Chapter 97

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Although the diary didn't spell out the full name, there's no doubt that the Rhodey mentioned must be Tony Stark's best, or rather, his only friend, Air Force Colonel James Rhodes.

Otherwise, why would he show up at his own birthday party?

It's hardly likely that there's another guy named Rhodey, right?

Iron Man doesn't think such a coincidence is possible.

So, here lies the problem, why did Rhodey "beat the crap out of" him, especially at such an important occasion as his birthday party?

It seems a serious conflict and contradiction must have erupted between him and Rhodey to turn their faces to such an extent!

So~

What exactly is the conflict?

Since he doesn't know the cause and effect, Tony Stark really can't imagine at the moment.

But no matter what the conflict and contradiction were, Rhodey wouldn't do such a thing, right?

However, what makes Iron Man even more unimaginable is that Rhodey actually stole his armor suit!

How could this happen!

You see, that's the Iron Suit, all under Jarvis's control.

Without his, Tony's, authorization, no one else could use it.

In other words, even if the armor suit was placed in someone's hands, they couldn't use it if Tony didn't wish so.

So, where does this idea of "stealing" come from?

The Iron Suit designed by Iron Man couldn't possibly be stolen!

"Sir, it seems the other universe's you really had a thrilling birthday."

The thoughtful AI Jarvis spoke up, teasing his boss, "So lively that the house almost exploded."

Jarvis spoke without intent, but it immediately made Tony Stark frown slightly.

What's this all about?

The "big fight" between him and Rhodey actually reached the extent of blowing up his own house?

Isn't that too exaggerated?

Did Rhodey fight with grenades against him?

Iron Man really couldn't understand how a fight with a good buddy could result in such a situation?

But soon.

Tony Stark, combining the context before and after in the diary, came to an obvious speculation.

The "big fight" mentioned between him and Rhodey in the diary must have been both of them wearing Iron Suits!

So, Rhodey not only stole the Iron Suit from him but also put it on right then and there.

And then, a big fight broke out with his own destroyer!

Only in this way, it could be called a "big fight", and it was possible that the house got exploded.

However~

Even wearing the armor suit, did he and Rhodey really fire at each other?

Did it escalate to this conflict?

Tony Stark really couldn't understand what could have caused the two of them to turn out this way.

"'Iron Scrap Battle'!"

"This should be the 'Iron Scrap Battle' mentioned in the diary earlier!"

After concluding the battle of Iron Suits, Tony Stark had another moment of insight.

Recalling an earlier spoiler in the diary.

At that time, the diary mentioned that he went crazy because he was dying from palladium poisoning, contributing many iconic scenes.

One of which was the Iron Scrap Battle with Rhodey!

Timing wise, if it weren't for the diary's reminder, allowing him to solve the palladium poisoning problem in advance, then he indeed should be close to death by now, right?

It matches up!

The before and after match up!

So it seems that the "Iron Scrap Battle" mentioned in the diary previously was most likely the big fight at this spoiler of a birthday party.

"I get it now!"

After connecting the dots, Tony Stark's thoughts were suddenly cleared, and he nearly sorted everything out.

It seems in that other universe, another him, knowing he was about to die, made various crazy moves at his birthday party.

Otherwise, he wouldn't have been called "crazy" by Zhou Cheng.

How exactly he went crazy, just see "peeing in the Iron Suit" and "sitting on a doughnut while eating a doughnut" for a glimpse.

Even he himself most likely attended this birthday party wearing the Iron Suit.

This indeed fits Iron Man's capricious and wilful character.

So, what about his good friend Rhodey?

Naturally, he couldn't stand to see him degenerate like that, so he stepped in to stop him, to get him to stop those crazy actions.

And considering he was wearing the Iron Suit, how else could Rhodey stop him?

Naturally, by wearing another set of armor.

Then what followed naturally happened.

Although he hadn't experienced that state himself, Iron Man could still empathize with what the other him was like at that time.

The other him wouldn't possibly listen to Rhodey!

This is how their conflict appeared, how it began to escalate, and evolved into a big fight!

Yep, it should be something like that.

"Sir, there is nothing wrong with your entire theory, except for one point."

When Tony Stark shared his deduction with Jarvis, Jarvis pinpointed a problem, "Without your authorization, no one else can use your armor suit, including Colonel Rhodes."

"So, haven't you already given the answer?" Tony Stark naturally spread his hands, "It must be my authorization then!"

Even though this hadn't happened to him, it was still a "counterpart" of himself.

So, Tony Stark could still understand the actions of that other him.

He was about to die, he couldn't take the Iron Suit with him, right?

Then it might as well take this opportunity to give Rhodey a set of Iron Suit, as a form of legacy.

It wouldn't let his life's work disappear from the world!

So, is this why Rhodey got his suit and became War Machine?

Iron Man had previously thought it was because the other him couldn't withstand the military's pressure and was forcibly taken by the military.

Turns out, he gave it away voluntarily.

But also, that makes sense.

How could that other world's him be so incapable, not even able to handle a hearing?

So, this is the real truth!

"So, sir, what do you think now?"

"Are you still considering granting authorization to Colonel Rhodes?"

Jarvis's voice once again sounded in his ear, interrupting Tony Stark's thoughts.

Iron Man immediately fell into contemplation.

Yeah, the other him gave Rhodes a suit, so what about himself?

"No, I'm not planning to do that."

After only a slight hesitation, Tony Stark made such a decision.

The Destroyer is unique, belonging solely to Tony, and no one else could share a part of it.

