Ch.347The reaction was actually not bad.

“…You’re saying you’ll carry on your father’s will? You’re telling me that now? Even knowing how it ended?”

Does a noble death truly exist?

Even if one protects the world and is praised by all.

If the result is death, can even that be happily understood?

To the world, Stark was a hero.

To Morgan, Stark was family, a friend, a pillar.

The father she lost at an age too young to understand.

Still lived as a hero in people’s hearts.

And Morgan couldn’t simply accept that fact with joy.

“You want me to watch you build a suit? Don’t be ridiculous, why should I? You’re making it illegally anyway.”

The reason Iron Man suits weren’t appropriated by the government.

Was because he was Stark.

Should we call it turning a blind eye for an exceptional case?

And since he used it for heroic deeds rather than illegal activities.

The government simply overlooked these matters.

“And you don’t have any government officials by your side, do you? In the end, you’re just a vigilante moving around in an illegal suit, you know?”

That’s why Morgan wanted to show the cold reality to the man before her.

“Then why did you agree to meet?”

“What?”

“When Hali sent the email, why did you say we should meet and talk? To tell me this?”

EJ looked at Morgan.

He knew from the beginning she wouldn’t hand over the arc reactor blueprints.

He even knew she wouldn’t share knowledge about AI development.

The reason he still wanted to meet.

Was because he was curious why Morgan had accepted this meeting.

“…Just because I saw that news.”

“News? What… clearing out that gang?”

“Yeah, I was just curious what you were thinking when you did that.”

Most people making suits these days are busy pursuing their own interests.

Why would someone deliberately do something that could get them killed?

I was really curious about that.

Morgan’s words were delivered calmly.

Hearing them, EJ realized she wasn’t saying this to him, nor to Hali.

‘She wants to know the mind of a hero.’

More precisely, she wanted to know her father’s thoughts.

The mindset that led him to continue acting even knowing he would die.

She probably wanted to understand even a little bit.

Because it was too painful a wound to discuss with family.

EJ quietly looked at Morgan, then shifted his gaze to the mug on the table.

And in a low voice, he began to share his thoughts.

“They say it’s because they can, that’s why they do it.”

“What?”

“I asked Hali too… why he did it, wasn’t it obvious he’d end up in the hospital, he could have died. And you know what he said?”

“…Because he could do it, that’s how he answered?”

“Yeah, because that option was available… that’s what he said.”

I don’t know if this answers your question.

But if it helps.

“Just keep watching, see what choices Hali and I… continue to make going forward.”

With those final words, EJ stood up.

He couldn’t exactly call it a beneficial meeting.

But if it brought some peace to the heart of a daughter who lost her father, it would be worth it.

Muttering this to himself, he was about to leave when.

“EJ.”

Thud.

Morgan threw something.

EJ instinctively caught it.

“…What’s this?”

“It’s not what you’re expecting, but it will help when building the suit.”

“Suddenly? Don’t tell me you were moved by what I just said?”

“I was planning to give it to you anyway, and by the way, do people often tell you that you lack social awareness? Considering you just blurted that out?”

“No?”

“You don’t have friends, do you?”

“….”

At Morgan’s words, EJ shut his mouth and just walked out.

To suddenly say something so cowardly?

‘Friends? I have plenty of friends!’

There’s Hali and…

And…

And…

Fine, whatever.

Crackle!

Here, the immersed world becomes filled with noise.

It seems the space is about to transition.

Snap!

After a moment of noise.

When the world starts moving again.

A scene appears where EJ is upgrading his suit using the materials he received from Morgan.

-“What?! You met Morgan? You went without me?!”

“Should I have brought you from your hospital bed? Forget it and organize the files she sent.”

-“You said you wouldn’t do it, but you were moved by my heroic spirit, weren’t you?”

“I was moved, I didn’t know you wanted to die like that.”

It wasn’t even a model designed for you, why did you wear it?

EJ continued developing the suit while talking with Hali through video call.

Upbeat music plays in the background.

Through the exciting BGM that plays during suit development.

There was a clear intention to strengthen the protagonist narrative of <Arc Born>.

Whoosh.

