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Chapter 67: Chapter 67: Iron Man (Final 4)

¿"I'm heading back. Let me know if you need anything," Daniel said as Obadiah Stane left in a huff. Stark had just returned and already made waves by announcing the closure of Stark Industries' weapons division. It was inevitable that the major shareholders would demand explanations.

Even Stark couldn't ignore their concerns indefinitely.

"I'll come find you in a few days," Stark said, wanting to say more but stopping himself.

"What are your plans now?" Pepper asked Stark quietly as they slipped away from Stark Industries and headed to the military base. From there, they flew directly to Stark's beachside mansion in California. Once inside the laboratory, Pepper voiced her worries. Shutting down the weapons division wouldn't bankrupt Stark Industries, but it would significantly reduce its value.

"Don't worry, we'll pivot to clean, pollution-free energy," Stark replied, directing JARVIS to start preparing the necessary equipment. Soon, Stark had assembled a new Arc Reactor and asked Pepper to help replace the one in his chest.

"What's going on? Why not go to a hospital?" Pepper asked, alarmed and ready to call an ambulance, but Stark stopped her.

"No need to worry. I'm fine. Just help me with this," Stark reassured her. The old Arc Reactor, handmade in a cave, had depleted its palladium and energy after powering the Mark I armor in battle. It was running dangerously low.

Reluctantly, Pepper agreed to assist Stark in replacing the reactor, despite her apprehension.

"This incident doesn't sit right with me. I need you to investigate our company's weapons distribution," Stark said after the replacement. Nearly killed by his own weapons, Stark couldn't let it go without uncovering the truth. He had his suspicions but needed solid evidence.

"I'll look into it," Pepper nodded.

"Be careful."

Once Pepper left, Stark turned his focus back to JARVIS and began inputting designs for a new Iron Man suit, refining the Mark I's schematics. He immediately set JARVIS to work fabricating the parts using the lab's 3D printers.

Despite his recent ordeal, Stark was eager to get started. Testing the new suit's components, he found himself drawn to the thrill of operating the Iron Man armor, even if it meant crashing repeatedly and damaging numerous luxury cars in the garage. Undeterred, he pressed on, consumed by his passion for the new suit.

The process took days, with Stark practically living in the lab. During this time, Pepper updated him on her investigation, and Obadiah Stane visited several times, urging Stark to reconsider or at least propose a new profitable direction for the company. But Stark, wary of Stane, kept the Arc Reactor project under wraps.

Meanwhile, at the Triskelion headquarters, Fury examined the Chocolate Frog boxes and magical cards on his desk, chuckling to himself.

"Isn't it ironic? We've been searching for extraterrestrials and ways to colonize space, only to discover that humans had methods to migrate to other worlds centuries ago. And here we are, still grounded," Fury mused aloud. He opened a Chocolate Frog box, but instead of catching it, the enchanted frog leaped onto his face and then onto the desk.

"What did the science division find?" Fury asked Hill without bothering to chase the frog.

"They detected a faint, unusual energy signature, but it dissipates upon interference," Hill reported. The Chocolate Frogs intended for Coulson, May, and even the Captain had all been sent to SHIELD's science division for analysis.

Hill, Coulson, and May remained silent.

"That's enough for now. Keep this under wraps. Coulson, continue investigating what happened with Stark," Fury ordered. The kidnapping of Stark was a serious matter. SHIELD couldn't ignore it, given Howard Stark's legacy and Captain America's revived presence.

"Yes, sir," Coulson replied, leaving the office. He didn't mention his numerous unanswered calls to Stark, knowing Fury was only interested in results, not efforts.

---

Back at Daniel's mansion, he was in a large room he had converted into a gaming room. Utilizing a holographic system, Daniel and the Red Queen were immersed in a game of Yu-Gi-Oh, their cards materializing as floating holograms. A massive Blue-Eyes White Dragon hovered before Daniel.

"My turn, I draw! I activate the magic card, Monster Reborn, to bring back Dragon Warrior. I then sacrifice Dragon Warrior and Earth Swordsman to summon Blue-Eyes White Dragon. Attack the Sealed Right Arm!" Daniel commanded. The dragon roared, but since the Sealed Right Arm was in defense mode, the opponent's life points remained untouched.

Red Queen responded with a flurry of moves. "I draw. I activate Monster Reborn to resurrect the Sealed Right Arm. I summon the Sealed Right Leg. I activate Pot of Greed and draw two cards. I activate Graceful Charity and draw three cards, then discard two. I summon Exodia, the Forbidden One." The powerful black magician appeared before her as she completed her hand with all five pieces of Exodia.

