American comic book: My Father is Superman, am I just an NPC?

Chapter 132 New Bio-Armor, Ancient God Brewing Tea!

original.

Ian was still processing the power he had just acquired.

A barely perceptible stream of light rose from the core of the slime and merged into Ian's body. A strange yet powerful surge of information flooded his mind—information about the essential structure of the symbiote.

And the energy conversion method.

[Active Armor Mimicry: This mimicry possesses self-repair and regeneration capabilities, can simulate and integrate with any material structure it has come into contact with, and can autonomously generate weapons, armor, flight organs, and other structures according to combat needs.]

This is the new mimicry information.

Just as Ian was happily trying it out...

He had just used the biomimetic properties of the active armor to dress himself in a cool suit of armor.

Never thought about it.

next moment.

Changes occur suddenly.

A floating picture frame appeared in the sky, and within that illusory scene, resembling a scroll painting, appeared the God of Symbiosis, the God of Darkness, and Nar, who was hidden within the story.

Perhaps because Ian had absorbed the power of slaughter, he seemed to be issuing judgments to the lives outside the frame, to show that he still possessed the power to influence reality.

I saw.

Nar pointed his finger forward slightly.

No sound.

There are no lighting effects.

The dark purple energy, like divine punishment, silently and deadly tore through space, surging towards the real world outside the picture frame. In that instant, the entire world seemed to be muted; even the wind stopped flowing, leaving only that dark divine power capable of annihilating everything, heading straight for Ian standing on the ground in reality.

"careful!"

As one of the few heroes still standing and able to think, Thor felt a terrifying power descend upon him. He roared at Ian, his voice filled with unprecedented tension and solemnity.

Thor's hammer has reappeared in Thor's hands.

Lightning flashed and thunder roared.

He was prepared to provide support.

However, Ian reacted even faster—light is the nemesis of darkness, and Ian, who called himself the evil god of the sun, was certainly not afraid of darkness, but his eyes did not shine with the light of the sun at this moment.

"Ahhhhhhh~"

Ian simply chose to fly into the sky to confront the opponent's pure energy, which was clearly a gift from nature. He opened his mouth like a fledgling bird.

That wasn't just an ordinary mouth; it was a posture that seemed to devour everything!
A strange, swirling light shone from deep within the boy's throat.

It was like a rift leading to an endless void. That destructive energy from the Dark God Nar was, at this very moment, swallowed whole by Ian, right up to his face!

[Absorbing Dark Energy, Entropy Annihilation Lord Experience Points +119]

[Absorbing Dark Energy, Entropy Annihilation Lord Experience Points +120]

[Absorbing Dark Energy, Entropy Annihilation Lord Experience Points +110]

……

The energy struck Ian's face.

Can’t finish it.

I can't finish it at all.

Because his mouth wasn't big enough, a lot of energy leaked out and poured onto his face, giving his handsome face a special "dark god's mask."

Berserker Experience +8

Berserker Experience +8

Berserker Experience +8

……

A very stable facial massage.

However, the experience points gained from defeating the Entropy Lord are significantly lower.

Very uneconomical.

Therefore.

"Can this still happen?"

Under the dumbfounded gaze of Thor.

Ian had a sudden thought.

Countless sticky mimicry substances from carnage and venom began to surge. They were merely mimicry information enslaved by Ian and were not affected by the Symbiote God.

Under Ian's mental control.

They slowly extended and climbed down from below Ian's neck toward his face, twisting and writhing, covering Ian's face with an extremely "ferocious" mask.

The mimicry mask helped Ian enlarge his delicate little mouth.

Ever since.

[Absorbing Dark Energy, Entropy Annihilation Lord Experience Points +220]

[Absorbing Dark Energy, Entropy Annihilation Lord Experience Points +230]

[Absorbing Dark Energy, Entropy Annihilation Lord Experience Points +198]

……

His "blood-red mouth" was remarkably effective.

This allowed him to swallow even more energy.

Delicious!

It was really delicious.

Ian looked extremely excited.

This scene left Thor, who had ascended to the heavens to provide support, momentarily stunned, unsure whether he should intervene. Indeed, the evil god who had lured him into becoming a follower was truly formidable, far more sinister than the figure perched atop the bone throne in the sky.

