The two-armed helicopters continued firing at Kai.
The bullets streaked through the air like a fiery rain, forming a dense net meant to tear him apart.
But when the pilots saw that their barrage had absolutely no effect, panic set in.
They immediately pulled their controls, trying to retreat.
Kai smirked.
"Oh, come on. You hit me with missiles and now you're just running away?"
He crossed his arms in front of his chest, golden light building around him like a solar flare.
"Since you came all this way—don't even think about leaving."
"Yasakani no Magatama!"
Mabury Street — Tony Stark's Seaside Villa
On the ground, reporters who had been covering the scene were in shock.
They'd watched in horror as the missiles hit Tony's villa, blasting it apart piece by piece.
Some of the more timid ones ducked for cover and started frantically dialing 911.
Others, fueled by adrenaline, kept their cameras rolling — this was breaking news like no other.
After all, the target was Tony Stark, the man who'd saved the world.
Missile after missile struck the cliffside mansion. The destruction was apocalyptic.
Even the most hardened journalists couldn't help but silently pray that Iron Man would somehow survive.
When the foundation of the villa gave way and it began sliding into the ocean, the reporters closed their eyes.
In their minds, it was over.
Iron Man — the Avenger, the hero — couldn't possibly survive that.
But a few seconds later, instead of another explosion, they heard cheering.
Confused, they opened their eyes — and froze.
Hovering in front of the collapsing villa stood another superhero.
A streak of golden light, a man who had just kicked a missile back mid-air — blowing up the chopper that launched it.
"The Flashman! He actually kicked the missile away!"
"Look, look! He's not even hurt by those bullets!"
Kai stood in mid-air, unfazed by the bulletstorm. The dazzling light of Yasakani no Magatama shredded through the remaining two helicopters, vaporizing them instantly.
Reporters shouted into their cameras, narrating in disbelief as the golden figure floated against the smoky skyline.
Inside the Collapsing Villa
"Nice work, Kai! Remind me to give you a raise!" Tony yelled, watching Kai kick the missile back.
He'd just summoned the Mark 42 armor when the floor gave out beneath him.
"Jarvis! Flight systems—now!"
"I'm trying, sir," Jarvis responded, calm as ever, "but this is only an engineering prototype."
Tony gritted his teeth and shoved a fallen pillar aside — Only for a grand piano to drop from above and slam him flat to the ground.
"Are you kidding me?!"
And then the entire villa gave way.
BOOM!
Pinned under debris, Tony and the wreckage plunged into the sea.
Outside the Villa
Kai had just finished vaporizing the last helicopter when he saw the entire villa tilt and collapse.
Pepper screamed and tried to rush toward the ruins.
Kai flashed in front of her and grabbed her waist, pulling her back just as a massive chunk of concrete slammed down where she'd been standing.
"Tony!" Pepper shouted, tears in her eyes.
Kai carried her to a safe distance. "It's okay, Pepper. We'll get him."
But the cliffside groaned again — more boulders and luxury cars crashed into the waves below.
Dozens of red-and-gold suits — Tony's Mark armors — tumbled into the sea like falling meteors.
Within seconds, the entire villa had collapsed into rubble.
"Oh God…"
"Oh my God! Tony Stark's dead!"
The reporters' earlier cheers turned into horrified silence.
Pepper fell to her knees, trembling. "Tony… Tony…"
Kai crouched beside her, gently patting her back.
"Pepper, listen. When I saved you just now, I saw Tony in his armor. As long as Iron Man's suit is active, he's alive."
His voice was calm, reassuring — but his eyes were locked on the water.
If Tony didn't resurface soon, Kai was ready to dive in himself.
The sea wasn't his weakness — he had Kizaru's power, not a Devil Fruit curse.
Under the Sea
At the bottom of the ocean, Tony was pinned beneath a slab of rock, seawater leaking into his damaged armor.
Jarvis's voice echoed in his ear.
"Sir, please take a deep breath."
With mechanical precision, the armor detached one of its arms, locking onto Tony's wrist and yanking him free from the debris.
The separated pieces reattached, the thrusters flared, and with a burst of power, the golden-red armor shot upward—
Breaking through the surface in a massive splash.
Back Above the Waves
Kai's eyes tracked the sea — until he saw the familiar glint of red and gold soaring skyward.
He smiled and gestured. "See, Pepper? He's fine."
Pepper looked up and gasped in relief. "Tony!"
The armor climbed higher into the sky, carrying Tony away from the wreckage.
For a brief moment, Pepper's tears turned into laughter — until the suit disappeared into the clouds.
"Why isn't he coming back?" she asked nervously. "Where is he going?"
Kai shrugged lightly. "No idea. But hey, the best news is—he's alive. Knowing Tony, he's probably already working on his next move."
Inside the Mark 42, Tony Stark — unconscious and unaware — was being carried away by autopilot, heading toward a pre-set destination.
Tennessee.
He had no idea that his armor's malfunction would take him far from home… and straight into the next storm.