"Okay, okay," Tony impatiently interrupted their conversation. "Let's continue and see the other two things."
The first virtual laboratory that Mark showcased was already tempting enough. But according to Mark, there were two more inventions of the same caliber. It was like teasing Tony's appetite and raising it to the sky!
"That's right, since you've already put virtual games on the agenda, go ahead and show us the remaining two inventions!" Pepper was also greatly impressed by Mark's abilities. She was deeply curious about what novelty the other two inventions held. So, she followed Tony's lead and redirected the topic.
"Alright, this second thing has actually been in front of you all along. It's just that you haven't noticed its special features yet." Although he was definitely going to show off in front of Tony, Mark decided to tease them for a moment. "Take a look around, it's right here in this garage, and it's quite conspicuous!"
Upon hearing Mark's hint, Tony and Pepper couldn't wait to shift their gaze and search all around. Their sharp eyes resemble lions hunting for prey, sending chills down one's spine.
However, despite their thorough search, they couldn't find any clues, leaving both of them frustrated and impatient.
But at that moment, Tony, who had a passion for collecting cars, suddenly noticed some discrepancies between the Chevrolet Corvette Stingray that Mark had driven and the one he had in his collection. Tony, being extremely knowledgeable about cars, became suspicious and uncertain as he asked, "Is your second invention by any chance this Chevrolet Corvette Stingray?"
"Impressive, Dad. You saw through it. Yes, it is this Chevrolet Corvette Stingray. I even made a special request to the designer and Chevrolet to have a private replica made. I even had them inspect the design drawings, but I didn't expect you to notice the flaw," Mark admitted.
"It looks quite similar overall, but the details on your car doors and air intakes give me a sense of disconnection. But replicating a Chevrolet Corvette Stingray isn't exactly an invention, is it? Is it an autonomous driving car? You didn't bring a driver with you today, but if it's just an autonomous driving car, it can't compare to your first invention at all," Tony expressed his disappointment as he looked at the concept sports car that Mark replicated.
"No, no, no—" Mark shook his right index finger from side to side while shaking his head. "It's not that simple. Autonomous driving is just an additional feature."
"Do you remember what I mentioned to you before? You suggested that once your Mark series armor and my Transformers were both completed, we should have a showdown. Although I'm a bit behind schedule, I think you can prepare for that now."
"What?! Could it be..." Tony seemed to have realized something, and his facial expression completely lost control.
"That's right, this is my first Transformers - Hover Cannon. Just like the name of the Mech, its biggest feature is the ability to transform. Hover Cannon, come out and say hello to my old man. Remember to go easy on him later!"
As soon as the words fell, the uniquely shaped silver-gray sports car split open from the middle, accompanied by the sound of mechanical structures separating and reassembling. Eventually, it transformed into a giant robot, standing nearly four meters tall, with wheels on its feet.
After completing its transformation, the colossal figure waved its right hand and greeted Tony and Pepper with its gravelly mechanical voice, "Hello, I am a Transformer - Hover Cannon. Please take care of me in the future."
However, both of them were so shocked that their mouths couldn't close, and naturally, they didn't respond to its greeting. At this moment, there were no words that could express their current feelings.
After being stunned by the virtual laboratory before, both of them seemed to recover much faster this time. Tony, who snapped back to reality, immediately approached and carefully examined the massive mechanical body of Hover Cannon.
"It's so beautiful, truly beautiful! The lines, the colors, the flexible joints—Mark, you always manage to exceed my expectations. I thought it would have a cockpit for control, requiring you to operate it from the inside, but you've directly created a silicon-based life with independent intelligence!"
"And it can transform into a sports car as well. Just this creativity alone is enough to surprise me! No, I also want to develop a set of Mark series armor that can directly transform from a car to a suit of armor."
"But why don't I see any weapons systems? Are you planning to have your robot fight in close combat? Oh well, it's going to be a tough fight for it to face someone like me who can fly!"
"And also, look at those messy decorations behind it. They take up space and serve no purpose. It would be better to replace them with two Gatling guns."
Although Tony greatly appreciated Mark's invention and praised the mechanical structure and transformation concept, he didn't hold back in criticizing Hover Cannon for not having a weapons system.
As an arms dealer by trade, Tony naturally had no kind words for such a massive robot that he deemed mediocre.
But Mark just listened without refuting, instead revealing a mysterious smile that made Tony increasingly unsure of himself. His voice gradually lowered, "Why don't you say something?"
"What is there to say? Actions speak louder than words. You'll find out its combat capabilities soon enough when you give it a try, won't you?" Mark said nonchalantly.
"Well, that's true. Alright, let me change into my armor now and engage in an extraordinary battle with it. Watch as I teach you a lesson, young man. A robot with appearance but no real power is useless, no matter how big it is!" Tony confidently declared as he prepared to go to the dressing platform and equip his armor.
"Wait! Before the match begins, there's one more invention of mine that I haven't introduced," Mark stopped Tony and spoke.
"You can introduce it after we're done with the fight. Your thing won't take much of my time," Tony didn't have high expectations for Hover Cannon's combat abilities and made a grand promise. Additionally, influenced by Hover Cannon's appearance, Tony's anticipation for Mark's last invention had diminished slightly.
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