At this point, no one at the venue or anywhere else in the world could even count how many times they had held their breath, how many times they had screamed in excitement, or how many times they had been stirred to the core in just the past one or two hours.
But if AIM kept unveiling products like this, then even if they had to clap until their palms turned red, cheer until their voices gave out, or pass out on the spot from sheer excitement, they would still gladly accept it.
"AIM!"
"AIM!!"
"AIM!!!"
...
At some point, no one even knew who had started it, but the entire crowd of tens of thousands began shouting the company's name in unison.
At that moment, the name AIM was burned deep into the hearts of the public.
And the reason was simple.
Everything AIM had done up to this point, every product it had released, had benefited ordinary people.
Many people could already imagine what would happen next. Just the release of the T-Series Viral Antibody Serum alone would make countless pharmaceutical companies want AIM dead.
And now that they had unveiled controlled nuclear fusion technology, wouldn't oil-producing countries, especially those in the Middle East, want AIM to collapse even more?
And just as everyone expected, the Roxxon representative at the venue had gone completely grim the moment Lisa finished speaking.
Roxxon had grown into the giant it was precisely because it controlled vast oil extraction rights.
In the modern world, controlling energy meant controlling the lifeblood of nations. It meant holding a bottomless source of money.
And now, the oil and natural gas that had once promised them trillions upon trillions in future revenue had, in the span of a single AIM launch event, been driven straight into the abyss.
He could already imagine what would happen after the launch ended.
Roxxon's stock price was going to plummet like a disaster.
Originally, he had come under company orders to make contact with AIM and see whether the two sides could establish a friendly partnership.
Instead, before cooperation had even begun, AIM had already driven a knife straight into Roxxon's chest.
For the first time, the man truly understood how the CEOs of companies like Johnson & Johnson, Merck, and Pfizer must have felt.
With a company like this around, one capable of charging into your entire industry and turning everything upside down, no one's corporate turf was truly safe anymore.
"Heh. Mr. Jones, looks like your company's about to have a rough winter."
After glancing at the ugly look on the face of Jones, the representative from Roxxon, Justin Hammer let out a meaningful little laugh.
To be honest, the two companies had never gotten along.
Roxxon publicly branded itself as an energy company, but it had also invested heavily in weapons behind the scenes and had taken quite a few military contracts away from Hammer Industries both openly and quietly.
So now, seeing AIM smash Roxxon's core business to pieces with one swing, Justin Hammer was naturally delighted. Even the lollipop in his hand suddenly tasted sweeter.
"Heh. You don't need to worry about us, Mr. Hammer. You should focus on guarding your own territory. Otherwise one day someone's going to swallow you whole and you won't even know why."
After shooting Justin Hammer a vicious glare, Jones stood up and stormed out.
Once AIM publicly revealed the so-called controlled nuclear fusion reactor technology, he had already lost all interest in staying.
At this point, unless AIM was completely eliminated, Roxxon only had two choices left. Either transform, or keep dragging things out until the company finally died.
But before any of that, he knew one thing for certain.
No matter what, AIM absolutely could not be allowed to roll out fusion reactors too quickly.
At the very least, Roxxon needed time.
...
Meanwhile, elsewhere.
"This is unbelievable. Controlled nuclear fusion was actually built!"
At that very moment, inside the Triskelion, Nick Fury was gathered with several top-level researchers and trusted personnel, watching AIM's launch. One veteran scientist under his command had taken off his glasses, held them in one hand, and leaned in closer, trying to get a better look at the device on screen.
After staring at it for a long moment, he couldn't help letting out that stunned remark.
It was difficult for him to believe that something like this could actually exist.
But looking at AIM's livestream with its audience of tens of millions, and the launch venue packed with tens of thousands of people, every sign pointed to the same conclusion.
AIM's technology was real.
And beneath the shock, the researcher also felt a faint excitement rising in his chest. He had been with S.H.I.E.L.D. for a long time, overseeing hundreds of research projects of every size, but it had been a very long time since something this significant had stirred him like this.
"So. What do you all think?"
After pausing the video, Nick Fury spoke in his usual heavy tone. Then he looked blankly at the ceiling for a moment and rubbed his brow, trying to calm the turbulence in his mind.
"I think we should cooperate with them. Buy the technology. And if that's not possible, then at the very least we need the equipment. That way the energy problem behind that project will no longer be an issue."
After Fury spoke, another senior researcher answered immediately, his tone decisive.
The project they were overseeing had been running since 1982. Eighteen years had passed, and although most of the major problems had been solved, energy was still one of the most frustrating obstacles.
If they used a conventional nuclear reactor, then safety concerns like a possible explosion could never be fully ignored.
And now that a better option existed, no matter how they looked at it, this had to become the top choice.
"And compared to a normal nuclear reactor, the energy output of a controlled nuclear fusion reactor is four to eight times greater than what we originally planned for. If we get this, the endurance of that big guy could finally make our dream of a truly never-falling mobile fortress a reality."
Another researcher added that at once.
After all, even people outside the nuclear field understood the difference in energy output between the two. So practically everyone in the room strongly urged Fury to acquire the technology.
Even if they had to purchase the complete reactor outright.
"All right, I got it. Go back to your work for now."
"Natalia, stay."
After listening to a room full of scientists badger him nonstop for the technology, Fury felt a pounding headache coming on and could only agree for the moment. But before dismissing them, he told Natalia to remain behind.
Once the director had said that much, the scientists had no more pressure to keep pushing. One of their few remaining major problems had just gained a solution, and the rest could continue step by step as usual.
"Sir?"
After everyone else left, Natalia looked at Fury with some confusion.
