Caring too much always led to complications.
The heart of the matter, the principle, the core emotion, was universal. Tony was suffering, and Arthur understood every painful layer of what he was feeling right now.
But what could he realistically do about it?
Could he beat the self-pity out of him? Physically smash Tony's despair into pieces?
Not only was that unnecessary and cruel, but if he actually did that, how would someone as proud and hot-tempered as Tony react? Especially since, to Arthur, Tony had always been… a connection to the past.
Truthfully, compared to his complicated relationships with Steve and Bucky, Arthur had always felt a simpler, easier bond with Howard, Tony's father. Howard could laugh, drink, and joke with him, meeting him as an equal.
With Tony, that kinship had deepened, evolving into something heavier. Whenever Arthur looked at Tony, he couldn't help but see Howard's shadow, intertwined with a new, complex generation of genius.
"I can't help you make this decision," Arthur said at last, looking out over the dark landscape. "And I won't influence your judgment with my own words."
He chose his phrasing carefully before continuing, his voice flat and honest.
"I also don't want to waste time discussing meaningless hypotheticals. The only thing I can tell you is this: I respect every choice you make. So… trust yourself."
Tony rubbed his temples, letting out a soft, ragged sigh.
"I guess I just need to cool my head for a bit… Those two kids…?"
Arthur smiled faintly, turning from the view.
"There's no unbridgeable hatred there. After all, you didn't pull the trigger yourself, did you?"
"I supplied the people who did with the weapons," Tony insisted quietly, his voice full of self-loathing.
"And you've already paid more than enough for that," Arthur countered, meeting his eyes with unwavering intensity. "Everything you've done since then, every step forward you've taken, is something everyone should be proud of. You need to remember that. In fact, you should be proud of it."
Tony's cheeks flushed slightly. He hated being vulnerable, and Arthur's mentorship always felt too close to the bone.
"Ugh, I hate it when you talk like some wise old mentor… all mysterious and antique…"
He turned his head away, staring at the night sky, then exhaled softly, the tension easing out of his shoulders.
"I think… I get it now. I have to deal with it."
Arthur chuckled, a sound of relief.
"You've always had that strength, Tony. The heart of Iron Man, that's what makes Iron Man truly powerful."
"A heart as strong as Iron Man's?" Tony blinked, then suddenly burst into genuine, unrestrained laughter. "Did you just… compliment me?"
"I've always been complimenting you. You really can't tell?" Arthur looked genuinely helpless.
Their conversation, as usual, ended without a neat resolution.
The immense chasm in Tony's heart couldn't be filled by anyone else. To cross it, he'd have to rely solely on his own strength.
Any outside support right now would only feel like an unnecessary, unwelcome burden. Even if he did manage to cross that emotional barrier with help, true, internal peace wouldn't settle in his heart.
Only by doing it alone could it become real.
Meanwhile, the negotiation with Wanda and Pietro, the Maximoff twins, was still ongoing. It would take more than one conversation before they agreed to join.
And yet, out on the Camp Lehigh training ground, Arthur was already acting as if they had.
A crimson burst of chaotic energy struck him, but it didn't even ruffle a strand of his hair. The follow-up attack came at blinding speed from behind, but before it landed, Arthur simply vanished.
"Far too slow."
His voice echoed from behind Wanda. When she spun around, Arthur was standing there casually, hands in his pockets.
"To put it bluntly," he said, "your energy control is currently at the level of a volatile child. Alright, maybe that's harsh, but the truth is, you've barely begun to tap into your real power."
Wanda whipped around again, but Arthur's afterimage had already vanished.
Then, without warning, two figures materialized before her, Arthur, effortlessly holding Pietro by the arm.
Landing lightly on the ground, Arthur spoke evenly.
"Your tactics are simple and predictable. Your speed is good, but your strategy is so straightforward that any experienced opponent, especially one with special abilities, could read your intent after your first failed strike. Believe me, speed alone isn't enough; you're still lacking in many other areas."
He released Pietro's arm and clapped his hands once, the sound sharp.
"Again!"
Wanda sighed in exasperation, while Pietro appeared beside her in a frustrated blur of motion.
"I don't get it," he muttered, panting lightly. "What are we even doing here?"
Earlier that morning, Arthur had simply shown up, dragged the twins to the training field, and announced they were going to do some "combat simulations."
At first, both of them were eager, itching for a chance to teach Arthur a lesson. Sure, there might be a gap in power, but they believed that through repeated sparring, they'd eventually find a crack in his seemingly impenetrable defenses.
