Chapter 84: Iron Man?

Ibirapuera Park is located near the Garden District in São Paulo, Brazil. Originally an indigenous village, it gradually evolved into a park, opening to the public in 1954 to commemorate the 400th anniversary of São Paulo’s founding. Renowned for its beautiful scenery and comprehensive facilities, it has become a beloved place of recreation and leisure for the people of São Paulo.

It is called the Central Park because it sits directly in front of the São Paulo Parliament Building, close to the city government and the stadium, right at the heart of the city.

But now, the once picturesque Ibirapuera Park, teeming with visitors, is utterly devoid of life—a barren silence reigns. The fountain at the center of the park’s lake no longer shoots its dazzling spray. The only living creature left is a colossal beast resting in the lake; with each breath, it sends forth scorching flames, heating the water until it boils, shrouding the surroundings in a thick mist.

Far above this gigantic beast, nearly twenty thousand feet in the air, a tiny black dot suddenly appeared, so small it was almost invisible, unnoticed by any observer.

"Yan Ze is right below us. Bai, has my arrival gone undetected?" Lan Tian hovered in the sky, suppressing the aura of the blazing divine armor, carefully observing the slumbering Yan Ze below.

"Don’t worry. Yan Ze hasn’t moved at all. Looks like it hasn’t noticed us," Bai replied with certainty.

"Heh, then let’s give it a greeting from Earth," Lan Tian chuckled.

He channeled his divine energy into his right leg, holding it in reserve, and controlled the blazing divine armor to descend at lightning speed!

With the explosive speed of the armor, the distance vanished in an instant. In the next second, Lan Tian appeared above Yan Ze’s head. Without hesitation, he gathered all his strength, divine energy coursing through him; from his right leg, the armor extended a barbed spike, over two meters long, and with a sudden side kick, he aimed straight at one of Yan Ze’s massive eyes.

Boom!

A tremendous crash echoed out. Caught off guard in its sleep, Yan Ze was kicked several thousand meters away. One eye was blinded by the barbed spike from the armor, and its ferocious head was drenched in blood; silvery blood dripped onto the ground, melting it instantly and creating fiery pits all around!

Roaring in agony, Yan Ze writhed on the ground, howling furiously, pain overwhelming it. Its body erupted with boundless silver flames, turning the ground to magma and evaporating the lake water in an instant. The environment seemed to have shifted to the mouth of a volcano.

Lan Tian wasted no time. Taking advantage of Yan Ze’s stunned state from the sudden attack, he pressed the assault, relentlessly pounding its head and giving it no chance to recover.

Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!

Under the dual empowerment of the blazing divine armor and divine energy, Yan Ze was utterly powerless to resist, repeatedly sent flying by Lan Tian’s attacks. Its body was covered in wounds, the unique silvery blood flowing everywhere, and its anguished cries only fueled Lan Tian’s excitement.

Perhaps, Yan Ze was not so difficult to deal with after all?

Just as he was rejoicing, Yan Ze finally managed to steady itself, the agony from its blinded eye subsiding. Its remaining eye burned with savage, murderous intent as it glared furiously at the steel monster hovering before it.

With a furious roar, Yan Ze launched its first counterattack. Without any visible preparation, it struck with a claw, enveloped in silver flames, smashing directly into Lan Tian’s chest and abdomen.

It was like an ordinary person being struck by a speeding train. Even with the armor’s defense and the divine energy’s damage transfer, Lan Tian still suffered a heavy blow, coughing up blood and sent flying hundreds of meters.

He hadn’t expected Yan Ze’s power to be so formidable! Just one strike—without the armor, he would have been beyond saving!

"Damn it! Miscalculation! Somehow, Yan Ze’s strength has grown tremendously and is nearly at the intermediate Nebula level!" Bai’s voice rang out, shocked and angry.

"What?! Nearly intermediate Nebula level? In just a few days? How did its power grow so quickly?" Lan Tian was equally alarmed. If both were at the initial Nebula level, he still had a chance, but now the gap had widened.

He had no time to think. Despite the intense pain in his chest, he shot upward as Yan Ze launched another attack—multiple streams of silver flames streaked toward him.

His lack of combat experience showed; he was a moment too slow. One flame grazed him, and an unbearable heat surged inside the armor. Lan Tian’s skin split open, and the smell of roasting flesh filled the air.

Even with the armor’s protection, had he relied solely on his body, he would have been reduced to ashes.

Controlling the armor, he rapidly ascended out of the flames’ reach, and only then did the temperature subside. Looking down, his heart nearly stopped—the vast Ibirapuera Park had vanished, burned to scorched earth by just a few streams of silver flame. Magma flowed everywhere, life utterly extinguished.

Bai was right. When Yan Ze went berserk, the power of its silver flames was terrifying!

Lan Tian decided to retreat, flying to safety. Yan Ze, enraged, gave chase, sending streaks of silver flame like meteors across the sky, determined to destroy the steel monster that had harmed it!

Thus, on the satellite images from nations around the world, two non-human entities—one chasing, one fleeing—circled the globe. Governments were overjoyed, broadcasting and zooming in on Lan Tian clad in the blazing divine armor, streaming these images worldwide to inspire hope in their despairing citizens.

"Iron Man Walks the Earth?!"

"A Savior Appears!"

"Does Superman Truly Exist?"

"Iron Man? He is the Iron God!"

Similar headlines spread wildly across the internet, and television networks broadcast the satellite footage of Lan Tian’s battle with Yan Ze in Ibirapuera Park twenty-four hours a day. Humanity rejoiced—the terrifying monster finally had a worthy opponent!

In China, the highest leader gazed, deeply moved, at a report in his hands. Several photographs in the report clearly showed the blazing divine armor, eyes glowing scarlet.

"Haha, Lan Tian! Well done! Earth... is counting on you!" the leader murmured, tears streaming down his face. He knew that the one the world now called the "Iron God" was none other than Lan Tian himself.

Meanwhile, Wang Ling’s family sat together before the television, watching the broadcast. Wang Yu clicked his tongue in amazement, muttering, "I can hardly make sense of things anymore—not only do we have a virtual network and terrifying monsters, but now this so-called Iron God has appeared. Has the world gone mad, or is it just me?"

Wang Ling sat beside him, a secret smile on her lips, quietly amused. She was eager to see what her father’s reaction would be if she revealed the Iron God’s true identity. The thought filled her with anticipation.