Tony Stark moved through the crowded room of his opulent Malibu home, a flute of champagne balanced casually in his grasp as he exchanged pleasantries with the throngs of guests. The party was in its full, vibrant swing, a dazzling showcase of wealth, power, and prestige.
"So, I said to the guy, 'If you can't handle me at my worst, you definitely don't deserve me at my best!'" Tony quipped, eliciting laughter from the group surrounding him. His trademark wit and charm were on full display as he effortlessly commanded the attention of those in his orbit, basking in the glow of the lavish affair he had orchestrated.
Suddenly, a familiar face emerged from the crowd – General Thaddeus "Thunderbolt" Ross, a high-ranking military officer with a stern demeanor. Ross approached Tony, a slight frown on his face.
"Stark," Ross greeted, his gravelly voice cutting through the ambient noise of the party.
"General," Tony replied, a faint smile playing on his lips. "To what do I owe the pleasure of your company this evening?"
Ross cleared his throat, his gaze sweeping across the room. "I was hoping we could have a word, in private."
Tony raised an eyebrow, but gestured towards a secluded corner of the mansion. "Lead the way, General."
Once they were out of earshot of the other guests,
Tony and Ross made their way to a secluded corner of the mansion, the sounds of the party muffled in the distance.
"So, what's on your mind, General?" Tony asked, taking a sip of his champagne.
Ross cleared his throat. "I've been... concerned about some of the activities I've observed coming out of Stark Industries lately."
"Activities?" Tony raised an eyebrow. "I assure you, General, everything is above board. We're simply exploring new avenues of innovation."
"Innovation, huh?" Ross narrowed his eyes. "Well, I hope that's all it is, Stark. You know how much I value national security."
Ross's expression turned serious. "I'll get straight to the point, Stark," he said. "That suit of yours – the Iron Man technology. It needs to be in the hands of the military, for the greater good of this country."
Tony's eyes narrowed slightly, and he took a sip of his champagne. "Is that so?" he replied, his tone laced with a hint of sarcasm. "Last I checked, the Iron Man suit was my creation, my intellectual property. I don't recall signing it over to the U.S. government."
Ross's jaw tightened. "This isn't about ownership, Stark. This is about national security. That kind of power shouldn't be in the hands of a – a civilian."
Tony chuckled, the sound devoid of any real amusement. "Oh, come on, General. You can't honestly expect me to hand over my life's work to you, just because you think it's for the greater good. This is about ownership. And I'm not about to give up what's mine."
The two men stared at each other, the tension palpable. Ross's eyes narrowed, and he took a step closer to Tony.
"I'm not asking, Stark," he said, his voice low and threatening. "I'm telling you. That suit needs to be turned over to the military, for the safety of this country."
Tony held his ground, unflinching. "And I'm telling you, General," he replied, his own voice laced with defiance, "that's not going to happen. The Iron Man suit stays with me."
The tension between Stark and Ross was palpable, their voices lowered but the intensity in the air was unmistakable. Suddenly, a deafening crash echoed through the mansion as a figure burst through the wall, sending shards of glass and debris flying.
The partygoers let out startled gasps, their eyes wide with fear as they took in the sight of the towering, animalistic creature that now stood before them. Its rough, wolf-like features and piercing gaze immediately commanded their attention.
"Where is the false Kuuga?" the creature growled, its voice a deep rumble that sent chills down the spines of those present.
The security team quickly sprang into action, rushing to intercept the intruder, but their efforts were in vain. With a swipe of its massive claws, the creature tossed the guards aside, their cries of pain and the sound of shattering bones filling the air.
Panic erupted among the guests as they scrambled to find cover, their shrieks of terror echoing through the once-elegant mansion. Tony Stark instinctively moved to shield Pepper Potts, ushering her towards the exit.
"Get to safety," he urged, his eyes darting between the rampaging creature and the terrified partygoers. "I'll handle this."
Leaving Pepper in the care of a few trusted security personnel, Tony made a beeline for his private lab, determined to don the Iron Man suit and confront this new threat.
Meanwhile, General Ross barked orders to his own men, his face twisted with a mixture of fury and determination.
"Shoot that thing!" he commanded, his voice cutting through the chaos. "Don't let it leave this place alive!"
As the soldiers opened fire, Ace Ukiyo slipped away from the scene, his heart pounding. He knew he had to act, but the presence of so many civilians and the military's involvement complicated the situation. Ducking behind a corner, he quickly transformed into his Kamen Rider alter ego, ready to join the fray and protect the innocent.
Tony Stark rushed into his private lab, determined to don the Iron Man suit and confront the monstrous intruder. As he entered, the familiar voice of his AI assistant, JARVIS, greeted him.
"Sir, I've already prepared the Mark IV armor for deployment," JARVIS reported.
Tony couldn't help but smile. "That is why I love you, JARVIS," he said, appreciating the AI's foresight.
Mechanical arms descended from the ceiling, each holding a piece of the sleek, red-and-gold armor. With practiced efficiency, the arms began attaching the components to Tony's body, encasing him in the powerful exosuit.
"Alright, JARVIS. Time to show this party crasher who's boss," Tony quipped, feeling the familiar weight and power of the Iron Man suit as the final pieces locked into place.
Without hesitation, Tony rocketed upward, bursting through the floor of the lab and back into the chaos of the Stark Mansion. His eyes quickly locked onto the towering, wolf-like creature that had terrorized the guests.
"Nobody crashes my party except me," Tony declared, his voice amplified by the suit's speakers, as he barreled towards the Grongi, tackling it with full force.
The impact sent the Grongi, Xu·Wulfu·Da, reeling backward, its claws scraping against the Iron Man armor. Wulfu let out a guttural roar, its yellow eyes glaring with pure malice.
"False Kuuga," the Grongi growled, its voice laced with a primal fury. "You will not interfere with my vengeance!"
Wulfu lashed out, its massive claws swiping at the agile Iron Man suit. Tony maneuvered deftly, dodging the attacks and countering with repulsor blasts that pushed the Grongi back.
"Vengeance, huh?" Tony quipped, his tone laced with sarcasm. "Sorry, but I don't take kindly to party crashers, especially the ones with a serious case of anger issues."
The two titans clashed, their battle shaking the very foundations of the Stark Mansion. Guests watched in a mixture of awe and terror as the armored hero and the monstrous intruder traded blows, neither willing to back down.
***
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Advance chapters are in my P@|r3on - Najicablitz