Happy is critically injured and dying? Stark declares war on the entire internet!

A black sedan slid into the rainy night, crushing the Stark Tower's reflection in the water.

Inside the car, leather seats and constant temperature air conditioning kept out the wind and rain.

Killian poured Lily a glass of whiskey and then pressed a button on the armrest.

hum.

A holographic screen unfolded between the two of them.

Instead of the mechanical blueprints Lily had anticipated, the screen displayed a chilling video of human experimentation.

In the video, a veteran who has lost both legs is strapped to an operating table, and he begins to scream in pain as some kind of orange-red drug is injected.

Then, a miracle... or rather, a curse, occurred.

A magma-like high-temperature red light surged from the severed limb, and flesh and bones regenerated at a speed visible to the naked eye.

But this regeneration was accompanied by extreme instability, and the soldier's body temperature soared dramatically.

Finally, amidst a piercing scream, it transformed into an exploding fireball, reducing the entire laboratory to ruins.

"This is AIM's core project, Extremis."

Killian swirled his wine glass, his eyes burning with fervor.

"It can give people the ability to regenerate and generate high temperatures that can melt steel. This is a miracle of life that transcends cold, impersonal machinery."

Lily stared at the screen, her brows furrowing deeper and deeper.

As a mechanical genius, she instinctively rejected this uncontrollable biological mutation.

"A miracle?" Lily sneered, downing her drink in one gulp. "If you call this kind of suicide truck a miracle, then you're no different from Stark."

"What?" Killian raised an eyebrow.

"Stark mocked my armor for not having a cooling system, while these monsters you created... are just disposable human bombs."

Lily pointed to the ball of fire on the screen, "Extremely unstable, the body temperature is too high and it is causing a breakdown."

"If this thing goes on the battlefield, it will explode before it even touches the enemy."

Lily's criticism was merciless; it was the intuition of a technician.

"You're right, the physical body is too fragile to contain this energy."

Killian wasn't angry at being offended. "That's why we need a genius like you."

"I?"

"What if we put a limiter on this power?"

Killian guided Lily's thoughts, "An outer shell that can withstand temperatures of thousands of degrees, can channel this violent biological energy, and even serve as a power source."

Boom!

A flash of inspiration struck Lily.

The battle armor data that she couldn't understand before suddenly found the perfect puzzle at this moment.

Tony's insults echoed in her ears: "Low energy conversion efficiency" and "Zero cooling system."

That's for conventional reactors.

But what if it's an extremist virus?

What if we didn't need to dissipate heat, but instead utilized this thermal energy?

What if we stop using machinery as armor to protect the body, and instead use it as a restraint and conduit for the Extremis virus?

Use bioenergy to drive machinery, and use machinery to stabilize bioenergy!

Let the wearer become an inexhaustible reactor!

"The human body is too fragile... steel is too rigid..."

Lily muttered to herself, the light in her eyes growing brighter and brighter, a kind of almost morbid fanaticism.

She grabbed the electronic pen and started scribbling frantically on the holographic screen.

Instead of modifying the molecular formula of the Extremis virus, she covered the mannequin about to explode with a layer of mechanical armor.

The pen tip glides across the screen, making a hissing sound.

"I want to combine the strengths of both."

Lily put down her pen, her once innocent face now filled with gloom and madness.

She looked up at Killian, a terrifying smile spreading across her face.

"Give me the top-of-the-line high-temperature alloy, and give me the original data on that Extremis virus."

"I'm going to build a monster that can melt that Playboy's tin can straight into molten iron."

As Killian stared at the grotesque creation on the screen, a creature he had never imagined before, the flames of revenge within him were ignited once more.

This is what he wanted.

It's not just AIM's biotechnology, nor is it just Stark's mechanical technology.

Rather, it is the fusion of the two, the ultimate form of evolution.

"Welcome, Miss Williams."

Killian reached out and grasped Lily's greasy hand tightly, not caring at all that the stains had dirtied his own cuffs.

"It seems we'll soon be able to prepare a real return gift for Tony."

……

Several months later.

Inside Tony's villa.

Clang!

A piece of aerospace-grade titanium alloy plate was smashed into the corner of the wall.

There was no expected metallic clanging sound; the piece of alloy fell into the swamp.

The symbiotic substance with a metallic sheen in the corner spread out, and countless tentacles greedily wrapped around it, emitting a sickeningly corrosive sound.

"Seventy-two percent... Damn, are you a snail?"

Tony Stark, sporting dark circles under his eyes, stared intently at the slowly climbing repair progress bar.

In the past month, he has fed this thing almost half of Stark Industries' rare metal inventory.

However, this damaged symbiotic armor sufferer suffered from bulimia. The Battle of New York had depleted too much of its biological energy, and its recovery speed was as slow as an old lady crossing the street, relying solely on devouring metal.

"Sir, if I may remind you, since you have not slept for 72 consecutive hours, your cortisol levels are high enough to light a match."

