Although he was aware the Aenian race was still scheming, using their usual underhanded tactics, Nolan wasn't particularly angry.
After all, he wasn't the one taking the loss.
Still, he had no intention of letting things slide.
If they wanted to stir trouble, then fine he would take the opportunity to put an end to it once and for all.
After all, the Imperial Titan was nearly complete.
The work in the final stages of construction was the most intricate and demanding.
Nolan wasn't about to waste his time playing childish games with the Aenians while he was busy with that.
He carried on with his usual tasks as if nothing had happened.
In fact, he even deliberately leaked a few secrets to Crystal, curious to see if it would provoke the Aenians.
Unfortunately, they didn't show the slightest interest.
Yet, through careful observation via his AI assistant Red Queen, Nolan noticed something about Crystal.
Her anger, her grit it wasn't just rage. There was a hint of shame mixed in toward him.
Nolan felt entirely innocent about it.
He hadn't provoked the Aenians.
Even if, at first, he had considered leveraging them, in reality, everything that happened had been entirely of their own making.
If Maximus hadn't attacked him, Nolan would never have directly intervened. If Black Bat King hadn't sought revenge for his brother, there would never have been such an intense clash.
Even then, Nolan had no desire to exterminate them completely.
If the Black Bat King hadn't reappeared on Earth the second time, he would have left them alone entirely.
Yet now, in Crystal's eyes, Nolan Lock had become the most terrifying demon in the world.
His only thought was: Why?
Why could the Aenians attack him without consequence, yet when he retaliated, he was labeled a demon? Why must he bear the consequences of their resentment?
This world had no such logic.
If the Aenians thought so, and if Crystal believed it, then…
Nolan smiled lightly, though there was no warmth in his eyes.
Then let them see what a real demon looked like.
"Alisa, I need a favor."
Alisa hesitated, then smiled softly.
"You don't need to be so formal, boss."
Nolan's lips curved.
"No, even as my secretary, you're an independent person, aren't you?"
He continued, "I need you to go to Stark Industries and procure a batch of weapons. You must handle this personally, ensuring every piece meets the specifications. Anything that doesn't meet the standard must be completely remade."
"Of course."
Alisa nodded. Though she rarely handled these tasks, it was still within Nolan's authority to assign her.
But for some reason, she felt that Nolan was acting unusually today.
"Go," he said, lowering his head to continue sorting through a pile of documents.
Just as Alisa turned to leave, she paused.
"Boss?"
"Yes?"
Nolan lifted his head, raising an eyebrow.
"When will you have time? I want to invite you to my place."
Nolan chuckled, eyeing her briefly.
"What's this? Some special reason?"
Alisa's eyes flickered with annoyance, yet she replied,
"If you want, boss. But… I need an explanation regarding Ms. Susan."
Nolan shrugged.
"Susan is my girlfriend… and you're like a curious cat, aren't you?"
He had no intention of explaining further. He added, slightly regretful,
"Although I'd like to accept your invitation, I'm afraid it's not possible."
"What do you mean?"
Alisa was slightly taken aback.
Nolan continued, "The Imperial Titan project is nearly complete. You know this is a massive undertaking, consuming endless resources. I need to be fully present at the Titan base during this period."
He paused briefly, then added,
"By the way, the Aenians have been missing recently, but I have a feeling they're up to something. Once the Titan project is finished, we'll deal with them. The White House has already contacted me, hoping to locate the Aenians. I've been trying too, and although I don't have certainty yet, I have some ideas."
Earth, he thought, likely doesn't have a place to hide so many Aenians.
"However…" Nolan glanced at Alisa, "the Aenians are intelligent, originating from the same lineage as humans. If they want a peaceful solution, negotiation is possible if they offer terms I find satisfactory."
Before they could truly threaten him, any assassination attempt could serve as leverage in his eyes.
Alisa didn't focus on his last remark, her face shadowed with unease.
"Boss, I'll go get the weapons now."
She hurried out of Nolan's office, and even after reaching Stark Industries, her nerves hadn't fully settled.
Inside the facility, she inspected the weapons Nolan had requested. Something felt off.
"These don't even look like weapons," she murmured.
An engineer frowned at her.
"These are built with cutting-edge Stark technology, some personally overseen by Mr. Stark. This device here can slow an enemy's thought process. On the battlefield, it can freeze them instantly, giving you an opportunity to act. Only this special mental device is immune to its effects."
He pointed to a small, palm-sized apparatus. It looked elegant, but Alisa hardly registered its appearance.
At first glance, it seemed almost useless, like a cage.
Yet, thinking further, she realized it could be effective against the Aenians.
The Aenians' powers depended on mental focus. If their cognition slowed, their abilities could fail.
Her chest tightened at the thought.
Human technology had truly advanced this far.
