Chapter Summaries

More than two weeks later, Luke and Ina Sandra showed General Evra the Hebron 01 heavy transport helicopter and discussed Hebron Industries’ new materials. Luke also asked Evra to refer injured or disabled soldiers for Hebron’s Mechanical Limbs, leaving the company poised to test the technology and strengthen its security.

• Luke told General Evra that the Hebron 01 could lift an additional 120 tons, and Evra sent his people to inspect and test the helicopter.
• Ina Sandra explained that Hebron Industries had developed lighter, tougher, and more durable alloy materials, and Evra offered to help promote them.
• Luke watched the helicopter fly to the test range and reflected that Ina had deliberately limited its performance to preserve future upgrades and profits.
• Evra offered to introduce retiring soldiers as bodyguards, and Luke asked instead for referrals to injured or disabled soldiers who might want Mechanical Limbs.
• Luke explained that Hebron’s Mechanical Limbs could be controlled naturally and that the company had mature technology ready for testing; he planned to use them and neural-synchronization identification to improve security.

Luke planned to build an elite squad to test technology enhanced by his Fourth Talent, while Hebron Industrial Park screened candidates for the team. Snoke passed the memory assessment and was cleared as reliable for now.

• Luke considered using his Fourth Talent to turn technology into powers like magic and to develop an elite squad that could test his inventions.
• Ina recognized that Luke's ideas and inventions had driven Hebron Technology's success and quietly let him think.
• A disabled candidate named Snoke arrived at Hebron Industrial Park, where other applicants waited anxiously for their assessments.
• Luke personally oversaw Snoke's Drift Ceremony memory assessment and explained that he had to confront resurfaced memories to qualify.
• Snoke passed the assessment, and the squad's Intelligent Terra reported no harmful information in his recent memories.

Luke offered Snoke a new contract after learning that he still longed for combat and had maintained his discipline after retirement. He showed Snoke a human-machine resonance experiment and proposed that Snoke build and lead an elite squad equipped with Luke’s advanced technology.

• Luke gave Snoke laboratory-made chocolate to calm the effects of his returning memories and asked about his past and his desire to return to the battlefield.
• Snoke said he had no other purpose in life and would accept the risks of being restored to normal.
• Luke led Snoke through security checkpoints to an underground laboratory, where Snoke saw a towering mechanical creation and a test subject controlling it in sync through a Drift System.
• Luke explained that the experiment was not a way to restore Snoke’s body and reminded him of the New Contract.
• Luke offered Snoke a long-term security contract to build and lead an elite squad that would handle hidden threats, test advanced equipment, and report its performance.

Luke prepared a customized Iron Armor and new arm for Snoke, who agreed to help establish a Security Squad. A week later, Snoke tested the armor and sustained Drift Stage 4 for ten minutes, reaching the highest level achieved in testing.

• Luke offered Snoke a contract to help establish and prepare a Security Squad, and Snoke asked whether he could operate the Mechanical Creation.
• Luke showed Snoke an Iron Armor Prototype and explained that his own customized equipment, including a new arm, was still being made.
• Snoke declined a temporary backup arm and questioned whether Luke intended to equip an entire squad with such powerful armor.
• A week later, Snoke tested the Iron Armor at Luke's Lab and maintained Drift Stage 4 for ten minutes.
• A researcher explained that Snoke's performance surpassed everyone else's and that the armor would need upgrades if Snoke progressed further.

Luke pushed for Hebron to pursue aerospace research, but Ina Sandra persuaded him to wait and arrange a satellite launch through Stark Industries. He then checked on Snoke’s recovering security squad and ordered them to be ready for combat within three days.

• Luke insisted that Hebron needed to pursue an urgent aerospace experiment, while Ina Sandra warned that the company lacked the money, staff, and time to establish an Aerospace Department.
• Ina Sandra agreed to contact Stark Industries to launch Luke’s satellites while postponing a new department until she had handled current demands.
• Luke visited Snoke at Hebron’s training ground and inspected his mechanical arm and the squad’s recovery training.
• Snoke said his squad needed to regain its condition and coordinate with their equipment, and Luke set a three-day deadline for them to develop combat capability.
• Snoke told Luke that some other contracted former soldiers had joined Hebron’s Security Department after the Red Queen checked their identities.

