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*****
With a thought, Mike used his lingering psychic power to read Ethan's memory of his hometown. Then, activating a card, he opened a portal and sent Ethan back.
As the portal disappeared, Mike turned to Tony and said, "Wait here for a second."
With that, his figure flickered and vanished.
A few seconds later, after clearing the surveillance equipment in the cave, Mike reappeared in front of Tony and said, "Let's go!"
When Mike brought Tony through the portal, Maria stood up with her hand over her mouth, tears welling in her eyes at the sight of him.
Tony took a few quick steps forward and gently embraced her. In a low voice, he comforted, "Mom, I'm okay. I'm really okay."
Maria looked up at Tony, cupping his face in her hands. "You've lost weight… but you look more spirited now."
Tony gave a slight grin. "Uncle Mike said the same thing."
Maria let go of him and turned to Mike with sincere gratitude. "Thank you, Mike."
The debt she owed the McCoy family was one they might never be able to repay in this lifetime.
Mike waved it off casually. "No need. After all, the kid does call me 'Uncle.'"
Tony glanced at Mike, the corners of his mouth twitching.
If he had known this day would come, he would've agreed back when his father suggested making Mike his godfather…
Maria took a step back, then suddenly snapped, "Less than an hour! It took less than an hour to get him out, yet the military and that pile of garbage Obadiah delayed for more than a month!"
Tony cleared his throat. "Mom, you can't really compare them to Uncle Mike…"
"Of course they can't compare!" Maria said angrily. "But they shouldn't have hidden things from me. If I'd known earlier, I would've begged Mike to save you right away!"
"Hmm? What's that?"
Maria noticed a faint glow on Tony's chest. Ignoring his attempt to stop her, she yanked open his shirt. As her eyes filled with tears again, she reached out to touch the reactor embedded in his chest.
Then, tugging at Tony's cheek, she said, "You're not some robot replacement, are you?"
"Mom, could you stop with the crazy theories?" Tony replied, exasperated. "If I were a robot, Uncle Mike would've crushed me by now."
Maria looked at the arc reactor with deep concern. "But seriously, what is this thing doing in your chest? Doesn't it hurt? Is it uncomfortable? Will it cause any side effects?"
Tony gave a bitter smile. "It's keeping me alive."
"I was injured in an explosion. There are fragments—tiny shrapnel—still inside my body."
Maria nodded, then grabbed Tony's chin and turned his head sharply. Both of them looked at Mike.
Tony instantly understood the cue.
"Uncle…"
"Mike…"
The pair, a billionaire mother and son, somehow looked like two pitiful cabbage sprouts.
Mike's mouth twitched. "If you squeeze out a few more tears, I swear you two could become actors."
He pressed his fingers to his temple, looking at Tony with a mix of amusement and resignation.
This guy had really changed—he even knew how to act pitiful now.
A card appeared at Mike's fingertips—Magneto. As it materialized, he gained the character's power.
"This might hurt a little."
Before Tony could speak, Mike raised his palm and activated the ability.
The arc reactor lifted from Tony's chest. His face went pale, and he cried out in pain.
Moments later, all the tiny shrapnel fragments gathered at the wound in Tony's chest and were extracted one by one.
Blood trickled from the wound, making Maria tense up with worry.
Mike quickly drew two Healing Light cards.
As the glowing energy dissolved into Tony, green light enveloped his body, rapidly healing the wound.
A few seconds later, Tony looked at his now-pristine chest and gave it a firm pat, grinning like a fool.
"Here, keep this."
Mike waved his hand, and the arc reactor floated down into Tony's palm. Then he looked at the collected shrapnel in his own hand. His eyes gleamed, and in his palm, the fragments began to merge and fuse—forming a coin, which he held between his fingers.
Seeing Tony had fully recovered, Maria pulled him to sit down. With a serious expression, she said, "Tony, tell me—what exactly happened this time?"
Tony paused for a moment, then recounted the entire experience.
"Attacked by terrorists?" Maria clenched her jaw. "Are the military people complete idiots? They're supposed to be fighting terrorism every day!"
Tony gave a helpless laugh. "Mom, those people were maniacs. They even built suicide bombers."
Just then, Mike spoke up with a slight smile. "Was it just a coincidence… or something more deliberate?"
Mother and son both went quiet.
Tony's eyes narrowed. "You mean…"
"If it's a coincidence, then it's nothing. But if it was premeditated, then would this matter have ended so simply?"
Maria's heart tightened. "Who knew about your plans for this trip?"
Tony's gaze darkened, and he shook his head at his mother. "I'll be careful and investigate this quietly. Besides this, I have other things to handle."
Her reminder had already given him a sense of clarity.
He turned to Mike and said, "Thank you, Uncle Mike."
Tony expressed his gratitude.
Mike twirled the coin, made from shrapnel, between his fingers. "As long as you know what to do."
He tossed it gently toward Tony.
Tony quickly caught it, staring at the coin in his hand.
One side was engraved with the word Wisdom, and the other side with Courage.
Tony looked up at Mike. "What's this?"
Mike smiled. "When I saw you in that cave, the two things shining from you were exactly those—wisdom and courage."
Tony gave Mike a peculiar look. "That's the first time you've ever praised me."
"Feeling flattered?"
Tony rolled his eyes, spinning the coin between his fingers. He cleared his throat and said, "Apart from this, is there anything else you want to say?"
With that, he slightly tilted his head.
Mike tapped his forehead thoughtfully, his eyes lighting up. "I have one more thing to say about your experience."
"I don't want to hear it."
Tony muttered, but secretly, he leaned in closer.
"Disasters last for a thousand years."
Tony gripped the coin tightly in his hand, his face twitching uncontrollably.
Maria nodded silently.
Whether the disaster lasted for a thousand years, she wasn't sure. But the idea of it enduring was something she liked.
Tony sighed.
Stuck between two shameless elders, there was nothing he could do.
He opened his palm, staring at the coin that lay quietly there, focusing on the side engraved with Courage. It was as if he had made some kind of decision. He turned to his mother and suddenly said, "Mom, I need to tell you something... a big decision!"
His face was serious, but his eyes were filled with determination.
Maria smiled gently at Tony. "Whatever you decide, Mom will support you."
Her expression was warm, full of love and concern.
(End of Chapter)