And finally, the completed suit.

Although he couldn’t ultimately borrow the power of the arc reactor.

Since its origin traces back to the footsteps of a hero who wore a suit.

“…Born from the arc reactor, so Arc Born.”

A name to let everyone know he’s carrying on the will.

Arc Born.

With that name, EJ’s full-fledged hero activities begin.

They continue on and on, and waiting at the end is.

“…When you wear the suit, you shouldn’t act like that.”

“That’s rich coming from you, why aren’t you utilizing this power?”

A clear enemy.

The story continues from there.

And as it reaches the conclusion.

Crack.

The immersed world breaks and returns to reality.

++++++

After checking the script from beginning to end.

The first thought that came to mind was one thing.

‘This could be controversial, couldn’t it?’

Even though we’ve openly stated it’s a competing work.

And even though <Iron Core> has been playing dirty with the press.

Compared to what <Arc Born> is trying to do, that was just mild irritation.

“Is it really okay to designate an active hero as the main villain so blatantly?”

That’s why I immediately grabbed the script and ran to Director Zenker as soon as the immersion ended.

But Director Zenker gave a very simple answer.

“Why wouldn’t it be okay?”

“Pardon?”

“It’s a multiverse anyway, and… well, the names are different, right?”

They are different.

Of course the names are different.

Yes, looking at it, the appearance of the first film’s main villain is similar to <Iron Core>.

But if analyzed in detail, they should be considered different.

The only commonalities are being Black and female.

But even on this point, Director Zenker was quite confident.

“This is PC.”

“…?”

“Donghu Kim! Think about it! The lead is an Asian male, and the main villain… in today’s world, the main villain is arguably a more popular position than the lead, right? And that position is filled by a Black woman!”

Isn’t this true diversity?

And the only white person who appears is in a supporting role!

Director Zenker smiled at me as if he had planned this from the beginning.

“They can’t attack us. Just like they did, we’re simply respecting diversity.”

“…!”

“And even if they try to point out similarities, they… well, they can’t really do anything.”

“Why is that?”

“Because I won’t let them do anything.”

After saying that, Director Zenker sipped his drink.

Then continued with very confident eyes.

“Arc Born is a project where I finally got full authority from Disney. And they want to challenge this? Honestly, that doesn’t make sense.”

If that was going to happen, they shouldn’t have given the rights in the first place.

Who gives rights and then takes them back? As a director, I can’t accept that.

“….”

After hearing Director Zenker’s words, I didn’t bother to respond and just nodded.

Right, if the director has thought this through. It would be silly to worry further.

“Then I’ll just trust you, Director.”

“Haha! Of course! Donghu Kim! Trust me! Arc Born will be the best!”

From that point on, filming proceeded smoothly.

Actually, the CG filming parts weren’t particularly difficult.

Generally, when actors film with CG.

They have to pretend to see things that aren’t there.

But in my case, I’ve already experienced it through immersion.

“…Donghu Kim, how did you just do that?”

“Pardon?”

Although.

“No, I mean… wow… you dodged that enemy attack so vividly, I thought you were really about to get shot.”

“Ah, that’s because I actually have experience dodging bullets. From that Pianist time….”

“Ah, I see….”

There were some things truly based on real experience.

Anyway, as filming continued smoothly.

With no NGs, only re-shoots to change composition.

After some time had passed.

“It’s leaked… it’s been leaked.”

As if on cue, scenes from the <Arc Born> film shoot were leaked.

In today’s world, leaks were inevitable.

With over a hundred people on set.

How could anyone check all their cameras?

Especially in America.

But surprisingly.

ㄴSeriously, they’re doing it like this? The main villain is them?

ㄴNo, you shouldn’t see it that way, they’re completely different characters

ㄴThe background setting is different from the start, what are you talking about

ㄴFor real, Arc Born’s main villain never had gang involvement

ㄴPeople who overlap this with Iron Core are like those who always go “isn’t this XX?” whenever anything happens

ㄴBesides being a Black woman, there’s nothing in common, she didn’t make money illegally or get expelled from MIT

ㄴFresh take, I’ll admit

The reaction wasn’t bad at all.