[Marvel : Spoiling Spider-man] Chapter 206 - 210

Chapter 206: Yinsen’s Death

"Cool! Man! Tony Stark, this is so cool! So crazy!" First-Gen Spider-Man shouted, practically jumping in excitement. He turned to First-Gen Harry, his eyes shining. "Harry! This is a mecha!"

"Yeah, yeah, I see it!" First-Gen Harry exclaimed, equally awed. "He actually did it!"

Only boys could truly understand the sheer hype of giant mechas!

"I always wanted one when I was a kid," First-Gen Spider-Man added, nostalgia creeping into his voice. "But I never had the money to buy one…"

"You can buy one now," Harry teased with a smirk.

"Oh, forget that—I want something like Tony Stark’s! Imagine me in one of those suits! That would be so cool!" First-Gen Spider-Man shook his head, reminiscing about his childhood dreams.

Meanwhile, First-Gen Gwen rolled her eyes. "Are you two seriously geeking out over the armor right now? Yinsen is literally being held at gunpoint!"

First-Gen Spider-Man blinked, then turned back to the screen. "Oh, crap, Yinsen! Damn! Nothing better happen to him!"

Compared to First-Gen Spider-Man’s excitement, Second-Gen Spider-Man was more curious about whether Osborn Industries could develop similar armor—or even replicate the miniature Arc Reactor.

Second-Gen Harry scoffed at the thought. "Armor like this? It’s child’s play. My dad’s old gear—the glider, the reinforced suit—that’s way beyond the Mark I Tony made in a cave."

"But that’s not the point," he continued. "The real game-changer is the miniature Arc Reactor."

Power was the biggest problem for any advanced combat suit. Even his own armor had serious endurance limitations. If they could crack the Arc Reactor’s energy source, they could revolutionize their tech.

His company had already been working on something similar. Thanks to the tragedy with Otto in the First Generation, their safety measures had become much stricter. But even so, progress was slow.

[Tony pushed forward, his Mark I armor withstanding the relentless gunfire. Bullets clanked against the crude metal plating, unable to penetrate.]

[Two of the gang members, growing frustrated, charged at him. Tony swung his arm, smacking them aside like ragdolls. Then, a single punch sent another flying backward several meters.]

[He continued advancing, effortlessly knocking down another enemy. The remaining gangsters, realizing they stood no chance, fled in terror.]

[One panicked shooter turned back, firing wildly at Tony. But before he could retreat, his own men slammed the door shut, locking him outside.]

[He banged desperately on the metal door, screaming for them to open up. Tony’s shadow loomed over him, growing larger as he turned around in horror.]

[A second later, the shouting stopped. Then—BOOM. The steel door rattled violently.]

[Another dent appeared—then another. Inside, the smarter ones ran for their lives.]

[Tony smashed through the door in an instant. A terrified gangster stumbled into his path. Without hesitation, Tony elbowed him aside.]

[But in doing so, his arm got caught in the stone wall. As he struggled to free himself, another gangster seized the opportunity—raising a pistol and aiming for Tony’s head.]

[BANG! The shot ricocheted—right back at the shooter. He collapsed, unmoving.]

[Tony turned his head at the sound, yanking his arm free. That was close.]

[Meanwhile, outside the cave, Raza calmly loaded a grenade into his launcher. He knew Tony was coming.]

[But as he waited, something caught his eye—Yinsen, lying on the ground, coughing up blood.]

[Tony turned the corner, spotting him instantly. His heart dropped. "YINSEN!!!"]

["Be careful!" Yinsen gasped out, ignoring his own pain to warn Tony.]

[Raza smirked. Now. He pulled the trigger, launching a grenade at Tony.]

[Tony reacted just in time, dodging sideways. The explosion blasted a massive hole in the cave wall.]

[Without hesitation, Tony activated the launcher on his left arm. A missile shot straight toward Raza. It missed him directly, but the resulting explosion sent debris crashing down—burying Raza beneath a mountain of rubble.]

