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Chapter 230 Mr. Wayne in Action
A person who can use their own weaknesses and daily demeanor as a disguise is often invincible.
These weaknesses, foolish actions, and words only make the opponent think they have the upper hand. Then, in a way that further disarms the opponent, they quietly achieve their own goals.
"It must be said, she truly is the Scarlet Witch. Though young, she's already showing incredible potential," Tony said, shaking his head with a smile. He suddenly developed a keen interest in this beautiful young girl.
If he hadn't known Scarlet Witch's true nature, he might have actually been deceived. It would be a case of being sold and still helping the seller count the money.
His own secrets had been nearly completely sussed out by this seemingly naive girl who appeared full of openings, and he would have been left feeling smug about it.
"By comparison, that brother of hers is a real fool who'd help count the money after being sold. He loves to show off and act cool—a total chunibyo youth. How can the twins be so different?"
Quicksilver, who was currently dashing wantonly across the Pacific Ocean, suddenly sneezed and muttered in confusion, "What's going on? Did I catch a cold? It's all the fault of that damn S.P.E.A.R.! They made me dig coal for half a year!"
Tony stood up and looked out the window at Wanda, who was loitering outside his residential complex, waiting for her brother. Her red dress was as fiery as a flame, very eye-catching.
As if sensing Tony's gaze, Wanda looked up and shot him a fierce glare. Her eyes revealed an unconcealable smugness, the triumphant feeling of a little scheme succeeding.
Tony chuckled softly and slowly drew the curtains, lest he keep staring and provoke the short-tempered girl into storming his door in a fit of anger and shame.
He picked up the phone and dialed Crane's number.
"Crane, send Rogue to me... Yes, the little girl who can absorb people's life force and superpowers. I need her."
"Yes, sir. I'll have someone transfer her from the training camp immediately."
With a click, the call ended. Tony lay back comfortably on the sofa, squinting as he calculated something.
He had once considered confronting Magneto head-on, but that was when he was weak. After advancing to Level Four, he had been entirely focused on figuring out how to kill the Hulk, while also trying to minimize civilian casualties to prevent Righteous Heroes like Wonder Woman from coming after him.
A direct confrontation with Magneto...
Tony sat up again, tapping his fingers on the tabletop.
He could only avoid a fight if he was willing to hand over Rogue.
During the month he was hiding in Kamar-Taj to recuperate, the reach of A.R.G.U.S. had continuously expanded, recruiting a batch of superhumans. Rogue, a Mutant whose abilities had just awakened, had been on the run, ostracized and terrified, when she was spotted and recruited by an A.R.G.U.S. Agent.
It was hard to imagine a teenage girl awakening the terrifying ability of Life Force Absorption, capable of sucking an ordinary human into a dried corpse in two or three seconds. She was shunned by everyone, hunted by The Authorities' soldiers, her clothes in tatters, surviving on stolen food.
The people from A.R.G.U.S. merely expressed their intention to recruit her, and the helpless Rogue joined without hesitation. At the time, she didn't even know what A.R.G.U.S. was before she joined.
"Rogue... if nurtured properly, once she's fully grown, she's a Mutant who can go toe-to-toe with the Celestials. That's something even Magneto can't do."
But Magneto's machine required his own Magnetokinesis to operate. Even someone as powerful as Magneto would be severely weakened after using the machine once. Therefore, capturing Rogue and using her as a medium to power the machine was the perfect solution.
Although the price would be Rogue's certain death.
"Everyone treats a Mutant's potential as a fixed value. Professor X and Magneto in particular, the two poles of the Mutant world who have been stuck at Level Four their entire lives, are used as standard templates by many researchers."
The X-Gene itself is an uncontrollably mutated gene inherited from the Deviants of over twenty thousand years ago. While a Mutant's potential is indeed limited by their genes, the process also matters.
Take Rogue's ability, for example—Superpower Absorption and Life Force Absorption. She could even temporarily absorb her way to a Level Seven standard, provided that every living being on Earth contributed their life force and superpowers to her.
"No matter what Magneto says, Rogue is absolutely not an option. Once you've entered the doors of my A.R.G.U.S., you're one of my A.R.G.U.S. people. Political compromises and exchanges of interests are things I never buy into."
Tony rolled his neck. The thought of a direct confrontation with Magneto gave him a bit of a headache.
