The rest of the events unfolded much the same way as in the original storyline, at least on the surface. Ivan Vanko arrived at the Monaco racetrack exactly on schedule, his timing impeccable and his intentions crystal clear. However, thanks to Ethan Voss's covert support, the armor Vanko wore was far more refined and sophisticated than it had been in the original timeline. The craftsmanship was sharper, the power output greater, and the design carried a level of polish that made the technology far more dangerous.
Because of that advantage, Tony Stark found himself in a much worse position than he had ever been before. The fight at the racetrack became far more brutal and chaotic than expected. When it was finally over, Stark stood barely upright, his body covered in wounds while the portable suitcase armor he had relied on lay completely destroyed. Despite everything, he had still managed to defeat his opponent, though the victory came at a painful cost.
Ivan himself, on the other hand, remained almost entirely unharmed. The moment he realized the situation had turned against him, he calmly raised both hands and surrendered without hesitation. Stark was furious, but with cameras broadcasting the scene live to the entire world, he couldn't bring himself to assault a prisoner in broad daylight. In the end, Ivan was escorted away by the police, smiling faintly the entire time as if he had already achieved his goal.
Meanwhile, Stark's blood pressure shot through the roof. Frustration and humiliation boiled over, and he unleashed a stream of angry insults during the live broadcast. The outburst immediately stirred widespread controversy across television networks and media outlets everywhere.
Pepper Potts had already left earlier to help organize the upcoming banquet. Ethan Voss casually glanced around the room, and it didn't take long before he spotted Justin Hammer standing nearby, staring at the television screen with eyes that gleamed with excitement.
The fish were already in the net, the turtles sealed inside the jar, and the real show had just begun.
Only a few days after returning to New York, Ethan had already received Bullseye's detailed investigation report concerning the vampire presence in the city. According to the intelligence gathered so far, a powerful organization known as the Vampire Council currently controlled most vampire activity throughout New York and the surrounding regions. Publicly, the group presented itself as a large financial and real estate corporation, hiding its true nature behind legitimate business operations.
Inside the council, nearly every member qualified to hold a seat was a pure-blood vampire with a long lineage. There was only one exception among them. Frost was different from the rest, an incredibly clever and ambitious vampire who had originally been turned rather than born into the bloodline.
Through relentless effort and ruthless dedication to the organization, Frost had gradually helped the council expand its influence and wealth. Over time, the organization's prosperity became inseparable from his contributions. Yet despite everything he had accomplished, Frost was still denied the highest position within the council.
That position belonged to the chairman.
Frost coveted that role with an obsession that had grown impossible to suppress. So one clear and brilliant morning, he invited the council's former chairman, Getaro, to witness the sunrise together. Bathed in the golden glow of dawn, Getaro's body slowly disintegrated into drifting ash.
Through sheer brutality and overwhelming strength, Frost eliminated the last obstacle standing in his way and successfully seized control of the Vampire Council.
At the same time, Blade had been tirelessly hunting vampires and following fragments of information wherever they led. His investigation gradually revealed disturbing clues that pointed toward a much larger conspiracy. Frost seemed to be preparing something enormous, something that involved a mysterious entity known only as the Blood God.
Unfortunately, Blade's investigation had not gone smoothly. During one of his recent encounters, he had suffered serious injuries that left his body weakened. Although his unique physiology allowed him to recover overnight, the healing process triggered an intense bloodthirst that was nearly impossible to control.
By the time Ethan Voss and Bullseye arrived at his hideout, Blade was already struggling violently against the overwhelming hunger inside his body.
Blade and his longtime partner Whistler were clearly suspicious of strangers. The moment the two visitors arrived, tension filled the room like a coiled spring ready to snap. Only after Bullseye engaged them in a surprisingly calm and friendly exchange did Ethan finally gain the opportunity to sit down and speak with them face-to-face.
Whistler leaned against the wall, dark circles under his eyes from sleepless nights, and studied the two men with open skepticism. "Who exactly are you people?" he asked bluntly.
Ethan shrugged slightly, his expression relaxed and almost casual. "We're a superhuman management team officially certified by the White House and the Department of Homeland Security. According to federal regulations, individuals with extraordinary abilities are required to cooperate with our oversight."
He paused briefly before adding, "Naturally, I hope the two of you will cooperate with our work."
Blade and Whistler exchanged a glance that clearly showed they were not impressed. Whistler snorted dismissively and crossed his arms. "You?" he said with open disdain. "What gives you the right to tell us what to do?"
"Strength," Ethan replied calmly.
As he spoke, he casually extended a hand toward the table nearby. A loose bullet resting on the surface suddenly lifted into the air as if pulled by an invisible force. The metal round floated silently through the air before stopping in the center of his palm.
Ethan slowly curled his fingers inward, and the silver bullet instantly crumbled into fine dust.
Blade's eyes narrowed sharply as he watched the demonstration. The level of power required for such precise control was far beyond ordinary abilities.
Whistler's expression shifted into pure disbelief. Until that moment, he had assumed Bullseye was the only dangerous fighter among the visitors. The young man in the suit had appeared completely ordinary, yet he had just displayed something far more frightening.
