Chapter 9: The Technology Pull
Dawn broke over Malibu, but Ben had been awake for hours, staring at the System interface floating before his eyes. Fifteen Premium Tickets. One shot at something incredible. His adult mind knew the statistics—6% chance for S-Rank normally, but with Hero Focus on Technology, those odds improved dramatically for tech-based abilities.
The ocean waves crashed against the cliffs below his window, a steady rhythm that matched his hammering heart. This was it. The moment that could change everything about his trajectory in this world.
"Iron Man, Batman, Cyborg, Rocket Raccoon... any of them would be game-changing."
He took a deep breath and confirmed: "YES."
The gacha interface exploded into a dazzling lightshow, more spectacular than any pull he'd done before. The slots spun through dozens of tech heroes—Iron Man's red and gold armor, Batman's utility belt, Cyborg's cybernetic enhancements, Shuri's Wakandan technology, even Doc Ock's mechanical arms. The Hero Focus narrowed the pool to technology-based abilities, increasing his chances of getting something revolutionary.
Results appeared one by one, each accompanied by a surge of new knowledge:
Pull 1: Hacking Basics (B-Rank, Level 1)
Pull 2: Advanced Engineering (B-Rank, Level 1)
Pull 3: Tech Analysis (B-Rank, Level 1)
Ben's excitement built with each B-Rank result. Three in a row was unusual—the Hero Focus was definitely working.
Pull 4: Mechanical Intuition (C-Rank, Level 1)
Pull 5: Circuit Design (C-Rank, Level 1)
Pull 6: Computer Programming (C-Rank, Level 1)
The knowledge from each ability flooded his mind—understanding of electronic systems, programming languages, engineering principles. His ten-year-old brain struggled to process adult-level technical concepts, but the System's integration made it feel natural, intuitive.
Pulls 7-13: Various C-Rank technical abilities
His heart hammered as the fourteenth pull loaded. This was it—his last chance for something spectacular. The interface slowed dramatically, golden light erupting from the gacha machine. Dramatic music played that only he could hear.
Pull 14: IRON MAN'S ARC REACTOR TECHNOLOGY (S-RANK, LEVEL 1)
SOURCE: IRON MAN (S-RANK HERO, +25% EXP)
ELITE SYNERGY UNLOCKED
Ben had to physically cover his mouth to avoid shouting. An S-Rank ability! From Tony himself! The knowledge that flooded in was overwhelming—schematics for miniaturized fusion reactors, energy conversion principles, power distribution systems. All at 12% potency, but enough to understand the fundamental physics that made Tony's technology possible.
The final pull yielded Gadget Crafting (C-Rank), a perfect complement to his new arsenal.
[TOTAL HAUL: 1 S-RANK, 3 B-RANKS, 11 C-RANKS]
[ELITE SYNERGY DETECTED: 3+ TECH ABILITIES EQUIPPED]
[BONUS: +15% EFFECTIVENESS TO ALL TECHNOLOGY ABILITIES]
[TOTAL POWER: 2,100]
[NEW QUEST: HELP TONY SOLVE 5 ENGINEERING PROBLEMS]
[REWARD: 3 LEGENDARY TICKETS]
Ben spent the morning in his room, sketching Arc Reactor designs from his new knowledge. The S-Rank ability let him understand what he was drawing—the palladium core structure, the energy conversion mechanisms, the miniaturization challenges that made the technology so revolutionary.
But here was the problem: he was supposed to be a ten-year-old street kid. If he revealed this knowledge too quickly, questions would multiply exponentially. Tony was already suspicious about his warnings, and JARVIS was monitoring his behavioral patterns.
"I need to play this carefully. Reveal insights gradually, make 'lucky guesses,' act like I'm learning rather than knowing."
His adult mind created a strategy. He'd pretend JARVIS was teaching him, use Tony's own explanations to "suddenly understand" complex concepts. It was manipulation, and it made him uncomfortable, but keeping the System secret was paramount.
The opportunity came at breakfast when Tony mentioned fighting instability in the Mark II's flight system.
"Ice buildup at high altitudes is causing power fluctuations," Tony said, sipping his coffee while reviewing holographic diagnostics. "The suit's losing efficiency above thirty thousand feet."
Ben saw the solution immediately—his Arc Reactor Technology showing him the energy flow problem in crystalline clarity. The cold was affecting the reactor's thermal output, creating feedback loops in the power distribution system. But he couldn't just blurt out the answer.
Instead, he asked innocent questions. "Mr. Stark, does the cold make the energy go weird?"
Tony paused mid-sip, looking at him with sudden attention. "What makes you ask that?"
Ben shrugged, playing dumb while his heart raced. "I dunno, I just thought... like, the glowy thing in your chest makes heat, right? So cold would fight it?"
It was simple, childlike logic that happened to point toward the exact issue. Tony stared at him for a long moment, then laughed—but it was the laugh of someone recognizing unexpected wisdom.
"Out of the mouths of babes. JARVIS, run thermal differential calculations on the RT power distribution. Cross-reference with altitude-based temperature variations."
"Calculations complete, sir. Young Master Parker's observation appears to be correct. The arc reactor's thermal output is indeed creating inefficiency cascades when exposed to extreme cold."
Tony ruffled Ben's hair, but his eyes held new calculation. "You might have a future in engineering, kid."
Later that morning, Tony returned to his workshop with Ben's casual observation churning in his mind. The kid's drawings yesterday, the palladium warning, now this—there was definitely a pattern emerging.
"JARVIS, I need that behavioral analysis you mentioned."
"Sir, I've completed analysis of young Parker's behavioral patterns. The statistical probability of his insights being coincidental is 0.003%."
Tony's expression darkened with thought. "So either he's a genius hiding in a kid's body, or something weirder is going on. Keep monitoring, J. But gently—I don't want to scare him off."
What Tony didn't know was that Ben could hear this entire conversation through the floor thanks to Enhanced Hearing at Level 14. He was currently in his room, panicking about being too obvious while simultaneously trying to plan his next careful revelation.
"I helped solve a real problem, but now he's watching me even more closely. The balancing act has officially begun."
The irony wasn't lost on him—he was trying to help Tony while hiding the very abilities that made his help possible. But the S-Rank Arc Reactor Technology burning in his mind was worth the risk. With this foundation, he could build technology that would make him a true partner to Iron Man instead of just a protected child.
The game had changed. Now he just had to play it perfectly.
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