...
"Arcee, stay home. I'm really angry right now and need to go settle some scores. I don't want you getting hurt if you're nearby."
"Alright, remember to go easy, so you don't kill anyone."
"Of course, I promise."
After explaining things to Arcee, Leon went up to the basement level. Tony was still energetically tinkering with his Mark 4, seemingly not having slept all night.
"Good morning, Tony."
"Good morning, Leon."
"Who are you looking to cause trouble for, looking so aggressive?"
Tony put down his screwdriver, took the coffee Xiao Daidai handed him, and asked.
"Don't even mention it. You haven't seen today's headlines, have you?"
Leon's mouth twitched, letting Tony see for himself, while he opened the display case for the Iron Armor and reached for the Mark 3.
"Question: Would You like to sign in today?"
'System, I don't need to say more, do I?'
"Open!"
"Ding, today's sign-in is complete. Congratulations to the Host for obtaining 'Biological Stance'."
"Biological Stance: Superman's version, You deserve to have it. Its specific manifestation is related to the life form's quality."
"Introduction: Leave it to me, You can leave anything to me."
"Yes!"
"Brother, I love You to death!"
'System, I love You three thousand times!'
With that said.
Under Tony's puzzled gaze, Leon crashed through Tony's Mystical House's window, eagerly taking a leap of faith and plunging into the Pacific Ocean.
Then.
After a brief silence.
Leon cheered excitedly, soaring into the sky from the deep sea, creating waves dozens of meters high, and the clouds in the sky, as if understanding him, parted to make way!
This time.
His body wasn't glowing, meaning he wasn't using the Starlight Template's superpowers, yet he was still flying through the air at an extremely fast speed.
This was Biological Stance.
Besides breaking various physical laws, its greatest effect was to completely free Leon from gravity and reliance on external energy, allowing him to soar freely in the air.
However, Biological Stance and the Starlight Template's superpowers were not contradictory.
Just as.
With his speed already exceeding Mach 5 and still climbing, Leon began to glow with golden light. With a second aerial acceleration, his flight speed instantly surpassed the Mach 10 mark!
"Woohoo!"
"Flying is the highest state of enjoying freedom!"
...
New York, Manhattan, Upper East Side, a detached apartment.
Christine, who had been busy all night rushing a manuscript, was enjoying a leisurely bath in her own bathtub.
She was immersed in the milky bath, with only her head and a pair of jade feet exposed, resting on the head and foot ends of the tub, respectively.
Her beautiful golden hair was coiled into a bun, held by a purple butterfly hair clip.
Closing her eyes and humming softly, she was utterly content.
After soaking for a full hour, Christine finally got out of the bathtub, satisfied. After drying herself, she simply used a face towel to cover her two points and a line before exiting the bathroom.
After all, she was in her own home; there was nothing to be discreet about.
However.
"Ah—ugh!!!"
As soon as she exited the bathroom, Christine instinctively shrieked.
Because a man had appeared out of thin air in her home, his back to her, looking through the news manuscript she had rushed to finish last night.
But before Christine could fully scream, the man flew almost instantaneously behind her, one arm around her waist, the other covering her mouth.
"Shh~"
"Calm down, take a deep breath, Christine."
"Leon?"
As soon as Leon spoke, Christine immediately recognized him.
"It's me."
Leon withdrew his hand and turned the startled Christine to face him, but the towel she used to cover herself had fallen.
Immediately.
Everything was exposed.
"I... You... this..."
Christine was incoherent, her brain still processing the information before her eyes.
"How did You get in?"
Though in her own home, Christine asked in a hushed tone, as if with a guilty conscience.
"Of course, I used the key to open the door and come in. What else did You think?"
Leon jingled the keys in his hand, helping Christine recall that she had given them to Leon along with Gomera's photo after their last conversation.
"So—"
"How could You be so sure it was me? If You mistook someone, didn't You consider the consequences? Stark Industries' legal department isn't just for show, You should know what I'm talking about!"
Leon roughly lifted Christine, tossing her onto the living room sofa, and questioned her from above.
"The moment I got that photo, I recognized You at first glance. Does something like that even need a reason? Even if You turned to ash, I'd still recognize You."
"And..."
"Even if I did make a mistake, I wouldn't lose a piece of flesh, and I might even gain a piece."
After a brief moment of panic.
Christine quickly adapted, her face regaining its usual composure and calmness. Leaning back on the sofa, she crossed her legs, covering her key two points with one hand, and looked at Leon with confidence and charm.
"Even if that was me, why did You name him Shield Kid? S.H.I.E.L.D. Man, Superman, Man of Steel... wouldn't any of those sound better than Shield Kid?"
Leon pressed on.
The superhero nickname Shield Kid was truly ridiculous.
"Dear~"
"It's just a little play~"
Her crossed legs shifted position, her absolute domain drawing attention.
Christine bit her lip and complained, "Who told You to have such big news but not tell me in advance, making me stay up all night to rush Your manuscript?"
"Could it be... You're so stingy, You won't allow even a little bit of willfulness~"
"Stingy? Ha—"
Leon reached out and lifted Christine's chin, making her look up at him, "You just exposed my identity like that, aren't You afraid of making me angry?"
"Of course not."
"Oh?"
"You weren't planning to hide Your identity anyway. That half-helmet was no different from the towel I just used to cover myself; it was more psychological than practical."
"As long as someone with a keen eye does a facial data comparison, they'll quickly discover it's You."
"I just moved that time forward a little."
"Dear, am I right?"
Christine actively placed her chin into Leon's hand, which he was about to withdraw, and blinked her pitiful eyes at him, saying coyly.
"..."
It must be said, Christine was practically a roundworms in Leon's stomach; she had guessed almost everything he was thinking.
Leon indeed had no intention of hiding his identity from the start, and Tony had the same idea.
The two brothers had originally discussed—
Once their stock had fallen as low as it could go, they would take the opportunity to buy back as many shares as possible from those traitors on the company's board who had sided with Obadiah, and then play their trump cards.
Through the celebrity effect of superheroes, they would make Stark Industries rebound from rock bottom and come back to life.
And take the opportunity to heavily promote clean new energy technology, with the Arc Reactor as the main focus.
However, the timing wasn't too far off.
Taking advantage of Christine's assist, Leon planned to go all in and reveal his true name.
After all, he didn't want to be stuck with such a down-to-earth superhero nickname as Shield Kid.
Being too approachable wasn't good.
It didn't show off his handsomeness at all.
He had to get everything back on track before the public's impression of him as a superhero was completely solidified.
Only.
Before that.
"Christine, I'm really angry right now. Are You ready to receive my full wrath?" Leon's large hand caressed Christine's still-damp beautiful hair, like a Five Finger Mountain.
Christine looked at Leon with fear and anticipation in her eyes, and playfully said, "My King, spare my life~"