Penthouse. Late Night.
Vincent Hall returned to his apartment.
Strangely, he hadn't bumped into Gwen's parents in the elevator recently. Not that he was complaining. Dating the police commissioner's daughter while being the city's most wanted supervillain was... complicated.
[Mission: The Demon's Contempt - COMPLETE.]
[Objective: Destroy Wilson Fisk's reputation and life.]
[Status: Total Victory.]
[System Query: Open Reward (White Blind Box) or Continue Rolling?]
"Continue Rolling."
Vincent didn't hesitate.
White Box? Who do you think I am? I don't get out of bed for anything less than Blue.
[System Reminder: Do not underestimate the White Box. It has a 0.0001% chance of containing Kryptonian DNA.]
Vincent rolled his eyes. "Yeah, and I have a better chance of Thanos adopting me."
[Mission Chain Updated. Next Mission: Green Tier (Critical Multiplier +200%).]
Vincent ignored the System's sass and checked his Desire Points.
[Total Harvest from Gala Massacre: 860,000 Points.]
Kingpin: +200,000 Points (Despair/Rage).
Socialites: +660,000 Points (Terror).
Henchmen: Negligible.
The real value was the global fame. "Ice Demon" was trending worldwide. The passive income from fear would trickle in for months, potentially netting him millions of points.
He extended his senses. No sign of Gwen next door.
She's still out patrolling? Vincent shook his head. Addicted to the mask already.
He opened his brokerage app.
Stark Industries (SIA) was rallying, but the main event hadn't happened yet.
He knew the timeline. Obadiah Stane was making his move in Los Angeles right now. The Iron Monger battle was imminent.
"The Mutant Wars are old news," Vincent mused. "The age of Heroes is about to begin."
Los Angeles. Stark Industries HQ.
The night sky over LA was lit up by explosions.
Two metal titans clashed in the streets, crushing cars and shattering asphalt.
Finally, a massive explosion atop the Stark Arc Reactor blew the Iron Monger to pieces.
Tony Stark lay on the roof, his suit battered, chest glowing faintly. He had won.
Obadiah Stane was dead. And thanks to Jarvis, Stane's shares were already being legally contested and reclaimed by Tony.
Stane had no heirs. His betrayal meant his assets were forfeit. Tony would consolidate total control.
The Next Morning.
Tony Stark sat in the dressing room before the press conference. He was exhausted, poisoned by palladium, and nursing a bruised ego.
Pepper Potts rushed in, holding a tablet.
"Tony, look at this. Wilson Fisk is dead."
"Fisk?" Tony glanced at the screen. "The guy who built our new tower in New York? I thought he was just a shady contractor."
"He was the Kingpin of Crime," Pepper said, her voice trembling. "He was executed last night on live TV. By... something called the Ice Demon."
Tony watched the footage of the "Ice Burial."
He saw the spikes erupt from Fisk's body. He saw the cold, masked figure fly away on wings of crystal.
"The world is changing," Tony muttered. "First aliens in the desert, now ice wizards in Manhattan."
"Tony, the press conference is starting," Pepper urged.
"Give me a minute."
Tony pulled out his phone. "Jarvis."
"Yes, sir?"
"Scan the Ice Demon's face. Use light refraction algorithms to peer through that ice mask. Find me a name."
"Processing..." Jarvis replied instantly. "Sir, I have a 98% match. The subject is Vincent Hall. A high school student in Queens."
Tony paused. "A kid?"
"Also, sir," Jarvis added dryly, "Mr. Hall is currently the 3rd largest shareholder of Stark Industries. He bet heavily on your survival and the company's recovery."
Tony's eyebrows shot up. "He bet on me? Smart kid. Dangerous, but smart."
Tony stood up. He looked at the cue cards Agent Coulson had given him. Bodyguard... Training Exercise... Yacht...
He thought about the Ice Demon. A figure hiding behind a mask, acting as judge, jury, and executioner.
If heroes hide, we are no better than vigilantes. If I have this power, I need to own it.
Tony walked out to the podium.
The flashes were blinding.
He looked at the crowd. He looked at the card.
Then he dropped the card.
"The truth is..."
He looked into the camera, a smirk playing on his lips.
"I am Iron Man."
Long Island.
Vincent watched the broadcast on his 80-inch TV.
"And there it is," he whispered, raising his glass.
[System Notification]
[Stark Industries Stock Surge: +30% in After-Hours Trading.]
[Futures Contracts: +400% Gain.]
"To the age of heroes," Vincent toasted. "And to being rich enough to buy them all."
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