The quantum energy hummed and dissipated, and the cold air of the laboratory was instantly replaced by a noisy heatwave.
Tony and Steve landed steadily, still glowing faintly with the Quantum Realm's light. The timing was perfect; the quantum clock showed: 10 minutes and 10 seconds past.
"Welcome back," 2B's voice rang out as she looked up from the control console. "You are five minutes later than expected, and Master just communicated to inquire about the situation."
Tony raised the corner of his mouth: "A small unexpected event, no big deal. Is your little Chen worried about his Uncle Tony?"
2B's pure white visor calmly faced him: "No, Master left a message: Tony Stark, your champagne tower is being dismantled by Mr. Wilson and Pietro."
The air instantly solidified.
"What?!" The smile on Tony's face shattered faster than glass. "My tower?! Friday! Locate the champagne tower! Calculate the optimal rescue path! Activate emergency protocol 'Bubble Defense'!" He roared his words, more urgent than when he faced the Skrulls just now.
2B added: "Master's exact words were, 'Watching them play, truly joyful.'"
"Get Chen Tian to act! Stop them! Save my tower!!! Now!!!" Tony didn't even finish listening; he was already rushing towards the laboratory door like a cannonball, his armor parts sensing his urgency and rapidly assembling on him.
Steve helplessly rubbed his forehead, nodding apologetically to 2B, but his movements were no less swift as he chased after Tony. He understood Tony's "champagne obsession" all too well.
In the center of the party, there was chaos.
A huge and magnificent champagne tower sparkled on a long table, but it was now under unprecedented "attack."
Pietro, his figure so fast that it left silver-white afterimages, was circling the champagne tower frantically, the airflow he created causing the champagne in the glasses near the top to sway wildly, threatening to spill at any moment.
As he ran, he excitedly shouted, "Wade! Do you think this tower can withstand my sonic impact? Wanna bet?"
"Shut up, little silver! The bet is my new uniform! Dismantling the tower is the real business!" Deadpool, in an extremely ergonomically impossible twisted posture, was trying to pick up a champagne glass from the bottom layer with his mouth. His hands were not idle either; one hand held a small cake he'd snagged from who-knew-where and placed it on the tower, while the other held his phone for frantic selfies. "Cheese! My bros, watch how I elegantly destroy Stark's symbol of wealth! Send a Rocket and I'll perform a dragon's breath!"
The champagne tower trembled under the dual physical + mental attack, teetering precariously.
"Wade Wilson! Pietro Maximoff!!! Stop!!!" An angry roar approached from afar.
Boom!
Tony landed on the patio outside the party in a superhero landing pose—he didn't fly into the party itself, fearing he'd knock over the tower.
He immediately took action, using his armored arm to block Deadpool's "scoundrel claws" and the strong winds Pietro created.
"Yo! The great Tony Stark is back?" Deadpool nimbly did a backflip to dodge, grabbing a champagne glass as he did, and waggled it cheekily. "The party just started, and the host is already here? Don't be so stingy, sharing is a virtue!"
Pietro also screeched to a halt in front of Tony, a mischievous grin on his face: "Tony! We're testing its earthquake resistance! Helping you with quality control!"
"My tower doesn't need your quality control! The quality control report is that it stays perfectly intact until the end of the party!" Tony nervously watched the high-stemmed glasses swaying at the top of the tower, carefully reaching out to steady them.
Just then, Pietro's mischievousness flared up again, and his figure blurred, creating an even stronger airflow, aiming for the highest glass on the tower!
"Pietro—!" Tony's heart leaped into his throat.
Whoosh!!
A red and blue figure was even faster than Pietro!
Steve arrived in the nick of time, his shield flying from his hand in a precise arc, with just the right amount of force, making a soft "clang" as it firmly tapped Pietro's shoulder, pushing him off balance. His direction deviated, and the wind he created only made the top glass on the tower sway gently.
At the same time, Steve himself, like a leopard, rushed to the other side of the long table and steadily caught a champagne glass that had been accidentally knocked askew by Deadpool's selfie motion and was sliding down from the third layer. The clear liquid made a graceful arc in the glass, not a single drop spilled.