Seeing their silence, Ethan curled his lips slightly in amusement. "It seems you still don't fully understand what I'm capable of."
He leaned forward slightly and continued in a calm voice. "Do you remember the incident a few days ago that destroyed half a street in New York? The two individuals responsible for that battle are now working under me."
Then he casually gestured toward Bullseye standing behind him. "And people like him? I have over a hundred serving as my bodyguards."
Ethan paused for a moment before continuing, his tone still relaxed. "Beyond that, I can mobilize aircraft, artillery, tanks, and even warships whenever I need them."
Blade and Whistler fell silent for several seconds as they processed what they had just heard. Eventually Blade frowned slightly and spoke again. "If you're really responsible for managing superpowered individuals, why haven't you dealt with the vampires?"
His voice carried a sharp edge of hostility. "Do you not know about them, or are you deliberately allowing them to exist?"
Ethan slowly shook his head and sighed as if deeply disappointed. "I'm well aware that vampires have caused enormous harm in this world, and I sincerely regret that fact."
He paused briefly before continuing with a look of solemn conviction. "But the responsibility for that failure belongs entirely to S.H.I.E.L.D. and their director, Nick Fury. It has nothing to do with us."
Ethan's expression turned almost heroic as he spoke the next words. "S.H.I.E.L.D. claims to protect the entire world under the authority of an international council. Yet there's no denying they failed to fulfill their duty."
He spread his hands slightly. "That's why I'm here."
His voice carried a powerful certainty as he continued. "I intend to raise the banner once again, sound the call to battle, and shoulder the responsibility of protecting this land."
Ethan looked directly at the two men sitting across from him. "I didn't come here today specifically to recruit you. I already have a plan to eliminate the vampire threat entirely."
He leaned back calmly in his chair. "If you help me, fewer people will die. If you refuse, then more people will die and more families will be destroyed."
"I'm not forcing you," Ethan added casually. "The choice is entirely voluntary."
Blade's lips twitched slightly as he stared at him. Voluntary, he thought bitterly. That word sounded almost sarcastic coming from someone who had just demonstrated overwhelming power.
"With someone like you managing superpowered individuals," Blade said quietly, "I suspect the world will eventually run into serious problems."
After exchanging a brief glance with Whistler, Blade nodded slowly. "If this is about eliminating vampires, then we're willing to cooperate with you."
He paused briefly before continuing. "But as for accepting your management…"
Whistler cut him off with a deep voice. "We don't see any need for that."
His expression remained firm and unwavering. "Hunting vampires has always been our mission. We've done it before, and we'll keep doing it."
Ethan smiled faintly, clearly amused by their stubborn confidence.
"That's fine," he said calmly. "But let me give you a piece of advice. If you decide not to join us, then once I completely wipe out the vampires, the two of you should consider retiring."
"The world won't need a daywalker forever."
His tone remained calm, yet his words carried overwhelming arrogance. "We're going to establish a new order, and under that order, people like you won't be tolerated."
Blade's heart skipped slightly at the sheer audacity of the statement.
Whistler, however, simply sneered. "Completely wipe out vampires? Those sewer rats exist all over the world. How exactly do you plan to eradicate them completely?"
"A vampire plague," Ethan replied casually.
Blade and Whistler both froze for a moment, exchanging confused looks. Neither of them had the slightest idea what he meant.
Blade quickly leaned forward. "What are you talking about? What exactly is this vampire plague?"
Ethan simply shrugged. "Classified information. No comment."
Blade's already dark expression immediately turned even darker.
Ethan rose calmly from his seat. "If you discover any useful leads in the future, contact Bullseye immediately."
He took a few steps toward the door before suddenly pausing. "Oh, one more thing. I have a method that can eliminate the bloodthirst inside your body."
"If you ever need it, come find me."
After Ethan left, Whistler stared at the door for a long moment before speaking quietly to Blade. "If what he said is true, you should probably go see him."
He lit a cigarette slowly. "Otherwise you're going to lose control sooner or later."
Blade remained silent for a moment, his gaze deep in thought.
"Let's wait and see."
At the same time, Ethan continued keeping a close watch on Iron Man's situation. Tony Stark had barely survived the racetrack incident, yet instead of becoming more cautious, he began acting even more recklessly.
Under the looming shadow of death, Stark threw an outrageous birthday party.
Wearing the Iron Man armor, he drank heavily and behaved in an increasingly unrestrained and reckless manner. His actions quickly spiraled into chaos, pushing the celebration toward complete disaster.
Eventually his close friend, Lieutenant Colonel James Rhodes, put on a suit of armor himself and confronted Stark directly at the party. The two clashed fiercely before Rhodes stormed out in anger.
The following morning, Nick Fury finally paid Iron Man a visit. He provided Stark with a temporary antidote that suppressed the poisoning symptoms caused by the arc reactor.
At the same time, Fury also offered crucial clues regarding a mysterious new element.
As for Justin Hammer, he had already arranged for Ivan Vanko to be secretly extracted from the Monaco prison facility.
At this very moment, Ivan had been transported to the Hammer Industries factory and was now working on developing a new generation of armored weapons.
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