Three Months Later – The Stark Era Begins
The world had changed.
It hadn't happened overnight, but anyone with a brain could tell that the past three months had rewritten the rules of the game.
Since taking full control of the Avengers, Tony Stark had done what Tony Stark always did—break the mold.
He made sure that the Avengers will never be under government-mandated superhero oversight. The Avengers weren't just a glorified S.H.I.E.L.D. strike team as was originally planned; they were an independent, global force. A power unto themselves.
And people had noticed.
The media had been in a frenzy since Tony started making moves. His sharp, biting press conferences had become legendary, with headlines swinging between "Stark Declares Avengers Are Independent to Government Puppetry" to "Is Ultron a Threat to World Stability?" The internet ate it up.
Memes, debates, conspiracy theories—his name was on every screen, every feed.
But the biggest controversy?
Mutants.
Tony hadn't just talked about mutant rights—he had acted.
In the past three months, he had openly collaborated with several high-profile mutants, integrating them into operations alongside the Avengers.
Some had been small-scale—covert missions where enhanced abilities proved invaluable. Others? Not so much.
The sight of known mutants fighting alongside Earth's Mightiest Heroes had sent political leaders into a frenzy.
Certain countries had outright condemned it. The U.S. government had started scrambling for control, but Tony had been five steps ahead.
He had framed the entire narrative perfectly.
He wasn't recruiting an "X-Men 2.0." He wasn't making a mutant-led militia. No, he was optimizing global defense. It wasn't about who they were—it was about what they could do.
Of course, the actual reason was far more strategic. Tony had seen the writing on the wall.
The mutant issue wasn't going away. Tensions were rising, anti-mutant rhetoric was getting louder, and worse—there were forces in the shadows that wanted war. He had no intention of letting that happen.
And that was why he was here.
---
World Security Council Chamber – Classified Location
The chamber was colder than he remembered.
Or maybe that was just the atmosphere.
Tony sat at the center of the curved table, surrounded by the world's most powerful people. Leaders, strategists, and puppet masters, all glaring at him like he was the single biggest mistake they had ever made.
He took a slow sip from his coffee, savoring the tension.
Nick Fury stood in the background, arms crossed, his usual scowl in place. Tony could already hear the sigh brewing behind that stern expression.
Finally, an older man with a military insignia broke the silence.
"Stark," he said, his voice clipped. "You've overstepped."
Tony raised an eyebrow. "Gonna have to be more specific, chief. I do that a lot."
"You know what we're talking about." This time, it was a woman with icy eyes and a clipped European accent. "For three months, you have systematically dismantled the chain of command. The Avengers were never meant to be a personal empire, and yet here we are—with you acting as if the world belongs to you."
Tony smirked. "Oh, I don't act like it. I just make sure you know it."
A few murmurs of frustration passed through the room. Fury pinched the bridge of his nose.
The graying military officer leaned forward. "Enough games. You've brought mutants into sensitive global operations. Do you have any idea the political disaster you've created?"
Tony exhaled dramatically. "You guys keep saying political disaster like it's a bad thing. Me? I see progress. You're just upset because I didn't ask for permission first."
"This isn't a joke, Stark!" The woman's voice cut through the room. "You've given these people access to top-tier resources. Strategic assets. And classified technology—"
Tony raised a hand. "Ah, see, that's where you're wrong. I gave them access to my technology." He leaned forward, his smirk turning razor-sharp. "You remember Stark Industries, right? That private company I own? The one that doesn't answer to you?"
The woman's lips thinned.
"Let's cut to the chase," Tony continued. "You don't actually care about 'security risks.' What you care about is that I'm not playing by your rules. You wanted the Avengers as your personal guard dogs, and now that you don't have that control, you're panicking."
The older military officer slammed a fist on the table. "You arrogant little—"
The lights flickered.
Every screen in the room glitched.
Then, all at once, the holographic displays lit up with red warnings:
GLOBAL DEFENSE NETWORK OVERRIDDEN
NUCLEAR WARHEADS LOCKED DOWN
SATELLITE SYSTEMS: OFFLINE
COMMAND ACCESS: RESTRICTED—STARK INDUSTRIES AUTHORIZED ONLY
Panic erupted.
High-ranking officials scrambled to their consoles. Military personnel barked into earpieces. Keyboards clacked furiously, trying—failing—to regain control.
Fury remained still. He had seen Tony pull off some insane stunts before, but this? This was a different level.
Tony casually adjusted his cufflinks. "Oops. Looks like your security sucks. Who knew?"
The room froze.
The older officer's face was turning red. "What the hell did you do?!"
Tony leaned back, folding his arms. "I just proved a point." He nodded at the flickering screens. "That right there? That's me showing you that every nuke, every military satellite, every classified system you thought you controlled?" He tapped his temple. "I own them now."
"You—" The woman started, but Tony cut her off.
"No, see, you don't get it. You people have been playing the same tired power games for decades, moving pieces on the board like you're the only ones who matter." He stood, his voice dropping to something quieter, deadlier. "But I changed the game. You don't get to play kingmaker anymore."
The silence was deafening.
Tony took one last sip of his coffee. "So here's what's gonna happen. You're going to stop treating mutants like second-class citizens, and you're going to stop interfering with the Avengers. Because if you don't—" He gestured at the screens. "This was just a demo."
The officials looked between each other, silent.
They knew.
He wasn't bluffing.
Tony let the moment hang, then clapped his hands together. "Alright, this was fun, but I've got actual work to do. Enjoy your existential crisis."
He turned on his heel, heading for the exit.
As the doors slid shut behind him, Fury remained in place, watching the stunned room.
After a long moment, he exhaled, shaking his head.
"I tried to keep an eye on him..." His fingers curled into a fist.
"But Tony Stark just outplayed the world."
Meanwhile, Stark knew that this will not be enough as each force has their secrets. But it is enough for him to be left alone for a while.
Chaos is coming and he can sense it.
That's all he needs to perfect his plan.
After all...
'Its almost time for my next upgrade,' Tony grinned secretly.
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