"Party time, be careful, kids," Steve calmly set down the glass, looking at Deadpool and Pietro, his tone calm but with an 'old-fashioned' teaching quality. "Tony's champagne tower, 'pressure testing' is prohibited."
Tony let out a long sigh of relief, wishing he could equip the champagne tower with an energy shield. He glared fiercely at Deadpool and Pietro: "You two! Stay at least five feet away from my tower!"
Not far away, Chen Tian leaned against the bar with his arms crossed, watching Steve and Tony frantically "defend" the champagne tower, laughing heartily. He said to Rhodes, who looked helpless beside him (having arrived shortly after Tony left): "Hahaha, why does Tony love his champagne tower so much? It feels even more precious than his armor."
Rhodes looked at his friend's anxious expression and couldn't help but roll his eyes: "He's always like this. Genius, billionaire, playboy, philanthropist... plus a severe champagne tower anxiety disorder patient."
The party music appropriately resumed, covering Tony's "threatening education" of Deadpool and Quicksilver.
Crisis averted, the party continued. Only Tony would occasionally glance back nervously at his precious champagne tower, as if looking at an unparalleled treasure that mischievous children might attack at any moment.
Friday's voice sounded inside Tony's helmet: "Boss, champagne tower physical structure integrity: 98%. Risk assessment: Temporarily safe. Additional warning: Mr. Wade Wilson is pulling Mr. Pietro Maximoff towards the DJ booth. New risk factor: High."
Tony: "..." He felt his blood pressure soaring again.
The troubles in his own home were truly endless. He was seriously considering whether to create a document on a 'Mischievous Child Control Plan,' specifically targeting unreliable mischievous children like Chen Tian, Quicksilver, and Deadpool.
After the party commotion, days passed as if on fast-forward.
The World was stable; the biggest external threat had been nipped in the bud by Chen Tian.
Those "superpowered criminal gangs" that needed to destroy the World? Virtually extinct.
The Arbitrators' daily routine was downgraded from saving the Universe to... well, maintaining World peace (in Tony's words). The jobs became "smaller," but their exposure increased.
The Watcher Platform scanned global hotspots 24/7; Steve led ground teams in precise strikes;
Thor occasionally intervened, a bolt of lightning striking open a drug dealer's den or a warlord's camp, with terrifying efficiency;
Chen Tian's team became the most awesome global disaster relief team; wherever there was an earthquake, tsunami, or volcanic eruption, various styles of 'superheroes' would surely be the first to arrive;
As for Natasha? Intelligence infiltration combined with the Red Room's silent "persuasion" handled those disobedient politicians and warlords as if it were child's play.
Citizens would read the news in the morning:
"Shocking! A certain robbery gang was surrounded by an Iron Legion descending from the sky, failed to steal money, and were blinded by the gold and red paint!"
"Breaking News! Kingpin's Vibranium smuggling ring was uprooted by Captain America and his team. It's said that when Captain's shield knocked out the last thug, he said 'Morning.'"
"Breaking! Border conflict in a certain African country? Thor brought his hammer down, and the two warlord leaders directly shook hands and made peace in the lightning (physically)."
"Moving! A Pacific Ocean tsunami submerged a small island, and a blue flame giant carried three cruise ships to evacuate the populace, afterwards remarking 'boring.'"
Positive energy every day, heroes every day.
The Arbitrators' reputation soared like a Rocket. Global idols? That was an understatement. Fan clubs spread across all continents, and even the social atmosphere improved significantly.
The most obvious change? Imitators appeared.
Especially in New York.
From late 2015 to early 2016, a new term entered the vocabulary of New York citizens — "Good Neighbor."
The news in Queens suddenly changed style:
"Hey! There's that red and blue spandex again! The convenience store old man said that little guy helped him snatch back his stolen cash register, moving as fast as a spider!"
"Ridiculous! Bank robbers had just pulled out their guns when someone hung upside down from the ceiling, blabbering a stream of words, and even sprayed the robbers' faces with white web! When the Police arrived, the robbers were tied up like zongzi!"