[Tony rushed to Yinsen’s side. His friend’s face was ghostly pale, his body weak from blood loss.]

["Come on! We have to go!" Tony urged, kneeling beside him. "We have an appointment—we can’t break our promise!"]

[Yinsen gave a weary smile. "No, Stark. The situation has changed."]

[As a doctor, he knew his condition was beyond saving. And he also knew—if Tony tried to carry him, neither of them would make it out alive.]

["You have to go back. You have to see your family," Tony tried desperately. "Get up! Now!"]

["My family…" Yinsen whispered, his breath shallow. "They’re dead, Stark. And I…" He coughed weakly. "I’m going to see them now… It’s okay. I… I want this…"]

[Tony exhaled sharply, his throat tightening. His eyes burned. He knew what was coming.]

["Thank you," he murmured. "Thank you for saving me."]

[Yinsen smiled one last time. "Don’t let me down, Stark… Don’t make this a meaningless sacrifice."]

[And with that—he was gone.]

"Yinsen…" Tony sighed heavily, gripping his armrests. Even though he had seen this before, felt it before—he still couldn't stop the deep sadness creeping over him.

Yinsen was more than just a fellow captive. He was a mentor. He was the first person who truly changed Tony’s perspective on life.

Steve, watching the scene, also sighed. "That’s… true courage. He never lowered his gun, never fired at another person. Even in his final moments, he wanted to protect others."

"As a doctor, his first instinct was to save, not to kill," Cap continued. "That’s what makes him great. And because of him, Tony Stark became something more."

"Yeah," Tony muttered, taking a deep breath. "I never doubted that."

Then, after a moment of silence, he suddenly asked, "Can you… bring him back?"

[“Yes,”] The Sky Screen responded immediately. [“But Yinsen doesn’t want to be revived. He wants to be with his family in the afterlife. He doesn’t wish to return to this cruel world.”]

Tony fell silent. He had only asked casually, but the answer shook him.

The Sky Screen could actually resurrect the dead?

And yet… Yinsen chose not to return? He chose to stay with his family in death?

[“Yinsen—Tony Stark’s spiritual mentor. He was the one who made Tony realize the true meaning of life. Without him, there would be no Iron Man.”]

[“And Tony honored Yinsen’s words with his life. He never once made a meaningless sacrifice.”]

[“During the Battle of New York, it was Tony Stark who carried a nuclear missile into the space wormhole, fully believing he would die.”]

[“That time, he got lucky. He barely survived.”]

[“During the Infinity War, he fought knowing it could be the end. And when the final moment came—when the universe hung in the balance—he made the ultimate sacrifice.”]

[“When he said, ‘I am Iron Man,’ maybe he had already forgotten Yinsen’s words.”]

[“Or maybe—he was simply following what his heart told him to do.”]

Chapter 207: Turbulent New York

"Let's talk about the Battle of New York and the Infinity War in detail! And what does death mean?"

Tony had been immersed in the sadness of Yinsen’s death, but the narration in the sky had suddenly dropped a bombshell.

Yinsen’s sacrifice was tragic—but this? This was huge news!

Instantly snapping out of his grief, Tony stood up and shouted toward the sky, demanding answers. But, as expected, the sky offered no response.

"Death?" Thor muttered, stroking his chin.

The way The Sky Screen had mentioned death didn’t sound like a mere concept—it sounded like a being. A person or entity.

"The Death that The Sky Screen spoke of… it must be the Goddess of Death—one of the five legendary cosmic entities."

The room fell silent. No one else had ever heard of this before. Seeing their confusion, Thor explained what little he knew about the existence of Death. But even for him, it was mostly legend.

Since there were no concrete answers, everyone reluctantly dropped the topic. Nick Fury, however, immediately ordered his team to gather every scrap of information available on Death.

