22. New Element
After half a day of hard work, Tony and John finally finished the structure needed to prepare the new element.
"Okay, here goes nothing," Tony said as he initialized the prismatic accelerator and prepared to turn the wheel on top.
Meanwhile, Jarvis provided feedback. As for John, he stood to the side, watching the miraculous process unfold.
"Approaching maximum power," Jarvis reminded.
Using a wrench as a lever, Tony turned the wheel. Before the energy could concentrate on the triangle, it sliced through the wall, leaving a deep hole from one corner to the other.
As the energy finally concentrated, the triangle began to glow blue.
"That was easy," Tony remarked, using a pair of pliers to remove the glowing triangle.
"Congratulations, brother. You've created a new element," John said as Tony placed the triangle into an arc reactor.
"Sir, the reactor has accepted the modified core. I will begin running diagnostics," Jarvis reported.
While Tony and Jarvis busied themselves with their respective tasks, John's gaze remained fixed on the shining triangle. His expression was one of surprise—not because of the new element, but because a rune symbol had suddenly appeared out of nowhere, floating above the glowing triangle.
The rune was incredibly complex. Knowing he might not remember all the details, John frantically searched for a pen and paper, then started sketching it on the spot.
Noticing John's sudden actions, Tony paused and leaned closer to take a look. Realizing that John might have discovered a new rune, Tony deduced it must be connected to the newly created element.
It took John an entire hour to carefully draw the rune, ensuring he didn't miss a single detail. As soon as he finished, the rune disappeared, never to be seen again.
John marveled at his unique ability to see such phenomena. "There's no pattern to this—it's so random," he muttered to himself.
Holding the completed sketch, John examined it closely. "This rune is different from the ones I've seen before. It's more intricate. Its purpose will only be revealed once it's successfully inscribed," he thought.
Putting the paper away, John looked at Tony. "My work here is done. I'll be going now."
Just as he was about to leave the workshop, Tony called out, "John, there's one more thing. Ivan escaped from prison, and he really hates the Starks. So be careful."
John had a thoughtful expression but decided against telling Tony about Ivan and Justin's collaboration. "I don't want to mess with time too much," he thought. "There are already too many unexpected scenarios. Let's just go with the flow."
---
Inside John's Lab
Walking into his lab, John took out the sketch and studied it closely. One of his fingers traced the rune in midair as he attempted to replicate it.
John tried repeatedly, but he either forgot lines or made the strokes too long. After four exhausting hours, he had barely managed to draw half of the rune. Inscribing it into his spiritual sea would be ten times harder than simply drawing it.
With a tired expression, John carefully placed the page into a specially crafted leather-bound diary. This book, made to last centuries, contained all the runes John had discovered.
After securing the book in a safe place, John went to his room to sleep.
---
A Week Later,
One evening, Tony burst into John's lab. "Brother, I think Justin and Ivan are working together. I'm going after them, but I need you to find Pepper and keep her safe," Tony said in one breath before running off without waiting for John's response.
Watching Tony's retreating figure, John thought, Why safeguard when I can remove the problem at its root?
Suiting up, John flew toward Hammer Industries. Ten minutes later, he arrived at the front gate. This was the first time he was going out of his way to solve a problem. He was also excited since Ivan's death wouldn't significantly alter the timeline.
John kicked the door open, sending it flying and taking out the guard behind it.
---
Somewhere Inside Hammer Industries
Alerted by the breach, Ivan immediately stopped what he was doing. "This is too soon! It wasn't supposed to happen yet. What's going on?" Despite his irritation, Ivan worked quickly, typing commands into his computer before attempting to escape.
John walked past a dozen guards writhing on the floor in pain and reached the room Ivan had just vacated. Smiling mysteriously, he said, "Where can you escape to, Ivan?"
Closing his eyes briefly, John activated the positioning rune and started walking down a corridor.
---
Currently ivan was fully suited and prepared to flee via the air. However, he was stopped by a shimmering blue barrier. Shocked, he muttered, "What is this? I've never encountered anything like it."
The barrier was one of John's water-based abilities. Although John lacked the power to cover the entire facility, the positioning rune allowed him to place the barrier precisely where Ivan was.
The barrier wasn't strong enough to stop Ivan entirely, but it bought John the few seconds he needed to catch up.
And as expected, jhon finally caught up to Ivan in a room with a large space.The room was cavernous, filled with half-assembled drones, scattered tools, and glowing monitors. Sparks flew from dangling wires, casting fleeting shadows on the metallic walls. Ivan stood in his upgraded Whiplash suit, the whips crackling with high-voltage electricity. He smirked, his eyes gleaming with malice.
"So, you're the one who caused all this trouble. Let's see if you can handle true power," Ivan sneered, snapping one of the electrified whips in John's direction.
but John, clad in his sleek black suit that hugged his form like a second skin, stood unfazed.