Marvel: Playing Iron Man, Falling In and Out of Love with Jinx

"Steven really is as impatient as ever."

Thinking of that half-crippled uncle of convenience in his wheelchair, Duke let out a sigh.

"I just found Nedley, and he couldn't wait to jump in and steal the credit.

Do all his spies have their brains smashed in a door or something?"

"What… is that?"

Nedley had come to the window, and what he saw left him visibly stunned.

Outside the inn, Pride was caught in a massive net, struggling against the electrified mesh.

"A living mechanical creature?" he gasped.

"That's impossible!"

"My uncle once told me, only a god could breathe life into a machine. A human couldn't possibly create something with a soul of its own!"

"That's my creation. What do you think?"

Duke stepped aside so Nedley could get a clearer view.

The boy stared, entranced, mumbling to himself:

"It's beautiful… he's so beautiful."

"A pinnacle of mechanical life. If I had created something like this, I'd trade everything I have for it."

"Some chasms just can't be crossed," Duke said, nudging Nedley aside. "Like the one between you and me.

Now watch, let me show you his true power."

"True power?"

Nedley echoed his words as Duke gave a sharp whistle.

Still thrashing within the net, Pride turned at the sound, locking eyes with Duke at the window.

"Go," Duke commanded.

The spy captain under Steven's command remained unfazed, signaling with hand gestures.

"Trap him down. I'll deal with the boy, capture the target!"

"Yes, sir!"

Weapons were drawn in unison. The Ferros family's tech was ten years ahead of Piltover's, and the weapons they carried were more advanced than anything currently on the market, some still conceptual.

Vishra Alchemical Ethylene Flamethrowers, capable of unleashing over a meter of focused flame hot enough to incinerate a man in seconds.

Clockwork Pulse Blade Rifles, effective both at range and in melee. The blades could launch electrically charged projectiles.

Cryogenic Alchemy Rifles, which fired chilling fog with freezing properties.

These weapons were inspired by Hextech but predated full-scale Hex Core development.

And yet, even this terrifying arsenal paled in comparison to Duke's technology, which outclassed Ferros' advancements by at least fifty years.

As soon as Duke gave the command, Pride's roaring ceased. His hunched body steadied, and the blue light in his eyes began to shift, turning red, deep and violent.

Once his pupils fully flared crimson, faint sparks flickered from his hollow fingertips.

The spy captain sneered.

"Those tiny sparks? What's he gonna do with that, light a cigar?"

Shhhh!

Suddenly, jets of concentrated flame burst from Pride's fingers,

not just sparks, but cutting torches like industrial-grade flame jets.

Fwoosh! Fwoosh! Fwoosh!

Streaks of fire bloomed in the air, bursting like crimson lotuses.

The electrified net was sliced apart effortlessly by Pride's flaming claws.

Duke grinned as he watched and nudged the awestruck Nedley beside him.

"Do you know the biggest flaw of metal claws?"

"What…?"

"They wear down. They dull. They oxidize.

No matter what metal you use, constant battle takes its toll.

To keep them sharp, you need constant maintenance, care, polishing, over and over."

"But flame claws?" Duke raised a finger.

"Flame claws are different. Their cutting force depends on temperature alone.

At high enough heat, even reinforced steel plates get shredded like paper."

Nedley's throat bobbed, and he swallowed hard.

"Then… that's a pure combat weapon?"

"My intent with Pride was never to make a simple ride," Duke said. "He's a weapon, nothing less."

"And he's not the only one. I have six more just like him."

"Six… more?!"

Nedley's eyes widened in disbelief. He started counting on his fingers, trembling as he glanced at Pride.

Such a terrifying, elegant, and awe-inspiring creation… and there were six more?

Just how far does this boy's genius go?

"Keep watching."

Duke leaned on the windowsill and pulled out a piece of malt candy from his inventory, handing one to Nedley.

"Here. Enjoy. Don't be shy."

"Ah… o-okay."

Nedley quietly accepted it, still in a daze, while the battle continued below.

,

The spy captain's voice cracked.

"It tore through the net? That thing could fry an elephant in an instant!"

He was starting to reconsider the creature entirely.

Whatever this mechanical dragon was… it wasn't just a machine.