For now, the focus shifted back to the Battle of New York.

"The Battle of New York…" Nick Fury muttered. His brows furrowed as he processed the narration’s details. "Strategic nuclear bomb that destroyed most of New York? What does that mean? Did someone launch a nuke at New York?!"

The mere thought was enough to send chills down his spine.

Banner and Natasha exchanged uneasy glances, deep in thought.

At that moment, Steve raised his hand. "Uh… what exactly is a wormhole?"

Even though he had done his best to catch up with modern knowledge, some things still left him stumped.

Banner patiently explained the concept of space wormholes and how they could theoretically form. But seeing Cap’s confused expression, Rhodes simplified it:

"Imagine there's a hole in space, and if you go through it, you jump straight from New York to Berlin."

Steve immediately understood the implications—and his face paled. "Wait. So anyone could just open one of these wormholes in New York?"

"Enemy fleet…" Coulson muttered, rubbing his chin. "Does that mean the attack was from the sea? If so, what country could even pull this off? The other five permanent members?"

Nick Fury, who had been silent, finally spoke.

"Or," he said grimly, "the enemy isn't from Earth at all."

Everyone turned toward him, their expressions darkening.

"If the enemy was extraterrestrial," Fury continued, "that would also explain why a nuclear bomb was launched at New York."

"Think about it," he continued. "Let’s assume the wormhole did open in New York. The first responders would be the National Guard. But if the enemy is far more advanced, Earth’s military would never stand a chance. The battle would be completely one-sided."

A tense silence filled the room.

"So the nuclear bomb wasn’t fired by the enemy…" Rhodes pieced together, his military instincts kicking in. "We launched it ourselves—as a last-ditch effort to stop the invasion?"

"Yeah," Fury confirmed.

Hill crossed her arms, her expression grim. "If the U.S. government had to resort to nuking their own soil, it could only mean one thing—the National Guard collapsed entirely."

She took a deep breath. "At that point, the top brass must’ve believed New York was beyond saving. They chose to sacrifice the entire city rather than let the invasion spread any further."

"And that’s when Tony Stark intervened," Rhodes said slowly. "He didn’t want millions of people to die, so he took the nuke and delivered it to the enemy fleet himself?"

Captain America frowned. "One nuke destroyed an entire fleet?" He shook his head. "That seems… unlikely."

"Yeah. I don’t buy it either," Tony admitted. "The Screen never actually told us how the battle ended. There could be other factors at play besides the nuke."

Speaking of which…

"Where’s Carol?" Tony asked Nick Fury.

"Off-world," Nick Fury replied. "She’s dealing with something on another planet. I’ll leave her a message and ask her to return."

Tony clicked his tongue. "Figures."

His mind whirred with questions. The energy required to survive the Infinity War… Was there any way to withstand it?

"What about that immense energy surge?" he asked. "Any leads?"

Nick Fury shook his head. "No. Maybe the Cosmic Cube holds some answers, but our research on it is still incomplete."

Tony let out a frustrated sigh. "Damn."

He had spent years trying to improve the energy load on his armor, but his latest models were already at their absolute limit. If he had to endure that level of energy, he would still die.

For now, there were no answers.

"The Battle of New York… The Infinity War…" Tony murmured, shaking his head. "Hell of a way to drop a history lesson on us."

With that, he stretched and stood up. He had originally come here to discuss the Avengers Civil War—but instead, he had learned about a potential apocalypse.

Meanwhile, the U.S. government was in chaos.

The idea that they had once considered nuking New York was unbelievable. Even more terrifying was the fact that the war hadn’t happened yet.

For the citizens, the panic was immediate.

What if the New York War happens tomorrow?

Or the day after?

Mass hysteria spread like wildfire. Terrified citizens fled the city. Some returned to their hometowns, others relocated entirely.

For those unable to leave, paranoia took hold. The New York City government issued constant reassurances—but no one trusted them.