"No way! Are you cheating?" Daniel exclaimed, frustrated at his loss. He had never won against the Red Queen in Yu-Gi-Oh, but seeing Exodia summoned so easily seemed especially unfair.

"I do not cheat," the Red Queen responded coolly.

"Let's play another round. I refuse to keep losing!" Daniel was gearing up for a rematch when an alarm sounded from the garden.

"We have a guest. How unusual," Daniel noted. Living alone in such a large mansion, he took security very seriously. His measures were top-notch, especially after watching "Criminal Minds," which heightened his awareness of potential threats.

"Well, isn't this a rare visitor," Daniel said with a smile as he saw the intruder through the Red Queen's surveillance system—a silver Iron Man suit standing on the lawn. There was no doubt who it was.

Stopping the alarm, Daniel walked outside. The silver Iron Man suit, seeing him, opened its faceplate to reveal Stark inside.

"What's this?" Daniel asked, already knowing the answer but playing along.

"My latest invention. Want to race?" Stark challenged, a grin on his face.

"A race?"

"Yeah. Your magic broom versus my Iron Man suit. Let's see who's faster."

"You seem a bit annoyed," Daniel remarked, understanding that this was about proving which was superior—science or magic.

"Have you fixed the freezing problem at high altitudes?" Daniel teased, recalling that the suit Stark wore—likely the Mark II—had nearly crashed due to freezing during a high-altitude test.

"I'm ready. Give me a moment," Daniel said, heading back inside to grab his broomstick. "Too bad I can't use the Red Queen to scan his armor," he thought. With JARVIS on guard, any attempt to scan would likely be detected.

Returning with his broomstick, Daniel had also changed into black clothing and donned a black mask.

"Destination?"

"My beach house. Loser buys dinner."

"Deal."

"Ready, set, go!"

Stark's silver suit shot into the sky, leaving a silver streak. Daniel launched on his broomstick, keeping pace with Stark's suit. The Iron Man armor, capable of matching a jet fighter's speed, struggled to outdistance Daniel.

Ordinary wizards would find it challenging to keep up, but Daniel's enhanced physical capabilities allowed him to fly neck and neck with Stark.

"JARVIS, where is he?" Stark, unable to glance back during his high-speed flight, relied on his AI.

"He's right beside you, Mr. Stark," JARVIS indicated, marking Daniel's position on Stark's HUD.

"This is impossible. Give me full throttle," Stark ordered.

"Yes, sir."

"Good thing this is the Mark II. If it were the Mark III, I might not keep up. Should I cheat a bit?" Daniel mused, considering using Apparition to outpace Stark.

"No, let's just enjoy the race," he decided, exhilarated by the high-speed chase. There's something uniquely thrilling about racing at such speeds, much like the appeal of car racing. Stark, too, shared this thrill; otherwise, he wouldn't have taken the newly improved suit for a test flight so eagerly.

"You lose," Stark declared, landing first on the roof of his beach house. Opening his faceplate, he looked exhilarated.

"It's not the same," Daniel panted, landing and catching his breath. He had pushed himself hard in the race, and his body felt the strain. For an ordinary person—or even wizards like Dumbledore or Grindelwald—keeping up with Iron Man would have been impossible.

Flying is exhilarating, but it can't compare to the ease of spatial travel.

"Losing is losing. No excuses," Stark replied, heading downstairs to have JARVIS remove his armor.

Settling by his computer, Stark began reviewing the armor's design. Although he had won the race, it was a close call, and he was eager to make further improvements, including addressing the high-altitude freezing issue Daniel had mentioned.

"Room," Daniel murmured, using his Op-Op Fruit powers to examine the Mark II armor thoroughly.

Creating an Iron Man suit was feasible for others, but Stark's suits were unparalleled. The performance of Stark's Iron Man armors outclassed any similar designs.

For instance, Stark's Mark III could have easily defeated Obadiah Stane's Iron Monger if it hadn't run low on power. Comparing the two was like comparing a regular car to a Ferrari or Lamborghini.

"Showy as always," Daniel remarked, watching the new components Stark had printed in the lab being assembled and painted in a striking gold and red. Could there be a more flamboyant color scheme?

The Mark III, after further refinements, was

 ready for action. Sadly, the Mark II, despite its advanced features, would soon be relegated to a relic in Stark's collection, never seeing real combat.

The Mark III was significant for Daniel, as it would become the basis for Stark's subsequent armors. Future improvements would focus on flexibility, weaponry, and power until the advent of the nano suit. Up until then, the Mark III wouldn't be too outdated.

Having analyzed all the components, Daniel now understood how to build an Iron Man suit. With an Arc Reactor, he could become an Iron Man himself.