Luke and Ina watched Tony Stark return and announce that Stark Industries would shut down its Weapons Division, prompting Ina to worry about her company's Stark shares. Tony then chose Hebron's expensive new titanium alloy for his Iron Armor and placed an order.

• Ina told Luke that Tony Stark had returned after more than two months missing, and they watched the airport coverage together.
• Tony arrived looking battered, then announced that Stark Industries would stop selling high-powered weapons and close its Weapons Division.
• Obadiah Stane rushed to contain the fallout, then became delighted when Tony revealed the Arc Reactor in his chest.
• Ina worried that her large Stark Industries holdings would lose value, but Luke argued that Tony had a plan to restore the company.
• Tony selected Hebron Industrial Technology's titanium alloy for his Iron Armor and ordered a ton after learning its high price.

Nick Fury ordered Phil Coulson to watch Tony Stark and Hebron Industrial Technology after reviewing leaked robot photographs and footage of Tony escaping captivity. Luke told Ina he had allowed the photographs to be taken because the photographer belonged to S.H.I.E.L.D., leaving Ina to consider the agency's interest in the company.

• Nick Fury showed Phil Coulson photographs of a massive robot from Hebron Industrial Technology and footage of Tony Stark escaping a desert cave in a metal suit.
• Nick Fury concluded the metal man was Tony Stark and ordered Phil to watch Stark, suspecting an insider had been involved in his kidnapping.
• Nick Fury also told Phil to keep an eye on Hebron Industrial Technology as a possible source of recruits for his planned organization.
• Ina angrily demanded that Luke upgrade Hebron's security after photographs of the robot leaked from his laboratory.
• Luke explained that he had permitted a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent to take the photographs, and Ina considered why the agency was investigating them.

Luke accepted that S.H.I.E.L.D. would notice his growth and resumed modifying his Prototype while Ina trusted him to handle the situation. Tony Stark focused on rebuilding the Mark II, while Snoke’s squad continued Iron Armor flight training at Hebron Industrial Park.

• Ina asked Luke about the intruder’s objective, and Luke reassured her that it was not their enemy for now.
• Luke returned to modifying his Prototype and accepted that contact with S.H.I.E.L.D. was inevitable.
• Tony Stark painstakingly tested and adjusted the Mark II’s energy output in his underground laboratory.
• Tony ignored Obadiah Stane’s request for help with the board and continued working through his guilt over Yinsen’s sacrifice.
• At Hebron Industrial Park, Snoke reprimanded Lack for failing to control his Iron Armor’s flight and increased his Drift training.
• Tiny suggested that Drift Stage Two should be the minimum requirement for joining the Mechanic Squad, and Lack resumed training.

Luke unlocked Concept Extraction by channeling enormous amounts of energy, causing a major power outage at Hebron Industries. His attempt to transform himself into a technological dimensional power failed, but it confirmed his long-term direction, and he planned to begin by creating a technological profession capable of rivaling mages.

• Luke realized energy was the key to unlocking Concept Extraction and drained Hebron Industries' power reserves during the process.
• Ina Sandra and Hebron Industries' staff handled the outage and its public fallout while Luke studied his changed talent panel.
• Luke's attempt to gain technological concepts, form a multiversal dimension, and ascend into a technological dimensional demon god failed because he lacked energy, technological reserves, and legend.
• Luke received fragments of the Seed of Black Nightmare, fifty Card Flip Rewards, and a large amount of Gold Coins, while the Source of Technological Concepts remained sealed.
• Luke accepted that he would have to progress gradually and planned to create a technological profession capable of rivaling mages.

Luke searched for a way to gather enough energy to start building his fortune and settled on targeting the Tesseract through Nick Fury while sending out Seeds of Black Nightmare as a backup. He watched the fallout from the Camille Incident and ordered White Queen to monitor Obadiah Stane.

• Luke decided that the Tesseract under Nick Fury's protection was his best near-term source of energy and considered joining S.H.I.E.L.D. to get close to it.
• Luke divided his Seeds of Black Nightmare into two groups and released them into this universe and another dimension he had once visited.
• Colonel James Rhodes publicly described the Raptor crash as an accident during an exercise and said the force behind the Camille Incident remained unknown.
• Luke reviewed footage of the Iron Armor and learned that Stark had purchased two tons of new titanium alloy.
• Luke told White Queen to watch Obadiah Stane and report anything unusual.

