Chapter 9 – Purification
Tony landed gracefully on the mansion's helipad, flames still dripping from the joints of the Mark-2-Devil Edition armor.
He flipped open the faceplate with a flourish, flashing what he clearly thought was a charming smile. "So? Don't I deserve a Nobel Peace—"
Chen Tian and Yinsen watched silently as the robotic arms disassembled and stored the armor.
Without a word, Chen Tian walked straight up, hoisted Tony over his shoulder (thanks to the swordsmanship inheritance from One Piece, which had slightly strengthened his physique), and carried him away.
"Hey, hey, hey! I know you love me, but this is basically how cavemen drag their mates back to the cave!" Tony shouted from Chen Tian's shoulder.
Chen Tian ignored him and dumped Tony roughly onto the workbench with a loud clang.
Tony rubbed his lower back and groaned dramatically. "Oh my god, Chen Tian. Are you jealous that my armor looks cooler than you? Or maybe—"
"Shut up, Tony," Chen Tian cut him off coldly. He turned to the air and ordered, "Jarvis, perform a full-body scan on Tony. Focus on any abnormal readings."
The lab's scanner activated immediately. Blue light poured down from the ceiling, enveloping Tony. Seconds later, a holographic display unfolded, filled with streams of dense data.
"Scan complete," Jarvis said, his voice unusually grave.
"Mr. Stark's vital signs are abnormal. Brainwave activity is 300% above normal human limits. Blood pressure is continuously elevated. Adrenaline levels are hovering at lethal thresholds. Additionally, blood flow rate is abnormally accelerated, and red blood cell oxygen-carrying capacity has reached theoretical maximums."
Yinsen sucked in a sharp breath. "This isn't human data anymore…"
Tony, however, grinned, revealing sharper-than-normal canines. "Ha! Sounds like the super soldier serum. Looks like that Diablo guy did a decent job."
Chen Tian grabbed Tony by the collar and yanked him close. "Tony, this isn't 'enhancement' — it's corruption! Your body is being rewritten by demonic energy!"
Tony's smile froze for a moment, then returned to its usual carefree smirk. "Oh? So what? I feel amazing right now! Strength, speed, reflexes — everything's improved!"
"And the price?" Chen Tian stared hard into Tony's eyes. "Your pupils are already changing color, Tony."
Tony instinctively touched his eyes, but Chen Tian had already dragged him in front of a mirror.
In the reflection, Tony Stark's pupils were ringed with a dark red glow, like burning sulfur. When he frowned, faint lava-like patterns appeared beneath his skin, as if hellfire flowed through his veins instead of blood.
Tony froze.
"Wow… it looks pretty cool, but… why does it feel so wrong?" His voice faltered.
"Jarvis! Play the footage of Tony killing the Ten Rings terrorists in the Middle East," Chen Tian ordered.
The holographic display flickered, replaying the earlier recording.
Tony stared at the footage, his throat tightening.
In the video, the Mark-2-Devil Edition descended on the village like a hellish god. Sulfur flames leaked from the armor's seams as its mechanical wings split into six vicious tentacles, tearing terrorists apart like toys.
"First question." The voice from inside the armor was hoarse, echoing with the burn of hellfire. "Where's Abu?"
A trembling terrorist pointed north. The next second, his body erupted in flames and burned into charcoal amid screams. Tony shook the embers off his hand and said lightly, "Thanks for cooperating."
Then the armor's speakers blasted Queen's Another One Bites the Dust. While the music played, Tony went on a rampage — palm cannons blowing heads apart at point-blank range, tentacles swinging enemies like human wrecking balls, and even casually handing out lollipops to terrified children.
"Eco-friendly combat," the Tony in the video whistled. "Zero ammunition used."
Finally, he found Abu. The demonic claw pierced straight through the man's chest, crushing his heart. The palm cannon then erupted, burning the body to ashes.
"Hey buddy, you got my armor dirty," the voice said with clear pleasure. "Well~ I think I kinda like it."
The real Tony turned pale. His fingers unconsciously gripped the edge of the workbench.
"This… this is me?" His voice was dry and rough.
Chen Tian looked at him coldly. "Who else would it be?"
Tony opened his mouth to argue, but nothing came out. He looked down at his own hands — dark red patterns were faintly visible on his knuckles, like molten lava flowing through his veins.
"Damn Diablo didn't just help you build the armor," Chen Tian said, pointing at the footage. "He was modifying you. He's amplifying your negative emotions, making you enjoy the killing, the violence… the demonic thrill."
Tony's head snapped up. "I didn't! I was just—"
"Just what?" Chen Tian interrupted. "Just thinking 'these terrorists deserved it'? Just thinking 'they had it coming'? Tony, we killed terrorists in that cave too. Did you enjoy it back then?"
Tony fell silent.
