Countless keyboard warriors berate Stark Industries for aiding tyrants. Every missile whistle, every explosion, inevitably claimed the lives of countless innocent people. Terrorists had even kidnapped Tony to produce weapons. The hatred for war in the Terra Federation had reached an irreconcilable peak, so Tanner's past-life memories weighed heavily.
Stark Industries had repeatedly sold Jericho missiles had already drawn the ire of Terra's citizens. And with the revelation of Tony's poisoning, the outrage spread across every network platform, and even the live-stream chat was in chaos.
"I can't let this go."
"Stark Industries is Tony's! He's responsible!"
"Death would be a relief, he's caused so many deaths with his weapons!"
"The Immortal Warrior's past life is impossible to fully judge."
"Ten million active users, this kind of influence is enough to make him infamous."
"But you can't completely blame him. Tony's intentions have shifted."
"? That's a bit extreme. Do you understand what a repeat offender is? Especially now, with Mark 2 so advanced, once the weapon systems are perfected, who knows what could happen."
"But I still believe in Tony. He's a genius with a good heart."
Opinions clashed, spreading across the network like wildfire.
Tanner's captured past-life memories were rapidly becoming a global phenomenon and attention had reached tens of billions in the Commonwealth. If some speculations were correct, the final memories of his previous life revealed a history of artificial intelligence wreaking devastation. It could lead to massive riots, far-reaching chaos, and a slow but unstoppable spread of destruction.
Almost everyone was gripped by the same fear:
"Is Terra's history destined to be destroyed by AI?"
"If Tony dies from poisoning, will Jarvis go rogue?"
"If Jarvis defected and seized control of global robots and networks, how would Terra survive?"
"A person like Tony is a total disaster waiting to happen."
Aldice hosted a small gathering, just three or five friends, each held a glass of scarlet wine. A light sip revealed their sharp fangs, a hint of their awakened vampire abilities, triggered by the same temporal node captured from Tanner's memories.
"Indeed, he holds the power to destroy the world in his hands. But instead of handing it over to the government, I want it for myself. Come on, cheers."
Aldice raised her glass, glancing at the live broadcast projected on the TV, and a small smile tugged at the corner of her lips.
Tanner was stunned. The number of people online in the stream was astronomical, yet the rewards displayed in the background were pitiful. Tanner felt frustrated. Building Iron Man in the real world, relying on his skills alone, still left a significant gap.
The captured memory clips continued to play:
[ Tony returns home after a tense reception. Adjusting a new robotic arm on his right hand, Tony silently watches the TV. ]
[ Breaking news reports that the area 15 kilometers outside Gemila resembles a purgatory on Earth. Villagers were forced from their homes, their lands seized by warlords backed by foreign forces. Refugees wandered displaced, with no shelter in nearby ruins.]
[ These warlords' forces left the locals with no choice but to become freedom fighters, armed, determined, and relentless. Anyone standing in their way was dead. Without political or international intervention, the chances of these refugees surviving were slim. ]
Viewers were outraged. The images were unmistakable: the battlefield in ruins, refugees in panic, displacement everywhere.
"War of the Damned!"
"I saw so many children, they were all children!"
"Inhuman!"
"Freedom fighters? F*ck that!"
"Gan! That missile! It's the Jericho Tony demonstrated earlier!"
"I told you Tony's weapons are deadly!"
"What is Tony doing now?"
"His arm… the thruster seems different?"
"Even if it is, it doesn't change the fact that he developed the missile!"
"An energy bomb? It's devastating!"
[ Tony raised his right hand; white light intensified in his palm. ]
[ Bang! A light exploded, and the tube across the room shattered. ]
[ Tony, watching the broadcast, turned to the mirror and fired his energy cannon violently. The cannon discharged multiple times in succession; the power was immense. ]
"The energy cannon is impressive."
"This is Mark 2's weapon?"
"Humph! I see his intentions!"
"Eighty percent of these critics can't stop reacting."
"This isn't Mark 2, it's Mark 3, painted like the classic car."
"Last time, he nearly froze to death. This time should be different."
"I'm going! The assembly structure is more advanced this round."
"Not bad. Just judging by the mecha itself, I like it!"
"It's still very cool."
The director, still recovering from a headache, stared at the new all-around assembly platform, now humming with robotic arms delivering modules.
[ Tony assembled the foot mecha, leg mecha, arms, and torso, lining them with precision. The gold-red Mark 3 was fully assembled. Moments later, Tony soared above the clouds in the mecha, traversing at incredible speed. Like a red lightning flash across the sky, the palm thruster surged, breaking the speed of sound. ]
"F*ck! Breaking the speed of sound?"
"How fast is he?!"
"Air speed of sound is 340 m/s!"
"Like a fighter jet! What kind of monster is this?"
"The lethality is unimaginable if AI fully controls it!"
"Someone must be controlling it, or else… who can?"
"Where is he headed?"
"Look! He must be testing it."
[ Below, villages burned, Jericho missiles left distinct trails, roaring through the sky. Terrorists fired wildly, robbed villagers, and ignored their terrified pleas. Men were dragged away; women were shoved into cars. Several armed terrorists targeted villagers struggling to find their children. Women and children screamed, begging for mercy. Chaos reigned, and death was imminent. ]
[ Suddenly, a roar from the sky drew everyone's gaze upward. A red mecha descended, kneeling dramatically before standing. Terrorists' gunfire proved useless, and Tony obliterated them with a single attack. ]
The chat exploded with messages, overwhelming the screen in an instant.