This was not difficult to explain.
No matter how much the FBI or even S.H.I.E.L.D. investigated, they couldn't find the cause of the explosion.
Because it was a human bomb.
"Did it fail? Hmph, what a pity…"
Watching a living subject die in front of him, Killian remained expressionless—and even seemed to take some satisfaction in it.
After speaking coldly, he turned and entered another laboratory.
There, another person was strapped to an iron frame. This time, it was a man in his prime.
Killian injected him with the Extremis virus.
Sure enough, the man's body began to overheat. Veins bulged across his skin, glowing like molten magma. His mouth opened, releasing a blinding white light. But unlike before, there was no explosion.
Instead, when he looked down at his body, something shocking happened—an arm that had been missing began to regenerate, growing back in front of their eyes.
"Not bad… not bad. Finally, another success," Killian said lightly, as if the man before him weren't human but merely a specimen on his operating table. "It seems the explosions were only caused by dosage errors."
If Tony had been there, his jaw would have hit the floor.
What was this? Using human beings as test subjects. Creating living weapons. This was Extremis—and Killian was building the ultimate enhanced army. His goal was obvious: domination.
Meanwhile, over a snowy farm in Tennessee, a flickering light streaked across the night sky. Looking closely, it was an object struggling to stay aloft—an armored figure jerking high and low until finally crashing into the snow with a deafening bang.
Blaine, who had unknowingly spent several months in the Marvel world, stood at his window. Winter in the United States was brutally cold. Before Christmas, snow fell heavily, blanketing everything in New York State in white.
The whole world outside looked gray.
Letting the flakes fall against his face, he felt a trace of chill seep into his mind. Even with 300 points of physical fitness, his senses still functioned normally.
Closing the window, Blaine admitted to himself that this endless night was less beautiful than lonely.
At that same farm, the fallen figure revealed itself—red and gold armor, battered and broken. Clearly, it had endured a vicious battle. Iron Man, Tony.
"Ah—oh, shit, that hurts… J.A.R.V.I.S., where are we?"
"Sir, we are five kilometers outside Rose Hill, Tennessee."
"Shit. Did I order this? I never gave that command. I can't save Pepper like this…"
"Sir, the Mark 42 is depleted of energy. You appear to be injured as well."
"J.A.R.V.I.S., open the armor…"
"Yes, sir."
Tony staggered to his feet, pressing his forehead. Only then did he realize he was lying in deep snow. A few hours earlier, he had been in his Malibu villa; now he was homeless, stranded, and wearing nothing but a T-shirt.
"Damn, it's freezing… I should've worn something warmer."
"Apologies, sir. I am entering sleep mode…"
"J.A.R.V.I.S? J.A.R.V.I.S.!"
The explosion had taught Tony a brutal lesson. Though not fatally wounded, he'd been blown apart by a missile strike at point-blank range. Unlike Blaine, Tony didn't have inhuman resilience. He'd nearly drowned in the ocean.
Looking at his bruised, swollen face, no one would have believed this was Iron Man, the Avenger praised by millions.
Now it wasn't just about saving Happy Hogan. If Tony didn't find a way to fight back, he'd become a laughingstock—even among his fellow Avengers. Thinking of Thor's smug grin or Steve' wry chuckle only fueled his anger.
Fortunately, J.A.R.V.I.S. had already programmed Tennessee's coordinates into the Mark 42 before shutting down. That single decision had saved Tony's life.
But flying here had pushed the prototype beyond its limits. After surviving the explosion, hauling Tony from the ocean, and crossing the country, the Mark 42 was now little more than scrap metal.
Tony rubbed his forehead and looked around. Escaping death only to end up here felt like cosmic mockery. In the distance, he spotted a glimmer of light.
No matter what, he needed to recharge the armor. Messy hair sticking up, face battered, Tony dragged the heavy suit toward the distant farmhouse.
Meanwhile, Blaine could already guess what was about to happen.
According to the timeline, Tony would soon meet his young fan Harley Keener. With Harley's help, Tony would uncover A.I.M.'s base and Killian's conspiracy, and even take down one of Killian's Extremis-enhanced soldiers.
Lying in bed, Blaine tossed and turned, unable to sleep. He wasn't sure if it was because he'd been thinking of Gali again, or because his newly learned meditation technique left him too energized.
"Forget it. I can't sleep anyway. Time to shop."
The system interface opened, and the glowing attribute panel appeared again.
---
Host: Blaine
Physical Fitness: 300
Hunter Level: B
Abilities: [Diamond Body Lv.5] [Swordsmanship Lv.4] [Copy Eye Lv.3] [Absolute Hit Lv.3] [Hawkeye Lv.3] [Mind Control Lv.4] [Shadow Stealth Lv.3] [Mind Reading] [Danger Perception] [Regenration] [Meditation] [Teleportation] (12/15)
Equipment: [Hunter Suit (+25)] [Elemental Bow (+25)] [White Snake Bow (+5)] [Tracking Paper Cranes (x2)] [Curse Blade (Knife) +10]
Balance: 4.8 billion
---
Looking over the long list of abilities and equipment, Blaine finally felt at ease.
*************************************
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