Of course, Howard wasn't only interested in his son's gossip; his attention quickly shifted to serious matters.
"Damn it, Obadiah is actually that kind of person—I never saw it coming!"
"The Iron Man Suit, miniaturized Arc Reactor? That's my boy!"
Howard kept commenting as he followed Fang Yuan's account, but when he heard about Tony's recent ordeal, his brows knitted tightly.
"Palladium Poisoning? He didn't use what I left for him?"
"Honestly, Tony always thought you didn't care about him," Fang Yuan added, twisting the knife.
Howard shot back loudly, "Bullshit—Tony is the most precious thing I have!"
Fang Yuan asked only one thing: "Have you ever told Tony 'I love you'?"
"Uh…" Howard was instantly stuck for words.
He very much resembled the traditional father figure who practiced tough-love parenting.
Howard knew Tony had been gifted from childhood and firmly believed his son would surpass him one day.
Yet whenever Tony achieved something, Howard never showed approval… even if he was secretly over the moon.
"Boys… don't need to be so… sappy," Howard muttered awkwardly.
Though he loved Tony deeply, he was terrible at expressing feelings in front of his child, as though any hint of affection would dent a father's authority.
In truth, Howard loved Tony to the core of his bones.
"The Arc Reactor is only a half-finished product."
Howard decisively changed the subject.
"I invented a New Element that perfectly matches the Arc Reactor, causes no harm to humans, and performs far better than the prototype."
"But my era lacked the means to continue the research, so I left it for Tony."
That was how Howard expressed love—leaving his son a brand-New Element!
Publishing this discovery would secure him a monumental place in scientific history.
Yet compared with his own legacy, Howard chose Tony.
"How could he end up with Palladium Poisoning?" Howard was baffled. "Tony should've spotted the clues I left; once he saw them—wait!"
As if struck by a thought, Howard looked up at Fang Yuan for confirmation: "He never saw the materials I left, did he?"
Fang Yuan didn't reply, only curled his lip.
Howard understood at once.
"Suddenly I get Hank Pym—S.H.I.E.L.D. is becoming a stranger to me," he sighed.
Whatever S.H.I.E.L.D.'s reasons for ignoring his wish to pass his most important research to his son, Howard had every right to say that.
Unlike the long-established agency in the comics, this World's S.H.I.E.L.D. was founded by Howard, Carter, Phillips and the like.
As a founder, Howard was entirely entitled to rebuke these juniors.
But he soon collected himself—
"How do you know all this?" he demanded of Fang Yuan.
Tony's info was public knowledge, sure, but details about S.H.I.E.L.D. and Howard's own files shouldn't be known to someone who vanished from this World ages ago.
With a casual gesture Fang Yuan sketched a bird of magic in mid-air; it fluttered vividly for a while before dispersing.
"Long story short—magic," he answered cryptically.
The Ancient One glanced at him, aware he was bluffing again.
But Howard had no idea; having just undergone a Soul Rebirth, magic looked utterly mysterious and mighty to him.
So he asked cautiously, "Why have you revived me—what do you want?"
At that the Ancient One simply looked at Fang Yuan, making it clear who had orchestrated this.
Fang Yuan, righteous and stern, said, "Don't you remember? You're my best buddy—along with Steve and Bucky, you're my closest friends in this World. Knowing you were in trouble, how could I stand by?"
He knew Howard was indeed his friend, but reviving him this time was really for the sake of Howard's son.
Howard, however, was deeply moved and instantly deemed Fang Yuan a true friend.
"Then I'll go tell Tony about the New Element." With his son's life at stake, Howard grew anxious.
But Fang Yuan stopped him.
"Don't rush—Tony's life isn't in immediate danger."
He pointed at Howard's dark little mustache.
"You've been dead for years; if you march up to Tony now claiming to be his dad, do you think he'll believe you?"
Howard frowned at once—he knew Fang Yuan had a point.
"And even if he believes you, have you thought about how to get along? He's got some pretty deep misunderstandings about you," Fang Yuan added, deliberately rattling him.
Sure enough, once father-son issues came up, the top scientist's mind turned rigid.
He had no good answers to Fang Yuan's questions.
"Then… what should I do?" Howard could only seek help from Fang Yuan.
This was the moment for Fang Yuan's talk-no-jutsu: "I think you should hide your identity first, protect Tony from the shadows, win his goodwill, and only then reveal who you are!"
If you become a Superhero like Steve, the impact will be way better than just coming clean.
