Chapter 223 – Allen Is Little Morgan's Grandpa
Tony stared at the relationship chart displayed on the screen, falling into a long silence.
Though he didn't want to admit it, the truth was undeniable.
He had heard Steve talk about World War II more than once.
And in the lifestyle division of Stark Industries, many products were developed based on Allen's technology—they were still the company's top-selling items.
It was with these innovations that Stark Industries had built its initial capital, which was later invested into military research and development.
At that moment, the rest of the Avengers arrived.
Hawkeye, providing remote support, had already found a vantage point and was standing by for a sneak attack.
Meanwhile, the sound of two motorcycles approached from afar.
It was none other than Captain America, Steve, and Black Widow, Natasha.
As they neared and caught sight of the target, their expressions darkened.
They were well-acquainted with Allen and could easily recognize him.
In contrast, this was Tony's first formal meeting with the man who was, technically, his uncle.
"You brat."
With a kindly expression, Allen stepped in front of Steve and asked, "Your nephew just hit his uncle. Are you going to do something about that?"
"..."
Tony landed beside them and lifted his helmet. "I didn't recognize you earlier."
"What brings you here, Allen?" Steve asked, puzzled.
Allen took off his hood and replied flatly, "If I don't stir things up, the author runs out of material. It's not easy being me."
"..."
Staying in Gotham had grown incredibly dull.
Arthur's mayoral campaign didn't require his involvement.
The once-threatening Court of Owls had already been dismantled.
And everyday crime was being handled by Bruce.
Allen was beginning to feel completely irrelevant—so he decided to swing by New York and mess with the Marvel heroes for a bit.
"Natasha, long time no see. I missed you terribly."
Allen walked up to Natasha, gave her a slow once-over, and exaggeratedly said, "Your new hairstyle looks amazing—like a head full of instant noodles."
The two had crossed paths many times across different timelines.
In the WWII timeline, she had rescued Allen once.
In the mutant timeline, Allen had forced her to join Hydra.
"What are you supposed to be dressed as?" Natasha asked.
Technically speaking, Allen had never even made it onto the superhero rankings.
He had no record of righteous deeds or crimefighting. He mostly played in high-level matches, which made the general public disinclined to acknowledge him. That said, within the Justice League and among their enemies, he was fairly well known.
Moreover, Allen had never adopted the identity of the comedic Batman in any timeline, so there were no related stories.
"The Comedic Bat."
Allen covered the lower half of his face with his cape and asked confidently, "Handsome, right?"
"Mediocre at best," Natasha replied coolly.
"You're just in denial. Face your true feelings, woman."
Allen had never needed others to define his handsomeness.
Tony stepped in to smooth things over, suggesting they all head to Stark Tower for a gathering and introductions among the Avengers.
Naturally, Allen was a distinguished guest.
His solo victory against the Dark Knights was nothing short of legendary.
He had identified their weaknesses and taken them down one by one with ease.
Even the Killing Machine, who had been a major headache for the Justice League, was effortlessly defeated—an entire city had nearly been reduced to ruins.
If the Justice League hadn't come together to stop the onslaught, the Avengers might've had to step in.
As a result, the city now required a major reconstruction effort, and Stark Industries was bidding on the contract for a district.
Come to think of it, Tony and Bruce were both capitalists through and through—war brought destruction, which only made them richer.
Wayne Enterprises, LexCorp, Stark Industries… all these corporate giants had profited handsomely from the city's rebuilding.
Steve rode his motorcycle with Nanaue riding pillion.
Allen, naturally, sat behind Natasha, his face resting sweetly against her back. His fingers mischievously traced circles on her shoulder as he said, with a tone as shy as a first love, "Sis, the last time you gave me a ride… was the last time you gave me a ride."
"Aren't you in love with Zatanna? Already forgot your sweetheart?" Natasha teased.
"Don't be ridiculous. You've always been the only one in my heart. Every other woman is just a fleeting cloud."
Allen wrapped both arms around Natasha's waist and said with a roguish grin, "My one and only love mop."
"Heard you and Wonder Woman Diana are getting along famously," Natasha said idly.
"Ugh, you're so mean."
Allen shamelessly replied, "That was just a fling. You're not getting jealous, are you?"
"I recorded that."
Natasha casually pulled out a recorder and played Allen's voice back to him.
"Woman, if you want to possess me, just say so. Why bother with all these underhanded tricks?" Allen shrugged. "I'm easy to get. One move and I'm yours."
"I don't want you. Don't flatter yourself."
Natasha hit the delete button. She had only wanted to scare him a bit—she had no interest in getting tangled up in Allen's personal drama.
From the intel gathered so far, the guy hopped through time at random and messed with any notable woman he encountered—particularly those destined for fame in the future.
Ordinary women? He couldn't care less.
While Allen and Natasha were getting cozy, a reporter hiding nearby snapped a photo of them together.
Black Widow and Batman, cuddled up on the same bike with affectionate body language—it was hard not to speculate that they were romantically involved.
No doubt, plenty of tabloids would pay a high price for the image.
A single photo could fuel dozens of fabricated stories.
Stark Tower – Avengers HQ
The usual gathering spot for Earth's mightiest heroes.
Of course, typically only the core members had unrestricted access to ensure swift responses to crises. The Avengers had several other branches, staffed by different hero teams.
Regulars included Captain America, Iron Man, Black Widow, Hawkeye, Hulk, War Machine, Ant-Man, and Falcon…
Thor, Doctor Strange, Black Panther, and others would only appear when serious threats emerged—often leading their own factions.
In short, solo superheroes were always on call, while those with kingdoms or responsibilities couldn't just drop everything.
"Daddy!"
Once they reached the top floor, a little girl in Pepper's arms immediately reached out to Tony.
"Were you a good girl today, little Morgan?" Tony asked warmly, scooping up his daughter before turning to introduce his guests. "This is Allen—I've mentioned him before. And that's Nanaue."
"Hello, I'm Pepper Stark," said Pepper with a professional smile. Her golden hair and sharp suit exuded both elegance and intellect.
Allen looked astonished. "You already have a daughter, nephew?"
But after thinking it over, it made perfect sense.
Tony was in his early fifties—same age as Bruce. He'd played around enough, and settling down with a wife and child was perfectly normal.
And Batman was just three months older than Iron Man. Both were notorious playboys.
"Hello, Morgan. I'm your Grandpa Allen."
Allen reached into his War God helmet and pulled out Mimi, handing the calico cat to Morgan with a fond smile. "Do you like cats? Want to pet it?"
"Mm…"
Morgan reached out and hugged Mimi, who lazily accepted the affection without resistance.
The moment Tony heard the word Grandpa Allen, his face stiffened.
Of everyone here, he looked the oldest—but he was actually the youngest.
Steve and Natasha dated back to World War II.
Allen had been traveling through timelines—his age was no longer quantifiable.
Nanaue was a demigod—at least a few centuries old.
Each of them looked young, but Tony, with his graying beard, was technically the one who had to call them uncle and aunt.
Allen seemed to notice Tony's discomfort and patted him on the shoulder, offering a comforting smile. "We each go by our own logic—I'll call you nephew, and you just call me Allen."
"..."