Destroyer Through The Multiverse Ch 22

The evening sky darkened over Flushing Meadows as throngs of excited attendees poured into the Stark Expo grounds. The air buzzed with anticipation, a palpable energy that seemed to electrify the atmosphere. Pepper Potts strode purposefully through the crowd, her heels clicking against the pavement. Natasha Romanoff, masquerading as her secretary, followed closely behind, her sharp eyes scanning their surroundings.

The main pavilion loomed before them, its sleek lines and gleaming surfaces a testament to Stark Industries' futuristic vision. As they entered, the chatter of the crowd swelled, echoing off the high ceilings. Pepper's face remained impassive, but her fingers twitched slightly, betraying her nervousness.

"Ms. Potts, your seat is ready," Natasha murmured, gesturing towards the front row.

Pepper nodded, smoothing her skirt as she took her place. The lights dimmed, and a hush fell over the audience.

Suddenly, the stage erupted in a dazzling display of lights and smoke. Justin Hammer emerged from the haze, his arms spread wide, a cocky grin plastered across his face. He launched into an elaborate dance routine, his feet tapping out a rhythm that was more enthusiasm than skill.

The crowd's reaction was mixed. Some cheered, caught up in the spectacle, while others exchanged bemused glances. Pepper raised an eyebrow, her lips pressed into a thin line.

As the music faded, Hammer grabbed a microphone, slightly out of breath but still grinning. "Ladies and gentlemen," he announced, his voice booming through the speakers, "welcome to the future of national security!"

He launched into his speech, his words a mix of patriotic fervor and thinly veiled jabs at Stark Industries. Pepper's jaw tightened, but she remained silent, her eyes never leaving the stage.

"Now, without further ado," Hammer declared, "I present to you the next generation of military might!"

The stage floor began to rise, revealing rows of gleaming drones. They stood at attention, their metallic bodies reminiscent of Iron Man's armor but lacking its finesse and sophistication.

"Behold," Hammer continued, his voice rising with excitement, "the Hammer Drone army!"

He gestured dramatically as the drones came to life, their eyes glowing an eerie blue. "First, the Army drones!" Eight olive-drab robots stepped forward in perfect unison, their heavy footsteps echoing through the hall.

"Next, the Navy!" Another eight drones, these in a deep navy blue, marched into position.

"For our brothers in the Air Force!" Eight more drones, sleek and silver, joined the formation.

"And last but certainly not least, the Marines!" The final eight drones, painted in desert camouflage, completed the array.

The crowd murmured in awe as the thirty-two drones stood before them, a formidable display of mechanical might. Hammer beamed, basking in the attention.

In the front row, Natasha leaned close to Pepper. "Something's not right," she whispered, her eyes narrowing as she studied the drones.

Pepper nodded almost imperceptibly. "I know," she replied, her voice barely audible. "But what?"

As Hammer continued his grandiose presentation, extolling the virtues of his creations, an undercurrent of tension began to build. The drones remained motionless, their blank faces betraying no hint of the potential threat they posed.

As the crowd marveled at Hammer's drone display, a familiar whine of repulsors cut through the air. Iron Man streaked across the night sky, his armor gleaming under the expo lights. The audience's attention immediately shifted, a wave of excitement rippling through the pavilion.

Tony Stark, encased in his latest Iron Man suit, touched down center stage with practiced ease. The crowd erupted in cheers, their enthusiasm for the unexpected guest far outstripping their earlier response to Hammer's presentation. Tony raised his arms, basking in the adulation, his faceplate retracting to reveal his trademark smirk.

Justin Hammer's smile faltered for a moment before he plastered on a wider grin, attempting to mask his annoyance at Stark's interruption. "Well, well," he said, forcing a chuckle, "if it isn't the life of the party!"

Tony ignored Hammer's comment, his eyes scanning the rows of drones. He strode purposefully towards Hammer, his armor whirring softly with each step. "Where's Vanko?" he demanded, his voice low and serious.

Hammer's facade of confidence cracked slightly. "Vanko? I don't know what you're talking about, Stark. This is my show, my tech-"

Before Hammer could finish his sentence, a series of mechanical whirs and clicks echoed through the pavilion. The drones, previously standing at attention, suddenly swiveled their weapons, training them directly on Tony. The crowd gasped, the atmosphere instantly shifting from excitement to tension.

Tony's HUD lit up with warnings, targeting reticles appearing all over his field of vision. "JARVIS, what's going on?" he muttered, his eyes darting from drone to drone.

"Sir, it appears all Hammer drones are now targeting the suit," JARVIS replied, his calm voice a stark contrast to the chaos unfolding.

Realization dawned on Tony's face. "Vanko," he growled. Without hesitation, he activated his thrusters, launching himself skyward. The move was just in time, as the drones opened fire, their weapons unleashing a barrage where Tony had stood mere seconds ago.

Panic erupted in the crowd. People screamed, scrambling over each other in their haste to escape. Pepper and Natasha, still in the front row, sprang into action. Natasha's calm demeanor shifted, her body language instantly changing to that of a trained operative.

"We need to evacuate the civilians," she shouted to Pepper over the din. Pepper nodded, her face set with determination despite the fear in her eyes.

As Tony soared higher, the Air Force drones detached from their platforms, their engines roaring to life. They shot into the sky, hot on Iron Man's trail. Tony weaved between them, his superior maneuverability allowing him to stay just ahead of their attacks.

"JARVIS, give me some options here," Tony called out, narrowly avoiding a missile from one of the pursuing drones.

"Sir, I suggest leading the drones away from populated areas to minimize civilian casualties," JARVIS responded.

Tony grunted in agreement, angling his flight path away from the expo grounds. The Air Force drones followed, their weapons systems continuing to target Iron Man relentlessly.

