After a group of stunning dancers warmed up the crowd, the product launch officially began.
Sitting in the audience, Rhode leaned toward Tony and said,
"Your friend sure knows how to put on a show. Has the same taste as you."
Tony waved him off.
"This? This is nothing. Wait till my next expo. It'll be even wilder."
"There'll be at least three rounds of dancers."
Pepper Potts, seated nearby, remained silent. Everyone knew this was just typical Tony behavior.
The stage lights dimmed. A large capsule appeared on the screen—not a medical capsule, but something sleeker.
As the button on the capsule was pressed, the screen flashed with a burst of white light.
BOOM~
When the smoke cleared, a giant monocle-like device appeared on the screen.
A spotlight hit Smith Doyle on the dark stage, drawing everyone's attention to him.
He stepped onto the stage wearing the device—the Power Level Detector—while the display behind him showcased the gadget from all angles: front, back, and sides.
"Welcome to the Capsule Corporation's first product launch."
The audience responded with applause.
Clap, clap, clap...
Tony was curious. A monocle-like gadget clearly wasn't a weapon. So why invite such a high-profile crowd? What exactly was this thing?
As the applause died down, Smith Doyle began his introduction.
"The first product from Capsule Corporation: the Power Level Detector."
Behind him, the device spun slowly in a 360-degree presentation on the screen.
"This monocle-looking thing I'm wearing—it's not just for style. It can do two things: lock onto a target and measure their combat power."
"Let me show you a video that demonstrates exactly what this thing can do."
The screen cut to a short clip. An agent, wearing the detector, locked onto a distant target. A marker appeared on the monocle, and a number—5—lit up beside the figure.
"Command, target power level is 5. No threat," the agent reported.
Inside a command vehicle, an officer responded,
"Keep searching. Find the dangerous ones."
"Roger!"
Targets began appearing—5.1, 6.2, 5.0, 4.3, 3.5… Then suddenly, a 15 popped up.
"Command, we've got a high-level target. Combat power: 15."
The officer's voice came through again:
"Lock on. Confirm identity."
Though the video was short, it clearly showcased the Power Level Detector's capabilities.
Smith spoke again.
"The detector has two core functions:
1. Measuring a person's combat power.
2. Global communication—it allows seamless calls between two detectors from anywhere on Earth."
What he didn't mention was that this feature was a toned-down version of the original Frieza Force model, which had interstellar communication. This was already a seriously nerfed version.
Still, the audience was stunned. They had been wondering what this "power level" thing meant—now the communication function alone blew them away.
"Maybe you're still unsure what combat power means. Here's a reference:"
"According to our research, a healthy adult human typically scores around 5. There may be slight variations depending on the individual."
"The theoretical max for a regular human is 7, maybe just short of 8."
"Let me show you."
Smith called up a staff member and scanned him with the detector. A 5 appeared on the screen, which was linked to the big display behind him for all to see.
He scanned several more people. The numbers varied slightly, but nothing drastic.
After the demo, he addressed the audience again.
"All right, now it's time for questions. I'm sure you've got a few."
A reporter raised a hand.
"Assistant, pass the mic, please."
Once the reporter had the microphone, he asked:
"Mr. Doyle, what is this 'combat power' based on?"
A solid question—one that many in the crowd were likely wondering themselves.
Smith answered,
"The power level is based on a person's total biological energy."
"In short, the more energy a person's body contains, the stronger they are in combat."
"After surpassing the human limit, even a 1.3x increase in power level can result in a one-sided fight."
Another reporter jumped in:
"Why does it have to be after surpassing human limits?"
Smith replied,
"Because before that point, things like technique, mindset, and even simple weapons can skew the outcome."
The first reporter followed up:
"But very few people ever reach the human limit. Doesn't that make this product kind of… niche?"
Smith just smiled and looked out over the crowd.
He didn't answer right away—but glanced at Director Nick Fury, General Ross, and the representatives from the CIA and FBI.
Maybe the reporters didn't get it—but they did.
After all, the world wasn't just made of ordinary people. There were… special individuals. And Ross's Super Soldier Program was just reaching a critical stage.
"This product isn't designed for the average consumer," Smith finally said.
"And there are plenty of individuals who've reached—or are close to—human limits."
"John, could you come up here for a second?"
John Wick stepped onto the stage.
Smith scanned him.
A 7.5 flashed onto the screen.
Those who knew Smith's intel already understood what this meant—and they were surprised. They hadn't expected this man to be that close to the limit of human potential.