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Marvel Universe
Stark Industries
A massive explosion rocked the reception hall, reducing it to rubble.
Fortunately, thanks to Ron's warning, Tony and Pepper were prepared in advance.
After learning the names Aldrich Killian and Maya Hansen, Tony conducted an investigation. When he discovered that the trouble originated from one of his past flings, his face turned alternating shades of blue and red. He avoided Pepper's mocking gaze and quickly launched a deeper probe into Killian's organization, A.I.M.
What he uncovered was disturbing—Killian was conducting human experiments on wounded soldiers, injecting them with the Extremis virus that Ron had warned him about.
Realizing the gravity of the situation, Pepper put aside her grievances with Tony for the moment. She helped him buy time while he worked on forging an Adamantium armor suit. But this time, unlike before, there was no leftover stock of Adamantium. Not only was the supply short, but Tony needed twice as much as last time.
Three days simply weren't enough. Even with Tony's efficiency, a lack of materials meant he could only forge one suit.
When they learned that they could no longer stall, and Killian was already on his way to Stark Industries, Tony gave the suit to Pepper. He also assigned John Wick as her bodyguard.
It wasn't that Tony didn't want to fight directly, but he was Iron Man. If Pepper wore the suit into battle, then who was the real Iron Man? Pepper? The suit itself?
So, he chose to wait, planning to confront Killian once his own armor was complete. The suit he had just finished was the one he had once promised to Pepper—his pride as Iron Man wouldn't allow him to fight with anything less than his own creation.
However, he hadn't expected Killian to be so utterly ruthless.
As Pepper and John Wick began evacuating the employees, one of Killian's bald henchmen injected a wounded soldier with a dose of Extremis right on the spot.
Without the necessary medical equipment, the soldier couldn't withstand the energy surging through his body. His skin cracked open like the surface of molten lava, revealing the burning magma beneath before he exploded violently.
The resulting blast had the force of a high-yield C4 explosion, tearing through the confined space. Fortunately, Pepper had the Adamantium armor with her. The suit deployed instantly, protecting both her and John Wick. Though they were thrown back by the shockwave, neither of them suffered injuries.
Killian and his men took advantage of the chaos to vanish.
Happy Hogan, the head of Stark Industries' security, had been helping with the evacuation. He was caught in the explosion and sent flying, left injured and unconscious—a miserable sight.
This was the last straw for Tony.
Despite the second suit still being incomplete, he called a press conference and publicly declared war on Killian.
"I am Tony Stark!"
"I don't care if you call yourself the Mandarin or Aldrich Killian!"
"All I know is—you've pissed me off!"
"You're dead. I'll personally make sure of it!"
"If you've got the guts, stop hiding in the shadows and come face me like a man!"
"This is my home address: 10880 Malibu Point!"
"I'll be waiting!"
Even after declaring war, Tony didn't underestimate his opponent.
According to his research, the success rate of the Extremis virus was low, but every successful subject was powerful enough to take on his Titanium armor in a one-on-one fight. Their bodies burned with temperatures reaching thousands of degrees, and they had the ability to regenerate severed limbs.
Each one was no joke.
Two or three of them together could probably take on the Lizard (Dr. Curt Connors) in a fight. If they were in the Naruto universe, they'd easily qualify as elite Jōnin. Each of them was like a miniature version of Pakura's Scorch Release or Han's Lava Release.
Just then, a War Machine suit descended from the sky. Colonel Rhodes stepped out, opening his visor with a worried look.
"Tony, this is reckless!"
If Tony's intel was accurate, they were about to face not just one, but a dozen—maybe even dozens—of enhanced super-soldiers!
Tony patted Rhodey on the shoulder. "Come inside. We need to strategize."
Inside the mansion, two more figures were waiting—Pepper and John Wick.
Rhodey froze for a moment, then glared at Tony in anger. "Tony!"
"Why the hell is Pepper still here?"
"If the enemy attacks your house, how are you going to keep her safe?"
He didn't care about John Wick—who even was this guy? But Pepper was different. She was Tony's assistant, and after all these years, Rhodey considered her a close friend as well. Everyone already saw her as the future Mrs. Pepper Stark.
How could Tony reveal his address and then let her stay in the line of fire?
Tony and Pepper exchanged a knowing smile.
"Pepper is actually safer than I am right now," Tony said. "All the Adamantium I ordered? I used it to build her a suit."
"As long as she doesn't get hit by a nuke, she'll be fine."
"....."