Tony landed on the Villa's helipad, uncooled Hellfire still dripping from his armor's joints.
He dramatically flipped open his faceplate, revealing what he considered a handsome smile: "How about it? Shouldn't I be awarded a Nobel Peace—"
Chen Tian and Ethan silently watched as the mechanical arms disassembled and retrieved his armor.
Chen Tian walked straight up to him and effortlessly hoisted him onto his shoulder. (The Swordsmanship Legacy from One Piece had slightly enhanced Chen Tian's physical attributes.)
"Hey, hey, hey, I know you love me, but what's the difference between what you're doing and a barbarian forcibly dragging a mate back to his cave?"
Tony yelled, still slung over Chen Tian's shoulder.
Chen Tian ignored Tony's shouts and tossed him onto the workbench.
Tony was roughly thrown onto the workbench by Chen Tian, and the metal surface made a dull thud.
He rubbed his lower back, wailing exaggeratedly: "Oh my god, Chen Tian, are you jealous that my armor is cooler than yours? Or is it—"
"Shut up, Tony." Chen Tian coldly interrupted him, then turned and shouted into the air: "Jarvis, perform a full body scan on Tony, focusing on abnormal data."
The laboratory scanner immediately activated, and a blue light projected from the ceiling, enveloping Tony. A few seconds later, a holographic projection unfolded, with dense data streams scrolling in the air.
"Scan complete." Jarvis's voice carried a rare hint of gravity.
"Mr. Stark's vital signs are abnormal—brainwave activity exceeds the normal human limit by 300%, blood pressure is continuously rising, and adrenaline levels are maintained at the edge of a lethal dose. Additionally, blood flow is abnormally accelerated, and red blood cell oxygen-carrying capacity has increased to its theoretical limit."
Ethan gasped: "This is no longer human body data..."
Tony, however, grinned, revealing canine teeth sharper than usual: "Ha! Sounds like the Super Soldier Serum's effect? Looks like that Diablo guy is pretty reliable."
Chen Tian grabbed Tony by the collar and pulled him closer: "Tony, this isn't 'enhancement,' this is erosion! Your body is being transformed by demonic power!"
Tony's smile froze on his face, but he quickly reverted to his usual devil-may-care expression: "Oh? So what? I feel great now! Strength, speed, reaction time—all improved!"
"At what cost?" Chen Tian stared intently into Tony's eyes, "Your pupils are already starting to change color, Tony."
Tony instinctively reached for his eyes, but Chen Tian had already pushed him in front of a mirror.
In the mirror, Tony Stark's pupils were rimmed with a dark red glow, like burning sulfur. When he frowned, lava-like patterns subtly appeared beneath his skin, as if Hellfire, not blood, flowed through his veins.
Tony was stunned.
"Woah, it looks cool, but why... does it look so bad...." Tony's voice stammered.
"Jarvis! Play the footage of Tony killing those Terrorists in the Middle East." Chen Tian shouted again.
The holographic projection flickered in the laboratory, and the previous footage was played.
Tony stared at the images in the holographic projection, his throat tight.
In the video, the Mark-2 - Devil Edition armor descended upon the village like a Hellish fiend, sulfurous flames flowed through the armor's seams, and the mechanical wings split into six grotesque tentacles, tearing the Terrorists apart like toys.
"First question." The Tony inside the armor spoke with a hoarse voice, echoing as if scorched by Hellfire, "Where's Abu?"
A Terrorist trembled and pointed to the north side of the village; the next second, his body suddenly spontaneously combusted, turning into charcoal amidst screams. Tony shook off the sparks from his hand, his tone flippant: "Thanks for your cooperation."
Then, the armor's loudspeaker played Queen's "Another One Bites the Dust," and Tony went on a rampage to the BGM—palm repulsors blasted heads at point-blank range, mechanical tentacles coiled enemies and swung them like human wrecking balls at their comrades, and he even had the leisure to hand out lollipops to the stunned children…
"Eco-friendly combat." The Tony in the video whistled, "Zero ammo consumption."
