In the laboratory of his coastal villa, Tony Stark watched through a security camera as Aurelius Viremont effortlessly shattered the specialized bulletproof glass and leaped down. He couldn't help but mutter a curse.
"He's a literal monster. That's specialized glass designed to withstand RPG rockets, and he broke it with just five fingers without even using his other abilities! But where is he going now? Jarvis, track his departure path. See if there's anything noteworthy in that direction."
Jarvis immediately hacked into a massive number of surveillance feeds. Moments later, a series of images were projected in front of Tony.
Seeing the scene on the screen, Tony subconsciously cursed again:
"What kind of monsters are these? Is Aurelius Viremont heading toward them? Jarvis, assemble the Mark IV. This is something I can't miss!"
"But sir, the Mark IV hasn't undergone final calibration—"
Jarvis was cut off before he could finish.
"No calibration needed. My designs don't have issues!"
Harlem, North Manhattan, New York.
A terrifying green monster had appeared out of nowhere, rampaging through Harlem and killing every living thing in its sight. This once-prosperous district was now a field of ruins. The staccato of gunfire and the screams of the dying had turned the area into a living hell filled with wailing and despair.
Fully armed elite troops maneuvered through Harlem, firing frantically at the horror. But neither small arms nor missiles could scratch the beast. The elite soldiers were just like the civilians—utterly helpless against the creature known as Abomination.
On a nearby skyscraper, Aurelius Viremont sat on the ledge, his legs dangling naturally over the side. He rested his chin in his hand, watching the tragic drama below with a faint smile. He was quietly waiting for the protagonist to make his entrance.
BOOM!
The sound of breaking the sound barrier approached from the distance. Aurelius Viremont didn't look back; his Six Eyes had already locked onto Tony Stark's signature.
Tony Stark stared at the hellish scene below, his expression grim beneath his helmet. "What is this?"
Aurelius Viremont replied flatly, "Hmm... a drama about a weak mortal who suddenly gains the power of his dreams, loses his mind, and goes on a rampage of revenge?"
"Then what are you doing here?"
Tony realized that the young man before him had the power to stop this, yet he remained unmoved, observing like a cold spectator in an audience.
Though he could hear the rising anger in Tony's voice, Aurelius Viremont didn't budge. He simply shifted into a more comfortable posture.
"Waiting for the lead actor to arrive! But what about you? Shouldn't you be preparing for tomorrow's press conference? Why are you here?"
Tony didn't answer. Instead, he asked in a low voice, "Are you really just going to sit here and do nothing? Just watch that monster kill people and destroy everything?"
"And if I do? Even if I don't stop it, I'm not in the wrong, am I?"
Tony fell silent. Aurelius Viremont was right; he had no legal obligation to save anyone.
Without another word, Tony piloted the Mark IV and charged toward Abomination, firing his palm repulsors rapidly. They had zero effect.
"Look over here, you big green tub of lard! I've got a gift for you! Jarvis, 100% power to the chest piece!"
The center of the iron suit erupted in a brilliant white light as a thick energy beam struck Abomination dead center. Tony exhaled. That should take care of him, right?
Suddenly, a massive chunk of building masonry was hurled at Tony. He was swatted out of the sky, the chest plate of his armor severely deforming upon impact. Abomination, emerging from the energy beam, was completely unharmed. He spat to the side, looked toward where Tony had been launched, and roared:
"HULK! GET OUT HERE AND FACE ME!"
On the rooftop, Aurelius Viremont used a slight gravitational pull to guide the flying Tony back to the ledge, preventing him from taking secondary damage. He teased, "Tony, why'd you fly back so soon?"
Tony didn't respond. He struggled to pull off his helmet, gasping for air. For a second there, he thought he had seen the Reaper. He finally understood why Aurelius Viremont hadn't stepped in yet. Against such terrifying strength and defense, perhaps even the "White Demon" was helpless!
Just then, a heavy thud echoed from the distance as something massive hit the ground. Aurelius Viremont stood up and stretched.
"The protagonist is here. Time for the villain to make his entrance."
With that, Aurelius Viremont leaped off the building and vanished from Tony's sight. Tony was confused. Why did Aurelius Viremont call himself the villain? Isn't the green monster the villain?
Bruce Banner jumped from the helicopter, cratering the pavement. A giant green hand reached out of the hole. Another green giant—this one slightly more aesthetically pleasing—stepped out.
Hulk was online.
Hulk tore a car in two, using the halves as gauntlets as he charged Abomination. The two engaged in a brutal brawl that nearly finished off what was left of Harlem. However, because Banner had recently taken a suppressant, Hulk couldn't access his full strength and was gradually being overpowered.
Just as Abomination had Hulk pinned, raining down blows, a schadenfreude-filled voice drifted from the side.
"No, no, Abomination. That last punch should have gone straight for the eye! And Hulk, you need to hit his vitals. Vitals, do you understand?"
The two monsters instinctively paused. They looked over to see a white-haired young man sitting atop the only intact streetlight left in the area. He was eating a bag of potato chips he'd found somewhere while critiquing their fight.
Seeing them stop, Aurelius Viremont said impatiently, "What are you staring at? Keep fighting! I haven't finished my chips yet!"
Abomination recognized the man—the "White Demon," the Level 5 Mutant. But having just gained immense power, he didn't care about some mutant. No matter how strong the kid was, could he be stronger than him? He figured the kid would be just as easy to beat as the "tin man" from earlier.
Abomination picked up a massive boulder and hurled it at the streetlight with all his might. The rock broke the sound barrier, creating a sonic boom before slamming into the White Demon. Without even checking the result, Abomination turned back to finish off Hulk.
But then, he heard a sigh from behind him.
"Sigh. Bad boy. We were having a good time... why would you attack the referee? Don't you agree, Abomination?"
Suddenly, a terrifying force struck Abomination in the back. Black and red lightning flooded the surrounding space. He was launched uncontrollably through several reinforced walls, finally skidding across the concrete.
When he finally stopped, he felt a warm liquid running down his back. He reached back and touched his skin—skin that was harder than titanium alloy—only to find it shattered. Thick green blood was pouring from a deep fist-shaped indentation.
Since gaining his power, he had been wounded for the first time!
In the distance, looking through the tunnel his body had just carved, a pair of eyes glowing with azure light stared back at him. Aurelius Viremont looked down at him from above, as if looking at an ant.
At that moment, the system's chime rang in Aurelius Viremont's ear:
[Energy Points +1]
[Template Integration: 40%]
[New Skill Unlocked: Cursed Technique Reversal: Red]
Perfect timing. The familiar, playful smirk returned to Aurelius Viremont's lips.