Chapter 66: Kid, Do You Believe in Light?

Is this image okay for the protagonist? What does everyone think?
...
At the center of the battlefield.
Luca got more and more excited as he fought.
He realized that as the battle progressed,
the energy in his body was not being depleted, but was instead becoming more and more abundant!
He felt it was very strange.
For instance, the kinetic energy generated by each of the Teenage Abomination's attacks on him, as well as the thermal energy from the surrounding explosions, underwent some changes.
This energy was being quietly absorbed by him and then converted into new power!
"So that's how it is!"
Luca's eyes lit up, and he instantly understood.
"Not only can I get stronger by basking in the Sun,"
"but this energy-absorption trait also allows me to absorb free-floating energy during battle to strengthen myself!"
"Isn't this a perpetual motion machine that gets stronger the more it fights?!"
Since that was the case, there was no need to waste any more time.
Luca decided to end this battle in the most magnificent way!
In the next second,
an uppercut slammed hard into the Teenage Abomination's chin.
"Bang!"
The Teenage Abomination was knocked off his feet and sent flying into the air.
Immediately after, Luca soared into the sky, instantly catching up with the airborne Teenage Abomination.
He positioned himself right above the Teenage Abomination.
He raised his right fist, which glowed with a blinding white-blue light!
"Kid, do you believe in light?"
Teenage Abomination:???
Dazed and utterly confused, he wasn't given any time to react by Luca.
His right fist, wrapped in dazzling energy, slammed ruthlessly into the Teenage Abomination's chest!
"Boom!!!"
A massive sphere of energy exploded in mid-air!
The light instantly illuminated the night sky!
"Argh!!!"
The Teenage Abomination let out a shrill, miserable scream.
Then, like a falling meteor, he crashed toward the ground!
"Boom!"
The ground shook violently.
The Teenage Abomination crashed heavily into the middle of the street, carving out a crater over ten meters wide!
As the dust settled,
the once-arrogant Teenage Abomination lay quietly at the bottom of the crater, his entire body charred black.
His eyes rolled back, foam bubbling from his mouth, completely unconscious.
Teenage Abomination, out!!
The entire area fell dead silent.
Everyone stared blankly at the massive crater with their mouths wide open.
"Whoosh!"
Luca landed gracefully in a semi-squatting posture.
The white-blue light around him gradually faded, and his armor remained completely unscathed.
Ignoring everyone's reaction, Luca clapped his hands and spoke in a relaxed tone.
"All done."
"I told you, I just wasn't using my full strength earlier."
As Luca broke the silence, the atmosphere of the scene was ignited once more.
"Yeah!!!"
Cheers erupted like a tsunami!
"Superman! Superman! Superman!"
"Oh my God! He is simply a god among men!!"
"So powerful! So handsome!"
"Homelander! Homelander!"
"Shut up, this is clearly Superman!"
The citizens and soldiers were all swept into a frenzy of fanatical worship.
The reporters went even crazier, desperately breaking through the barricades to surround Luca.
Countless microphones were shoved almost directly into Luca's face.
"Mr. Superman! What was the name of that move just now?! It was absolutely shocking!"
"Mr. Luca! With such powerful strength, will you be dedicated to protecting Earth in the future?!"
"Mr. Stark! Are you single? What type of girls do you like?!"
"Hey you, what's your purpose in coming to Earth?! Who in this World doesn't know that Mr. Luca likes all types of girls?!"
"Fuck, I think both of you are aliens. Just look at those models, Mr. Luca clearly likes the well-endowed ones!!"
Faced with the media frenzy,
Luca showed his true playboy colors.
He raised an eyebrow at the hot blonde reporter who had asked if he was single, flashing a charming smile.
"Beautiful lady, I have always been single."
"As for what type of girls do I like? As long as they are charming like you and willing to discuss late-night research projects with me, I like them very much."
The blonde reporter blushed furiously at this blunt flirting, nearly fainting from excitement.
Then, Luca put away his playful smile and adopted a righteous, solemn expression.
He looked at the camera and said in a deep voice,
"Everyone, as I have said before."
"I am no god, just an ordinary person who has obtained power."
"As long as evil dares to run rampant under the Sun, I, Lucas Stark, will not hesitate to step forward and crush them completely!"
Luca's words ignited the crowd once again.
Just then, Tony stood by Luca's side.
Tony opened his faceplate, looked at the frantic reporters, and announced loudly,
"Everyone! Tonight's crisis has been resolved!"
"I hereby officially announce that the Justice League, composed of myself, Luca, and two mysterious friends, is officially established!"
Hearing this name, Luca couldn't help but mutter under his breath,
"Damn it, you actually made this incredibly corny name official."
Tony ignored Luca's complaint and continued,
"No one needs to fear the darkness anymore, because Stark is with you!"
...
Meanwhile,
in a heavy prisoner transport vehicle several streets away from the battlefield,
Nick Fury and Coulson sat dejectedly on iron stools.
Their hands were tightly handcuffed, leaving them unable to move.
Outside the vehicle, deafening cheers could be vaguely heard, along with the reporters shouting for Superman and Iron Man.
Nick's dark face was so black it was practically ready to pick cotton.
His remaining eye stared fixedly at the iron door of the compartment, his chest heaving violently.
Just moments ago, through the miniature communicator hidden in his ear, he had heard the report from S.H.I.E.L.D.'s rear command center.
"Director... the Howling Commandos have been completely wiped out."
"Even the strongest, the Teenage Abomination, was severely injured by Lucas Stark's punch and has now been taken into custody by the Military."
Hearing this news, Nick Fury felt his blood pressure instantly spike to two hundred!
"Motherfucker!!!"
Nick Fury finally couldn't hold it in anymore and kicked the iron bars in front of him, venting his helpless, incompetent rage.
"Lucas Stark! You bastard!"
Nick Fury was so angry he was practically spitting blood.
The original plan was to contact the two brothers and reveal some information they didn't know, letting them know there is always someone better out there.
In the end, they would be able to recruit the Stark Brothers into the Avengers Initiative.
And the result?!
Lucas Stark, that bastard!
Not only did he display astonishing power and solo his trump card,
but he also turned the tables and labeled him an anti-human terrorist in front of the whole World.
The most ridiculous part was that he even had the Military arrest him!
Now, S.H.I.E.L.D. had not only suffered heavy losses, but he, the Director, had also become a prisoner!
If this got back to the World Security Council, where would he, Nick Fury, hide his face?!
Seeing the Director flying into a rage, Coulson let out a helpless sigh.
"Director... calm down."
"I told you a long time ago, everyone in the Stark Family is a lawless lunatic."
"Mr. Howard was like this, Tony Stark is like this..."
"Especially Lucas Stark, who doesn't play by the rules at all."
"We should think about how to explain our identities to the Military. I don't want to actually end up in a Military court."
Nick Fury gritted his teeth and said coldly,
"Explain? No explanation needed!"
"Contact Pierce immediately later and have him step in to get us out!"
"Sooner or later, I will settle this score with the Stark Brothers!"
Chapter 67: Goodbye, Spiders
As the battle came to an end, Military reinforcements and the Police fully took over the scene.
Armored vehicles and tanks drove into the ruined streets, and soldiers pulled up long yellow Police tape.
They began systematically evacuating the still-excited media and crowd.
"Step back! Everyone step back! This is now a Military controlled zone!"
The Police brandished their batons, driving the reluctant reporters behind the safety line.
This battle of Los Angeles that shocked the World finally came to an end.
This was what they were good at—always showing up after the fact.
It had to be said, these people were still quite smart.
It greatly reduced the casualties of the Military and Los Angeles Police Officers.
The white Officer got to work as well.
