In Marvel With Unique Skill Great Sage (MCU) [101]

Meanwhile, inside a sprawling Hammer Industries factory in Queens, New York...

Ivan Vanko, looking surprisingly relaxed, directed several large, burly technicians. They were busy fitting Hammer's clunky drone prototypes with new, miniaturized Arc Reactors and sophisticated remote-control systems based on Vanko's designs.

Vanko himself wasn't getting his hands dirty. He lounged comfortably on an expensive-looking sofa someone had clearly brought in just for him, casually feeding and talking to a small, colorful parrot perched on his finger. On a coffee table before him sat a laptop displaying lines of complex code his own custom AI program designed to control the drone army. The main screen showed 32 distinct unit icons, neatly organized into four squads: Navy, Army, Air Force, and Marines, with eight drones assigned to each branch.

Remarkably, these complex modifications had taken less than ten days to implement. Hammer Industries already possessed some basic armor technology, but their primary weakness had always been sophisticated software and reliable power sources. Ivan Vanko, conveniently, excelled in both fields.

Justin Hammer stood a short distance behind Vanko, observing the progress. He nervously lit a slim, almost feminine cigarette with a hand clad in a pristine white glove, a smug yet anxious expression flickering across his face.

Hammer eyed the gleaming rows of metal drones, taking a long, satisfied drag from his cigarette before exhaling a cloud of smoke. "Just deliver on these drones, Ivan. Help me secure those military contracts, maybe even get me closer to that Senate seat I've been eyeing... and trust me," he said, his voice oozing confidence, "I'll make sure you're very, very well taken care of."

"I've treated you well, haven't I?" Hammer added, sidling up closer to Vanko, his smile trying way too hard to look friendly and reassuring. "Even went to the trouble of getting your precious bird back for you."

Vanko just offered a small, humorless smile and muttered something under his breath in Russian. "'Durak,'"Idiot.

As he spoke, he casually ruffled the parrot's feathers, prompting the bird perched on his shoulder to squawk loudly in English, "'Idiot! Idiot!'"

Hammer blinked, looking confused. "Sorry, what was that? You know my Russian isn't... well, it's nonexistent. English, please?"

"I said," Vanko replied smoothly, his smile not quite reaching his eyes, "you'll get exactly what you deserve."

Of course, Vanko knew this particular parrot only squawked insults in English; it wasn't his original bird from Russia. But Hammer wouldn't know the difference. And who cared about Hammer's future promises anyway? Vanko certainly didn't. He only cared about one thing: revenge against Stark. Once that was done, nothing else mattered.

….

"Mr. Stark! Mr. Stark! Why won't this 'Sky Knight' reveal his identity? Does he have something to hide? Could he be a threat to public safety? Or is this whole thing just some kind of publicity stunt cooked up between the two of you to grab headlines?"

Caught by a persistent reporter and her camera crew right outside an event, Stark just flashed his trademark charming grin, gave a casual wave to the rolling camera, and faced the aggressive questioning without batting an eye.

"Look," he began smoothly, "regarding the... uh, 'Sky Knight,' as you call him. We're not releasing his identity because, believe it or not, even heroes have a right to privacy. A right to live their own life, just like anyone else."

He held up a finger, emphasizing his point, his tone becoming firm. "And let me be crystal clear: I, as Iron Man, personally vouch for him. He is not a threat to anyone. You all saw what happened in Monaco. He protected me. He protected everyone there. End of story."

Stark's gaze sharpened as he looked directly at the reporter. "And one more thing," he added, his voice taking on a dangerous edge beneath the smile. "For anyone out there thinking they can make a name for themselves by being edgy and attacking this guy... this Sky Knight... just to get clicks and attention..." He paused, then gave the reporter a deceptively friendly pat on the shoulder. "...take a good look at this fine journalist here. Because, darling, you're fired. And just for kicks, I think I'll buy the network you work for. Give me... oh, ten minutes?"

He then pointed past her. "Hey, camera guy!" Stark called out. "Yeah, you! Make sure this entire exchange gets aired, uncut. You do that, you're not fired. In fact, you get a promotion and a raise. Keep up the good work!"

While most public opinion was showering the mysterious Sky Knight with praise, there was always a small, vocal minority eager to stir up controversy or doubt, usually for their own gain. This reporter, however, was the first one brazen enough to confront Stark directly with such aggressive accusations.

….

"He's a pretty good friend, isn't he?"

Lemu watched Stark's interview on the massive TV in his villa living room. Beside him on the sofa, the little panda cub, Fatty, was trying to drink from its bottle. Lemu playfully snatched the bottle away, then gave it back, talking nonsense to the cub while gently teasing it.

Alice is at school... it gets so boring here alone.

He sighed inwardly. Might as well check on the progress of my future drone army.

With just a thought directed at the Great Sage, the huge TV screen flickered, the news broadcast instantly replaced by a live surveillance feed. The feed showed the interior of the Hammer Industries factory. Vanko was hunched over a computer console, fingers flying across the keyboard. Hammer hovered nearby, looking anxious. Half of Vanko's screen displayed the control interface for the 32 Hammer drones he'd retrofitted. Another icon, separate from the main group, represented Vanko's own custom-built armored suit.

Looks like they're almost done, Lemu noted with satisfaction. Perfect. Time to prepare for the harvest.

He had the Great Sage compile some key data onto a small, encrypted USB drive. Slipping it into his pocket, he headed over to Stark's place.