…
Stark Tower
"Mmm~"
"Now that looks right."
Seated in an office chair with one leg crossed over the other, a broad-shouldered, heavily muscled man scrutinized a tablet screen.
After cycling through dozens of stylized fonts, he finally nodded in satisfaction.
On the desk behind him, Pepper Potts hovered somewhere between awake and asleep.
Smack.
A sharp sound echoed.
The man tilted his head smugly. "So now you know who runs the house."
"I—I refuse to concede!" Pepper shot back breathlessly, still sprawled awkwardly across the desk.
She hadn't expected Tony—whom she'd effortlessly subdued not long ago—to turn the tables so quickly.
Yes.
This imposing, sculpted figure—built like a cross between a professional bodybuilder and a super-soldier—was Tony Stark, freshly emerged from seclusion.
Through extraordinarily precise manipulation of electromagnetic forces, Tony had reinforced the atomic bonds within every cell of his body.
The result?
A dramatic enhancement of his physical abilities—
And the long-coveted manifestation of a bio-electromagnetic field.
More importantly, he had realized something astonishing:
As his mental focus intensified during research, his cognitive capacity and mental energy increased.
Greater mental strength amplified his electromagnetic control.
Enhanced control further strengthened his body.
A stronger body improved his cognitive endurance.
A perfect feedback loop.
An upward spiral without apparent ceiling.
Tony had begun to suspect—
He might not have a limit.
"Sir, you have a call," J.A.R.V.I.S. interrupted.
"I distinctly recall blocking all incoming calls," Tony frowned.
"Sir, my firewall protocols have been altered."
Before Tony could respond, Phil Coulson's voice emerged from the phone resting on the desk.
"Mr. Stark. You've finally resurfaced. We need to talk."
Tony raised a brow, covering the microphone with his palm.
"J.A.R.V.I.S., remind me to update your firewall."
"The last update was nine years ago, Sir," J.A.R.V.I.S. replied matter-of-factly. "On a stormy evening. You rendered a young lady unconscious and then—"
"Enough!"
Tony shot a nervous glance toward Pepper, who appeared peacefully asleep.
Satisfied she hadn't heard, he exhaled.
"Future reference: do not revisit my 'glorious history' while Pepper is present. Whether she's asleep or not."
"Understood, Sir."
Tony gently lifted Pepper—one arm beneath her, the other angling his phone's front camera toward himself.
In an overly formal tone, he announced:
"Dear valued caller, please do not hang up. You are currently viewing a holographic projection of Tony Stark. Kindly leave a message."
"There's a crisis," Coulson said flatly.
"Then leave it quickly."
Tony discreetly relocated Pepper to a private alcove near the office entrance, covering her with a blanket and closing the partition.
When he turned back—
The office doors slid open.
Coulson stood there in person, phone in one hand, folder tucked under the other arm.
"May I come in?" Coulson asked with a polite smile.
"J.A.R.V.I.S., where exactly is my security system?" Tony muttered.
"The security grid has also been compromised, Sir."
"…Can you provide useful information at least once today?"
Tony rolled his eyes and gestured for Coulson to follow.
The Avengers Conference Level – Stark Tower
They ascended to a full-floor meeting space bathed in natural light from expansive glass walls.
At its center stood a massive circular table, surrounded by seven sleek, high-tech chairs.
Above it hovered a seamless ring-shaped display—allowing any seated member to view data without repositioning.
Seven seats.
Seven founding Avengers.
And off to one side—
A fully stocked bar counter, pristine and untouched.
Coulson studied the arrangement.
"This is…?"
"Leon's idea," Tony replied casually. "For the Avengers."
He poured two glasses of whiskey over ice and raised his own.
"But you, Agent Coulson, are the first guest."
"That's an honor," Coulson said sincerely, accepting the drink.
After a brief pause, he slid a flash drive across the table.
"Mr. Stark—"
Beep. Beep. Beep.
Coulson's phone rang.
Nick Fury.
"Apologies."
Tony waved dismissively.
Coulson answered.
The moment the call connected—
"Motherfu—Coulson, where are you?"
"Tony Stark hasn't left his house in days, and the one time I need him, he's gone! Is he doing this on purpose?!"
Fury's voice carried loudly enough without speaker mode.
Coulson winced, holding the phone at a safe distance.
Fury had dispatched him under the assumption Tony was still secluded at the Malibu Mansion.
He had not anticipated Tony relocating operations.
"Director—" Coulson attempted diplomatically.
Tony leaned into frame, wearing a grin eerily reminiscent of Leon's.
"It's been a while, Fury. Still charming as ever."
There was a brief silence.
"…What the hell?"
"Who is this?"
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