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M: TSIA Chapter 129: Dum-E and U
🕑 Added 2025-03-26 11:49:54 +0000 UTCThey knew there was something more than just an ordinary incident. A new group of witches had emerged, and it made many parties feel wary.
Tony himself, after witnessing the battle at Henderson Building and the massacre that occurred in Adirondack, began to devise a plan. Tony realized that the power of these witches was too great to be ignored. Even before returning to Los Angeles, Tony had considered the possibility of developing special weapons to face them if necessary.
As someone with interests in the civilized modern world, Tony could not afford to be complacent. He needed to take precautions before things became more complicated.
Lance, though not an expert in mental magic, had already anticipated this kind of reaction.
Whenever a new group surfaced, the old groups would surely take notice—and often, that attention would turn into a threat. However, the witches were not just a new group. They had existed long before modern civilization was formed, and their power surpassed the imagination of officials and scientists who considered themselves superior.
Let them keep speculating.
Lance understood very well how people like Tony thought. Therefore, Tony deliberately came up with an enticing offer—exchanging magical tools for the technology he needed.
"They are indeed my friends," Lance said with a thin smile, "but the magical weapon I want to trade is different from the one they use."
"Oh?" Tony raised an eyebrow, intrigued.
"Magical weapons come in various types and effects. What they use is a type of battle blessing. Meanwhile, what I want to trade with you is something different," Lance explained.
Tony shrugged. "Then I need to see the item first before deciding."
Lance said nothing. Instead, he pulled out the Armbands of Shiva and casually tossed them toward Tony.
Tony caught them with one hand. He examined the patterns etched on the surface with a flat expression before finally asking skeptically, "What’s the use of this…?"
"You'll find out as soon as you wear it," Lance replied casually.
Tony grinned, then without a second thought, he put on both wrist guards.
Click.
As soon as the wrist guards were on, something unexpected happened.
A pair of extra arms emerged from below Tony's ribs!
"Wow!!" Tony exclaimed, startled. He lifted both of his original arms, while the new arms moved reflexively, like flailing crab legs.
"What?!"
A surprised voice came from outside the laboratory.
Pepper, who had just entered to clean up Tony's "night trash," stood frozen in the glass doorway. Her eyes widened as she stared at her boss with a horrified expression, as if she had just witnessed a strange mutation occur.
"Ahhh, Pepper, this is..."
Tony's face tensed, his expression reflecting a shock that was hard to hide. Pepper's eyes were wide, and her lips trembled slightly as she tried to comprehend the absurd reality that had just unfolded—Tony now had two extra hands.
Lance, who had appeared relaxed from the start, merely smirked before turning to Pepper. "Miss Pepper Potts, don't worry, it's just a little trick. There are no harmful side effects for Mr. Tony," Lance said reassuringly.
Tony tried to control his anxiety and forced a stiff smile. "Pepper, I'm just messing with you," he said in a tone that was strained to remain calm.
However, Pepper continued to look at Tony with a confused and worried expression. "Tony, is this really okay for you?"
"It's fine," Tony replied quickly, even though he himself wasn't entirely sure. "Just wait a moment."
With mixed feelings, Tony raised all four of his arms, observing them with a calculating expression. He then turned to Lance with a strange look. "So, this is the main function of... this magical item?"
"Yes," Lance lied without hesitation, maintaining a serious expression. "This is the Armbands of Shiva, an ancient artifact that allows the user to grow an extra pair of arms. There are no side effects, and it can be canceled at any time. An alchemist from the past created it, originally to assist in scientific and alchemical research."
Tony nodded slowly, as if weighing the information. His upper arms were now crossed in front of his chest, while his lower arms rested on his hips. This pose gave Tony the aura of a god with four arms, although in this context, he resembled an eccentric mechanic testing out a new device.
As a genius engineer, the idea of having an extra pair of arms was certainly tempting. His efficiency in assembling and repairing machines would increase dramatically.
Often, Tony had to ask Dum-E and U for help with his mechanical work. However, despite Dum-E and U's remarkable intelligence, they could sometimes be clumsy and make mistakes that ruined Tony's results. If Tony could have four hands, then the roles of Dum-E and U in machine design could be reduced to simpler tasks.
In the corner of the room, a small robot appeared busy mopping the floor, unaware that its master had already planned for its "retirement."
While Tony continued to try to adapt to his four hands, Lance lounged on the sofa, crossing his legs. "How does it feel?" Lance asked lightly.
Tony shrugged—four shoulders at once. "Pretty interesting, but... it doesn't feel worth the price of a big house."
Lance raised an eyebrow. "So, what do you really want?"
"Magic!" Tony answered without hesitation, his eyes sparkling with enthusiasm.
Lance sighed, then said flatly, "I told you, you have no talent for that."
Tony frowned, clearly dissatisfied with that answer. "That doesn't matter. I just want to try it."
Since childhood, hardly anyone dared to say that Tony lacked talent in something, except for Tony's father.
Lance thought for a moment before pulling out a thick-covered book. "This is a basic textbook for lower-level classes in magic school. I’ll let you copy it, but whether you can understand its contents or not, that's not my concern."
Tony accepted the book with a hopeful expression, but also a bit suspicious. As he opened several pages, he examined the strange symbols etched within the book.
"Tony," Lance added casually, "this book is worth more than your entire castle. So... I need you to do something in return."