"I don't understand..."

The electric currents surging around Thor gradually subsided. He had never been as adept at utilizing his Asgardian brain as Ian, and he looked completely dumbfounded.

In fact, it wasn't just Thor who felt this shock; even Knull himself sensed that something was wrong.

【Entropy Annihilation Lord Lv9 [2422/2560]】

Just as Ian [Entropy Lord] was about to receive a class upgrade, Nar visibly leaned forward, frowned, and stopped delivering packages.

The dark purple power vanished instantly.

Ian's "blood-red maw" has lost its feeder.

"Galacto."

Nar slowly rose from the bone throne, the clinking of his dark armor producing a chilling metallic sound. He stared intently at Ian, the purple flames in his eye sockets flickering violently.

The misunderstandings seem to never end.

They were originally Asgardians.

It is now Devourer of Planets.

Ian offered no explanation; he was like an insatiable glutton, eager to pounce on the painting. "Just a little more! Just a little! Don't be stingy! Give me another bite to aid my cultivation!"

Ian's tongue, which appeared very long under the mimicry mask, drew closer.

"..."

Nar frowned in the picture frame.

The dark god who ruled over countless symbiotes actually took a slight step back.

"Give me a little more! Give me a little more and I'll be stuffed!" Ian flew higher and higher, almost reaching the edge of the scroll, and even reached out his hand as if he wanted to tear the scroll open and crawl inside.

--boom!

The God of Darkness, Nal, reacted swiftly. The scroll twisted violently, as if startled, instantly shrinking into a thin line, followed by a "snap" sound like books closing.

The picture frame, resembling a comic book panel, disappeared, and the strange phenomenon in the sky vanished.

This battle had no earth-shattering explosions, nor any dazzling clashes of light. All that existed was a mouth, and a boy who dared to confront the gods and devour their power.

Faced with such a situation.

Accustomed to fighting and killing, the Dark God Nar, who wanted to get revenge, chose to plan carefully. Ian missed his target and hung in mid-air, his "ferocious" face with its gaping maw filled with rage.

"Why does nobody believe me! I love telling the truth! I basically don't like lying!" He stomped his foot in mid-air and even started to lie to himself.

He looked incredibly frustrated. Actually, that's understandable; getting stuck with experience points just when you're about to level up would be very upsetting for anyone.

The Dark God Gnar ran too fast.

They didn't give Ian a chance to stay—fortunately, Ian is no longer the penniless boy he once was, and has begun to possess some real substance.

"Cuckoo~"

As it slowly descended from the sky.

Ian pulled out a thermos, took a few deep breaths from the rim, and countless specks of dust, invisible to the average person, entered his gaping maw.

[Entropy Annihilation Lord Experience Points +29]

[Entropy Annihilation Lord Experience Points +41]

[Entropy Annihilation Lord Experience Points +32]

……

This is the foundation!
Even though the Kryptonian Old God is now curled up in a ball, in a defensive state while asleep, Ian can still draw some power from Him every now and then.

[Level Up!]

【Entropy Annihilation Lord Lv10 [3/5120]】

Strength: 311-330

[Physical fitness: 350-372]

Intelligence: 23.5-25.0

[Spirit: 120-129]

As Ian's level increased, his attributes improved again, and his panel values ​​rose slightly. His frustration at being tricked by the Dark God Nar eased somewhat.

"Much more comfortable."

Ian let out a satisfied sigh.

"???????" Thor stood not far away, carrying three unconscious teammates in one hand. Captain America, Doctor Strange, and Spider-Woman had all passed out from the pressure of the divine power just now.

They look like three salted fish that have been washed ashore by the waves.

It was limp and cuddled, placed in three large baskets and carried by Thor.

"No, this..."

The Asgardian prince, a cook, probably had no shortage of these strange and unusual kitchen utensils. He held a hammer in his other hand and stared blankly as Ian screwed on the thermos.

I hesitated for a moment.

Thor stepped forward anyway.

I stared at the thermos in Ian's hand for several seconds.

What were you drinking just now?

The son of Odin finally couldn't help but ask. He had tried his best to convince himself that he was seeing things, but he could deceive his eyes but not his brain.

