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At that moment, Bulma stepped up from the backstage area and faced the media.
"Hello everyone, I'm Bulma, chief scientist of Capsule Corporation."
"I believe that in the near future, our products will enter every household and change people's lives."
As Bulma took the stage, the reporters burst into excitement. Camera shutters clicked wildly, flooding the scene with flashing lights and photos.
Although everyone was intrigued by this beautiful young scientist, their primary focus remained on Tony and Smith—unless Bulma could invent something truly revolutionary.
Then, a reporter raised a question:
"Mr. Smith, can you tell us what kind of product you're developing?"
Another chimed in, "Is it something in the weapons industry?"
A third asked, "Given the name Capsule Corporation, is it medical-related?"
While the reporters speculated, journalist Christine asked a more personal question:
"Mr. Smith, Tony's known as Iron Man. What about you?"
"Are you... Super-Man?"
That last question silenced the crowd. More than the company's future, people wanted to know his moniker.
Smith Doyle nearly cringed at the knock-off sounding name "Super-Man." He'd honestly rather be called The Patriot like that weird artist in Florida.
At that moment, Tony stepped forward with a smirk.
"God," he said.
"Smith's codename is God."
He then whispered in Smith's ear, "We're way over time already."
Rhodey had been signaling Tony for a while—the press conference had run overtime, and this wasn't a private event.
Smith gave a nod and exited with Bulma and Tony, leaving the stage behind.
---
Backstage, just as they were about to leave, Pepper Potts walked over.
"Mr. Smith, Stark Industries has a board meeting in three days. Your presence is required."
Smith nodded. "I'll be there."
After chatting briefly with Tony, Smith left through the back door with Bulma and their driver—John Wick. Tony left with Pepper Potts.
Following the press conference, Stark Industries stock instantly halted its decline and rebounded sharply.
The sudden surge was thanks to the Iron Man tech. Whether it was the Iron Monger or Iron Man suit, investors now saw hope. There was no better time to buy.
Beyond tech, it was also about charisma—Tony, the superhero chairman, and Smith Doyle, the mysterious "God," both held stakes in Stark Industries.
Viewers who had watched the press conference flooded to invest, and Wall Street analysts immediately raised Stark's rating.
The public knew what they were seeing—warfare had a new face: combat robots.
Tony Stark, once vilified, was now hailed once more as a hero.
---
Back at the Assassin's League castle, Smith had barely stepped inside when he saw himself on TV.
The screen showed a split image: on the left, Tony Stark announcing he was Iron Man; on the right, Smith Doyle floating in mid-air.
The anchor reported:
"Tony Stark has confirmed he's Iron Man, revealing new tech and a new direction. Stark Industries stock is climbing rapidly."
"But there's also another key figure—Smith Doyle, dubbed 'God.'"
"Could he become a real-world Superman and save the people? According to official sources, he urges civilians to contact law enforcement when in danger."
"Smith Doyle's strength is reminiscent of Captain America. Could this be the result of a new super soldier serum breakthrough?"
Fox switched channels. Another station was also covering Tony and Smith. Most praised them, though a few questioned whether they should disclose their tech.
Bulma was only mentioned briefly, her picture shown but with very little discussion.
Smith chuckled. "Well, that didn't take long. Looks like I'm about to be as famous as Tony."
Fox walked over and asked, "Boss, I thought you planned to keep your identity secret?"
Smith had considered it. But with his power level—and it would only grow—was there really any point in hiding?
He wasn't some broke street-level vigilante.
"No need for that," he said calmly.
Fox didn't press. If Tony Stark could go public without fear, then Smith, who was even stronger, had nothing to worry about.
"Boss, don't forget—you've got that Stark Industries board meeting in three days."
"And also, we've got the base groundbreaking ceremony and the product launch. Your presence is required."
Smith wasn't surprised by the packed schedule. He said casually:
"Set up a foundation. There'll be a lot of destruction in the future. If I cause any, the foundation should cover the damages after proper review."
"As for the base, speed things up. I don't want to wait too long."
"Boss, we'll expedite it. But even rushing things, construction takes time. The site's huge."
Smith thought for a moment, then smirked.
"Hire those Chinese infrastructure firms. Work around the clock. Money's no object."
"I want New York's top ten construction firms to see what Chinese speed really means."
"And the product launch? Schedule it for one week from now."
"As for the location, either rent out the TCL Chinese Theatre in L.A., or find a venue in New York."
"Start drafting the invite list: Tony Stark, S.H.I.E.L.D., General Ross from the military, CIA, FBI..."
This wasn't some consumer gadget. The combat power detector was high-grade tech. Smith had no plans to sell it to regular folks, and the pricing would reflect that—especially with research costs included.
As for street heroes getting exposed or Skrulls living on Earth being revealed? Not Smith Doyle's problem.
They'd just have to deal with it.