Then, the situation exploded.

Mass rioting. Looting. Chaos.

"Zero-dollar shopping" incidents swept through the streets. Stores were ransacked. Fires broke out. The entire city was on the verge of anarchy.

The NYPD deployed all available officers, but it wasn’t enough.

Seeing the situation spiral out of control, the U.S. military intervened.

General Ross was personally ordered by the President to dispatch elite troops armed with top-tier technology to secure New York. His mission:

• Control the riots.

• Prepare for war.

Military construction companies were immediately brought in to build permanent defensive fortifications throughout the city.

The government sent a clear message:

"If war comes to New York, we will make sure the enemy feels our power."

That evening, Tony sat down for dinner, exhausted.

Then—he saw the news.

"NEW YORK IN CHAOS—MASS PANIC OVER ‘WAR PROPHECY’"

Tony’s eyes narrowed.

"...Well, shit."

Sighing, he donned his armor. He had to help the police handle the riots before the city destroyed itself before the real battle even began.

Meanwhile, in another version of New York…

First-Gen and Second-Gen Spider-Man were dealing with their own problems.

Though their world wasn’t in immediate danger, the sheer fear from The Sky Screen’s broadcast had sparked chaos there as well.

By the time both Spider-Men finished stopping looters and calming civilians, the sun was already high in the sky.

They were exhausted.

And the worst part?

This was only the beginning.

Chapter 208: Escape

[Outside the cave, several armed men pointed their rifles at the dark entrance. The only sound they could hear was a steady thud… thud… thud—growing louder and louder.]

[Then, from the shadows, Mark I emerged.]

[The sight of the massive, armored figure sent a chill through the militants. The little leader, momentarily stunned, snapped back to reality and roared, "EVERYONE, OPEN FIRE!!!"]

[Gunfire erupted. A hailstorm of bullets rained down on Tony’s armor. The barrage lasted until every gun clicked empty.]

[Smoke and dust settled. Then, Tony’s voice came through—calm, almost amused: "My turn."]

[With a flick of his wrists, Tony activated the flamethrowers on his arms. Torrents of fire burst forth, engulfing the enemies in front of him. Screams filled the air as some were set ablaze, while a few lucky ones managed to escape to the sides.]

[Tony advanced, sweeping fire left and right. The intense heat reached a cache of explosives, and within seconds—BOOM!—an ammunition box detonated, sending debris flying. An unlucky terrorist was caught in the blast and flung through the air.]

[Destroying his own Stark Industries weapons was a priority—he would not let them be used for mass murder.]

[As he moved forward, an enemy stationed on a hillside spotted him and jumped onto a mounted machine gun. The heavy rounds rattled against Mark I’s frame, forcing Tony to raise his arms in defense.]

[The surviving militants seized the opportunity to unload their weapons at him. Under the relentless gunfire, the control mechanism in one of Tony’s legs snapped.]

[He dropped to one knee.]

[The gunner reloaded, ready to fire again. Tony gritted his teeth—then launched another burst of flames. At the same time, the earlier fires reached more ammunition stores—and suddenly, the valley was filled with deafening explosions.]

[The terrorists panicked. Some turned to run. Others froze in terror as the chain reaction of detonations escalated into a full-blown inferno.]

[Tony seized the moment—he activated the ejection switch in his arm. With a whoosh, the Mark I launched into the sky, propelling him high above the flames.]

[Below him, the valley erupted—a violent cascade of fire and destruction.]

[High above, the Mark I lost power almost immediately—gravity took over.]

["AHHH!!!"] Tony barely had time to scream before crashing into the desert below.]

[The soft sand absorbed much of the impact, and what remained was taken by the Mark I’s frame. But even so, Tony felt the landing. Hard.]

[When the dust settled, debris lay scattered around the impact site. Half of Tony’s body was buried in the sand. His chest ached, his muscles burned—but he was alive.]