"Tea."

Ian's "grotesque" mask remained in place, and he tried to stick out his tongue, which was covered by the mimicry armor and was about the length of an arm.

"..."

Thor hesitated, then looked closely at the thing floating in the cup—it seemed to be a small, curled-up, golden-red figure, rising and falling with the shaking of the cup.

It's like it's asleep.

It remained silent even as it was repeatedly struck against the cup's rim.

“That was a soul, right? A divine soul, the soul of a god…” Thor’s voice trembled slightly. He hated that his knowledge of the mystical side was still quite extensive.

Facing Thor, whose eyes were beginning to show a hint of fear.

Ian knew he should offer a brief explanation.

"This is called a tea treasure, similar to a tea pet. Only the highest grade tea leaves can nurture it," Ian explained earnestly, having already sensed Thor's trepidation.

This guy is probably afraid that Ian will use him to make tea.

I don't know.

The evil gods of the new era never harm their followers.

Every believer is a precious asset to the evil gods of the new era.

“I’m a chef, I know a lot about tea, you…” Thor’s words trailed off, then he swallowed them back, his words carrying a complex and inexplicable tone.

He stared at Ian for three seconds, then looked down at the sleeping soul—golden-red light, a warm aura like the sun… He suspected that the one in the cup was the real sun god.

And Ian.

I reckon he's some kind of super evil god who dreams of becoming the sun god! Thor thinks he'll never forget the scene of this evil god battling another evil god.

The other evil god was driven away by this one in an even more sinister way! Thor now realized why his father hadn't rescued him from the evil god's lair. Even the mighty Odin of the Nine Realms probably couldn't handle this person, given that the evil god who appeared earlier possessed an aura far stronger than the Asgardian god-king.

Although Thor was reluctant to accept that his father wasn't the strongest, he now had to face reality: the boy who had mysteriously appeared in his backyard was probably no ordinary person.

"Your tea... looks pretty good?" With that thought, Thor changed his previous bluntness and chose to play dumb, offering a dry compliment.

"Okay."

Ian smacked his lips.

"I can only drink a few sips each day."

He felt a little regretful.

The Kryptonian Old Gods are too stingy.

They were even more vigilant when they were asleep than when they were awake.

Perhaps this is just a natural expression of one's true nature.

"..."

Upon hearing this, Thor opened his mouth, unsure how to respond. He remembered that Asgard seemed to have an afterlife, and now he only hoped that this evil god before him would never learn this secret.

Otherwise, it would be his grandfather.

Grandpa's grandfather.

They will probably all become so-called "tea treasures".

"They're coming."

Ian suddenly spoke.

"Who's coming?"

Thor thought there were more enemies, but just then, sirens sounded in the distance, and NYPD vehicles were driving towards them, clearly there to clean up the mess.

"It will only appear afterward. These police officers learn their skills really fast; they've already regained their superpowers." Ian said as he soared into the sky.

Thor followed closely behind, swinging his Mjolnir.

sunset.

The city returned to a brief period of calm.

Not just the police.

The NYPD has just put up its cordon.

Reporters swarmed in like sharks smelling blood. Carrying cameras and microphones, they quickly surrounded the ruins of the scene, which had just witnessed a fierce battle.

"This is a live report from The Daily Bugle!" A female reporter wearing gold-rimmed glasses stood in front of the camera, with the charred cracks and half-melted building ruins remaining on the street behind her.

"Just half an hour ago, another supernatural battle broke out in Manhattan, and according to eyewitnesses, the 'Child of Hope' from before has reappeared at the scene of the disaster!"

"He saved everything once again and defeated the evil monster. Perhaps, as some have speculated, he was a messenger sent by God to earth."

"They are gods who descended to Earth."

"He's also our first superhero."

In this era when superheroes were just emerging, reporters were clearly praising Ian to the extreme, which differed from other superheroes' views on Ian the Evil God.

They believed Ian was God's messenger.

He is a god among men.

That was an incredibly exaggerated claim.

at the same time.

Ian, who had just landed outside the Sanctuary, felt his empty mind being filled with a lot of magic once again, a reward for the people's faith.

