Chapter 17 - Arc 2 Chapter 11 to 15

📖 Arc 2 – Chapter 11: Bonding, Training, and Legendary Gacha

[Velgrynd's Arrival in the Honkai World]

The others couldn't stop staring as Velgrynd stepped into their universe for the first time. Her crimson-gold aura shimmered faintly, making even the reinforced Valkyrie base seem like fragile glass before a flame.

Velgrynd (smirking):

"So this is your battlefield, husband? …Interesting. It reeks of fragility, yet also of endless struggle."

Kiana (muttering to Mei):

"Did she just call our whole planet fragile again??"

Mei (sighing, arms crossed):

"She's not wrong…"

Velgrynd casually looped her arm through Neo's, her amber eyes daring anyone to comment.

Velgrynd:

"Do not worry. If anything dares harm you here, I'll burn it to ash."

Neo (blushing, whispering):

"…Please stop threatening planetary arson in public."

The room exploded in chuckles.

[Training Session – Cocoon Synchronization]

The group gathered in the reinforced Schicksal testing dome.

Neo (breathing out):

"Alright… Seraphina, let's sync."

Seraphina (calm, precise):

"Initiating Cocoon of the End resonance. Aligning Dragon Factor."

His body ignited with pulses of void and flame. The Cocoon of the End, fused with the Dragon Factor, wrapped him in an aura that seemed to collapse and create worlds at the same time.

Neo demonstrated:

• Nihility Collapse / Turn Null condensed into a black-white sphere that distorted space.

• True Dragon Release [Scorch・Storm] surged, rattling the chamber with primal energy.

• Multidimensional Barrier flexed like crystal petals, refracting light across dimensions.

Velgrynd smirked from the sidelines.

Velgrynd:

"You'll do. At least you won't shame me when others see you fight."

Neo (muttering):

"…Compliments sound so violent when they come from you."

[Legendary Gacha – Pure Chaos]

The Group Chat's interface shimmered. A message scrolled across:

[Reward Distribution: Legendary Tier Gacha Tokens]

Kiana (jumping):

"YESSSS, loot box time!"

Bronya (expression flat):

"Statistically, the higher the rarity, the more absurd the chaos that follows."

Kiana:

"…Bronya, for once, don't ruin the mood."

The pulls began:

• Kirito: Drew a Dragonsteel Black Blade. Velgrynd nodded in approval, recognizing its origin.

• Asuna: Obtained the Heavenly Healing Chalice. Its aura of purification made corrupted energy recoil.

• Kiana: Pulled Divine Pistols – Gemini Breakers, glowing with starlight.

• Bronya: Received Universal Frame – Silver Seraph, which Seraphina paused to scan curiously.

• Mei: Gained the Storm Crown, harmonizing with her Herrscher of Thunder core.

• Neo: His Cocoon pulsed. His reward crystallized into the Eternal Oath Crest, a sigil that merged with the Cocoon itself, amplifying its growth cycle.

Kiana (glaring):

"Neo ALWAYS gets the rarest stuff. Totally rigged."

Velgrynd (smirking):

"Of course he does. He's my husband."

Neo (face red):

"Can you not say that in front of everyone?!"

The room dissolved into laughter.

[System Ping – The Offline Members Return]

Just as the noise settled, the Group Chat system intruded:

[System Notice]

Mission Thread Unlocked.

Origin: Member [Tony Stark].

Status: Worldline 616 (Marvel Universe) facing Cosmic Anomaly.

Member [Tony] has been marked as "Priority Assistance."

A ping followed—two new icons flickered online.

Tony Stark:

"Finally online again. And of course, the minute I log in, boom, the universe is about to collapse. Typical Tuesday."

Zhongli:

"Hmph. It seems even your world's chaos knows no rest. Mortals with technology invite calamity as readily as those with ambition."

Kiana (fangirling):

"OH MY GOD HE'S REAL—IRON MAN IS REAL—"

Bronya:

"Correction: He has been in the chat since its inception. You merely failed to notice his offline tag."

Tony:

"…Wait, why does it look like Neo picked up a dragon wife while I was offline? Someone explain this circus to me."

