[Marvel : Spoiling Spider-man] Chapter 196 - 200

Chapter 196: Tony Pays a Visit

["Climbing walls! How did you do that? Sticky gloves?" Tony squinted at Peter, clearly baffled by his ability to cling to the wall like an actual spider.]

["It's a long story! I..." Peter started explaining, but Tony cut him off.]

[Reaching for the sunglasses from his pajama pocket, Tony slipped them on dramatically. Seeing nothing but darkness, he exclaimed in an exaggerated voice, "Oh my God! Can I still see with these on? I'm blind!"]

["Yes! Yes! I can see just fine!" Peter sighed, snatching the one-piece pajamas from Tony’s hands and tossing them into the closet.]

[He added, "I can see! Okay? It’s just… after that incident, my senses became super sensitive. I receive too much information at once!"]

["So… wearing those helps me concentrate!" Peter explained, settling back onto his bed.]

["You desperately need an upgrade! From head to toe, a complete system overhaul! That’s why I’m here!" Tony declared, making his intentions clear.]

[Then he asked, “Why do you do this? What’s your motivation? What gets you out of bed every morning?”]

["Because..." Spider-Man hesitated, staring down at his hands.]

["Because I’ve been an ordinary guy my whole life! Six months ago, I got these powers! I studied, built computers…"]

["And! I really wanted to play football! But I couldn’t. Now that I can, I still can’t do it!" Peter admitted. He knew he was different from normal people—if he played, there was no way he could hide his strength.]

[Tony nodded in understanding. "Yeah… because you’ve changed."]

["Exactly! But I can’t tell anyone, so I haven’t told anyone!" Peter swallowed hard, his voice carrying the weight of his secret.]

["Look... if you have this power and don’t use it, then the bad things that happen because of it will be on you!"]

[Tony leaned in, listening carefully. Peter’s words struck a chord deep within him.]

[Peter was powerful, responsible, compassionate, and selfless. Every day, he got up early and stayed out late helping others. Such a rare quality in a person.]

[Though Tony was impressed, he didn’t rush to make a decision. Instead, he asked, "So, you want to help the little people? Do your part? Make the world a better place or something?"]

["Yeah! Yeah! Just helping the little people… that’s all!" Peter responded without hesitation.]

[Tony smirked and stood up, stepping closer. "Move your legs—I wanna sit here."]

[Peter scooted over without protest. Tony sat down beside him, patted his shoulder, then suddenly asked, "Do you have a passport?"]

["Uh… No! I don’t even have a driver’s license!" Peter admitted after a brief pause.]

["Ever been to Germany?" Tony followed up. Peter shook his head.]

["Oh! You’ll like it there!" Tony grinned.]

["I can’t go to Germany!" Realization hit Peter, and he nearly shouted in protest.]

["Why not?" Tony asked, raising a brow.]

["I… I still have homework!" Peter stammered.]

["Okay, I’ll pretend you didn’t just say that!" Tony rolled his eyes and stood up.]

["No! I... I’m serious! I can’t drop out of school!" Peter argued, eyes wide with panic.]

[Tony strolled toward the door, unfazed. "It might be a little dangerous… you should probably tell the pretty aunt that I’m taking you out."]

[He reached for the door handle, but before he could turn it, Spider-Man shot a web, sticking Tony’s hand to the door. Unfortunately, Spider-Man didn’t realize Tony had already locked it—so it wouldn’t have opened anyway.]

["Don’t tell Aunt May!" Spider-Man warned, looking deadly serious.]

["Alright! Spider-Man!" Tony smirked knowingly. After a brief staredown, he finally said, "Now unstick me."]

[Spider-Man blinked, realizing his mistake. "Oh! Right! Sorry, I’ll get that off!"]

—

Max listened intently to Peter’s speech. His voice wasn’t loud, but his words were powerful. It reminded Max of what had played ut on The Screen—Spider-Man didn’t earn respect simply because he had powers.

People naturally gravitate toward those who treat them kindly. It had nothing to do with superpowers. The First-Generation Spider-Man—whether he had abilities or not—was the kind of person who’d charge into a fire to save people.

Anyone willing to lend a hand to others would eventually earn their gratitude.