"It's better than nothing." Ian still had many world-building ideas that required magic. If he could stay in this world for longer, he would even like to challenge the new Tony to a contest for the title of king.

Standing on the street outside the Holy of Holies.

Ian even discovered that no one recognized him.

He was slightly frustrated, and looked up thoughtfully at the Sanctuary sign, convinced that it must be the Sanctuary's concealment magic that had delayed him from signing autographs for his Marvel fans.

“Your naming skills are truly terrible.” Ian stared at the area above the entrance to the Sanctuary, which was originally empty but now bore the sign of the Evil Eye Alliance.

“I also think this name is no good. The Northern Alliance sounds the best.” Thor landed carrying three vegetable baskets and casually hung his Mjolnir on his waist.

The name he mentioned made Ian somewhat unsure how to respond.

"I don't think it's that great either."

Ian looked at Thor with a slightly strange expression. The name "Northern Alliance" reminded him of a Shiba Inu and images of fighting for the glory of the Northern Gods.

In this regard.

Thor, of course, could not know what Ian was thinking.

He just sighed.

"Because you, as the leader, didn't leave an organization name, we're now using a rotating naming system here. Monday, Wednesday, and Friday are the Evil Eye Alliance, and Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday are the Northern God Alliance."

Surprisingly, this small group even started talking about freedom and democracy.

Ian raised an eyebrow.

"What about the weekend?"

He knew that the numbers Thor mentioned represented the days of the week.

"Weekend off."

Thor shrugged, looking speechless. "That's why it's called 'Gwen's Happy House'."

talking.

He shook the three vegetable baskets he was carrying.

"It wasn't easy to get this little girl to join us. Doctor Strange said she was one of your kin, and after a series of threats and inducements, he still couldn't get her to join us. I had to pay her a salary before she agreed to join us."

“One gold coin a week is actually quite a good deal,” Thor said, explaining how they managed to get Gwen to join the organization after Ian left last time.

There's nothing complicated about it or the technology involved.

The only way is to spend money.

The most precious thing about the royal family of the Nine Realms is gold coins.

“It’s only right that you give her more money; she’s done so much for you.” Ian didn’t deny Thor’s statement; his relationship with Gwen was indeed closer than with the other believers.

"Is that so?"

Thor didn't know what Gwen had paid for, but he felt that Ian's words made sense, since he usually paid a gold coin for taking a taxi.

Just as the crown prince was pondering how much salary to pay Gwen.

"I am your god, and I decide what the organization should be called." Ian had long been disgusted by the vulgar signboard, and his eyes suddenly lit up with two dazzling golden beams.

Intense rays erupted forth.

It struck the plaque with pinpoint accuracy.

Instead of melting and burning the entire plaque, under Ian's incredibly precise control, the old name was completely erased, and then a new name was slowly carved on it.

New Justice League

The golden lettering shone with a sacred light.

Ian left some magic on it.

So much so that it always looks shiny and golden.

"Remember to have Dr. Stephen Strange register the copyright for this name tomorrow, to avoid being sued for infringement." Ian issued his first divine decree as an evil god.

"Uh, okay."

Thor was a little confused, but he still nodded in agreement.

"Why do we have to call it this name? Wouldn't it be better to just call it Justice League?" He didn't quite understand Ian's naming method, but he could sense Ian's obsession with the name.

"Because the Justice League infringed on copyrights, and behind this lies a sad story that no one knows. The word 'new' represents my ten years of ups and downs."

Ian looked sad.

His melancholy, pain, frustration, and even slight sense of dejection aroused Thor's curiosity, though he dared not ask. He could only imagine an ancient story where Ian had founded the Justice League, which then perished for some reason. "Please accept my condolences."

Thor offered words of comfort.

"?????"

Ian didn't quite understand why Thor suddenly started using a deep, bubbly voice, but that didn't matter. He was also imagining himself leading the new Justice League to prove his future.

The old guys will definitely regret rejecting his request to join the group!
"Let's not talk about that now, I have something to ask Tony." Ian was about to go inside when he realized that every corner of the Sanctuary had been equipped with projection equipment by the new Tony.

