"What an incredible suit of armor!"
Rhodes and Coulson were both dumbfounded.Iron Man's armor could actually do that?It could change form mid-battle according to need?That was far too advanced!
"This is nanotechnology!" Tony's eyes gleamed with excitement. "I can't believe that in the future, I actually made this a reality!"
From the very beginning, when Tony Stark first started designing the Iron Man suit, he had known that the most suitable material would be nanomaterials—and the most ideal system would rely on nanotech.
But for now, his technology was nowhere near that level. The concept of a nano Iron Man suit was still just that—a concept.
To see that in the future he had truly accomplished it made Tony feel an indescribable thrill.
"I really am the best," he couldn't help saying, giving himself a thumbs-up.
But what came next immediately wiped the grin off his face.Thanos began to completely overpower Iron Man—one casual punch from the Titan shattered Tony's helmet to pieces.
The suit quickly reformed on its own, however, making both Coulson and Rhodes click their tongues in amazement.
The future version of Iron Man's armor was simply on another level.
Thanos and Iron Man clashed fiercely.Thanos thrust out his hand, releasing a surge of devastating energy—but the armor instantly condensed a shield that absorbed the blast.
Iron Man spun around, dodging the rest of the energy wave, then rocketed upward. His right arm morphed into a massive dragon-shaped gauntlet, which smashed into Thanos's face with a thunderous blow.
A cut appeared across Thanos's cheek.
Yet the so-called wound was hardly worthy of the name—just a shallow scrape, barely enough to draw a drop of blood.
"You went through all that trouble just to make me bleed a little," Thanos said coldly, touching the mark on his face. Then he threw a single punch that sent Iron Man crashing to the ground.
Boom! Boom! Boom!Thanos pummeled him again and again, each strike heavier than the last. The armor was battered to the brink of destruction, its plates cracking and breaking apart—it was a brutal sight.
"Tony, that's… kinda rough," Rhodes couldn't help teasing his friend with a grin.
"Hey, he's the ruler of the universe. Holding out this long is already pretty impressive!" Tony shrugged, still trying to look smug.
But his smile didn't last.
On screen, after being beaten down, Iron Man formed a long, razor-sharp blade and thrust it toward Thanos—only for Thanos to seize it mid-swing and drive it straight through Tony's abdomen.
Tony's lip twitched involuntarily. Even though it was just an image, he still felt a chill run through him.
The footage ended there.The room fell silent.
"Don't worry, Tony," Rhodes said first, breaking the tension. "From the looks of it, Thanos didn't hit any vital organs. You'd survive with quick enough treatment."
"That won't happen," Tony said firmly. "Because I'll make an even stronger suit. I won't get hurt next time."
He said it with confidence—but inside, he wasn't so sure.Thanos's strength in that image was terrifying.No matter what Tony threw at him, he was crushed effortlessly—beaten, overpowered, utterly humiliated.
That kind of gap wasn't something one could bridge easily.
"All right," Tony said after a moment, regaining focus. "What we should really be asking is—who exactly is this Thanos? And why am I fighting him in the future?"
Coulson nodded thoughtfully."There's too little information to analyze properly," he said. "But judging by the surrounding architecture in the footage—it doesn't look like Earth."
"So, allow me to make a bold guess. That battle… took place on another planet."
His words left both Rhodes and Tony momentarily stunned.
For most people, that kind of deduction would sound absurd.But Coulson was different. He knew extraterrestrial life existed—S.H.I.E.L.D. had encountered it before. There had even been alien attempts to invade Earth years ago.
"You're saying aliens are real? UFOs and all that?" Rhodes asked, skeptical.
"They are," Coulson confirmed after a pause.Working for S.H.I.E.L.D., he was well aware of such things. Normally, this information was classified, but considering that the three of them had been chosen by some mysterious higher power, it was fine to share a few harmless details.
"So, I've already gone beyond Earth and started conquering the universe?" Tony said, grinning. "Iron Man—conqueror of the cosmos. I like the sound of that."
That was exactly the kind of flair he liked.
"But then why," Rhodes said, frowning, "would Tony fly off to some dead planet just to get his butt kicked by a big purple alien? That place looked long abandoned—what reason would he have to go there?"
He turned to Tony. "Try thinking like yourself. Why would you go to a place like that?"
Tony spread his hands. "Well, not for a vacation."
Even analyzing his own motives didn't help—there just wasn't enough information.
"What about the others?" Coulson asked suddenly. "Captain America, Thor, the Hulk… They all fought Thanos too, didn't they?"
His eyes gleamed. "But none of them managed to make him bleed, did they?"
"If that's the case, then Tony's battle with Thanos wasn't a random encounter," Coulson said. "It had a purpose."
If only Tony had fought him, it could've been chance.But if Captain America, Thor, and the Hulk were all involved—then it was no coincidence.
"So Tony went to that ruined planet specifically to confront Thanos," Coulson continued, following Rhodes's reasoning. "Considering Iron Man wouldn't normally have a personal grudge against some alien warlord…"
"Then the only reason I can think of for him to take that risk is—because if he didn't stop Thanos, Earth would be in danger."
Coulson's conclusion hung heavy in the air.The idea of an alien invasion might sound far-fetched to most, but to him, it was perfectly plausible—and logically consistent.
After all, it wouldn't be the first time.
Rhodes and Tony exchanged grim looks.They didn't want to admit it, but Coulson's reasoning made perfect sense.
Could it be… that Thanos was planning to invade Earth?
If so, things were far worse than they thought.
(Author's Note:
The stats are dismal—no votes at all! Dear readers, please give a recommendation to motivate this struggling writer!)
(End of Chapter)