…
"Are you ready?"
Arcee looked at Leon, who lay completely naked inside what looked like a coffin—no, the Regeneration Cradle—and reminded him:
"If we're going to bond every cell in your body—except your Adamantium skeleton—with Vibranium at the atomic level, it will take approximately two and a half hours."
"During that time, you must remain fully conscious. It will feel like countless ants crawling, biting, and tearing at you—an unbearable mix of itching and agony."
"No anesthetic can suppress this kind of pain. If you're having second thoughts, now's your last chance."
To be honest—
Given what she knew of Leon, Arcee wasn't confident he could endure it.
He had grown up privileged, indulged in comfort and pleasure. The confidence and composure he displayed were built upon his extraordinary background and overwhelming power.
Strip that away, and his willpower might not even compare to an ordinary laborer.
However—
Leon's reply surprised her.
Only at this moment did she feel she truly understood the man named Leon Stark.
"How painful can endurance really be?"
Leon chuckled lightly. There was no hesitation in his eyes.
"Regret hurts more—especially when you're too weak to protect the people you love."
"If I'm going to grow stronger, I'll seize every opportunity now."
"Arcee, I will become your 'eternally indestructible partner.'"
"I promise you."
"So—"
"Begin."
Leon closed his eyes and waited for the Vibranium infusion.
"If you break that promise… I'll dig you out of your grave myself."
Arcee murmured the words so quietly only she could hear.
Then—
She pressed the activation key on the Regeneration Cradle's main console.
The full cellular–Vibranium atomic bonding process began instantly.
"GRAAAAAAHHHH—!!!"
The very moment it started, Leon roared in agony.
The pain was no less than when he fused with the Adamantium skeleton—
But this time it was worse.
An unbearable, maddening itch layered atop the suffering.
And he had to remain conscious.
Not only endure the pain, but actively control his body—disassembling tissue down to individual cells and guiding their atomic bonding with Vibranium.
This was self-inflicted vivisection.
How could a single word like "pain" possibly describe it?
When Leon first thought about giving up, he forced himself to ask:
"How much longer…?"
Arcee's reply nearly shattered him.
"We've barely started. Three minutes."
"What?!"
"Three minutes?!"
"It feels like a year!"
Leon's composure cracked instantly. For a split second, he even regretted not trying to borrow the Time Stone from the Ancient One—even if the chances were slim.
"F***—!"
He stopped asking about the time.
Stopped torturing himself with it.
Focused only on enduring.
On bonding.
On surviving.
Time crawled.
His subjective perception crawled even slower.
Gradually—
He began to feel numb.
His body's self-preservation instincts were activating.
But that was dangerous.
He could not lose control now.
So he did something insane—
He deliberately clung to the pain.
Amplified it.
Forced his nerves to stay active.
Forced his brain to remain awake.
He would not fall.
Not yet.
…
One hour.
Two hours.
Five minutes remaining.
Thirty seconds.
"…Ten. Nine. Eight. Seven. Six. Five. Four. Three. Two. One."
Boom.
The final countdown left Arcee's lips.
The taut string Leon had held together by sheer willpower snapped.
He fell into a deep, dreamless unconsciousness.
This kind of mental trauma could not be healed by Super Self-Regeneration.
Only time could mend it.
However—
A familiar system notification chimed.
Even in unconsciousness, Leon's lips curved faintly upward.
[Notification: Through your own effort, you have acquired "Vibranium Physiology." This ability has been certified by the System and is fully compatible with "Super Self-Regeneration" and "Adamantium Skeleton."]
[Vibranium Physiology: Your body has been comprehensively enhanced by Vibranium. Strength and durability are significantly increased. You gain kinetic energy absorption and energy deflection capabilities.]
[Description: The human body has limits. So you've decided to transcend humanity altogether?]
[Note: "Vibranium Physiology" is treated as an innate constitution. The stronger you become, the stronger it becomes. No upper limit.]
[Note: "Super Self-Regeneration" functions normally with "Vibranium Physiology."]
…
Host: Leon Stark
Abilities:
Soldier Boy Template
Super Self-Regeneration
Adamantium Skeleton
Starlight Template
Bio-Field
Vibranium Physiology
Items:
Soldier Boy Suit
Infinite Desert Eagle (Quality: Indestructible)
Arcee
Regeneration Cradle
Ultra-Elastic Fiber Undergarment (Quality: Indestructible)
Super Deadpool Suit
Carbonadium Alloy Dual Blades
Endless Instant Noodles
Endless Milk Tea
Endless Sunflower Seeds
Endless Balloons
Endless Stockings
…
Time passed—who knew how long.
When Leon finally awakened—
In the hallway outside his private workshop, Arcee—currently in Partner Mode, using holographic projection to mimic Tifa Lockhart—was blocking the entrance while arguing with a visibly anxious Tony and Pepper.
"I'll say this one last time, Arcee—move."
Tony, clad in the Mark IV Armor, had begun charging his palm repulsor.
"I've already explained, Leon's brother," Arcee replied calmly. "Leon is resting. He cannot be disturbed."
That was only half the truth.
The real reason was that Leon's Regeneration Cradle was still sitting out in the open. He had lost consciousness before he could store it back into the System Storage Space.
And Leon had given strict instructions—
Until Dr. Helen Cho officially developed her own Regeneration Cradle, the existence of his must not be revealed.
Not even to Tony.
Unless absolutely necessary.
Therefore—
Arcee had faithfully carried out Leon's "last will," refusing entry to anyone during his unconsciousness.
Even Tony.
Even Pepper.
"Arcee, I know you and Leon are close. I trust you'd never hurt him," Pepper said, her voice trembling with tears. "But he's been in there for too long. We're his family. We just want to make sure he's really 'resting.'"
A flicker of hesitation crossed Arcee's eyes.
But this situation did not meet the threshold of "necessary."
She could not betray Leon's trust.
"I'm worried about him too," she said softly. "But you cannot go in."
"So that's a no?"
Tony stepped forward.
"Pepper—stand back."
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