While the Asgardian prince was brewing his grand plan to conquer the Nine Realms, all of New York's superheroes gathered at Tony Stark's seaside mansion for a lively and unconventional party...
The moment Sean walked through the door of Stark's mansion with Gwen on his arm, Tony, clad in the latest model of his Mark armor, immediately approached and loudly proclaimed in a teasing tone:
"Wow, this is a gathering of superheroes. So, famous New York genius, what awe-inspiring talents do you possess?"
Unfazed by Tony's childish way of joking, the young man simply smiled and replied, "Wealth, good looks, charm that attracts the opposite sex... and of course, something Mr. Stark doesn't have... I'm young enough."
"Hmm, so... dignified, handsome, and mature men like me are now classified as elderly?" The flashily armored Iron Man shrugged, unabashedly praising himself.
Stepping past Tony at the entrance, Sean caught sight of the long-absent Fantastic Four...
Johnny Storm (the Human Torch), who had just crawled out of a hospital bed was full of energy, now peering at distant swimsuit models through a pair of binoculars.
Meanwhile, Ben Grimm (the Thing) sat nearby, sweetly flirting with his blind girlfriend. Susan was deep in conversation with Pepper about some private female topic, though Reed Richards was nowhere to be seen.
With the entire Fantastic Four present, Spider-Man (Peter Parker) still keeping his identity hidden, and the street-level heroes of Hell's Kitchen lacking official recognition, nearly all of New York's superheroes were gathered here.
Sean patted Gwen's arm, and the radiant blonde who was dressed elegantly for the occasion tactfully stepped away, leaving space for Tony and him.
She wasn't the type to be a spoiled and temperamental princess... aside from the occasional playful bout of flirting, she was almost always gentle and accommodating.
"Tsk tsk." Tony clicked his tongue mockingly, "A general's daughter, and a police commissioner's precious girl... Indulging too much at a young age isn't a good thing."
"Is this the advice of a senior?" Sean shot back without hesitation.
After all, Tony Stark had once been New York's top playboy... his scandalous escapades could have filled an entire room.
Tony coughed deliberately, his eyes involuntarily flicking toward Pepper sitting on the living room sofa. Though he still had little resistance to beautiful women, he had long since bid farewell to his former hedonistic lifestyle.
Not long ago, the Daily Bugle had published a piece of entertainment news claiming that Tony Stark hadn't been spotted in any of New York's nightclubs for three months, something almost unbelievable.
The article joked that half the paparazzi would lose their jobs because of it. The newspaper's notoriously stingy and irritable editor had sarcastically mocked the Iron Man, who was now too busy saving the world to party, boosting the paper's sales overnight.
"So why suddenly throw a superhero party?" Sean leaned against the bar counter at the side of the living room, expertly pulling out a bottle of Scotch whisky from the cabinet, "Want a drink?"
"On the rocks... How do you know my house so well?" Tony asked, slightly annoyed. This guy acted like he owned the place.
"It's not my first time here," Sean replied casually, pouring the amber liquid into a glass and handing the ice-filled whisky to Tony.
Tony swirled his glass, the ice cubes clinking against the sides. The usual frivolous smirk faded from his face... New York's most infamous playboy had indeed undergone a fundamental change.
Though his innate arrogance and narcissism remained, his former flippant attitude had gradually diminished.
"Nothing much. I just wanted to gather some friends for a lively party... You know, I don't have many." Tony downed the cold whisky in one gulp, his expression uncharacteristically serious, "Remember that big green monster that attacked New York? I really thought I was going to die..."
"...I always believed Iron Man could protect New York, defend the world... But for the first time, I felt like there were things I couldn't do. Do you know that feeling?"
"Probably similar to when I was sixteen, confidently trying to woo the prettiest girl in school, only to see her get into a rich guy's luxury car." Sean smirked, deliberately lightening the mood.
During the Hulk's rampage, nearly every superhero in New York had been taken down... It was a blow to Tony's pride.
The man who once reveled in his playboy image was no longer content with just busting arms dealers or fighting international terrorists. His willingness to join Nick Fury's Avengers Initiative stemmed from his belief that a suit of armor could safeguard the entire planet.
But the Hulk's appearance shattered that illusion. Tony began to realize that protecting New York and the world might be beyond Iron Man alone.
"That's an interesting analogy." Stark chuckled before pouring himself another whisky. Lowering his voice, he admitted, "When I faced that green beast, I almost called Pepper to leave my last words."
"Sounds like it hit you hard." Sean poured himself a drink and downed it in one go.
He had a vague premonition... something fundamental had changed in Tony. The original timeline was shifting due to the butterfly effect of his actions.
This unpredictable change wasn't necessarily good or bad. Sean had already weathered the most difficult early stages. He no longer needed to rely solely on foreknowledge to gain an advantage...
Now, as the Sentinel, he had the strength to face any crisis that might arise.
"Nick Fury... Yeah, that bastard who almost threw you in prison. He might not be trustworthy, but he was right about one thing... this isn't an era for lone wolves anymore. Even superheroes need to unite and rely on each other."
Tony's eyes burned with intensity as he tapped the glowing arc reactor in his chest, as if recalling the moment he first crawled out of that Afghan cave and saw sunlight... the birthplace of Iron Man.
Pepper often told him that he had left his soul in that damp dark cave. The Tony Stark who returned to New York was just a shell... only inside the armor did he feel safe.
"So you gathered all these superheroes to recruit the Fantastic Four into the Avengers?" Sean's eyes flickered slightly.
Counting them up, the Avengers were nearly complete; Bruce Banner was with S.H.I.E.L.D., Iron Man, Captain America, Hawkeye, and the Black Widow (currently playing the role of a seductive neighbor) were all present.
Only Thor of Asgard was missing...
Also, the other Asgardian prince was likely already on his journey to seek powerful allies. Perhaps the gaze of the cosmic warlord had already fallen upon this blue planet, and an alien army was on its way.
Rather than fear, Sean felt a thrill of excitement. That warlord who was obsessed with maintaining cosmic balance by culling populations, stood as the greatest obstacle in his path...
Though the Titan's name inspired terror across the universe, Sean wouldn't back down. Only by facing the true gap between them could he strive to surpass it!
"No, actually, I only intended to invite Dr. Richards at first," slightly tipsy, Tony spoke with alcohol-flushed cheeks, "I've thought long and hard... the Avengers might face enemies they can't defeat, but 'Ultron' won't..."