[He exhaled sharply, taking off his helmet. Blood dripped from the corner of his mouth. He wiped it away, then smirked.]

["Not bad."]

"Wow! This is insane!" First-Gen Spider-Man grinned, stuffing food into his mouth as he watched.

"Yeah," Uncle Ben nodded, glancing at the TV. The news was still covering the chaos from last night. "And last night was insane too."

"Haha, yeah! I lost count of how many people I webbed up!" First-Gen Spider-Man shook his head, still exhausted from dealing with the rioters. "Completely crazy!"

Then, his expression darkened.

"The Battle of New York…" He sighed. "Just hearing that name, you know how bad it must’ve been. They even launched a nuclear bomb at the city? That level of desperation—I can’t even imagine."

Uncle Ben let out a deep sigh. Even people with no military knowledge understood what it meant to nuke your own land.

And yet—the government had done it.

He thought about their own New York. If something like that happened here… could they really do anything?

Superheroes were powerful, yes—but against an army? Against an alien invasion?

Even Spider-Man’s reflexes wouldn’t be enough to dodge hundreds of bullets, let alone missiles or nuclear weapons.

[Tony, battered and exhausted, wrapped a cloth around his head and staggered through the desert. He had been walking for hours. His strength was fading.]

[Just as he was about to collapse, he heard it—the sound of helicopters overhead.]

[Two armed choppers flew over him. His heart leapt.]

[He waved wildly, shouting at the top of his lungs. "HEY!!! Hahaha!!!"]

[The lead pilot spotted him, and within moments, the helicopter descended. Tony fell to his knees, relief washing over him like a tidal wave.]

[Then, he heard familiar voices. Rod and his team sprinted toward him.]

[Rod grinned, kneeling beside him. "So… where’s your Happy Hummer?"]

[Tony let out a tired chuckle. Rhodes clapped a hand on his shoulder and leaned in. "Next time? Don’t ditch me, alright?"]

[Then, without another word, he pulled Tony into a hug.]

[Hours later, Tony was back in the U.S.]

[As the plane landed, medical staff stood at the ready. Pepper stood in front, anxiously waiting, while Happy stood behind her, his sunglasses concealing his expression.]

[The lift gate lowered. Rhodes helped Tony out of his wheelchair, guiding him toward them. His right arm was still in a cast.]

[Two beautiful medical staff members approached with a stretcher, but Tony took one look at it and scoffed. "I’m not that bad. They can go."]

[Rhodes gestured for them to leave.]

[Seeing him return safely, Pepper smiled—but Tony, ever the playboy, immediately zeroed in on her expression.]

["Your eyes are red. Were you worried about me?"]

[“These are tears of joy!” Pepper shot back, regaining her usual sharpness. "I hate job hunting!"]

[That earned a chuckle from Tony.]

["Well," he sighed. "Vacation’s over."]

[He climbed into the car, settling into the seat as Happy got behind the wheel.]

["Where to, sir?" Happy asked.]

[Before Tony could speak, Pepper cut in. "Hospital."]

["NO," Tony said immediately.]

[Pepper turned to him, incredulous. "NO? Tony, you have to go to the hospital!"]

["If I say no, then no," Tony insisted. "I’ve been locked up for three months—I just want to do two things right now."]

[He turned to her with a serious expression. "One—I want a cheeseburger. Two—I want to…"]

[Pepper’s eyes narrowed. "Stop. Talking."]

[She knew where his sentence was going, and she wasn’t about to let him say it.]

[Tony sighed. "It’s not what you think! I want to hold a press conference."]

[Pepper blinked. "A press conference? Why?"]

["Yeah, yeah," Tony waved her off. "Hogan, drive. Let’s get some cheeseburgers first."]

[Happy nodded. "On it."]

Chapter 209: Press Conference

Second-Gen Spider-Man gazed down at the dazzling lights of New York City, the familiar skyline stretching beneath him. As the cool night breeze passed by, he instinctively wrapped his arm around the waist of the beauty beside him.

