World Traveler Villain-Chapter 225: CH: 222 A Little Too Much Hot Personality

Thank you legends for your support and contribution.

Thanks to[Pablo García Hernández] for subscribing to my $9 tier!

Thanks to[CrowThingz] for subscribing to my $9 tier!

For those willing to support, here's the link:

patreon.com/Eden_Translation

I am now back to 60 thanks for the support guys 🤧

******

{Chapter: 222 A Little Too Much Hot Personality}

"Who are we? Don't you know already?" William turned his gaze to the woman who had spoken, his tone casual yet laced with menace. "Pepper Potts. Or should I say... Miss Virginia Potts."

Pepper's expression shifted dramatically the moment she locked eyes with him. Her face paled, and her lips trembled as recognition set in. "You... you're... you're Wi—William..."

"Yes," he said with a thin smile, raising his glass as if in a toast. "I am William. And it's truly a pleasure to see you again, Pepper. You look... well." He drained the red wine in a single gulp and set the crystal glass down with a soft clink.

Pepper stood frozen for a moment, staring at him. This was the man whose name now appeared in every broadcast, in every headline, across every device on the planet. The man now branded the greatest threat to humanity. A terrorist. A war criminal. A mass murderer. Yet here he was—alive, calm, and terrifyingly composed. His aura didn't scream "monster," and that, perhaps, made him all the more dangerous.

She took a steadying breath, summoning her courage. "What do you want?" she asked, voice clipped and strong. "Why are you here?"

William smirked slightly. "What do you think I'm here for? Where's Tony?"

"He's not here," Pepper shot back quickly. "And haven't you done enough? You destroyed the Stark Industrial Expo—decades of legacy, turned to ash. What more could you possibly want?"

William clapped slowly, his smile widening. "Impressive. You've got a backbone. Not many people speak to me like that these days. Aren't you afraid to die?"

"I'm already surrounded by monsters. If you've come to kill me, then go ahead," she said, her voice sharp with defiance. "But it won't change what you've done. The world sees you for what you are—its enemy."

Alice and Ada exchanged glances across the sofa, an amused glimmer in their eyes.

Ada chuckled softly. "William, you really know how to pick them. I like her. She's got spirit."

"Oh, come on," William muttered, exasperated. "Why are you acting like I'm about to propose to her?"

"Because," White Queen chimed in with a dramatic roll of her eyes, "you've got that twinkle in your eye. We know you better than you think."

Before William could retort, a voice crackled from across the room. A voice filled with fury and pain.

"William!"

Tony Stark stood at the entrance, fully clad in his red and gold Iron Man suit. His eyes burned with hatred behind the visor, his tone cold and lethal.

"You actually came here. You arrogant bastard. Today, I'm going to end this. I'm going to end you."

William raised his brow, barely turning his head. "Oh, Tony. Still so dramatic. You never did grow out of that hero complex."

Tony ignored the jab. "You destroyed everything my father and I built. The Expo... the vision... all of it. And now you dare step into my home?" He raised his arm. The repulsor cannon charged with a shrill hum. "I swore I'd kill you."

William simply sighed, swirling the last drops of wine in his glass before setting it down again. "So boring."

Pepper, standing to the side, looked between the two men before her eyes settled on William's companions. "Who are you people? Are you seriously following a man like him? Do you have any idea what he's done?"

"In the same group?" Alice tilted her head, blinking innocently. "Yes. What's the problem?"

"You're insane," Pepper said, her voice rising. "You've allied yourselves with the world's most dangerous criminal. Do you even care how many lives he's ruined?"

"We care," Ada said with a shrug. "Just... not in the way you think."

In a flash of energy, the repulsor beam shot from Tony's arm, screaming toward William's position.

BOOM!

The blast struck the sofa where William had been sitting. The expensive leather ignited instantly, erupting into flames. The explosion rocked the room, smoke curling toward the ceiling.

"Did I get him?" Tony asked, eyes narrowing.

But even before the smoke cleared, a voice spoke from behind.

"Tony... you're just not strong enough."

William stood behind him, unharmed, his tone laced with pity. Before Tony could fully turn, William's hand shot out. He caught Tony's incoming punch mid-air and countered with a heavy blow to the arc reactor embedded in his chest.

CLANG!

Tony was launched backward like a missile, crashing through the wall and sending chunks of reinforced concrete scattering across the room.

"Tony!" Pepper screamed and ran forward, only to be held back by Alice.

"Easy, sweetheart. He's not dead yet," she said calmly.

"It's better to stand here obediently." Ada pointed a gun at Pepper's head.

William brushed dust from his sleeves. "Honestly, Tony, I expected more from you. Has your tech plateaued? Or are you just that rusty?"

From the debris, Tony groaned, struggling to rise. Sparks flickered from his damaged suit. His breathing was heavy and labored.

Pepper's heart pounded in her chest as she stared at William—the man who had just manhandled Iron Man like a ragdoll and stood with no sign of effort.

