[Mysteries On Marvel] Chapter 111/112 (Patreon)

The next moment, the rotary machine gun began to spin rapidly, emitting a chilling metallic glow.

"Rat-a-tat-tat…"

Orange-yellow bullets poured out like a storm, raining toward the black Audi carrying Pepper.

Just as the metallic storm was about to engulf the Audi, threatening to tear Pepper and the accompanying S.H.I.E.L.D. agent apart along with the car, a white semi-truck burst through the guardrail with a deafening honk. In a daring drift, it positioned itself between Iron Monger and the black Audi.

The massive truck's body intercepted the storm of bullets, shielding the Audi completely.

Simultaneously, in the truck's cab, a figure wearing a clown mask enthusiastically waved at Iron Monger hovering in midair.

"Hey!"
"Big guy, look over here!"
"Yeah, that's right, look this way!"

As Iron Monger's attention was drawn to the clown-masked figure, a grin of excitement spread beneath the mask.

"That's it. Right here, you bastard!"

[Dread Gaze]

In the next instant, Iron Monger's electronic consciousness was overwhelmed by the sight of the clown's face, which seemed to morph into a terrifying dragon, roaring ferociously as if it had awakened from an ancient slumber.

The indescribable dread emanating from the dragon's roar swept through Obadiah's mind, even burning out a critical circuit deep within Iron Monger's armor.

If Iron Monger were a pure machine, the [Dread Gaze] might not have had any effect. But the steel body contained the self-aware soul of a human, and that soul was not immune to such mental assaults.

"Heh heh!"
"Enjoy the fireworks, sweetheart."

Taking advantage of Iron Monger's momentary daze, the clown, Eren, pulled out a shoulder-mounted rocket launcher he had prepared beforehand. Without hesitation, he aimed at the hovering mech and fired.

"Whoosh!"

The rocket soared through the air, trailing a fiery tail before hitting its mark dead center.

"Boom!"

The ensuing explosion sent Iron Monger flying backward, the massive steel monstrosity crashing onto the street and rolling uncontrollably, smashing countless oncoming cars in the process.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

As one car after another was crushed under Iron Monger's weight, sparks and flames erupted into the sky, filling the street with the cacophony of car alarms and panic.

One by one, New York citizens leapt from their cars, abandoning their vehicles as they fled the scene with practiced efficiency, a sight that was oddly heartbreaking.

Meanwhile, inside the black Audi, Pepper, who had braced herself for death, stared in disbelief at the scene behind her—the white truck that had shielded them from certain death, and the masked figure atop it, wielding a rocket launcher that had just sent the enormous mech flying.

That back… Could it be…?

Before Pepper could get a clearer look, the S.H.I.E.L.D. agent in the driver's seat seized the opportunity. With exhilaration flashing in his eyes, he floored the gas pedal, speeding the car away from the chaos.

On the other side of the street, Iron Monger, having smashed through countless cars, began to stir again. The once dim crimson glow in its eyes reignited, brighter than ever.

"Wow!"
"That big guy recovers fast!"

Seeing that Iron Monger was back on its feet, Eren casually discarded the now-useless rocket launcher. With a nimble movement, he leapt out of the truck's cab and climbed onto its roof.

Using the truck's momentum, he sprinted a few steps before timing his jump perfectly, vaulting onto a garbage truck in the opposite lane.

"Buzz…"

Iron Monger, still reeling from the effects of [Fearful Gaze], staggered as it stood. The direct hit from the rocket, combined with the collisions with oncoming cars, had left its internal systems damaged. Occasionally, sparks erupted from its massive chest.

"Hey, big guy! Goodbye!"

Just as Iron Monger regained some semblance of composure, Eren's cheerful farewell reached its audio receptors.

Looking up, Iron Monger saw the clown-masked figure waving enthusiastically at him from the top of the garbage truck, as if bidding farewell to an old friend.

In Iron Monger's eyes, this was the ultimate humiliation. Its crimson gaze flared even brighter as fury consumed Obadiah.

"Damn clown! I'll kill you!"

Perhaps it was the lingering shame from the [Fearful Gaze], or perhaps Eren's mocking farewell was the last straw, but Obadiah's hatred for the clown now outweighed his attention to Pepper entirely.

Clank! Clank!

With a mechanical whir, the left shoulder of Iron Monger's armor split open, revealing a small but deadly missile.

"Die!"

Fueled by rage, Obadiah decided to repay the clown in kind. The missile locked onto Eren atop the garbage truck.

