Nick Fury's eyes narrowed as he watched the satellite footage. "Superman? Who's that?"
"Director, Superman is a superhero from DC Comics. He has super strength, super speed..." Coulson began.
"Wait, you mean to tell me this is a character from a comic book?" Fury interrupted. "A superhero in pajamas, who wears a mask and saves the world?"
"Actually, Superman doesn't wear a mask," Coulson replied, a bit exasperated. "He has a bio-field that prevents people from remembering or photographing his appearance."
Fury paused, still scrutinizing the footage. "It's true—no facial details. You seem to know a lot about him."
"I'm a big fan," Coulson said with a smile. "Superman, Captain America—you name it."
Fury leaned back in his chair, his hands clasped. "What do you think we should do about this Superman?"
"Based on the comics, he stands on the side of justice. He might stop unjust violence, so we could try contacting him," Coulson suggested.
Fury scoffed. "This isn't a comic book, Coulson. In real life, this is an imitator using violence."
"Yeah... that's true. Superman in the comics doesn't kill people. He has a no-kill rule, unlike Captain America..." Coulson began.
"Enough about your comics!" Fury snapped, slamming his hand on the table. "Take Barton and head to Afghanistan. Investigate this guy."
"Got it, Director!" Coulson said, quickly walking out of the room. Just as he reached the door, Fury called out again.
"Also, send me a set of Superman comics. I need to know what we're dealing with."
Meanwhile, the military was in an even greater state of chaos. While Fury seemed to have some understanding of extraordinary abilities, the military was still scrambling for answers.
Rhodes, a colonel in the weapons development department, was the first to speak up. "This isn't a humanoid weapon; it's a living person."
A major from the missile unit stood up. "Jericho missiles didn't even scratch him. We'd need nuclear weapons to deal with someone like this."
A Navy captain chimed in. "He can fly—how do we even deal with that?"
"Airborne missiles can't hit a target moving that fast and small," an Air Force lieutenant colonel added.
General Ross, who had been silent until now, slammed his fist on the table. "Alright, here's the plan. Ignore him for now. If he doesn't show hostility, we'll try to negotiate. Maybe he'll cooperate with research. We need a super soldier, and this could be our chance."
The meeting adjourned, and the preparations for war began.
Back at Stark's mansion in Los Angeles, the atmosphere was far more relaxed, at least until Jarvis used the sound of the suona, recorded by Leon, to wake Tony from his sleep.
"God! Jarvis, what are you doing!?" Tony scrambled out of bed, startled by the noise. He had fallen off the bed in a panic.
The intense sound, like galloping horses, made his heart race. He thought someone was about to trample him.
"Sir, Young Master Leon instructed me to wake you up and play this video," Jarvis replied calmly.
The holographic projection appeared, showing footage taken by Leon's mobile phone just minutes earlier.
In the video, explosions and gunfire filled the screen. Hundreds of grenades and missiles were launched, with vehicles and Jericho missiles appearing one after another. The sight was overwhelming.
Tony, momentarily stunned, squinted at the footage.
"Wait, what's this? A promotional video Leon made?" he asked, now standing up.
"Young Master Leon is currently destroying the Ten Rings Gang in Afghanistan. The footage was taken ten minutes ago and sent to you in real-time," Jarvis explained.
"Wait, he's in West Asia?" Tony looked outside at the sunny Los Angeles morning. "When did he leave? It's only... oh, it's ten o'clock."
Tony rubbed his face. "He actually ran off first... Why would he send this video to me?"
"Young Master Leon wants you to take a close look at the Stark Industries weapons featured in the video."
Tony's expression froze as he watched the video again. "These are all Stark weapons... and why are Jericho missiles in the Ten Rings Gang's base?"
His face grew pale, his jaw clenched. "I only sold this kind of missile to the military. Where did these people get them from? Is it the military? Or Obadiah?"
"Sir, only one batch of Jericho missiles has been produced, the batch you sold," Jarvis confirmed.
Tony's expression remained stoic. He said nothing for a few moments, his mind racing.
He quickly dressed and made his way out the door.
"Jarvis, control Leon's armor and come with me to West Asia—and the Middle East."
"Understood, sir. Also, Young Master Leon has asked me to ask you a question. Do you think you'll be able to sleep tonight?"
Tony frowned. "Why?"
"Young Master Leon wanted me to pass on this question and ask for your feedback promptly," Jarvis replied.
Tony hesitated, his frustration bubbling over. He took a deep breath, exhaled, and said, "Tell him that when I can't sleep, I'll make sure he can't either!"
With that, Tony spread his hands wide, and the Mark III armor materialized around him.
"Keep up with me, Jarvis," Tony said, zooming into the sky, leaving his mansion behind. Jarvis controlled the Super Mark 1 suit, following close behind. Leon had named it himself, his competitive nature even showing in the name.
Back in Afghanistan, the flames of gunfire rose into the sky like candlesticks lighting up one by one, then flickering out in an instant. The air was thick with the smoke of explosions and the dust of battle.
Leon's eyes scanned the last Ten Rings Gang base from above, his heart rate steady. The video had taken longer than expected.
"Jarvis, tell me the time," Leon said, watching the scene unfold below him.
"The current local time is 11:08 PM," Jarvis replied.
"Eight minutes longer than expected," Leon muttered. "Every time I see the Ten Rings Gang use missiles, I can't help but wait longer. I want to see them launch, then blow the missile up right in front of them."
He chuckled darkly. "It's a little over the top, but it's satisfying. Watching those guys in panic—crying, desperate—it's almost like they're nothing more than bugs. And then, when I say, 'Is this all you've got? Pathetic.' That's the real fun."
Despite the thrill, Leon knew this wasn't about the fun of terrorizing the enemy. It was about sending a message—one that would make the world take notice.
"After we're done with the Ten Rings Gang here, we move on to the Eagle's military base."
"Young Master Leon, what's the plan for the base?" Jarvis asked.
"Show our strength, destroy their weapons. We'll let the higher-ups decide what happens next. Most of the soldiers are just following orders. Not all of them want to start a war."
"Your decisions are always wise, Young Master Leon," Jarvis praised. "Mr. Stark has entered the Afghan border and is contacting you. Should I connect the call?"
"Sure," Leon said, adjusting his armor as the battle began to wind down. The next steps were already forming in his mind.
End of Chapter 27
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