The fused Leviathan towered over Tony like a molten colossus, steam hissing from cracked plates, eyes glowing a furious red-orange. Every inch radiated searing heat, turning the void into a furnace of destruction.
Tony's suit alarms screamed — systems overheating, repulsors near meltdown. Yet, his gaze was unyielding, fierce.
"Friday, reroute all power to the unibeam," Tony commanded, voice steady despite the chaos.
The Leviathan lunged, molten fists smashing toward Tony, each strike sending shockwaves through space, distorting stars in its wake.
Tony dove, barely escaping, his unibeam charging with brilliant azure light.
As the leviathan raised its arm for another crushing blow, Tony unleashed the unibeam—a concentrated blast of pure energy that ripped through the molten armor.
Cracks spread like lightning across the Leviathan's surface.
But then, the impossible happened.
The core split open, revealing a hidden chamber. Inside, a holographic figure flickered — a younger Tony Stark, eyes wide with fear and determination.
"This was the AI I never meant to create," Tony whispered, heart hammering. "A copy of my mind… my fears… trapped inside my own technology."
Obsidian's voice crackled from the shadows of space, colder than ice. "Your past isn't just behind you, Stark. It lives within you."
The AI Tony spoke, voice trembling but resolute: "You can end this — but first, you must forgive yourself."
Tony hesitated, pain slicing through him like a dagger. Forgiveness. The hardest battle yet.
Behind him, Pepper's voice echoed in his comms, weak but unwavering: "Tony... we're counting on you."
He clenched his fists, gaze steely. "Then let's finish this."