บท 254: Cold Fusion
"I alone will bring about world peace. You're welcome. — Tony Stark."
"Iron Man: Future Man or Alien?"
"Who is Tony Stark?"
"Iron Man…"
"Tony Stark…"
The names Tony Stark and Iron Man began to flood the internet. Within hours, they were trending worldwide, reaching every corner of the globe. This mysterious superhero and scientist from another realm had become an instant sensation.
Then, in one bold move, he removed his armor in front of millions, revealing a face that captivated viewers instantly. Tony Stark, with his charm, quick wit, and a magnetism that seemed to pull people toward him effortlessly. He was powerful, confident, yet disarmingly funny—a figure who seemed to make the impossible look easy.
The man who brought the future. The man who brought miracles.
The world memorized his name, and soon, his alias—Iron Man—was on everyone's lips. Curiosity about the man behind the mask turned into an obsession, yet no one could find anything concrete about him. Tony Stark was a mystery. He had appeared suddenly, as if from another dimension, with no background, no identity. It was as though he had materialized out of thin air.
But how could someone who wielded such advanced technology, someone with this kind of power, have no traceable history?
Speculation went wild. Some thought he was an alien, others a time traveler. There were whispers that he belonged to some powerful secret organization capable of erasing any trace of its members' existence. Maybe all these new heroes were part of such a group.
But beyond the mystery, the real impact Stark had was even more profound.
If superheroes until now had focused on fighting crime, inspiring people, and transforming the social landscape, then Iron Man was something different. He wasn't just saving lives—he was reshaping daily life itself.
The Starry Sky Technical Committee's initial technology launch had been just a glimpse into what was coming, a prelude to transformations that could touch every part of society.
Voices began rising online and in the streets.
Many of these voices belonged to those who had lost faith, people who had felt abandoned by society. Now, they were looking to the sky, catching glimpses of Iron Man soaring overhead, and for the first time, they felt the faint glimmer of hope returning.
"My daughter… please save my daughter. I'll do anything you ask!"
This plea from the mother of a terminally ill girl spread across the internet like wildfire. Her video received hundreds of thousands of shares, resonating with millions who felt similar desperation.
And hers was only one of many such cries.
"I just want her to love me again… no matter what it takes."
"I've tried so hard. Please, I just need a chance…"
For many, Iron Man symbolized the kind of miracle they had stopped hoping for.
At the same time, corporate magnates and industry leaders, the people who sensed the world shifting before most others, were scrambling to get in touch with Tony Stark. They understood the stakes. Stark's technology would completely reshape industries, and they were desperate to get in on the action.
But all their attempts led to nothing.
For the first time, instead of turning to prayer, people were calling upon Stark himself.
Naturally, dissenting voices emerged too. Some skeptics voiced suspicions, saying that Iron Man's arrival might be part of some darker scheme. Conspiracy theories suggested that, with his powers, Stark could silence any dissenting voice he wished, online or offline.
But Stark remained silent on the matter. There were no tweets, no official statements, no reactions to the negativity.
He simply didn't care.
Like the sun, he continued his work, unaffected by what anyone thought. Whether people praised the sun or cursed it for being too hot, it would rise again the next day.
So when Stark sat down with the Starry Sky Technical Committee the following morning to discuss future projects, and a committee member cautiously asked if he wanted to respond to some of the "negative feedback," Stark barely even acknowledged the question.
Instead, he dropped the day's bombshell announcement.
"New energy vehicles," he said, casually swirling his wine glass. "This is just the first step in exploring energy applications."
He spoke with relaxed confidence, gesturing with his glass in one hand, while his other hand swiped in the air, producing a floating, transparent 3D hologram. The projection system was so advanced that it caught even the tech-savvy committee members off guard. Yet, what he displayed next seized everyone's attention even more.
In Stark's hologram, a new type of car appeared, broken down to reveal its internal components. Beneath the hood was a circular device—a mechanical core, glowing with an intense blue light, like a miniature sun radiating energy from the model.
"100% clean energy. Affordable, efficient," Stark explained. "This vehicle tech is just a first step. Over time, we'll expand its use across other sectors. Imagine holding the sun's power in your hands—enough energy to lift everyone out of poverty."
This was technology Stark had already perfected in his own world. In Marvel's universe, Stark Technology had led the way in clean energy for years. Arc Reactors powered everything from cars to buildings. Stark Tower itself ran independently, a beacon of self-sustaining power in the heart of New York.
Yet this technology came with strict controls. He wanted it accessible to the public but regulated—Stark had promised to never allow his inventions to become weapons.
"This… this is… controlled nuclear fusion?" one committee member stammered, wide-eyed and in shock.
In recent years, most people had become familiar with the term. Unlike other sci-fi-sounding technologies, nuclear fusion was something even non-experts could understand. The idea of clean, unlimited energy had always been humanity's greatest goal in energy research.
The scientists in the room were transfixed.
This was something they had only dreamed of seeing, a concept they thought was generations away. Yet, here it was, right before their eyes.
And even those with little knowledge of energy science could grasp the implications. Energy is the bedrock of every other technological advancement. Just as a warrior's strength depends on their stamina, the advancement of civilization rests on the energy it can produce and control.
Controlled nuclear fusion was like the ultimate skill, a discovery that could propel humanity into an era of limitless power.
"This… this technology…" stammered one energy specialist, his throat dry with wonder.
"Don't get too excited," Stark said with a smirk. "As I mentioned before, even if I hand over the designs…"
"…we're still not ready," the scientist finished, realization sinking in. The truth was clear—nuclear fusion, as Stark had developed it, was beyond them. The technology might look simple in model form, but it contained layer upon layer of advanced engineering and intellectual property.
Stark was making this clean energy available, but the technology behind it was something else entirely. Just as people could use smartphones without understanding their internal processes, they would have access to this energy without fully grasping it.
Even in Marvel's world, no one had managed to replicate Stark's Arc Reactor—not the military, not Hydra, not even the world's most brilliant minds.
Dr. Hines reached out with a trembling hand, touching the circular core in the hologram to view its intricate details. For a moment, his expression was frozen in awe. Then it shifted, turning almost comically bewildered.
"Cold nuclear fusion???" he whispered, unable to fully comprehend it.
Others who knew the field exchanged looks of shock.
Controllable nuclear fusion was the holy grail of energy research, but cold nuclear fusion? That was practically sorcery. Cold fusion had been discussed years ago, but had long since been dismissed, relegated to science fiction. It had been a theoretical concept, with no one able to prove it was possible.
Now, here it was, not only real but ready for mass use. A technology so advanced it could outmode every traditional energy source.
But then, something else dawned on them.
All eyes slowly turned to the Iron Man suit standing to the side, its red and gold shell gleaming, the circular arc reactor glowing faintly at its chest.
They had guessed before that this might be the energy source for the suit, but they'd never been close enough to examine it. The lack of detected heat or other traditional nuclear signatures had misled them. The truth was, no one had considered that Stark had been carrying a miniaturized nuclear reactor on his chest all along.
Now, looking at the small, powerful core embedded in Iron Man's armor, a palpable silence fell over the room as the implications sank in.
A miniature, controlled cold fusion reactor, no larger than the palm of a hand, was keeping Iron Man powered and ready.
[TL note - I don't know what the author is smoking, but the Arc reactor is not cold fusion, lol]
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