"Who are you?"
Magneto looked vigilantly at Lucas, sharp metal fragments flying around his body, ready for combat.
"Don't get excited. I'm just here to ask you about something," Lucas replied calmly.
"Where is Sebastian Shaw's body?"
Lucas ignored the metal hovering around him and asked with indifference.
"What's your relationship with Shaw?" A beautiful blonde woman standing nearby examined Lucas curiously.
"White Queen? I'm also curious why you're here," Lucas observed the beautiful woman, identifying her as the White Queen of the Hellfire Club.
"The Sentinel robots are hunting mutants more aggressively, and the Hellfire Club can no longer protect me. I had no choice but to come here and seek refuge with Magneto," the White Queen sighed helplessly.
Magneto fixed Lucas with a severe gaze and demanded, "You ask about Shaw's body—what's your purpose?"
Lucas shook his head and replied, "It seems you're unwilling to cooperate. Nothing I can do about that!"
His eyes widened as Rinnegan's genjutsu activated instantly, causing Magneto's body to stiffen.
"Telepathy?" The White Queen stood stunned in disbelief.
She glanced at the helmet on Magneto's head and asked suspiciously, "Could it be that the helmet has been broken?"
"The helmet's function remains intact," Lucas explained, "but the ability I use is somewhat different from telepathy. Magneto, where is Shaw's body?"
Magneto obediently revealed Shaw's body's whereabouts, and Lucas turned to leave.
Just then, Sebastian Shaw requested that Lucas ask for the White Queen's contact information so he could reunite with his old team after reincarnation.
"White Queen, could you give me your contact information?" Lucas looked at her with a smile. "Shaw is coming back. He may contact you then."
"Shaw is coming back? Incredible!" The White Queen didn't believe it, but she still provided Lucas with her contact details.
Lucas didn't linger and proceeded directly to Shaw's cemetery to locate his body.
[CHAT GROUP]
Sebastian Shaw: I didn't expect that kid Eric to bury me properly. I thought he would cut me into pieces after killing me!
Howard Stark: It means that if you hadn't killed his mother, he might have been loyal to you. Any regrets?
Sebastian Shaw: A little bit!
Golden Lion Shiki: Sebastian Shaw, is that White Queen your former subordinate? I didn't expect your subordinate to follow the person who killed you after your death!
Sebastian Shaw: This is unavoidable. After all, my relationship with them was more cooperation-based. We're all members of the Hellfire Club, but my rank was slightly higher than theirs.
Tohsaka Tokiomi: I don't know of this club. What exactly does the Hellfire Club do?
Sebastian Shaw: It's an organization joined by influential figures on this planet and holds a pivotal position globally. Many mutants are members, and I was at the top. The Black King code name was also my designation in the Hellfire Club.
Gold Thief Woonan: It seems this Hellfire Club has declined now! Otherwise, how could the White Queen say the club can't protect her?
Lucas: No, the Hellfire Club hasn't declined. It's just that many ordinary humans have joined, and the Group Leader has gained considerable power.
Sebastian Shaw: Exactly! Ordinary humans and mutants now share leadership of the Hellfire Club, so in this war between humans and mutants, the Hellfire Club cannot support mutants.
Lucas: That's it! Let me tell you another secret—Magneto also joined the Hellfire Club and inherited your Black King title. But later, he discovered the Hellfire Club couldn't help him build a mutant empire, so he quit and formed his own Brotherhood of Mutants.
Sebastian Shaw: Really? It seems Eric didn't learn from me! Even if the Hellfire Club can't provide help, you shouldn't quit so easily! The Hellfire Club is a trading platform with many benefits for members.
In the outside world:
Lucas found Sebastian Shaw's tomb and skillfully reincarnated him.
In the chat group, Sebastian Shaw gratefully sent all his attributes to Lucas, including his scientific research talent and energy absorption ability.
Looking at the reincarnated Sebastian Shaw, Lucas asked curiously, "What are your plans?"
Sebastian Shaw replied, "First, I want to reclaim everything I once possessed. Beyond that depends on circumstances. After all, today's world differs greatly from when I built my mutant empire. The difficulty of realizing that dream has increased hundredfold."
Lucas shrugged. "Really? Good luck, then!"
[CHAT GROUP]
Howard Stark: Group Leader! I have a scientific research project here—I wonder if you're interested.
Lucas: What scientific research project?
Howard Stark: There's a female doctor who has developed a remarkable virus that can accelerate cell regeneration in the human body and restore functionality to physically disabled individuals. However, this virus has a defect—it can raise the body temperature when people become angry, potentially causing self-destruction if not controlled.