He remembered the feeling during the fight — the unprecedented excitement, the boiling blood, the overwhelming urge to tear everything apart.
That wasn't him.
At least… it shouldn't be.
"Sir," Jarvis spoke up suddenly. "Your adrenaline levels are rising abnormally again. I suggest—"
"Shut up, Jarvis!" Tony slammed his fist on the workbench, leaving a dent in the metal.
Chen Tian and Yinsen exchanged a grave look.
"Tony," Chen Tian took a deep breath. "Luckily, it's not too late to fix this."
He turned to Lia (Diablo), who was kneeling obediently in the corner trying to look innocent. "What are you waiting for? Get over here!"
Lia jumped up like a scolded pet and scurried over.
She wore a flattering smile, but her dark red vertical pupils gleamed with dangerous amusement.
"My Lord~ don't be mad~" Lia rubbed her hands, her voice sickeningly sweet. "I was just observing the situation~"
"Cut the crap!" Chen Tian grabbed her by the collar and dragged her in front of Tony. "Look at what you've done! Can you fix it?"
Lia pouted and muttered, "You guys were the ones who agreed to let me help build the armor…"
"Hm?" Chen Tian narrowed his eyes.
"I'm checking right now!" Lia straightened up immediately. She placed her hand on Tony's chest. Dark red light glowed from her fingertips, scanning through his body like an evil X-ray.
Tony felt a burning energy coursing through his veins and frowned. "Hiss— this doesn't feel great…"
"Quiet, mortal," Lia's tone suddenly turned cold and majestic, completely different from her earlier sycophantic act. "Let me see if I can…"
Her pupils contracted sharply, as if she'd found something interesting. "Aha~ Just as I thought~"
"Speak clearly!" Chen Tian knocked her on the head impatiently.
Lia clutched her head and shot Chen Tian a pitiful glare, but still explained honestly: "His body has been改造 by demonic energy by about 37%, mainly in the nervous and endocrine systems. In simple terms…" She tilted her head. "It's like pouring rocket fuel into a precision instrument. Powerful, but it could explode into fireworks at any moment~"
Yinsen sucked in a breath. "Can it be reversed?"
Lia shrugged. "In theory, yes, but…"
"But what?" Chen Tian and Tony asked at the same time.
"But it's going to hurt like hell~" Lia grinned mischievously. "Worse than giving birth~"
Tony's mouth twitched. "…How does a demon know how much giving birth hurts?"
"When you were building the armor, I had Jarvis show me lots of human movies," Lia said proudly. "I watched ER three times!"
Chen Tian facepalmed. "…That's not the point."
"Hehe," Lia chuckled. "I can remove the demonic energy I left in Tony, but there are two conditions."
She raised one finger. "First, removing it will cause him immense pain. Soul-level pain. Sedatives won't help — he'll have to endure it with pure willpower."
"How did you know I was going to suggest sedatives?" Tony asked, surprised.
"Tony, let her finish," Chen Tian said.
"Second condition," Lia glanced regretfully at the Mark-2-Devil Edition. "This armor can no longer be used. It was made with my scales and engraved with hell runes. If he keeps wearing it, the demonic energy will continue to seep into his body."
Tony shot up from the workbench, his face darkening. "Wait — you're saying I can't use this armor anymore? Are you kidding? This is the best work I've ever created!"
He pointed at the demonic armor floating in the weapons bay. The dark red plates gleamed under the lights, hellish runes faintly pulsing on the mechanical wings.
"We poured so much effort into this!" Tony's voice burned with suppressed anger. "Arc reactor output increased by 400%, armor defense stronger than Captain America's shield, plus the hellfire weapon systems—"
"Tony!" Chen Tian gripped his shoulder hard enough to make him stagger. "Don't you get it? This armor is turning you into a monster!"
Tony shook off Chen Tian's hand, about to argue, when a sharp pain suddenly exploded in his chest. He groaned and collapsed to his knees. Lava-like patterns spread wildly beneath his skin, and the lab temperature spiked.
"Sir! Body temperature exceeding 45°C!" Jarvis sounded the alarm. "Recommend immediate cooling protocol!"
Lia squatted in front of Tony and observed him with interest. "Wow~ The demonic energy is even more active than I thought~" She poked his burning forehead with her finger. "If this continues, in less than three days you'll fully become one of my kind~"
Tony struggled to lift his head. His pupils had turned into vertical slits of dark red. "So… what…" His voice had become hoarse. "At least… I can… protect…"
"Protect?" Chen Tian laughed coldly and pulled up a new holographic image — the crude Mark I armor they had built together in the Afghan cave.
"Look at this!" Chen Tian pointed at it. "Remember? We built this in that cave. We didn't need demonic power. We didn't need to become monsters. Human intelligence and courage were enough!"
Tony stared blankly at the old Mark I. The red glow in his eyes flickered unsteadily.
