"Cortana, prepare to fire."
"Command confirmed, Master," Cortana replied faithfully.
"Orbital laser defense system activating."
"'Hammer of Heaven' array is aligning."
"Beam saturation mode engaged."
"Safety protocols overridden."
"Target acquired. Firing sequence initiated."
In low Earth orbit, four "Halo" orbital stations adjusted their positions in response to Kagura's command.
Massive energy capacitors hummed as the laser emitters realigned, locking onto the airspace just off the coast of Tony Stark's mansion.
"Hammer of Heaven" was still in its prototype stage.
The system wasn't fully developed, and its targeting precision left much to be desired.
There was always a risk that, instead of pinpoint strikes, the beams might veer wildly off-course—like aiming for Los Angeles but scorching Toronto instead.
Frankly, Kagura had been somewhat lucky when she had previously deployed "Hammer of Heaven" during the medical hearing incident.
The fact that the lasers had successfully incinerated the Extremis virus carriers was at least partially a matter of chance.
Of course, luck is part of one's strength, right?
What? You say luck is everything?
Ahem, I'm not Domino…
Nevertheless, after that emergency deployment, Cortana had been analyzing the battle data nonstop, optimizing the system for better targeting accuracy.
Developing a weapon capable of striking anywhere on the planet—or even within the Earth-Moon system—wasn't something that could be perfected overnight.
The current version of "Hammer of Heaven" was still far from complete.
Target acquisition and beam focus required further calibration.
But if pinpoint accuracy couldn't be ensured, the solution was simple—brute force.
Why worry about missing when you can just sweep the entire area?
If a single laser strike wasn't enough to vaporize those attack helicopters, then the answer was obvious—intensify the firepower until nothing remained.
Following this principle, Kagura Hitomi commanded all four "Halo" orbital stations to cycle through continuous attack waves, maintaining a real-time defensive perimeter over Stark's mansion.
Any hostile force that dared approach would be obliterated on sight.
Come on, this was four orbital laser cannons firing in sequence! Saturation bombardment mode!
The beams wouldn't just strike the area; they would cleanse it in an endless barrage of searing light.
Once the attack commenced, the sky would rain down pillars of pure energy, forming a breathtaking display of celestial wrath—true "Justice from the Heavens."
If any of those helicopter pilots managed to survive this, they shouldn't be flying aircraft—they should be piloting Gundams in space.
A slight delay, then—
Brilliant red beams lanced down from the heavens.
The storm of light had begun.
The attack helicopters, which had been so smugly launching missiles at Kagura's energy shield just moments ago, were thrown into complete disarray.
Pilots panicked as the sudden orbital assault turned the battlefield into a deathtrap.
One pilot yanked the controls in a desperate attempt to evade the incoming beams.
He managed to avoid one, only to collide mid-air with another helicopter that had also tried to dodge.
The impact sent both aircraft spiraling out of control, their rotor blades shearing apart into deadly shrapnel.
A chain reaction followed—ammunition stores ignited, aviation fuel erupted into flames, and a massive explosion consumed the wreckage.
A spectacular fireball bloomed in the sky.
And still, "Hammer of Heaven" did not cease.
More beams carved through the sky, slicing into the wreckage and incinerating any Extremis-enhanced soldiers who might have survived the initial blasts.
Yes, the laser defense system had already integrated data from the "Argos" surveillance satellites, allowing it to lock onto the Extremis warriors piloting the helicopters.
Kagura knew all too well that Aldrich Killian's super-soldiers possessed remarkable regenerative abilities.
As long as their vital organs remained intact, losing a limb or two meant nothing to them.
Explosions and fire wouldn't be enough to kill them.
The only surefire method was to completely vaporize their bodies with overwhelming firepower.
While the orbital laser system was repelling the aerial assault, its true objective was eliminating the Extremis warriors.
Their numbers were limited—every one of them slain was a permanent loss for Killian's forces.
And as his soldiers dwindled, Killian would eventually be forced into the open.
When that moment came, Kagura would seize the opportunity to bring him down for good.
Interestingly enough, among the attackers was the man responsible for putting Happy Hogan in the hospital—Eric Savin.
Kagura had never liked this guy.
He constantly chewed gum, had a creepy grin, and bore a passing resemblance to a certain business tycoon.
Unlike most of Killian's other Extremis warriors, who were former military, this man had no redeeming qualities.
He was nothing more than a ruthless killer, making him one of Killian's most effective enforcers.
Then—
'BOOM!'
A brilliant red pillar of light crashed down from the heavens.
Eric Savin's helicopter was instantly vaporized.
The searing energy beam burned straight through the cockpit, disintegrating Savin's body in an instant.
Not even ash remained.
No matter how strong Extremis-enhanced regeneration was, there was no recovering from total annihilation.
Extremis merely accelerated cellular repair—it didn't grant immortality. Unlike a true healing factor, it couldn't resurrect someone from a single drop of blood.
As the final streaks of light faded, the battlefield fell silent.
The airspace around Stark's mansion was once again at peace.
"Whoa…" Tony Stark finally broke the silence after a long moment, eyes wide in astonishment.
"I think it's time I upgrade my Iron Man suits again. Otherwise, I might start having anxiety attacks."
"Pfft…" Kagura chuckled, patting Stark on the shoulder.
"Mr. Stark, you're not alone in this. There are plenty of people protecting this world alongside you. You shouldn't be so hard on yourself. Besides, you've got me—your reliable ally. Right?"
"Yeah… Thanks, Hitomi. But you need to understand something as well…"
Stark exhaled, rubbing his nose before giving her a serious look.
"No matter what happens, you're someone I have to protect."