Alex froze, eyes widening.
"…So I actually would've blown up this whole room?"
[Correct.]
He let out a shaky breath and ran a hand through his hair.
"Great. First day in a new world, and I almost level a hospital. Wonderful."
The system's voice continued:
[The suppression effect will not always work in the future.]
[It was just a first-time bonus. From now on, make sure you have an isolated place when integrating new templates.]
Alex was about to ask another question when footsteps echoed outside the room. The door slid open, and a woman stepped inside.
He raised an eyebrow in surprise—it was Pepper Potts.
"You're awake. Good," she said, walking closer with a professional smile. "How are you feeling?"
Alex shrugged lightly. "Fine. Just… tired."
Pepper studied him for a moment, as if trying to read his expression. Alex wondered why she was here. In this world, what was his relationship to her?
"How much do you remember about your accident?" she asked.
"Not much," Alex replied honestly.
"Well," she said, folding her arms, "ten million."
"…Huh?" Alex blinked, staring at her in confusion.
"Ten million dollars," Pepper repeated. "That's the settlement amount. And before you say anything—yes, it really was your mistake. You ran into the street and got hit by Tony Stark's car."
She exhaled. "It's also good for you. Even if you try to sue him, you won't get anywhere. The money is yours. Just… don't stir trouble."
Alex sat there speechless. That explained how he ended up in this body—the previous owner must have died from the impact. Killed by Tony Stark himself. Fate or irony?
Pepper reached into her bag and handed him a slim card envelope with the Stark logo embossed in silver.
"Inside is ten million dollars. Spend it however you want. It's yours now. Just don't mention anything about a lawsuit if the police ask, and don't try to chase him for more."
Alex nodded slowly. "Okay… then I'll accept it."
Pepper smiled politely and turned to leave. "Good. Recover well. Someone will come to handle your discharge paperwork soon."
The door closed behind her, leaving Alex in silence.
Alex opened the envelope. Inside was a sleek black card and a small folded note with a handwritten password.
"Hmm. Okay." He examined the card for a moment before slipping it into his pocket. "She said it was my—or the original guy's—mistake?" he muttered under his breath.
"Well… she's right about one thing. I can't do anything to Tony anyway." He shrugged. Not that he wanted to. Iron Man had always been one of his favorite heroes. He wasn't about to start a revenge drama on day one.
As he leaned back against the pillow, the door opened again. This time, Tony Stark himself stepped in, with Pepper just behind him.
Tony raised a brow at him. "How are you, kid?"
"Fine," Alex replied, maintaining a casual tone.
"Pepper tells me you didn't demand to sue me straight off the bat?" Tony said, crossing his arms.
Alex shrugged again. "Well, I don't remember much… and she said it was my fault anyway."
He wasn't about to explain that the original body's consciousness had died. That was a bit too supernatural for a hospital conversation.
Tony's expression shifted—something between curiosity and suspicion. "How much do you remember?" he asked quietly.
Alex frowned slightly. "Just my name is Alex. That's it."
Tony and Pepper exchanged a glance. Tony exhaled slowly, his posture loosening a bit.
"You're… surprisingly calm, you know that?" Tony said. "Most people would be screaming, suing, or crying for compensation right now. You're just sitting there, not panicked or anything."
Alex hesitated, searching for the right words. "I guess…" he said slowly, "what's done is done. Getting angry won't magically fix anything. And you already gave me more than I deserve."
Tony blinked, surprised by Alex's calmness.
"…Huh." He rubbed the back of his neck. "Well, that's… rare."
Pepper, however, stepped forward, curiosity in her eyes.
"No—wait. Did you say you don't remember anything besides your name?" she asked.
Alex nodded. "Yeah. Nothing else."
Tony frowned, bewildered. "Then how the hell are you so calm? I thought you were just joking to mess with us."
"No, I'm not," Alex said quietly. "I just—argh—"
Suddenly he clutched his head, nails digging into his scalp as a sharp, burning pain tore through his skull.
Memories—someone else's memories—rushed in like a tidal wave.
A bike race at night.
Laughing, yelling with a friend.
Headlights blinding him.
Brakes screeching.
A car—Tony's car—slamming into him.
A body flying, blood, shattering bones, darkness.
Alex screamed as the memory hit like a hammer.
Tony stepped forward instantly, panic flashing in his eyes. "Hey! Kid! Stay with me!"
Pepper rushed to the hallway, calling frantically for doctors.
A few long seconds passed before Alex's breathing steadied again. Sweat dripped down his face, but his expression slowly cleared. He opened his eyes—calm once more.
"I'm fine," Alex said hoarsely. "I… I just remembered. Everything."
Tony leaned closer. "You mean you got your memory back?"
Alex nodded weakly. "Yes. I remember my whole life now."
Pepper exhaled in relief, placing a hand over her chest.
Tony sat on the edge of the bed, studying him carefully.
"You really scared us for a second there."
Alex gave a tired smile. "Sorry about that."
Tony hesitated before asking, voice low and cautious:
"…So, now that you remember everything… do you want to sue me?"
Alex stared at him for a moment, expression blank, then sighed.
"Why do I feel like you want me to sue you?" he asked dryly.
Tony raised an eyebrow and crossed his arms.
"Do I look like someone who enjoys that?" he deadpanned.
Alex slowly nodded.
Pepper immediately covered her mouth and turned away, shoulders shaking with suppressed laughter.
Tony let out a long, suffering sigh.
"I swear, people always think I love lawsuits…"
He looked Alex over again, this time with a faint relieved smile.
"Well, if you're joking already, you're clearly not dying. That's good enough for me."
Tony patted the bed frame lightly and stepped back.
"Okay then, kid. Rest up. Take care of yourself."
He nodded once more, then turned to leave with Pepper following behind.
As they reached the doorway, Tony waved a hand without looking back.