"That android has been acting a bit crazy lately." Thor was humming his new hairstylist Tony when he followed Ian inside. Suddenly, a brilliant streak of light appeared in the sky.

"what?"

Thor looked up.

A rainbow bridge spanning heaven and earth appeared in the air, its light flowing and seemingly connecting reality and mythology, crashing down on the center of the street like a neon light falling from the sky.

A charred rune circle appeared on the asphalt road, and the aftershocks of the Rainbow Bridge's energy caused the sirens of several nearby cars to go off. The figure of Heimdall, the guardian of Asgard, emerged in the light.

His golden armor gleamed.

Her bright eyes were even brighter than Ian's.

The guy's mouth was moving, as if he was sending some kind of encrypted "telegram" to Thor. Thor's expression changed drastically, and he looked panicked.

"There's an emergency at home, I have to go back first." He quickly put the three baskets containing Spider-Woman, Captain America, and Doctor Strange figures on the ground.

Without looking back, he rushed into the Rainbow Bridge.

The seven-colored beam of light began to converge.

The light beam disappears.

The streets have returned to calm.

Ian was left standing there, somewhat bewildered, not understanding what this sudden situation meant. All he saw was a chubby boy weighing several hundred pounds, rushing home in a flustered manner.

"Odin cut off his 'credit card'?" If that's the case, Ian wouldn't be surprised, after all, Thor's spending speed is indeed a bit too extravagant.

"Could it be that Odin and his wife have had another new heir?" Ian muttered, turning around, picking up the vegetable basket from the ground, and walking towards the door of the new Justice League headquarters, which he had already pushed open.

at this time.

Captain America, sitting in his shopping basket, suddenly started talking in his sleep.

"Hydra is not allowed to steal my pension!"

Good guy.

Just as Ian couldn't forget the Justice League, Captain America couldn't forget his retirement fund. Feeling a bit curious, Ian temporarily put the matter of Thor out of his mind.

He placed the three vegetable baskets directly on the ground, intending to use first aid to revive a few people and ask Captain America if Hydra had really stolen his pension.

however.

Before he could even take action...

Then a loud, powerful shout was heard.

"Who are you! Who let you in!?" A booming voice, full of accusation, rang out. Ian turned his head and saw a man in a bright yellow janitor's uniform standing on the spiral staircase. The man held a mop in his left hand and a toilet brush in his right, and the four embroidered characters "Cleaning God of War" above his head gleamed under the chandelier.

What's most striking is the tool belt he carries around his waist—a complete set of tools including steel wool, toilet cleaner, and rubber gloves, making him look like the Batman of the housekeeping world. His two piercing eyes stand out against his dark face.

It was filled with vigilance.

"I am the master here."

While Doctor Strange was still asleep, Ian directly took over the nest, speaking with an air of self-righteousness. His words were not appreciated, and he was only met with a cold laugh from the black cleaning lady.

“You can’t fool me with your cowardly act. I know the owner of this place. He’s in your woven basket right now. You must have knocked him out in an attempt to steal the property here.”

“A guy like you can’t hide it from me. I’m a World War II veteran. I’ve arrested countless spies.” The cleaner rushed down the stairs in one stride.

He pointed the toilet brush at Ian's nose.

"See these floor tiles? I waxed them three times. Your thieving clothes are covered in some weird stuff. Do you know how much my real boss will deduct from my salary for this?"

"And your Halloween mask..." the cleaner kept babbling on, when Ian suddenly opened the mask's gaping maw, scaring the cleaner so much that she stumbled backward and fell to the ground.

"Damn it! It's a superhuman!"

His reaction was quite quick.

He immediately pulled a UZI submachine gun from under his cleaner's clothes.

“Thief, get out of here! I’m calling the police to arrest you!” The black janitor didn’t pull the trigger immediately, but threatened Ian with his fierce expression.

“There was this guy called the God of Darkness who came to attack me just now, he’s dead now.” In the blink of an eye, Ian appeared in front of the black janitor.

"Don't even mention calling the police. Even if you called your great-grandfather from the War of Independence to arrest me, he would still have to go to Siberia to grow cotton." Ian's hand moved at a speed that was impossible for an ordinary person to perceive.

