"Cough... cough... heh heh... A mere murderer dares to speak like that..."
Killian's body trembled violently. "Superheroes are nothing but lies. You and I... we're no different. You... will eventually become the next... me!"
With his heart destroyed, Killian's death was inevitable.
Yet, the remnants of the Extremis virus within him continued to repair his body, keeping him alive for just a little longer.
In that moment, Killian extended his right hand, gripping Kagura Hitomi's shoulder tightly.
With gritted teeth, he activated the power of the Extremis virus once more.
"You so-called heroes... you're no different from me! I despise you! You wear the guise of justice, but in the end... you're just doing whatever satisfies your own desires! You... hypocritical criminals!"
The burning sensation spread from her shoulder, but Kagura remained unfazed. She coldly stared at the crazed man before her.
"Heh... heh heh heh! You can't say anything, can't you? Murderer! Stop pretending! You and I are exactly the same!"
Killian roared, "The people who cheer for you are nothing more than deceived lambs. How are they any different from my soldiers? Huh? Hahaha... HAHAHAHA!"
"Are you done talking?"
Kagura drew her vibranium dagger. In a flash, the blade severed Killian's right hand.
Her silver hair danced through the air with her swift motion, creating an oddly beautiful sight. "I told you, someone without responsibility will never understand. You will never be a hero because you fail to grasp the true meaning of it."
Killian stared into the golden eyes of the girl, as if he were gazing into the eyes of a judge passing his final verdict. "A hero? Heroes are meaningless! Just another lie!"
"You're right. It's a lie. We are no different from those lawless supervillains on the surface," Kagura said coldly.
"But you will never understand the responsibility and the hope that bind us. That is the essence of a hero. We do not kill the innocent. We do not bully the weak. We act by our own code and take full responsibility for our actions."
"We may act outside the law and sometimes resemble criminals, but every superhero carries the desire to make this world a better place."
Kagura looked down at Killian as he slowly collapsed to the ground. "Our battles are never for ourselves or others. They are for a better world."
"We may vanish one day or fall into darkness, but when that time comes, new heroes will rise and inherit our will and responsibility."
"Do you understand now? A pathetic man who knows nothing of responsibility or kindness. A superhero is not Flashblade, not Iron Man, not Thor, nor the Avengers. It is the spark buried deep within every heart."
"We may walk in darkness, but we always serve the light."
...
"Ah... I just spouted some really cringy, chuuni lines..., hehe."
Kagura chuckled at herself and let out a long sigh.
The man before her died with a look of bitter realization. Perhaps, in his final moments, Aldrich Killian finally understood why he could never compare to Tony Stark.
Or perhaps, even in death, Killian never believed he had done anything wrong.
In his own eyes, he might have been a "superhero" on his path of self-proven reckoning, disappearing into the distant void.
For him, perhaps that wasn't such a bad life after all.
Kagura rubbed her shoulder, activating her "Basic Self-Healing" skill to repair the burn wound while reflecting on Killian's final words.
Once a person's view of the world, life, and values is set, changing it becomes incredibly difficult.
In that sense, Tony Stark was indeed partly responsible for the chaos Killian unleashed.
After all, it was Tony who created the demon known as Aldrich Killian.
It was Tony's scorn and dismissal on that fateful night in 1999 that released Killian from the void of despair and plunged the world into crisis.
However, in another sense, Tony Stark was innocent.
Back then, Tony was just a successful arms dealer and a renowned genius. He had no obligation to take responsibility for Killian's emotions.
If Killian sought to reach Tony's level, he should have been prepared for rejection.
Even though Tony's actions—offering hope and then shattering it—dealt a cruel blow to Killian's fragile heart, Tony had no duty to respond or care.
This world operates in the countless intersections and divergences of fate. When Killian lit the flames of hatred toward Tony, did he ever consider the righteousness of his own actions?
In the end, it was fate's cruel hand.
Perhaps, from the moment Killian's fragile sense of responsibility and kindness crumbled on that night of December 31st, 1999, the man known as Aldrich Killian had already died.
What remained was a corpse driven by ambition and desperation, willing to sacrifice everything to prove himself.
In that sense, Kagura's blade was a mercy that finally freed him.
Hmm?
Suddenly, Kagura felt an unusual sensation in her palm as she touched her burned shoulder. She opened her hand to find...
Small, glowing orange particles danced within her palm. It was a remnant of the Extremis virus.
[Special active virus sample detected. Concept Skill successfully connected.]
"Huh?"
The Infinite Concept Skill System displayed a message Kagura had never seen before.
[Memory fragment complete. Keyword: Extremis Virus.]
[Current skill system successfully linked.]
[Upgraded Skill:]
[Energy Activation Body Repair / Level 10]
[Consumes 10% core energy to fully repair body damage within 10 seconds and gain heat resistance.]
"Oh-ho? Did I just... fuse with the Extremis virus?"
[Side quest complete: Obtain Extremis Virus sample.]
[+10 QP]
"Well then... let's activate it!"
[Energy Activation Body Repair / Skill Activated]