Potts Goes Berserk

While Potts was showing the Extremis Virus soldiers what a woman’s fury looked like, Stark, still unaware that Happy had been rescued, charged straight toward Killian in his armor.

Seeing the empty experimental table in the room and Killian’s smiling face, Stark raised his hand, aimed his repulsor cannon at Killian, and asked with a deep frown, "Where’s Happy?"

Killian was practically beside himself. His hostage had vanished for no apparent reason, but that did not matter much. Stark was right here, and he had plenty of ways to make him submit.

But what did Stark’s question mean? Stark had not rescued Happy? Had another group taken him away?

Still, this was not the time to tell the truth. Ignoring Stark’s glowing palm, Killian smiled. "Sorry, it’s too lively here. Not suitable for experiments." He spread his hands and said solemnly, "So I moved him somewhere quiet."

Before Killian could finish, Potts’ voice came through Stark’s earpiece. "Tony, Rhodes, the President, and Happy are all with Austin now."

You little bastard, you dared lie to your daddy? Stark fired without another word, blasting straight through Killian’s abdomen.

Unfortunately, Killian’s Extremis Virus was clearly more advanced. Forget having his abdomen blown through—even if the shot had landed a little lower and turned him into a eunuch, so what? As long as the Extremis Virus still worked, any body part could grow back like chives: cut them, they grew; grow them, cut them.

He could grow as many of those things down there as he wanted and sell them by the ton.

Killian ignored the gaping hole in his abdomen and swung a high-temperature arm down at Stark.

Stark did not back down. He lightly deflected the other man’s arm, then clenched his fist and smashed it toward Killian’s face.

Killian had been enhanced by the Extremis Virus. His strength and agility had long surpassed human limits. How could Stark so easily smash up that handsome face of his?

If anyone was doing the smashing, it would be me! Just as Stark’s fist neared his face, Killian, his head glowing fiery red, slammed forward with a headbutt that sent Stark’s armor into a system malfunction.

Stark had no choice. He quickly opened his armor, leaped out the window, and sprawled on the ground without a shred of dignity as he shouted, "Jarvis, get me my armor!"

Elsewhere, Potts casually kicked an Extremis Virus soldier apart, only to glimpse her boyfriend being chased down by Killian in a pathetic state. Her lungs nearly exploded with rage. Only I get to bully my man. Since when did outsiders get to bully him? Did you think my nickname, "Pepper," just meant I had a fiery personality?

When Potts saw Stark’s bruised and battered face, as though he had injuries everywhere, she instantly went berserk. Flapping her metal wings, she teleported above Killian’s head and, with the powerful momentum of Thomas spinning, kicked Killian flying over ten meters away.

After finishing all that, Potts coldly folded her metal wings and stood before Stark, facing Killian with an expression that said, "I protect my man." She cursed, "Even I’ve never beaten Tony like that. How dare you hit him?"

As she spoke, Potts bent her legs like a drawn bowstring. Her upper body somehow swelled, muscles bulging all over, especially her fists, which gleamed with a metallic sheen.

For some reason, when Stark saw Potts’ muscles, even more exaggerated than those of a bodybuilder, and heard her say that even she had never beaten him like that, cold sweat immediately covered his forehead. Austin, give me back my gentle, lovely Potts!

Killian got up without a scratch after being kicked away and brushed off nonexistent dust. Tilting his head toward Stark behind Potts, he sneered, "So the great Iron Man is a coward who hides behind a woman. What a disappointment."

Before Stark could retort, Potts created a sonic boom where she stood and instantly appeared before Killian, sending him flying with an uppercut.

Then Potts grabbed Killian’s scorching ankle and smashed him against the ground like a flyswatter, cursing as she did so, "You hit my man, and you still dare insult him? You bastard, you even dared send people to kill me!"

From afar, Stark watched the enraged Potts and instinctively shuffled back several steps, trying to remember whether he had ever done anything to wrong her.

But when he heard Potts reveal that Killian had once sent people after her, Stark’s face darkened. He flew into the air and roared, "Potts, throw that bastard into the air! I’ll blow him to pieces!"

The berserk Potts had clearly forgotten that she had promised Li Feng to bring Killian to him alive. Hearing Stark’s words, she prepared to hurl Killian into the air without a second thought.

Just before Potts let go, Killian, whose brains had nearly been smashed out, used his last shred of clarity to realize that if Stark blew him apart, he would truly be saying goodbye to this world.

Killian used all his strength to tear off his own lower leg, then hopped away on one foot as fast as he could. He asked for nothing more than enough time for his lower leg to regrow, so he could face Stark head-on.

As for why he did not go after Potts, Killian had figured it out. This woman was fiercer than a menopausal woman, especially with that unreasonable armor on her body. In a one-on-one fight, he had no chance at all.

If he still went looking for trouble with Potts, was he tired of living?

