Tony had already stripped off his shirt, revealing a body that, while not as exaggerated as Henry's, was still lean, toned, and impressive—along with the arc reactor glowing faint blue in his chest.
Without hesitation, he lay down inside the chamber.
Under J.A.R.V.I.S.'s control, the pod tilted upward, almost exactly like when Captain America underwent his transformation decades ago.
Henry moved to the main console, his hands dancing over the controls as he prepared to inject the serum.
Yinsen stood beside Tony with a syringe connected to several tubes.
"Ready, Tony?" Yinsen teased with a smile.
"I should warn you—according to Dr. Erskine's notes you just read, this is going to hurt. Try not to scream too loud, or it'll be embarrassing."
"Hurt?"
Tony's eyes widened, his pride instantly flaring up.
"Don't insult me! I'm Tony Stark! I had shrapnel jammed into my chest and didn't even ask for anesthesia—I only grunted! You think a little pain is going to scare the world's richest man? Yinsen, you disappoint me."
"We'll see," Henry said from the console, smirking.
"But just in case, I recommend J.A.R.V.I.S. prep soundproof panels. I'd hate to deal with ringing ears for days because someone couldn't stop screaming."
"You bastards!" Tony ground his teeth.
"Fine! Just wait! When I'm done, you'll see what true power looks like!"
"Yeah, yeah, we'll wait," Henry said, waving him off.
"Everything's ready. We can start anytime."
Tony was about to snap back when he suddenly froze, as if remembering something.
"Hold on. Before I turn into 'Seven-Times-a-Night Tony,' I've got one last question. Who the hell is this 'America's Ass' you keep talking about?"
Henry shrugged, looking at him like he'd just asked who the President was.
"Who else? Captain America, Steve Rogers." He grinned wickedly.
"You've never seen the photos? That tight uniform of his outlines his perfectly rounded ass like you wouldn't believe. The military boosted recruitment by 30% just off those posters. You seriously didn't know?"
"…"
Tony went silent. Then, imagining it, he chuckled.
"You actually check out men's asses? Maybe it's your orientation that's questionable."
"I'm just stating facts," Henry shot back.
"A man with the perfect ass is the center of the world wherever he goes. And now—you're about to have one too."
"Enough talk. Lie down properly, Mr. America's Ass."
"Damn it! You're America's Ass!" Tony retorted, but he couldn't hide the grin tugging at his lips.
Finally, he settled into position, his eyes burning with anticipation.
Henry pressed the final button.
Vmmm!
The semi-transparent chamber door slid shut, sealing Tony inside.
"J.A.R.V.I.S., begin injection."
"Yes, sir. Project Prometheus now commencing."
Blue nutrient solution flooded into the chamber.
At the same time, a syringe filled with golden serum slid into Tony's arm.
The machinery roared to life, vibrating with low, thunderous hums.
Yinsen and Henry stood outside, watching Tony as they spoke quietly.
"What do you think he'll look like afterward?" Yinsen asked curiously.
"Probably like that old popsicle—gain a few centimeters, turn into a muscle-bound beefcake," Henry said casually.
"Question is, will his ass be as perfect as Cap's? Some talents are hard to train, you know."
Just then, a howl of agony ripped out from the chamber.
"AHHHHHH!!!"
Yinsen flinched, instantly worried.
Henry just shrugged, looking utterly unsurprised.
"Told you. Always acts tough."
"But… are you sure this is safe?" Yinsen asked nervously, hearing Tony's screams grow louder and sharper.
"The serum process is painful, but this sounds extreme. What if his vitals go wrong?"
"Wrong? No way." Henry took a sip of wine, unbothered.
"You underestimate him. His mouth is as tough as his life. Besides—do you really think he's screaming from pain?"
"…Isn't he?" Yinsen asked, bewildered.
"Of course not." Henry smirked.
"Based on twenty years of observation, when Tony's in pain, he usually compensates with sharper insults to distract himself. The fact he's yelling this much means he's enjoying the drama. He's probably imagining himself as some tragic hero undergoing an epic transformation before saving the world. Trust me, he's loving this."
Yinsen didn't know how to respond to that twisted logic.
He looked at Tony writhing inside the chamber, veins bulging, muscles spasming in pain… then at Henry, who was calmly sipping wine like this was just another Tuesday.
Yinsen felt like he was the abnormal one.
"Ahhh! J.A.R.V.I.S.! The output's too high! Are you trying to roast me alive?! I smell burning protein! Is my chest hair on fire?!"
Tony's hoarse screams echoed from inside, full of torment—though oddly still full of energy.
"Sir, all readings are within safe thresholds," J.A.R.V.I.S. replied smoothly.
"Safe? You call this safe?!" Tony roared.
"My cells feel like ten thousand fire ants are gnawing them apart! My bones are in a blender! Henry, you bastard—did you spike the serum with chili sauce?!"
"Hey, don't blame me," Henry answered lazily through the glass.
"I only suggested J.A.R.V.I.S. add a drop of mustard oil to the solution. You know, to keep you alert. Wouldn't want you dozing off mid-transformation."
"F*ck you!!!"
Tony's cursing dissolved into another howl of agony.
Yinsen couldn't help but chuckle helplessly.
Maybe Henry was right. A man who still had the energy to curse like that probably wasn't in real danger.
Time crawled by, measured in Tony's screams.
The chamber glowed, faint gold deepening into blinding white. The light grew so intense it was impossible to look directly.
On the holographic screen, Tony's biological readings skyrocketed—surging higher, then higher still. Red warning symbols flashed rapidly, only to be cleared away by J.A.R.V.I.S.
"Cellular reorganization at 78%… Bone density reinforcement complete… Neural response speed elevated to… normal human limit exceeded…"
J.A.R.V.I.S. reported steadily as the transformation continued.
Henry and Yinsen stood silently at the console, watching.
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We're close to 120 stones dear reader, keep throwing stones. You'll get a bonus on 120. Thanks for reading.
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