Finally, he found Abu, and the Devil armor's claws directly pierced the man's chest, crushing his heart, then the palm repulsor spewed flames, burning the corpse to ashes.
"Hey, buddy, you got my armor dirty." Tony's voice carried amusement, "Well~ I seem to be enjoying it quite a lot."
The real Tony's face was pale, his fingers unconsciously gripping the edge of the workbench.
"This... this is me?" His voice was dry, as if abraded by sandpaper.
Chen Tian looked at him coldly: "Who else do you think it is?"
Tony opened his mouth, wanting to argue, but found something stuck in his throat. He looked down at his hands—dark red patterns subtly appeared at his knuckles, as if molten lava, not blood, flowed through his veins.
"That damn Diablo helped you modify your armor, and it also modified you!" Chen Tian pointed at the video, "It's amplifying your negative emotions, making you enjoy slaughter, enjoy violence, enjoy... the pleasure of a demon."
Tony suddenly looked up: "I didn't! I just—"
"Just what?" Chen Tian interrupted him, "Just thought 'these Terrorists deserve to die'? Just thought 'they got what they deserved anyway'? Tony, you killed Terrorists in the cave before, but did you enjoy the process?"
Tony fell silent.
He recalled the feeling during the battle just now—that unprecedented excitement, that pleasure of boiling blood, that... urge to tear everything apart.
That wasn't him.
At least, it shouldn't be him.
"Sir." Jarvis suddenly spoke, "Your adrenaline level is detected to be abnormally high again, I suggest—"
"Shut up, Jarvis!" Tony slammed his fist down on the workbench, leaving a dent in the metal surface.
Chen Tian and Ethan exchanged glances, their expressions grave.
"Tony." Chen Tian took a deep breath, "Fortunately, the situation isn't too bad yet."
Saying that, Chen Tian looked at Lia (Diablo) who was kneeling in the corner, pretending to be well-behaved. "What are you still doing there! Come over and take a look!"
Lia (Diablo) heard Chen Tian's reprimand and immediately sprang up from the corner, like a pet scolded by its Master, darting to Tony's side in a few quick steps.
A fawning smile hung on its face, but its dark red vertical pupils flickered with dangerous light.
"My Master~ Don't be angry~" Lia rubbed her hands, her voice as sweet as if laced with honey, "I wasn't just observing the situation~"
"Less nonsense!" Chen Tian grabbed her by the collar, dragging her in front of Tony, "Look at what you've done! Can you fix it?"
Lia pouted, muttering softly: "You guys were the ones who agreed to let me help make the armor..."
"Hmm?" Chen Tian narrowed his eyes.
"I'll check right away!" Lia immediately became serious, reaching out to place her hand on Tony's chest. Her fingertips glowed with a dark red light, like some evil X-ray, scanning and moving within Tony's body.
Tony felt a scorching power flowing through his veins and couldn't help but frown: "Hiss—this doesn't feel good..."
"Quiet, mortal." Lia's tone suddenly turned cold and authoritative, completely unlike the fawning demon from before, "Let me see if I can..."
Her pupils suddenly constricted, as if she had discovered something interesting: "Aha~ Just as I thought~"
"Speak in plain English!" Chen Tian impatiently tapped her on the head.
Lia covered her head, glaring at Chen Tian with a wronged expression, but still honestly explained: "His body has been modified by demonic power by about 37%, mainly concentrated in the nervous and endocrine systems. Simply put..." She tilted her head, thinking, "It's like fueling a precision instrument with Rocket fuel; although it's incredibly powerful, it could explode into fireworks at any moment~"
Ethan gasped: "Can it be reversed?"
Lia spread her hands: "Theoretically, yes, but..."
"But what?" Chen Tian and Tony asked in unison.
"But it'll hurt like hell~" Lia showed a mischievous smile, "The kind that hurts more than childbirth~"
Tony's mouth twitched: "...How does a demon know how much childbirth hurts?"