Neo (panicked):

"D-don't put it like that!!"

Velgrynd (smiling with teeth):

"Circus or not, I am very real. And if you mock him, I'll see if your armor melts faster than dragonfire."

Tony (deadpan):

"…Yeah, she's definitely married to him. Got it."

[Foreshadowing – The Next Storm]

Zhongli (calm):

"This disturbance in Tony's world… it feels reminiscent of dimensional strain. A ripple that tugs at the fabric of many realms."

Seraphina:

"Affirmative. Probability high that the anomaly seeks to destabilize multiple universes. Marvel's Earth may be the epicenter."

Tony:

"Translation: My planet's screwed unless we all pitch in. And if I'm right, the anomaly is something even I can't 'tech' my way out of."

Neo exhaled. The laughter and teasing of moments ago faded, replaced by the familiar pressure of another mission.

Neo (gritting his teeth):

"…Then it's settled. We head to your world next."

Velgrynd's aura flickered hotter, a dragon's pride blazing.

Velgrynd:

"Good. I'll burn this so-called anomaly to cinders. Let's see if your world can handle a dragon's presence, Iron Man."

Tony (muttering):

"…Yeah, I'm gonna need a bigger arc reactor."

✨ End of Chapter 11 – Bonding, Training, and Legendary Gacha ✨

📖 Arc 2 – Chapter 12: Iron Secrets and Stone Resonance

[Scene 1 – Tony Stark, Alone in the Lab]

The arc reactor core pulsed faintly in the gloom of Stark Tower's subterranean lab. Rows of holograms projected the same maddening data loop: a spreading anomaly like a cancer in spacetime.

Tony (grim, muttering):

"Every model ends the same. Collapse. Multiversal collapse. And if Cap or Strange sees this, they'll panic—or worse, they'll pull me off the case. Can't have that."

He ran a hand through his hair, eyes bloodshot. The anomaly wasn't just energy—it was alive, gnawing at the boundaries of reality itself. His suits, his satellites, even Stark tech couldn't pierce its true structure.

Tony:

"…This is bigger than Ultron, bigger than Thanos. Hell, bigger than Galactus. And I'm on my own."

[Scene 2 – The Group Chat Pings]

A familiar blue overlay blinked across his holograms.

[System Notice – Legendary Gacha Available]

Tony (snorts):

"Oh, now you show up. Universe imploding and I get a loot box? Fine. Let's roll the dice."

The hologram shimmered, golden light spilling out as his Legendary Tier Gacha reward solidified.

Reward Acquired: Celestial Forge Core

A living nanoforge seeded with cosmic-grade material synthesis. Capable of evolving Stark tech into weapons that can resist dimensional collapse.

Tony (eyes widening):

"…Oh, I could kiss you. Not the system—whoever coded you. This is… this is it. The missing piece."

The Forge Core integrated with his armor plating, and for the first time in days, Tony's grin returned.

[Scene 3 – Zhongli's Draw]

At the same time, far away in Liyue Harbor, Zhongli stood atop the cliffs overlooking the harbor, golden eyes fixed on the sea.

Zhongli (calmly):

"So, even beyond Teyvat, storms brew. Very well. Let us see what fate bestows."

His Legendary Gacha spun, crystalline motes forming a sigil in the air.

Reward Acquired: Stoneheart Aegis

A primordial artifact from before Teyvat's birth. Shields not only body but soul, and resonates with the laws of contracts themselves.

The shield fused into his polearm, radiating an aura that could bind and protect across worlds.

Zhongli (soft smile):

"Ah… how fitting. A shield for what is to come. Rex Lapis is not yet finished with his duties."

[Scene 4 – Tony and Zhongli in Chat]

Tony:

"Alright, big guy, what did you pull? Please tell me it's something better than a rock."

Zhongli:

"A rock, yes. But one that endures beyond stars. You would call it an indestructible core shield. I would call it… a promise kept."

Tony (blinks, then smirks):

"…You know what? That's actually useful. Between your magic rock and my shiny new forge, we might just not die."

