“OK, my arrogance is innate, born with me. If I’ve wounded your poor self-esteem, I apologize,” Tony said nonchalantly.
“Tony Stark,” Giren snarled, “Do you really think I wouldn’t dare do something to your girlfriend?”
“No, I’ve never thought that,” Tony replied.
“But your enemy is me. If you don’t beat me to the ground, you won’t feel satisfied, will you? If I were you, I’d beat me down first, then make me watch as you destroy everything I have.”
“Heh, good idea.” A cruel smile spread across Giren’s face as his body began to glow with an orange-red light.
The Extremis Virus was starting to unleash its true power.
This was Zhang Xi’s first time seeing the Extremis Virus in action.
To be honest, he thought it was the coolest form in the Marvel Universe—a buffed version of Iron Fist’s Iron Fist and a nerfed version of the Human Torch.
If he could get a fragment of this ability, wouldn’t he be unstoppable?
Tony glanced at Zhang Xi and said, “Help me protect Pepper. Leave this guy to me!”
Zhang Xi nodded and said, “No problem, but this guy is really strong. You’d better be careful.”
“Don’t worry about it,” Tony replied before blasting off into the air, charging straight at Giren!
“Come on!” Giren roared, swinging his glowing red fist at Tony!
The two clashed in a fierce battle, exchanging blows with incredible power.
Although Zhang Xi wanted to collect the fragments, he knew he had to handle the more urgent matter first.
He turned his gaze toward Pepper and flew over to her.
Zhang Xi couldn’t remember if Giren had brought any henchmen in the original story, but that didn’t matter now.
He just needed to figure out how to deal with all of them.
Landing on the ground, Zhang Xi looked at the group and declared haughtily, “I don’t want to start a massacre, but that doesn’t mean I won’t. So, if you’re smart, you’ll get lost right now!”
The men exchanged glances before one of them sneered, “Kid, you really don’t know what death looks like, do you? Come on then, let’s fight to the death!”
*Huh?
Do foreigners actually say that?* Zhang Xi scratched his head, but with no time to dwell on it, he threw himself into the fray.
As soon as the fight began, a man charged forward and grabbed Zhang Xi’s arm.
A searing heat coursed through him, and Zhang Xi’s heart sank.
*Damn it, are there really this many Extremis Virus users in the original story?
Are you kidding me?*
With no time to think, Zhang Xi quickly blasted the man away with a shot.
The spot where he had been grabbed was already smoldering with black smoke—a terrifying sight.
Zhang Xi knew that those infected with the Extremis Virus were incredibly difficult to kill.
In an instant, the sky above Stark Tower was filled with flashes of fire and lightning as the battle raged.
To an unaware observer, it would have looked like Mr. Stark was setting off fireworks.
Throughout the fight, Zhang Xi’s Fragment Collection System chimed incessantly.
*Ding!
High-level agent fragment collected.*
*Ding!
Extremis Virus fragment collected.*
*Ding!
Iron fragment collected.*
Zhang Xi continued to evolve in the heat of battle, growing stronger and his abilities more versatile.
Now, he could be said to be a jack-of-all-trades but a master of none.
He could handle ordinary enemies like these, but he would be utterly defeated by a major boss.
However, Zhang Xi had his own advantages.
He could continuously level up his strength, and once he truly grew, he would become a major boss himself!
Zhang Xi had no time to worry about Tony’s situation; he was locked in a fierce back-and-forth battle with these people.
However, he was also taking damage.
Soon, his armor was riddled with holes and torn to shreds.
Helpless, Zhang Xi could only say, “Hey, Mr. Stark, please find me another suit of armor.”
“I’d love to, but I can’t right now,” Tony’s voice came from the other side.
“I’ve already destroyed ten suits of armor. You’ll have to figure it out yourself!”
“Fine, you heartless bastard,” Zhang Xi muttered, then landed on the ground.
The tattered armor made Zhang Xi look utterly disheveled.
The attackers jeered excitedly, “Hey, you’re out of options, aren’t you? Without your armor, you’re just a little chick waiting to be slaughtered!”
“Is that so?” Zhang Xi brushed the debris off his body while checking his attributes.
He had already collected a considerable amount of the Extremis Virus—twenty percent.
Now, it was time for Zhang Xi to show his true power.
He swiftly pulled a slingshot from his pocket and aimed it at the leader.
Seeing Zhang Xi’s weapon, everyone on the battlefield froze.
After three seconds of stunned silence, the crowd burst into laughter.
In the Birthday Decisive Battle, you’re bringing out a slingshot?
Not even Tony, who witnessed the scene, could keep a straight face.
He felt a headache coming on.
“X, let me tell you something,” Tony said while attacking Giren.
“Every part of my armor is powered. If you just took one of its arms, it would be more powerful than your toy.”
“I know, Mr. Stark,” Zhang Xi replied.
“But if I did that, they would definitely dodge.”
“Fine, I’ll admit you’re right,” Tony said as he continued his assault on Giren.
“But with that thing, even if you hit them, it won’t do any good, will it?”
“Don’t worry, I’m not a kid anymore. Just watch me!”
Zhang Xi’s eyes sharpened.
He simultaneously infused the marble with the Power of Lightning and the Extremis Virus.
Combined with the super-elastic slingshot and the power of the Captain America Serum, the force of this marble was bound to be devastating.
“Die!” Zhang Xi roared, then abruptly released his grip.
The pellet shot forward, striking the leader’s forehead with pinpoint accuracy.
Before the man could even react, his head exploded.
The Extremis Virus could enhance a person’s healing and defensive abilities, but Zhang Xi gave him no chance to use them.
After piercing his skull, the Power of Lightning began to take effect.
Lightning itself was a force of continuous damage, and in Zhang Xi’s hands, it had become even more potent.
Under the Power of Lightning, the man’s body couldn’t regenerate at all.
It simply shattered.
“Ah!” The crowd gasped in shock.
Although this man wasn’t as strong as Giren, he was certainly not someone who could be defeated so easily.
Yet Zhang Xi had taken him down in a single shot with a slingshot.
It was utterly unbelievable.
Tony froze, his brow furrowing as he stared at Zhang Xi.
He seemed to see the abilities of every Avenger within Zhang Xi, as if the man were a Super Fusion of them all.
*Who is this person?*
(End of Chapter)