Tony quietly listened. He gradually became quiet, moving from initial shock and anger. He looked at Henry, feeling a little lost. It felt like his brother had truly grown up overnight.
He thought of his parents. He thought of Henry telling him about their father, who was always strict but secretly proud of him.
He remembered the complex and deep love in his father's eyes in those few memories he had of him. He always thought he didn't care, but at that moment, upon learning the truth, he realized how much his heart ached.
Ethan, seeing the heavy atmosphere between the two brothers, also sighed.
"Tony, I know that the terrorists who invaded my homeland and killed my family were just tools used by someone else," he said slowly, his eyes flashing with sadness and hatred.
"But I don't care who they are. If I can't even avenge my family, then I don't know how I can face their dead souls."
Tony was stunned. He took a deep breath, then violently smashed the wine glass in his hand onto the floor!
BANG!
"You're right, Henry!" His eyes burned with rage.
"I don't care if he was brainwashed! He killed our parents, and he has to die! Weapons are just tools, but if that weapon commits an unforgivable crime, then the owner deserves to die, and the weapon deserves to be utterly destroyed!"
"Exactly," Henry nodded, a look of relief flashing in his eyes, seeing Tony's resolve. "So, we need to completely eradicate Hydra," he continued.
"We need to take out their hidden leaders one by one and destroy this damned organization."
Henry planned to destroy Hydra, cleanse S.H.I.E.L.D., and make the Egghead and his green monster get off Earth!
Of course, they could also "permanently" stay on Earth. Henry smiled at the thought. After all, wasn't following in his father's footsteps a normal thing to do?
"It seems we still have a lot of things to do," Tony struggled to control his emotions.
"Yes. We just need to focus on this direction from now on."
Tony let out a breath and nodded.
"Understood. It looks like we won't be able to be 'saving the world' superheroes for a while."
"We can occasionally save the world if we feel like it. Being Superman is exhausting and thankless," Henry complained.
"But before that, we need to give that Director Egghead a good lesson. Let him know what he should and shouldn't be doing."
Tony remembered the Egghead being tossed out of the villa with his Armor last night and couldn't help but smile.
"Why?"
"It's simple," Henry said.
"Dad was a genius. He worked in that organization for so long. Do you think he wouldn't have left something behind? I'd bet he left something that could solve this little problem in your chest. And that scheming Egghead hasn't volunteered to give it to us."
Tony instantly understood. Having been in the business world for so many years, he knew that a person like Nick Fury would surely want to use those things as leverage, only offering them when the brothers were desperate for his help, in exchange for their allegiance.
"Understood." His eyes flashed with coldness.
"It seems we definitely need to pay a visit to this Egghead." He had his emotions under control. He knew he couldn't lose his temper.
Then, he returned to his sarcastic self and stretched.
"But before that, if someone could give us a little sparring practice, that would be even better."
"I can do that," Henry said with a look that implied, Are you underestimating me?
"But the problem is, you can't beat me."
"Is that so?" Tony rolled his eyes, refusing to concede.
"I just don't want to bully you, the country bumpkin who just came back from space."
Ethan watched them, about to interject, when Jarvis's voice suddenly rang out.
"Gentlemen, I think I may have found the sparring partners you are looking for."
"Oh? What is it?" Tony immediately asked curiously.
Henry was also listening curiously. He had a feeling about what it might be. Could it be the big green guy? It was about time for him to make an appearance.
Indeed, Jarvis's voice sounded again. Simultaneously, a highly explosive holographic image was projected in the center of the lab. In the image, a massive, mountain-like green monster was engaged in a world-shattering battle with another equally ferocious, earth-yellow monster on the streets of New York!
Their every clash shook the ground, and their every roar was heart-stopping.
"Just moments ago, these two unidentified beings appeared in Harlem, New York," Jarvis explained.
"They are engaged in intense combat and have caused severe destruction. Gentlemen, I think you might want to take a look."
Tony looked at the two monsters in the image, his eyes filled with excitement.
"What do you say, Henry?" He turned to Henry, a provocative smile on his face.
"Any thoughts?"
"I've never had a decent opponent. Of course, I'm going to take a look." Henry also smiled.
They stood up. Henry looked at Ethan.
"Ethan, it looks like you'll have to head back on your own for now."
"No problem," Ethan nodded.
"You two be careful."
"Don't worry," Tony said goodbye to him.
"We're just going for a friendly academic exchange."
Then, the three of them chatted as they walked upstairs. Tony had already taken his briefcase from a hidden storage compartment. They arrived in the living room and said goodbye to Ethan. Henry also walked to his briefcase and began to put on his Armor.
"Hey, Jarvis, be gentle. Don't pinch me."
"Don't worry, Henry. Even if you get pinched, with your current regenerative abilities, you'll probably heal in 0.1 seconds."
Tony was also quickly putting on his Armor nearby. Soon, two suits of Armor, full of futuristic technology, stood in the living room. They walked out onto the villa lawn.
"Seriously, Tony, that gold-and-red of yours is so flashy," Henry complained.
"It's better than your all-black suit, which makes you look like a villain," Tony shot back.
"Mine is called 'minimalist,' understood? Minimalist!"
"Alright, Mr. Minimalist Iron Can," Henry slowly levitated.
"How about a race to New York? The loser buys the winner cheeseburgers for a month."
Tony also flew up. "It's on! The loser buys the winner cheeseburgers for a month!"
"Deal!"
Before Henry's words finished, his entire body transformed into a black bolt of lightning and vanished into the sky!
BANG!
A huge sonic boom roared behind him. Don't ask, just assume it's cool.
"..." Tony stared at Henry, who had instantly disappeared. He was completely stunned.
"F-ck! No fair! He ambushed me!" he yelled in frustration.
"Jarvis! Full power! Catch that bastard! I'm going to show him who's the older brother today!"
With that, he also turned into a streak of light, desperately chasing after Henry in the direction of New York.
×××××××××××××××
If you're interested, you can read advanced chapters:
p-atreon.com/Heroicverse