Lia suddenly clapped her hands. "Ah! I have a great analogy~" She hopped between them. "It's like a drug addict getting high. Feels amazing in the short term, but eventually you either end up in prison or the morgue~"
Yinsen facepalmed. "…Your analogies are always so… unique."
"Shut up, Diablo," Chen Tian glared at her, then softened his tone toward Tony. "Listen, we can help purge the demonic energy, but you have to give up this armor. And…" He paused. "The process is going to be extremely painful."
Tony stayed silent for a long time. The only sound in the lab was the mechanical arms cleaning the scorch marks from Tony's landing.
Finally, he slowly raised his head. The red light in his eyes gradually faded. "…How painful?"
Lia gave a brilliant smile. "Like slowly roasting your soul over hellfire~ But don't worry! I'll be very gentle~"
"I don't believe you for a second," Tony weakly rolled his eyes, but still nodded with difficulty. "…Do it."
Chen Tian and Yinsen moved quickly. Yinsen brought over a modified medical pod.
Lia watched Tony lie down inside and announced cheerfully, "Alright~ Time for the purification ritual~"
Dark purple flames ignited on her hands as she gently pressed her fingers to Tony's temples. "It might feel a little ticklish~"
"Wait, you said ticklish — AAAAAAAAAAAHHH!!"
Tony's scream instantly echoed throughout the entire mansion. His body convulsed violently. Dark red energy leaked from his seven orifices as the lava-like patterns writhed beneath his skin like living things. Every monitor in the medical pod spiked, alarms blaring nonstop.
"Diablo—! You call this 'a little ticklish'?!" Tony forced the words through gritted teeth, veins bulging on his forehead as cold sweat poured down.
Lia tilted her head innocently. "Hey~ I'm already being super gentle~" The purple flames on her fingertips danced even brighter. "If another demon did this, you'd already be a roasted skewer~"
"I— fuck— you—" Tony's curse was cut off by another wave of agony. His pupils turned fully blood-red as his nails gouged deep grooves into the metal of the medical pod.
Chen Tian held Tony's shoulders down firmly. "Hold on! Just a little longer!"
"Hold on my ass—!" Tony roared, his voice mixing with inhuman shrieks. "This hurts ten thousand times more than when I got blown up—!"
Yinsen frantically adjusted the pod's settings. "Heart rate 280! Blood pressure critical! If this continues, his heart will—"
"He won't die~" Lia interrupted with a sweet smile. "The demonic energy is protecting his body. He can't die… though his soul might shatter into pieces~"
"Diablo!" Chen Tian snapped. "Focus!"
"Got it, got it~" Lia pouted. She suddenly clapped her hands together. Tony's body arched violently as he let out a scream that no longer sounded human.
Dark red energy erupted from his orifices and coalesced in the air into a ferocious demonic face that roared silently at everyone.
"Wow~" Lia whistled. "Mr. Stark's negative emotions are even richer than I expected~"
The demonic phantom lunged at Lia, but she grabbed it by the throat. "Tsk tsk, no need to be so aggressive~" Her small mouth suddenly stretched ear-to-ear, revealing rows of sharp teeth. She swallowed the phantom whole.
"Burp~" Lia returned to her normal appearance and patted her stomach contentedly. "Tony's negative emotions taste pretty good, just a bit too violent."
Inside the medical pod, Tony finally stopped struggling. He was drenched in sweat, deathly pale, but the lava patterns under his skin had completely vanished.
"Is… is it over…" Tony asked weakly, his voice hoarse and broken.
Lia held up her palm. A swirling ball of crimson liquid floated above it, flowing like molten lava. "All done~ Demonic energy fully extracted!" She shook it proudly. "Want to keep it as a souvenir? I can make it into a necklace~"
Tony weakly flipped her off. "I'd rather… shove it up your…"
Before he could finish, his eyes rolled back and he passed out completely.
The medical pod's alarms gradually quieted. Yinsen checked the readings frantically. "Vital signs stable! It's just exhaustion-induced unconsciousness!"
Chen Tian let out a long sigh of relief, only now realizing his back was soaked with sweat. He looked at the ball of demonic energy in Lia's hand. "What do we do with this?"
Lia blinked. "Oh, this is mine…" She opened her mouth and swallowed it in one gulp. "Just eat it~"
Chen Tian: "..."
Yinsen: "..."
Jarvis: "... Would you like me to prepare some stomach medicine, Miss Lia?"
"No need, no need~" Lia licked her lips contentedly, then looked at the unconscious Tony with a rare serious expression. "By the way… I want to watch more good TV shows. Jarvis, any recommendations?"
Chen Tian: "..."
Yinsen: "..."
Jarvis: "... Yes, Miss Lia. There are nine more shows as good as ER…"
--------------------------
Join the inner circle of readers who shape the story & Unlock 100 unreleased chapters ahead of all readers :
patreon.com/inkshield