"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."]
==============================================
Support me at p@treon.com/goldengaruda and check out more chapter of this or more early access chapter of my other fanfic translation.
Check out new Fanfic:
A Book of Ice and Fire / Game of Thrones : Magic Network
Marvel : Mutant God
=============================================