Chapter 64: Assault on Billy Osborne
"Sis Mikoto, be generous. You're going to be my right-hand woman soon. When the time comes, I'll be counting on you to handle matters for the Osborne Group and the medical center."
Today was St. Patrick's Day, a traditional American holiday commemorating Ireland's patron saint. Truthfully, Uchiha Akira had no idea who Saint Patrick was, but that didn't stop him from participating in this meaningless celebration as a shareholder of the Osborn Group.
Miko was Uchiha Akira's date for the occasion, so Jean Grey and Uchiha Izumi didn't vie to accompany him. Both regarded Mikoto as their senior.
"It does feel a bit unfamiliar, this kind of crowded gathering." It wasn't that Uchiha Miko was timid; it was simply that the bustling traffic and spotlight of this dinner party made her feel somewhat out of place.
"Hey, long time no see." Yep, that playboy Tony Stark was already making his move. After a day of sulking over his crushing defeat, Tony had thrown himself into obsessively researching Uchiha Mikoto.
Lately, Mikoto had been shuttling constantly between the estate, the medical center, and the Osborn Group. But her child had never appeared, let alone that alleged husband.
Thus Tony concluded the earlier rumors about her having a child must be false—merely a ploy to rebuff his advances.
Indeed, repeated rejections only fueled Tony's determination. If Uchiha Mei knew the inner workings of Tony's mind, she'd surely tease him about his stubbornness.
"Tony Stark, what do you want?" Uchiha Akira frowned, thinking, You're asking for trouble, showing up here.
"Seems there's a misunderstanding. I'm here for the St. Patrick's Day celebrations too—invited by the organizers. So cut the sourpuss act, kid. Besides, isn't there potential for cooperation between the Osborn and Stark corporations?"
Just as Tony was speaking, Billy Osborn spotted him and approached with equal eagerness.
"Mr. Stark, hello. I'm Billy Osborn. What you mentioned earlier about potential collaboration between Stark Industries and Osborn Enterprises—I find it quite meaningful. Would you mind discussing it further?"
Billy Osborn certainly hadn't abandoned his quest to seize control of Osborn. Even if the previous board hadn't succeeded in ousting Norman Osborn, it didn't mean he'd stay quiet.
Tony had been entirely focused on Uchiha Mikoto, only for this unexpected Billy Osborn to suddenly appear. It was well known that Tony generally had little patience for men.
"Sorry, I only wish to discuss cooperation with the Osborn Group with Uchiha Akira." Tony Stark made no effort to hide his disdain for Billy Osborn.
The ruthless remark instantly flushed Billy Osborne's face crimson. Having navigated these circles for years, he knew everyone else offered smiles in such settings—yet Tony, of all people, refused to spare even the slightest courtesy.
It wasn't that Billy Osborne lacked resilience; it was that Tony himself was simply unbearable.
"Uchiha Akira is merely a minor shareholder in the Osborn Group... Stark, you can't possibly be unaware..." Billy Osborne pressed on.
But Tony Stark delivered another blow: "So what? From what I understand, Uchiha Akira is at least the fourth-largest shareholder in the Osborn Group. He's certainly not the 'minor shareholder' you claim him to be. Besides, I'm simply backing Uchiha Akira. As for you? Sorry, no interest in partnering up."
"You!" Billy Osborn now bitterly regretted his words. Had he known Tony Stark was such a piece of work, he never would have come to humiliate himself. Whispers and murmurs swirled around him—clearly, he'd become the laughingstock of the entire room.
"Hmph, Tony Stark, you'll regret this someday!" With that, Billy had no desire to linger.
Without looking back, Billy Osborn strode toward the exit. "Let's go!" The few people surrounding him were minor shareholders of the Osborn Group. Seeing Billy Osborn stride away, they too had no wish to stay.
A light buzzing sound grew closer as the group reached the hotel entrance. Then came a thunderous explosion, followed by spreading flames.
"Help!" The deafening blast echoed through the lobby, instantly sparking chaos. Women screamed while men scattered in panic.
As for Billy Osborne and his group? Without a doubt, they had been reduced to mangled corpses by the pumpkin bomb.
Then several more pumpkin bombs flew into the banquet hall.
"Watch out!" Tony Stark had spotted the sharp, buzzing objects the moment they entered. His instincts screamed they were bombs. He grabbed the nearest person, Uchiha Mikoto, and tried to pull her back.
But suddenly, he felt himself lifted into the air as someone grabbed him by the collar of his suit. More accurately, mid-air, Tony saw that it was Uchiha Mikoto who had yanked him up.
"Suiton: Water Barrier!" With a single hand seal, a water barrier instantly formed before Uchiha Akira. Behind him, Uchiha Mikoto and Tony clearly saw the explosion's flames and the water curtain before them.
Of course, to Tony, it all happened in the blink of an eye. The explosion ended, leaving the scene in utter chaos.
In less than five minutes, a large contingent of NYPD officers had surrounded the area. Undoubtedly, this attack claimed 19 lives, left 32 critically injured, and caused minor injuries to 78 others. Nearby hospitals were instantly overwhelmed.
The worst fate befell Billy Osborn and his companions—blown to pieces by a bomb that detonated directly against their bodies. Reconstructing their remains proved exceedingly difficult. A sea of blood and severed limbs lay scattered, their remains so intermingled they were practically fused together.
The banquet hall was another major casualty zone. Several pumpkin bombs detonated there, achieving devastating efficiency. Yet, during the police investigation, it was puzzling why the southeast section remained completely untouched by the explosions.
Only a large water stain remained on the floor.
After remotely detonating the pumpkin bombs to complete his plan, Norman strode out of the restroom and participated in the police interrogation.
At this St. Patrick's Day celebration banquet, Norman wasn't the most prominent figure. After all, there was Tony Stark.
"Mr. Stark, could you spare a few minutes for questioning? It'll only take a moment." The officer recognized Tony, and precisely because Tony was notoriously difficult to deal with, he was unexpectedly polite.
"No, I don't have time. I just survived a terrorist attack. I nearly died. I'm not in the mood for your nonsense. Contact my lawyer."
With that, Tony strode off, shouting over his shoulder, "Hey, kid, wait up!"