That was the realization Max had failed to grasp before. Spider-Man wasn’t celebrated because of his powers, but because he actively helped people. Meanwhile, Max had done nothing.

What truly set Spider-Man apart was his heart—a heart willing to sacrifice for others. That was what earned him the admiration of countless people.

"He’s so responsible! And at such a young age..." 2nd Gen Uncle Ben  commented, turning to Aunt May. "Unlike our Peter, who’s almost graduating high school and still sneaks out late at night!"

Aunt May nodded in agreement.

Second-Generation Spider-Man covered his face in embarrassment. Compared to this Spider-Man, he felt lacking. The little spider was still in high school yet already knew what it meant to help others.

Second-Generation Gwen, standing beside him, grinned, watching him squirm. This was an everyday occurrence in their family.

Not long after, George and Helen arrived with their three sons. Uncle Ben got up to greet them, followed by Peter and Gwen.

"Hey! Ben!" George greeted with a handshake. He nodded to Second-Generation Spider-Man before stepping inside.

Today’s gathering had a serious purpose. They needed to discuss why the story of the Second-Generation Spider-Man had ended so abruptly. Many people now believed there would be no sequel because he had died at the hands of Aleksei.

—

Meanwhile, Tony Stark arrived at Aunt May’s doorstep. A small crowd of curious neighbors had gathered outside, watching the commotion. Aunt May had closed the door, trying to block them out.

When Iron Man landed in his armor, the crowd instinctively parted to make way for him.

"Tony Stark?" someone whispered in awe.

Tony casually introduced himself at the door. After confirming his identity, Aunt May hesitantly opened it, stepping aside to let him in.

Once inside, Tony locked the door behind him. He glanced around, assessing the living conditions. It wasn’t much different from what he’d seen on The Screen—except this Peter Parker was still a child, barely ten years old. But even at this age, he bore a striking resemblance to the one in The Screen.

"Looks like your situation isn’t great. Need a new house?" Tony asked, taking off his armor and setting it aside. He reached out and tousled little Peter’s hair, then turned to Aunt May.

"Maybe," Aunt May replied cautiously. "But… why are you here?"

Tony smirked. "What? Didn’t The Screen say I’m his father? What do you think I’m here for?"

Aunt May’s eyes widened slightly.

"To protect him, of course!" Tony crouched down, looking at the young Peter Parker. Who would have thought this little kid would grow up to say such profound words?

"You need to leave. You’re not safe here. Your identities have been exposed. Staying here will be dangerous. Some people out there don’t want another nosy Spider-Man running around in this world!"

Chapter 197: The Birth of Iron Man

In the end, Aunt May agreed with Tony—it was time for them to move. A new home was necessary, especially now that their identities had been exposed.

When Tony stepped outside, Natasha was already waiting downstairs, a car prepared and ready to go.

Aunt May was surprised when she saw Natasha. She had met her a few times in the past, but back then, she had no idea who she really was. Now, realizing that Natasha had been sent to investigate and contact her all along, the pieces began to fall into place. [*Tl: Background: Aunt may was a Shield Agent before she retired to take care of Peter]

Natasha, noticing Aunt May’s gaze, offered a small, apologetic smile. It was, after all, her investigation that had led Nick Fury to confirm that Peter Parker would most likely become Spider-Man.

Tony helped Aunt May and young Peter Parker into Natasha's car, which then drove toward the new home Tony had just purchased. Meanwhile, he flew overhead, personally escorting them.

—

Alexander Pierce was well aware that Tony had gone to pick up Spider-Man. However, he had no intention of making a move just yet. Tony Stark was still useful—he was an essential piece in solving the coming war.

Even though Pierce had pushed hard for the Insight Project, there was no guarantee it would be effective against aliens, let alone powerful beings like the Ancient One. As a result, many of Hydra’s plans had been delayed again and again.

For now, Hydra remained completely silent, lying low to avoid detection. Unfortunately for Pierce, he didn’t understand the Ancient One at all. He didn’t realize that everything he was doing was ultimately in vain.

—

Once Tony had settled Aunt May and Peter into their new home, he and Natasha headed straight to S.H.I.E.L.D. to meet with Nick Fury.

