Marvel: Superman Strength in a World of Heroes

Inside a filthy, dimly lit cave…

A man, disheveled and covered in soot, hunched over a workbench, busily assembling something out of scrap metal and wires.

The most eye-catching detail was the strange, circular metal device embedded in his chest.

This man, none other than Tony Stark.

Billionaire. Playboy. Genius.

And now… a prisoner.

Worse than a beggar, even.

After all, beggars didn't have metal lodged in their chest, hooked to a car battery like a makeshift sci-fi life support system.

Tony still couldn't believe his reality.

But it was survival.

Shrapnel fragments were creeping toward his heart after the explosion. Surgery in this cave? Impossible.

So he'd built a crude electromagnet to keep the shards at bay, thus, the ring in his chest.

But that wasn't all.

He was being held hostage by terrorists, the Ten Rings.

Their demand?

Build missiles.

For now, Tony pretended to cooperate.

In truth, he was using their materials to construct his escape route: a miniature arc reactor.

Bit by bit, it took shape, hidden in plain sight.

A middle-aged man nearby watched him with curiosity.

Yinsen: "What is that?"

Tony Stark (tapping the ring on his chest): "Something to replace this."

This man was Yinsen, another captive. He was also the one who had saved Tony's life after the attack.

Without him, Tony would've died.

Yinsen peered again at the strange device and nodded.

Yinsen: "Alright… I don't know what it is, but if it helps us escape, I'm in."

He didn't fully understand Stark's genius.

But he believed in it.

Yinsen: "I'll keep watch. Just be careful. Don't let them see what you're really building."

Tony nodded and returned to his work.

He labored for days, feigning missile production while secretly crafting salvation.

Meanwhile, back in the city,

After a recent skirmish, Carl had taken a shower and was now sipping wine in comfort.

Fortunately, Isabella had a decent wine collection, he didn't even need to head home for a bottle.

A few hours later, Isabella woke up and got ready.

The two of them went out for a casual lunch.

That afternoon, they strolled around together like any ordinary couple.

By evening, they returned to Erika's house.

A few days later,

Erika (shoving Carl out the door): "You're seriously affecting my work!"

Carl didn't argue.

Fair.

Their "battles" could go on for hours, and even she needed time to recover.

So Carl was evicted once again.

He shrugged and made his way to Isabella's place.

She was off-duty for a while, her latest drama had just wrapped filming, so she had lots of free time.

Carl decided to stay with her for now.

Over the next few days, he rotated between staying with Isabella, visiting his other girlfriends, and relaxing in the chat group when nothing was happening.

Life was calm.

But the System…

Carl didn't even know how to complain anymore.

Recent sign-in rewards had been bizarre.

Soda. Daily-use items. Odd fashion choices.

Sure, they were diverse, but mostly useless.

He was beginning to consider another long-term sign-in, like the one that gave him the Silver Superman template after 25 years.

Carl (thinking): "What if I hold out for thirty years? Fifty?"

He didn't need anything urgently right now.

Might be worth it.

He hadn't decided yet.

In the background, Carl had also been monitoring Stark Industries stock performance.

Ever since Tony's disappearance, the company's value had plummeted, nose-diving with no signs of stopping.

Hundreds of billions in market value… gone overnight.

Even Carl's own assets had taken a hit.

But he wasn't worried.

He'd anticipated this.

He still had billions in reserve.

Once Tony came back, the stock would bounce.

That was the moment to strike, to buy low and sell very high.

Carl (watching the market): "It's almost at rock bottom…"

Carl (grinning): "Should I go rescue Tony myself?"

Carl (checking the clock): "…Maybe tomorrow. It's already afternoon."

With that, he took Isabella shopping.

Back in the cave,

Though it was daytime, the shadows inside the cave loomed heavy.

Tony worked nonstop, hands moving with calculated precision.

He placed one last component into the glowing device before him.

It flickered to life.

It was done.

The arc reactor was complete.

Weeks of grueling effort under surveillance, constant risk…

Finally paid off.

Yinsen (staring in awe): "What… is that?"

Tony Stark: "A miniature arc reactor."

Tony Stark: "It'll replace the magnet in my chest. Keep my heart beating for five thousand years."

Tony Stark (grinning): "Or power something big… for fifteen minutes."

He unrolled a rough blueprint.

It depicted a suit, bulky, crude, but powerful.

The escape plan.

Yinsen stared, mind spinning.

Only Tony Stark could build an armored suit inside a cave.

Outside, the Ten Rings were growing suspicious.

What Tony was building didn't look like a missile.

They weren't experts, but they weren't fools.

They issued a final warning:

Ten Rings Leader: "Finish the missile by tomorrow, or die."

The countdown began.

Tony and Yinsen worked through the night.

Sparks flew.

Metal clanged.

The armor began to take shape.

Until,

The Ten Rings sent men to investigate.

Inside the cave, Tony had just finished climbing into the suit.

Boot-up sequence initiated.

But the system wasn't fully online yet.

Then, footsteps.

Shouts.

Yinsen (panicking): "They're coming!"

He glanced at the system's loading bar.

Not enough time.

But his eyes filled with determination.

Without hesitation, he grabbed a rifle and ran toward the entrance.

Tony Stark: "YINSEN! DON'T!"

Tony Stark: "Just wait, thirty more seconds!"

Yinsen didn't stop.

He sprinted out of the cave, gun in hand.

Tony Stark (gritting his teeth): "Damn it!"

He was stuck.

Couldn't move.

The suit wasn't fully powered.

Then,

A sharp cry echoed.

Silence.

Tony's heart sank.

That voice…

It was Yinsen's.

Finally,

[System Boot Complete]

Tony let out a roar and activated the armor.

The reactor flared to life.

Steam hissed from the joints.

He marched forward.

Toward the exit.

And what he saw there,

Stopped him in his tracks.

End of chapter...

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