"Thrilling scene on Brooklyn Bridge! A school bus lost control, a red and blue figure flashed, prying open the car with bare hands to save people! The guy even left a message before he left: 'You're welcome, my name is Spider-Man!'"
This "Spider-Man," who swung between tall buildings, was a chatterbox, and wore a red and blue suit with obvious DIY traces, quickly became a new internet sensation in New York. His appearances became more frequent, and the troubles he solved were varied, from catching petty thieves to rescuing kittens, perfectly illustrating what a "community-friendly hero" means.
However, in the eyes of the public, Spider-Man was a righteous little hero (because he wasn't tall?), but in the eyes of a certain media, he was a 'clumsy imitator.'
The Daily Bugle was the media that disliked Spider-Man the most.
"Is he a hero? Then why hide his face? Is he shy or ugly? Hiding and still wanting to be a hero? He's just a clumsy imitator of the 'Arbitrators,' trying to steal public attention from the 'Arbitrators'!"
J. Jonah Jameson, the owner of The Daily Bugle, disdainfully said this to viewers during a live online news broadcast for The Daily Bugle.
Regardless of how Spider-Man was evaluated by The Daily Bugle, his righteous actions still caught the attention of the Arbitrators.
Tony was drinking coffee on the top floor of Arbitrator Tower when Friday happened to cut to a blurry video captured by a phone in Queens: a figure skillfully leaping between two buildings against the sunset, even performing a highly difficult aerial spin.
"Boss, the new 'vigilante' in Queens, codenamed 'Spider-Man,' his activity continues to rise. Data comparison shows that his mobility and strength far exceed normal humans, source unknown. Threat level assessment: extremely low. Public feedback: very positive."
Tony raised an eyebrow, put down his coffee cup, and snorted: "Another little kid who wants to be a superhero? Fine, Friday, keep an eye on him. Don't let him get beaten up by some gangster one day, and then I have to clean up the mess. New York's public safety... tsk, it seems it's really too good."
Steve watched the news footage of Spider-Man saving the school bus in the gym, a gentle smile appearing on his lips. Young, energetic, righteous, rooted in the community... very good.
Perhaps this was what the peaceful World they protected should look like?
Chen Tian was drinking cola nearby, "Isn't this great? To quote a great leader, 'The World is yours, and it is ours, but ultimately it is yours. You young people are full of vigor and are in your prime, like the Sun at eight or nine in the morning; hope is placed on you.' So, Tony, we can add some new members."
These words were like a pebble, accurately thrown into Steve's heart, especially the phrase "hope is placed on you." The old soldier's eyes lit up, his sense of responsibility instantly maxed out: "You're right. This kid... this 'Spider-Man,' has potential. I'll approach him, give him proper guidance and training." He immediately reached for his shield, his initiative as strong as ever.
"Hey, wait!" Chen Tian quickly stopped him, a playful smile on his face. "Captain, this matter... leave it to Tony."
Steve was stunned: "Tony?"
"Why me?" Tony raised an eyebrow, pointing at the blurry red and blue figure on the screen. "What does this have to do with me?"
Chen Tian's smile grew even more mischievous: "Friday, retrieve all surveillance footage near Midtown High School in Queens, focusing on analyzing the correlation between 'Spider-Man's' behavior patterns and the appearance of 'Iron Man' related items."
Friday was incredibly efficient, swish, swish, swish!
Several images popped up: an Iron Man poster fleetingly seen in the corner of Peter Parker's bedroom; a mini arc reactor charm hanging on his backpack; and once, next to the hand-drawn, crooked spider logo on Spider-Man's chest, the faint outline of an erased Iron Man helmet could be vaguely seen...
"Analysis shows," Friday calmly reported, "the target individual is your (Boss) Big Fan, with a probability as high as 99%."
Tony's mouth slowly curved into a grin, an arc of smugness mixed with a touch of the obvious: "Oh? Big Fan? Tsk," he shrugged, spread his hands, his tone utterly annoying.
