Tony didn't know.
But now, he knew there were at least two.
Wanda's hands were already glowing with a dark red light, and Pietro leaned forward slightly, ready to sprint.
The air in the garden grew heavy, like the oppression before a storm.
Thor walked out of the house, still holding a coffee cup in his hand.
He saw the confrontation in the garden and frowned.
Loki also came out, leaning against the doorframe with his arms crossed over his chest, watching quietly.
Mavuika walked over from the other end of the garden, still carrying a watering can, with water droplets dripping from the spout and leaving dark marks on the stone path.
She walked between Wanda and Tony and stood still.
"Wanda." Her voice was calm and gentle.
Wanda's eyes didn't leave Tony. "He should die."
Mavuika looked at her. "...Maybe, but it shouldn't be today, and certainly not here."
Wanda's hands trembled slightly; she knew Mavuika was right, and she knew that taking action here would ruin everything they had built over the past month.
But her hatred had been suppressed for too long.
Pietro stood beside her, saying nothing, but he didn't move either.
He looked at Mavuika, then at Tony, with a complex, struggling light in his eyes.
Mavuika set down the watering can, walked up to Wanda, reached out, and gently took her red-glowing hands.
"I've known Tony for many years," she said, her voice so soft only Wanda could hear.
"He has made mistakes, but he is also making amends. The factors leading to war are diverse and cannot be simply blamed on a single person."
Wanda's hands trembled slightly in Mavuika's palms; she could feel the warmth of Mavuika's hands—warm, but not burning.
"I'm not asking you to forgive him," Mavuika continued. "You have the right to hate him, but today, here, don't do it, because this is not the place for you to settle your scores with him."
Wanda was silent for a long time.
Then, the red light on her hands slowly faded.
She withdrew her hands, took a step back, and lowered her head, no longer looking at Tony.
Pietro also relaxed his forward-leaning posture, but he didn't sit down; he just stood by Wanda's side like a silent fortress.
Tony stood on the stone path of the garden, looking at the two young people.
His expression was complex—there was guilt, exhaustion, and something he rarely showed, something almost humble.
"I didn't know about your parents..." he began, his voice raspy, "but I'm sorry."
Wanda looked up at him. "Is being sorry useful?"
Tony was silent.
"Can being sorry bring my parents back to life?" Wanda's voice was shaking, but she didn't cry.
"Can being sorry stop the war in Sokovia? Can being sorry bring back all those people killed by your weapons?"
Tony lowered his head. "No."
Wanda looked at him for a long time.
Then she turned and walked toward the house, with Pietro following behind her. When he reached the door, he stopped and looked back at Tony.
His gaze was complex; he said nothing and followed Wanda into the house.
The garden fell silent. Thor stood on the steps holding his coffee cup, his expression serious.
Loki leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed, watching it all quietly.
Banner stood by the iron gate, looking awkward, not knowing what to say.
Tony stood where he was, head bowed; the high spirits he had just moments ago were clearly dampened.
Mavuika walked over to him and gently patted his shoulder. "Go inside and sit down. Have a cup of tea."
Tony looked up at Mavuika, and in those brown eyes, there was a rare, almost fragile light.
"Mavuika, I—"
"I know." Mavuika interrupted him. "Go on in."
Tony nodded and followed her inside. Banner followed behind. As they passed Thor, Thor patted his shoulder without saying a word.
In the living room, Wanda and Pietro sat on one side of the sofa, close together, shoulder to shoulder.
Wanda's hands were on her knees, her fingers still trembling slightly.
Pietro's hand was on her shoulder, patting it gently, as if comforting her and himself.
Tony sat on the opposite sofa, Banner beside him. Mavuika went to the kitchen to make tea, while Thor and Loki also entered the room and took their seats.
No one spoke; the only sounds in the living room were the water from the kitchen and the light clinking of cups and saucers.
Mavuika came out with a tea tray and poured a cup for everyone.
When she handed the tea to Wanda, Wanda looked up at her.
There was still lingering anger in those eyes, but also something else—gratitude, or perhaps a kind of trust.
Mavuika said nothing, just placed the teacup in her hands and gently patted the back of her hand.
Wanda held the teacup, feeling the warmth from its sides, and slowly calmed down.
Tony picked up his teacup, took a sip, and set it down. He looked at Wanda and Pietro and remained silent for a long time.
The atmosphere in the living room was still heavy, but it was no longer as tense as before.
Tony set down his teacup, took a deep breath, and forced himself to pull away from that heavy emotion.
He turned to Mavuika, a weary smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.
"Mavuika, I came here to tell you some good news."
Mavuika raised an eyebrow. "Good news?"
Tony nodded, his eyes lighting up. That nearly fanatical light belonging to a genius scientist reignited on his tired face.
"Banner and I have been working on a project for the past few months. A project that can change the World."
Banner, sitting beside him, also smiled, though it looked a bit weak on his tired face.
"Tony, are you sure it's appropriate to talk about this now?"
Tony waved it off. "Why wouldn't it be? I'm here to bring good news, not to add to the trouble."
He turned to Mavuika, his tone becoming excited, like a child who couldn't wait to show off a new toy.
"We are researching a brand-new intelligence system. Not an auxiliary AI like Jarvis, but something more advanced, with autonomous consciousness, capable of independent thought and decision-making—a Guardian."
Mavuika's brow twitched slightly. "Guardian?"
Tony stood up, gesturing with his hands, his speech quickening.
"Imagine a system that can monitor global threats in real-time, automatically allocate resources, and make predictions before a disaster even happens. It won't be interfered with by emotions, swayed by interests, or delayed by bureaucracy. It will—protect this World."
He paused, his lips curling into a proud arc. "I call it—Ultron."
The living room fell silent for a second.
Thor frowned. "Ultron? Sounds like a villain's name."
Tony's smile stiffened for a moment. "...That's not a villain's name. That's—forget it, the name isn't important. What's important is that it's almost finished."
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I Escaped Konoha, Then Returned as the Senju King
Konoha, Year 52.
Chiba awakens the memories of her past life—and with them, a destiny tied to the long-faded Senju clan.
With the help of a mysterious system, he successfully awakens the legendary Wood Release. Yet instead of seeking power within the village, her first decision is to escape Konoha altogether.
Two years later, he returns.
Stronger. Unrecognizable. Unstoppable.
From this day forward, the Senju name will rise once more.
Because only the Senju are meant to stand at the top of Konoha.
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You can find the book on my profile.