Pepper Potts struggled to understand Tony Stark’s recent changes while attending a party in his place. Ina Sandra approached her, claimed to be asking about Tony on Luke Field’s behalf, and secretly gave her a USB drive for Tony to examine.

• Pepper noticed that Tony had become quiet and reserved, and recalled seeing bullet marks on his Iron Armor.
• Ina Sandra joined Pepper on the balcony and dismissed the partygoers gathered around Obadiah Stane.
• Ina told Pepper that Luke Field had been concerned about Tony after his disappearance and had investigated.
• Ina slipped Pepper a USB drive, told her that only Tony and Pepper should know about it, and left.

Luke’s USB drive exposed Obadiah Stane’s secret weapons sales to the Ten Rings, prompting Tony Stark and Pepper Potts to identify him as a suspect. Obadiah seized Tony’s Arc Reactor and had Pepper taken away, while Luke watched the crisis unfold and prepared to act.

• Ina Sandra delivered Luke’s USB drive to Pepper Potts, who brought it to Tony Stark’s underground laboratory.
• Tony and Pepper reviewed records showing Stark Industries had secretly sold weapons to the Ten Rings and suspected Obadiah Stane.
• Obadiah entered the laboratory with armed men, paralyzed Tony with a sonic weapon, and removed his Arc Reactor.
• Obadiah ordered his men to take Pepper away and left Tony on the floor to die from his injuries.
• Phil Coulson reported Obadiah’s suspicious activity to Nick Fury, who ordered him to check whether Tony was dead.
• Ina told Luke she had delivered the drive within Obadiah’s sight, and Luke watched Pepper being held hostage near a convoy approaching Stark Industries.

Luke tested his Iron Armor after revealing that he had secretly helped Obadiah Stane through the online identity The Maker. As Obadiah prepared to flee with the Arc Reactor and Tony flew to confront him, Luke’s Mechanic Squad waited nearby to intervene without taking the kill.

• Luke told Ina Sandra that he had created The Maker identity to feed Obadiah information and technical help, then flew off in his Iron Armor to test it.
• The Maker warned Obadiah that S.H.I.E.L.D. agents were coming, prompting Obadiah to decide to flee with the Arc Reactor and seek military support.
• Tony reinserted his first-generation Arc Reactor, put on his Iron Armor, and flew to save Pepper Potts and stop Obadiah despite Phil Coulson saying S.H.I.E.L.D. agents were already on their way.
• An Iron Giant launched from beneath Stark Industrial Park, and Tony slammed into it, forcing it back toward the ground.
• Luke instructed Snoke’s Mechanic Squad to help Tony if he was in danger but not to take the kill.

Obadiah's Iron Monger overwhelmed Tony Stark on the highway until Snoke intervened in his black-and-white Mechanical Suit. Snoke disabled Iron Monger's missile with Electronic Blackout and struck back with stored kinetic energy, leaving Tony stunned as the fight continued.

• Obadiah pinned Tony beneath Iron Monger's foot and prepared to shoot him with a pulse cannon.
• Snoke fired a miniature missile that blasted Iron Monger away and gave Tony time to escape into the air.
• Obadiah launched a guided missile at Snoke, but Snoke's Electronic Blackout neutralized it.
• Iron Monger charged Snoke and struck his armor, which converted and stored the impact's kinetic energy.
• Snoke released the stored energy through a punch that staggered Iron Monger and astonished Tony.

After Snoke helped Tony Stark defeat Iron Monger, the battle drew public attention and S.H.I.E.L.D. scrutiny. At a press conference, James Rhodes struggled to deflect questions about the iron men while Tony prepared to speak and wondered who had rescued him.

• Luke’s refined TZ-92 Titanium Alloy was described as a secret material used in Snoke’s Mechanical Suit, while a lesser titanium series was sold commercially.
• S.H.I.E.L.D. agents and the military monitored Snoke’s arrival at Stark Industries, where he helped Tony defeat Iron Monger using the factory’s large Arc Reactor.
• News of the battle spread widely, and Colonel James Rhodes gave a press conference about the damage while reporters demanded to know who the iron men were.
• Phil Coulson gave Tony documents and a prepared statement to explain his absence, but Tony asked about the iron man who had helped him.
• Pepper sent Tony to the podium, and Tony discarded Coulson’s script instead of agreeing to read it.

