“Miss Potts, may I have a word with you?”
Agent Phil Coulson squeezed through the crowd, a look of concern on his face as he approached Pepper Potts.
Pepper Potts was Tony Stark’s personal assistant, someone Tony trusted deeply.
Coulson had been going through a rough patch recently, having lost all memory of his time in Afghanistan. When he woke up, he found himself lying in the streets of Kabul, wearing nothing but his shorts. Worse yet, according to S.H.I.E.L.D.’s records, he had used his own access to transfer eight million dollars to a temporary account. After the transfer, the account vanished without a trace, and even S.H.I.E.L.D. couldn’t track it down.
If not for Director Nick Fury’s unwavering trust in him, Coulson would likely be facing prison or, at the very least, stripped of his agent status.
Because of his mistakes, S.H.I.E.L.D. knew nothing about what had transpired in the Afghan mountains.
S.H.I.E.L.D. was desperate to uncover the mystery behind the massive crater discovered there. There was no residual nuclear radiation, and a weapon of that magnitude appearing on Earth was something they had to investigate.
Tony Stark, as one of the key witnesses to the event, was crucial. Coulson needed to get a report directly from Stark. Unfortunately, since his return from Afghanistan, Stark had secluded himself in his Malibu mansion, making it impossible for S.H.I.E.L.D. to reach him.
This press conference was a rare opportunity.
“I’m not a spokesperson, and the conference is about to wrap up. If you have any questions, you can schedule an appointment,” Pepper said dismissively, already making a mental note to blacklist the bald-headed man who she assumed was a reporter. Tony Stark only liked to meet with glamorous, blonde, blue-eyed reporters.
“Apologies, I’m not a reporter. I’m Agent Phil Coulson from the Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement, and Logistics Division,” Coulson explained, introducing himself. “We’d like to ask Mr. Stark for a detailed account of his rescue in Afghanistan.”
“Sorry, but the DOD, FBI, and CIA have already approached us for that information. You can request a report from them,” Pepper responded.
Since Tony Stark’s ordeal in Afghanistan, his ties with the Department of Defense had only grown stronger. Despite staying in his basement, he had held several virtual meetings with top government officials. He had even received classified documents, many related to military research on mutants.
In his reports, Stark had been brutally honest, detailing the terrifying power of Broly’s energy attacks.
“We are an independent agency with a more concentrated scope of authority,” Coulson clarified. S.H.I.E.L.D. had a somewhat awkward status—it was largely controlled by the U.S. government but technically an international organization. Therefore, agencies like the CIA and FBI didn’t always share information with them.
“I’ll arrange some time for you,” Pepper said, making a note of it in her planner.
“Thank you,” Coulson replied.
Tony Stark soon wrapped up his speech. This press conference was primarily meant to unveil the future strategy of Stark Industries and to boost the company’s stock price, which had plummeted following his kidnapping. He needed more funds to move forward with his plans.
“Mr. Stark, I’m with CNN. Could you tell us why Obadiah Stane didn’t appear at this press conference?” one reporter asked as Tony was preparing to leave. “There are rumors that he was behind your kidnapping. Is that true?”
The fact that Obadiah Stane, usually very active at Stark Industries events, hadn’t shown up stirred curiosity among the reporters.
“Stane is dealing with some health issues. He’s still someone I trust completely, but he’ll be spending a lot of time in the hospital for now,” Tony explained as he quickly exited the venue, flanked by his security chief, Happy Hogan.
“Straight back to Malibu,” Tony instructed as he climbed into the car, casually tinkering with the design schematics for the MK2 armor on his tablet.
“Tony, you can’t stay locked up in your basement forever. The shareholders are furious about your involvement with the CIA to restrict Obadiah Stane’s movements. You need to explain things to them,” Pepper said anxiously. Tony’s recent behavior had left her feeling uneasy.
“That’s your call, Pepper. I’ve already handed the company over to you,” Tony replied, sensing her uncertainty. He reached out and gently clasped her hand.
“You don’t need to explain anything to them. The CIA has all the evidence of Obadiah’s crimes. The only reason they haven’t arrested him yet is to ensure a smooth transition and prevent Stark Industries from descending into chaos. Just keep the shareholders happy for now. Soon, I’ll have them all removed.”
That bastard Stane had hired someone like Batman, a terrifying figure, to try and kill him. If Tony hadn’t gotten lucky, he’d be dead right now.
“Pepper, believe in yourself. You’ve got this.”
Once they arrived at the Malibu mansion, Tony immediately headed down to his underground workshop. In the few weeks since he’d returned, his basement had undergone a massive transformation.
What had once been a simple garage was now dominated by a massive electromagnetic railgun. Around it were dozens of pre-forged chest plates made from a variety of materials, each one obtained through military and Stark Industries channels, utilizing the most advanced materials available.
“Material number 57, first test. Impact force: 100 tons. Velocity: 600 meters per second. Firing rate: 30 rounds per second.”
Tony stood behind a meter-thick bulletproof glass wall, observing the test results. This setup was based on data he had extrapolated from CIA reports on the Green Demon, meant to serve as a benchmark for developing the MK2 armor.
Although standard hydraulic presses could easily match the Demon’s raw strength, they couldn’t replicate the speed and frequency of his punches.
Only this railgun, powered by the Arc Reactor, could simulate the full destructive power of the Demon’s attacks.
“Zzz…”
As the supercapacitors on the railgun charged, a titanium alloy rod was launched at incredible speed.
Boom!
Material number 57 barely survived the impact of the first rod, but by the second and third strikes, it was already warping and cracking, with the fourth shot punching clean through it.
Tony marked a big red “X” on his tablet, signaling failure. The mechanical arm removed the damaged chest plate from the test rig and replaced it with material number 58.
He knew that Broly wasn’t limited to physical attacks. The Saiyan could unleash devastating energy blasts, and if his armor couldn’t even withstand Broly’s punches, it stood no chance against those energy attacks.
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