Back on the ground, chaos reigned. The Army and Marine drones marched forward, their heavy footsteps adding to the cacophony of screams and explosions. People pushed and shoved, desperate to put distance between themselves and the rogue machines.

Hammer stood frozen on the stage, his face a mask of shock and disbelief. "This isn't supposed to happen," he muttered, watching as his creations turned the expo into a war zone. "This isn't what I wanted!"

Natasha grabbed Hammer by the collar, her eyes flashing dangerously. "What did you do?" she demanded, her voice cold and threatening.

Hammer stammered, his bravado completely evaporated. "I... I don't know! Vanko was just supposed to make them better, not... not this!"

As the pavilion emptied, the sounds of destruction echoed across the expo grounds. The night sky lit up with explosions and weapons fire, Iron Man's trail of light weaving between the pursuing drones. The Stark Expo, meant to be a celebration of technology and innovation, had become a battlefield, with Tony Stark once again at the center of the storm.

Tatsuya watched the chaos unfold at the Stark Expo. Iron Man streaked across the sky, a swarm of Air Force drones in hot pursuit. People fled in panic as rockets exploded, sending debris raining down. Navy drones stomped through the grounds, their shoulder-mounted launchers spewing destruction indiscriminately.

He gripped the handlebars of the Machine Decader. Time to act.

The bike roared to life, magenta energy crackling along its frame. Tatsuya gunned the engine and sped towards the heart of the mayhem. Wind whipped past as he weaved through fleeing crowds and burning wreckage.

A Navy drone turned, its optics locking onto the approaching rider. It raised an arm, missiles primed to fire.

Tatsuya didn't hesitate. He leapt from the bike, somersaulting through the air as his hand found the Decadriver at his waist. In a fluid motion, he slotted the Decade card into place.

"Henshin!"

Light engulfed him mid-flip. He landed in a crouch, now clad in the magenta armor of Kamen Rider Decade. The drone's missiles streaked past, exploding harmlessly behind him.

Decade stood, facing down the metal monstrosity. "Looks like you could use a lesson in target practice."

The drone charged, servos whining as it raised a massive fist. Decade ducked under the wild swing, countering with a palm strike to its midsection. The blow sent the drone staggering back.

He pressed the attack, delivering a flurry of punches and kicks. Each impact dented the drone's armor, sparks flying. It lashed out desperately, but Decade's movements were too quick, too precise.

A roundhouse kick sent the drone crashing to the ground. Decade reached for his Ride Booker, drawing a card depicting a stylized "A".

"Let's see how you handle this." He slid the card into his belt.

[Kamen Ride: Agito]

Energy swirled around him, reshaping his armor into the golden form of Kamen Rider Agito. Power surged through him as he assumed a fighting stance.

The fallen drone struggled to its feet, only to be met by Agito's fist smashing into its faceplate. The machine reeled, circuits fritzing. Agito followed up with a devastating combo, each strike infused with elemental energy.

With a final, thunderous punch, the drone exploded in a shower of sparks and twisted metal. Agito stood tall amidst the wreckage, scanning for his next target.

He didn't have to wait long. Two more Navy drones lumbered into view, weapons trained on the golden warrior. Missiles streaked towards him.

Agito leapt high, the explosions blooming harmlessly below. At the apex of his jump, he pulled another card from the Ride Booker.

[Kamen Ride: Kabuto]

His form shifted mid-air, transforming into the sleek, red armor of Kamen Rider Kabuto. As he landed, Kabuto's voice rang out:

[Attack Ride: Clock Up]

The world slowed to a crawl around him. Kabuto dashed forward, moving faster than the human eye could follow. He weaved between the drones, striking weak points with surgical precision.

To an outside observer, it would have appeared as if the drones simply fell apart. Armor plates crumpled, joints shattered, and circuitry fried in the blink of an eye.

[Clock Over]

Time resumed its normal flow. The drones collapsed in heaps of scrap, Kabuto standing triumphant between them.

But the battle was far from over. More drones converged on his position, drawn by the destruction of their comrades. Kabuto assessed the situation, noting the sheer number of hostiles.

Time for a change in tactics.

He pulled out another card, this one bearing the image of a fierce dragon.

[Kamen Ride: Ryuki]

The red armor of Ryuki materialized around him. He inserted another card to the Decadriver.

[Attack Ride: Advent]

Ryuki summons a serpentine dragon with a sleek, mechanical appearance. - Dragreder.

The dragon roared, breathing streams of fire that engulfed the approaching drones. Metal melted and circuits fried as Dragreder wreaked havoc among their ranks.

Ryuki himself wasn't idle. He charged into the fray, his sword slicing through armor plating like butter. Drones fell left and right, unable to match his speed and ferocity.

A particularly large drone managed to land a glancing blow, sending Ryuki skidding back. He recovered quickly, drawing another card from his deck.

[Final Attack Ride: R-R-Ryuki]

Dragreder coiled around him as energy built to a crescendo. Ryuki leapt high, propelled by the dragon's power. He shot towards the offending drone like a meteor, leg extended in a devastating kick.

The impact was catastrophic. The drone exploded spectacularly, taking out several of its companions in the process. Ryuki landed in a crouch, surrounded by burning wreckage.

He stood, surveying the destruction. The immediate area was clear of hostiles, but he could hear the sounds of battle in the distance. Iron Man was still out there, and who knew what other threats lurked in the chaos of the Expo.

Ryuki's armor shimmered, reverting to the familiar magenta of Kamen Rider Decade. He retrieved the Machine Decader, swinging a leg over the seat.

"Time to see what other trouble I can get into," Decade muttered, gunning the engine. The bike roared to life, carrying him deeper into the heart of the conflict.