[Scene 5 – The Rift Expands]

Tony's satellites chimed alarms. The anomaly pulsed again, tearing open a jagged scar above New York. Space folded like paper, and something massive stirred within.

Tony (grim):

"…And the main event begins. Time to suit up."

The Celestial Forge Core bloomed across his Mark L armor, plating folding and evolving into Mark L-C (Celestial). Gleaming white-gold circuits pulsed with cosmic resonance.

Tony (exhaling):

"…Okay, universe. Let's dance."

But deep down, he knew—this wasn't something he could face alone.

[Scene 6 – The Incoming]

At that moment, a familiar ripple echoed through the Group Chat.

System Notice:

Mission: [Assist Tony Stark – Marvel Worldline 616].

Status: Reinforcements en route.

Neo and the others would be here soon. But for now… Tony faced the storm, armored in secrecy and stubborn genius.

✨ End of Chapter 12 – Iron Secrets and Stone Resonance ✨

📖 Arc 2 – Chapter 13: Arrival in the World of Heroes

[Scene 1 – The Descent into Marvel]

The portal shimmered like molten glass as Neo's group stepped through together. For a moment, their senses reeled—colors fractured, sounds warped, the very air trembling like stretched canvas.

And then—

They were standing in New York City. Or what was left of it.

Skyscrapers groaned under invisible pressure, whole blocks bent and folded inward as if reality itself were collapsing into origami. A colossal rift split the sky, jagged cracks radiating outward like a shattered mirror. From within, claws of shadow scraped at the edges, eager to pour through.

Asuna (wide-eyed):

"This… isn't like Aincrad. It feels… heavier. Like the whole world is suffocating."

Zhongli (low, calm):

"This anomaly is not merely corruption—it gnaws at the laws of existence itself. Even Teyvat has not seen such hunger."

Velgrynd (scowling, arms crossed):

"Hmph. This world reeks of instability. But if that's what you're worried about, husband… then perhaps this is the perfect testing ground."

Her fiery aura flared, briefly burning away the oppressive air around them.

Neo (grim, nodding):

"Alright. Stay sharp. We're not tourists. We're backup."

[Scene 2 – The First Sight of Tony]

From down the street came the thunder of repulsors. A streak of gold and white shot past skyscraper ruins, weaving between collapsing streets.

Kirito (squinting):

"Wait—is that… Iron Man?"

Group Chat Overlay – Live Broadcast Enabled

Tony Stark soared into view, clad in a new suit none of them had ever seen. White-gold plating shimmered with cosmic veins of light, like starlight forged into steel. The Celestial Forge Core pulsed at the chest, flaring each time he fired.

Asuna (breathless):

"He… he looks like something out of one of your myths, Neo. Not just a man in armor—something… higher."

Velgrynd (snorts, unimpressed but intrigued):

"A mortal who wears the stars like scales? Hmph. He may yet be worth noticing."

[Scene 3 – The Battlefront]

Tony was already in the fight. A mass of writhing constructs spilled from the rift—beings of warped metal and shadow, shaped like broken machines fused with human silhouettes. They screeched, their forms fracturing with static.

Tony (gritting his teeth inside the helmet):

"Alright, ugly. Round two."

He extended a gauntlet; the Celestial Forge hummed, reshaping plating mid-flight into particle cannons, unleashing bursts of energy that bent space around them. Constructs shattered, but each one exploded into fragments that reassembled seconds later.

Tony (mutters):

"…Persistent little bastards."

The squad watched for a heartbeat, torn between awe and urgency.

Neo (stepping forward):

"We're not here to spectate. Raphael—"

Seraphina's voice (soft but sharp in his mind):

"Correction. Support protocols synchronized. Advisable: engage as a unit. Iron Man is stalling, not winning."

Neo (smiles grimly):

"Then let's give him the reinforcement package he's been waiting for."

[Scene 4 – The Push Forward]

The group fanned out instinctively. Velgrynd rose into the air, her fiery aura scorching through anomalies clinging to the buildings. Zhongli planted his polearm, Stoneheart Aegis rippling into a protective barrier that calmed the collapsing streets around them.

