The name meant nothing to him. He put down the phone.
Looking at the messy warehouse and the large metal statue, Ellen couldn't help but sigh.
He waved a hand. All the guns in the warehouse fell apart, breaking into several pieces. A few sheets of metal shifted, gathering the bodies into one place.
He turned to leave. The door opened as he approached, and as he stepped out, it closed behind him, plunging the warehouse into endless darkness.
With a slight twist of his palm, the old door lock contorted, permanently sealed, impossible to open normally.
He picked up his small schoolbag, turned a few corners, and melted into the crowd.
...
Ellen, back home, felt no desire to train. He sat at his desk, lost in thought.
Aunt Jenny knocked and entered, carrying a cup of warm milk.
"Leo, I could tell something was wrong at dinner! Did something happen at school?" A thick, strong arm rested on Leo's small shoulder as Uncle George came to his side.
"No, school is fine. Some kids don't want to play with me, but I don't care. They're too childish anyway." Leo rubbed his stiff little face and smiled in response.
"That's not it!" Aunt Jenny brought over a stool and sat next to Ellen. "Leo, my baby, it's been five years. This is the first time I've seen you so unhappy. It makes my heart ache."
She took both of Leo's hands in hers, her eyes reddening as if she were about to cry.
George placed his other hand on Aunt Jenny's shoulder, embracing them both.
His deep voice was a soft whisper. "Leo, from the first day we brought you home, Jenny and I have seen you as our own son."
"You are so good, so sensible. The first birthday you spent with us was one of the best times of our lives. I thank God for making my life so beautiful and giving me such a wonderful son."
"As I turn forty, to have a beloved child... we would give anything for you."
"This past year, we've been busy and haven't spent enough time with you. Hearing the grinding wheel spinning in the garage... Jenny has cried several times. Leo, it's not that we're criticizing you. We want you to be like a normal child—to watch TV shows with us, go shopping with us. We don't need you to make money, or at least, not to work so hard!"
Jenny wiped her tears with a tissue and nodded. "Leo, this past year, since you fell in love with making models, I feel you've grown distant. We don't want you to earn money. We just want you to be happy!"
She pulled little Leo into a tight hug.
Leo reached out and hugged them back. "Okay, Uncle, Aunt. I'm fine. It's just... on the way home today, I saw an accident. Someone died. But I'm okay now. Auntie, let's go watch TV."
Uncle George ruffled Leo's hair. "Leo, you must be careful outside. If you see something bad, you run away. You're still a child!"
"Mm-hmm!"
Leo took both their hands, led them out of the room, turned off the light, and walked downstairs. As they went, he chattered, "Aunt Jenny, has The Big Bang Theory started again? I heard Sheldon got a girlfriend!"
"Yes! And Leonard and Penny are back together. It's so funny, let me tell you about it—"
"No, no! I want to watch it myself! Hehe, it's been so long since I've watched TV!"
"Jenny, Leo, I'll get some drinks. Should I order a pizza for delivery?"
"Cheese and sausage flavour! I want two slices!"
Their voices faded into the distance, replaced by the sound of happy laughter.
Moonlight spilled onto Leo's desk through the window, making a pen gleam. A photo from Leo's sixth birthday party sat neatly in one corner of the desk. The three people in the photo wore brilliantly bright smiles.
Just like they did now.
...
Six months later, in February 2008, Leo, who had just turned eleven, wanted to go to Las Vegas. Although Uncle George strongly disagreed, he couldn't resist Leo's persistent begging.
"Alright, fine! But I'm warning you—we go as a family vacation. No casinos, no bars, and we only stay for three days, maximum!"
"Okay! I just want to see the sights. I won't run off!" Leo promised firmly.
Jenny seemed thrilled. Seeing George agree, she cheered, "Yes! I'll request time off! George, I'm booking the flights right now!"
George smiled and rubbed Leo's head. "Your Aunt Jenny has always wanted to go back. Consider this a wish come true for her."
"Go on, kid, pack your bags!" George gave Leo a light tap on the back of his head, a hint of excitement in his own voice. "Our family is going on a trip!"
Leo returned to his room and pulled a handwritten note from a drawer. It was written in Chinese with a strange timeline:
*Iron Man 1 - February 11, 2008 - Las Vegas Casino*
*February 13 - Afghanistan - Jericho Missile Test - Stark Kidnapped*
October (Date Unclear) - Stark Tower - Battle!!
November...
A few more timelines were listed below, but only the one in October was marked as a key point.
He looked at it carefully, hesitated, then picked up an eraser and wiped the page clean.
He turned his attention to the panel in his mind.
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Control: 73
Strength: 11
Defense: 17
Speed: 9
Spirit: 19
Skills: D-Class Metal Control, D-Class Body Strengthening
Strengthening: Golden Eye (100%), Copper Skin (100%), Steel Muscle (1%), Iron Bone (0%)
Derived Ability: Metalizing Gaze (Unaffected by illusions, sees through falsehoods, enhances visual perception, metalizes objects)
Unmoving Golden Body (Greatly enhances defense. While feet are planted on the ground, the user has immense strength, faster recovery, and cannot be moved by external force.)
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He touched the skin on his arm, which was now soft again, nothing like the hard, iron-like state from the previous month. Back then, he'd had to wear long sleeves and a mask in class to hide it.
He focused, and a golden light emanated from his entire body. An inexplicable layer of golden energy surfaced over his skin, even covering his clothes.
Simultaneously, a warm current surged from the soles of his feet, connecting him to the earth, filling his whole body with strength.
He had tested this in the garage. He couldn't break this golden shell himself, even when ramming it with a two-ton metal block or a giant metal projectile breaking the sound barrier; it only shook slightly.
He took a few casual steps, and the golden light dimmed at his thought.
Even in his normal state, his physical defence had improved tremendously. A hard slash from a knife would now only leave a white mark.
While he couldn't outright stop bullets yet, Leo could confidently say, "No bullet can get near me."
This newfound confidence finally made him feel a little brave enough to consider contacting the main storyline characters.
Aunt Jenny ran upstairs with excited footsteps, holding Uncle George's phone.
"Leo! Leo! The tickets are booked! Look, the morning flight for the 9th, the day after tomorrow!"
"Aunt Jenny, Uncle George mentioned you've been to Las Vegas before, right?" Leo looked at the ticket confirmation on the phone and gave Jenny a smile.
Aunt Jenny pulled Leo close, her voice nostalgic. "Your uncle never told you? Well, I will! It's a fun story! That was twelve years ago, back then..."
Leo stayed by Jenny's side, listening with great interest to the story of their early romance and their first meeting in Las Vegas.
In the next room, George was packing suitcases. Hearing the laughter from next door, he shook his head, a slight smile gracing his face.
Three days later, the family of three boarded a plane from New York to Las Vegas.