Senju Tobirama: Looks like this virus has significant flaws! Not only the self-destruction issue, but the temperature increase during anger seems problematic. People could get cooked alive if they're not careful.
Howard Stark: Don't worry, the situation won't occur. The temperature increase from anger won't threaten the host but will grant them heat-based abilities.
Fire Fist Ace: Like the Heat-Heat Fruit powers? I recall a Big Mom Pirates commander had similar abilities—quite powerful.
Lucas: That's right! I know this virus. If improved, it could become a formidable weapon. Also, did the female doctor who discovered it have any interaction with your son?
Howard Stark: No! The doctor only contacted us, and Tony hasn't met her yet. But knowing Tony, without my presence, something would likely have happened between them.
Uchiha Shisui: Since the Group Leader asks, in the original future, that female doctor must have had significant connections with Tony Stark.
Howard Stark: I'm curious about what you're implying. It must be something noteworthy for the Group Leader to inquire about.
Lucas: In the original future I witnessed, your son flirted with a dedicated scientist and seduce her, leaving another scientist waiting on a cold rooftop all night after Tony promise to meet him. After sleeping with her, he didn't help resolve her problems.
Howard Stark: Why didn't this unfortunate child inherit my better qualities? How disappointing.
Irisviel: The upper beam is crooked and the lower beams are crooked—stop pretending otherwise.
Howard Stark: Let's get back to business! Tony's actions must have had consequences.
Lucas: Certainly! The two people who resented him collaborated, using the flawed Extremis virus as a weapon, nearly killing Tony twenty years later.
Howard Stark: Uh... Group Leader, can you tell me about my son's future? After hearing this, I'm suddenly concerned.
Lucas: Your son? He becomes a hero, ultimately sacrificing his life to save the universe.
Kariya Matou: No way! Unbelievable! If his character is as flawed as described, how could he sacrifice himself? He doesn't even do what he should!
Lucas: Credit goes to Howard Stark, who left Tony with a good uncle—Obadiah.
Howard Stark: My partner who built Stark Industries with me. What did he do? He must have honored my trust and guided Tony correctly.
Pirate King Roger: You seem fortunate to have chosen the right person for your offspring. Unlike me, who foolishly entrusted my son to that bastard Garp.
Whitebeard: It's not so bad! Though Garp's care for Ace wasn't ideal, he didn't have bad intentions. Didn't he treat your son the same as his grandson?
Pirate King Roger: That's precisely why I call myself stupid—entrusting my son to such an eccentric man. He couldn't even raise his own grandson properly, how could he raise my son?
Lucas: I think you misunderstood something. While Tony becoming a hero relates to Obadiah, I never said he used ethical methods to guide Tony.
Howard Stark: Why do I suddenly have a bad feeling?
Lucas: Congratulations, your intuition is correct! Obadiah secretly sold Stark Industries weapons to warmongers and attempted to have Tony killed. But the warmongers recognized your son's talent and kidnapped him instead, forcing him to build weapons.
Lucas: Tony secretly created robotic armor while in captivity and escaped. However, the partner who helped him build the armor and save him died there, transforming Tony's outlook.
Howard Stark: Poor Tony—the price for his growth was steep! He must have changed after that?
Lucas: Yes! He realized the destruction his weapons caused worldwide and shut down Stark Industries' weapons division. He developed more advanced armored suits to uphold justice, becoming known as Iron Man!
Howard Stark: Iron Man? What a ridiculous name! Is steel truly strong? The name lacks sophistication.
After witnessing various abilities that treat metal as insignificant, Howard Stark had developed a distaste for steel.
Lucas: It's just a nickname—why does it matter? This world has countless superheroes and supervillains with exaggerated names. Names don't determine strength, and your son is quite powerful.
Howard Stark: Through scientific equipment? Or by developing body-enhancing drugs?
Lucas: Your son isn't particularly interested in biotechnology. He relies on external equipment. His intellect is exceptional, eventually developing nanotech-armor.
Howard Stark: Nanotech-armor? Fascinating!
Lucas: You want to study it?
Howard Stark: Absolutely! I believe I'm no less capable than my son. I want him to know his father will always be his father. With me around, he wouldn't need to invent such equipment himself.
Though Howard deeply loved his son, he wouldn't concede to anyone in scientific research—not even his own son.
Moreover, Howard didn't want Tony feeling he had surpassed his father. Would Howard lose face? Certainly not.
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