"It looks like you're very satisfied with him," Nick Fury commented as they sat in the conference room.

"Yeah," Tony nodded, but before he could say anything more, an unexpected figure entered the room.

It was Thor, the God of Thunder.

Ever since the energy disturbances from the Rainbow Bridge had settled, Thor had returned to Earth in search of Jane Foster. He had been on the planet for quite some time now, but Tony, having been preoccupied with his own matters, hadn’t been aware.

At Fury’s invitation, Thor had joined the Avengers.

Tony and Thor exchanged nods—a simple but firm acknowledgment of their past battle together. Though they had only fought side by side once, the experience had forged a strong camaraderie between them.

After Captain America Steve Roger, Hawkeye Clint Barton, Hulk Bruce Banner, and Captain Marvel Carol Danvers, who had just returned from deep space, took their seats, Nick Fury got straight to the point.

The topic of discussion?

Why did the Avengers split? What is Avenger Civil War?

From the way things looked in The Screen, it seemed as though a major internal conflict had broken out—possibly even a civil war. Otherwise, why would Tony be in such urgent need of new allies? Why would he recruit a high school student?

There were visible scars on Tony’s face, evidence that he had been in a recent conflict. However, since The Screen had only shown glimpses of the situation, no one knew the full context yet.

That was what they needed to discuss—What caused the Avengers to divide? And who were the ones responsible for the split?

Just as Tony was about to speak, the voice of the narrator suddenly echoed through the room…

—

[“To understand the third generations Spider-Man, you must first understand who Tony Stark is. You’ve all heard of him, and I’ve told you about him before, but you definitely don’t know how he became Iron Man!”]

[“Tony Stark has many labels: genius inventor, billionaire, playboy, Iron Man. But in the beginning, he was not Iron Man—he was the world’s largest arms dealer.”]

—

Tony’s expression darkened slightly. The words of the narration stirred up painful memories—memories of the darkest days of his life.

Thor, who had no knowledge of Tony’s past, seemed intrigued. The others, already somewhat familiar with Tony’s history, could tell this wasn’t a pleasant trip down memory lane for him.

Meanwhile, First-Generation Spider-Man and Second-Generation Spider-Man were watching in their own universe with great interest. They were curious about who Tony Stark really was. If possible, they also wanted to know more about Natasha, Bruce Banner, and Dr Strange—the heroes whose stories were yet to be revealed.

More importantly, they wanted to understand what kind of war had affected the entire universe and what kind of threat had led to such catastrophic casualties, plunging everything into a life-or-death crisis.

—

[The Screen displayed a convoy of military Humvees, kicking up a thick cloud of dust as they drove through a desolate landscape.]

[Tony Stark sat comfortably in the back of one of the vehicles, a glass of whiskey in hand. Noticing the soldiers around him stealing glances, he smirked. "You guys are looking at me like I'm on trial in a military court! Damn it, what did I do?"]

[“Feels like you’re about to stop the car and execute me! Why so serious? Hey! Somebody say something!" Tony called out.]

[One of the soldiers hesitated. Tony turned to him. "Why are you staring at me?"]

[The female driver in the front seat suddenly spoke up: “They’re not staring at you… they’re afraid of you.”]

[Tony blinked, then grinned in realization. "Oh my God! You're a woman! I totally didn’t notice! Sorry about that!"]

[The driver remained calm. "The military emphasizes gender equality. Right now, I’m just a soldier."]

["Right, right! I get it! But, if I’m being honest, you’ve got a great figure! I kind of want to look at you more—wait, that sounded weird, didn’t it?"]

[Tony's playful remark managed to break the tension in the vehicle. A few of the soldiers chuckled.]

["Alright, everyone relax!" Tony waved his glass, flashing his signature smirk.]

[The soldier in the front passenger seat turned around and asked, "Sir, I have a question for you! Is it true that in the past 12 months, every Maxim magazine cover girl has slept with you?"]

[Tony pulled off his sunglasses and looked at him. "That’s a great question. The answer is yes and no. March was a scheduling conflict. Luckily, December had twin sisters. Any other questions?"]

[Laughter filled the Humvee. Even the female driver couldn’t help but smirk.]

[Another soldier eagerly raised his hand. Tony raised a brow. "Why are you raising your hand?"]

