Tony patted Carl on the shoulder, then rose into the air and flew off into the distance, hovering high above.
Carl's cloak rippled as he took flight as well. His eyes flashed red, and a vortex darker than the night itself appeared above the cargo ship. A tremendous pressure spread outward from the vortex.
"Zodiac Meteor!"
Carl shouted, pointing downward. A fiery red meteor immediately emerged from the vortex. Its diameter was even greater than the length of the cargo ship.
The meteor descended with overwhelming force. The pressure alone whipped the ocean into towering waves, and a brief tsunami formed around the ship.
Boom—!!
Under Carl and Tony's watchful eyes, the meteor collided with the cargo ship. The explosion illuminated the entire sky, and the vessel was completely vaporized—no wreckage left behind. Only after a long while did the sea surface finally return to calm.
By the time they headed back to New York from the Atlantic, dawn had begun to break. It was as though the night's battle had never existed; the cargo ship was gone without a trace, and the ocean once again shimmered peacefully.
"Didn't expect watching the sunrise over the Atlantic to feel this good," Carl remarked, flying alongside Tony.
"It's all the same," Tony shrugged. "Just a different angle from higher up."
What Tony wanted most at that moment was a comfortable bed—he was utterly exhausted.
"JARVIS, wake me when we arrive."
And just like that, Tony fell asleep inside his armor, completely uninterested in the scenery.
Carl, on the other hand, lay back in midair, letting his cloak carry him forward. He gazed at the rising sun behind them—the golden light spreading across the endless ocean, the shimmering waves, schools of fish leaping from the water, and the occasional whale spouting a column of spray. The tranquil, picturesque scene soothed his heart. After a night of intense fighting, the serenity felt all the more precious.
A few days later, Christmas arrived.
The entire United States was filled with festive cheer, though some people were in no mood to celebrate—such as the Vice President. On that very day, several federal officers escorted him into a prison transport vehicle, with Rhodey personally overseeing the transfer.
There was better news as well. On Christmas Day, Happy finally woke up—and was already exchanging flirtatious glances with the nurse assigned to care for him.
Tony and Pepper attended the Stacy family's Christmas dinner, held at Carl's office. The whole family sat together, laughing and chatting late into the night.
Carl and Tony sat on the sofa with beers in hand, the joyful sounds of their families filling the room behind them. At that moment, both felt an incomparable sense of peace. The companionship of family was the most beautiful thing in the world—nothing else came close.
"Looks like I'll be staying here for quite a while," Tony said. "My mansion will take a long time to rebuild. And I've been thinking—I don't want another luxury fortress. I want something warmer, less tech-heavy, more like a real home. How about it? Want me to build you a place next door too?"
After everything that had happened, Tony's outlook had clearly changed.
"That sounds great," Carl replied with a grin. "A free villa? Can't complain about that."
Truth be told, Tony's location really was perfect—overlooking the vast ocean, elevated enough to avoid the noise of the waves and the damp sea air.
"Then it's settled," Tony said. "I'll move JARVIS into your new place too. Or maybe I'll design you a brand-new AI. What kind do you like—gentle, or… wild?"
He wore a mischievous grin that made his intentions painfully obvious.
"Just look at that smile," Carl said flatly. "Forget the AI. I'm not used to that kind of thing. A smart home system will be enough."
Carl saw right through him and shut the idea down immediately.
Tony didn't mind. Once everything was installed, did Carl really think he'd tear it all out? Tony was already imagining giving the AI the gentlest, most soothing voice imaginable—one that would make your whole body melt just hearing it—then letting Gwen and the others deal with Carl properly. Just picturing the scene made Tony want to laugh.
Of course, the most important part would be recording it.
By now, Carl and Tony each had plenty of embarrassing photos and videos of the other. They could no longer blackmail one another—what they urgently needed were fresh ones.
During the Christmas holidays, the pace of New York noticeably slowed. The usual hurried crowds thinned, smiles became more common, and—on one particular day—the city experienced an unusually heavy snowfall.
It was a blizzard. Visibility dropped to less than ten meters, and the snowfall was expected to reach up to a full meter.
Carl, Tony, and the others stayed holed up in the office, unable to go out. With nothing to do, they gathered around the television. Outside, snow fell relentlessly, the streets nearly empty. Most people stayed indoors, and many shops and companies shut down—including Stark Industries.
Aside from employees stranded inside the building, everyone else was given time off. It was still the Christmas holiday, after all, and this was a once-in-a-generation blizzard. Pepper approved the decision without hesitation.
Those trapped at the company were paid generous overtime bonuses, already transferred to their accounts, and were allowed to stay in the company's emergency dormitories. Stark Industries had two entire floors dedicated to such accommodations—two people per room, fully stocked with daily necessities and furnished to five-star hotel standards, precisely for situations like this.
The snow lasted three full days. Accumulation on the streets rose past adults' knees, yet it showed no sign of stopping. Eventually, residents on the ground floors began clearing the snow themselves, and Carl was no exception.
The office entrance was completely blocked. Unable to open the door, Carl teleported outside and summoned a small tornado to sweep the snow away. He piled it all into a massive snowman shaped exactly like a Moguri—round, adorable, wearing a crown and holding a scepter, identical to the one inside the office.
The Moguri snowman stood proudly in front of the building. After clearing their own entrances, nearby shop owners stopped to take photos. Bored and snowbound, they posted them online. To Carl's surprise, the Moguri snowman quickly went viral.
Eventually, the snow stopped.
White clouds drifted across a clear sky as warm sunlight returned to the city. New York welcomed a long-lost stretch of clear weather.
With the snowfall over, the authorities began organizing large-scale snow removal. As the holidays ended, the Christmas atmosphere gradually faded. Carols disappeared from the streets, and the city slipped back into its familiar fast-paced rhythm.
Pepper grew busy again—so busy that she was rarely seen. Whenever Tony called her, she'd hang up after just a few words.
"When I was CEO, I wasn't even this busy," Tony muttered, staring at his disconnected call in confusion.
"What on earth is she doing all day?"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
For 20 advanced chapters, visit my Patreon:
Patreon - Twilight_scribe1
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
If you enjoyed Marvel Manifestor, please give it a Power Stone and leave a review! Your support means everything.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~