— Washington D.C., Military Airfield.
The Boeing 777 private jet was no longer capable of taking off.
Due to Aldrich Killian's appearance, the rear half of the aircraft had turned into a blazing inferno. The molten metal from the plane had become both Killian's weapon and armor.
The strongest Extremis Virus host, a man who had fully merged with the virus, encased himself in molten metal, transforming into an invincible knight of steel.
In his hands, he forged a blazing sword from the searing molten metal.
"Come, Bitch! Let me show you the fate of those who dare to stand in the way of my reign!"
"Oh? Big words for a small man," Kagura Hitomi smirked. "Idiot are often blinded by arrogance. A frog at the bottom of the well can only see a tiny patch of sky."
'Buzz—!'
Activating her charged Maneuver Gear, Kagura closed the distance in an instant.
'Slash!'
With a single flash of her vibranium dagger, she tore through Killian's burning armor, leaving a massive gash.
"Did you really think wrapping yourself in molten scrap metal makes you invincible? How naive."
"Hmph! So what?"
Unfazed, Killian swung his blazing greatsword, forged from molten aviation alloy, aiming straight for Kagura's slender waist.
'Clang—!'
Blades collided.
'Sizzle—!'
Kagura sidestepped, her vibranium blade carving a deep crack into Killian's greatsword.
Sparks flew as intense heat waves surged through the air.
Despite the sword being forged from metal heated to over 3000 degrees Celsius, it was effortlessly cleaved in half by Kagura's indestructible vibranium weapon.
But for Killian, weapons were mere accessories. The true power of the Extremis Virus lay within him.
Without hesitation, Killian discarded the broken sword and raised his fist, increasing the heat of his body as he lunged at Kagura.
Kagura leaned back, gracefully avoiding the scorching punch that could have melted her lightweight combat suit, "White Moon." With a swift counterattack, she delivered a powerful kick.
'Boom—!'
"Ugh!"
The force of her strike, enhanced by the suit's strength augmentation, sent Killian stumbling backward.
"Is that all you've got? Pathetic," Kagura sneered.
Growling in frustration, Killian absorbed the surrounding molten metal, reforging his armor and weapon.
"I'll see how long that thin suit of yours can last against this heat!"
The flames raged around them as the two stood in a tense standoff.
The true terror of the Extremis Virus was its ability to control extreme heat. Killian could freely manipulate molten metal, hurling it as fiery projectiles, forging blazing weapons, or crafting armor to shield himself.
In other words, the virus had potential... if you knew how to use it properly.
However, Kagura knew that the energy reserves of her "White Moon" suit were limited. Prolonged combat would only drain her further.
Though her vibranium suit was immune to heat, the heat conduction was gradually affecting her body. Sweat drenched her from head to toe.
She adjusted her stance, raising her dagger and stabilizing her footing.
[Directional High-Energy Electromagnetic Pulse: Activated]
Crackling electric energy surged along her vibranium blade, sparking with deadly intensity.
"I've been waiting for this!" Killian roared, hurling massive molten metal debris at her while charging forward, using his blazing armor as cover.
"Tch... You really don't know when to give up, do you?" Kagura clicked her tongue in annoyance. "The more you struggle, the more painful your death will be. Why can't you just accept your fate?"
"Shut up!" Killian roared. "You... You're the one who destroyed my dreams! You trampled on my dignity! It's because of so-called 'heroes' like you that I've been reduced to this!"
Kagura snorted. "Blaming others for your own failures... Classic villain behavior."
A burst of blue electromagnetic energy surged from her dagger, effortlessly shattering the incoming metal debris and surging toward Killian.
Killian, however, deflected the electric pulse with his burning hands and pressed forward.
The greatest advantage of the Extremis Virus was the ability to endure extreme heat. The high-energy plasma and electric arcs from Kagura's EMP attack had limited effect on him.
But that was fine.
If one blast wasn't enough, she would simply unleash another.
[Electromagnetic Control: Activated]
[Skill Link]
[Directional High-Energy Electromagnetic Pulse: Re-Activated]
Electricity from the surrounding environment converged onto Kagura's blade as she unleashed another devastating strike.
"It's useless! Useless! Useless!" Killian bellowed as he deflected the blast once more and charged forward.
"What a pitiful man," Kagura sighed, her golden eyes flickering with a trace of sorrow. "If you had put this determination into becoming someone worthy to stand alongside Mr. Stark, perhaps things wouldn't have come to this."
In the end, the line between a hero and a villain... is drawn by a single choice.
[Energy Conversion: Activated]
Kagura waved her hand.
In an instant, the raging flames and scorching heat vanished, absorbed and converted into pure light energy.
'Bzzzzt—!'
Killian's eyes widened in disbelief as he looked down at his chest.
A vibranium dagger, glowing with silver brilliance, was embedded in his heart.
Blood poured from the wound, staining Kagura's suit.
"Heh... Hehehe..." Killian coughed up blood, staining his lips. "Superhero? In the end... you're just a killer..."
"You're not wrong," Kagura replied coldly. "We operate outside the law, vigilantes who kill as we see fit."
From behind her, the cheers and applause of the World Security Council and military officials echoed across the airfield.
"But do you hear those cheers?" Kagura continued. "We are called heroes because we restrain ourselves with our own sense of justice. Someone like you, who knows nothing of responsibility, would never understand."
With a twist of her dagger, Kagura shattered Killian's heart.
In the end, the line between a hero and a demon...
Is drawn by a single thought.
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