Howard hesitated. "Would that really work?"
Fang Yuan thumped his chest, brimming with confidence. "No kid doesn't want his dad to be a World-saving hero!"
Howard understood the logic, yet he still wavered. "But Tony's already grown—will it still have any effect?"
"Absolutely. When it comes to handling kids, I'm a pro!" Fang Yuan spoke with utter conviction.
Authoritative endorsement by Homelander.
"Since I came back, I've seen most official bodies are too busy fighting for power—few actually get things done like we used to."
"So I've decided to follow Steve's example and show these youngsters what a real Superhero is!"
Fang Yuan declared without the slightest blush.
The Ancient One dipped her head slightly; the Sorcerer Supreme, centuries old, still wasn't thick-skinned. Knowing exactly what Fang Yuan was like yet choosing not to expose him, she felt embarrassed on his behalf.
Howard, however, found nothing wrong with Fang Yuan's words—after all, both Fang Yuan and Steve had devoted themselves to fighting HYDRA.
"All right, count me in!" Howard agreed on the spot.
"Perfect—Tony's competing in the Moroccan F1 Grand Prix in May; you can make your debut then," Fang Yuan suggested smoothly. "With a brand-new identity!"
"Going to watch the race?" Howard gave a small nod. "Pretty relaxed attitude."
"No—he's driving in it!" Fang Yuan cut in. "Though that hasn't been announced yet."
Howard's brows snapped together. "With Palladium Poisoning wrecking his body, he's still racing?"
"And since when was Tony a great driver?" he asked.
"Probably he doesn't know either." When it came to twisting the knife, Fang Yuan was also a professional.
Howard was stunned; he'd thought Tony was merely staying positive—turned out he'd already hit the wall.
"This kid…" He sighed. "How could he just give up on himself?"
"Tony's tried every elemental combination on Earth; at best they slow the poisoning, never cure it. Anyone would feel like throwing in the towel," Fang Yuan said, sticking up for his 'nephew' while taking a jab at S.H.I.E.L.D. "Besides, he has no idea about your research."
"S.H.I.E.L.D.… really does need an overhaul."
Thanks to Fang Yuan's relentless guidance, Howard's opinion of the agency had soured.
Fang Yuan pressed his advantage. "So what kind of Superhero do you want to be?"
Howard thought a moment, then lifted his head decisively. "Iron Man Suit!"
Tony had debuted in an Iron Man Suit; Howard would follow suit.
Not to steal his son's thunder, but to deliver a father's lesson twenty-plus years in the making!
"I'll use the Iron Man Suit to test Tony's current level. If he's worse than me, won't that be fun?"
Howard loved a bit of mischief; he'd merely grown older and had to stay steady for S.H.I.E.L.D. Now rejuvenated, his inner prankster was back.
"I've even picked a name!" he added. "Iron Guardian!"
Iron Guardian?
Guardian of Iron Man?
Fang Yuan instantly caught Howard's meaning.
Still, he preferred the "say it loud" approach; otherwise kids might never realize how their parents feel.
As for what kind of hero Howard wanted to be, he wouldn't interfere—so long as Howard suited up.
That way Fang Yuan could trigger the [Superhero Creator] effect on Howard, earning his complete trust and, through him, influencing Tony Stark.
Using the old man to reach the son—Bruce Wayne had already proven the tactic worked.
Conveniently, both Batman and Iron Man are the soul figures of their respective Universes' super-teams; Fang Yuan's identical trick counted as a cross-World crossover.
"Sounds good, but it's April now—can you finish an Iron Man Suit in one month?" Fang Yuan asked.
After all, Howard had been out of the loop for nearly twenty years. Fang Yuan trusted his ability, but he'd still need time to catch up.
Yet Howard borrowed a notebook, surfed for a while, and answered confidently, "The World hasn't outpaced my expectations. I can build an Iron Man Suit within a month—and it'll be stronger than Tony's!"
Such is the confidence of a top-tier scientist: they already see the future before it arrives.
"Of course… Fang… ahem, there's a tiny favor I'll need." Howard suddenly looked sheepish. "I just got back; I can't access Stark Industries' resources, so…"
Fang Yuan understood instantly. The current Howard was no longer the billionaire tycoon—he was poorer than Steve.
"No problem—I'll bankroll you!" Fang Yuan declared with a wave.
He'd never imagined he'd one day get to say that to the once-filthy-rich Howard Stark.
You will get 90 chapter ahead for this fanfiction.
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