Chapter 13: The fact is, I am Iron Man

As Tony outside the screen couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief, suddenly, Obadiah effortlessly appeared again and once again easily overwhelmed Tony. All of Tony's weapons were ineffective against this big guy.

"Wow, what a mess," Tony joked, but his face was extremely serious. How could he not see that this Iron Monger and the armor he wore in the image were designed in the same style, likely designed by himself for different situations?

In a real fight, his armor was too delicate and obviously lacked enough energy, clearly at a disadvantage.

However, he silently noted these points, such as flying at high altitudes causing icing, so there must be de-icing designs, and developing heavy weapons specifically for large armored targets.

At this moment, Tony in the image began to cooperate with Pepper Potts. Finally, at the critical moment, they blasted the entire Iron Monger into the sky, achieving final victory.

Facing his future debut, Tony's evaluation was not good, only "ugly" could describe it.

In the end, he didn't even defeat the Iron Monger

But it must be said that Tony was very pleased with the design of this armor.

Because he had naturally had such ideas in his mind, he had also researched a lot of data. Otherwise, it would have been impossible to complete the design and manufacture within such a short time in Afghanistan.

But his thoughts were still vague, and now this image vividly presented his vague thoughts in front of him, letting him know what to do next.

"Iron Man? Doesn't sound too bad," Tony muttered to himself.

Tony remembered Marcus's diary, calling him Iron Man. Originally, he couldn't understand why he was called Iron Man, thinking he had awakened some ability to control iron. Now he probably understood.

So-called Iron Man, that's probably what it means.

The scene continued. In a meeting room, Tony was looking at a newspaper. The headline on the front page wrote, [Who is Iron Man?]

As he whispered with Pepper, Coulson, acting as the CIA agent, approached and handed a small piece of paper to Tony, then said, [Alibi]

[Okay,] Tony took the note and said.

[At that time, you were on the yacht,] Coulson explained, laying out a document. [The port authority certificate proves you were docked at Avalon Harbor all night, with testimony from fifty guests as witnesses.]

[Actually, I think it might be more accurate to say only Pepper and I were on the isolated island that night,] Tony Stark countered, glancing at the obviously fake alibi and raising an eyebrow.

[Fabrication isn't an option, Mr. Stark,] Coulson said with a faint smile, not surprised by Tony's objection. [Public perception is a delicate thing. You just read it as it is.]

[Okay, okay,] Tony Stark shrugged indifferently before glancing down at the contents of the note. ]No mention of Obadiah?] he questioned, looking up at Coulson.

[We took care of it,] Coulson replied. [He's supposedly on a vacation to some remote location. You know, small aircraft have a notorious safety record.] He added with a pointed look.

[But this fabricated alibi? It's a gaping hole in this whole story.] Tony pressed, clearly unconvinced. [He is me, for crying out loud. How do you explain that weak link?]

[Managing appearances is part and parcel of my job, Mr. Stark,] Coulson said, his tone firm. [As long as you follow the official statement, everything will be fine. Time is of the essence, you only have ninety seconds,] he added, heading for the exit.

In the scene, Tony entered the brightly lit press conference room. War Machine Rhodes, waiting there in his armor, spoke first. [Mr. Stark has prepared a statement but won't be taking any questions today, thank you all for coming.]

Tony stepped forward, taking a deep breath to address the throng of reporters. [It's been a while] he started. [Let's just get this over with] he added with a hint of annoyance.

[Some speculate about my involvement in the freeway and rooftop incidents...] he began reading from the prepared statement, but a reporter cut him off rudely.

[Excuse me, Mr. Stark,] a female reporter interjected confidently, aiming to expose Tony's lies. [Do you really think we'd swallow that bodyguard story? Armor-clad, appearing at the exact moment to save the day... and you're usually not one to shy away from a fight.]

Before she could finish her accusatory statement, Tony cut her off as well, unused to such hostile treatment from the press.

[I know what you're implying] Tony Stark countered, his voice firm. [Questioning the official story is fair game, but spinning wild theories about me being some kind of superhero is another thing entirely.]

[I never said you were a superhero, Mr. Stark] the female reporter smirked faintly, clearly enjoying the opportunity to challenge him.

[Good. Because if that were true, it would be absurd. I-I-I'm not cut out to be some kind of hero.] Tony stammered, clearly flustered by the accusation. [Let's be honest, I have a lot of baggage, made plenty of mistakes, and caused my fair share of problems...]

Before he could finish his self-deprecating monologue, Colonel Rhodes leaned in and reminded him in a hushed tone, [Stick to the script, Tony.]

Tony took a deep breath, his eyes darting back to the note in his hand. In that split second, a crucial decision flickered in his mind. He straightened his posture, met the reporters' gazes, and declared, [The fact is, I am Iron Man.]

The press conference erupted in chaos. The revelation sent shockwaves through the room. No one, not even the media, had anticipated such a bold admission. It defied the usual tactics employed by the authorities in such situations.

Tony couldn't help but recall the title of the video he'd just witnessed - [I am Iron Man.] It marked the dawn of the Marvel era. Could this very sentence, uttered with such conviction, also signal its end?

The scene abruptly shifted, transporting them to a desolate battlefield littered with ruins. Tony Stark stood amidst the wreckage, clad in an unfamiliar armor that seemed even more advanced than anything he'd seen before. Despite its high-tech appearance, the suit bore the scars of a brutal battle, its surface etched with deep gouges and dents.

He knelt on the uneven ground, his gloved hand pulsating with an electrical glow. Embedded within the gauntlet were several brightly colored gems that cast an eerie light. Tony's body visibly tensed, as if jolted by electricity. A moment later, he regained his composure and lifted his head, his gaze fixed on a distant horizon. With newfound resolve, he uttered the same three words, [I... am... Iron Man!]

As the words left his lips, he snapped his fingers. A blinding white light engulfed the screen, abruptly ending this segment of the video.