This wasn't just power. This was something else. Something monstrous.

And he was only getting started.

Iron Man stood up slowly from the debris, his armor scraping against the shattered concrete. The impact had left a human-shaped imprint in the wall behind him, and small bits of rubble still fell around his feet. Without wasting a moment, he activated his thrusters and soared into the air, locking onto William with focused fury.

He shot forward like a missile, the blue light of his propulsion systems casting eerie shadows across the room.

But just as he was about to reach William—barely a meter away—he suddenly froze in place. His momentum vanished, and his limbs locked mid-motion, as if he were encased in solid ice.

William's eyes glowed faintly as his pupils dilated, revealing the subtle flicker of power. Invisible waves of telekinetic force swirled through the room, emanating from him like ripples on a pond. Iron Man was suspended in midair, completely immobilized.

"Impressive artificial intelligence running your systems," the White Queen said casually, examining Iron Man like a collector appraising a new artifact.

Tony strained in his suit, his eyes narrowing behind the HUD. "Jarvis? What happened? Jarvis, respond!" he barked.

The White Queen gave a sly smile. "Jarvis, is it? Hmm... well, I'd give your AI an 80 out of 100. It's got solid architecture. But don't worry, I didn't destroy it—just temporarily paralyzed it. Think of it as a nap."

What she didn't say was that she'd subtly laced Jarvis's core coding with backdoor protocols. If she wanted, she could hijack Tony's systems with a mere thought.

Tony's eyes darted to her, suspicion and disbelief burning behind them. "Who the hell are you people?"

"You're not authorized to know that," the White Queen answered smoothly, turning her attention away as if he were a child throwing a tantrum.

Pepper's voice rang out, sharp and filled with controlled panic. "William, what do you want from us?"

William turned toward her, walking slowly, his every step deliberate. A trace of cruel amusement curled at the edges of his lips. "What do I want?" he repeated, stroking his chin theatrically. "That's a complicated question, Pepper. But let's start with this—what do you think would happen to Tony if I killed you right now? Would he fall apart, or would it finally push him into becoming something darker?"

He leaned in close, his voice dropping an octave. "Do you think he'd cry for you?"

"William!" Tony's mask opened with a mechanical skatt, revealing his livid face. "Don't you dare lay a hand on her! This is between you and me. Leave her out of it!"

William's eyes twinkled as he studied Tony. "How touching. I didn't think you had it in you, Tony. Pepper, are you flattered?"

Pepper's face tightened, and she shouted, "Tony, forget about me! Get out while you can—call for help!"

William gave a slow, mocking clap. "Such a brave woman. This is almost like a scene from a movie. Heroine in distress, the noble hero swearing to protect her... it's adorable. But unfortunately," he said, grabbing Pepper's chin in his hand, "I enjoy ruining sentimental moments."

Pepper winced, trying to pull back, but her body refused to move. A cold, paralyzing numbness had spread through her limbs.

"What did you do to me?" she whispered, panic creeping into her voice as she realized she couldn't even twitch her fingers.

"Nothing, You are fine."

Alice frowned from across the room, the gun in her hand still idle. "William... this isn't entertaining to watch. It's uncomfortable."

William turned his head slightly. "Then go wait outside. This isn't your scene."

Alice shook her head and muttered something under her breath.

"Pervert" White Queen rolled her eyes and waved her off, while Ada wordlessly followed. The three women exited the room, the door sliding closed behind them with a final click.

"Now," William said, his tone growing darker, "just the three of us. Much less pressure, don't you think? No eyes, no judgment. Only the truth."

Tony's fists clenched as he strained against the invisible force holding him. "Let her go! I swear, if you harm her, I'll—"

"You'll what?" William interrupted, arching a brow. "Blast me with your little toys? Punch me in your tin can? I've already told you, Tony—I don't live by rules. Not yours, not anyone's."

Tony's armor groaned as servos tried to break through the telekinetic force. "You coward! You call yourself powerful, but you target a woman instead of facing me like a man!"

William smirked coldly. "I act on whim, not pride. That's where we differ, Tony. You still think this is about honor. I stopped playing that game a long time ago."

Suddenly, Tony's thrusters surged, his armor glowing as his repulsor cores overcharged. For a brief moment, he managed to twist his arm slightly, the strain nearly tearing metal.

William's eyes narrowed. "You're trying to break through with raw rage. It's adorable, really."

He lifted a hand slightly, and a fresh wave of psychic force smashed down on Tony like a crushing weight. The armored Avenger grunted, unable to move, the struggle etched on his face.

"Let her go," Tony said through gritted teeth, sweat trickling down his temple. "Fight me, not her."

William's smile faded, and he walked back to Pepper. "You keep saying that... but I told you already. I do whatever I want."

*****

You can support me by joining my Patreon and get upto 60 Chapters in advance.

patreon.com/Eden_Translation