Chapter 192 - CHAPTER 192:Lelouch's Ambition

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Selling the armor designed by Tony Stark to ordinary civilians might be the most radical—and dangerous—decision Shen He had made since arriving in this world.

But the Marvel world was never sane to begin with.

Tony Stark alone possessed technological mastery that surpassed Earth's current capabilities—and in many cases, even eclipsed those of several advanced alien civilizations. When paired with the near-limitless strategic resources at Shen He's disposal, the Chaldean initiative now stood as a civilization-building machine with conditions comparable to a nascent galactic empire.

And while Shen He enjoyed the comforts and privileges of his current life, the opportunity to plant the seeds of the universe's first new-age civilization was a venture worthy of his journey across time and space.

At the subsequent product launch, the Virtual Reality Corporation—Chaldea's latest high-tech subsidiary—formally introduced the terms and features of this so-called "war weapon."

Despite tight global net-based regulatory controls, unrestricted public usage was impossible. In normal conditions, the armor would remain in a locked state, fully integrated into civilian life—usable for domestic labor or work-related tasks, but only activating combat mode when approved conditions for armed engagement were met by the system's protocols.

In fact, when not controlled directly by a human operator, the suit could function autonomously in a variety of preset civilian support modes.

These included medical assistant, culinary mode, field technician, and more...

The public version of the suit wasn't just an armor—it was a multi-purpose humanoid robot.

With Tony's tech foundation, and Jarvis—now capable of dynamic evolution and contextual reasoning—the hardware was never the obstacle. Tony, being a futurist and defense engineer, had simply never committed his mind to the commercial or lifestyle-oriented civilian sector before.

Now that he had, the results spoke for themselves.

By the end of the press conference, the event felt less like a tech showcase and more like a defining cultural moment—a celebration of humanity's entry into a new age.

Even those who believed they lived far from danger were captivated by the allure of a product that seamlessly fused high-level combat capability, AI-driven home service, and immersive virtual gaming—essentially offering the functions of "super clones," "robot butlers," and "VR military training systems" in one.

Then came the pricing.

"We do not plan to bundle these two instruments together for sale," Shen He declared as he stepped forward to address the press. "Today's presentation introduces two distinct products. First, the third-generation immersive Virtual Sleep Capsule, developed by the Virtual Reality Company—priced at $38,000 USD and available for priority buyers. Second, Tony Stark's 'War Weapon'—but this will not be publicly sold unless a candidate successfully passes our virtual simulation assessments."

Thanks to Jarvis, game development had become effortless.

What used to be hours of coding and debugging now took minutes. And as for creative design—Jarvis could simulate and model user experience in real time. Even concepts deemed 'conventional' in the gaming industry could now become mesmerizing with full sensory integration.

However, the only "game" available inside the virtual capsule was a tactical training simulator—an elite program designed for users to learn to control the armor in various combat scenarios, including detailed war simulations. At present, the opponent in these simulations remained consistent: alien invaders, modeled after the New York Chitauri invasion.

In short, only those who passed the rigorous simulations were eligible to own or pilot a "War Weapon."

"I plan to partner with Stark Industries to establish a new enterprise: Guardian Corporation," Shen He continued, delivering yet another bombshell. "Steve Rogers will serve as its executive head. All current Guardian infrastructure will gradually be merged under this banner. Furthermore, individuals who excel in the 'War Weapon' assessments may be offered high-paying roles within Guardian."

For most people, the deluge of announcements that day had already left them emotionally drained.

But for former Guardian admirers—those who had once taken to the streets in makeshift tights, trying to mimic their heroes—this final announcement was nothing short of a dream realized.

Because now, with the armor, they didn't have to pretend.

They could become true Guardians.

For the politically savvy and the tactically astute, however, the implications were far more strategic.

This "Guardian Corporation" was clearly Chaldea's plan to establish a globalized paramilitary wing—an auxiliary force acting in the open, capable of rivaling any sovereign military. Their influence was now poised to surpass corporate or philanthropic status and touch the realm of true geopolitical power.

The World Council, therefore, had reached a crossroads.

Because when all of Chaldea's prior moves were examined in hindsight—AI infrastructure, virtual economy, diplomatic projects, energy monopolization, and now, personal war-grade armor—it became clear:

This launch wasn't a leap forward. It was a coronation.