Kirito and Asuna drew their blades, eyes gleaming with battle focus. Behind them, support skills flickered into readiness.

Velgrynd (grinning):

"Let's see if this 'world of heroes' can handle the real thing."

Neo's eyes glowed faintly, his Cocoon of the End pulsing in rhythm with Seraphina's guidance. He stepped toward the rift—ready to join Tony's side in the storm.

✨ End of Chapter 13 – Arrival in the World of Heroes ✨

📖 Arc 2 – Chapter 14: Forged in Anomaly Fire

[Scene 1 – Clash in the Streets]

The corrupted constructs poured down Broadway like a tide of jagged glass and twisted steel. Each one flickered with half-human screams, glitching bodies torn between reality and the rift's void.

Neo's Cocoon pulses synchronized with Seraphina's guidance, every step warping the pavement beneath his boots. By his side, Tony streaked downward, Celestial armor radiating starlight.

Neo (calm, voice cutting through the chaos):

"Tony Stark, right? Name's Neo. Let's make this quick."

Tony (grinning under the mask):

"Nice entrance, new guy. Just try not to scratch the paint on my suit."

The ground quaked as the swarm descended. Neo raised his hand, shadows coiling before collapsing inward—Nihility Collapse detonated in a silent pulse. The constructs caught in the blast folded into nothingness, their glitching forms erased like chalk on a board.

At the same time, Tony unleashed a volley from his Celestial Forge, streams of white-gold energy lancing through the air. Each blast carved luminous scars across the swarm, fragments shattering in a rain of sparks.

The two stood shoulder to shoulder—Void and Forge, annihilation and creation, clashing against the impossible tide.

[Scene 2 – Holding the Field]

A block behind them, the rest of the squad locked the battlefield down.

• Velgrynd spread her fiery aura, vaporizing tendrils of anomaly energy trying to bind the city's structures.

• Zhongli anchored barriers of amber, keeping the fractured streets from caving in on fleeing civilians.

• Kirito and Asuna fought as one, dual blades gleaming as they cut down constructs that slipped past.

From above, the group chat's live feed streamed in holographic panels, dozens of messages flying in from allies watching from other worlds.

[Scene 3 – Mid-Battle Conversation]

Neo pulled another construct into his void space, collapsing it into nothing, before glancing at Tony.

Neo (serious):

"I need to ask—what happened to the rest of the Avengers? Shouldn't they be here with you?"

Tony's repulsors flared as he blasted a creature's torso apart. His voice came through the comms—grimmer than his usual wit.

Tony:

"They tried. We all did. But this anomaly isn't just punching holes in reality—it's scrambling existence. Cap, Thor, Banner… they're stuck fighting in mirrored fragments of the city. Every time they push forward, they're pulled into another layer. Like a kaleidoscope trap."

Another construct lunged. Tony snapped his wrist, nanites forming a glowing blade. He bisected the monster cleanly.

Tony (through clenched teeth):

"I stayed outside the main fold. The Celestial Forge lets me anchor here, but even that's… temporary. If I lose focus, I'm next."

Neo narrowed his eyes, Cocoon pulsing harder at the explanation.

Seraphina's voice (in Neo's mind):

"Warning: This anomaly operates on multi-layered quantum phase. Stark's allies are displaced across superposed timelines. Solution: breach collapse, stabilize singularity."

Neo (grim nod):

"Then we'll make sure you're not holding the line alone. We'll get them back."

[Scene 4 – Counteroffensive]

The swarm surged again, constructs merging into a titan-like shape. Its fractured limbs dragged across buildings, its head a hollow screen filled with static.

Tony (mutters):

"…Oh, that's new."

Neo (steps forward, eyes glowing):

"Then we bring it down together."

Tony's Celestial Core flared, his armor reshaping into a rail-cannon array. At the same time, Neo's Cocoon flared black and gold, Seraphina synchronizing with his Void powers.

Tony + Neo (in unison):

"Firing!"

One shot burned with the light of stars. The other erased with the hunger of nothing.

The titan construct didn't even scream—its entire form shattered between annihilation and creation, collapsing in on itself until only silence remained.

