Deadpool was currently trying to use a soldering iron to fix his own suit, sparks flying everywhere. He looked up at the camera, his mask-eyes widening.
"tum, you're still here?! I love the dedication! We're diving into Match 7, and I hope you brought a fire extinguisher because the electricity bill for this fight alone is going to bankrupt a small nation! It's the battle of the 'High-Maintenance Metal Men'!"
Ring 18 looked like a high-tech laboratory that had been hit by a hurricane. Drones were hovering everywhere, and the floor was made of reinforced carbon fiber.
Heimdall was wearing a welder's mask for protection. "Match Number Seven! The S-Class hero, the Disciple of Saitama... Genos! Versus the genius, billionaire, playboy, philanthropist... Iron Man!"
The Tech-Flex
Tony Stark landed in the ring with a metallic thud, his Mark 85 armor gleaming in the Valhalla sun. He flipped his faceplate up, looking at Genos with a raised eyebrow. "Nice chassis, kid. Is that brushed aluminum? A bit 2014, don't you think? I could upgrade those elbow joints in about twenty minutes, but I'm a little busy winning a tournament."
Genos stood perfectly still, his internal turbines humming. His eyes glowed a dangerous orange. "I do not need upgrades from a man who hides inside a tin can. My master taught me that true strength comes from the soul... and also from doing 100 pushups a day. I will incinerate you for the sake of efficiency."
The Beam-Spam Symphony
Tony snapped his faceplate shut. "Friday, give me the 'Aggressive Toddler' protocol."
"Incoming," the AI replied.
Both fighters raised their hands at the exact same time.
"INCINERATE!" "UNIBEAM!"
The center of the ring exploded as a pillar of orange fire met a beam of pure blue arc-reactor energy. The shockwave was so loud that Black Canary (DC) in the audience had to cover her ears.
Genos didn't stop. He boosted forward, his shoulder plates opening to reveal dozens of micro-missiles. Tony countered with his own "All-Out Attack," and for three minutes, Ring 18 looked like a Fourth of July celebration gone horribly wrong.
"They're just... shooting glowing dots at each other!" Deadpool screamed into the mic. "It's like watching two angry laser pointers fight over a cat! Look at the property damage, tum! The carbon fiber is melting!"
The Final Iteration
Genos lunged through the smoke, his fist glowing with heat. "Core Power... 100%!" He landed a punch that sent Tony flying into the barrier, but the Iron Man suit shifted, nanobots repairing the damage in seconds.
"Okay, Sparky," Tony said, his voice distorted by the speakers. "You're fast, but I've got an algorithm for 'Angst-Ridden Cyborgs.' Friday, find the frequency of his power core."
"Frequency found, Boss."
Tony didn't fire a beam. He clapped his hands together, releasing a localized EMP pulse combined with a sonic frequency that vibrated through Genos's metal frame.
Genos froze. His eyes flickered. "Internal... systems... failing... Master... I have... failed..."
CLINK.
Genos didn't explode this time (a miracle!), but his arms fell off and his legs locked up. He tipped over like a statue, crashing onto the floor.
Tony landed next to him and patted Genos's head. "Don't feel bad, kid. You've got heart. Literally, it's a glowing battery in your chest. I'll send you the bill for the repairs."
"Match Seven winner... IRON MAN!" Heimdall shouted, dodging a stray micro-missile that finally decided to explode.
Up in the booth, Deadpool was doing "The Robot" dance. "That's 7 winners down, 44 matches to go in Round One! Tony Stark secures his spot in the Semi-Finals! I wonder if he'll try to buy the arena next?!"
We're not stopping! Pick the next fight!
Match 8 (Ring 9): Monkey D. Luffy vs. Popeye. (Rubber vs. Spinach - This is going to be 100% cartoon physics.)
Match 9 (Ring 5): Naruto vs. Ichigo. (The battle for the 'Big Three' crown!)
Match 10 (Ring 1): Batman vs. Aizen. (The man with a plan vs. the man who planned the plan!)