After crossing the space gate, both the Konoha and Iwagakure ninja were stunned by the towering buildings in the distance. Though there were tall structures in the ninja world, none could rival the grandeur of New York City.
The Konoha ninja had been briefed beforehand, so while surprised, they remained composed. Kitsuchi and the Iwagakure shinobi, however, gaped in awe.
"This is Earth, you don't have this world's currency," Su Xiu Yu explained. "You can exchange it through Uchiha. We don't accept silver from the ninja world—only gold. I've already informed Onoki. Is that acceptable?"
"Don't worry, Master Xiu Yu," Kitsuchi replied respectfully. "Father informed us. We brought gold stored in scrolls. Thank you for the reminder."
"I'd like to ask, Lord Xiu Yu," he continued, "if Iwagakure can form an alliance with the Uchiha. We're willing to stand beside you and follow your command."
Though Kitsuchi looked honest and naive, he wasn't foolish. Trusting Su Xiu Yu—revered as the God of Ninja—meant complete commitment.
"Oh? Is that Onoki's idea, or yours?" Su Xiu Yu asked, intrigued.
"It is both my father's wish and my own."
"Aren't you afraid I'll dig a pit and order Iwagakure to its doom?"
"Not at all. Father said resistance is meaningless before a true god. If you wished to destroy Iwagakure, Master Xiu Yu, it would be effortless. We have no reason to fear."
"Hmph… Onoki's courage is greater than I thought." Su Xiu Yu smirked. "Very well. On behalf of Uchiha and Konoha, I accept your alliance."
Ohnoki had shown resolve. A small reward was in order.
"Master!" A voice called out. It was Su Xiu Yu's apprentice, Iceman Bobby.
"Bobby, long time no see. These are your uncles—some around your age, some younger. As their senior, be a good example."
"Yes, Master!" Bobby's voice drew attention. Until now, Su Xiu Yu hadn't accepted any disciples—not even from the Uchiha clan.
Everyone also noticed something strange—Bobby had no chakra presence.
But being Su Xiu Yu's apprentice alone was enough to command respect.
"Has anything major happened lately?" Su Xiu Yu asked.
"Mr. Stark was attacked yesterday. Miss Pepper too, for some unknown reason. He's issued a high-priority mission. That's our current focus."
Su Xiu Yu nodded. "Nothing too dangerous, then."
"Bobby, show Kitsuchi around and arrange accommodations. Uzumaki Asaoka will handle the Konoha group. For gold exchange, find Uchiha Arakawa—he's in charge."
The shinobi from the ninja world temporarily settled in New York.
…
After crossing the border, Ivan finally reached America. He stole a beaten-up pickup and headed toward New York.
Along the way, he embodied the "zero-dollar shopping" spirit—taking gas and supplies without paying. But he was careful, never caught on camera. He arrived in New York unscathed.
The moment he entered the city, he got word of Tony's location. After all, Stark's favorite hobby was making himself impossible to ignore.
"Racing? Heh... Tony Stark. Tomorrow, I take everything back."
The next day, the Monaco Classic Grand Prix took place in New York—a co-promotion by Monaco officials and Tony himself.
Tony Stark, a hobbyist racer, arrived with Pepper Potts. The recent attack and the government hearing were already behind him.
He brought his own car and was a special guest racer. Of course, he insisted Pepper ride with him in the passenger seat.
The crowd quickly recognized Tony—especially when the broadcast zoomed in on his grinning face.
On the third lap, Tony was enjoying himself when a figure suddenly stepped onto the track.
Ivan Vanko.
He activated his Mourning Whip Armor. Electric whips crackled to life, and with one strike, he sliced the car's side in half.
"Duck!" Tony shouted, yanking the wheel to avoid disaster.
The car swerved and slammed into Ivan. Tony leapt out, grabbed his briefcase, and hit the trigger.
With a hiss, the case unfolded into a sleek mecha—Mark 5, the new portable armor he had rebuilt after the recent attack.
Within three seconds, he was fully suited up.
"Pepper, stay put. I'll handle this."
After ensuring her safety, Tony kicked the wreckage aside and faced Ivan.
"I don't know why you attacked me, but you'll regret it."
Before Tony could attack, Ivan lashed out—his electric whips cracking through the air. They wrapped around the armor, damaging the outer shell with each strike.
"Enough!" Tony fired his palm cannons. Ivan, unarmored, was thrown to the ground.
Tony aimed at Ivan's face—but hesitated.
"Wait for the cops, pal."
Ivan laughed, blood dripping from his mouth.
"I'm Ivan Vanko. Your father, Howard, was a fraud. The Ark Reactor? It was my father's design, too. But Howard cast him aside."
"I want justice, Tony Stark."
Police sirens howled in the distance. Tony glanced at the crude Ark Reactor on Ivan's chest.
The structure… was familiar.
