Tony Stark stepped out of his car with the kind of confidence only he could pull off.
The great Tony Stark has arrived in his beloved New York, he thought, already half-amused at himself.
He handled the swarm of reporters like second nature, tossing out answers with practiced ease as he made his way inside. But the moment he crossed the threshold, even he had to pause.
The room was… unreal.
Presidents. Scientists. royalty. Prime ministers. A-list celebrities. Some faces he recognized instantly, others he only vaguely recalled—but all of them carried weight.
This wasn't just a gathering.
It was the gathering.
Even an upcoming UN summit in New York might not pull a crowd like this.
And at the center of it all—
Noah Vale.
Surrounded on all sides, effortlessly commanding attention. For a brief moment, Tony found himself studying him.
Good-looking kid, Tony admitted internally. Reminds me of myself at that age.
He folded his arms, smirking slightly.
Billionaire, genius, playboy… done all that. Maybe it's time I try the superhero angle too.
Then another thought followed.
And my parties? Yeah, those need an upgrade.
With that, Tony strode forward, slipping into the inner circle with ease. One hand on his hip, he flashed his signature grin.
"Hey," he said. "Tony Stark. I assume you've heard of me."
Noah glanced at him briefly.
"Yeah," he said. "You're Howard Stark's son… Tony, right?"
The words landed harder than expected.
Tony's expression tightened.
That comparison—again. It never really went away.
"I think I'd prefer you remember me for my own work," Tony said, his tone sharpening slightly.
But Noah was already looking past him.
"Are we ready?" Noah asked, turning to Fisk. "Let's get started."
Fisk nodded immediately, almost reflexively. Grabbing a microphone, he raised his voice to address the room.
"Ladies and gentlemen, please follow the staff and proceed to the upper level. The presentation and signing will begin on the top floor."
A ripple of anticipation spread through the crowd.
After what they'd already seen, no one could deny it anymore—there was something real behind all this. Whether it was rare or difficult didn't matter.
People wanted it.
Tony opened his mouth to say something else—but Noah was already gone.
Not walked away.
Gone.
A blur. A flicker. One moment he was there, the next he was on his way upstairs.
Tony blinked.
Then frowned.
Seriously?
Being ignored wasn't something he was used to.
"Arrogant kid," he muttered under his breath.
For a moment, he considered leaving altogether. That would've been the usual move—if he wasn't interested, he walked. Simple as that.
But then—
"Sir," JARVIS's voice came through his earpiece. "There's something you may want to see."
A video appeared on his phone.
Tony glanced down.
It was the livestream from earlier—Noah surrounded by reporters, that violet energy forming a visible barrier, the calm explanation that followed.
Anyone could learn it.
The method was in the book.
Tony's steps slowed.
…Okay, he thought. That changes things.
He hesitated for a second longer.
Also… didn't the promo mention performance enhancement?
Tony cleared his throat slightly, adjusting his jacket.
Purely scientific interest.
With that, he slipped into the flow of people heading toward the elevators.
No shame in curiosity.
The ride up was surprisingly quiet.
Despite the sheer number of influential figures packed inside, conversations were kept low, controlled. Everyone was thinking the same thing.
What exactly were they about to see?
Near the back, Nick Fury stood with his usual unreadable expression. A miniature camera embedded in his clothing quietly recorded everything, feeding live data back to S.H.I.E.L.D.
Every face. Every movement.
Cross-referenced in real time.
Across from him, Professor Charles Xavier sat in his wheelchair, speaking softly with Jean Grey.
Fury's gaze lingered.
Mutants too? he thought. Fisk's reach is wider than I expected.
Anyone invited through official channels had already been logged and analyzed. Which meant Xavier's presence here… wasn't official.
Fisk had invited him personally.
That alone was worth noting.
Then something else caught Fury's attention.
A woman.
Also bald—but where he carried a hardened, militarized presence, she radiated calm authority. Composed. Refined.
And completely untraceable.
No records. No files. Nothing.
That didn't happen.
Fury studied her more closely.
As if sensing it, the woman turned her head slightly and met his gaze. She offered a polite nod.
Fury considered approaching her—
Ding.
The elevator doors opened.
The moment passed.
The top floor revealed a massive conference hall, easily capable of seating hundreds.
Deep blue paneling lined the walls, giving the space a subdued, almost ceremonial atmosphere. Rows of seats were arranged with precise order.
But what caught everyone's attention wasn't the layout.
It was what had been placed on each seat.
A thin booklet rested on the armrest to the right.
Curiosity spread quickly.
People moved to their assigned spots, picking up the booklets one by one.
The title read:
"Universal Training Method — Preface"
Expressions shifted.
Confusion. Skepticism. Interest.
So much buildup—and now this?
Fisk stepped onto the stage, clapping once to draw attention.
The room quieted almost instantly.
"I'm sure many of you," he began, his voice steady, "are both curious and skeptical after the past month of promotion."
A few knowing looks were exchanged in the audience.
"That's understandable," Fisk continued. "But I can assure you—the claims are real. Everything you've heard is true."
He gestured toward the booklets.
"The answers you're looking for are in your hands."
A pause.
"Before Mr. Vale takes the stage, I ask that you spend a few minutes reading the preface."
His gaze swept across the room.
"What he's created… isn't just a technique. It's a turning point."
He let that sink in before continuing.
"History remembers moments like this. The discovery of new continents. The breakthroughs that reshape civilization."
His voice lowered slightly.
"Today, you're being shown something just as significant."
A beat.
"The future isn't coming."
He looked directly at the audience.
"It's already here."
Some people exchanged glances.
Others leaned back, unconvinced.
To many, this still sounded like exaggerated hype.
Fisk's enthusiasm bordered on fanaticism.
But even so—
They opened the booklets.
Because whether they believed it or not…
They needed to know.