Black Bat King had been right they needed to leave Earth. The Aenians needed a chance to breathe.
Luckily, Nolan hadn't distrusted her, allowing her access to the device.
She was certain Nolan had created it specifically to counter the Aenians.
She had to act fast.
The longer she delayed, the more Nolan's protections would render the Aenians' chance to strike useless. After the Imperial Titan project, Nolan might even locate the Aenians.
At night, she reached out to the Aenians.
Soon, Medusa appeared once more.
"Crystal, we just met recently. Why are you contacting me again? This increases your risk of exposure."
Alisa, now speaking for Crystal, hurriedly explained,
"Sister, we must act. Nolan Lock has already figured out the Aenians' location. Once the Imperial Titan project is finished, he'll make his move."
Medusa's eyes widened.
"That's impossible. We aren't even on Earth; he couldn't have discovered us."
"He's clever," Crystal admitted reluctantly. "As much as I hate to admit it, he's the smartest person in this world. We can't gamble on chance. And… if we don't act now, our opportunity will be gone."
Crystal continued, explaining, "Today, he had me retrieve a custom device from Stark Industries. It slows mental activity, and for us Aenians, it's a natural countermeasure. This could be his weapon against us."
Medusa clenched her teeth.
"Can you pinpoint its location? If we strike, we must ensure we remain unaffected."
Crystal nodded.
"I can figure it out, but finding him alone will be difficult. The Imperial Titan project is moving faster than expected. He'll be busy, which makes it hard to lure him out."
Her face reflected the frustration of having invested everything for this moment, only to find her preparations potentially meaningless.
Medusa nodded and hesitated briefly before speaking,
"The information you've obtained is enough. I will gather our elite warriors. The moment you find any opportunity, our forces will strike. Then, we can finally return home."
She approached Crystal and placed a hand on her shoulder.
"Thank you, my sister."
"For the Aenians, it's worth everything," Crystal said, her face emotionless.
Now, all she wanted was to kill Nolan Lock.
She had heard him say he was willing to negotiate with the Aenians. She didn't believe him.
Medusa wouldn't believe him either.
So they kept silent.
Negotiation was impossible. Only Nolan's death could wash away the shame she carried.
Unknown to them, Nolan was watching everything unfold.
Crystal and Medusa were intelligent and ruthless, but ignorant of technology.
They couldn't know that Nolan had a monitoring method no one had ever seen before a suspension loop that allowed him to track without detection.
Once Medusa departed, Nolan chuckled softly.
The final obstacle would soon be resolved.
He wasn't about to make them wait.
He decided to give his dear secretary a prime opportunity.
At the Imperial Titan base, a colossal figure stood before them 228 meters tall.
"This is the Imperial Titan?"
Tony Stark and Nolan stood side by side. It was Tony's first time inside the facility.
Though he had assisted with the project, the Imperial Titan plan was top-secret.
Even someone from Stark Industries wasn't supposed to be inside.
Tony was awestruck.
"This… can it really move?"
228 meters almost the height of a hundred-story building.
Even standing beneath such a skyscraper would intimidate most humans.
Now imagine a machine of this magnitude.
It wasn't just a towering building it was a marvel of science.
Tony struggled to imagine the Earth's surface supporting something this massive.
"Of course it can move," Nolan said, nodding.
Behind them, Alisa and Pepper Potts followed closely, equally stunned.
"Because of its size, the Imperial Titan isn't fast. But it isn't meant to be. Its role differs from other Titans.
"Even ordinary Titans require heavy support units to form a combat force. The Imperial Titan is no different.
"Every Titan base on Earth serves this colossus, like countless worker bees serving a queen. But unlike a queen, the Imperial Titan itself is the ultimate weapon.
"Its firepower can annihilate any enemy that dares approach. The Imperial Titan is my greatest creation and humanity's ultimate trump card beyond even nuclear weapons!"
Nolan spoke with absolute confidence.
This was his crowning achievement.
In the primary universe, such a creation would be impossible.
Only in this universe, already manipulated and secured by him, could it be completed.
Even with more advanced tech in the system, building another Imperial Titan would likely be impossible.
"Beyond nuclear weapons?" Tony asked, astonished.
The power of nukes isn't just explosive it's their radiation, accessibility, and ease of deployment that make them terrifying.
How could a nearly impossible-to-replicate mech surpass a nuclear bomb?
Nolan's lips curled.
"Do you know where the Imperial Titan fired its main cannon last time?"
"No." Tony shook his head.
That information was classified; even global intelligence didn't know.
Nolan smiled.
"I'm not certain either, but I am confident. If it hit the Moon…
The Moon would be destroyed."
Tony's jaw dropped.
Alisa trembled behind him.
"Boss… are you saying this weapon could destroy the Moon?"
The thought alone spelled utter doom for the Aenians.