But while Killian did not want trouble with Potts, Potts, whose fury was practically visible, clearly had no intention of letting him go.

Seeing Killian use a little trick like a lizard shedding its tail, Potts angrily hurled the lower leg in her hand at him. At the same time, the metal wings on her back spread again and flapped several times.

With two whirlwinds in tow, Potts teleported before Killian, grabbed him by the neck, and hurled him into the sky.

As Killian flew into the air and was about to enter free fall, Potts sneered, shot into the sky, pressed the sole of her foot against Killian’s chin, and launched him even higher.

After several rounds, Killian, still barely conscious, breathed in the thin air with a dazed expression as he stared at the clouds beside him. How high did she kick me?

Before Killian could calculate his altitude, the lack of oxygen made him pass out. Naturally, what awaited him was a meteor-like plunge toward the ground.

On the ground, as if afraid Killian would not die, Potts tilted her head in thought. Then, while Stark stared in bewilderment, she took a baseball bat from her pocket, flew to Killian’s side, and repeatedly swung it, accelerating his descent with every hit.

Boom!

With a thunderous crash, Killian smashed through several shipping containers, his face unrecognizable, and lay on the ground like a lump of minced meat.

Potts and Stark flew to Killian’s side together. When Jarvis detected that Killian’s life signs were about to vanish, Li Feng suddenly appeared beside Killian. He waved his hand and cast several Healing Spells to preserve Killian’s life, then turned to Stark and Potts. "This guy is mine."

Stark did not understand why Li Feng was butting in and said unhappily, "Hey, we agreed this was my road to revenge."

Before Stark could finish complaining, Li Feng glanced at Potts and said, "Do you like my mask? If you do, wear it for a few more days."

Stark was not stupid. How could he fail to understand Li Feng’s meaning? Especially after witnessing Potts in her towering rage and hearing Jarvis’ analysis that Potts now possessed strength far beyond his armor.

Is he telling Potts to keep me in line? Would I have any dignity left after that?

Stark hurriedly shook his head. "Potts, I admit the artifact is powerful, but it makes you ugly after you use it. I like you pretty."

Before Stark could finish, Li Feng, who had already sealed the energy inside Killian’s body, cut in, "Potts, you need to think carefully about Stark’s words. For example, I hear him saying he only loves your pretty face."

"Shut up!" Stark roared at Li Feng before turning to Potts with a gentle expression. "Don’t listen to that idiot’s nonsense. Don’t you know what kind of person I am?"

Of course, Potts knew Li Feng was only joking. She shot him an annoyed glare, then looked over at the battle that had already ended. She took off the mask, tossed it to Li Feng, and smiled. "Thank you. I hope I will not need to borrow the mask from you again in the future. This is too violent."

Li Feng rolled his eyes. Was it the mask that was violent, or was it you? As for the future, there’s still a long life ahead. Who knows what will happen?

Li Feng smiled and shrugged, stuffing the mask back into his shoulder bag. He took out a drop of Eternal Spring and handed it to Potts, signaling for her to drink it. Then he placed a hand on Stark’s shoulder and quietly transmitted the mask’s functions and side effects into Stark’s mind.

Next, while ordering Wangcai through their contract to return inside Dark Cloud, Li Feng pointed at a nearby high ground and said, "Happy, Rhodes, and an old man are up there eating sunflower seeds and watching the show. Figure out how to get them out yourself. As for me—"

Li Feng cast a spell, making the unconscious Killian float into the air. With a wave of his hand, he opened a Portal and said with a sinister grin, "I’m going to properly educate this little bastard. He actually dared blow up my toy."

"Toy?" Stark, still pondering the mask’s functions, stared blankly at the closed Portal. Then he turned, embraced Potts, kissed her forehead, and asked, "What did he mean by toy?"

Listening to Stark’s strong, steady heartbeat, Potts gently told him about being attacked.

After hearing Potts’ account, Stark, still somewhat shaken, patted her back. After a moment of silence, he said, "Want to watch Christmas fireworks?"

Potts broke free from Stark’s embrace and asked in confusion, "What do you mean?"

Stark smiled, looked up at the sky, and ordered, "Jarvis, Potts wants to see fireworks."

Jarvis said, "Initiating the clean slate protocol, sir?"

Stark did not answer, but Jarvis had already understood. One piece of armor after another flew to the best viewing angle for Stark and Potts, then self-destructed.

Watching the gorgeous fireworks fill the sky, Stark pulled Potts tightly into his arms.

When Li Feng told Stark that the mask amplified suppressed emotions, Stark had already understood why Potts had acted so violently.

It was the fear Potts had kept buried inside.

And where did Potts’ fear and unease come from? Stark did not need to think to know.

The armor had indeed given him a moment of peace, but it had also given Potts endless worries.

By blowing up his armor, Stark wanted to tell Potts: in his eyes, she mattered far more than the armor. If the armor affected her, he would immediately give it up.