Thank You,
Knight Teir: "Oscar Sandoval"
For Becoming A Member On My Pa'treon. The Emperor Protect.
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The outbreak of the virus sent shockwaves through the live broadcast. Even if the experiment ended in a catastrophic explosion, it had already planted a seed of awe in everyone's heart.
But when the camera turned and Tony appeared, ready to test his latest suit, the audience erupted into a frenzy. Compared to his bittersweet story with Maya, everyone was far more eager to witness Tony's next technological leap.
"Mark 42? How many suits has Tony built since then?"
"As expected, Tony and the suit have become inseparable!"
"There are so many lined up in that room… It's breathtaking!"
"He just embedded a tiny sensor into his arm, an optimization from the Mark 7?"
"Dummy is still around, haha, Tony's such a soft-hearted genius."
"Little Dummy is still as adorably clueless as ever."
"Jarvis has been such a blessing for him."
"Yeah, without Jarvis, Tony's efficiency would probably drop by half!"
"In comparison, our AI looks like a complete amateur."
"Some people say AI will destroy humanity. Honestly, with our current tech, that's just wishful thinking."
Essen Heavy Industries Group.
Chief Engineer Astor dropped everything the moment the news came in. He called in his partners, tension etched across every face, and instantly projected the live stream onto the conference room screen.
Every time Tony performed a field test, Astor watched religiously. He once tried to act disinterested, until the genius from Stark Industries humbled him. Since then, he'd stopped pretending.
"Let's be honest with ourselves," he muttered, "Mark 42… what kind of surprise will this one bring us?" Sitting in the front row, Astor's eyes gleamed with an indescribable mix of curiosity and anticipation.
Behind him, one of the engineers asked blankly, "Auto-navigation? Didn't the Mark 7 already have that? Why make another?"
"It's probably refined navigation, more precise, faster targeting. Otherwise, he wouldn't need to implant a micro-device in his arm."
"Tony's mind really works on another level," another sighed. "I can't imagine how he thinks. Propulsion, auto-navigation… combine those two, and it's not simple."
"Let's just watch, see what he's planning." Astor stayed silent, listening. Even he couldn't fully grasp what Tony was after.
"I've got a feeling," he finally said, "that the Mark 42 is about to redefine our understanding of suits. Everyone, take notes. We need to identify the key breakthroughs."
His team nodded grimly. The pressure from above was mounting. If they failed to deliver results soon, they'd be out of luck and out of work.
Someone whispered, "What's going on with the Federation lately? Why are they suddenly pouring so many resources into us? Feels like they're gearing up for war."
In the Administration Office, several military industry heads gathered, eyes fixed on the feed.
"Mark 42," one of them chuckled. "Tony just can't stop himself from building new suits. I bet he's got a dozen hidden away."
"I remember there's still a War Machine suit officially registered from the Earth Age," another added.
A physicist leaned forward. "Nicholas, propulsion's your field, give us your take."
Nicholas smirked. "Odom, don't act like you don't know." Then, more seriously: "If it's propulsion, it must be jet-based."
"Jet-powered suits? Plus autopilot?" someone echoed. "That's… hard to imagine."
"The test might not even succeed," another said, "but whatever happens, it's a new kind of steel suit. That alone makes it worth watching."
"It'd be great if our AIs could reach Jarvis's level," the director mused, "Once that happens, the Terra Federation will change beyond recognition."
The historian Johan chuckled. "Director, aren't you worried about the 'AI extinction theory'?"
The director smiled faintly. "Compared to Darwin's theory of natural extinction, AI feels like child's play."
Johan froze for a moment, then laughed.
In Norland Base, General Manager Guerino sighed heavily, pointing to Tony's image on the screen, "Look at him, focused, methodical. He's already got Mark 42, and we haven't even developed a new element. It's embarrassing."
His frustration was evident. The team had achieved nothing significant. Simply disappointing.
The twenty-seven staff behind him remained silent, their eyes glued to the screen. Compared to Tony's brilliance, their work felt trivial.
Then his phone buzzed. It was a message: "Tony is a hero."
