With Leon's smile, the oppressive feeling was truly overwhelming.
No one dared to move.
The air solidified, with only the portal spinning.
Light emanated from it, clearly illuminating the expressions on everyone's faces.
Tony stood in his tattered armor, feeling like a Joker stuck in the middle of a stage, having forgotten his lines.
Go?
Or not go?
That was the question.
To walk in would mean that he, Tony Stark, would enter his own home as a defeated man or someone who had been rescued.
And the Master of the house had changed.
Not go?
Tony glanced at Leon; that guy wasn't looking at him, but instead waited calmly, seemingly certain they wouldn't dare to object.
Reason told Tony he had no choice.
He had just personally experienced the consequences of resistance.
The result? The price was an armor worth hundreds of millions of U.S. dollars and a body that was almost scrapped.
Damn it!
This feeling of being so clearly manipulated was even more speechless than being rubbed on the ground by Thor.
Oh, God! Oh, Jesus! Oh, Virgin Mary! Hong Xiu... cough cough
When did it become an outsider's turn to dictate his life?!
...Thor's heart was in a fierce struggle.
He didn't want to go in.
He didn't want to be under the same roof as the guy who treated him like a portable charger and almost hammered him to smithereens.
The main thing was, he didn't want to be judged under Leon's gaze.
He had just awakened powerful abilities; he was Thor, the future strongest general of Asgard!!
He should return with supreme glory, not be escorted by his older brother to apologize to a Midgardian like this.
His pride and self-esteem were resisting Leon's invitation.
But he didn't dare.
From childhood, his reverence for Leon had been etched into his bones.
Not because Leon was older than him, but because of the composure and confidence in Leon that transcended everything.
From childhood, no matter how much trouble he caused, no matter how brilliant his achievements, as long as Leon looked at him with that kind of gaze, his arrogance would instantly vanish.
It was as if all his efforts and struggles were nothing more than child's play in Leon's eyes.
This feeling made him powerless and also unwilling.
He wanted to say, he was Thor, for the glory of the Northern Gods... well, Leon was the representative.
Soon, the atmosphere on the scene fell into a stalemate.
The first to break the silence was Darcy Lewis.
As a girl full of curiosity and a desire to complain, her courage slowly grew after the initial shock.
Leaving aside how handsome Leon was, with that domineering gaze, which male star in Hollywood could be so handsome?!
Darcy swore that Hollywood actresses would absolutely be overflowing with emotion, unsteady on their feet, and have starry eyes when they saw Leon.
She quietly peeked out from behind Professor Erik, then curiously looked at the portal; this was the second time she had seen it, but it still made her curious.
"Wow," she whispered, nudging Jane beside her with her elbow.
"This is much cooler than flying! Hey, do you think we can go to Hawaii through this portal? I've never been there in my life."
Jane Foster was in no mood to heed her complaints at the moment.
Her heart was filled only with worry and anxiety; she looked at Thor, then at Tony, feeling like she was caught between two sticks.
She didn't know the family situation of Thor and Leon, but she was somewhat afraid to speak about this kind of relationship.
She took a deep breath and bravely took a step forward.
She decided to be the first to walk into the portal.
Perhaps her compliance could ease the tense atmosphere slightly.
Seeing Jane's movement, the smile on Leon's face grew wider.
See, there were always smart people who knew how to choose.
He made a gesture of precedence towards Jane.
Jane gritted her teeth, no longer hesitated, and stepped into the golden light.
The second time passing through the light door felt wonderful; there was still no weightlessness, no dizziness, just like walking in the midday sun.
The next step, she was already standing on the open-air balcony of Stark Tower's top floor.
The New York night breeze brushed her cheek, bringing a hint of coolness that relaxed her tensed nerves.
"Cool!"
Darcy let out a gasp, then rushed in, and like a curious baby, looked around the balcony, exclaiming "Wow, oh my God."
"Oh, God! We're really back in New York!!"
Professor Erik sighed and also followed inside.
Now, only three men remained in the desert.
Oh, right, and a lonely private jet and a lonely driver.
Yes, it was Happy Hogan.
Leon's gaze fell on Thor and Tony.
Looking at his eyes, the two felt as if Leon was saying, "Gentlemen, do I still need to invite you?"
Thor's face flushed red.
He knew he couldn't stall any longer.
In front of Leon, any delay was just bringing humiliation upon himself.
He gritted his teeth, glanced at Tony, his eyes complex.
Finally, he still stepped into the portal... Now, only Tony was left.
Everyone's gaze was focused on him.
Tony felt like a protagonist caught in a spotlight, but he wasn't Happy at all.
He knew Leon was forcing him to take a stand.
Either like an obedient actor, walk into the scene he had arranged.
Or... Tony had no doubt that if he refused, Leon would absolutely have hundreds of ways to get him back to Stark Tower gracefully.
Like throwing him in, packaged.
Tony was never a fool who would choose to clash head-on when at a disadvantage.
"Jarvis," he said in the comms channel.
"Tell Happy to fly the jet back. And have him prepare a medical plan for me."
"Yes, Master."
With that, Tony controlled his armor and slowly walked into the portal.
The moment his figure disappeared, the portal also vanished into the air like melting sunlight.
The desert returned to calm, as if nothing had happened... Stark Tower, top floor balcony.
The atmosphere was slightly awkward.
Thor leaned against the railing with his arms crossed, his face gloomy as he looked at the New York night view, as if the brilliant lights held a grudge against him.
Because Tony had carried Leon's energy earlier, Thor's cape had several large holes burned into it by the impact, making him look somewhat disheveled.
But Thor was fine; Tony's situation was worse.
His armor had become a pile of scrap metal.
The arc reactor on his chest was dim, the armor's surface was covered with cracks and charred marks, and the system in his left arm had malfunctioned.
He couldn't walk independently and could only barely stand with the armor's support system.
The two were like friends in a silent feud.
One sulked, the other held on, neither looking at the other, neither speaking.
Jane, Darcy, and Erik stood by, at a loss, wanting to mediate but not knowing where to begin.
The most relaxed was Leon; he completely ignored the tense atmosphere.
Then he walked to the bar, took out a bottle of whiskey from the liquor cabinet, and poured himself a glass.
He leaned against the bar, took a small sip, and a look of enjoyment appeared on his face.
"Hmm, not bad," he muttered to himself.
"Master Stark's taste is commendable in some aspects. For example, his liquor."
A compliment out of nowhere made Tony's eye twitch again.
What did he mean by "in some aspects"?
Was this guy complimenting me or insulting me?
Tony took a deep breath and retorted.
"If you like it, I can give you the entire liquor cabinet. Consider it payment for your 'repair fee' just now."
He deliberately emphasized the words "repair fee."
He was fighting back.
In the way he was best at.
You treat me like a toy?
Then I'll use money to draw a line between us.
Between us, it's just a transaction!
....
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