"In this World, who isn't my fan? But..." He glanced at the figure gracefully leaping between buildings on the screen. "Alright, I'm pretty free lately anyway. Being a 'life mentor' for a kid isn't out of the question."
He stood up, and the golden-red nanotech armor instantly covered his entire body, leaving only his face, which was full of "I'm awesome": "Friday, lock onto his frequent areas of activity.
Create an independent monitoring file, codenamed 'Underoos (Underoos, which is actually a children's underwear brand from the United States).'
Evaluate his ability data, and by the way, see if that shabby uniform can withstand a 'friendly modification' from my lab.
Lest something happen to him and I have to go save the day, embarrassing me."
Before he finished speaking, he was already walking towards the terrace.
Steve looked at Tony's smug back, shaking his head helplessly, but with a smile in his eyes.
Chen Tian winked at him, a look of "See? It has to be him" on his face; who doesn't know that Tony Stark falls for this every time—fan worship combined with his overflowing, worried-dad mentality.
Dealing with Spider-Man? Leave it to the idol himself, this "number one fan," and you can't go wrong.
Peter Parker's days were always exceptionally "full."
Just after rescuing the convenience store old lady's cat from the top of an old oak tree (the little guy was meowing in protest, and Peter could only whisper "sorry, sorry"), the modified old watch on his wrist vibrated.
It was Mei, and in the background, there was even… the sound of cups clinking?
"Hey, Aunt Mei! I'll be home right away! I just… uh… helped a neighbor find something!" Peter lowered his voice, glancing guiltily at the startled kitten in his arms.
"Peter," Mei's voice held a strange… hint of amusement? "We have a guest at home, specially here to see you.
He said… he's from Stark Industries."
"Clang!"
Peter almost dropped the kitten from his arms.
Stark Industries?! Tony Stark?! Impossible! Absolutely impossible!
A hundred possibilities flashed through his mind instantly, even suspecting his good friend Ned was playing some new trick.
"Aunt… Aunt Mei? Who did you say?"
"Mr. Tony Stark, dear," Mei's voice had a hint of playfulness, "Your idol is currently sitting on our living room sofa, drinking the tea I made.
He said he wants to have a good talk with you when you get back."
The call ended.
Peter froze in place for three seconds.
Idol? Tony Stark?! At his house?! Drinking Aunt Mei's tea?!
"Ah ah ah ah—!" With a suppressed cry of surprise, Peter, at a speed that surpassed his usual limits, didn't even use his web-shooters, jumping directly down the tree and sprinting wildly towards home.
Pushing open the familiar apartment door, Peter felt like he had walked into a parallel Universe.
In the living room, the man in a casual suit, legs crossed, leisurely sipping instant coffee from a mug… who else could it be but Tony Stark?!
"Pe-ter!" Mei greeted him warmly, her eyes darting between Tony and her dumbfounded nephew, "Mr. Stark has been waiting for you for a while." Her face showed a teasing "You've been hiding quite a bit, kid."
"Mr. S-s-s-s-s-s-Stark?!" Peter's tongue was tied, his voice like a tenor's, his face flushed crimson.
An idol.
A living one.
In his living room.
Drinking instant coffee.
The World had gone mad!
Tony put down his cup, stood up, a playful smile on his lips: "Mr. Parker? Peter Parker?"
He looked up and down at the seemingly harmless high school student in an ordinary hoodie and jeans, "Busy on your way home from school?"
"Uh… I… that… yes, yes, yes! School activities! Clubs!" Peter babbled incoherently, his mind a blank.
"Hmmph." Tony chuckled lightly, pointing to Peter's bedroom, "Mind if we go in and talk? About your… Stark Industries internship opportunity?" He emphasized the words "internship opportunity."
Peter felt his blood rush to his head.
"Internship opportunity?! For me?!" He almost took off again.
"Yes, for you.
Come with me." Tony didn't give him any more time to be shocked, walking directly into Peter's typically messy teenage boy's bedroom.
The door closed, cutting off Mei's curious gaze.
