Chapter 68: Stealing the Spotlight

In the live broadcast, the G-0 Warlord twisted its enormous backside, bending a waist that seemed not to exist, both hands rummaging busily through the wreckage of the steel soldiers.

“What is the Apostle doing?”

Across America, viewers watched the scene in confusion and bewilderment on live television. Everyone’s curiosity was piqued as they focused on Luke’s actions, wondering if there was some deeper meaning behind them. Had the Apostle discovered something? Was this part of a greater plan?

No one realized that Luke was simply looting the corpses.

The cameras, set at a distance, failed to capture Luke’s muttered soliloquy.

At that very moment, he was talking to himself, completely unconcerned by the world: “Sensors? Good stuff, I’ll take it! Radar? Good, I’ll have that too! Eh? Even this outer shell is excellent! I’ll take it all!”

Everything on these steel soldiers caught his eye.

Sensors, radar, power cells, heat exchangers, hydraulic systems—these were nothing like the civilian-grade items he’d bought online. Even the exteriors of these steel soldiers were made of military-grade materials.

“I’ve struck gold!”

Luke kept disassembling components and tossing them into his storage space, his face aglow with excitement. He’d already scavenged two hundred “Ex-wife” missiles alone! Each steel soldier carried as many as twenty missiles—like a troop of mobile armories.

“At two hundred thousand dollars per missile, that’s forty million dollars…”

With his kindergarten-level math, Luke made a rough calculation and nearly fainted from happiness.

He was so delighted that he wished he could toss the entire steel soldiers into his storage space.

He barely managed to resist that tempting idea.

Thanks to the accursed Lotus, with nowhere else to spend his resources, he’d already expanded his storage capacity to thirty meters by thirty meters. It was enough to fit all the steel soldiers on the field, but there would be endless trouble afterward—too many people were watching.

Missing small parts would be easier to explain; after all, the Warlord was big enough to contain them. But if whole steel soldiers vanished, Fury would surely hunt him down for dissection.

Oblivious to all this, Luke continued his gleeful looting, not knowing that the American media had already begun to discuss his actions.

In the CNN studio, the female anchor was discussing Luke’s behavior with a renowned military expert.

“General Hades, how would you evaluate the recent battle?” the anchor asked with a smile.

Opposite her sat an elderly, silver-haired retired Army Lieutenant General, who, despite his years, looked vigorous and alert.

With a grave air, the general analyzed, “From the footage, we can clearly conclude that the Apostle is a veteran with extensive combat experience.”

“Could you elaborate?”

“Such ferocious attack maneuvers can only be executed with immense skill—they’re not for amateurs. That kind of proficiency comes from countless battlefield trials, forged in blood and fire.”

“What, then, do you make of the Apostle’s current actions?”

“I believe he is gathering enemy intelligence and conducting a sweep.”

“A sweep?”

“He’s checking for any enemies not yet neutralized. As I said, the Apostle is an exceptionally experienced combat specialist. I’ve studied all available footage of him. Trust my judgment.”

Meanwhile, in the cockpit, Lotus was unimpressed by Luke’s performance.

Her critique was simple: not shameless enough.

“Your rating is very low, kid! Based on your current actions, at best I’d generously give you a D grade,” Lotus sniffed.

“Only a D?” Luke exclaimed. “If I’d known, I wouldn’t have finished off those steel soldiers so quickly. Maybe if I’d shown off a bit, my score would be higher?”

“It’s not too late.”

“You’re right!”

So Luke piloted the mech, drew the 6.5-meter-long giant sword, and walked back, stabbing every steel soldier in the backside, one by one.

Back in the CNN studio, the general smiled, “See, the Apostle must have detected some enemies still capable of fighting. On the battlefield, this is called a finishing blow. Only true veterans develop such habits.”

“But isn’t it odd that all the finishing blows are in… well, the buttocks?” the anchor questioned.

“You must be mistaken. Trust my professional eye—the Apostle’s military acumen…”

Suddenly, the anchor pointed at the screen. “Oh my—look! The Apostle is kicking the steel wreckages in the rear!”

The general fell silent.

Luke smashed to pieces all the spoils he couldn’t take with him…

Meanwhile, high above, Tony’s battle raged fiercely.

The rampaging War Machine and a squad of relentless steel soldiers, together with Iron Man, put on a tense and exhilarating aerial chase for everyone to see.

“Tony, heads up—a group of steel soldiers have just broken off and are flying back to the expo,” Rhodey relayed. Though he couldn’t control his suit and was being carried helplessly through the sky, he smartly relayed everything he saw to Tony.

Tony flew a dozen meters ahead. “Copy.”

“They’re closing in and about to open fire! Tony, be careful!” As Rhodey spoke, War Machine’s shoulder-mounted Gatling gun erupted, showering Tony with bullets.

Tony dodged and weaved, evading the hail of gunfire with the agility of his superior Mark VI armor. Leveraging its excellent performance, he had already shaken off and shot down four enemies.

Meanwhile, on the expo stage, the remaining inactive steel soldiers were being activated and controlled by Ivan Vanko, reinforcing the damaged ranks.

Seeing the robots soaring into the sky, Luke—busy desecrating the remains—was struck by a bold idea.

He knew that, in the movie, Tony would use his wits to lure the flock of steel soldiers into crashing into a building, destroying them all at once.

Such a chance to steal the spotlight couldn’t be missed.

Lying back in his mech, Luke gritted his teeth, as if steeling himself for a monumental decision. “Forget it, for the sake of the score, I’ll go all out!”

He no longer cared about saving face.

If his rating wasn’t shameless enough this time, he would lose the reward—something he would never allow.

The G-0 Warlord planted its feet, gripping the 6.5-meter sword with both hands, blade pointing skyward.

He was about to unleash the Asura Light Slash.

Closing his eyes slightly, Luke focused, sensing the unique energy surging within him. This was a different force from the one he used for his psychic shield—a completely distinct form of energy.

At first, he’d been surprised to discover two types of energy within his body, coexisting peacefully without conflict. He could only attribute this harmony to the system’s intervention.

The power of fluctuation slowly infused the mech, then flowed into the sword.

Luke manipulated the mech into a charging stance, both hands gripping the blade.

The giant sword gradually began to glow, emitting layers of gentle white light.

Charging…

More charging…

He gathered all the fluctuating energy into the blade.

The Warlord’s gaze locked onto Tony and the others flying in from the horizon.

The light on the giant sword grew from gentle to dazzling, shining like a small sun in the night.

The Asura Light Slash was ready to be unleashed.

Tony drew nearer.

The Warlord’s eyes flashed. He swung the sword with a sudden, mighty sweep!

At the same time, an antenna silently popped up atop the Warlord’s head, swaying in the wind.

Luke shouted at the top of his lungs: “EX—CALIBUR—!!!”