["Can I take a picture with you?" the soldier asked excitedly.]

["Of course! But let’s set some ground rules—no posting it on your personal social media."]

[The soldier nodded quickly and handed his camera to the front passenger. He then made a peace sign, leaning against Tony for the photo.]

["I was just joking!" Tony teased as the soldier’s excitement nearly made him jump out of his seat.]

[“Yeah! Peace! I love peace! Peace would put me out of a job!" Tony muttered as he posed for the picture. Just as the front passenger was about to take the shot—]

[BOOM! The military Humvee in front of them suddenly exploded!]

—

The room fell silent.

Everyone watching The Screen tensed, their eyes fixed on the unfolding events.

For some, this was history. For others, this was new information. But for Tony Stark, it was his past—the moment that changed everything.

The beginning of Iron Man.

Chapter 198: Tony is Kidnapped

"Oh, damn… I can still remember the smile on that soldier’s face," Tony muttered, watching the scene unfold before him from a third-person perspective. He lowered his head slightly, his expression unreadable.

"Is this the first thing you saw when the attack happened?" Rhodes asked, glancing at Tony. God knew how long he had searched for Tony in the desert after his disappearance. He had never found him—not until Tony managed to escape on his own.

"Yeah," Tony nodded, his thoughts drifting to Yinsen—his good friend, his savior. If not for Yinsen, there would have been no Iron Man. He would have never escaped that cave alive.

Pepper narrowed her eyes at Tony’s words. Even though she wasn’t there at the time, she could imagine the danger he had been in. If Tony had been standing in front of her at this moment, she would have made sure he understood what it meant to face her wrath.

—

"Will peace make him lose his job?" George frowned slightly. Recalling what The Screen had said earlier—how Tony had once been the world’s largest arms dealer—he quickly pieced together the reason for Tony’s trip.

Meanwhile, Second-Generation Spider-Man was more focused on something else—the fact that Tony had apparently slept with so many Maxim cover girls. He turned to look at Harry, who immediately coughed, a bit embarrassed.

Harry had had his fair share of experiences, but compared to Tony? Twelve? Including twin sisters? That was excessive.

Gwen noticed Second-Gen Spider-Man’s glance at Harry and suddenly remembered that, according to The Screen, Harry had told him about this at some point. She turned to look at Spider-Man curiously.

Feeling Gwen’s gaze, Second-Gen Spider-Man quickly averted his eyes, pretending to fiddle with the spoon in his hand.

—

[As the explosion erupted, Tony panicked. "What the hell just happened?!"]

[“Something’s happening on the left!!!” the female driver shouted. She grabbed her weapon and jumped out of the Humvee—only to be gunned down instantly.]

[The front passenger turned to Jimmy, barking an order. "Protect Stark!" Then, he too left the car, gun in hand. Before he could fire a single shot, he was cut down by a hail of bullets.]

[Jimmy hesitated for only a second before jumping out of the vehicle, preparing to return fire. Tony tried to stop him, but it was too late. The moment Jimmy stepped outside, his body was riddled with bullets.]

[The door of the Humvee was shredded by gunfire, riddled with bullet holes. Tony sat frozen inside, watching in horror as every soldier protecting him was mercilessly killed.]

[Realizing he had to move, he quickly abandoned the vehicle and scrambled for cover behind a large rock. He pulled out his phone to call for help—]

[Then, he saw it.]

[A missile landed just a few feet away.]

[On its surface, printed in clear, unmistakable letters, were two words: "Stark Industries."]

[Tony’s heart pounded. The high-pitched ringing of the missile’s activation filled his ears. Without thinking, he stood up, trying to escape—]

[But it was too late.]

[The explosion engulfed him. His body was flung backward, slamming into the ground.]

[As he lay there, pain coursing through every nerve, his ears rang deafeningly. His white dress shirt was riddled with tiny holes, now soaked red with blood.]

[With shaking hands, Tony tore open his shirt, revealing the bulletproof vest underneath—but it had been pierced. Sharp fragments of shrapnel were embedded deep into his chest.]

[Before his vision faded, he heard a voice. His eyes fluttered open, and he saw a hood being pulled off his head. He was surrounded—rough, scarred men leering at him. One of them held up a camera, recording everything.]

