Although Tony was one of the few super geniuses and top billionaires in all of America,
he was an extremely lonely person.
99.99% of the people around him approached him with various ulterior motives.
Perhaps they were after his wealth, needed a favor, or wanted to exploit him.
It was because he had seen through this early on...
...that for so many years, the only people who truly reached his inner heart, besides Pepper and Happy, were no one else.
Even Dr. Ethan and Colonel Rhodes had only barely touched that threshold.
But today, Peter's words and actions, along with his unconditional trust, made him that third person.
Even in Tony's heart at this moment, Peter's status had already surpassed Happy's and was enough to stand on equal footing with Pepper's.
Feeling this heavy trust, after a long while, Tony took a deep breath and lightly thumped his chest toward Peter.
"You just watch, kid! Just for this trust of yours!"
"I promise to build the strongest Iron Man Suits in the World for you and your two little girlfriends!"
Regarding this, Peter didn't continue to be sentimental with Tony, but instead unceremoniously proposed the black technologies that his, Gwen's, and Felicia's Iron Man Suits should have.
While the two were discussing enthusiastically, Pepper walked in with Captain America, who was looking around like a country bumpkin.
"Oh ho, isn't this America's number one firm ass~"
Seeing Captain America's arrival, Tony couldn't help but crack a joke.
Hearing this, Pepper quietly took a peek. Mmm... she had to admit, it really was quite firm, to the point that even she, a woman, felt inferior.
Mr. Old Popsicle was still a bit at a loss with such teasing. After a moment of silence, he unnaturally shifted the topic.
"Director, is there something important you need to inform me about that you called me here specifically today?"
Hearing this, Peter put away his smile and spoke.
"Captain, you're absolutely right. I called you here this time because there are indeed several very important things I want to talk to you all about."
As he spoke, he took several items out of the backpack he was carrying.
The first item was the video tape of the new element left to Tony by Howard Stark.
As Peter played the tape, Tony, who had been bragging and joking with Peter, was instantly stunned.
At first, he appeared somewhat absent-minded.
But as his father's words in the recording became more sincere, and as he gradually felt his father's earnest expectations for him...
Tony couldn't help but purse his lips, and his eyes once again grew faintly red.
Beside him, Captain America looked at Howard Stark on the screen, a nostalgic expression unconsciously appearing on his face.
They were figures of the same era. When Captain America was fighting on the battlefields of World War II, he had dealt with this great scientist quite often.
Thinking of this, Captain America's gaze toward Tony unconsciously carried a hint of... kindness.
He didn't even mind the embarrassment of being teased earlier.
As for Peter, he silently watched the changes in their expressions and couldn't help but think to himself:
The timing is about right.
Thus, after the video finished, he spoke coldly.
"Mr. Howard Stark was one of the founders of S.H.I.E.L.D."
"This information, as S.H.I.E.L.D.'s highest secret, has always been sealed in S.H.I.E.L.D.'s secret database."
"That guy Nick Fury clearly had this information all along, yet he didn't bring it out immediately. What kind of scheme is he playing at?"
"I don't think I need to say it explicitly for you to guess, right?"
Hearing this, Tony's face instantly became incredibly gloomy.
Others might not know the flaws of the arc reactor, but how could he, the inventor, not know!
That damned bastard!
He clearly wanted to wait until he was tortured to the point of desperation by palladium poisoning before appearing as a savior and using this tape to trade for his gratitude and loyalty!
Helping when one is already successful is nothing compared to helping in a time of need... It's truly fucking disgusting!
Even Captain America, who previously thought Nick Fury's actions weren't that bad, couldn't help but mutter in his heart, thinking that Nick Fury had indeed acted quite dishonorably.
In the silence, Peter continued to speak:
"The reason I called you here today is related to Mr. Howard's death."
His gaze shifted between Tony and Captain America.
"What I'm about to say will be crazy. I hope you can prepare yourselves mentally in advance."
Peter paused, and only after both had adjusted their mindsets did he hold up three fingers and speak:
"First, HYDRA hasn't disappeared. Today's HYDRA is lurking inside S.H.I.E.L.D.!"
Peter's first sentence was like a heavy bomb, shaking Captain America and Tony so much that their brains felt like they were buzzing.
HYDRA is inside S.H.I.E.L.D.?!
Is this some kind of joke?
Captain America instinctively wanted to speak, but before he could, Peter made a gesture to stay calm and continued.
"Second."
"Captain, your friend Bucky Barnes isn't dead!"
"Now, after several brainwashings, he is working for HYDRA as a secret weapon!"
As soon as Peter said this, Captain America could no longer sit still. He couldn't help but speak excitedly:
"That's impossible. How could Buggy..."
At this point, he couldn't go on.
Because Buggy had originally fallen off a cliff and disappeared while tracking Red Skull.
In that situation, it was indeed very possible for him to be found and brainwashed by HYDRA... Peter glanced at the speechless Captain America and finally spoke:
"Lastly, the deaths of my parents and Mr. Howard Stark are all related to Buggy. HYDRA sent him to carry out these two assassination missions."
Buzz—
The World seemed to lose all sound at this moment.
Tony and Captain America's minds went blank.
Captain America opened his mouth but couldn't make a sound.
His former best friend had killed the parents of his two current friends.
This fact was like a mountain, pressing down until he couldn't breathe.
What stand should he take? What stand could he even take?
Tony, on the other hand, was breathing heavily. His fists clenched and loosened repeatedly, and his teeth were gritting audibly.
He had only just realized how much his father loved him because of that video.
In the blink of an eye, he heard the truth about his murder.
And the killer... Tony's gaze turned with difficulty toward Captain America beside him.
He saw the endless pain and conflict on the other man's face, those eyes that didn't even dare to meet his own.
If Buggy weren't Captain America's good brother, he would definitely set out right now, scour the earth to find him, and blast him to pieces with a single shot.
But now... endless anger, sadness, and conflict turned his brain into a mess. Even his genius mind didn't know how to solve this problem.
Thus, only the heavy and oppressive sound of the two men's breathing remained in the room... Peter felt a bit uneasy seeing their pained and conflicted states.
But he knew these were things that had to be experienced.
For a poisonous thorn hidden under the skin, only by tearing open the wound and picking it out completely can it be thoroughly healed...