91

Chapter 91: Stark At the Low Point of Life

At this time, Nick Fury's primary concern was Stark.

"I know."

"Okay?"

"I knew it a long time ago. When he went to Afghanistan to demonstrate the latest missiles, he was targeted by terrorists.

It seemed they were called the Ten Rings.

They attacked him with grenades while he was in the car. All the soldiers with him were killed. Only Tony Stark was missing, with no trace of what happened."

Nick Fury stood up abruptly: "How do you know all this? Don't you..."

Maria Hill was also on edge. As far as she knew, Thor was a shareholder in Stark Industries, which raised suspicions about his motives...

"What are you thinking?" Seeing their suspicions, Thor said angrily, "If I wanted to do something, I could sink Stark's house to the bottom of the sea with a tsunami tomorrow. I wouldn't need to go through all this trouble."

Nick Fury, who had been alarmed, quickly reassured himself and waved at Maria Hill. He whispered, "No, it can't be him."

"But I did know that Stark would be kidnapped," Thor continued. "Do you remember when I last mentioned Stark to you?"

"Last time?"

Nick Fury thought for a moment and said quickly, "When we discussed that plan. Are you saying you want to save Stark in exchange for Washington agreeing to your terms?"

He frowned and said helplessly, "Even though I'd like to agree, it's impossible for Washington to do so. They'd rather sacrifice Tony Stark than set such a precedent."

Thor shook his head, smiling slightly. "No, I don't have that plan. I was referring to the superhero candidate I mentioned before."

Seeing the somewhat confused expressions on Nick Fury and Maria Hill, he continued, "Perhaps because of Tony Stark's consistent bad behavior, you've all overlooked a possibility.

In this kidnapping, Tony Stark, who survived the ordeal, may repent and transform into a true superhero, not just an ordinary inventive genius."

Nick Fury's eyes widened. "What you said before wasn't just a joke? Wait, you also mentioned Captain America..."

Thor stood up, waving his hand. "This is not the time to discuss that. By the way, a new era has arrived, and more exceptional individuals will soon emerge. What you need to consider now is not finding superheroes, but managing the relationships between them."

At this moment, Stark was at a low point in his life.

He had been injured by shrapnel from an exploding grenade and lost consciousness at the scene. When he awoke, he found himself lying in a cave with a chest-mounted reactor.

The reactor had been installed by a scientist who had also been captured by the terrorists—Ethan.

While Stark was unconscious, Ethan had removed most of the shrapnel, but many small fragments remained that couldn't be removed. A reactor had to be installed to prevent the remaining shrapnel from reaching his heart.

In a way, Stark was fortunate. The terrorists had initially planned to execute him immediately, but thanks to the recent Jericho missile test, his death sentence was postponed, and they decided to use Stark's expertise to build a missile.

Who is Stark? He is the most famous playboy in the United States, the son of the legendary businessman and patriotic inventor Howard Stark, a genius who had been in the public eye since childhood, even receiving polite attention from the President.

Even if Thor used his influence to coerce him, Stark would never cooperate.

So, he was tortured.

Dejected, Stark had no choice but to work with Ethan.

First, he upgraded the reactor in his chest— . This device was critical to his survival, and Stark was understandably terrified of death.

While everyone fears death, sometimes certain actions must be taken.

Building missiles? Impossible.

The terrorists had threatened to kill him if he didn't produce the missiles, but they hadn't specified what would happen if he did. It wasn't in his nature to rely on the integrity of these criminals.

With his IQ at its peak, Stark began crafting his first suit of armor.

Mark One—the original Iron Man suit!

That night, the terrorists claimed responsibility for Stark's kidnapping and released a series of video tapes, causing an uproar in the United States.

Stark Industries' stock plummeted as a result.

Meanwhile, at Thor's manor, a mysterious guest arrived.