As Arthur flipped through the pages of the book, his thoughts kept drifting back to the enigmatic figure known as the Mandarin.
To be honest, Arthur didn't know much about the man. He wasn't an avid comic book reader, and in the films, the Mandarin had been depicted as little more than a frontman, a pawn in someone else's game.
The only thing Arthur knew for certain was the power of the rings the Mandarin wielded. Legend had it that the Mandarin had discovered these rings and mastered their control— a secret he kept entirely to himself.
Arthur couldn't shake the thought that if he wanted to use the rings without dismantling them, it would be a monumental hassle. The Mandarin wasn't the type to spill his secrets easily.
His lips were sealed tighter than a Stark Industries vault. Trying to pry the information out of him would be nearly impossible. Dismantling the rings, on the other hand, was straightforward and effective— brutally so.
After disassembling three more rings, Arthur had gained more than just the Flame of Faltine. He now possessed the Frost of Niflheim, the Gravity of Gaea, and the Shadow of Darkness.
The last one made Arthur chuckle. 'Shadow of Darkness?' What kind of name was that? Upon closer inspection, he realized it was a device that manipulated ambient light, creating an impenetrable field of darkness.
It reminded him of his first encounter with the Mandarin when the villain had used this very trick to disorient him. At the time, Arthur had thought he was hallucinating. Now he knew better.
The Frost of Niflheim generated freezing mist, slowing enemies' movements and attacks. In extreme cases, it could even encase a target in ice. The Gravity of Gaea, as the name suggested, allowed the user to manipulate gravitational forces, increasing the weight on a specific point to crush opponents.
Arthur had been on the receiving end of that one more than once, and now that he understood it, he couldn't help but find it fascinating.
Arthur wasn't done disassembling the rings, but his Disassembler had leveled up. The three rings had given him a whopping 150 experience points, pushing it to its next evolution.
While Arthur felt a twinge of nostalgia for the simpler days, he no longer felt like he was losing his anchor. "Guess this is what growing up feels like," he muttered to himself.
Standing up, Arthur stored the remaining seven rings in his Disassembler's storage compartment. He'd deal with them after the upgrade. Glancing down at the bandages wrapped around his chest, he shook his head lightly.
Natasha's feelings for him were becoming harder to ignore. It wasn't that he didn't care— he just believed in respecting boundaries. If he wasn't ready to take responsibility for someone else's life, he wasn't going to lead them on. Call it old-fashioned, but Arthur had his own code.
"One step at a time," he whispered, patting his chest gently. He grabbed a jacket and headed downstairs.
The Mandarin was awake, sitting cross-legged in his cell. When Arthur entered, the villain opened his eyes and glared. "This is… unlawful imprisonment."
Arthur couldn't help but laugh. "Coming from a supervillain, that's rich. Are you giving me a crash course in legal ethics? But sorry to burst your bubble— your detention was fully authorized. The process might've been expedited since you were unconscious at the time, but given your track record, no one wanted to risk you escaping. So, here you are. You're welcome to complain, but it won't change a thing."
The Mandarin sighed. "What kind of prison is this?"
"This place doesn't have a name, and there are no guards here," Arthur replied with a smirk. "Even if you knew where you were, you couldn't send a message for help. This facility is completely isolated— no signals, no magic, nothing. The walls are made of a proprietary Stark Industries alloy. Even with your strength, you're not breaking out. Oh, and there's a gravity field in here. Think of it as your new workout routine."
The Mandarin's face darkened. "Did you come here just to gloat about your prison?"
"Not at all," Arthur said, leaning against the wall. "I'm here to shatter your last illusions. You're going to be here for a long, long time. If you're immortal, congratulations— you've got an eternity to enjoy this cozy little cell. And don't worry about the power going out. We've got four Arc Reactors powering this place. They'll keep the lights on for the next millennium. Pretty impressive, right? You should feel honored."
The Mandarin closed his eyes, clearly done with Arthur's antics.
Arthur chuckled and sat down. "You're the first long-term resident of this facility. That's something to be proud of. But if you're feeling lonely, I'm happy to chat. I've got time to kill."
"You want to know how to use the rings, don't you?" the Mandarin sneered. "You think I'd tell you?"
"The rings?" Arthur held up his hand, and a surge of heat emanated from his palm.
The Mandarin's eyes widened. "Impossible!"
"Not really," Arthur said with a shrug. "You might be a genius, but don't underestimate the world. It's far more advanced than you think. So, no, I'm not here for the rings. I'm just here to talk. Tell me about your past. Were you married? Have kids? Or are you just a centuries-old bachelor? That'd be even sadder than me."
(End of Chapter)
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