Time flies.
Before Richard realized it, more than half a month had passed.
After spending two comfortable weeks in Ta Lo, enjoying the extraordinary hospitality provided by the twenty-something Ying Li, Richard departed alone. He took neither Ying Li nor the Dragon with him, nor did he appropriate any of Ta Lo's magical creatures—no Dijiang, Qilin, Phoenix, or Suanni. The only souvenirs he carried were several raw dragon scales.
Ta Lo was undeniably a magnificent realm with breathtaking landscapes and mystical flora and fauna absent from Earth. Yet Richard harbored no intention of establishing permanent residence there. The isolated pocket dimension served better as an occasional retreat—a place to visit periodically rather than settle indefinitely. A prolonged stay in such seclusion, beautiful though it was, struck him as an unwise proposition.
New York
Silver Manor
Upon leaving Ta Lo, Richard executed a series of teleportations that brought him back to Silver Manor. His first priority was finding Emma Frost to learn what had transpired during his absence.
What followed was an extended "debate on the origin of life" with the theme "A short separation makes the heart grow fonder"—conducted exclusively in the bedroom.
The following day, after sharing lunch with Emma Frost and Clarice at the manor, Richard teleported directly to Stark Tower in Manhattan—specifically, to the living room occupying the building's uppermost floor.
"Good afternoon, Mr. Wesley," Jarvis's disembodied voice greeted him the moment he materialized. "Mr. Stark is currently designing the 'Anti-Richard Armor' in his workshop. Please wait momentarily."
This wasn't Richard's first visit to Stark Tower. Tony had extended several invitations over the past few months.
"Very well, thank you," Richard replied.
"You're welcome," the AI responded promptly.
Rather than seating himself on the living room sofa to await Tony's arrival, Richard stepped onto the exterior viewing balcony to appreciate Manhattan's skyline. Shortly thereafter, Tony's voice interrupted his contemplation.
"Is today some special occasion?" the billionaire quipped. "You've actually graced Stark Tower with your presence."
Richard turned to face him. "Nothing special. I merely wanted to check on your progress with the 'Anti-Richard Armor.' Also, I've brought some unique materials you might incorporate into its design."
Under Tony's watchful gaze, Richard retrieved an unprocessed dragon scale from his system space.
"What exactly am I looking at?" Tony asked, eyeing the dark red object that had materialized seemingly from nowhere.
"Dragon scales," Richard stated plainly, seeing no reason for subterfuge.
Dragon scales? Tony's brow furrowed at this response.
After a brief hesitation, he pressed further. "These dragon scales you mention—are they from Western or Eastern dragons?"
"Eastern Dragon," Richard confirmed calmly.
Though visibly curious about the scales' provenance, Tony refrained from further inquiry. Instead, he accepted the specimen from Richard and began examining it with professional interest.
"Remarkably lightweight—significantly less dense than comparable steel," he observed. "While I can't precisely gauge its hardness without proper testing, its durability appears impressive. Likely surpasses standard alloys."
Before Richard could comment, Tony tilted the scale slightly. As he manipulated it, deep crimson patterns emerged across its surface.
"It retains residual energy," Tony noted with growing excitement. "Suggests it possesses unique properties beyond mere physical resilience."
With minimal observation, Tony had drawn several accurate conclusions, confirming the scale's authenticity.
"Where did you acquire this?" he asked, scientific curiosity evident in his voice.
"That remains confidential," Richard replied.
Though willing to share the dragon scales themselves, Richard had no intention of revealing Ta Lo's existence to Tony.
"Fine, keep your secrets," Tony shrugged. "This material could certainly be integrated into the 'Anti-Richard Armor.' If you're amenable, I'll incorporate it into the design."
"Please do," Richard nodded. "Well, that concludes my business here. Best get back to your work."
As Richard prepared to teleport away, Tony's voice halted him.
"Actually... I've encountered a situation recently," he said, uncharacteristic hesitation evident in his manner.
"What sort of situation?" Richard inquired.
Though unfamiliar with Tony's specific circumstances, Richard recognized the gravity of whatever prompted such uncertainty from the normally decisive inventor.
After a prolonged silence, Tony explained, "A clandestine organization has extended membership to me. I'm conflicted about whether to accept."
"I can't disclose the organization's identity," he continued. "I can only say it operates with extreme discretion. Very few individuals are aware of its existence."
A secret organization?