The age-old question of power had reemerged: Would the world's leadership accept Chaldea's dominance… or resist it?

And unfortunately for the World Security Council, it wasn't even their call to make.

In the Marvel world, sovereignty was often dictated not by governance, but by interest groups—alliances of capital, corporate dynasties, and militarized factions. In that arena, Chaldea now had enough bargaining chips, military leverage, and technological supremacy to shake the table.

What followed would be a long war of negotiations, backdoor deals, and subtle threats.

And Shen He?

He desperately hoped that Lelouch would soon complete his behind-the-scenes "work" and join him at the frontlines of this political chess game.

Because in the age to come, Coulson and the others could no longer serve as Chaldea's only visible shields.

Two days after the press conference, Tony Stark received an unannounced visit.

General Thaddeus Ross arrived at the Virtual Reality Company headquarters—seeking to place a military order for the war weapons.

Despite their history of ideological and personal clashes, Ross knew there was no room for pettiness. The alien threat was too real, and too massive. If Stark's tech could provide an answer, then Ross was here to do business.

But he didn't come alone.

Alongside him were representatives from the global arms trade—including the ever-opportunistic Justin Hammer.

Once painted as a cheap imitation of Stark's genius, Hammer remained one of the world's most influential arms dealers—second only to Stark Industries itself.

"Tony, you're doing quite well for yourself these days," Ross remarked dryly, unable to hide his mixture of envy and resignation.

As a general, Ross had always had access to classified intelligence. He understood better than most that Tony's role had transcended billionaire-industrialist. The man could now sway nations. Even Ross himself, a high-ranking military commander, could be discarded by the World Council with a single call.

"I've always been like this," Tony replied coolly, unbothered by Ross's candid acknowledgment. "You're here to make a purchase, but don't expect me to lower the price because some amateurs want to play soldier."

Ross exhaled sharply. "This isn't coming from me."

He held up an official Congressional mandate—bearing the seal of urgency.

"We're in a crisis period. We need rapid mass production. Stark Industries alone can't meet demand. Your… 'peers' are here to take on the overflow."

Tony raised an eyebrow, glancing at Hammer and the other assembled contractors.

A storm was coming. And the world was scrambling for shelter.

But not everyone would survive what came next.

"Yes, that's it." Hammer inserted himself into the conversation, placing a hand on Tony's shoulder with a familiar air. "Tony, when I heard you were planning to reopen Stark Industries' weapons division, you have no idea how thrilled I was. Competition? It drives innovation. Without Stark Industries in the game, we—Hanmer Industries—have been stagnating."

Somewhat unexpectedly, Tony didn't brush off Hammer's arm.

That small gesture made Hammer feel strangely flattered, almost honored.

"You make a fair point," Tony said, glancing toward General Ross. "It is a national emergency. We're willing to transfer a portion of our production workload to third-party contractors. Come with me—I've already made preparations."

Ross's eyes flickered, his expression unreadable.

This was initially just a test run authorized by the World Security Council—a probe to see whether Chaldea would hoard its advancements or share the benefits.

Now, it appeared Chaldea wasn't intent on monopolizing everything after all.

"Tony, I'm touched!" Hammer chattered on, visibly thrilled. "People call us heartless arms dealers, but I'm the first to disagree. You, Tony—you're the standard-bearer for our industry! Don't worry, I'll offer Stark Industries the best terms possible to secure victory in this war!"

Thud—

A thick stack of documents landed squarely on Hammer's face.

"Sign this. Everything related to the collaboration is in there." Tony's tone was cool, businesslike.

"What? A contract?" Hammer blinked in surprise.

He'd been in the business for decades and had never seen something so brazen. No negotiations, no prior discussion—just a complete contract dumped in front of him to sign.

"You can also choose not to sign," Tony added, checking his watch as he stood. "You've got an hour. If you decide to sign, I'll return. If not—leave on your own. I don't have time to waste. General Ross, if you'd like a live demo of our latest tech, our engineers can walk you through it."

"No problem." Ross nodded, but shot Hammer a sideways glance full of schadenfreude.