[“Stane! This is Gulmira! You didn’t tell us the target was Tony Stark!”]

[“Stane! You must pay for your deception! The price of assassinating Tony Stark has just gone up!”]

[The masked terrorists spoke in harsh tones, their demands clearly scripted.]

—

"Whoa! That’s insane!" First-Generation Spider-Man gasped, staring at the scene in shock. "Even with a bulletproof vest, the explosion still went through?! And it was his own company’s missile that did it!"

His gaze landed on the missile that had brought Tony down—STARK INDUSTRIES was written all over it.

It was poetic irony—his own weapon, used against him.

And then there was Obadiah Stane. From the way the terrorists spoke, it was clear—he was the one who had betrayed Tony.

Tony rubbed his forehead but said nothing. He had been too dazed at the time to fully remember what had happened. But now, seeing it unfold so clearly, he couldn’t deny it—Obadiah had nearly succeeded in killing him.

—

[36 hours earlier.]

[Colonel Rhodes stood at a podium, playing a video presentation. "Inventor. Genius. Patriot. Even at a young age, the son of Howard Stark—the heir to a legendary weapons empire!"]

[“He was so brilliant that he stole the show from the very beginning! At age four, he designed his first circuit board! At age eight, he built a V6 engine! By seventeen, he graduated MIT with highest honors!”]

[“Then, tragedy struck. His great father, Howard Stark, passed away. Stepping in to fill the void left behind by the legendary founder was Obadiah Stane—Howard’s lifelong ally.”]

[“But then, the prodigal son returned at twenty-one. Tony took the helm of Stark Industries, leading it into a new era.”]

[“Under his leadership, the company developed smart weapons, advanced robotics, and satellite targeting systems! Tony Stark didn’t just revolutionize the weapons industry—he completely changed it!”]

[“His work has maintained freedom and stability, safeguarding national security across the world!”]

—

At the sight of Obadiah Stane on the screen, Tony’s expression darkened. Even though Stane had been dead for years, Tony still felt disgusted just looking at him.

"Obadiah…" he muttered, eyes narrowing.

"You still have a grudge against him, huh?" Nick Fury commented with a knowing smirk.

"Yeah," Tony shot back. "If someone nearly killed you, wouldn’t you remember them for the rest of your life?"

—

[As the video presentation ended, Rhodes stood proudly on the stage. "As the liaison officer between the military and Stark Industries, I’ve had the privilege of working with a true patriot. He is my friend and my best mentor!"]

[“Ladies and gentlemen! I am honored to present this year’s Pinnacle Award to the great Tony Stark!”]

[The audience erupted into applause—but Tony was nowhere to be seen.]

[Rhodes cleared his throat, calling again awkwardly. "Tony?" No response.]

[With a sigh, Obadiah Stane stepped forward, shaking his head as he walked onto the stage. He took the trophy from Rhodes, smiling. "Thank you, Lieutenant Colonel!"]

[He turned to the audience, raising the award. "It’s beautiful! Thank you, everyone! But, unfortunately… I’m not Tony Stark!"]

[His words drew laughter from the crowd.]

[“But if I were Tony, I’d be telling you all how deeply moved I am! How grateful I am for this incredible honor!”]

[“Speaking of Tony… his greatest strength is also his greatest weakness—he only knows how to work.”]

Chapter 199: Christine Everhart

"Rhodes, since when was I your mentor?" Tony turned to Rhodes with an amused expression.

"Hey, come on! That was just a speech!" Rhodes replied, throwing up his hands. "You don't actually believe that, do you?" He wasn’t about to let Tony turn this into another one of his running jokes.

"Oh! This really breaks my heart," Tony said dramatically. "I thought I had more students. Not that I’d accept you anyway."

Steve Rogers still adjusting to modern ways of speaking, wasn’t entirely used to Tony’s sarcasm. He looked at Tony with a puzzled expression but said nothing.

—

[Just as Obadiah claimed that Tony was too obsessed with work and had skipped the awards ceremony, The Screen shifted—revealing Tony Stark at a casino, happily gambling.]

