"Almost full."
Nolan gazed at the energy orb in his hand.
The multiverse a realm of endless possibilities remained a mysterious frontier to him. Even though he had traversed it before, the sensation never lost its sense of wonder.
He had been in this world for quite some time now. Fortunately, in his home universe, he had made extensive preparations. Being away for a year or two posed no real problem.
The last sudden crossing had caused significant chaos back in his primary universe, but this time was different.
With his current power and careful arrangements, nothing short of a threat like Thanos could disturb the stability of Lock Technologies. Nolan had no reason to rush.
More pressing than returning home was the task at hand: bringing the Titan Monarch to life.
Everything had already been set in motion. Once completed, the Titan Monarch would not only serve as his ultimate trump card in this universe but also generate immense profit along the way.
Cutting-edge technology of this scale was incredibly valuable. Asking for more money was only reasonable. With that thought, Nolan sharply scribbled a figure onto the funding proposal.
"No, it should be thirty percent higher. Otherwise, the other tech can't even be priced properly."
Muttering to himself, he revised the number, satisfied once he saw it again.
"Boss, our first batch of Titans is ready for deployment," Susan announced as she entered the room.
The Titan Monarch was the centerpiece, but it could not operate alone. Nolan had built over a dozen supporting Titans in varying sizes to back it up.
"Deploy them. Once this batch is in place, the Titan Monarch Project officially goes public."
A faint smile appeared on Nolan's lips. Susan nodded in agreement.
During field tests, the Titans' overwhelming firepower had left her awestruck. She had always thought her own abilities were impressive, but seeing these machines made her realize what true power looked like. Superheroes' positions would inevitably be overshadowed by such mechanical might.
Yet she did not mind. Having powers was one thing, but becoming a superhero was not her goal. Her current life suited her just fine.
She glanced at Nolan, her eyes brimming with affection. Nolan met her gaze, catching the depth of her feelings.
Compared to money and machines, emotional debts were far more difficult to repay. He could not imagine how he would explain his eventual departure to Susan.
"Have we tracked the Inhumans yet?" Nolan asked suddenly.
Susan shook her head.
"Not yet, but we've noticed Inhuman activity recently in the eastern regions."
Nolan nodded. "Keep a close watch. Notify me immediately if any traces appear."
Nearly three months had passed since Nolan agreed with Tony Stark to deal with the Dark Bat problem. During that time, the Dark Bat had seemingly vanished, likely having left Earth. Nolan did not mind.
Despite their conflict, the outcome was in his favor. The Dark Bat had lost his younger brother, and Nolan's Titan Monarch plan was progressing flawlessly. Everything had gone according to plan.
Meanwhile, Tony Stark had spent these months tirelessly developing a new suit designed to counter the Dark Bat.
In their previous encounter, he had been completely unprepared for the Bat's sonic attacks. Had the Dark Bat not held back, Tony might have died. He could never accept that result.
Now, however, Tony had crafted a suit that not only enhanced its basic capabilities but offered exceptional resistance to sonic forces. Next time, defeat would not be an option.
"Jarvis, any sign of the Dark Bat?"
"Sir, in the past three months, your target has visited seventeen cities. The last sighting was twenty-three days ago in Boston. Since then, there has been no trace."
"Hidden, then?" Tony frowned.
If the Dark Bat truly concealed himself, proving that Iron Man was no mere reputation would be challenging. Even S.H.I.E.L.D. had lost track of the Inhumans for over half a month.
At this moment, the Dark Bat had reached the Moon. As king of the Inhumans, his top priority was ensuring his people's safety. Relocating them to the Moon had long been decided. Previous delays due to Maximus were now resolved.
Having secured his people, the Dark Bat finally allowed himself a moment of relief. He looked at Medusa, who immediately understood his intentions.
"Earth is dangerous now. As king, you should not leave at a time like this."
Though he remained silent, his gaze conveyed an unwavering determination.
They exchanged a look. Medusa muttered to herself, processing his resolve. After over half an hour, she nodded. They had reached a consensus whether by her choice or the Dark Bat's insistence, she would follow her king, her husband.
Knowing the Dark Bat intended to return to Earth, Gorr, their personal bodyguard, began preparations immediately.
A day later, the group appeared on the East Coast of Earth.
The Dark Bat surveyed his surroundings. Three months had passed, yet the memories of prior devastation still lingered in his mind. Now, it was time for revenge, and they advanced toward New York without hesitation.