[Danger Sense]

The moment the missile appeared, Eren's heightened instincts screamed in warning. Reacting instantly, he flicked his wrist, sending out a strand of cursed thread imbued with mystical energy. Like a living serpent, it latched onto a nearby vehicle.

(End of Chapter)

Almost at the moment the cursed thread latched onto the truck, Eren yanked it forcefully, using its momentum to leap toward the vehicle.

The next second, the garbage truck Eren had been riding was struck by the missile fired from Iron Monger.

Boom!
A small mushroom cloud erupted instantly.

Blinding flames dispelled the darkness, lighting up New York's night sky. The explosion's shockwave shredded the garbage truck and sent every nearby vehicle within a ten-meter radius flying.

Even the truck tangled in the cursed thread wasn't spared.

"Wow, that really stung!"

Covered in dust, Eren nonchalantly stood up on the roadside, brushing himself off as if nothing had happened.

Thud, thud!

Seeing the clown-masked troublemaker still alive, Iron Monger stomped heavily, flames jetting from its mechanical feet as it leapt over several overturned cars and landed with a thunderous crash in front of Eren.

The ground beneath him trembled violently from the impact.

Closing in step by step, Iron Monger raised its rotary machine gun. A chilling voice boomed from within:
"Goodbye, clown. Let me send you to hell first!"

As the rotary barrel began to spin, a glint of cold light flashed in Eren's eyes.

"You just don't learn, do you?"
"Tremble, bastard!"

[Dread Gaze]

The instant Iron Monger's electronic eyes met Eren's, the soul-shaking [Dread Gaze] struck again.

Eren dashed forward, deftly circling around Iron Monger several times. Then, pulling a grenade from his pocket, he jammed it into a gap in Iron Monger's left leg armor.

As he finished, Eren instinctively ducked.

The next second, a massive mechanical arm whooshed past, just missing his head.

Obadiah, though stunned again by [Dread Gaze], recovered faster this time. The force of his near-miss punch generated a wind so fierce it made Eren's exposed skin sting.

"Hiss…"

Rolling forward to avoid the attack, Eren smirked beneath his mask. Mimicking an explosion, he whispered softly:
"Boom."

Almost as if on cue, the grenade wedged in Iron Monger's left leg detonated with a deafening explosion.

While a grenade wouldn't typically damage Iron Monger's armor externally, one placed within a joint was devastating. The explosion blasted away the alloy plating at Iron Monger's left knee, burning through vital circuits.

The damage caused Iron Monger to stagger, collapsing onto one knee.

Eren casually stepped a few paces away, standing before the kneeling Iron Monger. He cleared his throat dramatically and declared with mock solemnity:
"Rise, my knight!"

Inside the mech, Obadiah was so enraged by the clown's antics he nearly choked.

"You bastard!"
"Do you think you've won?"

With a furious roar, the mysterious blue energy core in Iron Monger's chest pulsed, sending a stream of blue light toward its damaged left leg.

The blue energy flowed across the damaged joint, forming a shimmering membrane that repaired the shattered components at an astonishing speed.

Within moments, the left leg was fully restored—except for the missing armor plating.

"What is this?"

Eren tilted his head, intrigued by the glowing core. A wicked grin spread beneath his mask.
"Interesting. I'd love to take that thing apart for study!"

With its leg fully functional again, Iron Monger rose, emitting a furious mechanical growl.

"You want to study me? Let me crush you into a pulp first!"

Boom!
Iron Monger's heavy mechanical legs slammed into the ground, cracking the pavement like a spiderweb. Using the resulting force, the steel behemoth launched itself toward Eren at breakneck speed.

Its massive right fist, larger than a sandbag, was poised to smash the clown into nothing more than a bloody stain.

Iron Monger's intent was clear: to show Eren the frailty of human flesh against the might of steel and the consequences of defiance.

Yet, as the towering mech hurtled toward him, Eren remained unfazed. Calmly, he snapped his fingers.

The once-ferocious Iron Monger suddenly stumbled, crashing face-first into the pavement. The impact carved a deep trench into the ground.

Eren casually stepped aside, avoiding the flailing mech as sparks and smoke burst from its battered frame. Even parts of its alloy armor appeared deformed, as though constricted by silver threads.

Eren chuckled coldly.
Did they really think he had only planted a grenade during the earlier confrontation?

In those few seconds, Eren had also entwined cursed threads around several critical points on Iron Monger's frame.

As long as Iron Monger moved, the threads would tighten, transforming into deadly restraints and weapons.

If pushed hard enough, those cursed threads, imbued with significant mystical energy, could even slice through the steel giant entirely.

(End of Chapter)

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