"While you were making the armor, I had Jarvis find me a lot of human movies," Lia said righteously, "I've watched 'ER' three times!"
Chen Tian rubbed his forehead: "...That's not the point."
"Hehe," Lia chuckled a few times, "The demonic power I left in Tony can be removed, but there are two prerequisites."
Lia shook a finger. "First, removing the Devil's power from Tony's body will cause him immense pain. This pain comes from his soul, so tranquilizers won't work. He'll have to rely on his own willpower."
"How did you know I planned to use tranquilizers?" Tony's mouth opened slightly.
"Tony, don't interrupt her yet," Chen Tian motioned for Lia to continue.
"The second prerequisite is," Lia looked at the Mark-2 - Devil Edition, saying regretfully, "This suit of armor can no longer be used. After all, the armor was made using my scales and engraved with Purgatory Runes. If he continues to use it, the Devil's power will still integrate into Tony's body."
Tony suddenly pushed himself up from the workbench, his face terrifyingly grim. "Wait, you said this suit of armor can't be used? Are you kidding me?! This is my most perfect work to date!"
He pointed to the Mark-2 - Devil Edition suspended in the armory. Its dark red armor gleamed with a metallic luster under the lights, and the Purgatory Runes on its mechanical wings flowed with a faint, shifting glow.
"Do you know how much effort we put into this?" Tony's voice was laced with suppressed anger. "The reactor output is increased by 400%, the armor's defense coefficient is stronger than Captain America's shield, and there are those Hellfire weapon systems—"
"Tony!" Chen Tian firmly pressed down on his shoulder, the force making Tony stumble. "Don't you understand? This suit of armor is turning you into a monster!"
Tony shook off Chen Tian's hand, about to retort, when a sudden sharp pain shot through his chest. He groaned and fell to his knees, the lava-like patterns under his skin spreading wildly, and the temperature of the entire laboratory suddenly soared.
"Sir! Body temperature has exceeded 45 degrees Celsius!" Jarvis urgently alerted, "Suggest immediately initiating cooling procedures!"
Lia squatted in front of Tony, tilting her head to observe his condition. "Oh wow~ It seems the Devil's power is more active than you thought~" She poked Tony's hot forehead with her index finger. "If this continues, in less than three days, you'll completely become one of my kind~"
Tony struggled to lift his head, his pupils now completely dark red vertical slits. "So what...?" His voice became hoarse. "At least... I can... protect..."
"Protect?" Chen Tian scoffed, pulling up a holographic projection and displaying a crude iron suit of armor—the very Mark-1 they had worked day and night to build in the cave.
"Look at this!" Chen Tian pointed at the armor. "Have you forgotten? We made this armor in that cave. Back then, we didn't need any Devil's power, we didn't need to become monsters. Human wisdom and courage alone were enough!"
Tony stared blankly at the holographic image, the red glow in his eyes flickering on and off.
Lia suddenly clapped her hands. "Ah! I thought of an interesting analogy~" She bounced between the two. "It's like an addict taking drugs—it feels amazing for a short time, but in the end, they either go to prison or the morgue~"
Ethan rubbed his forehead. "...Your analogies are always so unique."
"Shut up, Diablo," Chen Tian glared at the Devil, then softened his tone when he turned to Tony. "Listen, we can help you remove the Devil's power, but you must give up this suit of armor. And..." He paused. "The process will be extremely painful."
Tony remained silent for a long time. The only sound in the laboratory was the mechanical arm cleaning the scorch marks caused by Tony's landing.
Finally, he slowly raised his head, the red glow in his eyes gradually fading. "...How painful?"
Lia flashed a brilliant smile. "Probably like slowly roasting your soul over Hellfire~ But don't worry! I'll be very gentle~"
"I'm not reassured at all." Tony weakly rolled his eyes, but still nodded with difficulty. "...Do it."
Chen Tian and Ethan immediately sprang into action. Ethan pushed over a modified medical pod.
