The dust settled, revealing Ace standing in the middle of the destruction, still in his Dragon Form. Tony Stark's faceplate slid back as he approached the young Kamen Rider.
"Jarvis, scan for any casualties," Tony commanded, his brow furrowed with concern.
"Scanning now, sir," the AI responded. After a brief pause, Jarvis reported, "There are no injuries or casualties detected within the immediate vicinity."
Tony let out a relieved sigh, his shoulders relaxing. "Good. That's good."
He turned his attention to Ace, who had reverted from his powerful Rising Dragon Form back to the sleek, blue Dragon Form. The young hero's gaze met Tony's, an unspoken understanding passing between them.
"You really know how to make an entrance, don't you?" Tony quipped, a hint of amusement in his voice. "Though I have to say, the redecorating could use some work."
"Defeating these kinds of monsters is my specialty," Ace remarked confidently.
Tony nodded, his eyes scanning the remnants of the battle. "Well, you certainly got the job done. Though I'm pretty sure my insurance doesn't cover giant mutant wolf attacks."
Ace's shoulders tensed as he waited for Tony's response, worried that he would be held responsible for the damage to the Stark Mansion. Despite his recent financial windfall from the Stark International stock surge, he knew he couldn't possibly afford to repair the extensive destruction.
To his relief, Tony waved a dismissive hand. "Don't worry about the damages, kid. I've got more than enough to cover it." He paused, a thoughtful expression crossing his face. "In fact, I'd say you just saved me a pretty penny by taking out that overgrown mutt."
Ace let out a breath he didn't realize he had been holding, the tension leaving his body.
Swarms of reporters suddenly surrounded Ace and Tony, their cameras flashing and microphones thrust forward.
"Kamen Rider, is it true you've been battling these monsters in New York?" one reporter shouted.
"Is there a connection between you and Iron Man?" another asked, eyes darting between the two heroes.
Ace felt overwhelmed, his heart racing as the barrage of questions assaulted him. Tony, however, looked completely at ease, stepping forward to address the crowd.
The reporters' questions grew more intense, their voices overlapping in a cacophony of demands. Ace felt the pressure mounting, his nerves fraying at the edges. In an instant, he decided — escape was the only option.
Leveraging the incredible jumping ability of his Dragon Form, Ace suddenly leaped high into the air. His blue-armored form sailed over the stunned crowd, effortlessly clearing several rows of reporters and landing with a graceful roll on the far side of the mansion's grounds.
Before anyone could react, he was gone.
Agent Phil Coulson stepped forward, adjusting his tie and addressing the bewildered crowd with practiced calm. "Ladies and gentlemen, please remain calm. This is a controlled situation."
The undercover SHIELD agents surrounding the area began subtly redirecting reporters' attention, using practiced crowd management techniques. Coulson's smooth demeanor and authoritative presence helped dissipate the initial chaos, guiding the journalists away from further speculation about the mysterious blue-armored hero who had just vanished.
Tony watched Kamen Rider leap away, a mixture of frustration and admiration crossing his face. That kid's got some serious moves, he thought. The blue-armored figure disappeared over the mansion's grounds, leaving behind only a faint trail of dust.
"Quite the exit," Tony muttered to himself.
Agent Coulson approached, his crisp suit immaculate despite the recent battle. "Mr. Stark," he said, "I suggest we move inside to avoid the media circus."
Tony turned, raising an eyebrow. "Avoiding the press? That's not usually my style."
Agent Coulson stepped closer to Tony, his expression serious. "Mr. Stark, we need to discuss the incident that just occurred."
Tony waved a dismissive hand. "Schedule an appointment with my assistant. I'm pretty sure I have a party to get back to."
"This is urgent," Coulson pressed, his tone revealing a hint of frustration beneath his professional demeanor.
"Urgent?" Tony raised an eyebrow. "Look, I just fought off a giant wolf-monster. My definition of urgent might be different from yours."
Before Coulson could respond, Pepper Potts approached. She looked at both men, sensing the tension. "Tony," she said firmly, "perhaps we should go. We can deal with this later."
Tony glanced at her, then back at Coulson. The agent stood waiting, unwavering in his determination to have a conversation. But Pepper's intervention provided Tony with an easy out, and he knew it.
"You heard the lady," Tony said, a smirk playing on his lips. "We'll be in touch."
Tony and Pepper left Coulson standing on the mansion's grounds, the agent's expression turning slightly disappointed as he watched them depart. Coulson sighed, knowing he would have to regroup and find another opportunity to discuss the incident with Stark.
General Thaddeus "Thunderbolt" Ross stormed out of Stark's mansion, his face twisted in frustration. He had failed to strong-arm Tony Stark into handing over the Iron Man technology, and the billionaire had made a complete fool of him in front of his own staff. Ross clenched his fists, his knuckles turning white. This was not the outcome he had envisioned, and he knew he would have to regroup and find another way to acquire the advanced suit for the military's use. The general's anger simmered as he marched towards his waiting car, determined to find a solution to this problem, no matter the cost.
As General Ross walked away from Stark's mansion, he fumed. The man was blind to the real threats emerging in the world. Superpowered individuals and creatures like the Grongi were becoming increasingly prevalent, and without proper military oversight, they could destroy everything. Stark's arrogance prevented him from seeing the potential catastrophe brewing. These uncontrolled powered beings—whether heroes, monsters, or something in between—represented a significant risk to national security. Ross knew someone needed to step in and establish control before these unpredictable forces caused irreparable damage.
General Thaddeus "Thunderbolt" Ross walked briskly towards his waiting car, his assistant hurrying to keep pace beside him. The assistant could sense the fury radiating from the general, the failed confrontation with Stark clearly weighing heavily on his mind.
"Sir, what are your orders regarding the Hulk?" the assistant asked, hoping to shift the focus.
Ross paused, his expression hardening. "We've managed to track him down in Brazil. Is everything prepared?"
"Yes, sir," the assistant replied. "The team is ready to move in on your command."
Ross nodded, his jaw set with determination. "Good. We'll begin the operation in a few days. I want that monster contained, no matter the cost."
The Hulk had been Ross's obsession for years, a thorn in his side that he was determined to finally remove. With the resources of the military at his disposal, he was confident he could finally put an end to the Hulk's rampage.
***
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Advance chapters are in my P@|r3on - Najicablitz