Aaron didn't keep fretting over whether to call himself "Omni-Man" or something else. Using a mental link, he sent Norman a text message on his phone, then went with Felicia to the commercial district to pick up his custom-tailored suit. After that, they headed to the airport and took a private jet bound for Monaco.
It's worth mentioning the plane wasn't a Boeing model; Aaron just didn't trust that. Heaven forbid—who knows what might happen?
Monaco is located in southwestern Europe, the second smallest country in the world by area. But whenever the Monaco Historic Grand Prix is held, it always attracts wealthy celebrities from all over the world. Tony Stark is a regular participant. Yet this year, the race was more impressive than ever, thanks to Aaron's arrival.
"Hey, Mr. Aaron, how was your trip?"
"Excellent!"
Aaron simply nodded at a U.S. general wearing a lieutenant general's uniform, not stopping as he walked away.
Next:
"Mr. Aaron! I never thought I'd run into the rising star here. I'm David, pleasure to meet you!"
This time it was a well-dressed man with a professionally practiced smile, instantly giving off the vibe of a slimy politician. As always, Aaron just gave a curt nod back. David didn't mind the slight rudeness; in fact, he smiled and raised his glass.
Felicia helpfully added from the side, "He's the governor of New York, about to end his term."
Oh, so he's retiring? Then there's no need to care much about him!
After that, Aaron encountered several more politicians or men in uniform. Then he saw a couple of men with cloths on their heads, who, upon spotting Aaron, also plastered on smiles and came up to chat. There were also royalty from other countries—and Aaron even ran into two princesses who looked rather nice.
Once they got inside the race venue, the situation got even more over the top. Looking at the stands, packed with men and women in formal attire, Aaron twitched at the corner of his eye. "Can anyone tell me if there's a single 'normal person' left here?"
"Of course there is—right there." Felicia pointed toward the rear of the grandstand. All the good seats had been snapped up by people hoping to "accidentally meet" Aaron, leaving the locals or other tourists no choice but to sit farther back. If they wanted a better view, well, they could just stand in the front.
Aaron suddenly mused that if a bombshell fell from the sky at this moment, among the ten casualties there might be several royals, a few generals, and some cunning politicians. Tsk, if word of this gathering got out, any random terrorist group could make history again, bigger than 9/11—enough to shake the entire world. After all, Monaco's total population is only tens of thousands, and the race's security detail is probably just some borrowed police from France.
He'd underestimated how tempting "New Life" was for these people. They'd come from afar, all hoping to bump into him. Aaron was certain that even before his sudden decision to come, they'd already been waiting here to take their chances. Don't be fooled by how they each wield great power in their own domains; in truth, if they wanted to schedule a formal appointment with Aaron by normal means, they wouldn't get in within a year or two. Norman couldn't override Aaron's will; only if Aaron agreed would the appointment go through. Otherwise, president or royal, they all had to stand aside.
"Hey, handsome! Hello!"
"Could we take a photo together? You're just so good-looking!"
Yet another woman approached. Glancing her over—around an eight out of ten—Aaron noticed a photographer in the distance wearing a Monaco Automobile Club logo, so he struck a quick pose and then walked off casually.
"What's on the schedule today?" he asked.
"At 9:30 tonight, the hosts arranged a luxurious banquet…"
"Okay, cancel it," Aaron said. He didn't plan to linger here too long. He intended to get the Arc Reactor and leave. He had a busy few days ahead—feeding Felicia, settling Helen Cho, teaching Barbara a lesson. Plus he remembered that, just a few days after the Iron Man 2 storyline, Thor would fall from the sky. Thor's hammer, Mjolnir, or the Destroyer—those were good stuff. If he could, he definitely wanted them. Then there was Asgardian blood and Frost Giant blood, and maybe even Odin's data…he wanted it all! And that trove in Asgard's vault, full of treasures like the Tablet of Life & Time, the Eternal Flame, the Casket of Ancient Winters…all were mouthwatering divine items.
Then there was the Expo—though Norman would host, Aaron had to show up so no idiot full of envy would dare try something. Aaron didn't care for "New Life," or even about Oscorp, but these things were his. Only if he said yes could anyone have them; if you were jealous, you'd just have to swallow it.
"Being a boss is really tiring!" Aaron sighed. Felicia's lip twitched, but she said nothing.
"You're absolutely right, Mr. Aaron!" came a voice from a short man arm-in-arm with a woman a head taller than him. "Hello, I'm Justin Hammer, CEO of Hammer Industries. I hear you're holding a grand expo soon. I'd like to present some things at your expo…"
Hammer spoke carefully, with eager caution. The female companion at his side eyed Aaron with interest, but after spotting Felicia, she withdrew that thought.
Aaron glanced at him, thinking for a moment. "Oh, so you were the one hoping to buy out my company?"
Hammer chuckled awkwardly. "No, I was just joking, I—"
"Hahaha, Hammer, you're such a kidder! You actually want to acquire Oscorp? Tomorrow are you planning to buy my Stark Industries?" A familiar voice came from the distance.
Tony Stark arrived, flanked by Happy and Pepper. "Stark…" The moment Hammer saw him, he felt uneasy. Hammer Industries had gotten where it was by scavenging Tony's leftovers. Because Tony shut down his weapons division, the military had to find a new partner, allowing Hammer Industries and Pioneer Tech to enter the scene. To some extent, Hammer's entire business was built from the scraps Tony threw away. Seeing the rightful owner, he could only slink away, face livid.
"Don't mind him," Tony said to Aaron, walking up. "This should be our second time meeting, oh 'mysterious man in the sky.' Care to compete?"
Tony pointed at the racetrack, then opened his blazer to reveal a racing suit underneath, lifting his head proudly. But the moment he noticed Felicia, his proud expression subsided. Damn, he'd lost again! But surely his stamina was better, right? He eyed Aaron's muscular frame, barely hidden by a suit, then thought of his own abdominals that had turned into one big lump. For a moment, Tony fell silent.
"Damn it, what trillionaire still hits the gym? Why not just go join a bodybuilding contest?!" he thought.
~~~
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