Fifteen minutes remained on the countdown.
There were fifteen minutes left until Tony Stark held another press conference.
For once, Tony wasn't late.
He had arrived early, ready to develop the energy industry around the Arc Reactor.
He had also found a way to contact Ivan Vanko and ask for his opinion on the reactor.
As for how he had contacted Ivan Vanko...
That wasn't important. After all, if Obadiah Stane could contact Dr. Gero's forces, Tony could too.
Ivan Vanko's response was that Tony could do whatever he wanted. He didn't care.
Patent laws and the like had no authority over Ivan Vanko anyway.
What he pursued now was machinery!
Of course, Tony wasn't going to claim all the credit. After all, he had seen the finished product Ivan Vanko had unveiled first.
After Tony entered the venue, he found that the caliber of the reporters was a little lower than at the previous press conference.
Everyone was busy with work. They didn't have time to listen to someone ramble.
"I thought we wouldn't get any reporters today. I didn't expect so many of our friends in the press to show up," Tony said by way of an opening.
Naturally, he was joking about no reporters showing up.
No matter how far Stark Industries had fallen, closing its weapons division wasn't enough to cripple it.
After all, anyone with any insight knew that what mattered most to Stark Industries were the patents in Tony Stark's head.
Tony gradually found his rhythm. "Over the past few days-or, really, for a long time now-I've been thinking about what I can bring to this world."
"Patented inventions? Or tabloid headlines?"
The audience obligingly chuckled.
"Now, I think I've finally figured it out. I can bring you the future!" Tony spread his arms