed the MK2 to mimic mutant abilities, while Darwin’s DNA enabled the armor to evolve during combat.
The armor modules had a thickness of six centimeters. To accommodate these massive armor plates, the MK2 had grown significantly larger than the MK1, now standing over two meters tall, matching Broly’s size in his enraged form.
Broly could sense the energy of the MK2 because the suit was, in essence, a living entity.
Fueled by the powerful arc reactor, the MK2 exhibited capabilities far beyond Mystique’s and Darwin’s genetic limits.
During testing, Tony had placed the MK2 on an electromagnetic rail launcher and bombarded it with titanium alloy rods, forcing it to evolve an ability to absorb and distribute impact across the entire frame.
The diamond-like scales on the armor had evolved after enduring repeated blasts from pulse cannons, while the searing plasma streams, borrowed from the Ravagers’ abilities via Mystique’s genetic mimicry, were made deadlier by the immense energy provided by the arc reactor. The plasma could cut through even the toughest tank armor like tissue paper.
(Earlier references from X-Men: First Class)
Even a one-meter-wide block of titanium alloy wouldn’t last ten seconds under the direct plasma stream.
To Tony, the MK2 was already the pinnacle of powered armor, so he hadn’t bothered to equip it with traditional weaponry. But now, just moments into the battle, it had proven utterly defenseless against Broly’s onslaught.
Had it not been for J.A.R.V.I.S. quickly using Mystique’s mimicry abilities to reposition Tony inside the MK2, his heart would have been ripped out by now. Despite this, the shockwaves from the impacts had left him with severe internal injuries.
His organs burned with pain, his ears rang loudly, and his vision was blacking out due to blood loss, leaving him temporarily blinded.
Boom!
Another massive impact hit his chest and abdomen as Broly landed another devastating punch. The titanium-alloy frame of the MK2 groaned under the strain.
On the HUD, Tony saw the arc reactor’s energy reserves plummet again, now down to just 65%.
The armor modules consumed vast amounts of energy to withstand the force of Broly’s strikes. Tony had never imagined that the reactor’s immense energy could be depleted so quickly, but this short battle had already drained it significantly.
Even if the armor could absorb the impacts, the titanium-alloy frame was reaching its limit. Microfractures were appearing, despite undergoing vacuum oil quenching treatments, simply from the shockwaves passing through it.
“What kind of monster am I fighting?”
In Broly’s perception, the energy within the MK2 hadn’t weakened at all, even after sustaining so much damage. It remained steady and unchanging, as if mocking him.
“Are you toying with me?” Broly growled.
To him, it seemed the MK2 wasn’t even fighting at full strength.
Despite the improvements in Broly’s emotional control after focusing on enhancing his intelligence, the idea that he was being underestimated infuriated him. His power began to surge uncontrollably. The air around him crackled with electric arcs, creating a deafening thunderous sound, as if a storm was brewing.
Broly rammed his shoulder into the MK2’s waist, using his Zanzōken (Afterimage Technique) to fly several dozen kilometers out over the vast ocean.
“Ha!”
He lifted the MK2 over his head and hurled it into the sea. The sheer force sent the armor plunging into the water like a meteor, smashing into the seabed and creating a massive whirlpool on the surface.
“Kame… Hame… HA!”
In an instant, a terrifying amount of energy gathered between Broly’s palms.
Those still on the ground stared in shock at the scene, as if the world was ending.
Among the crowd was a bald woman in strange Celtic clothing, who seemed oddly unnoticed by everyone around her.
“Such… incredible power…” the woman, the Ancient One, whispered in awe.
“This energy surpasses even most of the Asgardians.”
Golden sparks danced between her fingers, ready to redirect the potential energy shockwave to an uninhabited area if necessary.
BOOM!
Broly’s Kamehameha roared downward, so bright that it seemed to darken the entire sky.
Millions of tons of seawater were blasted into the air as the intense explosion shook the Earth’s crust. The seabed was pierced, and molten lava began to surge through the crater formed by the blast, only to be quenched by the incoming water, sending massive plumes of steam into the air.
The ocean itself was transformed into towering waves, crashing against New York’s coastal defenses with thunderous force.
Thankfully, Broly’s remaining shred of rationality had led him to hurl the MK2 dozens of kilometers offshore before unleashing the attack, sparing New York’s coastline from total destruction.
“The energy’s gone.”
Broly gazed at the steaming ocean. He could no longer sense the unique energy signature of the MK2.
Deep beneath the ocean, Tony Stark lay battered and bruised on the seabed.
Based on the readings from the optical sensors, he had calculated that if he’d been hit by the Kamehameha, the MK2 would have been completely obliterated. In the brief moment before Broly fired, Tony had jettisoned the MK2’s outer titanium-alloy frame and armor modules, leaving him only in the lightweight MK3 escape suit.
Unfortunately, the power of the Kamehameha was overwhelming. Though Tony had managed to swim a few hundred meters away, he was caught by the underwater currents generated by the blast and hurled several kilometers before finally coming to a stop.
Tony let out a shaky breath, grateful for the MK2’s size, which had allowed him to install the MK3 inside for emergencies.
The MK2 had been powerful enough to withstand Broly’s physical blows, and its armor could resist conventional energy attacks, but its offensive capabilities had been lacking. It posed no real threat to Broly.
Moreover, Tony’s human body was a liability. He couldn’t keep up with Broly’s speed, leaving him constantly on the defensive.
“I, Tony Stark, will not be defeated so easily!”
With renewed determination, Tony clenched his fists. This was just one failure—nowhere near enough to bring him down.
Become a Patron read up to 30 chapter ahead public release ^_^
Please join Discord Server so we can talk ^_^
