"Some call me a terrorist... but I consider myself a teacher."
On the TV screen, a bearded man with a menacing aura was introducing himself, surrounded by armed terrorists.
The setting was distinctly Middle Eastern. The cacophony of voices, sporadic gunfire, and shaky camera work created an oppressive atmosphere that seemed to seep out of the screen.
Even Sherry, a "veteran employee" of a certain terrorist organization (the Black Organization), looked solemn as she watched.
The broadcast continued. This self-proclaimed "Mandarin" didn't hold the signal for long. After claiming responsibility for several recent bombings, the feed cut back to the morning news.
The news anchor, ever the professional, immediately dropped the previous topic and began analyzing the impact of the Mandarin's appearance.
"Heh~"
Luca let out a playful chuckle, drawing Sherry's attention away from the heavy atmosphere.
"The acting is pretty convincing~"
Sherry stared at him, bewildered.
"You mean... that video was fake?"
"Well, let's just say the attacks are real, but the performer and the reasons are fake. They found a good actor, though."
Luca shrugged with a smile, offered a vague explanation, and turned off the TV.
"Don't worry about it. I have some work to do. Enjoy your breakfast."
Luca shoveled a few mouthfuls of rice into his mouth, then got up and ran to the basement lab, leaving Sherry confused at the dining table.
Basement Lab.
As soon as Luca sat down, he kicked the Aurantius Haro onto its charging dock and called out to the ceiling.
"Hakimi, contact Tony for me."
The call connected, but instead of Tony Stark's big face, the virtual screen showed only darkness.
However, the chaotic noises coming through the black screen confirmed the connection was live.
"Tony, what the hell are you doing?"
Before Luca could finish his sentence, a cacophony of CLANG CLANG sounds erupted from the other end, mixed with screams. The dark screen shook violently.
"Cap! Get some water over here! Kid, what do you want with Uncle Tony?"
The first sentence clearly wasn't directed at Luca. But Luca realized Tony was in combat.
"Nothing urgent. If you're fighting, handle that first. We'll talk later."
Luca hung up immediately to avoid distracting him.
As expected, Tony is too busy to care about the Ten Rings or terrorist attacks right now.
That's good. Since Killian's plan has started, the Vice President must be in the loop. It's easier for me to handle if Tony doesn't interfere.
Luca nodded in satisfaction. But curiosity got the better of him.
"Hakimi, search for the latest news and social media posts. Keywords: Iron Man, Captain America."
"Yes, Sir."
Hakimi pulled up a massive amount of data. Videos flashed across the virtual screen.
Finally, it settled on a shaky video filmed by a bystander.
In the video, a sandstorm engulfed the city. Iron Man's flashy red-and-gold armor could be seen darting through the yellow sand.
"Whoa, big scene~"
"Hakimi, where is this fight?"
Jacksonville, Northeast Florida.
"Tony, who were you talking to?"
Amidst the raging sandstorm, Tony was hit by a giant fist that seemingly appeared out of nowhere. He spun through the air and crashed into the side of a building.
Dazed, he heard Steve's question and answered instinctively.
"Remote Control Toy Knight."
"Doesn't matter. Cap, we need water! Fire trucks, anything!"
Steve Rogers, on the ground, paused at "Remote Control Knight" but quickly realized Tony meant "Metal Knight" (Luca).
But as Tony said, that wasn't important. The request for water, however...
Steve looked around helplessly.
Visibility in the sandstorm was less than ten meters. He had no idea where a water tower might be.
Worse, the firefighters he had just helped evacuate civilians had given him some bad news...
"Tony, the local fire department... hasn't paid their water bill. The hydrants are dry. The trucks only have foam and dry chemical extinguishers! Hold on a bit longer and try to lure that monster toward the ocean!"
Tony, who had just pulled himself out of the concrete wall, felt his vision go dark.
Are you kidding me?! The Fire Department didn't pay the water bill??
"JARVIS!! Pay all their overdue water bills! And electricity too!"
Even with the bills paid, the water wouldn't magically appear instantly. And getting trucks here would take time.
Tony had no choice but to get up and charge back into the center of the storm.
In the eye of the sandstorm, between several skyscrapers, a monster nearly a hundred meters tall, made entirely of shifting sand, roared in fury.
Every roar shook the storm around it.
Every swing of its arm smashed huge chunks out of the buildings, which were shorter than the monster itself.
Although the Sandman's body wasn't solid—his fist would explode into sand upon impact—it reformed instantly.
The debris from the smashed buildings was quickly eroded by the intense sandstorm, turned into fine sand, and absorbed into the monster's body.
Initially, the Sandman wasn't this huge.
But because Tony and the team didn't understand the Sandman's properties, their attacks had only fed him, causing him to grow several times larger.
At the giant Sandman's feet, the Hulk, with a mouthful of sand, was angrily tearing at the enemy's... toes.