If it weren't for the fact that he had just acquired the Sky Dancing Technique, Finney would've been drowning in jealousy. Even so, he couldn't help feeling a little bitter—why did he have to work so hard for what others were seemingly born with?
Skye's version of the 'Haunted Demons' armor was vastly different from Finney's. In addition to dragon-like wings, the armor was distinctly designed for a woman, covering only essential areas and offering far less protection than Finney's own. Still, Skye seemed overjoyed by the transformation. Her face was half-hidden behind the visor, but Finney could feel her excitement as she shot into the sky.
Worried that flying might exhaust her, Finney activated the Sky Dance Technique and quickly followed. Skye soared across the sky like a silver meteor, shouting in exhilaration as she passed by Finney. "Finney! This armor is amazing!"
Of course it is, Finney thought to himself with a roll of his eyes. Who would know better than him how powerful the 'Haunted Demons' armor was? But seeing her so thrilled, he didn't say much.
Despite the armor's strength, it was physically taxing. Skye had only managed to wear it thanks to the enhancements from the 'Golden Great Evolution.' Even so, after just a few minutes of flight, she was completely spent. She crash-landed, automatically disengaging the armor.
Though too weak to even stand, Skye looked absolutely elated. "Finney, how fast was I just now? Faster than a plane?"
Finney couldn't help but chuckle and respond dryly, "You wish. You couldn't even keep up with the exhaust fumes."
In truth, with the enhancement of 'Haunted Demons,' the armor could potentially match airplane speeds. But Skye simply wasn't strong enough yet. Her actual flight speed barely rivaled a car.
Skye didn't seem disappointed at all. Her big, watery eyes sparkled as she looked at Finney. "Do you have another set of armor?"
"Nope. Only one," Finney replied bluntly. "And don't even think about borrowing it. Besides, even if you could, you wouldn't last five minutes with it. You'll have to train more if you want to handle it."
Having experienced it for herself, Skye understood. She nodded determinedly. "I'll start running and working out tomorrow."
Giving her a taste of power—and possibly kickstarting a healthier lifestyle—felt like a win to Finney. Once he got Skye back home to rest, he reopened a portal and returned to testing his own abilities.
Beneath a star-studded sky on Mount Everest, Finney flew freely in his 'Haunted Demons' armor, propelled by the Sky Dance Technique.
The technique relied on Qi, which meant its speed was variable. Like the 'Sumire Chicken Nugget Roll,' it could evolve. Each skill the system extracted seemed to grow stronger over time.
Right now, the limiting factor was Finney's control of Qi and his body's current tolerance. Even with the 'Haunted Demons' equipped, his top speed was nowhere near supersonic.
He sighed, slightly disappointed. Iron Man had already achieved supersonic flight with the Mark III. But at least Finney had just acquired the skill—there was plenty of room to grow. The power ceiling, especially when compared to characters from Dragon Ball, was still very high.
Meanwhile, inspired by her taste of power, Skye had started exercising seriously. Her dedication even impressed Finney a little. It reminded him that, in her original destiny, she would've become a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent. That potential was clearly still there.
Time passed quietly. Since Tony Stark's return and his announcement shutting down the weapons division, the media had been in a frenzy. But Tony himself had gone completely off the grid. Only Finney and Pepper Potts seemed to have any idea what he might be up to.
"It's been almost three months. He must be close to finishing," Finney murmured, watching Tony's latest appearance on the TV in the living room. He figured the Mark II was probably nearly complete.
"Should I go find out?"
The idea sparked excitement in Finney. For weeks, he had been wondering how to get involved in the coming showdown with Iron Monger. The problem was timing. If he waited to see it on the news, the battle might be over by the time he arrived.
The key piece needed for the Iron Monger's creation was the small arc reactor—something only Tony could build. If Finney wanted to help shape the battle, he'd need to be proactive.
With his powers of invisibility, teleportation, and flight, Finney decided it was time to investigate Tony's situation. He couldn't use his magical 'compass' to locate Tony, so he asked Skye to scour the internet for any clues. Eventually, she found the location, and Finney took a taxi, map in hand, to a lavish seaside mansion.
Standing in front of the luxurious villa, Finney couldn't help but admire it. "Maybe I should get a place like this," he muttered. With portal travel, distance wasn't really an issue.
He found a secluded spot and activated the 'Haunted Demons' armor, switching to invisibility. His first attempt to enter through the front door failed, so he opened a portal directly into the villa and quietly snuck inside, making his way toward the underground lab.
But after spending so much time in Kamar-Taj, he'd forgotten that science, while different from magic, had its own advantages. As he reached the lab entrance, he heard an electronic voice.
"Sir, anomalies were detected in the living room just now. Here is the footage. We suspect an unknown intruder."
Finney froze.
Tony, partially suited up with armor on one arm, had a repulsor pointed at the door. His face was tense, eyes scanning for threats.
Finney silently cursed himself. How had he underestimated artificial intelligence? How had he forgotten that even in one's own home, people install security systems?
This was not how he wanted to meet Tony Stark. Not again.
Now the only question was… was it too late to get out of here?