One week later—
Mr. J, the ever-watchful personal secretary to Justin Hammer, was exhausted.
For days, he had tracked Tony Stark's movements.
Inside Stark Tower, Tony dressed like a model executive in tailored suits.
But the moment he stepped outside?
The armor was practically welded to him.
Parties.
Events.
Bathroom breaks.
Armor.
There was simply no opening.
Mr. J had never believed the assassination plan would succeed in the first place. But his boss had lost all rationality and demanded results.
So here they were.
At this rate, Tony Stark wouldn't be the one getting killed.
The hired assassins—who only got paid upon mission completion—might eliminate Mr. J first for stalling.
Fortunately—
Patience paid off.
Today, an opportunity appeared.
"J.A.R.V.I.S., all targets locked?"
"Yes, sir. All suspicious personnel identified."
Tony, dressed casually and wearing a cap, mask, and glasses for disguise, stood inside a milk tea shop near Stark Tower.
The store's latest release?
"Silk Stocking Flavor."
Tony had to try it.
Also—
It was time to clean up the people tailing him.
J.A.R.V.I.S. had already flagged the assassins days ago.
Tony simply hadn't bothered.
Now?
He had free time.
Might as well test a Mark VI feature.
Slurp.
"…Wow."
"That is aggressively accurate."
There was indeed a faint acidic, foot-like undertone.
"J.A.R.V.I.S., confirm something for me," Tony muttered, glancing at the elegant Asian shop owner behind the counter.
"She didn't actually blend her stockings in, did she?"
"Analysis indicates the odor profile originates from butyric acid produced by partially fermented glutinous rice. Low concentration. Non-harmful. Potentially beneficial to gut flora."
"…Good."
Tony finished the drink.
Smacked his lips thoughtfully.
"This could be a niche perfume line."
"Target demographic: extremely specific."
"Note it down."
"Product concept logged, sir."
"Should I contact Miss Potts?"
"No need. This one's mine."
Tony Stark had just identified a monetizable kink market.
Purely entrepreneurial interest.
Obviously.
After a second cup (for research), Tony wandered through side streets.
Then—
At a corner—
He "accidentally" collided with a delicate, porcelain-like little blonde girl with twin ponytails. About ten years old.
She fell.
But instead of screaming—
She clung to his leg.
"Uncle, can you fix cars?"
Tony's paternal instincts activated instantly.
"What happened, sweetheart?"
He lifted her easily.
She explained between sniffles—
Her beautiful mother's car had broken down in a nearby underground parking garage.
They'd been stuck for a long time.
No one would help.
Her mother was crying.
Tony didn't hesitate.
"Lead the way."
Overwatch
On a nearby rooftop—
Mr. J lowered his binoculars.
"Target took the bait."
"Prepare."
"Boss wants no trace left."
"Do not let him contact Leon Stark."
"Understood," replied the squad leader through comms.
"With the right price, we'd even kill Homelander."
Inside the underground parking structure—
A team of Black-clad mercenaries took position in shadows and upper levels.
Their leader crushed his communicator.
Tony followed the girl deeper underground.
"Where's your mom?" he asked, scanning the area.
No stalled vehicle in sight.
"Wait here," she said brightly.
"I'll go find her!"
Before Tony could respond—
She skipped away into darkness.
Leaving him alone under a single overhead light.
Slurp.
He calmly enjoyed the remainder of his second Silk Stocking Milk Tea.
Then—
Bang.
A gunshot echoed.
From the darkness ahead—
A large masked man emerged—
Holding the little girl by the arm.
She was crying now.
"Uncle… I'm sorry… I lied…"
Her voice trembled.
Tony removed his mask and smiled reassuringly.
"It's okay."
"Uncle's Iron Man."
Figures began stepping from the shadows.
One by one.
Surrounding him.
The leader's voice was harsh and grating.
"Tony Stark. Hard to catch you without your tin suit."
Tony scanned the circle casually.
Unbothered.
"Yeah," he said lightly.
"I've been told I'm popular."
PS : I've decided to give a special discount for our consistent readers.Just visit my Patreon, join as a free member, and message me there.I'll personally give you a discount so it's easier and more affordable for you.
Please If you're enjoying the fic, even a little , supporting me would mean a lot. It helps a student stay independent . → patreon.com/Sagamaster789
◇ BONUS & SUPPORT ◇
◇ 1 bonus chapter for every 10 reviews — drop a comment!
◇ 1 bonus chapter for every 100 Power Stones.
◇ Read 70 chapters ahead on P@treon → patreon.com/Sagamaster789