[Third Person Pov]
"You bastard!" David roared as he stormed out of the mansion, his footsteps cracking against the marble path as he chased after Tony. "When I get my hands on you—!!"
"Father-in-law, please!" Tony yelped, sprinting for his life as he zigzagged across the courtyard. "Let's talk about this like civilized men!"
"We stopped being civilized the moment you were unfaithful to my daughter!" David screeched. From his back, several grotesque, metallic tentacle-claws erupted, each one whirring violently as they began spinning like oversized sawblades. With a furious swing of his arm, the claws lashed out toward Tony.
Tony barely managed to avoid them, diving forward and rolling across the ground before scrambling back to his feet. He glanced over his shoulder just in time to see the blades carve deep grooves into the stone behind him. Panicking, he spun toward a group of armed guards patrolling the estate.
"Help me!!" Tony shouted, waving both arms frantically.
The guards froze. They looked at David—who was practically vibrating with murderous intent—then at each other. After an awkward pause, one of them let out a soft whistle while another suddenly found the sky very interesting. Collectively, they pretended not to see a thing.
"You bunch of cowards!" Tony yelled, his voice cracking with betrayal. "What do we even pay you for!?"
Before he could take another step, David's claws snapped forward, wrapping tightly around Tony's wrists and ankles. With brutal ease, David lifted him into the air and yanked him closer. Tony dangled helplessly, flailing as David leaned in, his glasses glinting ominously beneath the courtyard lights.
David stared at him with a cold, murderous glare.
"Do you have anything you'd like to say for yourself, you lustful bastard?"
"I'm innocent!" Tony cried dramatically, thrashing against his restraints. "I did nothing wrong! I swear on my genius-level intellect!"
"You have an incredible amount of nerve claiming innocence after what you've done," David replied flatly. He calmly adjusted his glasses, the gesture somehow making him even more intimidating.
Tony turned his head away theatrically, striking a dramatic pose even while suspended.
"Perhaps the only true sin I have ever committed…" he said solemnly, "…was being born too handsome. The heavens were far too generous during my creation. Blame them, not me."
"You are seriously asking to die young, you brat," David growled through clenched teeth.
"Dad, stop."
Melissa finally stepped forward, her voice cutting cleanly through the tension. "As entertaining—and honestly hilarious—as this has been, Tony's right. He's innocent."
"He is?" David asked, blinking as he arrived with the others, looking between everyone and the suspended Tony in confusion.
"I am!" Tony declared proudly.
"He is," Howard confirmed with a nod.
"Tony did nothing wrong this time," Maria added, agreeing without hesitation.
Maria crossed her arms and leveled David with a stern look. "Do you honestly think I would raise my son to be someone who cheats on their significant other?"
"I mean, well…" David hesitated, glancing at Tony—who was somehow flexing and posing despite being bound in midair.
Maria scoffed indignantly.
"Tony may be many things. Egocentric. Arrogant."
"Don't forget narcissistic and self-absorbed," Howard added helpfully.
"He's also money-hungry and sadistic," Melissa chimed in.
"And often inconsiderate and lazy," Momo said, nodding along.
"Guys, what the hell?" Tony deadpanned, staring at them. "What kind of defense was that? Why am I suddenly being ganged up on and roasted? Friday, set a reminder—if I ever need character testimony in court, absolutely do not rely on any of these people."
Maria raised a finger, silencing the group.
"But one thing he is not," she said firmly, "is a cheater. And he would never willingly hurt the people he loves."
"Much better," Tony huffed, pouting slightly.
"So then—" David began, his confusion evident.
"It was me, Dad," Melissa said before he could finish. "I was the one who wanted Momo to be part of our relationship. We… kind of forced the idea on Tony."
"Seriously?" David asked, stunned. "It was you?"
"Yes," Maria added calmly. "Tony was actually against it at first. He came to us for advice and handled the situation very maturely. Honestly, I'm very proud of how he went about it. You can rest assured—Tony loves Melissa deeply and would never do anything to hurt her."
"Wow," Tony muttered, rolling his eyes. "Just air out my business, why don't you? Anyway, now that my innocence has been proven…"
His eyes suddenly glowed with techno-vision. In an instant, he hacked into David's suit, overriding its controls. The tentacle-claws released him immediately.
Tony landed smoothly in a crouch, rubbing his wrists before straightening up and restoring control back to David.
"You could have freed yourself this entire time?" David asked, utterly exasperated.
"You wouldn't have listened unless you believed you were in control," Tony replied with a sly, unapologetically manipulative smirk.
David could only stare at him in disbelief, completely speechless.
…
Location: UA High – The Principals office.
Every member of U.A. High's hero staff sat gathered around the long meeting table, the atmosphere unusually heavy despite it being the middle of summer break. At the head of the table sat Principal Nezu in the seat of honor. Unlike his usual playful demeanor, there was no trace of levity in his expression today. He wasted no time on pleasantries.
"I know many of you are busy," Nezu began calmly, his voice carrying easily across the room, "especially given that this is supposed to be summer break. However, due to the recent incident, matters have escalated far beyond what we initially anticipated. A major crisis is now upon us."
The room immediately sharpened with attention. Conversations ceased. Chairs shifted slightly as the teachers straightened, their expressions alert and cautious.
Nezu continued once he was certain he had everyone's focus.
"The recent attack has severely damaged public trust," he said gravely. "Not only in U.A. itself, but in the hero course as a whole."
A murmur rippled through the room.
"Parents across the country are questioning whether U.A. can truly protect their children," Nezu went on, his tone growing heavier. "As a result, many families are seriously considering withdrawing their children at the start of the next term… and some have already made that decision."
His expression darkened as he finished speaking.
"What?!" several voices exclaimed at once, disbelief evident throughout the room.
"What do you mean some already have?!"
"Students have already been withdrawn?!"
"Is this just the hero course, or—?"
The teachers erupted into overlapping questions, shock and concern feeding off one another as the volume in the room steadily rose.
Nezu raised a single paw.
The room fell silent almost instantly.
In the sudden quiet, Aizawa leaned forward slightly, his tired eyes fixed directly on Nezu.
"Can you tell us," he asked evenly, though there was an unmistakable tension beneath his calm tone, "the names of the students who have already been withdrawn from U.A.?"
Nezu closed his eyes for a brief moment before letting out a slow, heavy sigh. When he opened them again, he nodded.
"Beginning next term," Nezu stated, his voice measured but regretful, "Tony Stark, Melissa Shield, and Momo Yaoyorozu will no longer be attending U.A. High School."
The words landed like a shockwave.
"Their parents have formally withdrawn them," Nezu continued. "All three students—our most promising first-year talents—will not be returning. This decision was made entirely by their families."
Aizawa stiffened despite himself. Even though he had suspected something like this might happen, actually hearing the names still caught him off guard. All Might's eyes widened in stunned silence, while Midnight pressed her lips together, her expression visibly troubled.
Aizawa's surprise quickly curdled into bitterness.
They were all from his class.
Nezu, ever perceptive, noticed the shift immediately.
"I'm truly sorry, Aizawa," he said gently. "I know the expectations you held for those three students, and I understand how much potential you saw in them."
Nezu folded his paws together atop the table.
"However," he continued, "due to their status, influence, and the power their families hold, my hands are completely tied. There is nothing U.A. can offer—no assurances, no compromises—that would change their minds."
The weight of those words lingered heavily in the air, settling over the room like an unspoken loss.
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