Time slipped by slowly, and three days had passed since the grand opening ceremony of the Hero Academy.
"Mr. Stark, please answer my question," a congressman implored.
Tony Stark, dressed in his usual polished attire, casually stood up and walked away from his seat, a nonchalant and disdainful smile on his face. His behavior was inciting frustration among the surrounding council members.
The most talked-about event lately, aside from the Hero Academy's opening, was Tony Stark's congressional debate. After publicly revealing his identity as Iron Man, Tony had been targeting criminals and terrorists with increasing frequency. Despite the current focus on mutants, Tony Stark's exploits continued to make headlines.
During the opening night of the Hero Academy, Tony had witnessed a criminal act while watching a racing game. The Energy Arc, similar to Tony's own technology, was destroyed by a figure wielding a whip charged with electricity. This incident led some congress members to demand that Tony Stark surrender the Iron Man armor and analyze its pros and cons.
"Whiplash? Now that the Hero Academy has opened, why are villains still emerging one after another?" Xu Mo lamented at home, feeling frustrated as he looked around at the empty house.
His girlfriend, Gali, had taken on a leadership role with the X-Men and was often busy with her responsibilities at the academy, leaving Xu Mo alone.
Fortunately, another girlfriend called him, inviting him to Comic Con.
"Gali is going to Comic Con?" Xu Mo asked.
"Is there going to be food?" Gali inquired.
"There should be; after all, food is usually sold at such events."
"Then I'm coming too."
Gali joined Xu Mo as they headed towards the center of Manhattan. Xu Mo was surprised to find that Comic Con was organized by his own company, a response to fan demand.
In Manhattan's center, the Marvel Anime Fair was bustling with activity. The area, which had been a battleground of sorts during a recent event, had been quickly restored, thanks to an infrastructure company run by a Chinese firm.
When Xu Mo and Gali arrived, they were greeted by crowds. As they parked and approached the exhibition hall, they saw a variety of cosplayers in elaborate costumes.
Inside the exhibition hall, the areas were organized by comic themes. However, some comic donations were insufficient, leaving several comics still in high demand.
"Xu Mo!" A familiar, cheerful voice called out, followed by a soft embrace.
"Gwen, how did you find me?" Xu Mo asked, using a minor illusion spell to blend into the crowd.
Gwen, wearing a silver-gray shirt and black stockings, looked radiant. Xu Mo slid a hand around her slender waist, leaning in to kiss her ear. Her fair skin flushed pink, and despite her initial resistance, she melted into the moment.
"Ah, so many people!" Gwen exclaimed, embarrassed by Xu Mo's public display of affection. "Even Americans wouldn't do this in public."
"No one seems to mind," Xu Mo smirked. His mind wandered to how he'd make it up to Gwen later that night.
Gwen gave him a playful scowl, took his arm, and urged him, "The tickets for this event are ridiculously expensive. Let's go!"
"Let's," Xu Mo agreed.
"I saw Gali earlier; where did she go?"
"She's fine; as long as she's not causing trouble. Let's find some food."
Xu Mo and Gwen entered the exhibition, having acquired tickets from Uncle Andy, who worked for their company.
Comic Con was a haven for comic enthusiasts. Fans who hadn't attended such events before found themselves mingling with like-minded individuals. The atmosphere was vibrant and full of energy.
One of the highlights was the cosplayers, where it was always a surprise whether the person in the costume was male or female. The excitement led to some humorous reactions from fans.
"You're a man?"
"Yes."
"I don't believe it!"
"Don't believe me? Feel for yourself."
Amidst the chaos, a heavyset otaku was seen crying in front of a cosplayer, unable to believe that the character he admired was portrayed by a man.
As the evening deepened, excitement continued to build. Then, someone pointed at the night sky with glee, shouting, "Look, it's Iron Man!"
Everyone looked up to see a dazzling light streaking across the sky, but their joy was short-lived as they noticed rows of fire exploding from Iron Man's armor, heading straight towards them. The situation was about to take a dramatic turn.