"Sir, we've located the Dark Bat," reported Red Queen almost instantly.
Though the Dark Bat understood that modern society was full of cameras, he had no idea that the underlying programming in passing AIs and NS5 robots had been modified to report their location immediately.
"Where?" Nolan's attention sharpened.
For weeks, he had worried about the Dark Bat's whereabouts. Being targeted by such a formidable opponent was no small concern. Even his own powers could not be active constantly, leaving him vulnerable to surprise attacks.
"The East Coast," Red Queen replied, displaying the Dark Bat's movements.
"Notify Tony Stark immediately. The hunt begins!"
Tony's expression turned a mix of excitement and irritation. Both he and Nolan relied on AI to track targets. Now, Red Queen had already pinpointed the Dark Bat while his Jarvis was still searching. Pride wounded, he had no time to dwell on it.
When they met, Tony said, "We need a battlefield."
The Dark Bat's destructive power was immense. Any fight in the city could devastate the population. Nolan agreed wholeheartedly.
Examining a virtual map, he pointed to a location.
"How about here? The Dark Bat is approaching New York, but they've avoided air travel, giving us several interception points. Conveniently, this location aligns with one of our Titan bases."
"Testing the Titans on the Dark Bat?" Tony asked, understanding immediately.
Nolan only smiled, leaving the question rhetorical.
After confirming the battlefield, Nolan contacted President Bennett. The president was intrigued, especially with the prospect of deploying the Titans in combat.
"I understand. The White House will absorb any losses from this experiment. Proceed as you see fit. But ensure the Titans achieve their full potential, or there will be consequences," Bennett warned, his expression serious.
This massive plan had accelerated solely because of the Dark Bat. In Nolan's mind, the Dark Bat wasn't even the project's primary target. Now, the Dark Bat would face the heavily funded Titans. Failure could derail the entire operation.
Meanwhile, the Dark Bat and his group remained completely unaware.
"To avoid surveillance cameras, our arrival in New York will be delayed by three days," Gorr reported.
Medusa and the Dark Bat exchanged a glance.
"Slower is fine. We need absolute certainty," Medusa said.
Gorr hesitated before adding, "In the past three months, humans developed the Earth Defense Plan. The ground portion the Titan project was reportedly designed with us in mind. Acting in New York could be risky. It's likely the first deployment zone."
Medusa smiled calmly. "Are you doubting the Dark Bat's power?"
"Never!" Gorr immediately bowed, respect shining in his eyes. His anxiety vanished entirely. Their king was invincible.
"Rest a moment, then let's continue." Medusa instructed.
Soon, the group resumed their journey.
"Looks like there's a Titan base nearby," Gorr noted.
The locations of all Titan bases were public knowledge.
"No need to worry. We're just passing through," Medusa replied.
Gorr nodded. His warning was instinctual, but he felt no real concern.
What they didn't know was that the base they referenced had already triggered its alarm system.
The dome lifted. Two armored figures descended from above.
It was, of course, Nolan and Tony.
The base colonel stepped forward.
"Titan Base Seven is ready for full combat deployment!" he announced, eyes blazing with determination.
For him, being chosen as a base commander was a rare opportunity to advance his career. He had never doubted the Titans' capabilities.
"Excellent. Let's begin Operation 'Hunt the Bat'."
The colonel turned to his staff.
"Hey, people! Didn't you hear? Raise to Level One battle readiness. This is Titan's first combat. Show me everything you've got!"
"Yes, sir!" The response echoed throughout the base.
Minutes later, three Titans, each towering over twenty meters, shifted from standby to combat mode. Pilots and supporting units, equipped with APU combat exoskeletons, took their positions.
The exoskeletons were inexpensive, fragile, and had no real tech barrier. Perfect for continued profit for Lock Technologies. Combat effectiveness was secondary; the Titans' massive shields minimized casualties.
Rows of mechs stood in formation.
"This is humanity's first mecha corps," Tony said, eyes reflecting a mix of awe and nostalgia.
He had always imagined this day, believing he would lead such a project. But now, Nolan had brought it to fruition.
And the combat potential of this force was terrifying. Even without actual combat experience, Tony knew these machines were no display pieces.
"Move out!" the colonel roared.
His Titan leapt from the dome, followed by the other two. The APU exoskeletons advanced steadily.
Tony turned to Nolan. "Hey, I think this is our fight."
He refused to let these machines steal his moment of glory.
Nolan smirked. "Perhaps you should discuss that with the colonel."