If Tony's words were like a bomb detonating in the midst of public opinion, then Henry's casual declaration was another bomb tossed into an already boiling ocean.
After a brief silence, the press conference erupted into even greater chaos!
The flashes fired so rapidly they nearly fused into one blinding white glow, turning the entire hall into something like a searchlight field.
Camera shutters clicked in rapid succession, like machine guns on a battlefield. Every reporter's face was flushed red as they shoved microphones and recorders forward, as though they wanted to stuff them straight into the Stark brothers' mouths.
"Oh my god! They admitted it! They really admitted it!"
"Hurry! Get me a headline! 'The Stark Brothers: From Arms Dealers to Superheroes'! No, no, that's too weak—'Gods Descend to Earth: The Birth of Iron Man and Superman'!"
"Stop pushing! Who stepped on my foot?! Fuck! My camera!"
Down in the crowd, Pepper clutched her chest, heart pounding so hard she thought it might leap out of her throat.
Her hands shot up to cover her mouth, eyes wide with disbelief and deep, deep worry.
These two bastards!
Did they have any idea what they were saying?!
They were declaring war on the entire world!
Natasha, on the other hand, wore her same calm expression. But the tight grip of her hands hidden behind her back betrayed the turbulence inside her.
She looked at them curiously.
Why admit it? Even though the whole world already knew, why confirm it themselves?
"Hey, hey, hey! Ladies and gentlemen! Calm down, calm down!" Tony addressed the crowd that was on the verge of losing control. Far from nervous, he looked even more exhilarated.
He spread his arms wide, basking in the cheers.
"I know you're excited—I am too. After all, it's not every day you get to witness history being written before your very eyes. But please, show at least a little basic order, OK? If you keep acting like a bunch of kids who've never seen the world before, I'm going to seriously question your professionalism."
His trademark humor, surprisingly, managed to settle the chaos just a little.
Henry leaned lazily against the podium, watching the madness unfold before him with a playful smile.
He looked like an outsider enjoying a show that he and Tony themselves had directed.
"Alright, I know you all have plenty of stupid questions you want to ask." Henry picked up his mic, his voice cutting through the noise.
"Since you're working so hard to make a big headline, we'll be merciful and answer a few more. But my time is valuable, so please, ask something with substance. Like what brand my suit is. Or which brand of shampoo I use."
The audience burst out laughing again, and the atmosphere eased once more.
A sharp-looking Black reporter immediately seized the opportunity and stood up.
"Mr. Stark, Mr. Henry!" His voice boomed.
"Fans call you Iron Man and Superman. You've admitted it yourselves, and you've shown extraordinary powers. Does this mean you intend to stand apart from governments and the law, to enforce justice on your own terms? Won't your actions disrupt the existing world order?"
A razor-sharp question, putting them directly in opposition to authority.
Tony scoffed.
"Order? What order? The kind where terrorists use weapons my company made to slaughter innocents across the globe? Or the kind where a bunch of coffee-drinking bureaucrats get to decide how the world turns?"
His voice suddenly sharpened, his eyes flashing cold.
"If that's the kind of order you mean, then I'm sorry to tell you—starting today, that bullshit old order is getting rewritten."
"And as for justice…" He paused, then declared, as if it were the most natural thing in the world:
"I am justice. At least more than those fossils on Capitol Hill, whose brains are stuffed with nothing but ballots and campaign donations."
His words were arrogant, domineering—and yet no one could refute them.
Another reporter quickly turned to Henry.
"Mr. Henry! According to the information we gathered, during the New York battle you demonstrated multiple, even contradictory abilities. You could fly, possessed superhuman strength, and even fired heat rays from your eyes. Where exactly do these powers come from? Is this the result of Stark Industries' latest genetic modification project? And if so, could this technology pose a potential threat to human society?"
"Oh, sir, I like your imagination." Henry gave him a look of approval, smiling.
"But you've got one thing wrong. My powers don't come from some damned genetic modification project. They come from talent."
"Yes, you heard me. Talent." He spread his hands casually.
"You know, some people are just born extraordinary. Like me—handsome, rich, and a genius. Now I've just added one more little trick—flying. Sounds perfectly reasonable, doesn't it? As for being a threat? Of course I'm a threat."
His smile slowly faded, his gaze turning icy.
"To anyone who dares to destroy what matters to me—or set their eyes on us—I am the biggest threat they'll ever face in their lives."
He paused, then stared directly into the camera.
"If anyone doubts that, they're welcome to try me."
This wasn't empty talk. For those eyeing their suits, his answer was clear: they'd get nothing.
And if anyone made a move, his response would be absolute—crush them without mercy.
His words struck like iron, reverberating with authority.
Once again, the hall fell silent.
Everyone was stunned by the way the Stark brothers defied logic and convention.
They realized that against these two unreasonable men, their sharpest questions suddenly seemed like childish pranks—weak and powerless.
But reporters were still reporters.
Soon, another dared to stand.
"Mr. Tony Stark!" he shouted.
"You just said you are Iron Man. But as far as we know, that armor requires complex operating skills and enormous energy support. How did you master this technology in such a short time? And the glowing device in your chest—is it really a miniaturized Arc Reactor? What's its connection to your armor?"
"Oh, finally, a decent question." Tony nodded approvingly, then launched into his answer with swagger.
"First, about operating the suit. Honestly, it's simpler than driving one of my sports cars. You just need a brain as brilliant as mine, and maybe… hmm, a teeny-tiny speck of talent. As for the energy source…"
He tapped his chest, though the reactor was no longer there.
"That little thing you mentioned? Yes, it's a miniaturized Arc Reactor—my latest invention. A clean, efficient, and virtually limitless energy core. It powers my suit, and it could power the entire Stark Tower. By the way, it'll hit the market soon. When that happens, you'll never have to worry about blackouts again."
His words instantly set off another wave of commotion.
New energy!
This was even bigger news than superheroes—an announcement with the potential to reshape the entire world order!
And just as everyone was losing their minds, Henry lazily raised his mic, closing the circus with one final word.
"Alright, ladies and gentlemen," he said, his voice carrying clearly across the hall.
"That's enough questions for today. I know you've got more, but unfortunately, our time is valuable. We can't waste it playing this silly Q&A game with you."
"If you want to know more about Iron Man and Superman, it's simple."
He paused, then flashed a grin at all the cameras.
"Go watch the news."
With that, he and Tony exchanged a glance, and together they walked calmly off stage amidst the chaos and screams.
***
120 stones for next bonus...
i started Another fanfiction if you guys are interested.
One piece: Reign in the name of Shinigami
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