"No… cough, wait, what did you just say?"
"Nothing, I just didn't hear clearly. Damn, this coffee is too loud going down my throat."
Tony instinctively tried to refuse, but his words faltered. He even pushed the coffee cup aside, pretending the noise interfered with his hearing, masking his true thoughts.
Malrick shrugged, amusement in his eyes.
"What did I say? I think I told you to be careful not to crash the next Iron Man Day."
Tony's eyes widened. "You didn't say there was a world… ah ha, Malrick, you're joking with me again." He nudged Malrick playfully. "I remember now—you said you were going to send me to the Three-Body World to gather all the technology from those god-level civilizations and bring it back!"
"Did I say that?" Malrick asked, glancing at him sideways.
"Of course! I heard it loud and clear. That's no simple task." Tony made a strained expression and sighed. "But who else can do this besides me?"
"I agree, Malrick. After all, you're my brother. Who else could possibly help you?"
Both brothers knew each other's thoughts perfectly, yet their conversation was awkward, like two owls staring into the night, waiting for the other to look away first.
Jarvis silently observed the scene through a nearby robot. He had grown accustomed to these moments, which were rare since Malrick rarely met Tony in recent years. The scene stirred a nostalgic warmth in his database. Quietly, he recorded it, saving the video in the folder titled "Mr. and Young Master's Day," numbered 2869.
Meanwhile, the two brothers continued their silent standoff.
"Since this is such a difficult task, I can't just hand it to you, Tony. If it tires you out, Pepper and Olivia would be angry," Malrick teased, pinching his chin thoughtfully.
"I think we should let Howard go. Our old man's free lately anyway," he added.
"Let's see… besides the Three-Body World, there are countless other tech-based worlds," Malrick continued, listing them. "Worlds like Transformers, where silicon-based life invades Earth, Doraemon with its sci-fi imagination, and Star Sea Biao Shi with its advanced mechanical control technology…"
"There are just too many," he added with a chuckle. "If Howard were to visit all of them, he might return capable of defeating all Iron Men, abolishing Iron Man Day, and creating a new Howard Day."
Malrick pushed Tony's coffee cup back toward him. "Sounds good, Tony. You keep drinking your coffee. I'll go find Howard and Maria."
Tony listened to the list, his expression blank, already imagining himself mastering all that technology. When Malrick actually started to leave, panic hit him.
"Wait!" Tony grabbed Malrick's arm.
Malrick turned, playful glint in his eyes. "What's wrong? Don't tell me you think you're better suited than Howard. Your Arc Reactors and amazing metal elements were all his original inventions."
Tony was speechless, realizing resistance was futile. "Alright, Malrick, you win. I really want to go to these worlds—please help me just this once." His shoulders slumped, helpless.
Malrick laughed heartily. "If you wanted my help, you should have said so earlier! How was I supposed to know otherwise? So, which world first?"
Tony's eyes sharpened. "I want them all."
...
Two weeks later, Tony returned from his explorations of the advanced tech-based worlds of the Multiverse and strode into the dueling arena with confidence.
It was the 29th Iron Man Day, and Tony aimed for his 29th consecutive victory. Across from him stretched a sea of Iron Men—tens of thousands standing in unison, a literal ocean of Tony heads. The sight alone felt overwhelming.
"Damn, look at that guy—his arrogance is just like a rooster in a suit," one Iron Man muttered.
"I agree, look at his nostrils—they're like goat hooves!"
"Shut up! We look exactly like him! Do you even know what you're talking about?!"
Verbal attacks flew fiercely among the Iron Men. Most were arrogant playboys, easily annoyed by their own kind. If not for Tony's 28 consecutive victories in the S Universe, tensions would have erupted into an all-out brawl immediately.
This time, White Can Iron Man had coordinated them all, uniting the Iron Men against Tony. Without his intervention, they could never have worked together.
"Gentlemen, there's no need to argue or curse," White Can Iron Man announced from the front. His White Armor subtly rose and fell, alive with power. "That guy's arrogance ends today. Let's execute our plan. Once the Anti-Superman Armor appears, he will be utterly defenseless, a little white rabbit ready to be crushed."
The Iron Men activated their devices in unison, confirming their participation. Unlike others, Iron Men weren't part of the TVA and lacked Time Pads; identity devices were their only connection to the Dimension Continent.
Jarvis's mechanical countdown began above the arena. Ten seconds.
Tony stood confidently, hands behind his back, suit jacket swaying. He delivered a taunt without restraint.
"Little lambs gathered together are still just a flock of little lambs. Have you decided how you're going to lose?"
His remark was mild by his usual standards, but the opposing Iron Men erupted, their resentment from 28 defeats boiling over.
When the countdown ended, Tony calmly placed his Arc Reactor on his chest. The Anti-Superman Armor attached itself seamlessly. The Celestial Armor, his ultimate weapon, remained hidden for now.
Tony's action drew smiles from the opposing Iron Men. "The opportunity has come, guys. Move!"
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