The Black sanitation worker only felt a blur before his eyes.

The submachine gun in my hand suddenly felt light as a feather.

next second.

The cleaner looked down and saw that the entire gun had been reduced to a pile of precision parts, laid out on the ground like a disassembled Lego toy, while he was left with only a lonely grip in his hand.

"you"

The cleaner was stunned.

He wanted to say something.

But then he discovered that the thief, who was completely wrapped in a writhing suit, had his "ferocious" mask pressed against his nose, as if he were carefully examining his face.

An ominous glint flashed in the thief's eyes.

Gudong.

The sound of the cleaner's Adam's apple bobbing was particularly clear in the quiet entryway.

“Fine, do as you please.” He decisively threw the gun handle on the ground and raised his hands. “It’s only six thousand five hundred dollars a month; I really can’t risk my life.”

Done.

Suddenly, the black man swung his fist and delivered a perfect uppercut to his own chin. With a dull thud, he fell straight backward.

He truly deserves to be called a World War II veteran.

This operation was incredibly smooth and seamless.

There was not the slightest lag or hesitation.

They are truly ruthless.

"..."

Ian bent down and picked up a driver's license from the cleaner's pocket. Sure enough, just as his intuition told him, a familiar name was engraved on the license.

Nick Fury

This is definitely a name that everyone knows.

Nick Fury.

His full name is Nicholas Joseph Fury. He is one of the main characters in the Marvel Universe, a genetically modified soldier of the SSS program, and a colonel in the United States Army during World War II.

They are also the secret guardians and spyers.

of course.

These are all identities within the normal Marvel Universe.

In today's universe.

Who would have thought that the black man who should have been the director of S.H.I.E.L.D. would be working as a cleaner here? He's really picking up the skills his ancestors learned from their overseas journey!

The new Marvel universe born after the snap of his fingers once again deeply shocked Ian.

"Because there is no evil, there is no need for S.H.I.E.L.D.? But it is really surreal that such a powerful spy chief could be reduced to working as a janitor."

Ian didn't believe it was fate's choice. He not only didn't believe that the original Tony teacher hadn't had his own agenda, but he was even willing to bet his own $9.94 million on it.

"Teacher Tony must have pulled some tricks!" Ian was just a mindless snapping machine; he genuinely didn't know what information the original Teacher Tony had recorded in the Infinity Gauntlet.

Ian was completely bewildered.

suddenly.

The familiar electronic hum sounded.

Accompanied by the sounds of machinery running.

A clear holographic image slowly emerged in the air.

It's the new Tony teacher.

The strong artificial intelligence that Howard Stark created for his wife after his child was miscarried.

"Good afternoon, Ian." The new teacher, Tony, was wearing his signature blue star-striped campaign suit, with even the color of his tie precisely measured to a single RGB value.

He smiled and greeted Ian.

“New Tony, you’re finally here. All I want to know is what’s going on. First you ran for president, and now a janitor I know very well has appeared in the Sanctuary.”

"This can't be a coincidence?" Ian certainly didn't believe in the idea of ​​coincidence. He had already figured out who Nick Fury's real boss was from what Nick Fury had said before.

To know.

Ian is truly wise.

He's just too intelligent, so few can understand his thoughts. Now, faced with the shock of Marvel, Ian will naturally put his super brain to work and figure out what's going on.

Six thousand five dollars.

This doesn't seem like the kind of salary Doctor Strange, a part-time street scammer who only eats cheap pizza for takeout, would offer. The fact that it's not paid in gold coins also means the employer isn't the only wealthy person in the group.

as predicted.

In response to Ian's questioning.

The new Tony teacher didn't hide anything either.

"It was all Howard's plan, and Nick Fury was just an old friend of his whom I hired as a butler after the new century, at his request."

"He is an excellent agent."

Ok.

Tony Stark isn't the one doing the fancy tricks.

It's Howard Stark.

Ian was only half right.

"excellent?"

Ian was about to say what kind of excellence this was, but when he turned around, he found that Nick Fury, who had been lying unconscious on the ground, had disappeared—the spot where Nick Fury had been lying unconscious was now empty.

"Okay, it's really excellent."

Ian was slightly surprised.

