This was where the Ten Rings terrorists were holding their hostages.
Tony Stark and Dr. Ho Yinsen were imprisoned here.
Poor little Tony—his chest had already been carved open by Dr. Yinsen, and an electromagnet had been implanted inside.
Watching Stark clutching a large car battery with a look of panic and confusion, his eyes already carrying a trace of determination to die rather than surrender, Roger couldn’t help but sigh inwardly.
With a flip of his hand, he took several doses of penicillin from his storage space and secretly used his telekinesis to slip them into Dr. Yinsen’s coat pocket.
When Roger watched the movie in his previous life, he had always thought the protagonist’s luck was absurdly good.
After having a fist-sized hole cut into his chest, Tony not only survived but also somehow avoided dying from infection afterward.
The medicine Roger secretly left behind was military-grade stock from Rhodey’s side—special medication reserved for officers of at least colonel rank.
Meanwhile, despite being tortured, Tony Stark still refused to compromise with the terrorists.
Roger followed the group as they escorted Tony and Yinsen out of the cave.
Looking at the countless Stark Industries weapons displayed everywhere, Tony fell silent.
Back when Roger watched the movie, one line had always left a deep impression on him.
Heroes are forged in darkness and defined through sacrifice.
Only by seeing the darkness clearly…
Only by breaking that darkness…
Only by becoming the light that illuminates the world…
Could one truly light the way for others—and for oneself.
Roger quietly slipped away from the crowd and returned to his hiding place.
After planting a permanent hypnotic suggestion into the unfortunate terrorist he had previously controlled, Roger left the area.
…
Half an hour later, Roger rode a desert motorcycle back to the site where the convoy had been ambushed.
The military was already collecting the bodies of the fallen soldiers.
“Roger! Why are you here?”
Colonel Rhodes strode toward him aggressively, suspicion written all over his face.
“Are you suspecting me, Colonel Rhodes?”
Roger removed his goggles and stared directly at him.
“A convoy of more than ten vehicles and dozens of elite soldiers couldn’t even protect one man, and you still have the nerve to question me?”
“You… you…”
“Fuck! Damn it! How could this happen?!”
Rhodes slammed his fist into a car window.
The cracked glass resembled the shattered state of his heart.
“Tony Stark isn’t dead.”
Roger spoke calmly as he put his gear back on.
“What did you say?”
“Tony’s alive?”
“Do you know where he is? Did you save him?”
Rhodes grabbed Roger’s shoulders excitedly.
Roger pushed him away and pointed toward the direction he had come from.
“I didn’t save him.”
“They had too much firepower. I never had the chance.”
“But I’m certain Tony won’t die.”
“Why are you so sure?”
Rhodes looked doubtful.
“If they wanted Tony dead, they wouldn’t have taken his body with them.”
“I still need to inform Pepper that Tony has been kidnapped.”
“As for finding where they’re hiding… I’ll leave that to you, Colonel Rhodes.”
Roger twisted the throttle.
The motorcycle roared to life.
Without waiting for a response, he sped back toward the air base.
…
Several hours later…
“Pepper… calm down.”
“Tony will be alright.”
“They kidnapped him because they want Stark’s weapons technology.”
“They need him alive.”
“You have to trust him.”
“And trust me.”
“I’ll bring Tony back safely.”
“So promise me…”
“Protect Stark Industries until he returns.”
Roger glanced through the doorway.
Yellow sand swirled through the air beneath the blazing sun as a helicopter slowly descended.
He hung up the phone and walked toward Colonel Rhodes, who had just stepped off the helicopter.
Rhodes remained silent.
He simply shook his head.
Roger wasn’t surprised.
In the movie, even after searching for three months, the military stationed at this base had never found Tony’s prison.
Trying to locate a single person in this endless desert was like searching for a needle in a haystack.
If they actually found the place…
Roger might even have to secretly help the Ten Rings hide their underground base.
He walked outside.