"How have you been recovering?"
"Can you remember anything from what happened back then?"
Looking at the now fully recovered Natalia, Fury asked with genuine concern.
When they had first brought her back, the accompanying medical staff told him that more than a thousand cc of blood had been drawn from her body. Her face had been deathly pale, and before they even made it back to base, they had to start giving her a transfusion on the spot just to keep her alive.
At the time, Fury had nearly wanted to classify AIM as a terrorist organization and wipe it off the map.
But reason told him that was impossible.
The only thing that gave him any comfort was the hope that Natalia might have brought back some useful intelligence about AIM.
Unfortunately, when he was finally ready to question her after she woke up, he was shocked to discover that she remembered absolutely nothing about what happened after entering AIM's island.
Even a full scan with professional brainwave equipment showed no abnormalities whatsoever.
In the end, the researchers could only conclude that some highly advanced form of memory-alteration technology had probably erased that segment of her memory.
Fury had even kept Natalia from going back into the field and put her through repeated full-body examinations.
It had been over a month now, and only then had he finally allowed her to come out and watch AIM's livestream, hoping it might trigger something.
"I'm sorry, sir. I still can't remember anything."
"Honestly, if you hadn't told me about it, I wouldn't even have noticed."
After hearing Fury's question, Natalia raised a hand to her head and answered quietly.
As an intelligence operative, getting captured was already a serious matter.
But if someone had also erased her memory?
That made it even worse.
And if memory could be erased, then it raised another terrifying possibility.
Could it also be read?
Having thought of the same thing herself, Natalia had cooperated fully with every test at the base. She had even mentally prepared herself for Fury to transfer her to a desk job.
"Go back and get some rest. Don't carry too much psychological pressure over this. I'll assign you another task in a couple of days."
After hearing her answer, Fury showed no reaction on his face. He simply gave her a few more instructions, sent her out, and then remained alone in the empty office, thinking.
S.H.I.E.L.D. was powerful, yes.
But S.H.I.E.L.D. also survived by navigating between countless different forces.
Otherwise, there was no way it could have grown into one of the world's top intelligence agencies in just a few decades.
Every potential ally had to be chosen with extreme caution.
Because a S.H.I.E.L.D. ally had to possess truly formidable strength.
And now...
He had no choice but to begin seriously reevaluating the possibility of a relationship between S.H.I.E.L.D. and AIM.
...
"Mr. President, A... AIM... they did it. Controlled nuclear fusion technology."
Meanwhile, in an office at the White House, the president's secretary knocked hurriedly, received permission to enter, then opened the door with an anxious look and addressed the president, who had already turned an annoyed stare toward him.
"Hasn't nuclear technology already existed for years?"
"What's there to make such a fuss about?"
"Wait. Controlled nuclear fusion?"
"You mean the kind that won't explode even if something goes seriously wrong?"
The president, who had originally been irritated by his secretary's reckless interruption and had even begun wondering whether it was time to replace him, suddenly froze as the meaning caught up with him. Then he stared at the man and asked for confirmation.
Not long ago, experts from the Department of Energy had come to him to explain the future benefits of controlled nuclear fusion for the United States and ask for fifty million dollars in funding.
And now, while he had still been weighing the request, a private company had already developed it first?
"Yes, Mr. President."
"And it's AIM. The company backed by Senator Kennedy."
After hearing the president's question, the secretary answered immediately and carefully.
"Excellent. Get a plane ready for me. I'm flying to Florida tonight."
"I'm going to personally meet America's star company, AIM."
"And bring Senator Kennedy along too. He's done very well."
After hearing that, the president straightened his clothes and issued the order without hesitation.
Truth be told, he had already wanted to meet the person in charge of AIM during its earlier launch events, but one thing after another had delayed it.
This time, however, AIM had quietly made a move this huge.
So now he would go in person.
"Yes, sir."
The secretary offered no further comment. After responding, he turned and left to start arranging the itinerary.
A presidential trip was always extremely complicated, and with only a few hours to prepare before arriving in Florida, the federal side and the Florida side both began moving at full speed because of AIM's launch.
...
At the same time, Killian, who had been enjoying a rare quiet moment of rest in his villa, was suddenly disturbed by a shrill ring from the phone.
"Sir, incoming call from Senator Kennedy. According to data analysis, there is a ninety percent probability that the subject concerns the controlled nuclear fusion matter."
At that moment, Baymax's voice echoed through the villa.
"I know."
Killian had already expected this call.
After all, Kennedy was his ally, and he had never informed him about the controlled nuclear fusion project. Sooner or later, that phone call had been inevitable.
"Mr. Killian, congratulations. Your company has successfully broken through the technological shackles of modern humanity and mastered an absolutely cutting-edge technology."
As soon as Killian picked up, Kennedy's voice came through from the other side, exactly as expected, immediately bringing up controlled nuclear fusion.
"Haha, Senator Kennedy, what are you saying? This is our company. You own a share of it too."
"It's just that I've been swamped with work lately and haven't had time to pay much attention to the company side of things. If you don't believe me, we can video call right now. I'm still lying in bed at home."
"To be honest, I haven't really wanted to handle company business for a while now. Isn't it better to just live as an easygoing rich man like Tony Stark?"
Hearing the trace of dissatisfaction in Kennedy's tone, Killian responded with a smile.
"Is that so? Then it seems I owe you my sincere apology for being impulsive just now."
"You have to understand, at my age, I tend to care a little more about certain matters."
After hearing Killian's explanation, Kennedy on the other end sounded as if he had only just realized it and replied in a gentler, more tactful tone.
(End of Chapter)
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