Magnetism, one of the four fundamental forces of the universe, is theoretically impossible to be immune to. Things like anti-magnetic materials would have to be built into a remotely controlled robot. Even with the Anti-Magneto Armor that Iron Man created, in theory, the iron element and other elements in his body could be controlled by Magneto right through the Armor.
"What about my Transformer..."
Tony didn't hold out much hope for his Spark Energy Particles being immune to Magnetism.
Magnetism is a force that forms the bedrock of the universe; it's very difficult to counter.
"Build an Anti-Magneto Transformer? Or maybe pull Tony in and have him build a suit of Anti-Magneto Armor to join the fight," Tony mused, rubbing his chin as he plotted how to screw Magneto over.
He had no choice. He hadn't wanted to go up against Magneto, unless Magneto could let Rogue go and find another way.
Several hours slowly passed. A high-speed figure moved from far to near, rapidly approaching Tony's location.
Quicksilver had finally crossed the Pacific Ocean and returned to North America.
...
Gotham City, Wayne Tower.
Bruce Wayne, the young head of Wayne Enterprises, had become increasingly mature. To many business people, it seemed this playboy had realized how absurd his past had been and was beginning to truly focus on his business.
"Alfred, has my invitation arrived?" Bruce Wayne said to his faithful old butler as he straightened his tie in front of a mirror.
"It has arrived, my young master." Alfred was in good spirits. In his aged hands, he held an exquisite letter. "The helicopter for the Global Joint Summit is ready. You may depart at any time."
Bruce skillfully tied his tie and put on his expensive formal suit, but when he took a step, he walked with a limp.
Old Alfred showed no surprise. Ever since that day, when Batman had knocked Harvey off the tall building, Batman's leg had been crippled.
Of course, there was no Batman in Gotham City anymore. He had been missing for a long time. There was only Bruce Wayne.
"Young master, I have some unfortunate news to tell you..." Alfred said suddenly. "The Joker has escaped from prison."
Bruce's steps came to an abrupt halt. His serious face instantly stiffened, his expression turning somber.
"The mayor won't sit by and watch him continue his crimes. This mayor is very capable," Bruce said, starting to walk again. He limped to the roof of Wayne Tower and boarded the helicopter that was already waiting.
(end of chapter)
A person who can use their own weaknesses and daily demeanor as a disguise is often invincible.
These weaknesses, foolish actions, and words only make the opponent think they have the upper hand. Then, in a way that further disarms the opponent, they quietly achieve their own goals.
"It must be said, she truly is the Scarlet Witch. Though young, she's already showing incredible potential," Tony said, shaking his head with a smile. He suddenly developed a keen interest in this beautiful young girl.
If he hadn't known Scarlet Witch's true nature, he might have actually been deceived. It would be a case of being sold and still helping the seller count the money.
His own secrets had been nearly completely sussed out by this seemingly naive girl who appeared full of openings, and he would have been left feeling smug about it.
"By comparison, that brother of hers is a real fool who'd help count the money after being sold. He loves to show off and act cool—a total chunibyo youth. How can the twins be so different?"
Quicksilver, who was currently dashing wantonly across the Pacific Ocean, suddenly sneezed and muttered in confusion, "What's going on? Did I catch a cold? It's all the fault of that damn S.P.E.A.R.! They made me dig coal for half a year!"
Tony stood up and looked out the window at Wanda, who was loitering outside his residential complex, waiting for her brother. Her red dress was as fiery as a flame, very eye-catching.
As if sensing Tony's gaze, Wanda looked up and shot him a fierce glare. Her eyes revealed an unconcealable smugness, the triumphant feeling of a little scheme succeeding.
Tony chuckled softly and slowly drew the curtains, lest he keep staring and provoke the short-tempered girl into storming his door in a fit of anger and shame.
He picked up the phone and dialed Crane's number.
"Crane, send Rogue to me... Yes, the little girl who can absorb people's life force and superpowers. I need her."
"Yes, sir. I'll have someone transfer her from the training camp immediately."
With a click, the call ended. Tony lay back comfortably on the sofa, squinting as he calculated something.
He had once considered confronting Magneto head-on, but that was when he was weak. After advancing to Level Four, he had been entirely focused on figuring out how to kill the Hulk, while also trying to minimize civilian casualties to prevent Righteous Heroes like Wonder Woman from coming after him.
A direct confrontation with Magneto...