At this moment, he was commanding soldiers to bind the defeated monsters with heavy chains, preparing to transport them back to the Military Base.
Seeing this scene, Luca's eyes darted around.
He gave Tony a look.
Tony immediately understood that this was about dealing with the issue of the demon armor.
After all, that was something they had created, and there was no way they would hand it over to the Military.
So, the two of them walked up to the white Officer together.
"Officer, thank you for your hard work," Luca greeted with a smile.
Seeing Luca walk over, the white Officer immediately stood at attention.
"Mr. Superman! Mr. Iron Man! This is our duty! Thanks to you tonight, otherwise Los Angeles would have turned into a living hell!"
Luca waved his hand, putting on a casual facade.
He then pointed at the battered demon armor lying in the rubble.
"Officer, I have no objection to you taking those monsters away to deal with."
"However, I must take that mecha with me."
Hearing Luca's request, the white Officer froze for a moment and said with some difficulty,
"Mr. Stark, this... I'm afraid this doesn't comply with regulations. Higher-ups ordered us to bring all unknown threats from the scene back to the Base for containment."
Luca sighed, took a step forward, patted the Officer's shoulder, and said earnestly,
"Officer, think about it carefully. This mecha can release such destructive power; it definitely contains a very dangerous energy core or self-destruct mechanism inside."
"The Military Base is fine, but in the field of high-tech mechas, who can compare to Stark Industries?"
"If you accidentally trigger the self-destruct mechanism during transport or disassembly, who will take responsibility for that?"
The white Officer was stunned for a moment, but Luca didn't give him time to react.
Continuing to look the Officer in the eye, his tone became very serious.
"I'll take it back to my lab, where Tony and I will personally disassemble and study it. That is the safest approach."
"Only after we understand its structure can we eliminate the dangers inside. We're all doing this for national security, aren't we?"
Tony chimed in from the side as well.
"That's right. Military scientists wouldn't even understand high-end stuff like this. Handing it over to us is the smartest choice."
The white Officer was completely duped by their coaxing and deceiving words.
On second thought, he felt that what they said made a lot of sense.
The temperaments of the two Starks were known to the whole World.
Conceited and arrogant, but they had the right to be.
Stark Industries was indeed the top tech company in the World.
Of course, the most important thing was that they were publicly known as the two smartest people in the World.
As for whether there were others in secret? He didn't know.
But he felt that no one would want to remain anonymous, right?
Besides, these two had just saved the city. Handing the mecha over to them shouldn't draw any complaints from his superiors.
"Alright, Mr. Stark. Since you put it that way, you may take it. I will report this to my superiors."
The Officer nodded, agreeing to Luca's request.
"Thank you very much for your understanding, Officer." Luca smiled with satisfaction.
After settling the recovery of the demon armor,
Luca and Tony walked toward the two people nearby who were preparing to leave.
Peter Parker and Gwen Stacy stood beside an overturned car.
Peter seemed a bit constrained, not knowing where to put his hands, his nervousness palpable even through his mask.
In contrast, Gwen appeared much more natural.
With her arms crossed over her chest, she curiously looked over the approaching Stark Brothers.
"Hey, friends, getting ready to leave?" Luca walked up and greeted them with a smile.
Peter quickly stood up straight and said somewhat timidly,
"Uh... yes, Mr. Stark. It's getting late, and I have to go back to New York tomorrow."
Hearing this, Luca couldn't help but chuckle out loud.
He looked Peter's outfit up and down.
"Pal, I have to say, this getup is truly... unique."
"Are you sure you didn't just rob a convenience store and save the World on your way?"
"Did your grandma sew this mask for you using leftover long johns? It's way too ugly!"
Getting mocked like that by Luca, Peter instantly felt so embarrassed he wanted to dig a hole and hide in it.
He scratched his head and began explaining weakly,
"I... I haven't had time to make a proper suit yet. This is just a temporary makeshift."
Tony patted Peter's shoulder, showing an appreciative expression.
"Don't listen to his nonsense, kid. I think this outfit is pretty interesting—it's got a rustic street vibe."
"Even though you looked like a duck learning how to walk when you were swinging around in the sky earlier."
"Still, at least it shows you've got courage. You didn't shrink back when facing monsters, and that's rare."
Tony looked at Peter, his tone becoming serious.
"You have the heart to protect the World, which is great. But remember, with power comes many temptations."
"In the future, there will definitely be many people plotting against you, like the Military or some shady secret organizations. They'll want to recruit you and use your power to do bad things."
"Never let yourself be tempted, understand? Hold on to your own bottom line."
When Tony said this, he thought of the previous situation at Stark Industries.
Weren't he and Luca used back then as well?!
A wave of emotion surged in Peter's heart.
"I understand, Mr. Stark. With great power comes great responsibility. I won't let anyone use me."
Seeing Tony act like a life mentor, Luca curled his lip but didn't refute him.
Then, he turned his gaze to Gwen standing nearby.
It had to be said, Gwen's suit design in pink, white, and black was magnificent.
Not only did it outline her graceful curves, but it also exuded youthful vitality and wildness.
Unleashing his playboy nature, Luca spoke with a charming smile.
"As for this beautiful lady,"
"your taste in suits is miles better than this robber's."
"On you, this suit is practically a work of art. Your moves were great too—truly impressive."
Hearing this, Gwen raised an eyebrow slightly.
She naturally knew that Lucas Stark was a notorious playboy.
But when facing a powerful, tall, and handsome man, it was hard for any woman to feel repulsed.
Thus, Gwen chuckled softly.
"Thanks for the compliment, Mr. Superman. But your mouth seems even sharper than your fists. Do you usually hit on girls like this?"
Luca shrugged, admitting it candidly.
"Of course not. I only speak like this to charming girls."
"Honestly, our chemistry during the fight was pretty good. Even though it's our first meeting, I feel like there's a wonderful chemistry between us."
The two bantered back and forth, the atmosphere turning light and pleasant.
Although it was just their first meeting without any cheesy instant love plotline,
Luca and Gwen indeed took a liking to each other, finding the other to be quite interesting.
After chatting for a few moments, Luca knew it was time to wrap up.
"Listen, guys."
"Since we've announced the establishment of the Justice League in front of the whole World, we count as a team now."
"Here's my private number, xxxxxxx. If you run into any trouble in your daily lives, or need to upgrade your gear, or simply have time and want to get a drink,"
"you can always come over to our Villa in Malibu for a chat. The doors of the Stark house are always open to friends."
Peter nodded, indicating he understood.
Gwen quietly memorized the number and nodded to Luca.
"I will. Thank you, Luca."
"Alright, we should get going. If we don't leave now, the reporters will break through the Police line again."
Tony closed his visor once more, thrusters shooting out fire.
Luca also walked over to the demon armor, grabbed its leg with one hand, and effortlessly lifted it up.
Before leaving, he waved to Gwen and Peter.
"Remember to contact me, Spiders!"
"Boom!"
Carrying the demon armor, Luca soared into the sky, quickly disappearing into the vast night sky alongside Tony.
Chapter 68: With Great Power Comes Great Responsibility
Watching the retreating figures of the Stark Brothers,
Gwen and Peter stood where they were, remaining silent for a long time.
It was time for them to leave as well.
Before departing, Gwen glanced at Peter.
Honestly, she didn't have any particular thoughts about this guy wearing a ski mask.
She could tell that he was just a rookie who had recently gained his abilities.
But regardless, they possessed similar powers and were kindred spirits.
Moreover, they now shared a common ideal.
'If I meet him again in the future, I can help him out a bit more and teach him how to control his power,' Gwen thought to herself.
In Peter's mind, the words that Luca and Tony had spoken to him kept replaying.
"With great power comes great responsibility..."
"Don't be tempted by others..."