Peter stood awkwardly in the center of the room, his backpack still foolishly hanging on his shoulder.
Posters, tech magazines, scattered parts… his idol was seeing everything! It was too embarrassing!
Tony, however, was quite at ease, casually surveying the room, his gaze falling on the poster of himself in the corner, his smile deepening.
"Peter Parker," he turned around, his tone relaxed, "the friendly neighborhood of Queens, good at fighting, with a strong sense of justice, we Arbitrators have noticed you."
Peter's heart pounded.
"Arbitrators?! You mean… you know me? Uh… I mean… Spider-Man?" He was still struggling, trying to play dumb.
Tony didn't reply, instead pacing to the center of the room and looking up at the ceiling—or more precisely, at the loose ceiling panel.
He reached out and pulled the rope hanging from the panel.
"Click."
A square panel fell, landing on Peter's bed.
A crumpled, red-and-blue… homemade bodysuit also fell, unfolding creased on the quilt.
The room was dead silent.
Peter felt the air solidify.
He looked at the fabric on the bed, then at Tony's half-smiling face, and his blood instantly drained from his head to his feet, his face as white as paper.
"Oh, God…" He despairingly covered his forehead, his voice barely a whisper, "I'm doomed…"
Tony bent down, two fingers disdainfully picking up the coarse, crookedly stitched fabric, with a barely discernible spider pattern on the chest, and shook it.
"Wow." He exaggeratedly raised an eyebrow, his tone full of "shock," "Is this Spider-Man's secret weapon? Looks like… hmm… a school project?"
Peter wished he could dig a hole and crawl into it.
Tony threw the "suit" back onto the bed, then clapped his hands as if he had touched something unclean.
He walked in front of the petrified Peter, his expression finally a little more serious, but with that familiar hint of teasing in his eyes.
"Listen, Underoos.
Your community service spirit is commendable, but going out to fight bad guys wearing this… let's call it a 'suit' for now?" He shook his head, "It's too embarrassing.
It embarrasses me."
Peter suddenly looked up: "Embarrasses you?!"
"Of course!" Tony said righteously, "What if one day you get shot by some punk with a shotgun, what will the news say? 'Iron Man fan fails miserably trying to imitate hero with homemade gear'?
No.
Absolutely not."
He paused, looking at Peter's shocked and bewildered eyes, and then threw out the real bait.
"So, I'm personally giving you an offer to intern at Stark Industries.
Of course, the main point is… I'll make you a real suit, one that won't have you worrying about your butt splitting open in a fight.
And by the way," he leaned in a little, staring into Peter's eyes, "I'll teach you how to be a superhero who isn't so easily killed, deal?"
Peter's mouth hung open, only one thought swirling wildly in his mind: Tony Stark! Is going to make me a suit!!!
He could only nod frantically like a pecking chicken, unable to utter a single word.
His idol personally recruiting him, with top-tier equipment as a bonus? This was even more unbelievable than winning the lottery!
Done.
Tony straightened up, satisfied, and patted Peter's shoulder.
"Alright.
I'll contact you later.
Don't go out wearing these rags, be good." He gave a final disdainful glance at the "suit" on the bed, then looked at Chen Tian's poster next to his own poster.
He pursed his lips, "I hope next time I come here, my poster will be hanging in the very center."
With that, he turned gracefully, opened the door, and walked out, leaving behind a Peter Parker stunned by immense happiness, alone in his messy room.
Three days later, a black Rolls-Royce screeched to a halt below Peter's apartment building.
Happy Hogan's "the whole World owes me money" face turned from the driver's seat, grumbling to Peter, who was so nervous he was getting into the car with his hands and feet moving awkwardly: "Seatbelt.
Don't drop snack crumbs in my car.
The boss's mood… is okay, as long as you don't mess up."
"Okay! Mr. Hogan! I promise to keep it clean!" Peter's voice trembled, feeling like a prisoner being escorted.
Internship? He knew this was definitely not a normal internship!
The car drove all the way to Malibu.