"Cheeseburgers! Looks like Tony Stark and I have the same taste!" Second-Gen Gwen giggled. "I love them too! But… ugh, I’d get fat."

"If you want one, I’ll buy it for you. Just work out afterward!" Second-Gen Spider-Man grinned at her.

"NO! Losing weight is too hard! If I get fat, no one will want me!" Gwen huffed, grabbing his arm and snuggling into his chest.

"Well, I will." Second-Gen Spider-Man chuckled, looking down at her. "No matter what."

"Really?" Gwen gazed up at him, her expression softening. Slowly, the two of them leaned in toward each other…

Until—

WEEEOOOO WEEEOOOO!

The blaring sirens shattered the moment.

"Oh, come on!" Second-Gen Spider-Man groaned, turning toward the flashing police lights.

Since last night, he had stopped more zero-dollar shopping incidents than in the past month!

Gwen smiled, planting a quick kiss on his lips before pulling her mask down.

With a sigh, Second-Gen Spider-Man did the same. The two exchanged a knowing look—then dove off the rooftop together.

[Happy drove Tony to the press conference venue. A massive crowd had already gathered after hearing the news, cheering as he arrived. Armed soldiers stood at the roadside, maintaining order.]

[Obadiah Stane rushed forward, a broad grin on his face as he eagerly opened the car door for Tony.]

[Tony wiped his mouth and stepped out. Obadiah pulled him into a hug. "Tony! I thought I’d have to visit you in a hospital! Let me get a good look at you!"]

["NONONO! I’m fine!" Tony waved him off, glancing at Happy. The driver walked around the car, standing behind Tony as he reached into a bag and pulled out one last cheeseburger.]

[Obadiah raised an eyebrow, amused. "A cheeseburger? Seriously? After all that, this is what you’re craving?"]

["Well, yeah!" Tony unwrapped it casually.]

["You really want a burger? You got one for me?"]

["There’s only one left," Tony teased, smirking.]

[With Obadiah by his side, Tony walked into the venue, still munching on his burger. As he finished the last bite, he turned to greet the assembled reporters.]

[Pepper trailed behind them, still struggling to believe that Tony had actually returned.]

[“Miss Potts! A quick word?”]

[A voice suddenly called out beside her, making Pepper jump. She turned to find a man with a receding hairline smiling at her.]

[“…I—I’m not here for interviews," she stammered. "And the press conference is about to start!"]

["I’m not a reporter," the man corrected with a polite smile. "I’m Agent Coulson, with the Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement, and Logistics Division."]

[Pepper stared. "That is… a lot of words."]

["Yeah, we’re working on simplifying it," Coulson admitted, handing her a business card.]

["The Department of Defense, FBI, CIA—they all want answers about Tony's escape," Pepper muttered, glancing at the card. "Why you?"]

["We operate… independently from them. This case falls under our jurisdiction. We need to know everything about Stark’s escape."]

["I’ll pass along your message," Pepper replied, stuffing the card into her pocket.]

["Thank you," Coulson said with a nod.]

[Meanwhile, Obadiah stepped onto the stage, motioning for the crowd to settle down. He then turned to Tony, who was casually leaning against the counter.]

[Tony reached into his pocket—and pulled out another cheeseburger.]

["Hey! Can everyone sit down? Yeah? That way, you all get a good view! And I get to order whatever I want."]

[Grinning, he took another bite. The reporters chuckled, some choosing to squat down instead of standing. Even Obadiah plopped down next to Tony.]

"Wait a minute—didn’t he say there was only one left?!" Rhodes asked, incredulous, as he and Banner helped Tony move some things in his workshop.

"There was only one left," Tony replied smoothly. "After I ate that one. Any problems?"]

Rhodes blinked. "What?"

"Never mind," Banner chuckled, shaking his head.

