Temporary Farewell

Jiang Rui had never really understood the combat power of the technology path, though he knew its potential was certainly no less than that of the mysterious side.

But now, he had gained a preliminary understanding of the technology path's early-stage strength.

A single punch from Iron Monger carried an impact force of at least several thousand kilograms, perhaps even over ten thousand.

What did that mean?

An ordinary person's punch was roughly 150 to 200 kilograms, while a professional boxer's full-force blow was 200 to 300 kilograms!

An ordinary person's full attributes hovered around 1 point.

The upper limit of all attributes for a Sequence 9 was 5.

Iron Monger's punch was equivalent to a supernatural being with at least 20 points of Strength striking with full force!

Just in terms of strength, what kind of absurd bonus was that?!

Tony Stark's voice was heavy and gritted. He had only just recovered from the dizzying concussion.

"Do you have a way to kill the bastard inside directly?"

Jiang Rui pondered for a while, only to realize sadly that he really had no skills targeting the mind or soul, nor any similar attack methods.

Were his methods still too limited?

No, that was not quite right. Diverse abilities certainly had unparalleled advantages in coordination and in handling various situations.

But there were clearly even more powerful people who broke techniques with sheer force and focused on deeply developing a single ability.

The main issue was that his abilities were still too low-level...

Still couldn't break through its defense... Jiang Rui was somewhat troubled as he answered.

"No."

Iron Monger charged again. Every step seemed capable of shaking the earth. As its shining silver iron fist came hurtling toward him, missile launchers extended from its back.

Three tracking missiles shot out and flew toward Iron Man.

Probably because of the rocket thrusters on its back, it was incredibly fast!

Facing the enemy's direct charge, lightning flashed at the corners of Jiang Rui's eyes. Crackling electricity wrapped around his body as he prepared to take the attack head-on and give it something big in return.

Tony Stark was not so fortunate. The lasers in his hands detonated two missiles separately, but the third still caught up and struck him, sending him plummeting from the sky amid the explosion.

"I can hold it down. You can make its reactor explode, right?"

"Damn it, that would require overloading the reactor, or hitting it with a high-energy attack to detonate it!"

Tony Stark climbed up from the ground. His new armor had become fragmented once more.

While dodging the missile attacks, he had not seen Jiang Rui get flattened by a punch before returning to human form.

Lightning gleamed across Iron Monger's massive body, drilling madly through tiny gaps and into the armor.

Mixed faintly within was Bald Uncle's incredulous cry.

"What the hell are you?!"

A Slime, a Slime. Physical attack immunity, get it? Jiang Rui instinctively grumbled inwardly.

He glanced at the rather helpless Tony Stark and sighed.

This Iron Man had to be fake.

Although he knew Tony Stark would definitely... probably be able to wear down that big idiot in the end, he had no interest in staying here to watch him get beaten up...

Seriously, running out of magic power was awful for a monster!

He raised an arm helplessly and softly chanted, "ζ..."

The clear voice drifted past Tony Stark's ears, past Obadiah Stane's ears, and continued spreading outward...

The crowd frantically fleeing nearby suddenly slowed their steps. The police officers driving toward the scene, Agent Phil Coulson sprinting at full speed...

As well as everyone moving about within a kilometer of the area...

All had the same thought arise in their minds.

It sounded so beautiful.

Devotion, sorrow, rage.

Tony Stark's protective visor suddenly blurred. He opened his faceplate and touched it.

Was it raining?

"Is it raining?"

It had not rained when Ruksinth prayed back then, had it?

Jiang Rui was also stunned. The magic power inside him drained wildly, and weakness gradually replaced all other sensations. Only then did he realize—

Could abilities affect each other because his talent was water?

It was raining. Obadiah Stane had just realized it as well when he saw the increasingly heavy rain form a curtain of water in an instant.

It surged toward him like a roaring dragon!

At the same time, lightning flashed across the sky. As dark clouds collided, violent energy filled the air with an aura of destruction.

Jiang Rui gently lowered his raised hand and murmured.

"Witness a real lightning strike."

At that moment, the lightning storm was complete!

A bolt of lightning as thick as a water barrel descended with the force to destroy everything, blasting into Iron Monger, which had been submerged behind the watery curtain.

Moments later, nothing remained on the ground but a heap of scorched scrap metal.

The dark clouds dispersed slowly after less than five minutes. People who had hurried to shelter from the rain watched the barrel-thick lightning vanish into the distance and silently remarked that it had been a strange, hurried rain. Hopefully, no fires had started there because of the lightning strike.

Jiang Rui went limp all over, wishing he could curl into a ball on a bed and fall into a deep sleep right then.

"Mission complete"

"C-rank target Iron Monger Obadiah Stane has been killed."

"Please prepare for teleportation within 24 hours--"

"Are you okay, Rimuru?" Tony Stark hurriedly flew over and caught the swaying girl.

Jiang Rui shook his head, looking pitiful and aggrieved. "It's all because you were too weak. I'm hungry. Treat me to food!"

"Uh—"

Damn Tony Stark.

Jiang Rui viciously bit into the burrito in his hand.

I worked that hard, and this is what you treat me to?!

Forget it. Considering that S.H.I.E.L.D. took him away as soon as everything was over, he would forgive him.

With the matter resolved, Stark Industries would become the biggest winner!

Jiang Rui sat in the living room, looking conflicted.

It would go international, and its stock would skyrocket!

Rand Corporation had made a fortune!

But what did that have to do with him?

He suddenly felt a toothache, and the food in his hand no longer tasted good.

He was about to return!

He had been so close to becoming one of those evil capitalists...

Damn it.

When he returned to the real world, he would probably...

Still be broke, right?

He felt a little sorry for himself...

Of course, money was not the shallow thing affecting Jiang Rui's mood.

Though there was a tiny bit of that, the more important reason was a far more complicated feeling.

What exactly was the real world like?

Compared to the Marvel universe, a world Jiang Rui knew well, the unknowns of the real world made him uneasy.

Collisions between supernatural organizations?

Conflicts between nations?

What exactly was Supernatural Paradise?

And what had caused him to cross over here?

All kinds of questions swirled in his mind. He could not take transmigration for granted like other transmigrators. He always felt like a drowning man who had desperately grasped a rope and earned a brief chance to breathe.

But was that rope truly a rope, or a venomous snake?

And at the other end of that rope, was there a good person or a criminal...

Life really was difficult.

Thinking of this, he sighed again.

Those were distant concerns. Jiang Rui merely thought about them before setting them aside for now without dwelling too much on them. But the coming farewell added a trace of heaviness to his already troubled mood.

He had only just managed to get on good terms with his golden thigh.

He sighed.

And now he was about to leave just like that.

But that made sense. He did not truly belong here.

Jiang Rui turned on the television and watched Tony Stark's figure on the screen, quietly waiting—

"I am Iron Man!"

As Tony Stark made his declaration, Jiang Rui smiled and nodded.

Goodbye, Iron Man.

In the vast living room, a letter rested quietly on the table.