Forty-five days had passed since Lex awakened his Template Fusion System, and now his Green Lantern template had reached 13% fusion. It wasn't enough to create complex constructs like guns or jet engines—those required intimate structural knowledge—but it was more than enough for battlefield slaughter. Swords, shields, hammers, walls—anything simple that his willpower could shape, he could manifest with deadly speed.
And today, he needed all of it.
Tony Stark's kidnapping had shaken the world. For Lex, it was an opportunity… and a responsibility. Not because he was a hero—but because Tony was his future golden goose. Letting him die would be bad business.
So Lex boarded a flight to Afghanistan, suppressing his emerald glow with a thin layer of will to avoid suspicion. He could fly, but nowhere near as fast as a jet—and he needed to conserve energy for the coming fight.
By the time the plane landed, his mind was focused. Cold. Sharpened.
"Time to hunt," he muttered, ascending into the sky with a bright green tail of light behind him.
From nearly a kilometer in the air, he materialized a massive telescope-like construct, scanning the endless desert. Minutes passed. Then—there. A stretch of rocky terrain circled by jagged mountains, littered with stolen military weapons.
A Ten Rings base.
Lex dispelled the telescope and shot downward, landing quietly on one of the mountains. He didn't wait for night—his glowing suit made stealth impossible anyway. He would be a lighthouse of death.
The first guard never saw him.
Lex formed a will-forged blade, slicing clean through the man's rifle before driving the construct into his chest. Another guard shouted—Lex flicked his wrist and a green spear slammed into his throat.
Notifications chimed in his ears:
[You gained 22 Emotion Points]
[You gained 15 Emotion Points]
[You gained 37 Emotion Points]
It was so constant he had to mute the system.
"Tch… annoying."
He moved like a predator, killing anyone who came into view. Swords, throwing knives, barriers to block stray bullets—his will bent reality with fluid ease. Terrorists screamed, cursed, tried to run—but none escaped. By the time he reached the mouth of the cave holding Stark and Yinsen, over thirty men lay scattered in the dirt.
Inside, Tony Stark flinched as another distant scream echoed.
"Uh… Ethan? Is someone bombing them?"
Dr. Yinsen shook his head, eyes wide. "Those are… death screams. Something is killing them."
Tony swallowed. "Great. Kidnapped by terrorists, rescued by a demon. Just my luck."
Suddenly—
Tuck… tuck… tuck…
The metal door shook violently. Tony and Yinsen backed up.
And then—
BOOOOOM!!
The entire gate exploded inward, pieces of molten steel flying. Through the smoke stepped a man wrapped in a green energy suit—sleek, tactical like Nick Fury's, but glowing with cosmic power. Behind him floated a massive emerald hammer that dissolved into particles.
The figure smiled.
"Hi Tony."
Tony blinked rapidly. "Uh—yo… you—who the hell are you? And why do you look like a radioactive traffic light?"
Lex smirked. "Name's Alex. I came to save you. After all…" he tapped his forehead, "…you're my golden goose. You'll lay a lot of money for me in the future."
Tony stared. "Golden goose? What does that even mean? Did Obadiah send you? Pepper? The military? How much are they paying you?!"
"No one's paying anything," Lex said bluntly. "I just bought shares in your company. Saving you is a good investment."
Tony opened his mouth, speechless.
Lex turned. "And this must be Dr. Yinsen. Pleasure to meet you."
The doctor nodded, still staring at the green glow surrounding Lex.
Tony regained his voice. "Okay—seriously. What is this energy? Where's your arc reactor?"
Lex grinned. "No reactor. I'm the source. Now let's get out—"
They stepped outside—and two Ten Rings soldiers stood on the cliffs, each holding a rocket launcher.
"DOWN!" Tony shouted.
Both rockets fired simultaneously.
Lex sighed.
A pair of massive emerald hands materialized behind him, snatching the rockets mid-air like toys. The hands crushed the explosives into dust, the sound echoing like cracking bones.
Tony froze. "…Okay. Okay. That's—that's definitely not Stark Industries tech."
"Nope," Lex said. "Now call your military friend."
Tony didn't waste time. He grabbed the satellite phone hidden in Yinsen's belongings and dialed Rhodes with trembling fingers.
"Rhodey? It's me. I'm alive. Send the cavalry—now!"
Lex watched him quietly before speaking in a low tone.
"Tony… don't hide what happened today. Tell the world exactly what you saw. That includes me."
Tony glanced at him. "Why? You want the fame?"
Lex smirked. "Fame? No. Influence? Absolutely."
Before Tony could reply, another wave of notifications flashed in Lex's mind:
[You gained 402 Emotion Points from Ten Rings survivors]
[You gained 178 Emotion Points from Tony Stark]
[You gained 93 Emotion Points from Dr. Yinsen]
[Temple Fusion +1% → 14%]
Lex closed the interface with a thought as the distant roar of military helicopters filled the sky.
Today, he had saved Tony Stark.
Tomorrow, the world would learn the name Lex.