"Not bad," Tony muttered. "Still needs work. Try increasing the coil turns. Come see me at Stark Industries—if you ever get out."
"Hah! Still acting noble?" Ivan spat blood and phlegm. "Spare me your pity, Stark."
--------------------------
"What's the status on Ivan Vanko?"
"I'm sorry, Mr. Stark. Ivan smuggled in from the Far East, and we currently have very limited information on him," the officer replied politely.
Regardless of Tony's identity as either the victim or as Iron Man, the police took all his requests seriously.
"…Got it," Tony muttered. His good mood for the day vanished instantly because of the incident.
Just then, his phone rang.
"Tony, I need your help with something." The caller was Su Xiuyu. Tony raised an eyebrow, surprised to hear the long-lost voice.
"Well, well, Mr. Su finally remembered I exist? I tried contacting you before, y'know."
"Alright, don't be so sarcastic. We're acquaintances now, aren't we?"
"Okay, okay. Just messing with you. What do you need?"
"I want the Stark Group to help me build a large-scale Arc Reactor—one capable of powering an entire city. I'm willing to pay. I just want to know if it's feasible."
"…Su Xiuyu, the Arc Reactor is proprietary Stark tech. You're putting me in a tight spot here."
"Then name your price."
Tony paused. He knew Su Xiuyu well—if he were completely opposed to something, he'd just say no. But since Tony hadn't outright refused…
"I heard you guys were ninjas. Teach me ninjutsu."
Su Xiuyu laughed lightly. "Not possible. It's not that I don't want to—our physiques are different. Imagine an average human trying to learn techniques meant for someone with mutant-like biology."
He didn't oppose the idea of spreading chakra knowledge entirely. It just wasn't something you could hand off casually.
"Of course, if you're serious, there's a way. I can transform your body. But the Arc Reactor alone won't cut it."
"And to be clear, I never asked for the Arc Reactor's blueprint—just your help."
Tony fell silent on the other end.
"…Transform my body?" he asked cautiously.
"Yes. A physical transformation—like why Thor is called the God of Thunder. Humans have 23 pairs of chromosomes. Ever wondered why Thor is invulnerable and ages differently?"
"Wait, how long does Thor live?" Tony asked, stunned. He had fought alongside Thor against the Destroyer in Mexico, but that was different. Thor looked human—just more... Asgardian.
"Surprised? A normal Asgardian lives around a thousand years. The strong ones hit two to three thousand. Thor? At least five thousand. He's only 1,500 now—barely an adult by their standards. His father supposedly lived for half a million years."
"…Half a million years?!" Tony echoed. That kind of lifespan wasn't something history books could even grasp.
"Asgardians are called gods for a reason."
Su Xiuyu's words opened Tony's eyes to just how wide the gap was between mortals and these so-called gods.
"What about you? You're not some ancient monster too, are you?"
"Me? I've only lived a few decades. Relax."
Tony let out a relieved sigh. "Good. If you said you were thousands of years old, I'd start feeling very underqualified."
"Actually… I forgot to mention. I can live for thousands of years. So, if you get old, I'll be at your funeral."
Click. The call ended.
Tony stared at his phone, dumbfounded.
Someone just casually told him he could live for millennia. How could anyone not be envious?
"…Damn. So this is the difference between people," he muttered, leaning back. Suddenly, Ivan Vanko felt like a very small problem.
---
Elsewhere, Ivan lay in an ambulance en route to the hospital. Or so he thought.
The vehicle turned onto a desolate road—no lights, no surveillance cameras. Nothing.
"Out of the car," the driver ordered abruptly. He reached back, unshackled Ivan, and shoved him out. The ambulance sped off, leaving Ivan standing in the middle of nowhere.
A man in a suit stepped out from the shadows.
"Hello, Ivan Vanko. You may not know me—I'm Justin Hammer."
Ivan didn't need an introduction. "I know you. Competitor to Stark Industries. No real tech. Your company's products are junk."
The jab hit deep. Justin's expression twitched, but he kept a practiced smile.
Ivan didn't care. If Tony was a worthy rival, Justin was just noise. A poser with deep pockets.
Still, Hammer kept his cool.
"You've got a grudge against Stark, don't you?" he said, observing Ivan's scowl.
"Obviously," Ivan spat.
"Then let's make a deal. You've got the tech. I've got the money. You can't beat Stark's suits with scrap metal. But with my backing? You'll build something better."
"I almost beat his armor," Ivan snapped.
"You mean the suit he used at the racetrack? Please. That was the Mark 5—his worst armor. Lightweight. Prototype. You didn't beat Tony Stark. You beat his experiment."
That one hit home.
Hammer stepped closer, his voice calm but sharp. "You build me an Iron Legion. You get revenge. I get to overshadow Stark. Everybody wins."
Ivan's lips curled into a dangerous smile. "Deal."
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