"I should find a way to get some vibranium from Wakanda. Maybe I can make a vibranium Iron Man suit, although the cost would be astronomical and not exactly discreet," Daniel thought. Constructing a suit entirely from vibranium would be exorbitantly expensive and impractical for even Stark's wealth. It would be too precious to risk damage.

Daniel also pondered adamantium, an even rarer metal. If he could get his hands on some, creating an adamantium Iron Man suit would be ideal. However, the formula for adamantium was lost. Howard Stark had accidentally created Captain America's shield by mixing elements haphazardly, and even he couldn't replicate it afterward.

___________________

Read Ahead

P@treon.com/Mutter


Chapter 68: Chapter 68: Iron Man (Part 5)

"It looks like I need to borrow the Captain's shield sometime to take a closer look." While Daniel Davis was examining Stark's Mark 3 Iron Man armor, Stark had started using J.A.R.V.I.S. to investigate the secrets of his wand and flying broom.

"Sir, there is a peculiar energy coating this," reported J.A.R.V.I.S. Marvel's technology was truly advanced—after all, they could study even the Tesseract. Examining a wand and a flying broom was no challenge.

"This tiny piece could power a medium-sized city for nearly a year. Remarkable." While Stark delved into magic, Daniel was engrossed in studying the arc reactor—a fresh one Stark had just created. This was part of their agreement.

Stark didn't think twice about this deal and made an arc reactor on the spot for Daniel. In exchange, Daniel would let Stark examine his flying broom for a while. Daniel readily agreed, knowing Stark couldn't fly it without magic. However, he didn't allow Stark to keep his wand for long-term study since he only had one.

Thus, Daniel stayed at Stark's beach house for several days. 

He was the first man to spend the night at Stark's beach house, aside from Pepper and the women Stark occasionally brought home. Even Obadiah Stane had never stayed there.

"Hi, Pepper."

This is why when Pepper arrived, she was surprised to find Daniel there.

"Pepper, you're just in time. Come and try some authentic dragon meat." As soon as Stark saw Pepper, he beckoned her over.

"Dragon meat?" Pepper looked puzzled as she sat on a nearby sofa.

"Yes, it's dragon liver. Daniel brought it from the magical world. It's very beneficial for the body," Stark explained, placing a plate of dragon liver in front of her.

"The magical world?" Pepper, intrigued, picked up a piece with her fork.

"Yes, the magical world." Stark ate the dragon meat and liver while explaining Daniel's background to Pepper. During his stay, Daniel had practically become Stark's personal chef.

"So, are these considered magical potions?"

"No, magical potions can't be mass-produced. What you're eating falls under herbology," Daniel clarified, explaining the difference between potions and herbs.

"By the way, I brought quite a few magical herbs with me. We can discuss them when you have time."

"Alright," Pepper nodded in acknowledgment.

Besides the ingredients, Daniel had brought numerous herbs from the Harry Potter world. In a world imbued with magic, these herbs were far more potent than those in this world. Even following the original recipes, their effectiveness was significantly higher, making them essentially new products, which naturally meant higher prices.

However, with Stark having just returned from his disappearance, Pepper wasn't in the mood to discuss business. Daniel, understanding this, didn't push the topic.

"I'll go with you." As Pepper and Stark finished their conversation and were about to leave, Daniel decided to join them. Of course, he reclaimed his wand and warned Stark not to damage the flying broom. Then he and Pepper drove to a military base, from where they took a private jet back to New York.

"Red Queen, analyze this," Daniel commanded upon returning to his villa, handing over the arc reactor to the AI for a thorough examination.

"So, it's not feasible to recreate it after all," Daniel mused. He had hoped the Red Queen might uncover a way to replicate the arc reactor. But it wasn't that simple. If it were, arc reactors would be everywhere by now. Big corporations or nations would have bought one and reverse-engineered it, making Stark Industries' reactors obsolete.

This is energy, not something trivial with a patent. Reflecting on this, Daniel found Justin Hammer's obsession with Iron Man's armor rather shortsighted. He ignored the far greater potential of the arc reactor compared to mere arms deals.

Similarly, Anton Vanko also missed the point. Despite his ability to recreate the arc reactor, he had struggled in poverty for years. It seemed that scientists often poured all their skill points into intelligence, neglecting practical wisdom.

Even Stark himself had underestimated the importance of having backup arc reactors at home.

"Looks like I'll have to wait for Anton Vanko. But for now, I can build an Iron Man suit for fun," Daniel decided. He input all the schematics of the Mark 3 suit into the Red Queen's system.

"Today, I'll show you what it means to build an Iron Man suit from scratch," Daniel declared. Unlike the arc reactor, building the Iron Man suit was within his reach, thanks to his surgical fruit powers. 

