-----
-----
Inside the basement lab of Tony Stark's mansion—
"Jarvis, prep for the twelfth test run. Log all relevant data."
Tony, suited up in his red-and-gold armor, gave the order calmly.
Ding!
The golden faceplate clicked shut over his face.
In the next moment, the armor on his body began to shift and flow like liquid, morphing into different shapes.
Nano energy cannons, nano-metal shields, nano-blades—an entire arsenal of hot and cold weapons materialized in rapid succession from the nanotech particles.
"Sir, the nanotech transformation algorithm is working perfectly. Nano-structures remain stable, and transformation time is now under 5 milliseconds. You truly are a genius!"
As the suit kept shifting, Jarvis threw in a well-placed compliment.
"Five milliseconds? Not quite the limit yet... but it's probably as good as it's gonna get."
Tony frowned slightly, but deep down he knew this was already pushing the boundaries.
"Jarvis, get ready to test the new weapons system."
As soon as he said it, the nanotech particles on his arm quickly morphed again—this time forming into a strangely designed energy cannon that gave off a menacing vibe.
A faint red energy swirled within the barrel like a glowing, ominous eye.
"Charging up..."
At Tony's command, a brilliant red light instantly lit up the cannon's barrel.
The swirling energy inside began to spin faster and brighter, building toward something massive. The red glow grew stronger and more intense.
Finally, when the entire basement was bathed in blinding red light—
The energy reached its peak.
Tony raised the cannon and aimed it at a thick slab of titanium alloy on the far side of the room.
The next second, a blazing red beam burst out from the barrel.
The terrifying energy blast tore straight through the thick metal plate like it was paper, then kept going—blasting a hole in the wall behind it, through the foundation of the mansion, and even puncturing the coastal ground outside.
What was left of the red energy beam shot across the surface of the sea and vanished over the horizon.
"Sir, the Red Sun Energy Cannon is working perfectly. Its power is nearly seven times stronger than last time."
"Still, who knows if this thing can really pierce that guy's steel body."
Even with such insane power, Tony's expression didn't show much satisfaction.
"Whatever, this will have to do. The palladium arc reactor can only handle this level of energy output anyway."
The arc reactor, once considered an insanely powerful energy source, now seemed... kinda lacking to Tony.
"Oh right—Jarvis, any updates on the magic info I told you to collect?"
Tony tapped the arc reactor on his chest lightly, and in less than three seconds, his nanotech suit dissolved back into nano particles and retracted into its storage unit.
"Sir, after filtering out the fakes online, we've found thousands of potentially real magic-related entries. We narrowed them down to 87 credible leads. I've dispatched field agents to investigate."
"Estimated time to complete the investigation is around ten days."
"Ten days? That long?"
Tony sat back on the couch, sipping a glass of red wine as he asked.
"Some of the leads are located in remote areas—Nepal, for example. It's difficult to get access and verify them."
"Nepal? That's pretty damn far."
"By the way, anything interesting going on lately? Feels like it's been forever since I've seen anyone."
Ever since he got home, Tony had locked himself away in his lab. Anyone who came looking—friends, reporters, even investigators trying to find out where he'd disappeared to—got turned away by Pepper, who he had pulled out of vacation just to help keep people off his back.
Now though, the new nanotech suit was done, its weapons system upgraded, and Tony figured it was time to step out and get some fresh air.
"Sir, there is one event I think you'll be very interested in."
"Oh? Jarvis, that's unusual. You never sound that confident."
Tony perked up. Jarvis, being an AI, almost never used strong adjectives like that.
"A few days ago, nuclear physicist Dr. Otto made a global announcement—he claims he's solved the world's energy crisis."
"And he plans to conduct a public demonstration of his experiment in front of a live audience."
The moment Jarvis said this, a grin spread across Tony's face.
"Oh? Dr. Otto? Didn't his artificial sun project fail last time? I even recreated the whole experiment myself. Without the right ultra-durable materials, there's no way that thing works."
"So, tell me, what makes you so sure I'd be interested?"
Tony was genuinely puzzled. Jarvis usually didn't make these kinds of miscalculations.
"Sir, Dr. Otto also announced that Superman will be attending the demonstration."
"What?! That guy's going too?"
Tony shot up, not even noticing the wine spilling from his glass all over the floor.
"Time and place—tell me!"
"Tomorrow night at 8 p.m., Liberty Island, in the Hudson River…"
"Damn, that guy really knows how to pick a venue!"
The next morning, the already-busy area around the Statue of Liberty became even more crowded.
The island was packed with people who'd arrived early to grab a good spot for that night's event.
Even the waters around the island—normally full of ferries and private boats—were now completely surrounded by countless vessels forming ring after ring of floating spectators.
Word had spread fast. Not just New Yorkers, but people from nearby cities had all come rushing in.
Why? Because this was Superman's first time ever showing up for a public event.
Rumor had it the President even changed his schedule to attend this historic moment.
Politicians, CEOs, billionaires, the military—you name it, they were all here.
Armed military personnel were now stationed all around, keeping the massive crowd under control.
Cameras from every major news outlet were pointed at Liberty Island. Above, helicopters and fighter jets circled constantly, ready for the big show that was still hours away.
Time dragged on, and the crowd was getting restless.
Finally, the sun began to set in the west.
Night fell, and in an instant, thousands of lights turned on, illuminating the whole island like a concert stage.
"It's finally happening. This guy... even more of a showoff than I am."
On the island, Tony lounged on a sofa with his bodyguard Happy nearby. He casually sipped wine, waiting for the experiment to begin.
The final hour ticked away…
BOOM!
A thunderous sonic boom echoed from the distant sky.
"Look! It's Superman! He actually came!"
A collective gasp spread through the crowd. All eyes turned skyward—and there he was, hovering above the Statue of Liberty.
His black suit shimmered even in the dark, golden lines glowing faintly across his body.
His cape billowed behind him in the wind.
"Superman! Humanity's hero!"
The moment people recognized him, the crowd erupted in a deafening cheer.
Every single camera turned its lens toward the figure floating above the statue.
No one cared about some world-changing energy experiment. All they cared about… was Superman.
"What's he doing?"
Everyone watched in awe as the figure slowly descended toward the statue.
"No way… that's insane!"
In total disbelief, the crowd stared as Superman casually lifted the entire Statue of Liberty with one hand.
A strangely shaped aircraft suddenly appeared in the distance and slowly landed on the raised base where the Statue of Liberty once stood.
The hatch opened, and several people stepped out, carefully wheeling a highly anticipated device into place. They set it right on the base, replacing the original statue.
Even though many people on the surrounding islands couldn't see what was happening clearly up there—
At this moment, everyone knew:The long-awaited experiment was finally about to begin!
"....."