"Come to Malibu to find us anytime..."
He had always felt like an outcast, a monster.
But today, he had not only met kind, but also gained the recognition and encouragement of two superheroes.
Peter made up his mind secretly.
'Although my home is in New York, I must find time to return to Los Angeles! I'll go to Malibu to find them. Maybe... I really can join Stark Industries like Mr. Luca said and become their true partner!'
Thinking of this, Peter felt his whole body surging with energy.
"Goodbye, lady," Peter waved to Gwen.
"Goodbye, Mask Boy," Gwen chuckled softly.
Then, both of them shot out web-lines simultaneously, swinging in different directions and disappearing into the city.
...
Meanwhile, on the other side.
Malibu Coast, Los Angeles.
"Whoosh! Whoosh!"
Two figures flew swiftly through the night sky, landing steadily on the balcony outside the Villa.
Luca casually tossed the demon armor into a corner.
"Welcome home, gentlemen."
Jarvis's voice sounded gently.
"Tonight's battle was brilliant. News media all over the World are reporting on your heroic deeds."
"Stark Industries' stock has already surged forty percent in after-hours trading. The board members are probably popping champagne to celebrate."
Tony raised an eyebrow and said matter-of-factly:
"Good job, Jarvis. Send the wreckage to the lab."
Tony walked to the bar, poured himself a whiskey on the rocks, and looked at Luca.
"Hey, Mr. Superman, care for a drink to celebrate?"
By now, with Jarvis's assistance, both had removed their armor.
Luca picked up a bottle of champagne and popped the cork open directly with his thumb.
"Of course we're celebrating. Today was the Justice League's debut."
Luca took a big gulp, then leaned comfortably against the bar.
"Though, Tony, I have to say your performance tonight was seriously lame."
"Aside from glowing and setting off fireworks, your armor does practically zero damage against thick-skinned monsters."
"If I hadn't stepped in, you'd probably have been peeled like a banana by that giant gorilla."
Tony retaliated without hesitation.
"Give me a break, Luca. You think you looked cool?"
"Can you add a bit of technical skill when you fight?"
"Relying purely on brute force? Don't ever say you're the smartest Stark again! You smashed the whole street to pieces—do you know how much money I'll have to pay in damages?"
Luca burst out laughing, completely unbothered by Tony's taunt.
"What's wrong with being a brute? My super intelligence tells me to use my super strength."
"As for paying damages? Come on, bro, we're Starks. Money is just numbers to us."
The two brothers banter back and forth, making the atmosphere feel relaxed and warm.
Although they expressed mutual disgust on the surface, they both knew very well in their hearts.
On the battlefield, the other was their most solid backer.
This tacit understanding and brotherhood were irreplaceable by anything.
After taking a few more sips of drink,
Luca's expression turned slightly more serious.
Staring at the dark sea, he said in a deep voice,
"But seriously, Tony. This World seems much more complex than we imagined."
"Take those two who suddenly popped up tonight, for instance, and those monsters Nick Fury sent."
"It shows that in this World, there are many hidden superpowered individuals and secret organizations we don't know about."
"So, we can't afford to lower our guard."
Tony nodded, his gaze turning deep.
"That's right. Looks like we can't just focus on partying and making money like before."
"We need more preparation and far more powerful weapons."
As he spoke, Tony's mind was already conceiving new blueprints.
"I've decided. I'll start developing new armor tomorrow."
"I'll equip it with a more powerful weapons system. I'll let those monsters know that Iron Man's wrath is something they cannot bear."
Luca smiled and patted Tony on the shoulder.
"Work hard then, Tony. Just try not to get smashed to pieces by one of my punches."
Right at that moment,
Jarvis's voice sounded once again.
"Mr. Luca, regarding your data during tonight's battle, I have completed the analysis."
"Oh? Any new discoveries?"
Luca raised an eyebrow, having already guessed what Jarvis was about to say.
Jarvis displayed a data chart.
"According to the data analysis, your body can not only actively absorb energy to enhance cellular activity..."
"For instance, in tonight's battle, when you were struck by attacks and energy explosions, your body cells actively absorbed kinetic and thermal energy."
"Furthermore, it converted this energy into your own bio-electrical energy, allowing your power to experience explosive growth in a short period."
"This means that the stats you display in future battles will be even more exaggerated."
Hearing Jarvis's report,
Tony widened his eyes in surprise, looking at Luca as if looking at a monster.
"Fuck! You can absorb attack energy and grow stronger as you fight?!"
Luca smiled in satisfaction.
He raised his glass of champagne toward the night sky.
"It seems that as Superman, I not only lack a Kryptonite weakness, but I can also evolve infinitely."
Tony shrugged and clinked glasses with him.
Though he complained aloud, he was genuinely happy for Luca in his heart.
Even though his younger brother was now stronger than him, it meant Luca would be safer in the future and wouldn't need his older brother worrying about him all the time.
Luca finished off the rest of his champagne and stretched.
"Alright, World-saving duty is over. Serious talk ends here."
"Jarvis, contact Scarlett and Jessica for me. Ask if they're interested in attending a private pool party for three tonight."
"Tell them Superman needs to relax his muscles."
Then he flashed a mischievous smile at Tony.
"After all, heroes need to enjoy life too, don't they?"
Somewhat speechless, Tony turned and walked toward the laboratory.
"You hopeless bastard. I hope you drown in the pool tonight."
...
PS: I received a negative review today. Although I'm already immune to bad reviews, I still can't help but want to rant a bit.
You can say my writing is bad, that it's trash, or even curse at me, but claiming that my protagonist doesn't obey the laws of physics and generates energy out of thin air?!
WTF?!
Bro, this is Marvel! You're talking to me about physics?!
Does Marvel even have physics?!
The absurdity is no different than telling Pangu that standing in chaos to split open heaven and earth doesn't obey outer space's lack of gravity!
Chapter 69: Nick Fury is an Idiot
At the same time.
Washington, D.C.
Night had already enveloped this heart of power.
The dome of the Capitol Building gradually blurred in the night.
Occasionally, a few cars drove past on Pennsylvania Avenue, carrying the solemnity belonging to this city.
This was the center of power of this nation.
But in a building less than a few kilometers from the White House, there was still an office with its lights on.
The decoration of this office was very low-key, or one could say, somewhat simple.
Not only were there no expensive oil paintings, but there were also no ostentatious decorations.
There was only a desk, a swivel chair, and a wall full of bookshelves.
The bookshelves were filled with various works on political science and military science, along with a few photos taken with past U.S. Presidents.
If someone who didn't know walked in, they would probably think it was just the office of some university Professor.
But in reality, the power held by the person sitting behind this desk was enough to make the Western Hemisphere tremble.
This was Alexander Pierce.
He was in his early sixties, with graying hair and a thin face.
Wearing a pair of glasses and a suit vest, he looked like an amiable, elderly grandfather next door.
His public identity was a senior minister of the World Security Council.
How much power did this position hold?
Let's put it this way: even Nick Fury had to report to him in an orderly and respectful manner.
With just one phone call, he could halt any S.H.I.E.L.D. operation.
With just one word, he could decide the survival of a nation.
But these were only his public identity.
Behind this gentle mask.
Alexander Pierce had another identity: the current top executive officer of HYDRA.
Of course, the so-called top executive officer was also just on the surface.
Above him, there were two real big bosses.
One was Dr. Zola.
He was a HYDRA scientist recruited by the United States government during World War II.
The World believed that Dr. Zola had died of illness decades ago.
But in reality, he was a mad genius.
And before his death, he uploaded his consciousness into a massive system.
Now, he was like a ghost that would never die.
Usually hiding in the servers of a secret Base, he continued to direct HYDRA's operations through data.