The battlefield stilled for a heartbeat.

Tony (exhales, glancing at Neo):

"…You and me? We're going to have a very interesting talk after this."

Neo (half-grin):

"Looking forward to it."

✨ End of Chapter 14 – Forged in Anomaly Fire ✨

📖 Arc 2 – Chapter 15: Stark Introductions

[Scene 1 – Breathing Space]

The last fragments of anomaly constructs fizzled into nothing, the city air settling with a faint metallic tang. Sirens echoed distantly, but the battlefield was—for now—quiet.

Neo lowered his hand, Cocoon's pulse dimming. Seraphina's voice retreated into a soft hum in the back of his mind. Velgrynd landed beside him, her fiery aura coiling back into her body, golden eyes still sharp as if daring the world to attack again.

Tony disengaged his Celestial Forge armor piece by piece, nanites folding inward until only his undersuit remained. For the first time, the group saw him not as an armored comet in the sky—but as Tony Stark, very much human, eyes tired but burning with calculation.

Tony (breaking the silence, smirking):

"Well. That was either the strangest rave I've ever attended… or just another Tuesday."

[Scene 2 – Reintroductions]

Neo stepped forward first, extending a hand.

Neo:

"Tony Stark. Last time we saw you, it was through the group chat's live feed in Aincrad. Good to finally fight side by side."

Tony shook it, his grip firm but casual.

Tony:

"Yeah, I remember. You were the guy deleting monsters from existence like you were clearing browser history. Stark-level efficiency. I approve."

From behind, Kirito and Asuna walked up, exchanging glances.

Asuna (softly, amazed):

"This is… the Tony Stark?"

Tony (grins):

"Depends. Am I rich, brilliant, devastatingly handsome, and carrying an unhealthy caffeine addiction? Then yes, guilty as charged."

Kirito chuckled despite himself.

Kirito:

"He's… exactly like in the broadcasts."

Velgrynd (snorts):

"He talks too much."

Tony turned, eyebrow raised at the towering dragoness.

Tony:

"…And who's the supermodel with a built-in flamethrower?"

Velgrynd (coolly, crossing her arms):

"Velgrynd. True Dragon. Neo's wife."

There was a beat of silence.

From the group chat holograms floating nearby came an instant flood of messages:

Klein: LOLLLLL Tony's face 🤣

Sinon: Did she just say wife??

Zhongli (finally online): …Ah. I see Neo's fate is sealed.

Tony blinked twice, then turned slowly to Neo.

Tony:

"…Kid, we're having that talk sooner than I thought."

Neo sighed, glaring at the glowing chat feed.

[Scene 3 – A Breather at Stark Tower]

The group retreated to a secure Stark facility overlooking the half-ruined skyline. J.A.R.V.I.S. drones served drinks, patched minor injuries, and deployed scanning arrays around Velgrynd (who tolerated them only because Neo insisted).

For the first time since Aincrad, everyone relaxed.

• Kirito and Asuna shared quiet thanks with Tony for holding the line.

• Zhongli offered a rare smile, noting how "mortals and gods alike" were aligning here.

• Velgrynd leaned against the glass wall, watching the city while occasionally shooting side-eye at Tony.

• Neo tested Cocoon pulses with Seraphina guiding, faint ripples flickering across his palm.

Tony finally spoke up, his tone shifting from casual to serious.

Tony:

"That swarm wasn't the main act. Just the warm-up band. Whatever's behind this anomaly… it's hiding. Feeding. And I don't like that it's targeting my city."

Neo (nodding):

"Then we'll stand with you. This isn't just your world's fight anymore."

Tony studied Neo for a long moment, then cracked a dry smile.

Tony:

"You're… different. I don't mean the glowing-eyes-void-trick different. I mean… bigger picture different. The kind of guy who makes the universe twitch."

Neo didn't answer—because Seraphina whispered in his mind at that exact moment:

Seraphina (soft, cautious):

"Warning: anomaly root signature detected. Escalation imminent."

Neo's gaze hardened. Tony noticed, his smirk fading.

The breather was already over.

✨ End of Chapter 15 – Stark Introductions ✨