Lia watched Tony lie down in the medical pod and shouted loudly, "Alright, alright~ Let the purification ritual begin~"
Her hands suddenly ignited with dark purple flames, and she gently pressed them on Tony's temples. "It might tickle a bit~"
"Wait, you said tickle—AHHHH!"
Tony's scream instantly echoed throughout the entire Villa. His body convulsed violently, and dark red energy began to seep from his seven orifices. The lava-like patterns wriggled and twisted under his skin like living things. All the monitoring instruments in the medical pod maxed out, and alarms blared.
"Diablo—! You—! You call this 'a bit ticklish'?!" Tony squeezed out a few words through gritted teeth, veins bulging on his forehead, cold sweat pouring down like rain.
Lia tilted her head, looking innocent. "Oh dear~ I'm already being very gentle~" The dark purple flames on her fingertips danced more excitedly. "If it were any other Devil, you'd be a roasted skewer by now~"
"I—X—You—" Tony's curse was cut off by another wave of intense pain. His pupils turned completely blood-red, and his fingernails gouged deep furrows into the medical pod's metal surface.
Chen Tian held Tony's shoulders tightly. "Hold on! Just a little longer!"
"Hold on to your grandpa—!" Tony roared, his voice mixed with inhuman screeches. "This is—a million times—worse than—when I was blown up—!"
Ethan frantically adjusted the medical pod's parameters. "Heart rate 280! Blood pressure off the charts! If this continues, his heart will—"
"It won't~" Lia interrupted him with a smile. "The Devil's power is protecting his body, he won't die~ It's just..." She deliberately drew out the last word. "His soul might shatter into pieces~"
"Diablo!" Chen Tian snapped, "Focus!"
"I know, I know~" Lia pouted, then suddenly clapped her hands together. Tony's body immediately arched, letting out an inhuman shriek—
Dark red energy burst forth from his seven orifices, coalescing in mid-air into a grotesque demonic face that let out a silent roar at everyone.
"Oh wow~" Lia whistled. "It seems Mister Tony's negative emotions are even richer than I imagined~"
The demonic phantom suddenly lunged at Lia, but she grabbed it by the throat. "Tsk tsk tsk, you can't be so fierce~" She opened her mouth—her cherry-red lips suddenly split to her ears, revealing a mouth full of sharp teeth, and she swallowed the phantom whole.
"Burp~" Lia returned to her human form, patting her stomach contentedly. "Tony's negative emotions taste good, just a bit irritable."
Tony in the medical pod finally stopped struggling. He was drenched in sweat, his face pale, but the lava-like patterns under his skin had vanished.
"Is... is it over...?" Tony asked weakly, his voice so hoarse it was barely human.
Lia held her palm upward, a ball of crimson liquid suspended within it, flowing slowly like lava. "Done~ Devil's power extracted!" She triumphantly wiggled her hand. "Want to keep it as a souvenir? I can make it into a necklace~"
Tony laboriously raised his middle finger. "I'd... rather... shove it up your..."
Before he could finish, his eyes rolled back, and he completely passed out.
The medical pod's alarms gradually quieted. Ethan frantically checked the data. "Vital signs stable! Just a coma caused by extreme exhaustion!"
Chen Tian let out a long breath, only then realizing his back was drenched. He looked at the ball of Devil's power in Lia's hand. "How do we deal with this thing?"
Lia blinked. "Oh dear, this is mine....." She suddenly opened her mouth and swallowed it whole with a gulp. "Just eat it~"
Chen Tian: "..."
Ethan: "..."
Jarvis: "...Do you need me to prepare stomach medicine, Miss Lia?"
"No need, no need~" Lia licked her lips contentedly, then turned to look at the unconscious Tony, a rare serious expression on her face. "However... I want to watch a few more good TV series. Jarvis, do you have any recommendations?"
Chen Tian: "..."
Ethan: "..."
Jarvis: "...Yes, Miss Lia, yes. There are nine more TV series as good as 'ER'...."
Get full pdf of this on my Patreon Shop.