Tony sat up again, tapping his fingers on the tabletop.
He could only avoid a fight if he was willing to hand over Rogue.
During the month he was hiding in Kamar-Taj to recuperate, the reach of A.R.G.U.S. had continuously expanded, recruiting a batch of superhumans. Rogue, a Mutant whose abilities had just awakened, had been on the run, ostracized and terrified, when she was spotted and recruited by an A.R.G.U.S. Agent.
It was hard to imagine a teenage girl awakening the terrifying ability of Life Force Absorption, capable of sucking an ordinary human into a dried corpse in two or three seconds. She was shunned by everyone, hunted by The Authorities' soldiers, her clothes in tatters, surviving on stolen food.
The people from A.R.G.U.S. merely expressed their intention to recruit her, and the helpless Rogue joined without hesitation. At the time, she didn't even know what A.R.G.U.S. was before she joined.
"Rogue... if nurtured properly, once she's fully grown, she's a Mutant who can go toe-to-toe with the Celestials. That's something even Magneto can't do."
But Magneto's machine required his own Magnetokinesis to operate. Even someone as powerful as Magneto would be severely weakened after using the machine once. Therefore, capturing Rogue and using her as a medium to power the machine was the perfect solution.
Although the price would be Rogue's certain death.
"Everyone treats a Mutant's potential as a fixed value. Professor X and Magneto in particular, the two poles of the Mutant world who have been stuck at Level Four their entire lives, are used as standard templates by many researchers."
The X-Gene itself is an uncontrollably mutated gene inherited from the Deviants of over twenty thousand years ago. While a Mutant's potential is indeed limited by their genes, the process also matters.
Take Rogue's ability, for example—Superpower Absorption and Life Force Absorption. She could even temporarily absorb her way to a Level Seven standard, provided that every living being on Earth contributed their life force and superpowers to her.
"No matter what Magneto says, Rogue is absolutely not an option. Once you've entered the doors of my A.R.G.U.S., you're one of my A.R.G.U.S. people. Political compromises and exchanges of interests are things I never buy into."
Tony rolled his neck. The thought of a direct confrontation with Magneto gave him a bit of a headache.
Magnetism, one of the four fundamental forces of the universe, is theoretically impossible to be immune to. Things like anti-magnetic materials would have to be built into a remotely controlled robot. Even with the Anti-Magneto Armor that Iron Man created, in theory, the iron element and other elements in his body could be controlled by Magneto right through the Armor.
"What about my Transformer..."
Tony didn't hold out much hope for his Spark Energy Particles being immune to Magnetism.
Magnetism is a force that forms the bedrock of the universe; it's very difficult to counter.
"Build an Anti-Magneto Transformer? Or maybe pull Tony in and have him build a suit of Anti-Magneto Armor to join the fight," Tony mused, rubbing his chin as he plotted how to screw Magneto over.
He had no choice. He hadn't wanted to go up against Magneto, unless Magneto could let Rogue go and find another way.
Several hours slowly passed. A high-speed figure moved from far to near, rapidly approaching Tony's location.
Quicksilver had finally crossed the Pacific Ocean and returned to North America.
...
Gotham City, Wayne Tower.
Bruce Wayne, the young head of Wayne Enterprises, had become increasingly mature. To many business people, it seemed this playboy had realized how absurd his past had been and was beginning to truly focus on his business.
"Alfred, has my invitation arrived?" Bruce Wayne said to his faithful old butler as he straightened his tie in front of a mirror.
"It has arrived, my young master." Alfred was in good spirits. In his aged hands, he held an exquisite letter. "The helicopter for the Global Joint Summit is ready. You may depart at any time."
Bruce skillfully tied his tie and put on his expensive formal suit, but when he took a step, he walked with a limp.
Old Alfred showed no surprise. Ever since that day, when Batman had knocked Harvey off the tall building, Batman's leg had been crippled.
Of course, there was no Batman in Gotham City anymore. He had been missing for a long time. There was only Bruce Wayne.
"Young master, I have some unfortunate news to tell you..." Alfred said suddenly. "The Joker has escaped from prison."
Bruce's steps came to an abrupt halt. His serious face instantly stiffened, his expression turning somber.
"The mayor won't sit by and watch him continue his crimes. This mayor is very capable," Bruce said, starting to walk again. He limped to the roof of Wayne Tower and boarded the helicopter that was already waiting.
(end of chapter)