The other was the Red Skull.
The name more widely known to the World was John Schmidt.
Yes, it was him—the creator of HYDRA during World War II, the first super soldier.
Everyone believed that the Red Skull had vanished forever in the decisive battle more than seventy years ago.
But in fact, he was still alive.
Not only alive, but stronger than before.
However, the Red Skull was not currently in charge of HYDRA's daily operations.
He was executing a much larger plan, one whose contents even Pierce was not fully aware of.
Therefore, the actual operation of HYDRA today fell onto the shoulders of Pierce and Dr. Zola.
At this moment, Pierce sat behind the desk with a report spread out before him.
The light from the desk lamp shone on the cover of the report, where a title was printed in bold.
[Summary Report of Recent Activities of Lucas Stark and Tony Stark]
Pierce pushed up his glasses and opened the first page of the report.
He read very carefully.
With every line he read, his brow furrowed a bit deeper.
The contents of the report were very detailed, consisting of intelligence gathered over the past few days by HYDRA's sleeper Agents in Los Angeles.
It included everything the Stark Brothers had done since returning to Los Angeles from Afghanistan.
For instance, their announcement at the press conference that they would no longer manufacture weapons.
As well as Tony Stark secretly building a high-tech armored suit.
And Lucas Stark being confirmed to possess superhuman abilities.
The two of them publicly revealing their superhero identities during a live broadcast.
Tonight, they teamed up with two unidentified individuals to defeat S.H.I.E.L.D.'s Howling Commandos and arrested Nick Fury on the spot.
Finally, in front of the entire World, they announced the establishment of a superhero team called the Justice League.
The more Pierce read, the deeper his brow furrowed.
He flipped to the last page of the report, which was attached with several high-definition screenshots of Luca in tonight's battle.
In the pictures, Luca's eyes emitted white-blue energy beams, and he sent the Teenage Abomination flying with a single punch.
Accompanying the images were annotations from analysts.
Strength unknown, flight speed unknown, defensive power unknown.
Unknown?
Seeing these data points.
Pierce's brow practically knit into a tight knot.
Ultimately, he slowly put down the report, took off his glasses, and pinched the bridge of his nose hard with his thumb and forefinger.
"It's the Stark Family again," Pierce muttered in frustration.
"Damn it."
For decades, this surname had been like a lingering curse, constantly hanging over HYDRA's head.
Pierce closed his eyes, and a face involuntarily surfaced in his mind.
Howard Stark.
The man who had already passed away in a car accident seventeen years ago.
The father of Luca and Tony.
And the enemy who had once nearly brought HYDRA to total destruction.
Thinking of Howard, Pierce's memory was pulled back to many years ago.
At that time, Pierce was still just a mid-level minor boss in HYDRA, far from having the kind of power to summon wind and rain as he did today.
Meanwhile, Howard Stark was already the Director of S.H.I.E.L.D.
Under Howard's leadership, S.H.I.E.L.D. grew powerful to a despairing degree.
This guy was not only a genius scientist but also an intelligence expert with a sharp nose.
After World War II, HYDRA had spent nearly twenty years finally planting a group of sleeper Agents inside S.H.I.E.L.D., and it looked like the infiltration plan was about to succeed.
The result?
Howard, using who knows what method, actually managed to root out HYDRA's moles one by one!
Those days were simply a nightmare for HYDRA.
Every few days, an Agent who had been undercover for years would be exposed and arrested.
The intelligence network HYDRA had operated inside S.H.I.E.L.D. for over twenty years was uprooted almost overnight!
Just thinking about those dark times made Pierce's teeth ache.
From the founding of S.H.I.E.L.D. until the day he died.
Howard Stark was like a wall of bronze and iron, firmly blocking HYDRA outside the gates of S.H.I.E.L.D.
For decades, HYDRA couldn't take a single step inside!
"If we hadn't used the Winter Soldier in the end, I'm afraid S.H.I.E.L.D. would still be Howard's fortress even now."
Pierce opened his eyes, a cold smile appearing at the corner of his mouth.
The Winter Soldier.
A killer created by HYDRA.
That year, HYDRA was backed into a corner, and to avoid exposing their ultimate plan, they had to launch an assassination plan.
And so...
On a cold winter night, the Winter Soldier staged a seemingly perfect car accident, sending Howard and his wife Maria to hell together.
With Howard's death, S.H.I.E.L.D. lost its gatekeeper.
Although Nick Fury, who took over as Director, was also an outstanding spy master, compared to Howard...
At this thought, Pierce couldn't help but show a mocking smile.
Nick Fury is simply a massive idiot.
Though it sounded harsh, it was the truth.
During Howard's decades in office, HYDRA couldn't even get near S.H.I.E.L.D.'s door.
And the result?
Nick Fury had been in office for less than five years.
Five years!
And HYDRA had completed its comprehensive infiltration of S.H.I.E.L.D.!
From bottom-tier security guards to mid-and-high-level Agents, from logistics departments to the core decision-making level, HYDRA's people were everywhere!
Even Pierce himself, in his capacity as a minister of the World Security Council, openly sat on Nick Fury's head, becoming his nominal direct superior!
It could be said that rather than calling the current S.H.I.E.L.D. 'S.H.I.E.L.D.', calling it 'Snake Shield' would be much more fitting!
Every time he thought of this, Pierce couldn't help but laugh out loud.
Soon, however, the smile faded from his face.
Because he thought of two names that gave him a headache.
Lucas Stark. Tony Stark.
Howard's two sons.
Chapter 70: Dr. Zola
Pierce pulled a cigar out from his drawer, lit it, and took a deep drag.
The thick smoke slowly rose beneath the light, easing his mood slightly.
Logically speaking, after Howard's death, the two sons he left behind shouldn't have posed any threat to HYDRA at all.
These two kids spent all day slacking off, doing nothing but throwing parties, chasing girls, and racing sports cars.
Apart from spending money and making scandals, they were never seen doing anything productive.
One was a world-famous playboy who hit the entertainment headlines every few days.
The other was also a world-famous playboy, just like his older brother, if not worse.
Under these circumstances, HYDRA paid them no mind whatsoever and didn't bother wasting bullets on them.
But who could have imagined!
Who the hell could have imagined!
After these two playboys were kidnapped and brought to Afghanistan and back, they suddenly awakened?!
One built high-tech armor and became Iron Man, while the other directly mutated into Superman?!
And counting from their return from Afghanistan until now, it has only been a few days in total!
A few days!
And they've already made such a massive stir!
Thinking of this, Pierce shook his head in frustration.
"People of the Stark Family have never ceased creating trouble."
What gave him an even bigger headache was the root cause of the whole ordeal.
Obadiah Stane.
This old fox who had been with the Stark Family for decades.
After Howard died, it was Obadiah who controlled most of Stark Industries' arms business.
For them, the advantage was that they could control their embedded operatives in the Military, ultimately allowing countless cutting-edge weapons to flow into HYDRA's armory.
But this old bastard suddenly went crazy a while back.
He actually hired a group of Terrorists, wanting to kill the Stark Brothers in Afghanistan!
This move was stupid to the absolute extreme!!
Thinking up to this point, Pierce's expression darkened further.
If Obadiah had just quietly remained second-in-command...
...then Luca and Tony might have remained naive rich playboys for their entire lives.
But what about now?
Because of Obadiah's foolish actions, not only did he fail to kill them, but he also allowed them to gain power.
Now these two lunatics not only know someone in the shadows wants them dead, but they've also started taking the initiative.
Worse yet was the human bomb attack they orchestrated.
Pierce narrowed his eyes slightly, the cigar smoke blurring his expression somewhat.
Two days ago, a secret Base in Los Angeles suffered a human bomb attack.