"Change of plan! All units, switch targets, eliminate the mechanical lifeform!"

"Yes, sir!"

Cryogunners pushed to the front line, shouldering their frost rifles.

A thick mist of icy blue gas surged toward Pride.

But instead of retreating, Pride charged.

Engines roared as his core overheated.

His body surged with energy, and a blast of frigid air erupted from his maw,

colder, sharper, stronger than anything the enemy had fired.

Crack! Crack! Crack!

The cryogunners froze on the spot, mid-trigger pull, now lifeless sculptures of ice.

WHAM!

Pride twisted and swung his tail. The frozen agents shattered into powdery shards.

ROAR!

He slammed his foot down, mouth snapping shut, only to open again in a blast of blue flame.

A searing, laser-thin stream of fire burst from his throat, whipping around in a sweeping arc as Pride spun in place.

The flame flood consumed everything in its path like an inferno made solid.

Nedley looked away. He couldn't bear to keep watching.

Most of the spies were either shattered ice statues… or charred corpses crumbling in their ashes.

"How is it?" Duke said with a proud smile.

"Beautiful, isn't it?"

To him, Pride wasn't just a machine, he was an extension of his soul.

A masterpiece built from the ground up, screw by screw, wire by wire.

This was his pride. His legacy. His weapon.

Had he brought Pride when he faced Camille, the outcome might have been completely different.

Not that he'd ever say that aloud.

With a simple tail swipe, Pride could have cracked her crystalline shield like glass.

He already surpassed her in strength, he just lacked combat intuition.

But that would change… once Pride activated his third form.

Then, and only then, would he become truly worthy of his name: Pride.

"The legends of the Ascended pale in comparison…"

Watching the frost- and flame-wielding dragon-bot below, Nedley felt his worldview begin to crumble.

So this… this was what technology could become when pushed to its ultimate limit.

"And that's just one percent of his power."

Duke clapped him on the shoulder. "There's more. Don't blink."

Outside, only three or four agents were left.

The spy captain's expression was grim, his elite team wiped out in moments.

Could such a creature really be built by human hands?

Or… had a god forged him through human tools?

"All units, prepare for close combat!"

The captain pulled off his sheaths, revealing razor-sharp leg blades.

Twin wrist daggers extended from hidden braces in his sleeves.

"Close combat?"

Duke scoffed. "No need. The fight's over. Let's go downstairs."

"But we haven't, "

Nedley started to object, but froze.

Pride had opened his mouth slightly.

As the captain lunged, Pride's body sprouted crystalline armor spikes.

CLANG!!

Steel clashed with crystal, and broke.

The captain's blade snapped clean in half, his face frozen in shock.

Pride twisted, swinging his tail,

And with it, unleashed Duke's ultimate weapon: a mounted blade cannon integrated into the tail.

Whoosh!

The tail lashed out like a coiled spring. Razor-sharp blades fanned outward and sliced clean through the last agents.

Thud. Thud. Thud…

Bodies hit the ground, cleanly bisected.

Back on the third floor, Duke turned to the stunned Nedley.

"Well? Coming?"

Snapping out of it, Nedley scrambled to gather his things.

"I-I'm coming!"

Downstairs, after Duke paid the room fee, they stepped out of the inn.

Pride turned, steam hissing from his vents, and glared at Nedley, his scarlet eyes glowing like the edge of a reaper's scythe.

But once he saw Duke, the red light vanished, replaced by a deep, serene blue.

"Father!"

Pride bounded forward like an eager child wanting praise.

Duke raised his hand, and Pride lowered his head to receive a pat.

"Good boy. My pride and joy. You did well."

Nedley looked from the gentle mechanical beast… to the field of corpses.

His scalp went numb.

How could someone pat a murder machine so calmly after what it just did?

Before he could say a word, Pride transformed back into a motorcycle.

Duke turned to him.

"By the way, Pride doesn't like anyone else riding him. So you'll need to manage on your own."

"Huh?"

Duke casually tossed a spring-powered bicycle from his inventory.

"Use this. I'll try to go slow."

A few minutes later,

Nedley pedaled madly, trying to keep up, eyes full of regret.

Why can't I ride the cool bike…

End of chapter...

To be continued...

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