[Behind him stood Happy Hogan, his driver and personal security, while two beautiful women clung to his sides. As Tony flirted with them, Rhodes suddenly appeared next to him.]

[Rhodes shot Tony a look, his tone dripping with sarcasm. "You are amazing! No one else would do things like you! You are amazing!"]

[Seeing Rhodes' displeased expression, Tony immediately put on an innocent face. "Oh, I’m so sorry!"]

["They told me that you’d be honored if I were to present the award!" Rhodes said, forcing a smile.]

["Of course I’m honored! Because it’s you!" Tony replied in a mock-serious tone. "So, when do I get the award?"]

["Right now! Please accept it!" Rhodes deadpanned, holding up the trophy and shoving it toward Tony.]

["This… this is too easy! I’m so sorry!" Tony feigned remorse, apologizing again with a completely unserious expression.]

["Forget it, it’s fine," Rhodes sighed. He knew Tony disliked formal events, but that didn’t stop him from being annoyed about almost losing face in front of the military brass.]

[Then, in true Tony fashion, he casually handed the prestigious trophy to the beautiful woman next to him.]

["Okay, watch closely! This is really… really special! You’ve never seen anything like it!" Tony grinned, ready to roll the dice. He asked the woman to blow on them for luck, then turned to Rhodes. "Your turn!"]

[Rhodes swatted Tony’s hand away. "Not happening."]

[Tony tossed the dice anyway. "Alright! Lieutenant Colonel Rhodes rolled the dice! Look!"]

[The result? A measly two points.]

[Rhodes smirked. "That’s just sad."]

["Victory and defeat are common in war!" Tony shrugged nonchalantly. "Even with your help!"]

[Then, the two left the casino. On his way out, Tony casually tossed the trophy to a random staff member.]

—

"It looks like he doesn’t care about the award at all," First Gen Uncle Ben commented, watching Tony discard the trophy like it was nothing.

"Yeah," First-Generation Spider-Man nodded. Is this what it means to be a billionaire? He never imagined there were people who would treat an award—something others worked their whole lives for—so lightly.

"You better not learn from him, Peter!" Aunt May warned, holding First-Gen Spider-Man’s hand. "As a man, you must never forget your roots!"

"I understand, Aunt May," First-Gen Spider-Man assured her. He knew better than anyone that his success had nothing to do with his powers. His greatest strength was his heart—that was what made people truly admire him.

—

[As Tony approached his luxury car, surrounded by bodyguards, a woman’s voice suddenly called out.]

["Mr. Stark!!!"]

[“Excuse me, Mr. Stark! Christine Everhart! From Vanity Fair! Can I ask you a few questions?”]

[Happy leaned in and whispered, Should we ignore her?]

["Let her ask!" Tony turned, flashing a grin at the reporter. "Hi! Yeah! Sure! Ask away!"]

["You've been called the modern Da Vinci! What do you think about that?"]

["That’s ridiculous. I can’t even draw," Tony replied flatly.]

["Then how about another nickname? 'The Bringer of Death'!"]

["Oh, that one’s reliable!" Tony nodded, unfazed. Then, he asked, "Did you graduate from UC Berkeley?"]

["Brown University." Christine corrected.]

["Okay! Miss Brown!" Tony smirked. "Look, this world isn’t perfect, and we don’t have a choice! The day we no longer need weapons to defend peace is the day I’ll start making building materials for children’s hospitals!"]

[Christine wasn’t buying it. She saw through Tony’s rehearsed response immediately. "You practiced that in front of a mirror, didn’t you?"]

["Every night before bed."]

["I can tell."]

["You’re welcome to watch sometime!" Tony grinned.]

[Christine didn’t directly refuse. Instead, she smirked. "Only if you answer my questions seriously."]

["Of course! My dad always said, 'Peace is only achievable when your stick is bigger than everyone else’s.'"]

[Tony folded his arms confidently.]

["What a profound philosophy!" Christine shot back sarcastically. "Spoken like a true arms dealer."]

[Tony’s smirk disappeared. He didn’t particularly like his father, but he also wouldn’t let anyone insult him so easily.]

["My dad helped defeat the Nazis. He contributed a lot. Many—including professors at your university—consider him a hero."]

