Transformer in MCU

After a sound sleep in the house, Downey started cleaning. It was clear to him that the house had been an open target for anyone to come and go as they pleased. Who knows how many cameras had been installed?

After all, how else would the X-Men have left the letter on the table inside?

Without hesitation, Downey used the Allspark to spread its energy throughout the house. 

Whether it was his imagination or not, the constant tingling in his brain seemed to have diminished.

This delighted Downey, signaling that he was indeed recovering, albeit slowly. Having tasted the power of a Level 4 mutant, it was frustrating to be stuck at Level 3, even if his abilities surpassed many typical mutants of that rank.

The Allspark's particles spread slowly, covering every corner inside and outside the house, revealing numerous hidden technological devices. 

These were likely surveillance tools placed by different groups: the government, the Brotherhood, or S.H.I.E.L.D. 

However, it didn't matter who they belonged to, as they were all neutralized by the Allspark, turning them into useless junk.

Afterward, Downey grabbed several wristwatches from his house and strapped them on. He then picked up a cellphone tossed to him by one organization or another. 

No one had contacted him, so he modified it—at least the calling function still worked.

Now with some peace, Downey could finally plan and assess his combat capabilities.

At the moment, Optimus Prime was his only reliable asset. Though Downey had steadily reinforced Optimus, the materials he used were fairly common, enhancing Optimus' defense by only 50 to 70 percent. 

The upgrades were limited, and repairs had to be made constantly after battles.

Looking back on his fight with Abomination, if Hulk hadn't intervened to double-team the enemy, Downey knew he would've been outmatched in a one-on-one confrontation.

Unfortunately, getting access to rare metals like Adamantium or Vibranium was next to impossible unless he had a large corporation at his disposal to plan and manufacture them. 

He imagined Optimus Prime's truck form covered in such advanced materials but knew he wasn't yet capable of crafting those metals himself.

The worst part? Downey was broke. Who could he even approach to build the armor?

"I should've asked the Red Devil for cash," Downey muttered in frustration. "I could've had tens of millions wired to my account instead of taking this chunk of Vibranium."

He took out the piece of Vibranium and stared at it, feeling a wave of regret. In his hands, the precious metal was just a fancy brick. 

During fights, his best use for it was smacking opponents when they weren't paying attention—a move that, while effective, felt like a waste.

"Is this really going to be a brick forever?" Downey lamented, feeling like he had squandered a golden opportunity. 

On the open market, Vibranium could fetch astronomical prices, but selling it wasn't an option. It was simply too valuable, and he couldn't bring himself to part with it.

If he wanted to transform this Vibranium into something practical, he'd need to reach out to major corporations like Stark Industries or Wayne Enterprises. 

Downey also needed personal protection—his biggest vulnerability was himself. Transformers could be rebuilt, but if he died, there was no second chance.

It was this line of thinking that made the Vibranium's value clear.

"Who do I approach first? Stark or Wayne?" Downey paced around the room, growing anxious.

Tony Stark was still busy being a billionaire playboy. There was no telling how long it would be before Stark became Iron Man. 

Going to him now would be a joke, and Downey had no interest in being dismissed. Plus, Stark's reckless behavior—like creating Extremis—gave Downey little faith in him.

And as for Wayne?

"Gotham is a nightmare," Downey groaned. Just thinking about the city gave him a headache. Gotham was a mess of chaos and crime. 

Wayne, with his personal vendetta against Arkham's rogues, had the time and energy to play the role of the Dark Knight.

His solution to everything seemed to be catching villains, locking them up, and then watching them escape, only to catch them again.

"If I go to Gotham… would Wayne even see me as human?" Downey mused. Wayne's strict humanist tendencies might not look kindly on mutants. 

What if Wayne didn't approve of him at all? And even if he did, what was stopping him from developing anti-Downey armor?

On top of that, Gotham's infamous criminals like the Joker would undoubtedly take an interest in him, which would be more trouble than it was worth.

Downey scratched his head in frustration. Was it really this hard to find someone to refine the Vibranium?

Iron Man and Batman seemed like the only reliable options. Approaching shady groups like Hammer Industries or LexCorp would only lead to betrayal.

And as for S.H.I.E.L.D.? The agency was a no-go until they cleaned house and dealt with their Hydra infestation.

The more Downey thought about it, the more he realized the world was full of hidden dangers. 

Even in this relatively peaceful period, he was anxious about the future—stronger enemies would emerge, and ancient cosmic forces would awaken.

Unable to come up with a solution, Downey decided to head to the Daily Bugle.

He needed to secure some quick cash, pay off a portion of his mortgage, and give Optimus Prime some necessary upgrades. Maybe, if he was lucky, he could also buy two high-end motorcycles for future projects.

His meeting with Jameson went well, at first. Downey was warmly welcomed. However, when he brought up the topic of compensation for his photos, Jameson's demeanor immediately changed. 

The notoriously stingy editor-in-chief tried to weasel out of paying, even to a Level 4 mutant like Downey.

Eventually, Jameson begrudgingly gave him $100,000.

It wasn't much, but it would have to do. Downey wasn't about to waste time haggling with the tight-fisted old man.

The only disappointment was that he didn't run into Peter Parker, who was probably off doing some friendly neighborhood Spider-Man duties.

Downey drove home and plopped himself on the sofa, running the numbers. Between his family savings, the government compensation of one million dollars, and the money from Jameson, things were starting to look better.

He could pay off half the mortgage in one go. The rest could be used for upgrading Optimus Prime and, if possible, purchasing some alloys for additional armor. It would take time, but the plan was starting to come together.

Just then, his phone buzzed. A new message appeared on the screen.

The message contained only one sentence: Someone wants to kill you!

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Sayo nara~~