Stark extended an arm and said coldly.
"JARVIS, activate the Armor Platform."
JARVIS responded immediately, fitting a steel gauntlet onto Stark's outstretched arm.
Flexing his fingers, Stark slowly walked toward Rogers. Carter stepped forward and stood in front of him.
"Tony..."
Nick Fury stood nearby too, wanting to intervene but not knowing what to say.
Moving Carter aside, Stark stood before Rogers, energy already gathering in his armored palm.
Yet Rogers did not retreat at his approach. He still faced Stark with a resolute expression.
The standoff lasted a minute.
"Sigh."
The energy in his palm faded. Stark patted Rogers on the shoulder with his unarmored hand and said.
"In my father's notes, you were a good friend of his. He wrote a lot about you. I know who you are. You were framed by Hydra, nothing more. You're a victim through and through. Blaming you for this would be far too cruel."
The man who had killed his father stood right before him, but he had not acted of his own free will.
Being forced to kill a good friend would leave anyone with unbearable pain.
Stark understood the circumstances, which was why he lowered his armored hand and let the energy dissipate.
"You... you don't blame me?"
Rogers was astonished. He had come fully prepared to die.
If Stark killed him over this, Rogers would not have held the slightest resentment. Even if he had been controlled, he was still the one who had killed them.
He truly had not expected Stark to forgive him just like that.
"There's an old saying in Great Xia: 'It wasn't me, it was the weapon.' You're a victim, the 'weapon' in Hydra's hands. How could I overlook them and blame you instead?"
Stark smiled and patted his shoulder.
"Don't let it