Chapter 175: Diana Talks Briefly About the Pantheon  

Tony Stark felt that he understood Robert better than Nick Fury, especially after their brief interactions. He knew that if there was no malice against Robert, he generally wouldn't strike too harshly. But if someone acted against Robert or did something to displease him, Robert's decisiveness could be testified by the dead super soldiers and countless extremist members in the desert. Clearly, with Fury's ill intentions and the unpleasant nickname he had for Robert, Stark believed that Fury wouldn't fare well if he actually encountered Robert.

"I'm a government official, and don't underestimate my negotiation skills. I came to you with sincerity!" Fury said, looking straight at Stark. "Just tell me his identity, and I'll find a way to persuade him!"

"Even if I knew, which I don't, I wouldn't tell you. First, what exactly is your 'sincerity' and what does this partnership entail?" Stark asked, waving his hand.

"The clue about the new element left by your father. You must have noticed the dangers of Palladium. Even though you've rid it from your body, it's not perfect, is it?" Fury finally played his card.

"My visit is to build a team, a team strong enough to protect the world!"

"A new element?" Stark's eyes flashed with surprise. He had been trying to find a new element without success. He hadn't expected that his father had left clues about a new element, especially considering the limited technological and scientific knowledge of that era.

"Another lesson? You always think I'm not good enough?" Stark fell silent, thinking about Howard Stark's attitude towards him. "If you like teaching me so much, why not do it yourself? You're so capable, why not reappear before me? Disappearing for so long without a word, forcing me to step up. You disappeared, and even took my mother with you…"

Stark remembered when he was nineteen. He was carefree and had no pressure or motivation. Suddenly, his parents went on a vacation and disappeared, leaving him with the burden of Stark Industries.

"Did you think I was having it too easy, so you and mom went incognito, forcing me to grow up?"

Even now, Stark believed his parents were alive somewhere, enjoying life.

"Tony? Stark? What are your thoughts?" Seeing Stark suddenly silent, Fury annoyingly called out, thinking Stark was contemplating the new element or the world protection team. After all, with Stark in his Iron Man armor, Fury couldn't see his expression.

"What clues did he leave?" Stark snapped out of his reverie and asked seriously.

"I left it at the door…" Fury pointed towards the door. "The box is a bit heavy, but you should find what you need. Your father said only you had the wisdom and means, using the Arc Reactor as a stepping stone, to create a new super energy device!"

"This is the first step of our cooperation: to make you stronger. Your armor is powerful, but only against ordinary people. Against real superhumans, it's not so easy…"

"Swoosh!" Before Fury finished, another suit of armor flew out under Stark's control and brought in a suitcase.

"It seems you're eager. So, let's have a pleasant cooperation!" Fury finally felt he gained an advantage and clapped his hands, smiling.

"You might want to continue researching this, and I don't understand much about it, so I won't bother you. I hope you succeed soon. When we have a lead on the charms, I'll inform you for joint action. We'll have people cooperate with you."

"There are other members in this team?" Stark looked from the suitcase to Fury. "All superhumans? Can you reveal their identities?"

"Unfortunately, I can't reveal that yet. If you can find information about Energy Lad and Superman, maybe they can become your companions…" Fury continued, not heeding Stark's warning, even thinking of including Clark in his plans. Considering the performances of Clark and Robert, it was natural for Fury to want them under his command.

"Heh, daring to target him. Your so-called team won't last long!" Watching Fury leave, Stark removed his armor and mockingly said, "After all, he won't ignore the charm incident. You should meet him soon. And using Howard's things as a bribe, what were you thinking…"

Shaking his head, Stark opened the suitcase to start researching the clues left by Howard Stark about the new element.

Meanwhile, Robert, whom Stark mentioned, soon received news about the charms being stolen, informed by Jackie Chan in training.

"Bad luck! Robert, the charms were still taken by Valon's men. District 13 is no longer the safest place in the world!" Jackie said on the phone, sounding helpless. "I'm busy here and can't leave. You'll have to deal with the charms yourself. If you don't trust Blake, keep the charms with you for now."

"I knew District 13 couldn't be the safest. Look how safe it is here in China, especially with so many high... oomph oomph oomph!" Jade's voice came from beside Jackie, but she was quickly silenced before finishing her sentence.

"Sorry, Robert, I can't talk about this place. I'm busy with training and won't be able to leave soon. The rest is up to you!" Jackie apologized.

He didn't want to hide things from Robert but had to because of strict confidentiality rules at his location. He only just received Chief Blake's message due to these restrictions.

"No problem, if you encounter any trouble, let me know!" Robert shrugged nonchalantly. If he knew Jade was mentioning the place's strong people, he might have already gone to see their skills.

"The charms are finally taken! With the twelve charms, the Saint's power should have initially recovered. I wonder if I can defeat him, as the charms' displayed powers aren't very strong…" Robert pondered after hanging up.

"But the inexhaustible power within the charms can't be ignored. The Saint, as the source of the charm's power, must be stronger than the charms themselves. Like Diana with the Ox Charm being stronger than a mere ox warrior. The Saint's power is hard to estimate."

Unaware the charms were now with Valon, Robert began estimating the Saint's strength.

"What are you thinking about?" Diana asked, walking in wearing a white shirt, showing her fair, long legs under the light, her body curves barely hidden. She was wiping her damp hair, her eyes filled with ripples as she looked at the silent Robert.

Used to such scenes, Robert wasn't too surprised. His recent interactions with Diana were more candid than last year's.

"The charms were stolen," Robert explained, glancing at Diana. "It seems the Saint will soon regain freedom."

"The Saint? The Fire Demon?" Diana knew about the Saint, having looked up information about Robert's powers on Themyscira. "The Fire Demon is said to embody eight kinds of evil powers in the world. Even if not as powerful as the gods of various pantheons, he must be at a divine level!"

"A divine level? How powerful?" Robert asked eagerly.

"The godly level is very powerful," Diana confirmed. "In the peak era of faith, not just the gods, but even the chief gods of each pantheon were terrifying. But in the post-faith era, the power of pantheons waned, and gods' powers diminished. Fortunately, each pantheon managed to gather divine powers to stabilize their realms. My power is from Mount Olympus…"

"So powerful?" Robert's eyes shone. "What level are you at? How much stronger are they than me?"

"You're not my match yet. Even fully unleashing my divine power, I'm no match for most chief gods," Diana said softly.

"As for the exact levels, there's no detailed classification. The kings of pantheons are revered as 'Heavenly Fathers', but their relative strength is unknown to me, perhaps only known among true deities."

"The standout chief gods are called 'Sub-Heavenly Fathers'. Below that, there are no special titles, as it's not necessary. My current strength probably doesn't merit the title of 'Sub-Heavenly Father'."

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