But now, after a full day of training, both of them were thoroughly exhausted, physically and mentally drained, while Arthur hadn't even broken a sweat. Not a scratch, not even a wrinkle in his simple clothes.
The twins were beyond frustrated.
At this point, even their attacks had become half-hearted and sluggish.
Arthur frowned slightly.
"It seems this kind of sparring isn't really bringing out your best. In that case, how about we make a little deal?"
"What kind of deal?" Wanda asked cautiously, her eyes narrowing.
Arthur smiled.
"I once made a deal with a woman, we agreed to fight three times. If I could win even once, she would accept my condition."
"You fought a woman three times… and only needed to win once?" Wanda and Pietro were both stunned. They exchanged glances, and Wanda asked with genuine curiosity, "So… did you win?"
"Not yet," Arthur shook his head with a wry smile. "Not long ago, we had our second battle. I used everything I had, and we still ended in mutual destruction. As for the first fight… that was a complete, crushing defeat."
"What kind of woman could possibly do that?" Pietro looked like he was about to lose his mind, unable to process the idea.
To him, the man before them was a monster straight out of myth, someone so strong that even when the twins had thrown everything they had at him, he hadn't needed to get serious. Yet there existed a woman who could not only fight him evenly but even defeat him?
Arthur thought for a moment, then explained.
"Let me put it this way: you two know Thor from the Avengers, right? The magic staff that granted you power once belonged to Thor's brother, Loki. They're from the same race, from a realm called Asgard… And the woman I'm talking about, she's their elder sister."
"…Knew it," Wanda sighed, giving up the impossible comparison.
Of course. Only a monster could fight another monster.
Arthur grinned, sensing the shift in their attention.
"I can see a bit of disappointment on your faces. So, why don't we make a deal of our own? I'll help you two unlock your potential, make you stronger through real combat and structured training. And in return, the only payment I'll ask is that you help me with my work. How does that sound?"
The twins frowned, exchanging a wary look. Wanda spoke first, her tone firm.
"We're not interested in killing people for anyone."
Arthur shook his head immediately.
"I'm not asking you to kill anyone. Maybe you still don't really know me, or what Camp Lehigh truly is. But that's fine. If you have your own moral compass, then use your own eyes and your own heart to judge the missions I give you. If anything goes against your principles, you have the right to refuse. Completely."
Pietro glanced at Wanda, then back at Arthur.
"And then what?"
"Then you'll grow stronger and stronger," Arthur said softly, exhaling a plume of mist into the cool air. "Maybe, someday, you'll even be able to defeat me. Though I admit that day might be far away. Tell you what, once you can overcome even a fifth of my power, I'll let you choose your own future. Whether you stay here, go after Tony for revenge, or walk your own path entirely, it'll all be up to you. At that point, you'll have complete freedom."
Wanda frowned slightly, studying his face for deception.
"Sounds good on paper… but why should we trust you?"
Arthur smiled faintly.
"Honestly, you can't restrain me in any way. But defeating me won't happen any time soon, right? Tell me, do I sound arrogant when I say that?"
"Not at all," the twins said at once, shaking their heads in unison.
Arthur chuckled.
"Good. In the long road ahead, you'll get to know me better. And when that time comes, you'll see for yourselves whether I keep my word today."
As temporary residents of Camp Lehigh, the twins hadn't been mistreated in any inhumane way. The only real restriction was their movement, a single, silent Mark Series unit followed them everywhere.
Otherwise, life here wasn't bad.
In fact, after just a single day, they both agreed that this place was vastly superior to the cold, clinical horrors of Hydra.
The two exchanged one last, meaningful look, then nodded together.
"Deal."
Arthur smiled. Just then, a Mark Series unit materialized beside him, projecting a holographic icon.
[Incoming Communication Request from Black Widow. Instructor, shall I connect?]
"Connect." Arthur said without hesitation, opening the transmission right in front of the twins.
A virtual display flickered to life, projecting Natasha Romanoff's face.
"Fury's sent the package through the secure channel," she said efficiently. "Interested in taking a look together?"
"084?"
Arthur's eyes brightened slightly. Of course, he'd say yes, the Disassembler system needed materials, and S.H.I.E.L.D.'s archives were full of strange, powerful relics whose functions they barely understood.
"I'm definitely interested," he said with a small smile.
Ending the transmission, Arthur glanced back at the twins, who were whispering to each other nearby, their wariness already fading into curiosity.
"Coming with me?"
(End of Chapter)
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