The return of Tony Stark made Finney feel a growing sense of urgency. It was a clear sign that the arrival of the Mark III armor and the Iron Monger wasn't far off. Still, no matter how powerful they were, they couldn't be built in just a day or two, so there was actually still plenty of time.
At the same time, there was good news—Finney had already formed an idea on how to deal with the Iron Monger. When opening a portal, the more detailed the image of the destination, the clearer the portal would appear, and the easier it would be to control. For Finney, the easiest places to open portals to were his home in New York and Kama Taj. Following that were places like his school and the Himalayas. The key to defeating the Iron Monger lay in the Himalayas.
The Himalayan mountain range, the highest in the world, has an average elevation of over 7,000 meters. Mount Everest, the tallest peak, can reach temperatures as low as minus 60 degrees Celsius. When Tony built his steel suit, he initially didn't consider the effects of surface ice, which led to a system failure. Luckily, he caught it in time and changed the suit's materials.
Obadiah Stane, on the other hand, didn't account for this issue—likely because he lacked Tony's miniature arc reactor and couldn't test his suit as thoroughly. Either way, low temperatures were a weakness for the Iron Monger. Finney's plan was simple: open a portal and pull the Iron Monger into a fight atop Mount Everest.
This would weaken the enemy, allow Finney to retreat if necessary, wear down the Iron Monger, and prevent damage to New York and harm to innocent civilians—a win-win-win scenario. The only real concern was that the Iron Monger might try to escape. Without access to the Mirror Dimension and with the Iron Monger's ability to fly, pursuing him could be difficult. So Finney figured he might bring Tony along when the time came. That way, they could tag-team the fight and level up Iron Man's experience in the process.
In reality, there were many ways Finney could defeat the Iron Monger. Obadiah was just a regular person. If Finney wanted, he could take him out easily with his future knowledge. But that wasn't the goal. Finney wanted the battle experience—not just a win.
The harsh environment of Mount Everest would affect Finney as well, but he could manage. While Iron Man's suit might surpass the 'Haunted by Demons' armor in some areas, Finney's armor had advantages of its own. In terms of adaptability and portability, and considering Tony's constant suit upgrades, 'Haunted by Demons' was still years ahead.
With his plan in place, Finney requested a week off from school. He didn't attend many classes, and his grades were excellent, so his tutor approved the leave without question.
With the Sling Ring in hand, Finney opened a portal.
It was freezing. Snow whipped through the air.
Even in his 'Haunted by Demons' state, Finney felt the chill of Everest. He would be training in this brutal environment for the next week, pushing himself past his limits.
Kama Taj's training methods focused on spellcasting, which wasn't ideal for improving physical strength. So this time, Finney tried something different: rock climbing.
Bare-handed, he aimed to climb the world's tallest mountain. If he fell, he might survive thanks to the demon armor's protection—but even that wasn't guaranteed. The real challenge wasn't just the climb, it was controlling his limits. If he exhausted his strength in 'Haunted by Demons' mode and couldn't open a portal in his normal state, he could very well die up there.
One day, two days, three days... Six days passed.
Each day, Finney climbed higher and improved his endurance. But he still hadn't broken through. He knew why.
He was scared.
Afraid of pushing too far and dying alone on the mountain. Every time he neared his limit, he subconsciously held back a sliver of strength. That hesitation was what held him back.
"This can't go on," Finney muttered.
It was the final day of his leave. He had to make a decision. Instead of climbing again, he sat in a wide clearing—the battlefield he'd chosen for the future fight.
The wind howled. Snow swirled around him. Finney sat in the snow, enduring the cold. The 'Haunted by Demons' armor slowly drained his physical strength.
Night fell. The temperature dropped further.
"I can't hold on..."
Finney felt his strength fading. The armor felt like a real demon now, torturing him with wind and snow.
"No... if I quit now, it'll be the same as the last few days."
He clenched his teeth, trying to hold on. But the darkness around him made it harder to resist the urge to give up. The thought echoed in his mind: nothing is really that hard—if you're willing to quit.
Why was he pushing himself so hard anyway? Why not train slowly and safely?
He didn't realize it yet, but as he resisted, the bright silver of his armor had darkened, almost blending into the night. It was becoming invisible.
"Maybe it's not necessary... but I'm willing!"
Finney whispered to himself. It was a response to the doubt in his heart. "I'm just an ordinary guy—except for being handsome. If I don't even try hard, what do I have left?!"
"Betting my life on a coin flip and relying on others to save me!?"
"I might not be a hero—but I'll never be a coward!"
Finney clenched his fists and stood. In the darkness, his figure began to fade—but the scarlet eyes of his visor glowed brighter. A surge of power flowed through the armor.
Weakness washed over him in waves. He could feel 'Haunted by Demons' preparing to deactivate on its own, leaving him unconscious. Snowflakes stung his face, piercingly cold.
A long sword floated in front of him.
'Haunted by Demons' has deactivated.
"Am I going to die here?"
Finney, barely able to stand, trembled and thought silently. But he was unwilling. Battling the wind and snow, he reached out with determination.
"Haunted by Demons!"
With his final strength, he shouted.
A roar echoed in his ears—as if the world had responded. A smile spread across Finney's face.
He had done it. He had broken through.
No longer needing to rely on the 'Golden Great Technique', Finney, now wearing the 'Haunted by Demons' armor, opened a portal.
Stumbling through, his energy spent, the armor faded, and he collapsed.
But just before he lost consciousness, he caught a glimpse of Skye's terrified face.
He was safe.