As Tony Stark’s good brother, Roger still intended to quietly watch over him inside the cave…
Just in case the tempering of Stark’s iron will broke before it was fully forged.
“Mr. Roger…”
“Is Mr. Stark… really still alive?”
Happy stood nervously beside Roger’s motorcycle, anxiety filling his face.
Roger patted him on the shoulder.
“Happy.”
“I have a new mission for you.”
“Tony is definitely alive.”
“But how much longer he stays alive…”
“Depends on you.”
Following Roger’s instructions, Happy quickly gathered a large amount of wilderness survival equipment from the base.
Watching Roger disappear into the desert on his motorcycle, Happy clenched his fists tightly, unable to suppress the anxiety in his heart.
…
After leaving the air base, Roger stored the motorcycle away, leapt into the air, and flew toward the Ten Rings’ hideout.
From Tony Stark’s capture until Iron Man’s birth…
Three whole months would pass.
Although the movie only showed a few brief scenes, in reality these would become the darkest and longest three months of Tony Stark’s life.
Roger had Happy prepare large quantities of survival supplies, cash, and a satellite phone.
He planned to hide somewhere near the Ten Rings’ base, making it easy to infiltrate while still having a secure place to stay.
Just moments earlier, Roger had secretly entered the cave again.
Through the surveillance cameras, he saw Dr. Yinsen giving Tony emotional guidance.
It was precisely through Yinsen’s constant encouragement that the fallen Tony Stark would gradually forge his shattered spirit into one of steel.
Watching Tony begin constructing the first Arc Reactor…
Roger nodded in satisfaction before leaving.
Acting as Stark’s invisible guardian, Roger had already begun hypnotizing the terrorists one by one, planting subconscious suggestions into their minds.
Although he possessed only one-tenth of Emma Frost’s telepathic power, completely controlling so many people was impossible.
However, it was enough to make them subconsciously regard Roger as one of their own.
With that…
Roger had effectively become the ultimate undercover infiltrator inside the enemy base.
He could come and go freely, probing every corner at will.
Dr. Yinsen had most likely already discovered the medicine Roger had secretly left.
Roger decided to visit every day, observe the situation, and quietly prepare for Tony’s escape three months later.
There were so many Stark Industries weapons stored here.
Blowing them all up would be such a waste.
Roger planned to secretly take some for himself.
If he ever encountered Erik Killmonger again…
He could always light them up and put on a fireworks show for him.
…
After Roger left…
Within the darkness and despair surrounding him, a flame called responsibility ignited inside Tony Stark.
Stark weapons had caused far too many tragedies.
He had betrayed the Stark name.
He had also betrayed the father who had never truly acknowledged him.
He had to do something.
Whether it was redemption…
Or simply easing his own conscience…
He had to escape.
He had to change the future of Stark Industries.
The flames reflected in Tony’s eyes.
Within the campfire before him…
A massive electromagnetic reactor gradually took shape in his imagination.
Listening to Yinsen’s words…
His memories collided with the dancing flames, creating sparks of inspiration.
Within only a few seconds…
The brilliant light of the reactor completely filled Tony’s mind.
Nuclear reactor…
Energy…
Steel…
Armor…
Mechs…
Robots…
One idea after another was cast into the fire…
Melted by its heat…
Then gradually forged into shape within his imagination.
An armor forged entirely of steel…
Like a guardian standing in the darkness…
Heavy.
Unyielding.
At the center of its chest…
The Arc Reactor’s light grew brighter and brighter.
Tony Stark understood.
This sudden darkness…
Was fate’s trial.
A chance to atone for all his past sins.
A turning point for his rebirth.
Though he was now a prisoner trapped in darkness…
His genius mind had already broken through the walls of his prison.
From grains of sand…
Steel is forged.
Through countless refinements…
Steel becomes unbreakable.
“It’s time for you to witness the true power of Stark.”
Tony Stark silently declared to himself.