At Tony's seaside villa.
Smith Dole and Tony were sipping whiskey together. The battle with Hulk was over, and Smith had accepted Tony's invitation to visit his home.
As for General Ross and Betty, neither of them paid any attention. The aftermath was left for Ross to handle, though this time things weren't looking great.
The destruction caused by the fight between Smith and Hulk was simply too immense.
A small forest had been completely obliterated. Even though Smith's attacks had targeted Hulk in midair, the ground below had still been scorched, leaving behind a deep crater like a meteor impact site.
Tony took a sip of his whiskey and said, "Jarvis, pull up the data."
Soon, Bruce Banner's information appeared before them, including his identity, wanted status, legends surrounding him, and his past as a military researcher.
"Damn, so it was Ross and his people who created this monster?"
"And he has seven PhDs?! I can't believe he looks like that in his human form…"
"Looks like I need to develop a special armor specifically for this guy."
Hearing Tony's words, Smith gave him a side glance. That reminded him of the Hulkbuster armor that Hulk had torn apart.
It was a suit originally conceptualized by Bruce Banner and built by Tony. It had performed well at first—but neither of them expected Hulk to grow stronger the longer he fought. If you didn't break through his defense early, he just got angrier and more powerful.
"Then you better design it right this time. Don't let him tear it apart again."
Tony waved it off. "Now that I've got data from this battle, the next armor I make will be stronger than him."
"Oh right, and about your combat power detector—150 units is way too low. Get Bulma to send me an upgraded module. Don't tell me you don't have a better version—I don't buy that."
Smith chuckled and nodded.
"OK, OK. Others might not get one, but you? I'll make sure you get the best."
Tony nodded with satisfaction. Smith was reliable, as always. He then asked,
"So what do we do about Bruce Banner?"
"From what I just read, this guy's been in hiding for years. Doesn't seem like someone who causes trouble on purpose. Honestly, he's more like a victim of the military's experiments."
Smith replied, "Let nature take its course. Bruce Banner isn't really the problem."
Tony thought it over and nodded slowly.
Then Smith spoke again.
"Tony, there's something in your lab. Something special. I need you to pay attention to it—preferably go take a look at it now."
Tony was confused. "I do care about my lab. Whether it's my suits or A.I…"
Smith shook his head. "Not those. Come on, I'll show you."
Still puzzled, Tony led Smith down into his lab.
Spreading his arms wide, Tony said, "Everything here is worth attention. So, what are you referring to?"
Smith pointed toward Tony's workbench. "Third drawer on the left. Open it."
Tony blinked. Was Smith implying there was something in his own lab that he didn't even know about?
"That drawer? There's nothing in there but that gift from Pepper."
"You've seen it—it's just that round stone."
As he spoke, Tony opened the drawer, and the four-star Dragon Ball was revealed.
"Huh? What's this? Where's my rock?"
Tony picked it up… and in that moment, all the knowledge about Dragon Balls surged into his mind.
…
Back in the living room.
Tony poured himself another glass of whiskey and downed it in one gulp.
"So you're saying this Dragon Ball thing is actually some sacred relic of your Assassin League. And you recognized it the moment you saw it."
"John Wick actually used it to bring his wife back to life…"
"Smith, you're really something—letting these go and allowing others to make wishes?"
Smith shrugged, sipping his whiskey. "Wouldn't it be nice to fill this world with a little more hope?"
Tony flipped the special coin representing the Dragon Ball hunt in his fingers.
"Looks like I'll be joining this Dragon Ball race too."
"Oh right. You said it can grant any wish. Can it… bring back my parents?"
When Tony brought up reviving his parents, Smith fell into thought.
Originally, Dragon Balls could only revive someone who had died within a year. But the real limitation wasn't time—it was whether the soul still existed. If a soul had already reincarnated or been purified in the underworld, then it couldn't be recalled.
If the soul was gone, Shenron couldn't bring the person back.
With Tony's parents having died eighteen years ago, there was no telling where their souls might be—hell, some death dimension, maybe even with Mistress Death—or possibly just gone.
Seeing Smith deep in thought, Tony waited silently.
Eventually, Smith spoke.
"Tony, I can't promise you anything. The result might not be what you want."
"Here's the thing—reviving someone depends on whether their soul still exists and hasn't changed."
"After death, a soul continues to exist, but it might go to a hell dimension, a heaven dimension, another realm, or vanish entirely."
"And yes, souls can be destroyed."
"If the soul no longer exists, Shenron can't bring them back."
"Usually, Shenron can only revive those who've died within the past year, because their soul hasn't changed much during that time."
"But your parents… it's been many years. So, maybe…"
Smith didn't finish his sentence, but Tony understood.
His expression dimmed. Eighteen years was a long time.
"Of course, if you gather all the Dragon Balls, you can still try. Just… don't get your hopes up."
Unless Howard and Maria Stark's souls were unusually special and preserved by some powerful entity, the chances were slim.
Tony nodded.
"I understand, Smith."
"I was just curious after hearing about John. It's been so long anyway."
"But I guess Shenron isn't all-powerful either…"
…
(End of Chapter)
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