His perception was far superior to that of ordinary people, yet he failed to notice Nick Fury's disappearance. This had absolutely nothing to do with Nick Fury's innate talent.

After all, it's broad daylight now.

The floor was empty.

Not even a single hair was left.

"Secret passages?"

Ian walked over quickly, squatted down, and touched the floor.

Click.

An ordinary-looking floor tile suddenly dented, revealing a dark passage. A sticky note was pasted along the edge of the passage, thanking Tony for his compliment.

"..."

WWII veterans may not be the best, but veteran secret agents certainly have something special. Even in this ambiguous world, Nick Fury demonstrates tactics that surpass even those of superheroes.

Ok.

A tactical retreat is also a tactic.

"What an old fox!"

Ian stood up with a hint of helplessness.

“I told you, he’s excellent, at least slightly more reliable than your followers and friends.” The holographic image of the new teacher, Tony, displayed a standard campaign smile.

"I know Howard asked you to hire Nick Fury. He and Nick Fury are old friends, but Howard probably couldn't have predicted the future we're in now, could he?"

“He couldn’t possibly know that I would be forming a small group here.” Ian’s confusion was not without reason; as a person from the DC universe, he himself did not depend on this universe.

Whether it's a time machine or not.

It's still a prophecy.

They probably couldn't have foreseen his appearance or what he would do after he appeared—it's a span of two universes, and Ian doesn't believe Howard Stark is that awesome.

As it turned out, he was right.

“Yes, Howard cannot foresee the future, he can only speculate and guess about it.” The projection of Digital Tony flickered slightly, as if reading some encrypted information.

He answered Ian without reservation, saying, "After Howard saw the video message he left for you, all he knew was that someone would appear in the future and usher in a new era."

The projection of the new Tony teacher paused here.

His voice suddenly became low.

"He clearly understood that he couldn't wait for you, so he spent the rest of his life working hard to strengthen me, an intelligent entity that wouldn't be bound by time, and would even become stronger with the passage of time."

Perhaps this strong artificial intelligence is like Tony Stark's Jarvis, already possessing faint real emotions, but only towards its creator, Howard.

Ian seemed to be deep in thought.

“I remember this.” He said thoughtfully, “You also said before that Howard asked you to help me rebuild this world and complete the task that my teacher Tony left me.”

Hear the words.

The new Tony teacher nodded slightly.

“He doesn’t know you, and he’s not actually trying to help you, so his orders to me have a deeper meaning.” The new Tony’s voice suddenly became unusually clear.

It's as if every single byte has been meticulously calibrated.

What does it mean?

Ian wasn't surprised.

He had been aware of this for some time.

They just didn't know Howard's true purpose.

The holographic projection of Tony raised his hand, and a holographic image unfolded in the air—it was a young Howard Stark, standing alone in front of a huge mechanical device.

The machine looked like a twisted Möbius strip.

The technology involved is too advanced.

Ian couldn't understand even a single component.

“Howard also reviewed the mysterious information that appeared in my system that I played for you. After that, he spent some time creating this machine.”

The new teacher, Tony, spoke with a touch of the seriousness characteristic of AI.

"What machine?" Ian stared at the mysterious machine for a long time, but his super brain still couldn't learn to max out the knowledge on the technology side on its own.

Super brains clearly have very low emotional intelligence.

In response to Ian's question.

New Tony didn't offer an answer either, not because he was unwilling, but because he didn't know either. "I didn't record this information. Howard didn't rely on me; he created the machine independently. However, I'm quite certain he succeeded and started planning after he returned."

As soon as these words came out.

Ian immediately grasped the key words.

"layout?"

Ian raised an eyebrow.

I had a vague, inexplicable premonition.

as predicted.

Digital Tony's next words were clearly very informative.

"He told me that."

"He and his wife should have had a wonderful son who saved the entire universe, and this son is still alive today, giving him and his wife a happy life."

This might be Tony's real personal opinion.

Hydra is still around.

However, the Starks were not affected.

The projected voice suddenly took on a human quality, "So, he wants to do something for this son he once had, but no longer has."

As soon as these words came out.

Ian's eyes widened slightly.