Rhodes sighed in defeat. "Fine. Whatever. It’s not like you were gonna save one for me anyway."

"Next time," Tony promised, flashing a grin. "Both of you—burgers on me. But first—a drink."

At his gesture, a small robotic arm wheeled out a cart full of wine.

Tony lifted his glass. "To Yinsen. And… to me."

Rhodes and Banner exchanged looks.

Respecting Yinsen made sense—but himself?

Banner shrugged and downed his drink without comment.

Rhodes hesitated—then sighed and followed suit.

[Rhodes, still puzzled about Tony’s sudden press conference, turned to Pepper. "What’s going on?"]

["Don’t ask me!" Pepper sighed. "I don’t know what he’s thinking!"]

[Up on stage, Tony held his burger and casually turned to Obadiah. "You know what? I’m happy, Obie."]

["Me too!" Obadiah grinned, assuming Tony was just relieved to be alive. He patted him on the back.]

[Tony’s next words, however, caught everyone off guard.]

["I never got to say goodbye to my dad."]

[His voice was calm—too calm. He repeated it, louder this time, making sure every reporter in the room heard him.]

[He placed his half-eaten burger aside and continued, "I still have questions for him. I want to ask him what he really thought about this company. If he ever had doubts—or regrets."]

[Obadiah’s smile faltered. His eyes subtly narrowed. He knows.]

["Maybe Howard Stark wasn’t the man we thought he was," Tony went on. "Because I saw something with my own eyes—young men dying." His voice dropped. "Killed by the very weapons I designed to protect them."]

[Obadiah remained silent, carefully masking his reaction. But internally, his mind was racing. Tony must’ve seen the weapons I sold.]

["And I realized something," Tony continued. "I became part of a system that is completely irresponsible."]

[The room fell dead silent. Then, like a ripple, every reporter raised their hand.]

["Mr. Stark!" one called out.]

[Tony pointed. "You—go."]

["What happened out there?" the reporter asked, curiosity burning in his eyes.]

Chapter 210: The Arc Reactor Conflict

[Tony stood up and walked to the podium. "I... I finally woke up from my dream! I’ve realized that I can do more for this world and for society—rather than just blowing it up!"]

["So, I plan to shut down Stark International’s weapons manufacturing division as soon as possible!" Tony’s words immediately caused an uproar, and the reporters present became excited.]

[Obadiah immediately tried to stop Tony from continuing, but no one could change what Tony had already decided. Anxiously, he hugged Tony, attempting to silence him, but Tony continued speaking.]

["Of course, that has to wait until I have enough power to decide the future of the company—to determine its development direction, ensure its growth remains healthy, and always keep it aligned with the highest interests of the country!"]

["Our main purpose today is to inform everyone that Tony is back, and he is in excellent health! We will hold an internal meeting to discuss this further and will inform everyone of our final decision in due time!"]

[Obadiah stepped onto the stage, trying to smooth things over. He knew that if Tony's words spread, the stock would plummet, and he could already foresee the financial disaster ahead.]

"Wow! He really means it! Obadiah looks like he’s about to panic," First Gen Gwen said, glancing at Tony.

The First Generation Spider-Man nodded. Tony was aiming to take a chunk out of Stark Industries' most profitable business, so of course, Obadiah was anxious.

"That’s the company’s biggest moneymaker. The military even assigned a lieutenant colonel specifically to communicate with Tony," he added.

"After experiencing Yinsen's death and witnessing the destruction caused by his own weapons, Tony Stark awakened. Even though this decision could cost him greatly, he didn’t hesitate," the First Gen Spider-Man continued.

"When Yinsen died, Tony Stark gradually transformed into Iron Man. Just like me—after Uncle Ben died, I changed from Peter Parker to Spider-Man."

He understood Tony’s change better than anyone. Only those who had endured such pain could grasp the weight of it. Loss was the ultimate teacher—one that no lecture or book could replace.

