Ignoring Polaris, Aurelius Viremont donned his sunglasses and stepped out onto the main street.
As soon as he reached the sidewalk, he noticed people pointing at him and whispering. He caught snippets of the surrounding conversations:
"White hair, wearing sunglasses... you don't think that's the 'White Demon,' do you?"
A companion shook their head. "Probably just a copycat. What are the odds that a random pedestrian is the White Demon?"
Aurelius Viremont was slightly confused. White Demon? What is that?
Then, he saw a giant LED screen on the side of a building. After watching for a moment, the realization hit him...
He was famous.
On the screen, a man in his thirties was talking animatedly to a camera:
"...I was hiding in a shop just ten meters away. I witnessed his battle with the other mutant with my own eyes. I can guarantee you, he is absolutely more powerful than Magneto. He is the strongest mutant in the world today!"
"..."
Several dark lines appeared on Aurelius Viremont's forehead. What is wrong with this damn reporter?
While he certainly intended to become the strongest in the future, he was only in the preliminary stages. He was far from the most powerful mutant right now. Putting aside the fact that the Limitless couldn't block mental attacks yet, even someone like the Phoenix would be far beyond him.
How was he supposed to develop in peace if he was being branded as the world's strongest?
He looked at the name tag at the bottom of the screen: Eddie Brock.
The name sounded familiar. After a moment of thought, he remembered—isn't that Venom?
Fine, fine. You cute little thing. When we meet in the future, I'll be sure to show you some 'love.'
Aurelius Viremont turned his gaze away from Eddie Brock and looked toward the tallest structure in the Manhattan skyline. It was one of the most famous buildings in the Marvel world: Stark Tower.
To obtain an Arc Reactor, he had to make contact with Tony Stark. Heading straight to the tower was the fastest option. It just so happened that Tony had recently returned and was about to clash with Obadiah Stane. Saving Tony's life during that conflict should be worth at least one Arc Reactor, shouldn't it?
And if Tony still refuses to hand one over after I save him... well, he's wearing a perfectly good one on his chest, Aurelius Viremont mused.
Pulling the hood of his white hoodie over his head, Aurelius Viremont began walking toward the tower.
Around him, the light seemed slightly dimmer. Various forms of energy invisible to the naked eye were being funneled into his body, driven by the precision of his Level 2 Six Eyes and the draw of his Level 3 Energy Absorption.
While this "passive" absorption was slower than direct contact with a power source, it was consistent. This not only boosted his combat endurance but also increased his overall energy collection efficiency.
The system notifications were constant:
[Energy Points +1]
[Energy Points +1]
[Six Eyes XP +1]
[Energy Absorption XP +1]
...
Stark Tower, located on the Upper East Side of Manhattan, was the most prominent building in the area. Its distinct, beak-like top was a testament to Tony Stark's flamboyant personality.
By the time Aurelius Viremont reached the base of the tower, night had fallen. He approached the main entrance but was intercepted by several security guards.
"Good evening, sir. Please show your identification," one guard requested.
Aurelius Viremont obviously had no ID. Knowing they wouldn't just let him through, he decided to be honest anyway. "I have urgent business to discuss with Tony Stark. Please inform him."
As expected, the guards stared at him, stunned. They wanted to laugh, but their high-level professional training kept them composed. One guard, suppressing a smirk, said, "Sir, it isn't April Fool's Day. That isn't very funny."
Aurelius Viremont felt a twinge of annoyance. He rubbed his soft white hair and sighed. "Gentlemen, this is not a joke."
Seeing that Aurelius Viremont had no intention of leaving, the guards' expressions turned stern. They clearly marked him as a troublemaker. Just as Aurelius Viremont was about to display some "special abilities" to "persuade" them, several cars screeched to a halt nearby. A woman stepped out first, followed by several men in black suits with cold demeanors.
They noticed the standoff at the entrance but didn't care. They walked straight into the building with hurried steps. They clearly had much more important business to attend to.
Aurelius Viremont recognized the lead woman instantly: blonde hair, black dress—it was Pepper Potts.
"Looks like it's almost time for a 'hero saving a hero' act," Aurelius Viremont thought, rubbing his chin with two fingers.
He then looked at the guards closing in on him and slowly removed the round-frame sunglasses from his nose...
The guards froze. They stared into those exquisite eyes glowing with a faint sapphire light. The viral news reports from earlier that day suddenly flooded their minds.
The White Demon!
A split second before their consciousness faded, they saw the corner of the man's mouth twitch upward. He spoke softly:
"Sorry, everyone. Please 'rest' for a while."
Pepper Potts led the agents into the building. After Agent Coulson used a miniature charge to breach the lock, the group proceeded into Sector 16.
The interior of Sector 16 was dimly lit, filled with massive mechanical equipment and chains hanging from the ceiling. A giant, crude suit of metal armor stood in one corner.
Seeing the armor, Coulson whispered to Pepper, "Looks like you were right. He is building a suit."
They moved deeper. Pepper was momentarily distracted by a screen filled with complex data. She stopped in front of a series of heavy chains. Just as she was about to move forward...
Suddenly!
Two giant eyes glowing with a pale, ghostly light ignited in the darkness!
"AHHH!!!"
A piercing scream shattered the silence of the night.
Pepper fled toward the exit, with the massive, multi-meter-tall Iron Monger suit thundering after her in a frenzy. The agents instinctively drew their weapons and fired, but they were instantly swatted aside by the massive steel fists.
In the blink of an eye, of those who had come to arrest Obadiah Stane, only Coulson and Pepper remained alive.
Pepper scrambled through a narrow doorway, and the massive Iron Monger was momentarily wedged in the reinforced concrete wall, giving her a chance to escape.
Just as she dashed past the massive ring-shaped Arc Reactor in the floor, intending to flee the building, she caught something out of the corner of her eye!
Countless arcs of terrifying white electricity were flowing out of the main Arc Reactor, emitting a sound like ten thousand chirping birds. They were coalescing around a handsome, white-haired man.
Enveloped in this lethal voltage, the man showed no signs of injury. Instead, he had his arms spread wide. His sapphire eyes were filled with pure ecstasy.
"More... give me more!"
Witnessing this impossible scene, Pepper stopped dead in her tracks, momentarily forgetting even to run.