The Sun's Energy, All Within My Grasp!

"Sorry, Mr. Superman, we've already tried various types of storage batteries to solve the energy problem, and we've even considered using future battery technology that current technology hasn't perfected yet."

"Unfortunately, none of these batteries can serve as the suit's power source. Only nuclear batteries might be enough to support the Nano-Suit's massive energy consumption."

"Pity that humanity, up to now, hasn't mastered the technology to miniaturize nuclear batteries."

"That's the key to humanity's future, and every energy scientist's dream..."

Facing Peter's gaze, Dr. Selvig, also a member of the energy research team, explained cautiously, afraid that the Superman before him might take out his frustration on them for their slow progress.

But in response to Dr. Selvig's explanation, Peter remained very calm, showing no anger and saying nothing.

Instead, he turned his gaze to Tony, who was buried in the sofa drinking red wine, and asked, "Mr. Stark, don't you have any proposals to offer?"

Hearing Peter's question, Tony finally set down his glass, stood up from the sofa, and slowly walked over to Peter.

"Alright, Mr. Superman, I understand you're impatient, but scientific development requires a step-by-step approach, and energy has always been a key science limiting humanity's progress."

"Unless someone like Newton, Einstein, or Da Vinci—a genius who can propel human technology forward—appears, humanity has to follow the natural laws of development."

"If the Key to the Future were that easy to come by, it wouldn't be called the Key to the Future..."

Tony, a head shorter than Peter, had to tilt his head up slightly to meet Peter's eyes.

"So, you, who claim to be humanity's most brilliant scientist, don't have a better plan either?"

Meeting Tony's gaze, Peter's face remained perfectly calm.

"No, actually, I do have a good plan."

Suddenly, a smile crept onto Tony's face. He glanced over Peter and continued.

"I hear they say you can absorb solar energy into yourself, which is how you gained such powerful abilities."

"So, you yourself are actually a more powerful energy source than any battery..."

At that point, Tony stopped.

But everyone present, including Peter, understood the so-called plan he was proposing: having Peter act as the suit's own "Power Bank."

"Tony, you..."

The moment Tony finished, everyone present couldn't help but break out in a cold sweat for him, their expressions tense.

Someone had already suggested this plan before, but it had been unanimously rejected.

The reason was simple.

"If I could handle it myself, what would I need you for?"

Seeing Peter's eyes starting to glow red, Reed hurriedly stepped between them.

Facing Peter, he pleaded carefully, "Mr. Superman, please give us a little more time. We're sure we can find a way to solve the energy problem."

"Fine, I'll give you a little more time then."

The red glow in his eyes faded. Peter left those words and turned to walk away.

"Almost forgot to mention, the food I brought this time should last you three days."

"But I'm busy next week, so I probably won't have time to bring you supplies. Hope you ration it well and make it through the week."

As he walked out of the lab, Peter said this without looking back.

"Only a week? Isn't that too short..."

Everyone present was smart enough to catch the threat in his words. One week was their deadline to solve the energy problem.

In an instant, all their faces turned grim.

"Oh, and one more thing. I came in a hurry today and didn't bring fuel for the generators, so if you use it sparingly, it should... keep the base running for about... three or four days."

"Too bad I don't have brains as sharp as yours, or I could calculate the time more precisely. But you're all very smart, so I'm sure you'll find a solution, right?"

Peter suddenly turned back to look at them, his tone full of regret.

After saying that, he turned and prepared to leave.

"Three days? How is that even possible..."

Hearing this, the already grim faces of everyone present turned even more bitter.

The energy problem had plagued all of human civilization for decades. Giving them only three days to solve it was impossible.

Watching Peter's figure about to disappear down the hallway, looking at the people around him—colleagues for a few days, not quite friends, but familiar "cellmates" now—

Tony, whose face had been full of hesitation, finally made his decision.

Just as Peter's figure was about to vanish at the end of the corridor, Tony suddenly spoke up. "Alright, you win."

"I've actually already solved the energy problem."

Inside the Antarctic "research base," in the Energy Laboratory.

A figure was busy at work.

As for the others, they had all been kicked out and were standing in the lab's hallway, peering in through the glass window.

"Mr. Superman, we really don't know when Mr. Stark solved the energy problem—he never told us."

Outside, Selvig was still explaining to Peter.

In truth, they genuinely had no idea when or how Tony had resolved the energy issue.

"I understand. Just watch closely."

Peter's gaze never left the figure in the lab.

He watched the practiced movements, the way Tony arranged and assembled various materials and equipment in an orderly fashion.

"Tony Stark, the absolute genius of the Marvel Universe, the man Thanos acknowledged as cursed by knowledge."

"Once, in a crude cave, he created a new clean energy source that could lift humanity into flight—the Miniaturized Arc Reactor."

Recalling Tony's original fate, Peter had no doubt that if he could succeed in a shabby cave, he absolutely couldn't fail in a lab with relatively complete equipment.

"Is that... a miniaturized arc reactor? He actually..."

Sure enough, the moment Tony assembled all the materials into a palm-sized circular reactor in the lab, everyone present—whether they understood energy science or not—wore expressions of utter shock.

Even Reed Richards, who considered himself humanity's most brilliant scientist, was equally stunned.

At that moment, Tony was undoubtedly like a god illuminating the world with light.

As Tony inserted the Palladium element into the completed arc reactor and connected it to the nearby power supply, ready to ignite the reactor, everyone held their breath.

They waited in eager anticipation for the moment that would be etched into history.

The moment Tony activated the power himself, electricity surged instantly toward the dim arc reactor.

Hum... hum... hum!

The sound of current flowing accelerated, and the arc reactor began to flicker rapidly, from slow to fast.

Finally!

The sound of electricity vanished completely, and on the table, an arc reactor gleaming with silvery-white light, shining like the sun, appeared before everyone's eyes.

"I admit it—I really am the kind of genius who can lead human civilization to soar!"

It wasn't until Tony walked out of the lab with the successful arc reactor and handed it to Peter that everyone finally snapped back to reality, though their eyes never left the reactor in Peter's hand.

"The power of the sun, in the palm of my hand!"