After revealing his identity as Iron Man, Tony Stark reviewed the battle footage and analyzed the Black and White Mechanical Armor. He concluded that its technology and combat system rivaled or surpassed his own, and resolved to upgrade Mark Armor and J.A.R.V.I.S.

• Tony Stark returned to his California villa and asked J.A.R.V.I.S. to review Mark II and the Black and White Mechanical Armor, while discarding Iron Monger's data.
• J.A.R.V.I.S. failed to break down the Black and White Mechanical Armor, so Tony examined enhanced battle footage instead.
• Tony and J.A.R.V.I.S. identified an unknown energy barrier that stopped a missile and observed the armor withstand Iron Monger's punch before striking back.
• Tony compared the armor with Iron Monger and Mark II, noting its superior materials, shock absorption, agility, and responsive control system.
• Tony rejected defeat and vowed to improve Mark Armor and J.A.R.V.I.S. so he could surpass the unknown armor.

Mako Mori explained to Hermann Gottlieb that Newton Geiszler’s manic research fit a dangerous pattern affecting scientists worldwide, and the soldiers took Newton and his work into supervised custody. Elsewhere, Luke discovered that his Seeds of Black Nightmare were driving scientists to produce knowledge that returned to him after their deaths, giving him a small taste of a Dimensional Demon God’s power.

• Mako Mori sedated Newton Geiszler and had soldiers remove him and secure his research materials.
• Mako Mori told Hermann Gottlieb that scientists experiencing Inspiration Outburst Syndrome had become dangerously exhausted, volatile, and driven to research, prompting authorities to supervise them.
• Hermann Gottlieb revealed that Newton Geiszler was planning a Dyson Sphere to put clothes on the sun.
• A Seed of Black Nightmare entered the Supreme Intelligence through its mental connection with Korath in the Kree Empire.
• Luke traced the new technologies appearing in his System Panel to his Seeds of Black Nightmare and realized that infected hosts’ knowledge returned to him after death.

Luke considered how the Seed of Black Nightmare could steadily gather energy and concluded that this universe’s civilization rankings were distorted by its emphasis on individual power. At a gathering of military officials and arms manufacturers, Justin Hammer discussed Stark’s move into clean energy as a general asked whether Hammer’s company could produce Iron Armor.

• Luke assessed the Seed of Black Nightmare’s ability to collect energy from knowledge and inventions, while noting that its numbers were limited and the Source of Technological Concepts remained sealed.
• Luke concluded that civilizations in this universe were judged largely by individual combat power, which warped technological development and undermined their ability to maintain cosmic order.
• Luke decided that he would try to correct the universe’s distorted civilization system if he had the opportunity.
• Justin Hammer greeted attendees at a military and arms-industry gathering and joined his acquaintances.
• A general remarked that Stark was absent, and a Senator and another Senator discussed Stark’s shift toward clean energy and his new tower in New York.
• Justin Hammer praised Tony’s new career, and the general said he wanted Iron Armor and asked whether Hammer’s company was developing it.

Justin Hammer pushed his researchers to prepare an Iron Armor prototype for a military test, while Tony Stark confronted Luke at a reception to thank him and seek advanced materials. Luke refused to sell, and Tony proposed a joint new-energy company with Hebron’s purchasing rights as part of the deal.

• Justin Hammer told military officials that his Iron Armor research was nearing integrated testing and asked about the other armored fighters.
• Justin Hammer ordered his researchers to make the armor move and perform test actions within ten days, despite their unresolved energy-system problem.
• Tony Stark found Luke at a Hebron Industries reception and said he knew Luke had helped save him.
• Tony thanked Luke, asked to buy better materials, and offered to start a new-energy company together after Luke refused to sell.

Luke Field and Tony Stark discussed energy cooperation, but Luke left the business negotiations to Ina Sandra and Pepper Potts and rejected Tony’s offer to exchange Iron Armor technology. After receiving a message, Luke hurried away to deal with another unexpected visitor.

• Tony Stark proposed energy cooperation with Luke Field, who questioned whether Stark had Pepper Potts’s and the board’s support.
• Luke pointed out that he and Tony could not settle the business terms themselves and left those discussions to Ina Sandra and Pepper Potts.
• Luke told Ina that he had refused Tony’s request to exchange Iron Armor technology until Tony’s technology caught up with his.
• Luke received a message about another uninvited guest, left the gathering with two of Snoke’s people, and reassured Ina that he could handle the trouble alone.