The subordinates investigating reported that this was S.H.I.E.L.D.'s doing.
Pierce believed it at the time.
After all, although Nick Fury was foolish, he wasn't completely brainless; doing little tricks occasionally was normal.
But thinking back on it now...
S.H.I.E.L.D.? Heh.
Maybe S.H.I.E.L.D. didn't do it at all.
But rather the Stark Brothers!
If Luca really possessed superhuman power, he was fully capable of planning and executing that attack.
They might have deliberately framed S.H.I.E.L.D. so that HYDRA and S.H.I.E.L.D. would suspect and undermine each other!
This was a stratagem to sow discord!
Could a playboy in his twenties come up with such a scheme?
Pierce had to admit that he had underestimated Howard's offspring.
These two little brats indeed inherited their father's cunning.
Pierce stubbed out his cigar and began to seriously consider his next countermeasure.
The current situation was still relatively clear.
He guessed that Luca and Tony already knew someone was trying to kill them from the shadows, and very likely knew of HYDRA's existence.
At the same time, they also knew about S.H.I.E.L.D.
But judging by tonight's performance, their understanding of HYDRA and S.H.I.E.L.D. was likely still very limited, far from deep.
They were currently more like two startled Beasts.
Although seemingly aggressive on the surface, they were actually probing around, using high-profile actions to force their enemies in the dark to expose themselves.
This was clever, but also very dangerous.
Because they had no idea just how vast the enemy in the dark truly was.
"It seems necessary to take the initiative."
Pierce muttered to himself in a low voice, but then hesitated.
Yes, facing a threat of the Stark Brothers' caliber, the best way was naturally to cut the Gordian knot swiftly.
For example, eliminating them permanently before they had a chance to grow.
That was what they originally planned to do, but the problem was that the situation was different now.
The Stark Brothers could no longer be easily pushed around.
Moreover, he couldn't make decisions entirely on his own.
HYDRA's current supreme leader was Dr. Zola.
On major decisions, he had to consult Dr. Zola first.
Thinking of this, Pierce sat up straight.
He reached under his desk and pressed a hidden button.
"BZZT!"
A faint humming sound echoed.
The wall directly in front of the desk began to shift.
An ordinary-looking decorative panel slid open silently.
Behind the panel was an old display screen.
The display looked ancient, seemingly a product of the seventies or eighties, its screen covered in dense green data.
A few seconds later, the data on the screen suddenly began aligning rapidly.
The chaotic characters and numbers began assembling in short order.
A few seconds later, the data assembled into the outline of a human face!
The face was gaunt, wearing round-framed glasses with thin lips, giving off an uncomfortable impression.
This was Dr. Zola, originally named Arnim Zola.
HYDRA's true mastermind behind the scenes.
A mad scientist who had been dead for decades, yet continued to exist as a digital lifeform.
The face on the screen twitched slightly, uttering words spoken in a heavy German accent.
"Pierce."
"Contacting me at this hour—what happened?"
Pierce nodded slightly at the screen, his tone respectful but not subservient.
"Dr. Zola, it's about the Stark Brothers. The situation is far more complicated than we anticipated."
Pierce picked up the report from his desk and concisely reported all of Luca and Tony's recent movements to Zola.
From escaping Afghanistan, to announcing the halt of arms production for the Military, to creating the armor, showing off Superpowers, defeating S.H.I.E.L.D.'s Howling Commandos tonight, arresting Nick Fury, and founding the Justice League.
Item by item, covering every detail.
Finally, Pierce laid down the report and said in a heavy voice,
"Doctor, the threat level of these two has far exceeded our initial evaluation."
"Especially Lucas Stark; some of his unknown Superpowers have reached a dangerous level!"
"I believe HYDRA must take the initiative. We should eliminate them completely before they fully mature."
After saying these words...
...the office fell into a brief silence.
Dr. Zola did not reply immediately.
The face flickered slightly, a sign that Dr. Zola was thinking.
After about a few seconds...
...Dr. Zola's voice sounded once more.
"I have just analyzed the current overall situation."
"Pierce, your vigilance is correct, but your plan is too impulsive."
Pierce frowned and remained silent, waiting for Dr. Zola to continue.
"HYDRA is currently not suited to make a large-scale frontal strike."
"You should know that our most important core project right now is god-seeking project, and it is far from complete. Most of the organization's elite personnel and resources have already been funneled into this project."
"Before god-seeking project is completed, I do not want any extraneous actions to lead to failure!"
Pierce frowned deeply.
Of course he knew the importance of god-seeking project.
HYDRA's savings and energy over all these years were all meant to serve this project.
But if they let the Stark Brothers continue to cause trouble, the consequences would be equally unimaginable.
Chapter 71: Two Plans
As if reading Pierce's mind, Dr. Zola's tone softened slightly.
"Of course, I didn't mean to completely ignore it."
"You can approach it from two angles and test the waters first."
Pierce immediately sat up straight, listening intently.
"I've carefully reviewed the data analysis in the report."
"Among them, the one who truly poses a threat to us is Lucas Stark. His abilities are a completely unknown variable, and his brain is also very sharp."
"As for Tony Stark, although his mecha shouldn't be underestimated either, at the end of the day it's just a technological product. Where there is technology, there are weaknesses. We'll talk about this later."
"The urgent priority is to figure out Lucas Stark's background. The source of his abilities, his weaknesses, his limits."
"So, step one." Dr. Zola's speech slowed down.
"You go pick the most beautiful female Agent in the organization and arrange a suitable identity for her. Whether it's a personal assistant or something else, in any case, find a way to let her infiltrate Stark's inner circle."
"Then use the most traditional and effective method. You know what that is."
"Lucas Stark is a lustful playboy. You can tell that much from his public profile."
"This kind of person is the easiest to deal with. As long as our Agent is good enough, she will definitely be able to approach him and acquire all the intelligence we need."
Pierce nodded.
This plan was indeed not bad.
Low risk, small cost, and a very high success rate.
After all, no playboy could resist the temptation of a beauty.
Didn't even a big goody-two-shoes like Captain America fall for Carter?
"Step one, I agree," Pierce said.
"And step two?"
"Step two?"
Dr. Zola's lips curled up slightly, revealing a cold smile.
"Although it's inconvenient for us to make a move right now, we can let others make a move for us."
Pierce was stunned for a moment, then his eyes lit up.
"You mean..."
"That's right," Dr. Zola said.
"Their archenemy, Hammer Industries."
"Justin Hammer?"
A name popped out of Pierce's mouth.
But he immediately frowned, seeming somewhat doubtful.
"Dr., why not Oscorp Industries?"
"As far as I know, Norman Osborn is no pushover either. The Osborn Group has a very deep accumulation in genetic engineering and bioweapons, and he himself has an almost crazy obsession with the power of superhumans."
"Using him to deal with the Stark Brothers might yield even better results."
Dr. Zola shook his head.
"Norman Osborn indeed has some skills, but his scale is too small. Moreover, this person's ambition is too great, and his personality is too unstable. Once he gets out of control, he will bring us unnecessary trouble."
"More importantly, Norman Osborn will still be of great use later. The later stages of the God-Seeking Project require the genetic technology of the Osborn Group to support it. This card cannot be played right now."
Pierce nodded slightly, agreeing with this analysis.
"But Hammer Industries is different," Dr. Zola continued.
"Justin Hammer is a vain, envious fool who is extremely eager to prove himself."
"His biggest goal is to surpass Stark Industries and become the world's number one arms dealer."
"Now, Stark Industries has announced that it will no longer produce weapons, and all the Military orders have become vacant. At this very moment, Justin Hammer must be very hungry."
"We only need to push him a little, provide him with a tiny bit of technical support, and he will charge forward on his own to go head-to-head with the Stark Brothers."
