Chapter 144: Tony Picks Up the Hammer

This left Steve with a burning desire to continue the argument with Tony, but since Tony had already departed, he had no choice but to swallow his frustration for the time being. Having just awakened, his physical functions had yet to fully recover, and he did not have his shield with him. He promised himself that the next time they met, he would teach Tony a lesson—to show him what it meant to respect one's elders. After glancing around, Steve realized the floor was a bit high, so he resolutely chose to take the stairs.

***

Tony returned home, his mood having mostly leveled out. The words Steve Rogers had spoken earlier made him realize there was no need to dwell on the matter. In his own era, Steve Rogers had possessed the physique of a super-soldier and, when faced with the technology of that time, while not exactly invincible, he could certainly do as he pleased. This had fostered a deep-seated, albeit hidden, pride within Steve. Tony could fully empathize with this mindset, as he himself had once been a member of the proud and arrogant. It was only after truly witnessing the vastness of the universe and realizing that there was always someone greater that his own pride had faded significantly.

To make Steve let go of his pride was simple: one only needed to display things and powers beyond his comprehension. Just as Harvey had once humbled him, Tony could show Steve the current state of humanity to force him to drop his arrogance, but Tony couldn’t be bothered. He would rather spend that time on his research.

***

Harvey, for his part, had discovered that Captain America, Steve Rogers, had awakened and had already clashed with Tony. Although he hadn't heard the conversation clearly, observing Tony’s slight movements made it evident that Steve’s first impression on him hadn't been great. While Tony’s personality had changed somewhat, as long as one approached him in a friendly manner, even if they couldn't be friends, they wouldn't necessarily have a hostile relationship; at the very least, conversation would be possible. Of course, given that both men possessed inherently proud and aloof personalities, it was impossible for them to be friendly upon their first meeting.

Seeing this scene, however, reminded Harvey of the Winter Soldier. Tony’s style of action and his strength were both different from before. If Tony were to discover that the man who killed his parents was Bucky, the Winter Soldier, Harvey wondered if Tony would fly into a rage. There is a saying: do not preach kindness to others when you have not suffered their pain. Thus, Harvey would only watch; if Tony chose to spare the Winter Soldier, it would be a testament to his own mercy, but if he chose otherwise, Harvey wouldn't try to dissuade him.

Since Captain America had awakened, calculating the timeline, it was nearing June 2011. Within three months, Thor should arrive on Earth. This left Harvey thoughtful; he might need to keep a closer eye on things to prevent the Destroyer from killing his "cash cow," Tony. Tony’s strength was considerable, and he could hold his own against Loki, but when faced with the Destroyer from Odin’s vault, Tony’s current combat power was still lacking. Shortly after, Harvey returned to his gaming, finding it easy to track Tony’s departure thanks to the frequent sound of thrusters echoing from the high altitude.

***

Over half a month passed, and as June arrived, the sweltering heat of summer came early. On a night when Stark Industries was holding its customary technology expo, a storm suddenly appeared in the wilderness of New Mexico. Aside from two women and an old man who witnessed the event firsthand, Tony in New York received the intelligence via Jarvis’s report.

"Jarvis, you say a beam of light descended in New Mexico?" It was night, and Tony had stopped his work for the day, relaxing with a drink. Hearing the news, he stood up immediately.

"Yes, sir. There were no issues with the weather in the New Mexico wilderness, yet a storm suddenly whipped up, and a beam of light shot down from the sky." As Jarvis spoke, he projected the images recorded by the satellite.

"Finally. You’ve kept me waiting." A flicker of excitement crossed Tony’s eyes upon seeing the footage. Less than thirty seconds later, Tony had donned his armor and departed for New Mexico. Although New Mexico wasn't far from New York, by the time Tony arrived, the figures were nowhere to be found.

"Jarvis, hack into all surveillance in New Mexico and the surrounding cities. Check for people and vehicles entering or exiting within the last half hour and report to me immediately." Tony looked at the strange mark on the ground, not rushing to speak further. As long as he confirmed that extraterrestrials had arrived, he wasn't worried about finding them. He landed on the ground, studying the symbols, and attempted to use his cosmic translator to understand where these aliens had come from.

However, the seemingly omnipotent cosmic translator failed when faced with these runic inscriptions. Tony knew he didn't recognize them, but Harvey surely would. *Should I go find Harvey? But wouldn't asking for help make me look incompetent? Harvey said I could handle it, which suggests the enemy shouldn't be too powerful.* Thoughts of Harvey left Tony standing in place, lost in contemplation. After a moment of hesitation, he decided against seeking Harvey’s help; unless he encountered a situation he couldn't manage, he preferred to solve it himself.

Just as Tony was waiting, the sky suddenly brightened, and another beam of light descended with a thunderous "BOOM!" that shook the earth. This time, he didn't need Jarvis to alert him; Tony saw it all. "It seems our uninvited guests are not alone." Seeing this, Tony flew toward the impact site. Only a few kilometers away, he arrived in moments, but instead of people, he found a hammer.

"Jarvis, scan the surroundings for any signs of biological life." Floating a hundred meters away, Tony didn't approach immediately, asking cautiously.

"Sir, excluding lizards, scorpions, and other reptilian life, no humanoid life signatures have been detected within a two-kilometer radius." Jarvis followed the directive, scanning the area with radar.

Tony, hearing the negative result, slowly drifted toward the hammer, observing the object that had caused a small earthquake upon impact. He hesitated for a moment, reached out, grabbed the handle, and lifted it. The hammer came up with ease. However, the moment he lifted it, he clearly felt a surge of energy flowing into his body from the weapon. This mysterious, unknown force frightened Tony so much that he immediately threw the hammer aside. Watching from above, Harvey’s eyes flickered with a hint of surprise.