[Outside the Stark Industries building, Happy stood by the car, smoking a cigarette. Obadiah arrived, riding a Segway, a cigar clamped between his teeth. "Where is he?" he asked.]

["He’s inside," Happy replied, stepping forward to steady the Segway. Obadiah swiped his key card and strode into the building.]

[Inside, Tony stood by the railing, staring at the massive Ark Reactor before him. "Look at this—it’s beautifully done," he murmured.]

[Obadiah entered, sighing as he placed his hands on his hips before walking up to Tony’s side.]

["Should I paint a bull’s-eye on my forehead?" Tony asked without looking up.]

["Your forehead? It’s my head that’s on the line! How much do you think our stock will drop tomorrow?" Obadiah countered.]

["Let’s be optimistic—40 points?" Tony knew full well that his words would send stock prices tumbling.]

["At least 40 points! Tony, we are a weapons manufacturer!" Obadiah leaned against the railing, frustration clear in his voice.]

["Obadiah, I just... I don’t want my profits to be measured in lives lost."]

["That’s our job! We turn steel into weapons!"]

["My name is on the company building!" Tony exclaimed. In the past, he hadn’t cared, but now, he didn’t want his name to be synonymous with death.]

["Everything we do is to maintain world peace and stability!" Obadiah insisted, sounding as if he were some grand envoy of peace.]

["That’s not what I’ve seen! What we’re doing isn’t noble! We can do better. We must find another way!" Tony had already made up his mind.]

["And what do you suggest? Producing baby bottles instead?" Obadiah sneered.]

["We should redefine the technological value of the reactor," Tony said seriously.]

["Oh, come on! That’s just a gimmick! Tony, it's all smoke and mirrors to fool the ignorant," Obadiah scoffed.]

[The large reactor had existed for years, and now Tony wanted to use it as a breakthrough? Unfortunately, Obadiah wasn’t a scientist—he didn’t grasp the full potential of the technology. Even though he knew Tony had miniaturized it, he still didn’t take it seriously.]

["It’s not a gimmick," Tony said calmly, his gaze fixed on the reactor.]

["Sure, it’s a research project, but it’s not worth the effort! And you know it! Reactor technology has hit a dead end, hasn’t it?" Obadiah circled Tony, testing his reaction.]

["Maybe," Tony replied nonchalantly. He wouldn’t have brought it up if he weren’t confident.]

["Am I wrong? We haven’t made any breakthroughs in nearly 30 years!" There was an odd excitement in Obadiah’s voice, and Tony picked up on it.]

[Tony turned to face him. "Just say it. Stop playing games. Who told you? Rhodey? It’s either Rhodey or Pepper."]

[Obadiah narrowed his eyes. "Does it matter who told me? Just show me! I want to see!"]

["Fine. It was Rhodey," Tony relented, unbuttoning his shirt to reveal the miniature reactor embedded in his chest.]

["Well, well!" Seeing it in person was something else entirely. Obadiah helped Tony button his shirt back up and let out a small chuckle.]

["It works," Tony stated calmly. This device was the only thing keeping him alive, preventing the shrapnel in his chest from killing him.]

[Obadiah exhaled slowly, then draped an arm around Tony’s shoulders, his voice filled with an odd enthusiasm. "Listen to me, Tony. We’re in the same boat. If we work together, we’ll be unstoppable—just like your father and me."]

["I’m sorry I didn’t run this by you first," Tony began, but before he could finish, Obadiah cut him off.]

["Tony! Tony... stop acting on impulse! Do you understand?" At this moment, Obadiah played the role of the concerned uncle.]

["My dad used to say that to me all the time," Tony muttered, unable to resist complaining.]

["Leave this to me! We’re going to play an entirely new game here! You’ll be under a lot of pressure, but you have to promise me—this time, keep a low profile."]

[The two men continued walking and talking as they left the Stark Industries building…]