Chapter 138: Want to Kill Me?

While Harvey was busy enjoying himself everywhere, Tony was occupied day and night with his research into nanotechnology.

Previously, Coulson from S.H.I.E.L.D. had come knocking. Although Coulson’s attitude was very friendly, Tony did not agree to his requests, instead telling S.H.I.E.L.D. directly to stop coveting the space fighter. He would never provide the fighter or any of its associated technologies. If S.H.I.E.L.D. were to gain control of the space fighter, it would be equivalent to the United Nations Security Council obtaining it. If countless talents were to study the sample, they might not be able to replicate it perfectly, but they would certainly create even more advanced fighter jets. They would also incidentally develop superior defense systems, which would disrupt the delicate balance between the major powers on Earth and potentially trigger another world war.

His goal was to lead all of humanity on Earth into the interstellar age; if a world war were to break out and set everyone back to the Stone Age, then everything would be for nothing. If a world war did break out, he could seek refuge with Harvey; he certainly wouldn't die. However, if Earth were thrown back to the Stone Age, even if Harvey stepped in to protect him and Pepper, he would still feel ashamed. He had previously invited Renoli and the others to visit Earth in the future. If they were to arrive in the coming years and see a scene completely different from what he had described, Tony felt embarrassed just thinking about it. Therefore, no matter what S.H.I.E.L.D. said, Tony would never share the advanced technologies he had acquired through his bloody battles in outer space.

Beyond spending time with Pepper at night, Tony focused on his nanotechnology research. If he could master it, the functions of his Iron Man suit could be greatly perfected, comprehensively strengthening his capabilities to handle all kinds of enemies and situations, thereby increasing his chances of avoiding the exposure of his true self.

Tony was well aware that Harvey had been living an incredibly carefree life on Earth for the past few months, picking up women whenever he pleased. As a famous playboy in New York, Tony certainly wanted to be like Harvey. But, setting aside whether Pepper would agree, he didn't dare reveal that he had become younger, which made him incredibly frustrated. If he could, he would love to run off to Xandar right now to chase women. He blamed the guy who was planning to invade Earth sometime this year. If not for those people, he would only need to stay on Earth for another two months—meeting his six-month quota—and then he could convince Pepper to head into space for some fun.

Because of this, Tony had Jarvis observe the skies of every nation 24/7. Since the enemy were aliens, even if they possessed high-tech space fighters or warships, they would inevitably leave some traces when attempting to invade Earth. Once discovered, he would strike immediately. He wanted to see which fools were arrogant enough to attempt an invasion without even checking which big shots were guarding the planet.

Since joining the Void two years ago, Tony had become much more low-key. Previously, he had left Earth for a year, a disappearance Pepper had covered up perfectly. Although he lived a secluded life, Tony did occasionally go out. It was on one such day, while Tony was flying at a low altitude in his Iron Man suit, that he suddenly received a warning from Jarvis: someone was attempting to attack him. Tony soared upward just as an electric whip lashed through the space he had occupied a moment before. Hovering in the air, Tony looked down to see a disheveled man wearing a bizarre device with a glowing chest piece resembling an Arc Reactor, clutching an electric whip and glaring at him with hatred.

"Jarvis, who is this guy?" Tony asked, choosing not to retaliate immediately.

"Scanning now. Ivan Vanko, son of the traitor Anton Vanko," Jarvis replied. In less than ten seconds, Jarvis had scoured countless databases to identify the man.

"A traitor? Does he have a grudge against me?" Tony asked, feeling puzzled.

"His father was a former Soviet nuclear physicist, Anton Vanko, who once worked for S.H.I.E.L.D. and collaborated with your father, Howard Stark. They worked together on the miniature Arc Reactor," Jarvis reported, projecting images onto Tony’s HUD. "That is all the information available. Whether this Ivan Vanko is your enemy is for you to judge."

"Tony Stark, get down here!" Ivan Vanko shouted from a building ledge, his eyes filled with hatred and rage.

"Did you record the footage of him attacking me first?" Tony asked, ignoring Vanko’s taunts.

"Sir, all your actions are under surveillance," Jarvis replied.

"Play it for me." After watching the playback, Tony saw that Ivan Vanko had indeed aimed his attack directly at his chest. If he had been struck by that electrified whip, his suit might have short-circuited, causing him to crash into the crowded downtown area below. He would have been fine, but it would have inevitably caused casualties.

Having understood the situation and confirmed the identity of his foe, Tony’s gaze turned cold. He hadn't fought back immediately because he hadn't known the stranger's identity or intentions. Now that he knew, he saw no reason to waste words. Having spent so much time with bounty hunters like Renoli, who were constantly embroiled in combat, Tony had learned a great deal. According to Renoli, if someone attacks you, the first step is to confirm their identity. If they are truly an enemy, and killing them won't cause excessive trouble, there is no need to show mercy. There was a long-standing saying on the battlefield: being merciful to an enemy is being cruel to yourself. Only if the enemy has a high-profile status that would cause endless trouble if killed should one consider sparing them.

Ivan Vanko’s status certainly didn't carry that kind of weight. However, fighting in New York could cause collateral damage. Activating his thrusters, Tony grabbed Ivan Vanko and shot into the high atmosphere, away from the city.

"What are you doing, Tony Stark!" Ivan Vanko yelled as he was dragged into the freezing high altitude, his makeshift armor beginning to frost over.