Chapter 070: Mark I (Bonus Chapter)

Having dealt with the external threats, Charles Doyle approached the Aoda and said, "Aoda, I'll leave the outside to you. If anyone else shows up, just take care of them."

"Understood, Lord Charles."

After giving this command to Aoda, Charles entered the cave in front of him. Thanks to the illumination from the lights inside, the cave wasn't too dark. 

Charles deactivated his Sharingan.

Navigating through several twists and turns, Charles reached the place where Tony Stark was held captive. The iron door was wide open, and there were seven or eight bodies lying around the room.

In the center of the room, Parker lay on the ground, gazing at the entrance. When he saw Charles arrive, Parker spoke, "Lord Charles, the mission has been successfully completed without harm to the target."

"Thank you, Parker." Charles approached and patted Parker's head.

Hearing their conversation, Tony Stark and Yinsen emerged from a corner of the room. Tony looked at the man before him curiously and asked, "Are you Charles?"

"Who sent someone to rescue me? My military friend, Colonel Rhodes?"

Tony Stark asked two questions in a row, then glanced at Parker by Charles's side and commented, "Your ninja dog is incredible."

Charles looked at the two men before him, Tony Stark and Yinsen. He wasn't surprised that Yinsen had survived. After all, he had sent Parker, so saving Tony meant Yinsen wouldn't be in danger.

However, Charles wondered if Yinsen's survival would affect the birth of Iron Man. 

Looking at the unfinished Mark I armor on the ground and the arc reactor on Tony's chest, Charles considered that as long as they had these two things, there shouldn't be any problems.

Without dwelling on these thoughts, Charles spoke, "I'm Charles Doyle, the owner of Charles's Agency."

"As for why I'm here and came to rescue you, it's because of your secretary, Pepper Potts."

"She came to my agency to commission a mission, hoping that I could bring you back alive."

"And she's paying $100 million for it."

Hearing that it was Pepper Potts who had asked for Charles's help, Tony Stark was visibly surprised. He hadn't expected her to be the one to ultimately find him. As for the $100 million, he didn't care much.

Tony Stark looked at Charles and said, "Thank you. It seems like your agency is quite capable. The U.S. military couldn't find me, but you did."

Charles smiled and then glanced at the scattered parts in the room. He then said, "For the people left alive here, it should only be the two of you. I've taken care of the rest. So, if you don't have anything to gather, let's leave after some time."

Tony, hearing that there were no more enemies around, visibly brightened. He then said, "No need to gather anything; I don't want to stay here for another minute. Let's go."

Seeing Tony's impatience, Charles shook his head and replied, "There's toxic fog outside the cave, which hasn't dissipated yet. It's not suitable to leave now."

"If you don't have anything to pack up, just wait here for a while."

Upon hearing Charles mention the toxic fog outside, Tony asked in surprise, "Did you use a gas bomb?"

"That thing is prohibited. But don't worry; no one will hold you accountable. I'll take care of it."

Evidently, Tony thought Charles had used a gas bomb to quickly resolve the situation. Charles chuckled, "It's not a gas bomb, but it is indeed toxic fog. You'll see when we leave later."

Hearing Charles say they would find out when they left, Tony didn't press further and decided to start assembling his armor with Yinsen. 

Although they no longer needed it for combat, abandoning something they had almost finished wasn't Tony Stark's style.

As Tony began assembling the Mark I armor, Charles watched with keen interest. 

While the Mark I had limited capabilities, it was the prototype for Tony's Mark series, making its creation significant for the future of Iron Man. For a Marvel fan like Charles, it was also a nice collectible.

As Tony worked on the Mark I, he asked, "Charles, do you own a biological research institute?"

Charles was momentarily surprised by the offbeat question but quickly realized what Tony was referring to when he saw Parker lying nearby. 

He then replied, "Tony, I don't have a biological research institute, and Parker's ability to speak isn't due to any biological research."

Hearing Charles's response, Tony shrugged nonchalantly and continued assembling the armor. He then asked, "Charles, can I have a ninja dog like Parker? It should be called a 'ninja dog,' right?"

"I'm willing to pay a certain price, and you can name your price. I particularly like Golden Retrievers."

Charles understood that Tony had also been won over by Parker and wanted a ninja dog of his own. 

Regrettably, he replied, "Tony, you can't have a ninja dog. It's not something you can obtain with money in this world. They are unique, and no amount of money can get you one."

Tony, hearing Charles's refusal, sighed, "Well, it looks like I won't be able to have my own ninja dog."

"Parker, I promise to provide you with a lifetime supply of premium dog food. Where should I send it when I get back?"

Charles was a bit surprised that Parker had just acquired a meal ticket for himself.

Parker, seeing that Charles doesn't have any objection, replied, "Sir, please send it to Charles's Agency."

Once all the parts were assembled, Tony put on the Mark I armor and said, "Yinsen, help me fasten the screws."

Yinsen followed Tony's instructions, tightening the screws as needed.

When most of the screws were secured, Tony instructed, "Yinsen, help me power it up."

Setting down his tools, Yinsen turned to Tony and asked, "Tell me what to do."

"Function key 11."

"Let me know when you see the progress bar."

Following Tony's instructions, Yinsen operated the computer. He then said, "Alright, it's appeared."

"It should start initializing now."

Tony continued with instructions, "Control key I, then press Enter."

Meanwhile, Charles stood by, silently observing the two men's actions.

Soon, the progress bar filled up, and Tony Stark's Mark I armor was fully activated. 

By this time, the sun had risen, the toxic fog had dissipated, and a giant snake, over a hundred meters long, lay outside the cave, watching the activity around the cave entrance.

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