Antigravity technology.
It was still just a fantasy in the real world, but in the Dream World, there were simply too many related technologies.
Not counting those mystical levitation techniques or the ones limited by materials, Kraft could already replicate no fewer than ten kinds of levitation technology. So Stark thinking he could seize air superiority was truly wishful thinking.
"Could you avoid hitting me in the head? Uncle Tony is getting old. Heavy metal rock is a little too stimulating for Uncle Tony."
After flipping twice through the air before steadying himself, Stark rubbed his buzzing head and flew back up to negotiate with Kraft.
"FUMO. (No problem.)"
Kraft nodded, put away the stun baton and riot shield in his hands, then pulled out a shark-shaped rocket launcher and rested it on his shoulder.
"Oh... shit!"
Seeing that vicious-looking rocket launcher and the massive shell it fired, far larger than an ordinary rocket, Tony Stark turned and ran.
As a prototype, Mark II had no weapons other than the Arc Pulse Hand Cannon. He had no intention of testing the defense of his Mark II against that terrifyingly huge shell.
"Are kids these days all this hot-tempered?"
Mark II executed a beautiful aerial side flip, dodging Kraft's fishbone rocket.
The shell that missed Stark continued soaring into the sky before suddenly exploding overhead.
"Bang!!! Crackle crackle crackle—"
The enormous golden fireworks illuminated the entire coastline, countless sparks raining down from the sky like a golden downpour.
"All right, though he likes pranks, he's still a good kid overall."
Realizing he had been played, Tony Stark shrugged and held up a hand toward Kraft, who had switched to a heavy machine gun.
"Wait! This armor of mine was only just completed, and it doesn't have any weapons on it, so..." Stark asked in a negotiating tone, "how about we exchange some fighting techniques?"
Although Kraft had KAOed him twice with that baton earlier, he had only been hit because he had been unprepared. Besides, Tony Stark had learned a little boxing from his bodyguard Happy, so he did not think he would lose to a plush doll in close combat.
Kraft thought for a moment, put away the six-barreled Gatling gun in his hand, and assumed a fighting stance.
"FUMO. (Fine.)"
"You're not using that stick from before?" Stark pointed at Botai-kun's round, pudgy hand and kindly reminded him, "Those soft little fists of yours probably don't have much power, right?"
"FUMO! (Take this!)"
Kraft offered no further explanation, and Botai-kun's voice system could not have let him explain much anyway. So he chose to charge straight in and let Tony Stark personally experience the power of the λ-Driver system.
"FUMOFUMO! (Black Tiger Steals Heart!)"
The λ-Driver system converted the pilot's emotions into a special kind of energy, attaching it to the AS and the weapons it used. After trying it a few times, Kraft discovered that shouting the names of finishing moves while attacking could effectively strengthen his emotional output. It was a little embarrassing, but no one could understand Botai-kun's language anyway.
Faced with Kraft's fierce incoming punch, Tony Stark instinctively raised both arms and crossed them in front of himself.
"Boom—!"
The soft, squishy fist struck Stark's arms with a tremendous bang.
Along with it came an enormous force far beyond Stark's expectations, passing through the iron shell of the Iron Man suit and reaching his body.
"WTF?!"
Tony Stark was completely stunned as he was sent flying. The immense strength could be explained by the plush doll's excellent performance, but what was with this destructive power?
Tony Stark glanced at the Mark II status displayed on his screen. It showed that both arms he had used to block the punch had suffered a degree of damage. That punch had been significantly stronger than the stun baton from before.
"What kind of strange technology is this?"
Usually, Tony Stark was the one pulling out all sorts of black technology and startling everyone else. Today, he finally understood how those people had felt.
Originally, he had only wanted to meet the person behind Red Queen and see whether there might be a pleasant surprise. Now, however...
"There are a few too many surprises."
Stark pulled himself together and assumed the boxing stance he had learned from Happy.
"Come on, kid! Uncle Tony is getting serious now!"
Then Kraft chased after him and beat him up mercilessly.
Tony Stark had only learned boxing from his bodyguard for a few days, yet he wanted to use it to teach Kraft a lesson. He was dreaming. Kraft might not know any martial arts, but he had fought his way through Hell's Kitchen, getting into small brawls every other day and big fights every three days with a bunch of bad boys. Teaching a half-baked amateur like Stark a lesson was effortless.
Mr. Tony Stark was feeling very depressed.
From the moment he saw Kraft's Botai-kun, this test had spiraled wildly toward farce. If he could, Stark would have ended it long ago, but if it truly ended like this, Mr. Stark would be extremely unwilling to accept it.
From beginning to end, he had been pinned down and beaten by that unknown brat controlling a ridiculous plush doll. Surrendering in such a farcical fight was something the proud Tony Stark simply could not accept.
"Sir, Miss Pepper is calling."
J.A.R.V.I.S.'s voice rang out at just the right moment, finally giving Stark an excuse.
"Wait! I need to take a call!"
Hurrying to call a halt to Kraft's pursuit, Stark eagerly answered Pepper's call.
"Hi, Little Pepper~ Did something happen at the company again?"
Pepper frowned on the other end of the line. "Are you sick, Tony?"
He had actually taken the initiative to ask about company matters. If not for the voice and tone over the phone being as familiar as ever, Pepper would have thought she had dialed the wrong number.
"...All right, my head was a little muddled just now."
Choked up by her response, Stark rolled his eyes and casually brushed the matter aside.
"So, what did you call for?"
"It's nothing important..." Pepper could hear Tony Stark's evasiveness, but she understood that if he did not want to say anything, no amount of questioning would help. "It's just that a huge firework suddenly exploded over there. Tony, are you having a party at home?"
"Oh, no, of course not," Tony Stark denied immediately. Unlike before he was kidnapped, he intended to settle down now, so he did not want Pepper to misunderstand. "I was just setting off fireworks to celebrate, to celebrate my, um, new life. Yes! That's it!"
"...All right, Tony. Whatever you're celebrating, please keep it down a little. Stark Industries' shareholders can't take any more excitement."
"OK~ Got it."
Just as Pepper was surprised at how agreeable he had become, Tony Stark had already cut off the call and shrugged at Kraft.
"You heard her too, right? We made too much of a commotion earlier, so how about we end things here for now? We can do this again another time."
Stark did not mention who had won or lost, and Kraft did not care either. He had recorded the battle footage anyway.
"FUMO. (All right.)"
Kraft nodded, then controlled Botai-kun as he flew into the sky. A beam of light suddenly shot down from the empty heavens, shining onto Botai-kun as though guiding him into that invisible aircraft.
Then Tony Stark watched that ridiculous yet powerful plush doll rapidly shrink until it vanished completely.
Before you continue