…
Outside the launch tunnel beneath the cliffs of Malibu Mansion.
Wearing the Mark III Armor, Tony hovered in midair, waiting impatiently.
What's that kid doing? Why's he so slow…
Just then—
Whoosh—!
A sharp sonic burst erupted from the already-open launch shaft. Leon shot out astride the Jet Glider and accelerated into the distance without slowing.
"Hey! That's a blatant provocation!"
Tony's brows rose beneath his helmet. Repulsors in his palms and boots flared brighter as he surged forward in pursuit.
The two brothers streaked across the sky like carefree birds, weaving and chasing one another.
Leon's goal was simple: test the Jet Glider's acceleration and load resistance.
Thirteen seconds later, he hit Mach 5.
And it felt smoother than driving a luxury sedan.
Satisfied, he eased off the throttle and waited for Tony, who was steadily falling behind.
Tony soon caught up.
"You did that on purpose, didn't you?"
"If you can't keep up, don't blame me." Leon shrugged. "I thought the Mark III could fly that fast."
"Use your brain. Of course it can't."
"Mach 2.5 is the current ceiling."
Tony rolled his eyes.
"With the same tech base, a large platform like the Jet Glider can just brute-force upgrades with more mass and hardware. But armor I actually wear? That's different."
"It's human-operated. I have to optimize limited space—balance propulsion, weapons, life-support, stabilization systems. Every inch counts."
Once Tony started talking about his armor, he showed no signs of stopping. Leon listened with genuine appreciation.
"Then why not build a fully unmanned version?" Leon asked suddenly.
"Good question."
"I asked Rhodey something similar once."
Tony continued, "He said no matter how advanced, unmanned combat systems can't match human adaptability in unpredictable scenarios. AI should assist—not decide. Final judgment must remain human."
"I agree."
"AI is our creation. It shouldn't surpass us."
"Maybe I'll build unmanned suits for corporate security someday. But my personal armor? That has to be the best."
"Fair enough."
Leon nodded.
Let's hope you remember that when you get the urge to create Ultron.
With Leon around, that timeline seemed unlikely.
Still… never say never.
"Oh, by the way," Leon continued, "where did the Vibranium on my shield come from? Wakanda doesn't exactly sell that stuff."
Very few people even knew Wakanda produced Vibranium.
Leon and Tony were among them.
"What do you mean 'money can't buy it'? That just means those people weren't rich enough. If it were me—"
Tony paused.
"…Okay, fine. It really is money-can't-buy."
"Wakanda's leadership is stubborn. Impossible to negotiate with. Always acting superior."
Tony clearly wasn't fond of them.
"Then how did you get it?"
Leon asked.
For a moment, he imagined a bearded black-market middleman—Ulysses Klaue.
If that was the source, Leon planned to purchase more.
"While Wakanda's elite can be… difficult," Tony said, "King T'Chaka himself was surprisingly reasonable."
"When he heard I only needed enough Vibranium to make a shield, he immediately agreed to provide raw Vibranium—free of charge."
Leon narrowed his eyes.
"Free is usually the most expensive price."
"So what's the catch?"
Tony grinned. "Figured you'd see through that."
"King T'Chaka mentioned his youngest daughter, Shuri, is very interested in modern technology. He'd like her invited to Stark Industries' next tech expo."
"I see…"
Leon fell silent.
Tony might not fully grasp it, but Leon—armed with memories of another world—understood perfectly.
Wakanda might appear primitive, but with a Vibranium mountain beneath them, their technology was centuries ahead of the outside world.
And yet… they still resolved leadership disputes with ritual combat.
Leon didn't fully understand.
But he respected it.
Beyond Vibranium, Wakanda also possessed something even more secretive—
The Heart-Shaped Herb.
Between those two resources alone, Leon knew he'd eventually visit Wakanda.
Whether diplomatically or otherwise would depend on how cooperative they were.
"Hold on!"
Tony circled the Jet Glider midair and noticed the new blue-violet markings on its surface.
"Don't tell me you made me wait fifteen minutes in the cold just to repaint your bike like a kid customizing a toy?"
Before Leon could answer—
The Jet Glider moved on its own.
With a sharp tail-spin maneuver, it clipped Tony midair and sent him tumbling.
A cold female voice transmitted directly into Tony's helmet comms:
"You're the one who's childish."
Uh-oh.
Arcee was offended.
Despite Tony being the one struck, Leon felt delighted.
That reaction proved something important.
Arcee wasn't an emotionless machine.
She just wasn't talkative.
And possibly… socially withdrawn.
"Holy—?!"
"What was that?!"
"LEON!!!"
Tony spiraled downward in a full uncontrolled rotation toward the ocean.
"I'm coming!"
Leon's voice carried a hint of poorly concealed amusement.
Under Arcee's headlight glare—equal parts surprise and displeasure—Leon popped the cockpit canopy open and leapt out.
Golden energy flared from his eyes, palms, and soles as he accelerated after Tony.
Moments later, Leon caught him just before impact, hooking his arms beneath the Mark III's shoulders.
They skimmed across the ocean surface, spraying massive arcs of water before soaring back into the sky.
Ahead of them—
Arcee was already speeding away at full throttle.
She showed no intention of waiting.
Leon twitched slightly.
Do Cybertronian widows really have this much emotional volatility?
"Why are you flying so slow?" Leon shouted downward. "Pick up the pace!"
"This is maximum output!"
"And you're heavier than you think!"
Tony snapped back.
"What's going on with the Jet Glider?"
"J.A.R.V.I.S., report!"
"Sir," J.A.R.V.I.S. replied, voice faintly aggrieved, "I no longer have control over the Jet Glider. The intelligent AI designated 'Arcee,' acquired by Master Leon, has removed my access privileges."
"…What?"
"AI can be picked up off the street now?!"
Tony blinked behind his helmet display.
Had he missed something?
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