Jarvis's voice remained steady, but carried a strange, sarcastic tone that only Tony could detect.

"Shut up, Jarvis."

Tony grabbed a cup of cold coffee that had been sitting there for who knows how long and took a swig.

"And what about outside? Those politicians are still arguing about who should pay for New York's reconstruction?"

"In fact, the reconstruction is already 60% complete, with most of the repair costs coming from the Security Council."

"The mayor has just given a speech praising the unprecedented era of peace we live in."

The holographic projection has changed.

Outside the window, New York's night view is as dazzling as ever, the neon lights concealing the scars of the past.

In the news footage, politicians with flushed faces are gesturing wildly at the camera, as if those alien monsters were just Hollywood special effects.

"Peace? Just the calm before the storm!"

Tony couldn't force a smile. "Those insects are just the vanguard; the real threat is still watching us from the other side of the galaxy."

Noisy!

Without any warning, a high-frequency noise suddenly rang out.

The original news footage was forcibly cut off and replaced with a dimly lit image in the style of a low-quality DV camera.

He was a man with a full beard, and on his fingers were ten rings with an antique design that exuded an evil aura.

"Some people call me a terrorist, but I prefer... the title 'Mandarin'."

The Mandarin's voice was hoarse, with a theatrical intonation.

"Mr. Stark, your steel toys did save New York, but you can't protect everyone."

"The Ten Commandments are back. This time, we're not just going to take the president's head, but also the dignity of you false gods."

The scene shifts to a horrific explosion site.

Tony's pupils contracted.

"Sir, Manager Happy was attacked by an explosion and is currently undergoing emergency treatment; his vital signs are weak."

Jarvis's voice rang out, and at the same time, a detailed report popped up in a window.

"The perpetrator is suspected of using some kind of suicide bombing technique; the temperature at the scene exceeded 3,000 degrees Celsius."

"Mandarin..."

Tony squeezed out the name through gritted teeth.

"Okay, very good."

The anxiety in Tony's eyes transformed into real killing intent, golden arcs of electricity swirled around him, and faint black shadows flickered on his body.

……

The Malibu villa was filled with the salty smell of the sea breeze.

Countless cameras and microphones blocked the entrance to the mansion.

Tony wore sunglasses, and even though he looked haggard, his inherent arrogance still made him look down at all the reporters.

"The Mandarin? Who's that? A coward who just hides behind a screen and recites lines?"

Tony took off his sunglasses and looked directly into the camera.

"You want to play games? I'll play with you."

"Malibu Beach, the door's unlocked. If you want to kill me, just come and do it. Don't act like a sewer rat and only hurt innocent people."

……

Back in the villa lobby.

"Have you located it yet?" Tony asked as he took off his suit jacket.

"Based on the commonalities among these deliberate explosions, I suggest you investigate this small town in Tennessee," Jarvis replied.

"Prepare my armor. I'm going to find the Mandarin and kick him to pieces!"

Tony walked to the center of the hall, spread his arms, and made a strange gesture.

"Jarvis, activate Mark 42 to test the active homing system."

"Sir, I don't recommend that you do this now..."

"Stop talking nonsense!"

As he finished speaking, dozens of golden components shot out from every corner of the laboratory.

This suit of armor, known as the Prodigal Son, was Tony's alternative after he could no longer rely on the Symbiote armor.

This armor has an independent propulsion system and can also assemble automatically.

call out!call out!call out!

Leg armor, chest armor, and arm guards flew in with a whooshing sound.

Tony twisted his body in place, trying to catch the flying metal blocks.

boom!

The impact from the backplate was quite forceful, causing Tony to stumble forward.

Bang!

The visor flew in last, but flipped over just as it was about to close, slamming into the back of Tony's head.

"Ouch! Damn it!"

Tony clutched his head, wincing in pain.

"Jarvis, lower the inertia parameter by 5%? Is this thing trying to murder me?"

Ding dong.

The doorbell rang abruptly.

Before Tony could even remove his half-baked armor, the door slid open.

A woman with a hot figure and an anxious expression stood at the door.

What's worse, Pepper Pepper happened to be coming down the stairs, carrying a suitcase.

"Tony? Who is she?"

Pepper's smile vanished, replaced by a death stare at Tony not far away.

"Her old flame has come knocking? At a time like this?"

Pepper slammed her suitcase on the ground.

"No, no, no, Pepper, let me explain, it was just...an academic exchange."

Tony scrambled out of his armor.

"Jenny! Jenny, Jenny!!"

Just as this chaotic scene was about to erupt, the five Squirtle wearing sunglasses, who had been sunbathing in the corner, suddenly jumped up.

They took off their sunglasses, pointed their little fingers at the sky outside the French windows, and let out a piercing scream.

Tony's hair stood on end.

That was Kamen Rider's intuition.

He suddenly turned his head.

At the horizon where the azure sea meets the sky, three missiles, trailing long plumes of flame, were tearing through the air at incredible speed, heading straight for the villa!