When Leon stepped into the laboratory, he found that aside from a few Arc Reactors and a stack of DC comics on Tony's desk, there was nothing particularly unusual.
Tony wasn't there either.
"Tony?" Leon called out, glancing around. "Where are you?"
Leon's super hearing wasn't always active—unlike Superman in the movies. He had to concentrate to filter out the noise and enter a state of calm. Without a response, Leon tilted his head slightly and focused.
"So he's in the garage… but why is it so noisy?"
When Leon finally located Tony in the basement, the sight surprised him. Tony looked like he hadn't slept in days—dark circles under his eyes—but his energy was unmistakable. He wore mechanical shoes with exposed wires and clutched a controller in both hands, directing a group of small robotic assistants.
"Ben Ben, keep filming. Dai Dai, shift a bit to the left—yes, right there. You handle fire suppression."
Tony stood on a temporary experimental platform, taking deep breaths.
"Alright, let's do this. Activating ten percent thrust. Preparing for takeoff… hoo…"
He rolled his shoulders and took another deep breath to get in the zone.
"Three, two, one!"
He pressed the button on his controller. A powerful jet of flame burst from the iron shoes, launching Tony into the air.
Chi!!
The sudden thrust shot him straight upward—right into the ceiling.
Thud!!
"Ouch!!" Tony cried out as he crashed down hard, collapsing onto the floor.
An intelligent mechanical arm, recognizing the danger, immediately deployed fire-extinguishing foam.
"Oof, that had to hurt," Leon muttered, watching Tony get drenched in white foam. He sighed and shook his head.
"Leon?" Tony turned his head toward the voice, wincing in pain. His face scrunched up as he shifted on the ground. "Help me up, will you? Pretty sure I just cracked a rib."
"I'm coming… Maybe next time, let Dai Dai set up a crash pad for you," Leon said as he helped Tony into a nearby chair.
He scanned him from head to toe. "Well, just surface injuries. You can go back to doing those extreme sports you love."
"That wasn't extreme sports," Tony groaned. "I'm testing the Mark 2 armor!"
"You mean those shoes?" Leon raised an eyebrow. "Do you expect people to aim at your feet in a fight? These aren't Captain America's shield, you know."
"Of course not! I'm working on the propulsion system first. Once that's perfected, the rest of the design will be much more efficient."
Tony replied confidently, then smirked. "But I guess someone like you, with average grades, wouldn't understand the engineering behind it."
Leon rolled his eyes. "I got into Columbia University. Maybe you're misunderstanding what 'ordinary' means."
"Oh, really?" Tony snorted. "When I was your age, I'd already graduated from MIT and had three doctorates from Cambridge. I wouldn't expect you to relate."
He waved a dismissive hand. "Your professors at Columbia probably wouldn't understand this armor either."
"Well, good thing my major is business," Leon retorted. "They might not grasp the mechanics, but they'd certainly understand the economic potential."
Before awakening his powers, Leon had aimed to follow a traditional path—studying business to help manage the company. But things were different now.
He tapped Tony's iron shoes. "The past is the past. Don't forget what kind of ability I've awakened."
"What, your 'solar-powered strength'?" Tony asked, skeptical. "So what?"
"It's Superman's ability," Leon said with emphasis. "I have everything Superman has."
Tony raised an eyebrow. "So what? You gonna tell me you're a Kryptonian now? That your alien dad downloaded his consciousness into an AI and wants you to wear red underwear to save the world?"
He widened his eyes dramatically. "Or maybe your relatives intercepted a spaceship signal and are on their way to arrest you?"
Leon sighed. "Tony, when did your imagination become so childish? I'm definitely human. You've run more tests on me than anyone—you should know."
Leon had been adopted by the Starks nineteen years ago after being mysteriously transported to this world as an infant. Though he had no memories before age one and no clue about biological parents, all medical records, including blood tests, confirmed that he was entirely human.
"Also, maybe cut back on the DC comics," Leon added. "This isn't some dark alternate universe."
"Then what's your point?" Tony tilted his head.
"My point is that Superman also had a super brain—and so do I."
This ability enabled Leon to master advanced engineering quickly and potentially surpass even Tony's accomplishments.
He pointed at the shoes. "I can understand your research now. And I can surpass it."
"Surpass me?" Tony's tone sharpened. "Leon, April Fool's Day is over. Save the jokes for next year."
He squinted. "And since when did Superman have a super brain? If he did, why would he always just punch everything?"
Leon shrugged. "Maybe… his super brain told him that brute force solves problems more efficiently?"
"That's not a super brain—that's a dumb one," Tony quipped. "So no, you still can't understand my armor."
Leon waved dismissively. "Stop. No more pointless arguing. You're the kind of person who only reads half a comic and thinks they understand the whole character. Finish reading Superman before you start refuting me."
Before Tony could respond, Leon cut him off.
"Since you say I can't understand your armor, how about this: let me shadow you for one day. One day—and all your knowledge will be mine."
He raised a finger. "And in three days, I'll build an armor that surpasses yours."
Tony blinked. The sleepiness vanished from his eyes. Nothing annoyed him more than someone challenging his intellect—especially his own adoptive brother.
"That's the funniest thing I've heard in 2008," Tony said, standing up with renewed vigor.
He met Leon's gaze. "Challenge accepted."
He declared confidently, "Wisdom of mortals, huh? I'll return that title to you in three days."
Tony spun around and returned to his experimental platform, barking orders with enthusiasm.
"Dai Dai, clean up the scene. Ben Ben, fetch the materials. Everyone else, standby—I'm redesigning the jet propulsion system."
Leon narrowed his eyes, watching Tony move with purpose. A spark of competitiveness flared within him.
"Jarvis, send all relevant exoskeleton mech data to my Stark Pad. I want to understand Tony's designs within thirty minutes."
"Understood, Master Leon," Jarvis replied smoothly. Then it added, "However, may I remind you of the reason you originally came to see Mr. Stark? And Miss Pepper's earlier request?"
"Pepper?" Leon paused. "Right… What happened with Pepper? Never mind, it can wait."
He cracked his knuckles and grinned. "Today, I'll show Tony what a super brain really is."