Clearly, Howard had also discerned the truth about the souls: they were not reborn, but rather originated from souls collected after the apocalypse and reintroduced into a new world.

What is that machine?
A time machine?
"Howard wants to reshape the universe?"

Just as Ian was feeling a slight unease, the new Tony shook his head. The words spoken by this powerful AI had a slightly shocking quality to them.

"It's not about restarting the universe; humanity doesn't have that kind of power. Howard is strengthening me and helping you, but his purpose has always been the same—he wants his son from the past to come back!"

The air seemed to freeze at this moment.

“Yes, Ian.” Digital Tony’s voice suddenly became incredibly firm, as if it had been calculated and deduced, “Howard has actually found out the reason why your Tony cannot return.”

"He figured out the answer to the problem on his own." The projection switched, and a blurry video began to play—it showed the elderly Howard standing in Stark Industries' private laboratory.

The outline of the mysterious machine can be vaguely seen in the background.

"We are in the future after a cosmic extinction, repeating the history of the previous cosmic era." Howard's voice came from the video.

Why is this the case?

In a hoarse voice.

With a firm determination to understand this problem.

His image disappeared.

The virtual image of the new Tony the stylist reappears. This intelligent AI, which embodies Howard Stark's hopes, provides the answer it has calculated after more than half a century.

"From our conversations with you and from the information I have gathered about the world today, it is known that we are indeed in the future after you did something that reshaped the universe."

"Why the future? Because only in this way can the person who remains in the past, the one who should bear the name Tony Stark, continue to assist you in recreating all the multiverses."

"It's not what he told you, that his soul has disappeared. The one who possesses a soul is just lying. The truth is that before you create a multiverse, he can only leave himself and his existence in the past because he needs to preserve those souls that haven't had the chance to be reborn."

“The souls of other individuals in countless multiverses need a vessel to protect and carry them in order to have a chance to wait until you create a new universe large enough to accommodate those souls.”

"Only then, Tony, your Tony, will truly disappear from the world along with that past that has nothing left and is destined to be forgotten."

"This is a special way of changing cosmic eras."

"Howard needs my help so that you can complete your duty before Tony's existence begins to be erased by the ultimate length of time."

The new teacher, Tony, spoke like a thunderclap from a clear sky. His tone was serious, and his voice remained unchanged, but his last words struck Ian like a heavy hammer, deeply shaking his soul.

It's not just about gaining a new appreciation for Tony Stark's spirit of sacrifice.

There was also the shock of Howard Stark.

Howard Stark—a name that should only appear in history books and comics, but which doesn't have much screen time—was branding Ian's mind like a hot iron.

"The fact that Howard Stark would make so many arrangements clearly proves that after recording the video that the new Tony showed me, he has figured out the truth that even I, as the person involved, did not understand."

This is what caused Ian's emotions to churn, leaving him speechless.

In the Marvel Universe.

There are too many obsessions.

Odin paved the way for Thor's throne, the Ancient One stole darkness for Earth, Thanos destroyed half of all life to maintain balance... It seems the spotlight always focuses on those big shots.

however.

Some people may just be background characters in a story, or variations that appear in a parallel universe. They may not have many admirers, but they can still do things that many great figures cannot.

Howard Stark.

A mortal.

He actually wanted to use his wisdom and strategy to reverse Tony Stark's destined disappearance.

Howard didn't have the Gungnir, the Time Stone, or even the Super Serum. All he had was an aging body and a heart that disagreed with Tony Stark's decisions.

Perhaps Tony Stark's statement that his father was the greatest scientist was not merely out of personal sentiment, but because Howard Stark truly possessed that great quality.

With the perseverance and insight into the world that a scientist should have—in his unknown laboratory, he calculated again and again the possibility of saving his son.

Even though that son, strictly speaking, no longer belongs to this time and space.

Even if the probability of success is as slim as a speck of dust in the universe.

He must have deduced a possibility that even Tony, who transformed himself into an AI, deemed impossible. Only in this way would Howard begin his so-called scheme.

“This is truly… the craziest thing a mortal father could do.” After a moment of silence, Ian uttered a deeply complex sigh.

In this empty hall.

He offered his absolute respect with a sigh.

(End of this chapter)