"By then, no matter the outcome, we will be sitting on the mountain watching the tigers fight, guaranteed to profit without any loss."
Pierce was persuaded.
He leaned against the back of his chair, a hint of a smile appearing at the corner of his mouth.
"As expected of Dr. Zola. This plan can be called perfect."
Subsequently, Pierce's expression turned serious.
"As for the candidate for infiltration..."
He lowered his head, quickly flipping through the profiles and photos of all female Agents on the HYDRA Agent roster in his mind.
A few seconds later, a person's face appeared in his mind.
Pierce raised his head and gave a meaningful smile.
"Lucas Stark is a playboy."
"And the most beautiful Agent in our organization..."
Pierce paused for a moment, then spoke a name.
"I think no one is more suitable than Jessica Drew."
Dr. Zola also nodded along.
"Jessica Drew. Codename Spider-Woman. The female Agent with the highest infiltration success rate in HYDRA's history."
"This candidate is indeed the optimal choice. Her appearance, figure, IQ, and disguise ability are second to none in the entire organization."
"Let it be her."
Dr. Zola's tone became decisive.
"She seems to still be executing an assassination mission in Europe recently. Have her wrap up what she has on hand and return to the United States immediately."
"Understood," Pierce nodded.
"Then hurry up and arrange for someone to execute it. Time waits for no one, Pierce."
"Before the Stark Brothers are ready, we must set our pieces in advance."
"Also, when Fury contacts you to bail someone out, take the opportunity to lecture him and don't let him pull any more petty tricks. His unspeakable things have been exposed enough already."
Pierce revealed a knowing smile.
"Rest assured, Dr. Fury, this cotton machine is already in the palm of my hand."
"That's good."
"Hail HYDRA!"
"Hail HYDRA!" Pierce respectfully replied.
Subsequently, the characters on the screen began to scatter rapidly, and Dr. Zola's face gradually dissipated, finally turning into nothingness.
The display screen turned black again, and the trim panel closed silently.
The office returned to quietness.
Pierce was silent for a few seconds.
Then, he picked up an encrypted pager on his desk and pressed the call button.
"Connect to the Special Operations Department."
"Yes, Minister," a man's respectful voice immediately came through the pager.
"Arrange for reliable people to contact Justin Hammer immediately. Appear in the identity of an anonymous Military funder. The specific rhetoric and plan will be sent to you later."
"Understood."
"Also..."
Pierce paused.
"Have Jessica return immediately; there is a new mission for her to execute!"
"I will personally handle her identity arrangement. Before she returns to the U.S., I want to forge a set of fake identities for her."
"Yes, Officer! Are there any other instructions?"
"No. Go ahead."
Pierce put down the pager and leaned back against the chair back.
He looked at the ceiling and smiled smugly.
Starks, I hope you cooperate well.
It's best not to do any more earth-shattering big things.
Otherwise, you will find that this game is much more cruel than you imagine.
Pierce stood up and walked to the window, gazing at Washington's brightly lit night view.
In the distance, the spire of the Washington Monument stood high in the night sky, like a sharp sword pointing straight at the firmament.
Chapter 72 Arulu
At the same time.
Los Angeles.
A remote area in downtown.
Unlike the brightly lit commercial district, the lights in this area were dim, and the streets were full of graffiti and garbage.
What was even more unbearable was the smell of mold and urine drifting everywhere.
This was one of the most chaotic slums in Los Angeles.
Gang fights, drug abuse, and robberies were as common as everyday meals here.
At this moment.
On the rooftop opposite an abandoned building.
A bulky, bald man stood with his arms crossed over his chest, quietly levitating about three to four meters above the ground.
This person wore no shirt, his upper body bare, revealing muscles covered in scars.
His face was identical to that of Benjamin, the deceased minor leader of the Afghanistan terrorist organization.
All of this appeared cold and eerie under the dim light.
Simply because this person was not Benjamin at all.
Benjamin had long died in that massive explosion in Afghanistan.
This guy with Benjamin's appearance was a guy from outer space.
Named Arulu.
At this moment, Arulu stared intently at a huge display screen on the outer wall of the opposite building.
The screen was scrolling and broadcasting tonight's news.
"A stunning battle in Los Angeles! Superman Lucas Stark and Iron Man Tony Stark joined forces to defeat the mysterious monster army!"
"The Justice League is established! The Stark Brothers have become the guardian deities of Los Angeles!"
In the footage, tonight's battle recordings were continuously switched.
The footage of Luca shooting white-blue lasers from his eyes to blow away the monsters.
The footage of Luca dealing with the monsters.
The footage of Luca releasing energy in the sky.
Arulu watched these images motionlessly, a glint of curiosity welling up in his eyes.
"Interesting."
This combat style and energy release pattern gave him a strong sense of déjà vu.
He thought of a person.
Or rather, a glowing woman.
Also a cosmic Police officer who meddled everywhere in the Universe but was always a beat too slow.
Although Lucas Stark's energy release method was completely different from that woman in both color and intensity.
But the core principles had startling similarities.
"The transformation and release of cosmic energy." Arulu murmured softly.
This was a very shocking matter.
How could an indigenous person on Earth possess this kind of ability?
Incredible.
On this blue Planet, combat power of this level was actually hidden?
In the words of Earthlings, the degree of absurdity was no less than primitive people suddenly possessing a nuclear bomb.
Arulu lowered his head and glanced at his own hands.
A few days ago, he was still very confident that he could easily defeat Luca.
But if it were the current him fighting Lucas Stark in the footage...
The result went without saying; it would definitely be him losing.
And he would lose miserably.
At the thought of this possibility, Arulu felt somewhat helpless and irritated in his heart.
What kind of person was he originally?
He was an elite warrior carefully selected from his race!
He was the most powerful existence among the younger generation!
On his home Planet, he could sweep through an entire army by himself, travel through cosmic disasters unscathed, and fly freely in space.
But...
In order to come to Earth to execute this special mission, he had to give up his powerful native strength.
The reason was very simple.
His leader had warned him before departure with a single sentence.
"Never provoke that bald woman. You don't want to know why."
The leader did not explain the reason.
Just telling him that if he landed on Earth in his native form, the energy fluctuations would be detected by that bald woman.
By then, what awaited him would not be a battle, but a one-sided slaughter.
Therefore, Arulu had to use the newly developed technology of his race.
Symbiotic lifeform.
Simply put, it was to put his consciousness and soul into an extremely weakened lifeform.
Although this body also possessed some superhuman abilities.
Such as arbitrary transformation, imitation ability, flight, super defense, absorbing vitality and energy, etc.
But compared to his native form, it was simply a world of difference.
It was like making a lion wear a cat's skin.
Although it was still a carnivore, its strength, speed, and perception had all dropped drastically.
This made Arulu, who used to be invincible across cosmic battlefields, turn into such a weak appearance now.
From the strongest young-generation warrior, he had become a parasite that needed to rely on absorbing others' vitality to slowly grow stronger.
This disparity was more uncomfortable than anything else.
But in order to complete the crucial lurking mission, he endured it.
He had to endure.
Arulu raised his head and glanced again at the man exuding light on the screen.
Lucas Stark.
This man was the most powerful creature he had observed on Earth so far.
If he could absorb him...
Arulu couldn't help greedily licking his tongue.
If he could absorb Lucas Stark's energy and vitality.
Then this currently weak symbiont could receive a huge enhancement!
Although it was still vastly different compared to his native form, it was already enough on Earth.
By then, his mission on Earth could be greatly accelerated!
But...
Arulu calmed down.
The risk was too great.
Lucas Stark's abilities made him too uneasy.
With this weak body right now, he had no confidence to directly confront an enemy with powerful energy.