With his precision, cutting even vibranium was effortless, making him a human 3D printer. Angles, curves—all were within his capability, akin to a high-tech industrial machine.

"Done." Tasks that required robotic arms for Stark were a breeze for Daniel with his powers. The parts quickly assembled into a fully formed Iron Man suit.

"Now for testing." Daniel inserted the arc reactor into the suit's chest, and the Red Queen activated it. In a mirrored space, she conducted the tests. With the portal open, signals were still available within the mirrored dimension.

"Perfect." As expected from a suit built with surgical precision, the Iron Man suit performed flawlessly in its maiden flight. Once satisfied, Daniel decided to test it personally.

"It's impressive how Stark mastered flying. It must have taken a lot of training," Daniel thought. Flying the suit with the Red Queen's assistance was different from piloting it himself. Even with his physical prowess, it took some time to fly smoothly.

"Let's try this outside." Confident in his control, Daniel took the suit out of the mirrored dimension and into the real world.

"Wow, this feels amazing. No wonder Stark prefers to be inside the suit rather than remotely controlling it," Daniel exclaimed, hovering above the Statue of Liberty. The freedom and power were exhilarating.

Compared to Stark's Iron Man, Daniel had far more combat options. He could wield his wand and utilize the Undetectable Extension Charm, although his Iron Man suit had to remain hidden from the public.

Boom.

After testing the suit's flight capabilities, Daniel moved on to its weapons. Starting with the basic repulsor blasts from the hands, he then incorporated various weapons into the suit using the Undetectable Extension Charm, including a Gatling gun, missiles, and grenades.

"Apparate!" He then experimented with using the suit to teleport, deciding whether to transport just himself or the entire suit. Naturally, the latter consumed more magic.

"Black isn't quite right. Let's add some gold—black and gold looks better." Satisfied with the new paint job, Daniel admired the sleek design.

Finally, he added Pym particles to the suit, shrinking it down to keychain size. This would make it incredibly convenient to carry around. Smiling, he declared, "From now on, I'm Iron Ant-Man."

The use of Pym particles solved the portability issue. Before the advent of nanotechnology, even Stark struggled to carry his suit around. Stark's solution was a suitcase suit, but it offered minimal protection compared to the robust Mark 3.

However, Daniel's surgical fruit powers allowed him to don the suit without mechanical arms. 

"Seems like the Ant-Man suit and Iron Man suit are overlapping."

"It's time to initiate the Iron Legion plan," Daniel decided. Mass-producing Iron Man suits wasn't feasible by hand, so he delegated the task to the Red Queen. Not all suits needed to be as complex as the Mark 3. Simplified versions could be made, similar to those found online. These would only require arc reactors.

"Iron Man has finally made his move," Daniel noted, smiling at the news footage. The first appearance of Iron Man featured him battling Middle Eastern terrorists—the very group that had kidnapped Stark. Although the video was blurry, captured by a bystander, the image of Iron Man amidst explosions was iconic. Real men don't look back at explosions.

"Calling in the middle of the night? Are you crazy?" Daniel grumbled as he answered a late-night call from an unknown number.

"I'm Nick Fury," came the voice on the other end.

"Oh, Director, what's the matter?" Instantly alert, Daniel knew something serious was up.

"Stark's in trouble at Stark Industries. If you don't want him to die, get there now." Fury hung up before Daniel could respond.

"So, it's happening," Daniel realized. Stark must be facing a significant threat.

"Didn't Stark make any backup arc reactors?" Daniel muttered as he got ready. He had previously suggested Stark create several spare arc reactors, but it seemed Stark hadn't taken his advice seriously.

"These scientists never prepare for contingencies," Daniel sighed. In his world, having backups was standard. He even planned to have multiple wands someday, though he hadn't yet implemented this.

"Should I drive or Apparate?" Daniel debated as he gathered his gear.

"Stark should be fine for now. I'll drive," he decided, opting not to reveal his teleportation ability prematurely. Keeping secrets from Nick Fury was crucial.

"Miss Potts, it's dangerous here. We should leave," urged Coulson, as Pepper anxiously watched the battle between two Iron Man suits atop Stark Industries.

After Stark had sent them the video, S.H.I.E.L.D. launched an operation to apprehend Obadiah Stane. Coulson and his team faced a formidable opponent in the Iron Monger suit, resulting in four agents' deaths. Stark's intervention had saved them from total loss.

Their handguns were useless against the armored behemoth. While waiting for reinforcements, Coulson reassured Pepper despite his own uncertainty.

Thankfully, it was late, and the employees had left. Otherwise, the casualties would have been severe.

___________________

Read Ahead

P@treon.com/Mutter


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