When Tony dragged that nearly scrapped Iron Armor through the frigid snow alone, he felt lost and helpless, like a traveler who had lost his way and had no idea what to do.
An unprecedented sense of loneliness washed over him. Without the Iron Armor created by cutting-edge technology, the security he felt deep down gradually vanished.
Back on the Sky Carrier, Captain America had once challenged Iron Man: without that suit of Iron Armor, what was he? At the time, Tony had proudly answered, "Genius, billionaire, playboy, philanthropist," his tone firm and carrying the Stark family's customary confidence.
But after the battle of Asgard, Tony seemed unable to find that old pride anymore. He began to doubt himself, suffered from anxiety, and could not sleep at night, sinking into nightmares.
Only inside the Iron Armor could he regain a trace of peace, allowing his fear of the future to settle.
"I never thought I'd end up like a traveler in the desert, waiting for someone else to save me."
After sending Sean a message, the billionaire Superhero wrapped himself in a thin blanket and huddled inside a phone booth outside a convenience store. This was probably a small town near Canada. Jarvis had controlled the Iron Armor and carried him all the way here until its power ran out.
He had wandered through the icy wilderness for half an hour before spotting the convenience store. Further ahead lay a remote town, with scarcely anyone visible on its streets.
Everything had happened too suddenly, catching Tony off guard. He had only managed to save Pepper before the blast knocked him unconscious.
It had all begun half a month earlier.
A terrorist organization called the Ten Rings had repeatedly appeared on television news and newspaper front pages. Its evil leader, who