In case of failure, not only would he die on Earth, but the race's plan would also go down the drain.
They had failed countless times; they could not fail once more here with him!
No.
He had to lay low.
Arulu took a deep breath, suppressing the greed in his heart.
Find other targets first to strengthen himself, and when his strength was sufficient, then go after the big target.
This was the correct strategy.
He couldn't rush.
Just as Arulu was about to leave the rooftop.
The screen on the distant building switched to a new piece of news.
A blonde female anchor appeared on the screen, speaking excitedly to the camera.
"Another major piece of news. Since Stark Industries has officially announced that it will no longer undertake any Military weapon manufacturing orders, the U.S. Military is currently facing a serious gap in Military equipment supply!"
"So the question arises! Who will become the arms supplier to fill this gap?"
"Is it Hammer Industries, the arms giant that has always been regarded as Stark Industries' biggest competitor? Will it take this opportunity to rise to prominence? Let us wait and see!"
Hearing the name Hammer Industries.
Arulu's footsteps, which were about to leave, stopped.
He turned his head and looked at the screen again.
"Hammer Industries."
He repeated the name in a low voice.
He had been on Earth for a few days already.
In these few days, he had gained a rough understanding of the major faction patterns on this Planet by utilizing read memories and his own observations.
Hammer Industries.
The world's second-largest arms manufacturer.
The head, Justin Hammer, was a vain, conceited middle-aged man who harbored jealousy toward Stark Industries.
Since he couldn't directly fight hard against Lucas Stark.
But what if there was someone with a natural hatred for the Stark Family who was willing to fight Luca on his behalf?
He only needed to hide in the dark and come out to reap the spoils after both sides fought to exhaustion...
A cold smile slowly crept onto Arulu's icy face.
Hammer Industries.
Justin Hammer.
Perhaps he could use this foolish Earthling as his chess piece.
Thinking of this, Arulu immediately decided to set off for New York to find Justin Hammer.
He didn't know specifically how to do it, but he believed in his own ability.
As long as he could get close to that person, there would definitely be a way to control him.
Arulu was just about to take off.
Right at this moment!
"Hey! Baldy! Stand right there and don't move!"
An arrogant voice suddenly sounded from the darkness behind him.
Arulu turned his head in confusion.
He saw a tall, thin black man walking out from the stairwell at the rooftop entrance.
The other party was wearing a dirty gray hoodie, holding a pistol in his right hand, and wearing a gold chain around his neck that didn't look like it belonged to him.
Obviously, this guy had just pulled off a job downstairs and was preparing to go up to the rooftop to lie low.
As soon as he came up, he saw a shirtless bald man daydreaming on the rooftop.
The black robber glanced at Arulu's bare upper body and empty trouser pockets, then revealed a greedy smile.
"Let me see how your body is doing? Is there anything uncomfortable?"
The black robber shook his pistol and threatened bluffingly.
Facing this sudden episode.
Arulu was expressionless, only quietly staring at the other party with eyes devoid of human emotion.
This was just like a person looking at ants on the roadside.
The black robber shivered under this eerie gaze, an inexplicable chill shooting up his back.
But the inertia of being vicious prevented him from stopping at all; he thought his fear was simply because the night was too dark.
"Are you deaf?! I told you..."
His words weren't able to be finished.
Because the man in front of him suddenly underwent a terrifying change.
"Chi chi chi!"
Clusters of pitch-black, ink-like substances quickly oozed out from Arulu's surface.
These black substances began to spread across his body as if they had life!
"Crack!"
His body began to undergo violent deformation and growth wrapped under the black substance!
His height also skyrocketed to over two meters in just a few seconds.
His shoulders were broad enough to almost cover a wall, and his arms were as thick as thighs!
Behind him, two huge clusters of black substance suddenly burst open, forming two huge black wings!
The surface of the wings was covered with a layer of scale-like black carapace, looking both like a demon's wings and a deep-sea creature's fin wings.
Standing on the rooftop now was no longer a person.
But a monster!
At the position of the deformed head, there was only a pair of vertical pupils glowing with cold white light.
The black robber's face turned pale.
His mouth wide open, wanting to scream, but his body wouldn't obey.
His legs trembled uncontrollably, and a large patch of his crotch became wet.
"No... no no no..."
The black robber's eyes were almost popping out of their sockets.
The instinct for survival made him frantically want to turn around and run.
Arulu looked down at this tiny human.
A huge, pitch-black palm quickly grabbed the black robber's neck.
"No! Don't..."
The black robber struggled desperately, his feet kicking wildly in mid-air.
Following that, the black substance on Arulu's palm began to quickly spread onto the black robber's body.
The viscous black substance quickly covered the robber's entire body.
"Chi chi chi!!"
The sound similar to something being melted rang out.
The black robber's eyes suddenly opened to their maximum, his mouth wide open, and his face twisted violently for a moment.
Then, his body began to shrivel and shrink.
His skin became like tree bark, and his muscles and fat rapidly dissolved.
Finally, with a pat sound.
A mummified corpse fell onto the rooftop's ground, immediately shattering into pieces.
Arulu withdrew his palm, and the black substance flowed back into his body along his arm.
Immediately afterwards, he muttered with disgust.
"Too weak."
The vitality of ordinary humans was useless to him.
It was simply a waste of time.
Without taking another look at the dust on the ground.
He faced the direction of New York.
The black wings suddenly spread out, and the vibration sound followed.
"Boom!"
The wings flapped hard.
Arulu shot straight into the night sky, flying hundreds of meters high within a few seconds!
Then, he adjusted his direction.
Turning into a streak of pitch-black light, he galloped away in the direction of New York.
The black wings cut through the night sky, and the airflow they stirred up caused the clouds below to churn.
Behind him, the traces on the rooftop were slowly buried by the night wind and dust.
As if nothing had happened at all.
The night in Los Angeles gradually deepened.
This City of Angels had experienced the craziest night in history.
The birth of superheroes, the invasion of the monster army, the establishment of the Justice League.
These events, sufficient to go down in history, would gradually ferment in the days to come.
Chapter 73: Los Angeles, A Superhero Emerges
The next day.
The morning sunlight bathed every corner of Los Angeles.
But today's Los Angeles was a little different from usual.
Traces left by last night's fierce battle could be seen everywhere on the streets.
Shattered roads, overturned cars, smashed shops, large areas of police tape, and engineering vehicles busy cleaning up.
However, no expressions of fear or frustration could be seen on the faces of the Los Angeles citizens.
On the contrary, there was only excitement and pride in their eyes.
Because from last night until now, the media around the World had been going crazy reporting the same thing.
Los Angeles has a superhero.
...
New York.
Times Square.
This was a place known as the crossroads of the World.
But at this moment, it was shrouded in unprecedented fervor.
The huge displays around the square were playing the same footage on a loop.
Lucas Stark was flying in the air, his eyes emitting white and blue energy beams.
Tony Stark was wearing the Iron Man armor, whistling across the sky.
Two unidentified Spider-Men were shuttling and swinging between tall buildings.
That's right, the media gave Peter and Gwen the nickname of Spider-Man.
It is worth mentioning that the earliest user of this nickname was New York's Daily Bugle.
They also made a distinction between the two Spider-Men, calling Gwen Spider-Woman, and Peter naturally Spider-Man.
Of course, the boss of the Daily Bugle, Omni-Man, was more willing to call Spider-Man the Masked Hero.
He thought so and did so.
Therefore, the Daily Bugle printed a high-definition photo of Spider-Man wearing the same mask as a robber on the cover.
And New York Times Square belonged more to the Justice League.
Reporters took pictures of the four of them standing side by side from various angles, and played them on a loop on the big screens with sensational background music.
