"I've never seen the Captain look so helpless. He could barely hold his shield."
"The Golden Armor God of War really is the President of the Eye Society. That lecture cut them to the bone."
"Tony and Steve: We have standards. We don't play dirty. We deserve to be heroes more than you do. Golden Armor God of War: Where are those standards? Show me."
"Damn, that hit where it hurt!"
"As of today, the Avengers Alliance is second-rate in my book."
"Second-rate? Even third-rate is generous. They don't measure up to one of the Golden Armor God of War's fingers."
"When the Golden Armor God of War tears into people, you call him vicious. But think back. Which part of what he said wasn't true?"
"The truth hurts most of all. It cuts straight to the heart."
"..."
Tony's back went rigid inside the wreckage of his armor, then quickly slumped.
He wanted to argue. He wanted to say, "I shut down the weapons division." He wanted to say, "I built Ultron, but I was trying to protect Earth." He wanted to say, "What gives you the right to judge me?"
But every word lodged in his throat like a mouthful of crushed glass. He could neither swallow it nor spit it out.
Because everything Yongye had said was true.
He had created Ultron, and all humanity had paid the price.
Wanda and Pietro's parents had died because of Stark weapons. Just moments ago, Tony had shouted with absolute conviction, "He killed my parents!" But when it was his turn, he couldn't force out a single word.
Steve stood in the middle of the street, his fingers tightening around his shield's handle again and again.
His jaw was clenched tight. His gaze shifted from Yongye's face to Tony's armor,