The iron gate slammed open with a deafening roar, followed by an explosion that shook the entire base. The blast ripped through the two guards at the door, leaving nothing but lifeless bodies in its wake.
The sound of the detonation spread quickly, rattling the underground hallways. The base leader was alerted, and within moments, armed men were rushing toward the cell where Tony Stark was imprisoned.
"Turn on the power system!" Tony shouted, ignoring the wreckage of the broken gate.
"On it!" Yinsen sprinted to the computer and began typing frantically, entering the activation codes as Tony had instructed. A progress bar appeared on the dim monitor, but it crawled forward painfully slow. At this rate, it would take at least ten seconds before the armor could boot up.
"Not enough time!" Yinsen muttered, his face filled with worry. Then, his expression hardened. He turned toward Tony with a look of resolve. "I'll buy you time!"
Tony's eyes widened. "Stick to the plan!" he ordered urgently.
But Yinsen ignored him. He grabbed a rifle lying near the door, and without hesitation, he charged into the corridor, firing wildly.
"Yinsen! Yinsen! Stick to the plan, come back!" Tony roared, panic rising in his chest. He knew full well what his friend's reckless charge meant. Alone, Yinsen would not stand a chance. It was suicide.
Gunshots rattled down the hall. To Tony's surprise, Yinsen's sudden assault threw the militants into chaos. Some stumbled back in fear, scrambling to retreat. Yinsen's wild courage had bought precious seconds.
Inside the cell, the progress bar ticked forward until finally it reached full. A mechanical hum filled the room as clanking metal parts locked into place. Tony Stark's crude but powerful Mark I armor roared to life.
But outside, Yinsen was already being forced back, cornered near the cave entrance. He stood, surrounded by gunmen, staring at a dozen rifles pointed at him. Death was only a heartbeat away.
"Hold on, Yinsen," Tony whispered desperately from inside the armor.
One of the militants crept into the darkened cell. The light was too dim for him to see clearly, but unfortunately for him, he stepped right in front of Tony.
A bright glow flared as Tony moved. A massive iron fist slammed forward, crushing the man like paper and hurling him into the stone wall with a sickening crack.
There was no time to waste. Tony charged forward, heavy footsteps echoing like thunder.
The militants froze as a towering armored figure emerged from the shadows. Fear twisted their faces pale. Driven by instinct, they opened fire, bullets raining down in a storm.
But their rounds bounced harmlessly off the thick armor. Sparks flew, but the suit was invincible. To them, Tony Stark had become a walking tank, a steel juggernaut.
He plowed through the gunfire, his fists swinging like sledgehammers. One punch, one kick, each strike reduced his enemies to broken bodies. Against the Mark I, they were nothing more than insects.
Meanwhile, Yinsen had run out of luck. Surrounded, he faced the barrel of yet another rifle. His lips curved into a bitter smile.
He had once told Tony he would return home to see his family. But the truth was, his wife and children had already been slaughtered by these very men. His home was gone. His family was gone. He had no reason to live.
He no longer feared death. If anything, he longed for it. It would be a release, a final escape.
A gunshot cracked.
The bullet tore through his chest. Blood blossomed across his shirt like a crimson flower, stark and vivid, reminding him of the hyacinths of his homeland. His thoughts drifted toward home. Toward family.
"My wife… my children… I'll see you soon," he whispered as his eyes fluttered closed.
"No!" Tony's voice thundered with rage.
He had been so close. Just a moment more, and he could have saved him. Pain and guilt ripped through his heart, driving him into near madness.
Then he remembered.
The card. The divine statue card Jason Kin had given him.
"The statue card! It can save him!" Tony fumbled desperately, pulling the glowing card from his pocket. His hands shook.
"How do I use it? Prayer… I have to pray!"
Yinsen's blood flowed faster, his life slipping away by the second.
Tony fell to his knees, gripping the card with both hands. His voice broke as he shouted, his words raw and filled with desperation.
"Great Lord of Life, your faithful believer, Tony Stark, begs you! Save my friend! I offer my armor, my soul, my fortune, everything I have! Please, I beg you, save him!"
Yinsen's fading eyes opened slightly. He smiled faintly at Tony's plea.
"Tony… it won't work. Don't waste your time. Go, escape. Live. Use your genius wisely. That will make my sacrifice worthwhile…"
His voice trailed off as consciousness slipped away.
But then, the card in Tony's hands erupted in a brilliant light.
A sacred radiance filled the cavern, sweeping away the shadows. The atmosphere shifted as a divine presence descended, holy and undeniable.
Tony's desperate prayer had been answered.
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