A faint grin crossed his face. In a way, he thought, Tony was a hero, a savior in human form.
But the atmosphere shifted when the screen changed. Expressions hardened. Some even teared up.
[ Dummy was sweeping the floor. Tony and Jarvis had just completed injecting the micro-sensing device. ]
[ Jarvis said: "I also prepared a safety protocol for you to ignore." ]
[ Tony dropped the bloody gauze. "Then ignore it. Let's start." ]
[ Tony looked up at Dummy. "Dummy! That hat suits you too well. Where did you get it from?" ]
[ Tony pointed. "Go wipe the mess off the mat." ]
[ Jarvis replied: "Sir, you haven't closed your eyes for 72 hours." ]
The audience gasped.
"72 hours? That's three whole days!"
"No sleep at all?"
"What's wrong with him, aftereffects from the suit?"
"He's human, not an actual Iron Man!"
"Get some rest, Tony!"
"You're a hero, don't burn yourself out!"
"Yeah, go sleep!"
"I think he's fine, didn't he just eat something?"
"Let's see what happens next."
In the expert group chat, the doctors frowned deeply.
"Physically, he looks fine," one said, "but no one can stay awake that long without damage. His brain must be sending wrong signals due to extreme tension. If this continues, it'll take a serious toll on him."
Feng muttered quietly, "Sudden death?"
The expert paused, then nodded grimly. Tonio and Darwin exchanged worried looks.
Darwin sighed. "Maybe he's under too much mental pressure. Saving the world shouldn't be a one-man burden."
The room fell silent. Tony, meanwhile, paid no attention.
[ Tony bowed toward a row of suits and said, "Ladies and gentlemen, good evening, and welcome to the delivery room! I'm proud to announce you're about to have a lively, naughty, and adorable baby brother." ]
[ Tony told the robotic arm: "Close-up camera. Mark the date and time." ]
[ "Mark 42 propulsion-autopilot suit test, initializing program." Tony extended his hands and twisted his fingers. Parts on the table glowed and vibrated.]
[ "Jarvis, let's have some music." As soothing tunes played, Tony closed his eyes and swayed rhythmically. ]
[ He extended his left hand toward the arm module, but it didn't move. He frowned, tried again. Still nothing. Tony clenched his fist, punched the injection site on his arm, and growled, "Alright then." ]
"Oh my god, he's trying to make us laugh again!"
"Is this a new dance routine?"
"Wait, is he trying remote control through the autopilot function?"
"Think about it, this isn't Mark 7; it has propulsion features!"
"It's like those fantasy novels, remote control objects flying mid-air!"
"Haha, that expression, classic Tony!"
"He actually hit his arm, what a showman!"
"I heard that back on Terra, if your TV glitched, you'd just smack it!"
"No way, he's just kidding around!"
Even the experts watching couldn't help but smile and shake their heads.
Johan laughed softly. "That's Tony, always eccentric, but somehow so lonely."
A military boss added, "I think he's trying to make the parts locate his arm automatically, self-assembly, maybe? Brilliant idea!"
"Unlikely to work," Nicholas said. "Once the micro-device enters the bloodstream, muscle motion ruins accuracy. Fault tolerance is too low; it's risky."
Physicist Odom nodded. "If it's magnetic control, that might be more feasible. Director, we could propose a magnetic remote-adsorption method to the teams."
The director nodded thoughtfully. "Do it. Take note."
The room's mood lifted again as the broadcast continued.
"Still, our own progress is slow," one boss sighed. "We haven't created even the light suits yet. Essen Heavy Industries, you're handling that, right? Didn't the earlier suit research go well?"
"It's progressing, it'll just take time."
"Don't rush it. After all, soldiers will be wearing them. One malfunction, and the entire machine could fail."
"I know, but what the hell!?"
Everyone turned sharply toward him. Moments ago, they'd been calm, still shaken from the Extremis report, but now, the man's startled shout drew every eye to the screen. When they looked up, shock spread across the room.
Darwin's reaction was the most dramatic, eyes wide, mouth agape in utter disbelief.