At the end of his televised address, he declared that Latovinia would help southeastern Europe undergo "de-NATOization." Any obstruction during this process would be treated as an act of war, to which Latovinia would immediately respond with military force. Latovinia would purge human society of weakness, forging a strong and united species, reshaping Europe into a whole once more. It would establish a colossal spaceport city stretching south to Transylvania, north to Hungary, east to Latovinia itself. That city would boast technology surpassing every nation on Earth—in medicine, agriculture, industry, and beyond.
Latovinia would welcome every individual or nation with great ambition, as long as they abided by its laws and order. Regardless of skin color or language, in Latovinia there was only one identity: human. Adults would earn what was theirs through labor. Youths would be trained under a rigorous academy-style system, learning advanced thought, cutting-edge science, ancient arts, and the skills of command. They would become soldiers, officers, scientists, artists—members of the human race prepared either to fight aliens in future wars or to inherit and spread human civilization throughout the galaxy.
He told the world plainly that he would continue the mission his organization had pursued even before liberating Latovinia.
From this day forward, American slaughter across the globe would end. If he heard the cries of a child near a U.S. military base, he would lead his warriors to kill every man who dared call himself President of the United States while waging war. Americans, Britons, French, Australians, and Canadians could continue holding elections, but as long as they waged wars for greed, every president would die in his office or his safehouse—without exception.
"You should fear life. Latovinia's bottom line is life. Its only measure of value is life. I will pay any price to ensure the survival of the human race, whatever that price may be," he said before ending. "Now you destroy homes for selfish gain, steal wealth with filthy tricks, make rules to hoard riches while others starve. Then you should be ready to bear the cost. Latovinia will fight for justice, morality, civilization, science, and survival. When you cannot master your greed, do not pray to empty gods—your graves are calling you. I am your justice, your judgment, and your death."
When Tony Stark watched the broadcast, it was already 11 p.m. in New York.
Though the face broadcast was flawless—handsome, charismatic, even the camera capturing an almost ideal image—Tony knew immediately it was his "old friend." A crushing helplessness washed over him. The Avengers' future, the thought of clashing with someone he once knew, all tangled until he could hardly breathe. He remembered how Solomon once told him he would one day have a daughter. Now he wondered in despair what kind of world his daughter would grow up in.
Though the hacked social media headlines had been wiped from the internet, this televised speech unsurprisingly ignited fresh uproar. Western media—and even government officials on their personal accounts—denounced it as the ravings of a madman, a gross violation of human rights, a rebirth of Nazi ideology. They urged the White House, even the Avengers, to act quickly and eliminate "the greatest threat to the democratic world." Prominent pundits rushed to host late-night specials, milking the moment for surging ratings.
But the speech was not without supporters—especially in America's red states and among ordinary Europeans chafing under political correctness. Yet such voices were swiftly censored on social platforms. On 4chan, the infamous troll forum, users pored over Latovinia's new broadcast network. The material ranged from claims of Voidcraft destroying satellites, to photographs of alien fleets, to exposés on how military-industrial elites hoped to profit from the war. The official Latovinia website released not only streams of war updates but also a looped clip of Solomon cleaving through a line of tanks with his greatsword, sparking frenzied speculation about his combat strength.
According to Latovinia's spokesman, they had deployed 1,000 gene-modified warriors, 3,000 soldiers with advanced gear, and 200 heavy armored vehicles and tanks to crush Hungary's defense forces head-on. This war became the focus of worldwide study. Every detail—from powered armor and gene soldiers to modular vehicle designs, from towering mechs to bolters, lasers, and space-capable transports—was dissected by analysts. Super-soldier programs quietly resurfaced. Inevitably, attention fell on Steve Rogers, Captain America himself.
Beyond strategy, Solomon's golden power armor—Baroque grandeur fused seamlessly with mechanical might—captivated audiences. His striking looks, commanding presence, and martial aesthetic matched many men's idealized vision of strength. To military enthusiasts, the steel tide behind him was mesmerizing. Others were baffled: how had Latovinia leapt past Hungarian air defenses in mere hours, delivering tanks, APCs, and twenty-meter mechs straight into Budapest for a decapitation strike?
Some hardcore hobbyists even used telescopes and cameras to capture NATO satellites exploding in orbit, glimpsing blurred images of Immortal City Voidcraft.
Even Solomon himself had not expected it: posters of him in golden armor already circulated online, and a cult of admiration for his radical politics was taking shape. He had not traveled through time—he had simply spoken of what was to come. Yet people took him literally, worshipping him. Still, it was a minority. Most platforms began mass-banning anyone voicing support, while state-linked media waged smear campaigns without restraint.
Without waiting for his order, the Praetorians had already dispatched assassins to track down, erase, and kill those creating graffiti of his likeness online. Constantine didn't even tell him; even Stephanie Malick couldn't stop it.
Perhaps Solomon knew, but simply didn't care. In his eyes, those people would all kneel and beg for his mercy eventually.
The U.S. President, while ordering the Pentagon to respond, simultaneously called on the international community to condemn Latovinia for violating UN space treaties by deploying armed systems in orbit. He drafted economic sanctions while urging dialogue. He rushed fighter squadrons to Europe and dispatched carrier strike groups across the Atlantic, all while pleading for Latovinia to cease fire. The White House had no grasp of Latovinia's true capacity. No organization so advanced could have sprung from nowhere. Some congressmen suspected backing by a major power. The speech might have been bluster—but Washington had to prepare for the worst.
After work, Pepper Potts came home to find her fiancé slumped on the sofa, downing glass after glass of liquor. "What happened?" Exhausted from her own day, she still sat beside him and poured herself a drink. "You're watching international news?"
"Do you remember Solomon?"
"That polite young man?" Pepper raised a brow. "Last time I saw him was at the gallery exhibition, when he let loose a herd of goats to butt all those socialites. Honestly, it was hilarious."
Tony pointed his chin at the TV. "That's him. The man in the golden armor giving that speech."
"What?" Pepper frowned. "What does that mean?"
"It means he's declared war on NATO. Alone. And I don't know if I should praise his courage… or mourn for the world."
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