With Aldrich Killian defeated by Flash Blade, his insane and evil plan came to an end.
The remaining Extremis soldiers and A.I.M. personnel who followed Killian either surrendered or were taken down shortly after. The Mandarin incident had finally reached its conclusion.
— New York Station, Special Prisoner Transfer Hub
Kagura Hitomi, dressed in a short skirt uniform, stood beside Tony Stark.
She pointed at the NYPD officers transferring a certain high-profile prisoner. "So this guy was just an actor?"
"Exactly."
Tony Stark wore a sullen expression, clearly dissatisfied with the "Hunt the Mandarin in Miami" mission.
It wasn't because something went wrong during the mission, but rather because the so-called "Mandarin" turned out to be a complete joke — he just an actor!
The situation left Tony feeling insulted, as if his intelligence had been mocked.
"This so-called 'Mandarin' is actually a fairly decent actor named Trevor Slattery."
Tony grumbled, "I deployed over thirty Iron Man suits, flew across half the country, surrounded his mansion, only to find this guy lounging on the couch, drinking beer, cuddling bikini models, and watching football?"
"This stunt double act was way too flashy. I can't even recover the cost of deploying all those suits!"
"Pfft... Hahaha!" Kagura couldn't hold back her laughter.
"What's so funny?"
Tony knocked on her head lightly. "So, in the end, Killian was the real 'Mandarin,' and this guy was just a decoy, huh? Wait... Kagura, did you already know this? You did this on purpose, didn't you?"
"Huh? What? No way! I didn't do it on purpose!"
Kagura averted her gaze to the sky and whistled innocently. "Besides, based on the intel at the time, both Washington D.C. and Miami needed attention, right? And, Mr. Stark, you were the one who chose the Miami mission."
"Forget it. At least you weren't hurt."
Tony sighed. "Aldrich Killian... I created this enemy myself. It's my responsibility... A mistake from my younger days. I felt I should be the one to deal with him."
"You can't blame yourself for everything, Mr. Stark."
Kagura comforted him, "Someone like Killian would've turned into a villain eventually, with or without your rejection. You were just one of the catalysts."
"We all have our own lives to live. You can't take responsibility for everyone's choices."
Kagura glanced at Trevor Slattery being escorted into the special transport vehicle. "By the way, what's he being charged with?"
Tony smirked. "He claims he had no idea about Killian's plan and thought he was filming some sort of indie film. But the cops got him on 'illegal drug use,' 'unauthorized broadcast hijacking,' and 'aiding an illegal military operation.' He'll probably get thirty to fifty years."
"Wow, you really hold a grudge against him." Kagura chuckled. "Alright, don't be so mad. You're not Thor, chasing after glorious, equal battles."
"Yeah, but still..."
Tony summoned his custom Audi R8 with his phone. "It's just frustrating."
"You're not flying around in your Iron Man suit anymore?"
Kagura asked as the sleek silver sports car approached via autopilot.
"You know, when I saw my thirty-plus suits soaring through the sky, I had a sudden realization."
Tony settled into the driver's seat. "The suits, my company, my tech, my wealth... they're all just extensions of me. But in the end, only I am Iron Man."
"Wow, that's deep, Mr. Stark."
Kagura waved as he prepared to leave. "By the way, did you blow up your suits for fireworks?"
"Fireworks? No way! Each one costs millions! I'd have to be insane to do that."
Tony shook his head. "I'm going to keep improving them. Everyone needs a hobby, right? Anyway, stay safe on your way home."
"Got it. Safe travels."
Kagura nodded.
[Mission: Assist Tony Stark in Defeating the Mandarin - Completed]
[+20 QP Earned]
[Core Upgrade Progress Increased]
[Automaton Core Level: Lv.3]
[Core Upgrade Progress: 200/300]
[Sub-Core Overload Module Activated]
[Sub-Core Overload Module: Spend 10 QP to instantly recharge the Sub-Core to 100%]
———————————————————————
[New Core Skill Unlocked]
[Consciousness Dive / 10 QP: Invade any electronic device or network system with sufficient capacity]
[New Mission]
[Eradicate Hydra Forces Embedded Within S.H.I.E.L.D. / 20 QP]
With the Mandarin's arrest, Kagura's mission was complete.
Her automaton core leveled up again, unlocking a new feature.
The [Sub-Core Overload Module] allowed her to recharge the sub-core instantly by spending QP.
'Ah... As expected, everything in life revolves around pay-to-win mechanics.' Kagura thought to herself, realizing she needed to save at least 10 QP for emergencies.
Currently, she had 25 QP left. The new skill [Consciousness Dive] seemed incredibly powerful, like an advanced-level hacking ability. It was definitely worth unlocking.
[Consciousness Dive: Skill Activated]
[Remaining QP: 15]
Yosh!
Next up...
Kagura turned her attention to the new mission:
[Eradicate Hydra Forces Embedded Within S.H.I.E.L.D]
Heh, finally, they're pushing me to clean up those Hydra rats inside S.H.I.E.L.D, huh?
Kagura smirked. Fine. It's about time.
———————————————————————
— New York, High-Security Interrogation Room
All personnel in the area had been knocked unconscious by an unknown assailant.
A masked figure sat on a chair, facing the bewildered actor, Trevor Slattery.
"Trevor Slattery. Actor. Clown. Utter fool."
The masked man spoke coldly. "Do you know why I'm here?"
"Because... you're a fan of mine?"
Trevor slipped back into his Mandarin persona. "You'll never know when... I will strike!"
"Enough!"
The masked man raised a pistol to Trevor's forehead.
"I don't want to die! Don't shoot!"
Trevor pleaded, though his face remained oddly calm. "Listen, I... don't want... to die."
"I won't kill you. Someone wants to meet you."
"Who? Another fan? Oh, wait, let me guess... a Mandarin fan?"
"No."
The masked man shook his head. "You used the real Master's name."