["And many others call him a warmonger," Christine countered, unfazed.]

[Tony removed his sunglasses and locked eyes with her. "Tell me, are you interested in writing about our breakthroughs in medical technology? Or maybe how we’ve prevented famine with smart crops?"]

["Because, whether you like it or not, all these advances were made possible through military funding."]

[His expression was serious now. Dead serious.]

["Wow," Christine muttered. "Don’t you ever have trouble sleeping?"]

["Depends on who I’m with," Tony said casually.]

[The next second, the two were tangled in bed sheets.]

[Christine Everhart, once mocking Tony Stark, was now rolling around with him. She climbed on top, taking control. Tony tried to flip her over, but they both ended up tumbling off the bed.]

—

"Whoa! That escalated quickly!" Second-Gen Spider-Man whistled, shaking his head. "Was that… normal back in the day, Harry?"

Second-Gen Harry was caught off guard by the sudden question. After a brief pause, he answered, "Uh… no! I mean, it’s happened before, but not this fast."

Second-Gen Spider-Man raised an eyebrow, skeptical. "Really?"

"Yeah! Really!" Harry insisted, exasperated.

—

"Oh man, Tony’s love life…" Rhodes chuckled, shaking his head.

The people around him couldn’t help but laugh. Everyone knew Tony was a playboy, but seeing it play out like this made it hit differently.

Tony simply shrugged. "Don’t be jealous! Not everyone gets to be the target of a beautiful woman’s affection!"

What he didn’t realize, however, was that Pepper was watching this scene very closely—her eyes narrowed dangerously. If the pen in her hand wasn’t made of steel, it probably would’ve snapped in half.

Christine Everhart, meanwhile, looked increasingly uncomfortable. She had initially hoped this encounter would boost her career—but now, seeing it play out in front of the entire world, she realized…

She had lost more than she gained.

She sighed. Some things, once done, can never be undone.

Chapter 200: Pepper’s Birthday Gift

[Christine Everhart lay in bed, eyes still heavy with sleep. The next second, a crisp and mechanical voice broke the silence.]

["Good morning! It is now 7:00 AM," Jarvis announced.]

[As the AI's voice filled the room, the glass panels on the side of the villa slowly turned transparent, revealing the vast blue ocean outside the window.]

[This was Tony Stark’s Malibu mansion.]

[Christine got up and wandered into the living room, expecting to hear Tony’s voice. When she called out twice and received no response, curiosity got the better of her. She started exploring the villa.]

[When she noticed a smart lock embedded in the wall, she instinctively reached for the switch. However, before she could touch it—]

["You are not authorized to enter this area, Miss," Jarvis warned, startling her.]

[“That’s Jarvis! The AI butler of this place,” a voice suddenly spoke up behind her.]

[Christine turned to see Pepper Potts, standing there with a set of neatly folded clothes in her hands.]

[Pepper handed Christine her clothes and, without much warmth, informed her, "There’s a car waiting outside. You can go wherever you like."]

[Christine gave her a once-over before stepping forward with a smirk. "You must be the famous Pepper Potts."]

["You guessed right," Pepper replied with a polite but firm nod.]

["After all these years, Tony still has you running around handling his errands?" Christine remarked, her tone laced with intentional provocation.]

[But Pepper didn’t even flinch. She merely blinked before responding with a perfectly calm yet biting remark—]

["I’m happy to assist Mr. Stark with whatever he needs… including cleaning up his leftovers."]

["Is there anything else?" she added with a polite smile.]

—

"A war between two women—no smoke, no gunpowder, yet just as deadly!" Second-Gen Uncle Ben took a sip of tea and chuckled.

"Yeah, and from the way she handled it, this definitely wasn’t the first time," George nodded in agreement.

"Why didn’t I realize before how good she was at stirring up trouble?" Tony frowned. Fortunately, Pepper had fired back immediately, or else he would have been on the receiving end of her wrath when he got back.

"Well, you’re on your own with that one!" Rhodes shrugged.

"Angry women are the most dangerous," Natasha added lightly. "Try not to test them, Tony."

Tony groaned, rubbing his face. He needed to figure out how to make it up to Pepper later.

