Seated on the plane, Sean browsed the latest headlines, deeply curious about whether the "Mandarin" truly existed in this world.
In the original timeline, the evil leader of the Ten Rings, the "Mandarin," had merely been a puppet pulling strings, a fabricated false persona. His true identity had been that of a down-and-out English actor who loved Shakespeare and a life of luxury, put on display as a decoy to draw attention.
Yet as Iron Man's arch-enemy, the Mandarin had indeed existed—for real, in some unknown parallel world. He had gone by many aliases and possessed an extraordinarily long lifespan. Born in the distant East, he claimed to be a descendant of Genghis Khan. Much like Tony Stark, he had become wealthier than nations while still young. With a brilliant mind and immense financial resources, he pursued the legendary secret of immortality.
It was said that he possessed ten miraculous rings with different powers and was proficient in ancient mystical arts. He had repeatedly placed Iron Man in peril and was an exceptionally terrifying supervillain.
"Interesting."
Sean stared at the Ten Rings emblem frozen on the computer screen, ten rings linked into a circle. The symbol was hardly unfamiliar to him. Long ago, before Tony had become Iron Man, Stark Industries' former chief executive, Obadiah Stane, had collaborated with Afghan warlords, plotting to kill the playboy and seize the Stark family's military-industrial empire.
Those people had been the ones who kidnapped Tony Stark, and the warlord leading them had also been a member of the Ten Rings. Iron Man had originally destroyed their stronghold, yet now the terrorist organization had risen from the ashes, with a new leader at its helm.
"Tony, is this you paying for the mistakes you made back then?"
A faint smile curled Sean's lips. Perhaps