The square was crowded with pedestrians stopping to watch.
Almost everyone held a mobile phone in their hands, either filming the screen or browsing the overwhelming related news on social media.
"Oh! My goodness!"
"Did you see that? Lucas Stark is actually Superman! Last night, he punched that green monster flying away!"
"More than just flying away! That last punch of his directly smashed the monster into a pit! Have you ever seen a human being able to do such a thing?!"
"And he's so handsome! Goodness! Handsome, can fight, and rich! This is simply God being biased, okay?!"
A group of young girls gathered on the steps of the square discussing something, their volume so loud that people nearby couldn't help but look sideways.
...
Meanwhile.
All major U.S. mainstream news networks exploded.
CNN's morning news program.
The host sat behind the anchor desk, and the big screen behind them showed high-definition footage of last night's battle.
"Good morning, viewers. Welcome to CNN Morning News."
"Without a doubt, today's most globally watched news is the World-shaking battle that took place in Los Angeles last night."
"The two heirs of Stark Industries, Lucas Stark and Tony Stark, united with two other unidentified superheroes under the name of the Justice League, successfully repelling a group of unknown monsters and saving the lives of Los Angeles citizens!"
The screen switched, playing a clip of Luca speaking to the camera on the battlefield.
"As long as evil dares to run rampant in the sunlight, as long as monsters dare to harm innocent civilians, I, Lucas Stark, will step forward without hesitation and completely smash them to pieces!"
After watching this footage, the host said with great emotion.
"Lucas Stark. In just a few days, this twenty-five-year-old young man turned from a globally renowned playboy into a superhero who saved the city."
"I have to say, the Stark Family can always bring us surprises."
"Whether it is their father Howard Stark, or them now. It seems that every generation of Stark is destined to do things that change the World."
"On the other hand, the armor worn by Tony Stark has also triggered strong attention from the global scientific and technological community."
"Several Professors from MIT and Caltech stated that the technological level demonstrated by the armor is at least twenty to thirty years ahead of current human technology."
"Regarding this, the Pentagon has temporarily not issued any official comments."
...
MSNBC.
Another host was having a live connection discussion with a Military commentator.
"Mr. Johnson, from a Military perspective, how do you evaluate the performance of the Justice League last night?"
An old man with gray hair appeared in the corner of the screen.
He wore a pair of thick glasses, and behind him was a wall covered with medals and Military flags.
"From a Military perspective, the battle lasted less than forty minutes in total, and the most crucial turning point was the appearance of Lucas Stark."
"Before he appeared, the Military's conventional forces had been beaten back step by step by those monsters. The main battle tanks' armor-piercing shells caused almost no effective damage to the monsters."
"But after Lucas Stark appeared, the situation completely reversed within a few minutes."
"He defeated the monsters, including the creature that seemed to belong to the same type as the Abomination and Hulk that appeared in the New York incident a few months ago."
"This means that Lucas Stark's combat power alone has far exceeded a heavy armored battalion! His existence has fundamentally changed the existing Military balance of power!"
The host followed up and asked.
"Then how do you think the U.S. government will treat Lucas Stark and the Justice League?"
The old man was silent for two seconds, then slowly said.
"If I were a person at the Pentagon, I definitely wouldn't be able to sleep right now."
"Because an individual who cannot be controlled by the government and possesses super-strong combat power is an uncertain factor for any sovereign state."
"But on the other hand, if this individual is on our side, then he is America's most powerful defense asset."
"So my judgment is that the government will definitely find a way to win over the Stark Brothers, rather than making an enemy of them. At least not at this stage."
"Of course, unless the Pentagon is full of short-sighted guys!"
...
Fox News.
The style was completely different from other TV stations.
A male host with a face so serious that he was about to jump out of the screen was shouting indignantly.
"Viewers! I must point out a very serious problem!"
"Regarding the incident that happened in Los Angeles last night, besides the courageous performance of the Justice League being worthy of affirmation, there is another key issue that has been ignored by the media!"
"The question is very simple, where on earth did those monsters come from?!"
"According to accusations from enthusiastic citizens, these monsters were dispatched by a secret organization called S.H.I.E.L.D.!"
"And the head of this organization, a one-eyed man named Nick Fury, has been arrested on the spot by the Military!"
"Here comes the problem!"
"A secret organization owning this level of biochemical weapons can actually release them openly in a major city on the U.S. mainland?!"
"Who on earth is backing this up behind the scenes?! Does the government know about this?!"
"If the government knew in advance, that would be a serious dereliction of duty! If the government didn't know, that would be even more terrifying! This means that a secret force uncontrolled by the government is doing whatever it wants on U.S. soil!"
"I demand that Congress launch an investigation immediately! Immediately!"
...
On the other side of the ocean.
BBC.
A well-dressed British female anchor was broadcasting the news.
"News from the United States. Last night, a large-scale supernatural event occurred in Los Angeles."
"The two heirs of the U.S. arms giant Stark Industries, Lucas Stark and Tony Stark, made major news."
"According to reports, they possess extraordinary abilities surpassing ordinary people, and successfully repelled a group of unidentified monsters last night."
"It is worth noting that this is already the second time a large-scale supernatural event has occurred in the United States within just a few months."
"A few months ago in Harlem, New York, a giant green humanoid creature also appeared, causing large-scale destruction."
"More and more signs indicate that the number of superhuman individuals is rapidly increasing globally."
"The British Prime Minister's office has communicated with the U.S. side regarding this matter, but has not yet issued an official statement."
...
China.
On a popular social media platform.
The Los Angeles superhero battle had already set the internet ablaze, and its popularity was continuing to soar.
In the comment section, people had already been arguing to high heaven.
"Holy shit! These two brothers are way too fierce!"
"One can fly, fire lasers, and punch a monster to pieces with one punch, and the other flies everywhere in high-tech armor! Isn't this the real-life version of Superman and Cyborg?!"
"Lucas Stark must be Superman! His older brother is also called Iron Man, isn't this comics coming into reality?!"
"Did anyone notice those two Spider-Men?"
"One male and one female! Holy crap, that female Spider-Woman's figure is amazing! I've already taken screenshots, brothers!"
"Calm down upstairs, they are saving the World, and you are taking screenshots. The gap between you and Lucas Stark comes from this."
"Seriously, I'm envious now."
"Rich, capable, good-looking, and has a great figure. Lucas Stark would be the Son of Destiny in ancient times, right? The kind that heaven chases after to feed."
"The most incredible part is the clip of him flirting with the female reporter in front of the camera! He said 'Discussing late-night scientific research projects with me'—"
"Hahahahaha! This guy is really too flashy! Can superheroes really be this improper?"
"Are you meeting them for the first time upstairs? Was Lucas Stark ever a decent person before?"
"I've practiced Luca's fighting style ten times at home, and it had no effect other than dislocating my arm."
"Could someone really think they can shoot lasers after practicing? Really? Really?"
For a time, global social media went crazy for it.
Lucas Stark, Tony Stark, Justice League.
Within just a few hours, these three keywords occupied the top spots of hot searches on all social media worldwide.
Along with this were countless memes, remix videos, and secondary creations.
Someone matched the footage of Luca firing energy beams with special effect music, making a short video played on a loop.
The click volume exceeded ten million within two hours.
Someone clipped the slow-motion footage of Tony descending from the sky, added the four characters "Iron Man Landing", and made it into a mobile wallpaper that spread wildly online.
Some people even turned Luca's classic flirting quotes from past interviews into a collection of Superman flirting meme packages.
It was subsequently forwarded millions of times across major social platforms quickly.
Overnight, the name Lucas Stark went from being a playboy who only appeared in financial and gossip magazines to the hottest public figure in the World.
Period.