"Crack…"
"Ahhh…"
The sound of bones snapping. A scream of agony.
With a casual kick, Aetheris shattered the shinbone of Pangolin Tiger the Pangolin, who had attempted a sneak attack.
Pangolin Tiger clutched his broken left leg, wailing in pain. The jagged white bone gleamed in the darkness as brightly as his gritted teeth.
The only ones still standing were River-Turner Tiger and Black-Fur Tiger.
But River-Turner Tiger was paralyzed with grief, devastated over having killed his eldest brother. Meanwhile, Black-Fur Tiger stood frozen, bearing the full weight of Aetheris' oppressive presence.
"D-Don't come any closer… don't come any closer!" Black-Fur Tiger's voice trembled. His brother's corpse, the agonized cries of the others with their severed tendons and shattered bones—all of it overwhelmed him.
Aetheris didn't slow down. He calmly brushed aside Black-Fur Tiger's arm.
Crack!
With a swift motion, Aetheris twisted Black-Fur Tiger's neck, snapping it clean.
It was a signature move, infamous among those who'd heard tales of the South Sea Crocodile God—neck-snapping.
"Anyone else?"
Aetheris shouted at the remaining Black uncles nearby.
The three remaining men quickly lowered their heads, avoiding the gaze of this murderous god.
Even the wailing Pangolin Tiger immediately covered his mouth, terrified of attracting Aetheris' attention.
"Such a beautiful woman… and just because she was in my car, you dragged her out and terrified her. Tell me, is there still any law? Is there still justice?"
The Black uncles shook their heads, then nodded frantically.
"In the entire United States of America, I, Tony Stark, might not be ranked number one, but every leader—big or small—shows me respect. And you dared to rob me?"
"We're sorry, sir! It was too dark… we really didn't know you were Tony Stark. Even if you gave us ten lives, we wouldn't dare rob you," River-Turner Tiger sobbed.
"Pathetic."
Aetheris spat on his face.
River-Turner Tiger instinctively raised his hand to block it, disgusted.
"You dare dodge me?"
Aetheris frowned and delivered a heavy kick to his abdomen. The force sent River-Turner Tiger soaring over the guardrail and into the river beneath the Brooklyn Bridge.
This time, River-Turner Tiger really did hit the river.
"Get lost," Aetheris scoffed coldly.
"We're leaving now!"
The last one, with a broken nose—Completely Tiger—turned to flee.
"Wait. Take your brothers with you. Don't stain my sight or frighten my precious little darlings."
Aetheris gently wiped the tears from the young girl's face.
"Truly barbaric. Not even a shred of compassion for a beautiful lady," he muttered, noticing the scratch marks on the girl's neck.
"HAPPY?" Aetheris dialed his chubby bodyguard. Honestly, having someone to order around was convenient.
"What's your command, boss?"
"Pick me up at Brooklyn Bridge. And bring a female driver." Aetheris ended the call.
"Flowers hold fragrance, the moon casts shadows; a spring night's hour is worth its weight in gold. Girls… let's go another three hundred rounds!"
By the time Aetheris made his way upstairs, supporting his aching back, Pepper had already dozed off on the couch, unable to fight off her sleepiness.
Aetheris suddenly felt guilty, tiptoeing toward his room.
"Stark?" Pepper was a light sleeper. His footsteps woke her.
Aetheris froze like a cheating husband caught red-handed, fumbling for words.
"You just got back from the Midwest, and now you're out all night causing trouble again. Here, I made some soup for you—drink it." Pepper got up and brought over a bowl of lotus seed and white fungus soup from the kitchen.
"Uh… thanks." Aetheris could flirt endlessly with other women, but when it came to Pepper—who genuinely cared for him—he was at a loss for words.
"Alright, enough talking. Take off your clothes, I'll wash them for you." As she spoke, she naturally took the clothes Aetheris had changed out of.
What exactly was their relationship?
Boss and secretary?
It felt far too casual for that.
Lovers?
Hardly. What kind of lover washes your underwear?
A couple then?
Not quite either. They hadn't even crossed that final line of ambiguity yet.
"Pepper, where are you sleeping tonight?" Aetheris asked after finishing the soup.
"I have my own room here. You go ahead and sleep," Pepper replied, continuing to wash clothes. She even cleaned the bowl Aetheris had just used.
"She's so thoughtful and caring toward me… but all I want is her body. And I'm not even the real Tony Stark. How am I supposed to accept such kindness from a beautiful woman in good conscience?" Aetheris lay on the bed, eyes wide open.
Two intense fights today, yet he wasn't the least bit sleepy.
"J.A.R.V.I.S.?" Aetheris called out hesitantly.
"Yes, sir. I'm here."
"Activate the star dome."
Click.
The night sky over New York instantly appeared overhead.
But thick clouds covered the sky. Not a single star in sight.
"Damn it! Who said the air in the United States is good? Stand up and say that again—I'll beat you to death!"
Aetheris grumbled bitterly.
"Whatever. Shut it down. Time to sleep."
"Understood. Shutting down now, sir."
Awoo…
Roar…
"What the hell?! Can no one sleep around here anymore? Who's out there howling in the middle of the night like a maniac? Where's your damn civic sense?" Aetheris could feel the glass panels in the wall vibrating.
"J.A.R.V.I.S., patch me into the external surveillance. Let's see what the hell's going on."
The projection screen in his bedroom lit up, revealing a hulking green figure with rippling muscles battling a monster that looked like Godzilla in the streets of New York.
"Holy crap! Isn't that my future buddy, Dr. Banner? And the other one must be that villain from The Incredible Hulk… Abomination."
Watching the two humanoid beasts rampaging through the city, Aetheris saw they were heading straight for the Stark Industries Tower.
"Fight all you want, but don't you dare mess with my home!" Aetheris didn't have the same billionaire detachment as the original Tony Stark.
Now that he saw Stark Industries as his own, anyone daring to lay a finger on it might as well be threatening his life.
"J.A.R.V.I.S., prepare the Hellfire Armor."
Ding.
A set of Mark II Hellfire Armor emerged from the wall. Aetheris stepped forward.
Robotic arms swiftly assisted him in suiting up. The entire process took less than a minute—quick and efficient.
Truly, no matter how gold or silver someone else's den might be, nothing beats your own diamond fortress. Tony Stark's AI system was insanely effective.
"Stark, are you heading out?" Pepper appeared from downstairs, wearing a simple silk camisole. Seeing Aetheris fully suited up, she couldn't help but ask.
"It's nothing. I'm just going to take a look. Promise I won't get into a fight," Aetheris replied gently.
"As if I don't know you. If you could really hold back, pigs would be climbing trees by now," Pepper teased, running her hand across the red-and-gold armor. "Be careful."
(End of Chapter)
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