"Why let Ivan Vanko start his own company? Are you trying to push him out front to compete with Stark?"
Justin Hammer had always had one obsession—to surpass Stark Industries and make Hammer Industries the world's top weapons manufacturer.
"Maybe you should take a look at what's backing Stark Industries,"Nathan Hawke said calmly.
The words hit Justin like a bucket of cold water. His excitement faded instantly.
"You mean even after Obadiah's gone, someone's still supporting Stark from the shadows?"
"The military?" Justin frowned. "I've got friends in the military too."
"This time, you'll get to see what kind of backup Stark Industries really has."
Justin Hammer could tell Nathan wasn't planning to explain any further. That irritated him. He had it all planned out—Vanko's Iron Army equipped with Hammer Industries' missiles, backed by the Hawke Group's powerful media division.The hype and sales combined would send Hammer Industries' stock soaring, crushing Stark Industries underfoot.
"You've invested in Vanko Tech too," Nathan said indifferently. "Even if things don't go as planned, you won't lose much."He didn't bother mentioning that, if events followed the "original script," Justin Hammer would've ended up in prison by now.
"I think we should send a few more researchers to assist him," Justin muttered, nodding as the idea made sense to him.
"I'll drop by Vanko Tech myself," he said, getting up with sudden enthusiasm. "We'll talk later."
Scene: The superhero movie premiere.
"Wow, look at the crowd!"
"Of course—three superhero movies are premiering today."
Peter Parker and Ned, backpacks slung over their shoulders, held popcorn and soda as they headed into the theater.
"Hey, how's it going?" a sudden voice said behind them.
"Ah!" Both of them jumped.
"Hahaha, didn't mean to scare you."The Invisible Man revealed himself, grinning.
"Whoa! The Invisible Man!" Ned's eyes widened. He shoved his snacks into Peter's hands."I'm your biggest fan! Please, sign this!"He pulled a fan T-shirt and a marker out of his bag.
"Thanks, kid. What's your name?" the Invisible Man asked kindly.
"Ned. My name's Ned!"
The Invisible Man signed and added a note beneath it:"To my biggest fan — Ned."
"Thank you so much!" Ned jumped with excitement, nudging Peter.
Peter blinked, snapping out of it. "Uh, hi, Invisible Man—could I get one too?"
"Of course," he said with a smile, taking another T-shirt. "What's your name, kid?"
"Peter Parker, sir." Peter's voice was shy, almost nervous.
The Invisible Man froze mid-signature. He looked at the name again—Peter Parker.He glanced up at the innocent-looking boy in front of him.
"Kid… you said your name's Peter Parker?"
"Yes, Mr. Invisible Man. Is there something wrong?" Peter asked, a little uneasy.
"Oh, nothing." The Invisible Man smirked behind his mask.He signed again and handed it back with a mysterious tone."Hope you enjoy the movie today."
"Thank you! This is the best day ever!" Ned almost shouted, trying not to draw attention.
"Thanks, everyone," the Invisible Man said, fading from sight as he left.
"See, Peter! I told you premieres always have surprises—superhero cameos, fan perks! We met the Invisible Man! Maybe we'll see Electro or Power-Five next!" Ned beamed, gulping down the last of his soda.
Peter smiled faintly, still staring at the autograph. Underneath the signature was a message:"To the future superhero — Peter Parker."
"Could I… really become a superhero?" Peter thought, feeling a spark ignite inside him.
"Hey, guess who I just ran into?"
In the background, the Invisible Man spoke to Electro and Andrew.
"Who? You sound excited—don't tell me it's that girl from the club again," Electro teased.
"Yeah, which one?" Andrew smirked. "The blonde or the silver-haired one?"
"You two are hopeless." The Invisible Man sighed. "No, it was Peter Parker."
Both of them froze.
"I actually met him—in this world. He's still just a kid, but mark my words, he's got that spark. He's going to be a superhero someday."
"Why do you think so?" Andrew asked, genuinely curious.
"Because that's how these stories always go," the Invisible Man replied with a grin."A kid meets a superhero, gets inspired, and decides to become one. Shy, awkward, and humble—the perfect recipe for a main character."
Electro and Andrew exchanged glances.
"This world really treats superheroes like celebrities," Andrew muttered, half amused.
The premiere was a massive success, especially the finale where all the superheroes appeared together on stage—the crowd went wild.
At the post-premiere press conference, a reporter asked the question everyone was waiting for:
"What do the three of you think of Iron Man?Is he part of your superhero lineup?"
The moment the name Iron Man was mentioned, the room erupted.
Everyone knew who he was—Tony Stark, billionaire genius, playboy, CEO of Stark Industries, and the face of heroism.
The Invisible Man hesitated for a moment before responding with the company-approved line:"Besides making movies, we do what we can to help those in need.And if one day we're called to fight evil alongside Iron Man, then as defenders of justice, we'll stand united without hesitation."
The crowd erupted in applause.
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