Sure enough, Obadiah had recruited some people to repair the MK1 and make a few improvements. It was now called the Iron Monger.
Actually, Obadiah had not recruited any scientists. The people working for him thought the armor's repairs and upgrades were still Tony's orders.
Tony's years of neglecting the company meant that Obadiah had essentially sidelined him, turning him into nothing more than the company mascot.
The old bastard had been issuing orders in Tony's name for quite some time.
But Tony understood now.
After their second meeting that night, Obadiah went all in and told Tony about his entire journey of thought. He wanted more money. He wanted to deal in weapons. Someone overseas had offered him terms.
The new energy business brought in money too slowly. He and his sixty-four mistresses could not wait!
There was another key factor: before Tony returned, he had already accepted a deposit from the Ten Rings and needed to smuggle out a large shipment of weapons.
But Tony's unexpected return had come with the announcement that the weapons division was shutting down, leaving the goods stuck in a New York warehouse and unable to be shipped.
The client was in a hurry for their merchandise, but Obadiah could not deliver. The Ten Rings did not care. No goods meant they would kill his entire family.
Obadiah had been driven mad by the pressure and could only make the decision he had now made.
Tony sighed. What was there even to say? If he had merely sold weapons, perhaps there might have been room for leniency. But selling them to an international terrorist organization? No chance.
They had to fight.
So he and Iron Monger began fighting on the spot, battling from the outskirts into the city, then from the ground into