Marvel: Playing Iron Man, Falling In and Out of Love with Jinx

The next day.

Duke returned to Collin's workshop, bringing a visibly nervous Jinx along with him. They stood at the entrance, and Duke nudged her gently.

"Go ahead. Ring the bell."

He held her small luggage in one hand. Encouraged by Duke's steady gaze, Jinx gathered her courage and pressed the doorbell.

Ding-ling-ling…

The chime echoed softly. Collin was the first to answer the door. The moment his eyes landed on Jinx, his expression flickered in surprise. Then he turned to Duke with a questioning look.

"This girl used to be my neighbor," Duke explained smoothly. "Her family asked me to look after her, thought she could learn a few things here."

He paused, then added casually, "Janna's aware of it too."

"If you sneak out like that again in the middle of the night, don't even bother coming back!" Collin scolded as he stepped aside to let Jinx in.

Duke shrugged. "It was Janna's idea, not mine."

Thunk!

A gust of wind slapped the back of his head. He clicked his tongue but didn't protest, stepping inside the shop.

After settling Jinx in, Duke returned to his room and unfurled the blueprint of his clockwork exosuit across the table.

Staring at the intricate schematic, he muttered to himself,

"It's time to begin construction."

Five Days Later.

Collin's Workshop – Forging Room.

"The power system must support both a self-sustaining and an overdrive mode, able to unleash full output in moments of crisis. Energy flow must also remain fluid and unobstructed."

Before the roaring furnace, Duke hammered away at a glowing red energy core component, his thoughts echoing in rhythm with each strike.

Behind him, the outer frame of the exosuit had already taken shape. Its sleek, streamlined armor echoed the silhouette of Iron Man's Mark designs, crafted with aerodynamics in mind, slim yet protective.

The suit's surface was lined with numerous modular interface ports, resembling connector nozzles for external devices.

These were the result of a sudden inspiration, allowing for external weaponry without compromising the core armor structure.

The power core, rather than being mounted on the chest, was built into the shoulder blades on the back.

Drawing reference from the Mark I arc reactor and integrating exoskeletal tech, Duke had reengineered the entire power system using clockwork principles. Runes were etched within the interior to aid mana circulation and structural synergy.

On the surface, it looked like any advanced prototype. But beneath it all, secrets abounded.

After completing this round of forging, Duke quenched the red-hot parts in a special cooling solution. Nearby, a worktable displayed several smaller clockwork inventions he'd built in his downtime, prototypes prepared for Evolution Day.

Collin had warned him: just building an exosuit wouldn't be enough. To avoid criticism, he'd need to present practical, everyday innovations as well.

So Duke had whipped up an entire collection of mechanical gadgets:

– A self-heating copper hotpot powered by clockwork

– A gear-driven bicycle

– A steam-assisted skateboard

– A collapsible clockwork ladder

– And even a gear-powered kettle

Each design addressed a different aspect of daily life, living, transport, comfort, and convenience. These would all be displayed at the Evolution Day fair.

Collin, Orianna, and Jinx were currently busy setting up the booth.

Jinx had quickly adapted to life in the workshop. Collin and Orianna were welcoming, and neither discriminated against her for being from Zaun. She was doing well here.

Her school admission would be finalized after Evolution Day, though Viktor had already managed to sneak her into a beginner's class.

Duke could only sigh, some people really got things done.

His exosuit contract had already been signed, the highest tier possible. The first payment would arrive three days after Evolution Day. Construction of the factory was also underway.

All he had to provide was the now-outdated blueprint and technical report of his earlier exosuit design.

But for now, his focus was completing Iron Man's personal challenge, earning his recognition, and claiming the reward.

Time was running out.

As the forged parts cooled in the solution, Duke approached the armor and adjusted the frame. Based on his height but with a few extra centimeters for cockpit comfort, the design promised a smoother pilot experience.

He pulled the chain, raising the armored shell, and crouched beside the leg section. Taking out a carving knife, he began etching runes into the boots.

Since awakening his magic affinity, his control over runes had drastically improved. With swift precision, he categorized each rune into sets:

– Runes for energy flow

– Runes to boost strength

– Runes for defense enhancement

– And a set for levitation support

Timing each stroke perfectly, he carved the last rune, then pulled the component from the cooling bath and began etching again.

This piece was part of the power module meant to house the Hextech gems. The rune patterns here were more complex, finer, and denser than the rest.

It took nearly an hour to complete.

One by one, he assembled the components. The final power module resembled a triangle, compact, elegant, fully etched in runes, blending science-fiction energy with arcane mysticism.

"Power system ignition test, first attempt," Duke recorded, holding a voice recorder he'd once won in a lucky draw.

He retrieved three Hextech gems and carefully inserted them into the designed slots.

Once the gems were in place, he connected the wires, twisted the switch, and watched.

The gems shimmered, glowing with power. Mana surged through the etched runes, activating them in succession with a radiant blue glow.

Eyes sparkling, Duke eagerly watched the system come online,

Until the glow intensified too quickly. The components turned red-hot.

"Overheating?! I missed something!"

He shut off the switch instantly, cutting off mana flow. The Hextech gems dimmed, and the runes flickered out one by one.

"I adjusted the output, but forgot the cooling system!"

He slapped his forehead, then rummaged through his inventory. Eventually, he pulled out a special dagger he'd once acquired from Benzo's general store:

A blade made of True Ice.

"Never melts, self-cooling… perfect."

After letting the parts cool, Duke disassembled the unit and installed the cooling system. The dagger's hilt was removed, leaving only the crystalline True Ice core as the main coolant.

He re-etched the overheated rune circuits, and reassembled the system.

This time, when the power unit was activated, the cooling system held. Mana output stabilized.

"It's done. Final assembly begins now!"

He lowered the exosuit frame, flipped through his construction manual, and double-checked every component.

When all was ready, he mounted the triangular power core onto the exosuit's back, and sealed the casing shut.

Thirty minutes later, he stepped back, wiped his hands, and admired his work.

The exosuit's faceplate resembled Jhin's "PROJECT" skin, a gleaming red crystal visor shaped like a V, flanked by sleek, angled vents near the cheeks for ventilation.

The shoulders had modular slots for weapons. So did the forearms, elbow joints, and gauntlets. The arms were slightly bulkier near the wrists, but the joints were flexible and well-engineered.

The fingers featured extendable claw-blades.

The chest plate bore the insignia of a Faceless Mask, inlaid with a transparent crystal panel, beneath which lay the rune circuitry. The waist plating was contoured for flexibility, and the thigh armor featured more modular slots, thick at the top, tapering downward.

Its color scheme? A bold red and blue, eschewing Iron Man's signature red-and-gold entirely.

Duke couldn't wait any longer.

He activated the armor, climbed in, and locked the helmet shut.

Mana flowed through him. The runes flared to life. The Hextech gems pulsed steadily.

Click-clack, click-clack…

Steam hissed softly from the exosuit's vents. He felt the force surge through his body.

From his inventory, Duke pulled out a granite slab, five tons in weight.

He grabbed it with both hands and, without strain, lifted it above his head. The floor beneath cracked from the pressure.

Then he pulled his hands apart,

The suit's internal gears surged to life, releasing a burst of explosive force that tore the granite clean in two, fractures splitting from top to bottom.

Duke stood there, clutching a half in each hand, panting slightly.

"…Success. No issues with power output."

"Next up, flight test."

He tossed the granite aside and glanced toward the workshop door.

His eyes sparkled with excitement.

(End of chapter)