Tony didn't move.
Instead of jumping at the chance to leave, he shook his head, his expression calm but firm.
"Not yet," he said. "You can protect me, right?"
Levis raised an eyebrow slightly, studying him for a second.
"So that's how it is…"
Before he could say more, Tony added without hesitation, "I'll add another hundred million."
The number came out like it meant nothing.
In Tony's world, money wasn't a barrier—it was a tool. If something could be solved with money, then it wasn't a problem worth worrying about.
A few hundred million dollars might sound absurd to most people, but compared to his life—and compared to Stark Industries—it was negligible.
Levis let out a quiet breath, then shrugged.
"Alright," he said. "I'll play bodyguard for a while."
Truthfully, he had already been leaning toward agreeing. With the extra hundred million added on top, there was no reason to refuse.
Tony didn't respond further. He simply turned back to his work and resumed hammering away at the crude armor in front of him.
Clang. Clang. Clang.
Levis sat off to the side on a wooden crate, resting his chin on his hand as he watched. For once, he looked genuinely bored, like someone waiting for a show to start.
After a while, the heavy iron door at the entrance of the cave creaked open.
A middle-aged man stepped inside.
He stopped almost immediately when he noticed the unfamiliar face.
"Stark," he said, frowning slightly, "who's this?"
Tony didn't even look up as he kept working.
"Ethan," he said, "he's here to get us out. But I want to finish this first."
The man—Ethan—shifted his gaze back to Levis, then stepped forward and extended his hand.
"Nice to meet you."
Levis stood and shook it, his expression relaxed.
"Wes," he said. "Just call me Wes."
There was a flicker of respect in his eyes. Without Ethan, Tony Stark might never have become Iron Man.
"Almost done," Tony called out suddenly. "Come help."
"Right," Ethan replied, immediately moving over.
The two of them began working together, adjusting components, securing plates, and preparing the armor for use.
Levis watched in silence, letting the moment play out.
Then—
Voices.
Shouting.
The sound of movement outside the cave.
Ethan stiffened.
"They've noticed," he said, his tone tightening. "What do we do?"
Tony frowned, then glanced at Levis.
"You can stop them from coming in, right?"
Levis didn't even bother standing.
"Easy."
He raised a hand slightly.
In the next instant, cold spread across the entrance. Frost formed, thickened, and then exploded into a solid mass of ice that sealed the iron door completely.
The entire entrance was frozen shut.
From the outside, it would be nearly impossible to break through in time.
Tony paused for half a second, his gaze lingering on the ice before returning to his work.
Ethan, however, stared in disbelief.
"That's…"
"Mutant," Tony said simply, not even looking up. "That explains it."
Ethan nodded slowly, still processing what he had just seen.
It didn't fit into any scientific framework he understood—but in this world, "mutant" was explanation enough.
Time passed quickly after that.
Piece by piece, the armor came together.
Finally, Tony stepped into it.
The bulky metal frame closed around him with heavy, mechanical clicks. It wasn't sleek or refined—just a crude, iron shell—but the presence it carried was undeniable.
"Alright," Tony said, his voice now distorted through the armor. "Let's go."
Levis didn't move.
Instead, he remained seated on the crate, his tone lazy.
"Why make it so complicated?" he said. "You really planning to walk out of here in that thing?"
Tony didn't hesitate.
"With this," he said, tapping the armor, "I'm taking them out."
Then he added, almost as an afterthought, "And don't worry. You'll get every dollar I promised."
Levis let out a quiet chuckle and spread his hands.
"Suit yourself."
If Tony wanted to put on a show, he wasn't going to stop him.
Tony moved toward the frozen door, raising his arm. A burst of flame shot out from the improvised flamethrower, washing over the ice.
The heat filled the space.
But a minute passed.
Then another.
The ice didn't melt.
Not even slightly.
Tony froze.
He turned his head slowly, staring at Levis in disbelief.
Levis nearly laughed.
The great Tony Stark, stopped cold by a block of ice.
To spare him the embarrassment, Levis casually flicked his fingers.
The ice vanished instantly, dissolving into nothing.
The moment the barrier disappeared, the situation outside became clear.
Armed men were already waiting.
Ambush.
Tony didn't hesitate.
He stepped out.
Gunfire erupted immediately.
Bullets slammed into the armor in rapid succession, the sound echoing through the cave.
But none of them penetrated.
Instead, they bounced off, ricocheting unpredictably—some even striking the terrorists themselves.
Tony advanced.
Flames roared from his arms, filling the narrow passage. The heat forced the attackers back, breaking their formation.
"Ethan, stay close!" Tony shouted over his shoulder.
Ethan hurried after him, keeping low.
Levis followed at a leisurely pace, hands in his pockets, observing.
For a half-finished suit, the performance wasn't bad.
The armor lacked refinement, but its raw durability was impressive. Combined with the flamethrowers, it was enough to push through the confined space of the cave.
Step by step, Tony forced his way forward.
But the moment they reached the outside—
Everything changed.
The open terrain revealed dozens of armed terrorists waiting in formation.
Heavy firepower.
A full net of suppression.
Gunfire erupted again, this time far more intense.
Tony was forced back almost immediately, retreating into the cave under the overwhelming barrage.
Inside, the noise faded slightly.
Tony reached up and lifted his mask, breathing heavily.
"Hah… hah…"
The bullets hadn't pierced the armor, but the force behind them still transferred through. Each impact rattled his body, leaving him shaken and strained.
....
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