Tony wasn't just another arms dealer anymore. He wasn't someone Hammer or the others could haggle with on equal terms.

Tony exited the conference room with a refreshed, purposeful air.

His mind drifted to the ambitious blueprint he and Shen He had discussed earlier. If it all came together—if Stark Industries could truly evolve into a keystone of this world's new era—his father would have been proud.

While Tony embraced his shifting role, Shen He was deep in a confidential Chaldean meeting.

More specifically, a one-on-one with Lelouch.

Ever since their last strategic briefing, Shen He had realized something: most of the summoned followers had little investment in the operational workings of the Marvel world. Their presence at earlier meetings had been symbolic—a display of transparency more than anything. But now that their numbers had grown, full attendance was no longer feasible—or necessary.

Only Lelouch consistently engaged with genuine insight.

"Master, have you considered this?" Lelouch asked tactfully. "As the Chaldean influence in this world grows, it's becoming increasingly difficult for us to remain uninvolved."

Shen He immediately understood the implication.

To date, Chaldea had avoided directly managing Marvel's peripheral industries.

S.H.I.E.L.D.'s fieldwork had been completely entrusted to Coulson.

The virtual reality company's operations were under Tony's domain.

Shen He, despite being the nominal leader, functioned more as an overseer—assigning tasks to specific followers and intervening when his foreknowledge of future events necessitated it.

"But the heart of Chaldea's power lies in you," Shen He said, frowning slightly. "With that, rebellion shouldn't even be possible."

He trusted both Coulson and Tony implicitly.

But that trust was predicated on power—his own power and that of the followers he commanded. As long as his inner circle remained loyal, he felt invincible. Hence, it seemed reasonable to delegate the rest.

"Master, you must understand the nature of authority," Lelouch said, offering a helpless smile even as he confronted Shen He directly. "Take a company: the board of directors technically holds the ultimate control. But most of the time? They defer to the CEO. Why? Because the CEO's decisions produce tangible results."

It was a vivid analogy.

Shen He paused, absorbing the meaning. Then his expression shifted with dawning realization.

Indeed.

If Coulson or Tony used their authority over peripheral assets to make a decision that diverged from Chaldean ideals—but didn't incite immediate discord—then Chaldea would quietly be forced to compromise.

Why? Because those systems couldn't function without them.

Shen He didn't even know the names of most field agents beneath Coulson.

And the VR company? Nearly every non-agent employee came straight from Stark Industries.

Product distribution, market management, tech upgrades—all managed by Tony. Without him, Shen He had no way to maintain the system.

"You're right." Shen He sighed. "I've underestimated how far our reach has spread in the Marvel world."

It would've been fine if they'd stayed small. But if Chaldea's presence evolved into a global power bloc, and they ever clashed with Tony or Coulson—it could spiral out of control.

"Within Chaldea, the Lord holds absolute command authority," Lelouch pressed on, seeing Shen He receptive. "You've got three absolute orders per follower—that's no small thing. But if ideological conflict arises between agents or stakeholders, that command structure becomes the only thing preventing a civil fracture. We must root everything in your philosophy before divisions grow beyond containment."

It was a simple truth.

Dispersed power risks disunity. Overcentralization stifles initiative.

"But we can't do anything concrete right now," Shen He said, hands spreading in a helpless gesture. "Like you said—why does a board still follow the CEO? Because we can't match their functionality. We don't have the tools to manage everything ourselves."

Lelouch's gaze sharpened. "At that point, I want your permission to become actively involved in Chaldea's operational control within the Marvel world."

His words weren't empty ambition. Lelouch wasn't solely driven by vengeance anymore.

He'd begun thinking about what came after.

His sister, Nunnally, was not a follower. She couldn't be transferred to this world. If Lelouch wanted to offer her a future beyond mere survival—beyond just being an 'ordinary person' in a static world—then he had to shape that future himself.

And C.C.—and Shirley...

Chaldea granted access to infinite timelines and countless destinies. With the possibility of eternal life on the table, Lelouch understood he had to stake his claim early. The longer he hesitated, the easier it would be to fade into irrelevance.

He wasn't physically overwhelming like some followers.

So his only option—his best chance—was to prove his value through strategic brilliance.

And that was something Lelouch had in abundance.

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