The Illuminati immediately sprang to Richard's mind. No other covert group in the Marvel universe would likely cause Tony such deliberation. Moreover, Tony's description aligned perfectly with the Illuminati's operational parameters.
Though this wasn't the comic universe, Richard wasn't particularly surprised by the Illuminati's interest in recruiting Tony. After all, in the comics, Tony Stark had been a founding member. His demonstrated capabilities alone met the Illuminati's exacting standards.
After brief consideration, Richard offered his perspective. "While I can't identify the organization you're referencing, if you're asking my opinion, I'd suggest evaluating it personally. If you deem it worthy of your participation, then join. If you determine they're unreliable, decline their offer."
Though Richard had rejected his own Illuminati invitation, he felt no compulsion to dissuade Tony from accepting. Tony's decision mattered little to him. Provided the Illuminati didn't interfere with his affairs, he remained indifferent to Tony's potential membership—just as he'd been unconcerned about Magneto's involvement.
"I'll consider it carefully, then," Tony nodded thoughtfully.
Richard responded with a simple nod before teleporting away.
Rather than returning directly to Silver Manor, Richard materialized at the Hellfire Club's New York headquarters. Like its San Francisco counterpart, the New York base occupied an elegant mansion in an affluent district.
Upon arrival, he immediately summoned the facility's director, "Black Rook" Bud Blom.
When the man appeared before him, Richard issued direct instructions:
"I need you to locate two individuals."
"First, Skye—a hacker affiliated with the Rising Tide organization."
"Second, Phastos—African American, possibly operating under various aliases. Begin your search in Chicago. He has a son named Jack and a husband named Phil."
"Yes, sir!" Black Rook Bud responded without hesitation, despite not knowing the purpose behind Richard's interest in these individuals.
"Once you've located them, take no further action—simply notify me immediately," Richard emphasized.
"Understood," Black Rook Bud acknowledged with a nod.
Having conveyed his instructions, Richard teleported back to Silver Manor.
Since eliminating Shang-Chi, Richard had been contemplating his next target—debating whether to prioritize Marvel Girl or the Eternals. After some consideration, he'd settled on the latter.
Particularly the Eternal named Phastos.
While other Eternals members—Sersi, Ikaris, Thena, and the rest—merely irritated him, Phastos inspired something far more visceral: a profound rage that demanded the most brutal retribution possible.
As a simple comparison: if Shang-Chi had evoked 10 points of disgust, Phastos registered at least 1,000.
Though the Eternals hadn't personally offended him, whenever Richard recalled Phastos's activities at Hiroshima, uncontrollable fury and murderous intent surged within him.
Time continued its relentless passage.
In the blink of an eye, a week elapsed.
Silver Manor
Study
Richard sat behind his desk, reviewing an email from Black Rook Bud. After a week of intensive investigation, Bud had successfully located both targets: Skye, still active within the Rising Tide organization, and Phastos of the Eternals.
Regarding Skye, Black Rook Bud reported that she and fellow Rising Tide hackers persistently attempted to breach databases belonging to various government agencies, particularly S.H.I.E.L.D., intending to publicize classified information.
As for Phastos, Black Rook Bud had initially followed Richard's suggestion to search Chicago. However, unlike in the films, Phastos wasn't residing there. After considerable resource expenditure, Bud had tracked him to Detroit, over 450 kilometers from Chicago.
Though not living in Chicago, Phastos had—just as depicted in the film—taken a husband and adopted a young child.
Having finished reading Black Rook Bud's report, Richard immediately teleported to Emma Frost's location.
"I need to address some personal matters," he informed her.
Though he provided no specifics, the perceptive White Queen didn't press for details. Instead, she gently inquired, "How long do you anticipate being away?"
"Not long," Richard assured her. "I should return within hours."
"Alright," Emma nodded, satisfied with his answer.
Under her watchful gaze, Richard teleported away once more.
The distance from New York to Detroit—approximately 900 kilometers—exceeded his teleportation's maximum single-jump range. Nevertheless, this presented minimal inconvenience; executing a second teleportation easily bridged the gap.
Without difficulty, Richard arrived in downtown Detroit. Though he'd never visited the city before, Black Rook Bud's email had included Phastos's precise address. However, Richard couldn't teleport directly to an unfamiliar location—he needed to establish his bearings from the city center first.
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Marvel x Star Wars: Avengers in the Clone Wars
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