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Tony had already been briefed before showing up at Helen's research center. Pepper had explained in detail what Helen's Devil Fruit ability could do, and Tony himself had reached out to Helen in advance. After all, they were friends, and it would've been downright rude to barge in and demand treatment without so much as a warning.
Even with the explanation, Tony's anticipation was through the roof. He had seen Devil Fruits in action before, seen people do things that flat-out defied science and logic, but this time was different. This wasn't about watching someone else show off their powers. This was about him.
Every world-class surgeon he'd consulted had told him the same thing: the shrapnel embedded in his chest was practically a death sentence. Removing it without killing him was impossible, and living with it meant gambling every single day that it wouldn't shift and pierce his heart.
But science had its limits. Devil Fruits didn't seem to care about limits. That was what kept his hope alive.
And yet, despite all that hope, Tony was completely floored when he actually experienced the Heal-Heal Fruit in action. One moment, there had been a hole in his chest, his muscle torn apart, skin shredded, metal lodged deep inside. Ten seconds later, the wound was gone. Completely sealed, perfectly restored, as if it had never been there in the first place.
Had it not been for those seven or eight miserable days trapped in that cave, Tony might've honestly thought the whole ordeal had been a nightmare his mind had cooked up.
"Stark," Helen said with a small, triumphant laugh, watching his usually sharp tongue fail him for once, "this is the power of a Devil Fruit. Even someone like you can't begin to fathom it."
She couldn't help herself. To be left speechless was rare, almost unheard of for Tony Stark, the smug, sharp-witted man who treated every conversation like a stage performance. Seeing him so dumbfounded gave Helen a quiet sense of satisfaction.
"Whew…" She exhaled softly, brushing at the sheen of sweat forming across her forehead. The treatment had taken a lot out of her. Closing a wound of that size, regenerating tissue and blood as if weaving a body back together from scratch, was no small feat.
Even so, she could feel the difference within herself. Her grasp of the Heal-Heal Fruit had just grown sharper, deeper. She wasn't anywhere near the final stage of "restoration" Rosh had once described to her, but this was progress. And progress meant she was one step closer to reaching it.
"A miracle… this is nothing short of a miracle!" Happy exclaimed, his voice carrying the kind of wide-eyed awe usually reserved for fireworks or magic shows.
Tony gave a small nod, lips quirking as if he couldn't deny it. "From a medical perspective, yeah… it absolutely is." His gaze drifted toward the distance, a spark of anticipation flickering in his eyes. "And now I can't wait to see this Devil Fruit shop for myself."
Happy leaned forward eagerly, like a kid who'd just been promised a trip to Disneyland. "Then what are we waiting for, Mr. Stark? Let's get the gold ready! And don't forget the Barrier-Barrier Fruit, you said you'd help me with that too. Once I eat it, I'll never have to worry about something like this happening again."
"Well…" Tony shot him a sidelong glance, smirking. "The gold's just a minor detail. First, get me to that shop."
"Of course!" Happy replied without missing a beat. He was practically bouncing, his usual composure replaced by genuine excitement.
Tony turned back toward Helen, his tone shifting slightly. "Cho, I really want to thank you properly, but right now, the shop takes priority. I'll make it up to you later, promise."
Helen only shrugged, wiping the sweat from her brow. "Whatever makes you happy." She was used to Tony's quirks by now, and honestly, she would've been more surprised if he hadn't rushed off the second the word "shop" came up.
"Happy, let's go!" Tony announced, already moving. After a quick goodbye, he grabbed his driver by the arm and practically dragged him along.
They were back in the car within minutes, and the ride was surprisingly quiet. Happy didn't say another word, too focused on the road and too eager to get there quickly. Eventually, he pulled up in front of a modest little storefront tucked away on an unassuming street.
Above the door, a simple wooden sign swayed gently with the breeze. The words painted on it read: Home of the Devil Fruits.
"Happy, this is it?" Tony asked, one brow arched high. He leaned forward to peer through the windshield, skepticism written all over his face. "Really? This is the place?"
It wasn't at all what he'd pictured. In his mind, a shop selling reality-bending fruits should've looked extravagant, mysterious, between a treasure vault and a wizard's tower. But this? This looked almost too ordinary, the kind of place you'd walk past without giving it a second glance.
"Yes, Mr. Stark. This is the place," Happy confirmed confidently as he parked the car.
Together, they stepped inside.
Tony's eyes immediately landed on a young man standing alone behind the counter. No assistants, no customers, no entourage, just him. Instinctively, Tony pegged him as the shopkeeper.
He sized the man up in silence, though it only deepened his confusion. This wasn't the eccentric old merchant or mysterious cloaked figure he'd been expecting. Instead, the so-called "shopkeeper" looked… almost normal.
But if Tony Stark was measuring him up, then Rosh was doing the exact same thing.
'So, Tony Stark finally decided to come for a fruit, huh?' Rosh thought, his expression calm, though a flicker of anticipation stirred within him.
After all, this wasn't just anyone. This was Tony Stark, the man who had lit the spark that birthed the modern age of heroes. And now, if Stark were to claim the power of a Devil Fruit… who knew what kind of new era he might ignite?
For the first time in a long while, Rosh found himself eager to see what would happen next.
"Happy. Good to see you again." Rosh greeted him with an easy smile, his tone relaxed, as though they were simply two acquaintances meeting up for coffee rather than standing inside a shop that dealt in miracles.
"Got the gold ready?" he asked lightly, his words carrying no pressure, just the kind of casual reminder one might give an old friend.
Happy rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. "Not yet, Boss. Pulling together that much gold isn't exactly easy for me. I'll need some more time. This trip's not about me anyway. I'm mainly here to bring my boss over to buy a fruit. You know him, Tony Stark. Surely you've heard of him?"
"Tony Stark?" Rosh's expression didn't waver, but a small, knowing smile tugged at the corner of his lips. "Of course. In New York, who hasn't heard of him?"
At that, Tony stepped forward. For once, the infamous billionaire-playboy-philanthropist didn't have that usual smug tilt to his voice. Instead, he inclined his head politely, his tone unusually measured. "Then I'll spare you the formal introductions."
There was a pause, brief, but enough to shift the mood.
"Pepper told me it was you who found the cave where I was trapped. That's the only reason I'm standing here right now. I don't say this often, but… thank you, Shopkeeper Rosh."
The words weren't flashy, but they carried weight.
Tony let the silence linger for a heartbeat before more firmly adding, "I owe you one."
This wasn't a casual remark for a man like Stark, who built his reputation on arrogance, wit, and showmanship. He could joke about almost anything, but not this. He wasn't blind to those who had genuinely saved his life, and when it came to debts of that scale, Tony Stark didn't take them lightly.
And that alone said more than any speech could.
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Next Chapter: The Devil Fruit Most Suited for Tony Stark
Next Next Chapter: The Big Upgrade
Next Next Next Chapter: An Unstoppable Perfect Armor
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