Even if it's Rhodes!Iron Man believed that the other version of himself must have made such a decision because he was about to die.

Otherwise, there was no way he would have let the military get such a bargain.

After all, considering Rhodey's identity, giving him the armor was essentially giving it to the military, and Tony Stark would never do such a thing.

"If that's the case, how was War Machine born in this universe?"

"Or does he not appear at all?"

"And what if Iron Man faces the enhanced Whiplash later? That's not something Iron Man can handle alone."

"No, Stark didn't attend the racing event in Monaco, Whiplash didn't attack Stark, and wasn't captured."

"So the scenario where Whiplash is rescued by Justin Hammer, and the two of them secretly target Iron Man, leading to a bunch of armors chasing Iron Man, might not happen."

"The ultimate showdown of 'Iron Man 2,' the chaos of numerous Iron Man armors fighting, wouldn't occur?"

"The plot of this part is completely different!"

Right!

War Machine won't appear in this universe anymore!

Tony Stark nodded in agreement.

Rather than letting Rhodey wear the armor and become a puppet controlled by the military, it was better to maintain the status quo.

In this universe, one destroyer like him, Tony Stark, was enough!

But just as this thought crossed his mind, Iron Man was immediately proven wrong.

A bunch of Iron Man armors chasing him?

Ivan Vanko and Justin Hammer teamed up to do this?

Those clowns, when combined, actually managed to do something!

"Hammer, you really won't let any opportunity pass, will you?"

Iron Man couldn't help but sneer.

Although the diary made it clear that it was a collaboration between Ivan Vanko and Justin Hammer to unleash a bunch of Iron Man armors.

But Tony Stark didn't take Justin Hammer seriously at all.

Iron Man knew him too well, understanding that Hammer Industries didn't have the capability for such feats.

Their so-called collaboration was undoubtedly Ivan Vanko providing the tech, and Hammer Industries offering the resources.

So Justin Hammer wasn't worth mentioning. The real focus for Tony Stark was only on Ivan Vanko!

The diary mentioned that this man had mastered his technology and even created an "enhanced" version of the armor.

Long ago, the diary also mentioned that when Ivan Vanko made a comeback, it was only by joining forces with War Machine that they managed to defeat him.

Although Tony Stark always considered himself unparalleled and the top scientist in the world.

Without a doubt, Ivan Vanko, who inherited the relevant technology from Anton Vanko, deserved Iron Man's attention.

A major threat!

Ivan Vanko, Whiplash, was a major threat!

Even Tony Stark had to admit this point.

"Jarvis, any clues about Ivan Vanko?"

With this thought, Tony Stark immediately began to inquire with his AI.

"Sir, there are no relevant clues."

"I've screened and compared all the Ivan Vankos I could find, none of them match."

"I think Ivan Vanko is not using that name."

Jarvis gave him this answer.

"Keep an eye out."

Tony Stark wasn't surprised, he just continued with his instructions to Jarvis.

But what Iron Man couldn't have imagined was that the Ivan Vanko he had been searching for had already been locked up in SHIELD's prison.

Oh, not exactly.

To be precise, it should be Nick Fury's private secret base.

Considering the infiltration of SHIELD by HYDRA, Nick Fury, after Agent Hill captured Ivan Vanko, immediately took him into custody using his own private channels.

To prevent the technology from falling into HYDRA's hands.

So, unless something unexpected happens, Tony Stark should not be able to find Ivan Vanko anymore.

Of course, getting attacked out of nowhere by Whiplash would naturally not happen either.

But these things, Tony Stark was impossible to know.

However, there was one thing that Tony Stark was certain of.

That was, he would continue to research even more powerful armors.

To deal with the possibility of facing an enhanced version of the Whiplash armor, which he and War Machine could only defeat together!

"However, this might actually be a good thing for Rhodey."

"At least he doesn't have to become disabled by Vision's accidental attack during the Civil War!"

"After all, Vision's strength is indeed too impressive. Iron Man armors are nothing in front of him, a single touch is fatal."

"Even though Thor always boasts about being the strongest Avenger, he might not be stronger than Vision."

"Especially Thor before his transformation, he couldn't be Vision's opponent."

"It's only because Vision chose not to take action, otherwise the Civil War would not have happened. Vision alone could have swept through the entire Avengers!"

Rhodey was disabled during the Civil War?

Tony Stark's eyebrows furrowed heavily.

All this time, he had thought the Civil War was just a "friendly sparring" session.

After all, the fighters were superheroes, even former colleagues, and the diary mentioned that neither side went for the kill.

Iron Man naturally thought.

Apart from a few superheroes being officially arrested, there shouldn't have been any severe consequences.

But who would have thought that it actually did happen!

Rhodey was disabled!

And it was by an accidental attack from Vision.

"Vision!"

The name immediately caught Tony Stark's attention.

The diary mentioned him before, but only briefly.

Iron Man knew he was the Scarlet Witch's lover, whose fate was very tragic.

Not only was he killed multiple times, but in the end, he was also disassembled.

Tony Stark never imagined Vision's strength to be so formidable!

During the Civil War, Rhodey was obviously wearing the Iron Man armor, participating as War Machine.

Yet, he was accidentally disabled by Vision.

Even in Zhou Cheng's eyes, the Iron Man armor was nothing in front of Vision, a casual touch from the latter was fatal.

"Damn, is Vision really that strong?"

"Stronger than Thor, capable of sweeping through the entire Avengers?"