—

[Intense music played as the scene shifted—Tony was in his garage, dismantling an engine with precision. The sound of machinery filled the air as he focused on his work.]

["Jarvis, show me the decomposition diagram!"] Tony instructed.

["There is a problem with the third cylinder, insufficient pressure detected," Jarvis quickly responded.]

[At that moment, the garage door opened, and Pepper Potts stepped in. She had just finished a phone call and turned down the blaring music.]

["Don’t turn down the music!" Tony protested without even looking up.]

[Pepper folded her arms. "You should be on the other side of the planet right now."]

[Before she could finish, Tony abruptly asked, "How was her attitude?"]

[Pepper smirked. "Arrogant."]

["Why are you so eager to get rid of me?" Tony asked, inspecting a cylinder gasket.]

["Because your plane was supposed to take off an hour and a half ago," Pepper reminded him.]

["That’s weird… I own that private plane. Shouldn’t it wait for me?" Tony said, confused.]

[Pepper ignored him. "Tony, before you leave, I have something to tell you."]

["I said—what’s the point of having a private jet if it won’t wait for its owner?!"] Tony continued complaining.]

[Pepper, still unfazed, carried on. "Larry called. The Jackson Pollock painting has a new buyer. Do you still want it?"]

[Tony, momentarily confused, mistook Jackson Pollock for a person rather than an artist. Pepper had to correct him, explaining that Springs referred to an artistic movement and not the season.]

["I think the painting is representative, but the asking price is a bit outrageous," Pepper admitted.]

[Upon hearing that Pepper liked it, Tony made a snap decision—"Buy it."]

[A small smile crossed Pepper’s face. She really liked that painting.]

—

["Okay, moving on… the MIT commencement speech." Pepper flipped through her clipboard.]

["That’s in June! Irrelevant! Don't bother me with unimportant things!" Tony dismissed her.]

["You're the one who’s annoying!" Pepper shot back. "Anyway, I need you to sign this before you leave."]

["If there’s a problem, fix it yourself! Why do you keep trying to send me away?" Tony signed the papers without reading them. "Do you have plans or something?"]

["Actually, I do," Pepper responded casually.]

["I don’t like it when you have plans," Tony muttered.]

["Well, I should have plans. It’s my birthday."]

["…Your birthday?" Tony froze. He had completely forgotten.]

[Realizing his mistake, Tony quickly tried to cover it up. "Of course, I knew that! I mean, it’s today, right?"]

[Pepper folded her arms. "Yes, Tony. Just like last year."]

["Of course! Is there something wrong with that?" Tony deflected, trying to sound casual.]

["Buy me a nice gift."]

["I already bought one! It’s beautiful, it’s tasteful—thank you, Mr. Stark!"] Pepper said, knowing full well Tony had forgotten and had just saved himself at the last second.]

["You’re welcome, Miss Potts."]

[Pepper tapped his coffee cup, reminding him that it was getting cold. Tony took the hint, downed the rest, and handed her the empty cup.]

—

"Peter, do you remember my birthday?" Second-Gen Gwen suddenly turned to Second-Gen Spider-Man with a sly look.

"(⊙o⊙)..." Second-Gen Spider-Man instantly felt his brain short-circuit—he couldn’t remember.

"…I don’t think I ever told you when my birthday was," Gwen finally admitted, stopping Helen, who had been trying to hint at the answer.

Second-Gen Spider-Man sighed in relief but quickly grabbed her hand. "I'm sorry, Gwen! But I promise, I’ll never forget it once you tell me!"

Harry groaned, covering his face. "Ugh, too much PDA! Guys, there’s a single person here!"

"Oh! Sorry, Harry!" Both Spider-Man and Gwen turned and apologized at the same time.

—

"So this is why you were three hours late that day?!" Rhodes suddenly stood up, staring at Tony. "You told me it was because of a natural disaster! A man-made disaster! You said your car broke down!"

Tony laughed awkwardly. "Ahaha… yeah, about that…"

Rhodes rolled his eyes and sat down angrily.

"Oh, come on, man! I’ll treat you to a drink when we get back!" Tony offered.

"If we’re only inviting Rhodes, what about the rest of us?" Barton asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Fine! Let’s make it a party!" Tony waved his hand. "Everyone’s invited!"