As the scenery outside the window changed from city bustle to coastal mansions, Peter's heart pounded like a pile driver.
The car finally stopped in front of the Arbitrator Tower, which stood on the coastline, replacing the Hollywood sign as the new landmark of Los Angeles.
"We're here, Underoos." Happy turned off the engine, maintaining his cool and aloof expression, "There's a surprise inside."
As soon as Peter got out of the car, he was so stunned by the tech fortress before him that he couldn't speak.
The streamlined exterior walls gleamed with a cold light, huge floor-to-ceiling windows overlooked the Pacific Ocean, and the air seemed to waft with the scent of "I'm rich" and "I'm awesome."
He hadn't recovered when he was led by the lobby staff to the elevator that went directly to the top floor of the tower.
As he stepped out of the elevator, the automatic doors on the top floor slid open, and Tony was already waiting there.
He wasn't wearing his armor, dressed in casual clothes, a slightly playful smile on his lips: "Welcome to the My Lord's playground, Mr. Parker."
"Mr. S-Stark!" Peter almost bowed on the spot.
"Save your strength, follow me…" Tony hadn't finished speaking when a red and black figure suddenly crashed down from the ceiling vent with a "thud"!
"Surprise!!! Spider-Man sweetheart!!! I missed you so much!!!" Deadpool lunged at Peter in an extremely exaggerated posture, attempting a bear hug.
Peter was so startled that his web-shooters almost instinctively activated, but Tony, quick as a flash, grabbed Deadpool by the back of his neck, lifting him a few inches off the ground like a cat.
"Wilson! I said keep your distance! Three meters!" Tony gritted his teeth, "And who told you to use the ventilation shaft?! Friday! Disinfect the ventilation system! Highest level!"
"Oh, Tony, don't be like that!" Deadpool squirmed in mid-air, his voice under the mask sounding mischievous, "I'm Spider-Man's number one fan and the Universe's best buddy! Don't you understand ceremony? New recruits must be warmly welcomed! And by the way, Spider-Man's figure is even curvier than I imagined…"
"Shut up, Wade!" Tony yelled.
Tony disdainfully threw Deadpool aside: "He's an accident, ignore him." He turned to the bewildered Peter, "The internship content is simple: learn some real skills, and don't go out embarrassing yourself in those rags.
And by the way, get to know these troublemakers." He led Peter to the top-floor lounge and pointed to the people sitting on the sofa.
Only then did Peter see that there were a few people scattered there:
Steve smiled and nodded gently at him.
Natasha's eyes were scrutinizing as she raised her coffee cup to him.
Kiana and Saitama were eating, and hearing Tony's words, they looked up and smiled at him.
And Chen Tian, who was sitting in the lounge playing a game console, glanced at him, smiled, and said, "Welcome," before continuing to play his game.
"Wow…" Peter felt like he was running out of oxygen.
These people he had only seen on TV and posters were here, alive, right before his eyes!
"Alright, don't just stand there like an idiot." Tony clapped his hands to get attention, "Parker, your 'internship mentor' is mainly me.
As for the others, don't go around giving orders to my people unless necessary." He deliberately glanced at the eager Deadpool and Captain America.
"First, let me show you something good." Tony turned and walked towards the adjacent laboratory passage.
The door slid open automatically, revealing a futuristic scene inside.
"Let that school project retire."
Peter's eyes instantly lit up; his idol was going to make him a suit!
He followed in a daze, completely ignoring Deadpool's excited shout from the sofa:
"Hey Peter! Wanna go on a mission tonight? I know a great Mexican burrito place in Brooklyn…"
Tony's voice floated back: "Wilson! Stay away from my intern! Friday, intensify the 'Deadpool Expulsion Protocol' within five meters of Peter Parker!"
"Tony! You're just jealous of our friendship!" Deadpool beat his chest and stomped his feet.
Peter followed Tony into the dazzlingly high-tech laboratory, with Deadpool's wails and Tony's sharp tongue in his ears, feeling like he had stepped into a comic book story that was both crazy and dreamy.
This internship was too exciting!
-----------------------
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