With the external enemies neutralized, Shiranui Hayate walked over to the Blue Snake.
"Blue Snake, I'm leaving the perimeter to you. If anyone else shows up, just crush them."
"Understood, Lord Hayate," the massive serpent rasped.
Leaving the snake on guard, Hayate stepped into the cave. The interior was reasonably well-lit by artificial lights, so he deactivated his Sharingan. After navigating several twists and turns, he reached the primary holding cell. The heavy iron door swung wide, and seven or eight corpses were scattered across the floor.
In the center of the room, Pakkun lay on the ground, keeping a watchful eye on the tunnel. When he saw Hayate enter, the pug stood up.
"Lord Hayate, the mission is successfully completed. The target is unharmed."
"Good work, Pakkun." Hayate stepped forward and gave the dog a small pat on the head.
Hearing their conversation, Tony Stark and Yinsen emerged from a shadowy corner. Tony looked at the newcomer with intense curiosity. "You're Hayate?"
"Who sent you to get me? And how did you find this place?"
Tony fired off the questions rapidly, then glanced down at the pug. "Your Ninja Hound here... he's something else."
Hayate surveyed the two men. He wasn't surprised to see Yinsen alive; with Pakkun on the scene, protecting Tony naturally meant protecting his assistant as well. He wondered briefly if Yinsen's survival would alter the "Iron Man" legacy, but seeing the half-assembled Mark 1 armor and the glowing Ark Reactor in Tony's chest, he figured the core pieces were already in place.
"I am Shiranui Hayate, owner of the Shiranui Agency," he replied calmly.
"As for why I'm here—it's because of your secretary, Pepper Potts. She came to my agency and commissioned a mission to bring you back alive. She paid 100 million dollars for the service."
Tony blinked, momentarily stunned. He hadn't expected Pepper to be the one to orchestrate his rescue. As for the 100 million? A drop in the bucket. He didn't care about the price.
"Thank you," Tony said, his voice sincere. "It seems your agency is quite capable. The U.S. military couldn't find me, but you succeeded."
Hayate smiled, glancing at the scattered components. "You two are the only ones left alive in this complex. The rest of the enemies have been... handled. Gather what you need; we're leaving shortly."
Relief washed over Tony. "There's nothing to gather. I don't want to spend another second in this hole. Let's go."
Hayate shook his head. "There's a toxic mist outside the cave that hasn't cleared yet. It's not safe to exit. If you have nothing to pack, just wait here a few minutes."
Tony's eyebrows shot up. "Toxic mist? You used gas grenades?"
"That stuff is technically banned under international law," Tony noted with a shrug. "But don't worry about it. I'll make sure no one looks into it. I can handle the fallout."
He clearly assumed Hayate had deployed chemical weapons to clear the valley so quickly.
Hayate chuckled. "It wasn't a gas grenade, but it is certainly toxic. You'll see when we get out."
Since they had a few minutes to spare, Tony couldn't resist the urge to finish what he'd started. Abandoning a project so close to completion wasn't in his nature. He pulled Yinsen over and began the final assembly of the armor.
Hayate watched with genuine interest. The Mark 1 might be crude compared to later models, but as a fan of this world, seeing the birth of the prototype was a significant moment. It was a piece of history.
As Tony worked, he looked over his shoulder. "So, Hayate... do you own a bio-research lab or something?"
Hayate blinked at the non-sequitur, then looked at Pakkun and realized the source of the question.
"I don't have a lab, Tony. Pakkun can talk, but it's not because of genetic engineering."
Tony shrugged, picking up his pace. He clearly thought Hayate was just being secretive. "Well, can I get one? A talking dog with those kinds of combat skills? Name your price. Though, do you have different breeds? I've always been more of a Golden Retriever guy."
Hayate felt a twinge of pity. "You can't have one, Tony. It's not about the money. In this world, they are unique. You can't just buy them."
Tony sighed, defeated. "Fine. I guess I'll have to settle for being the only guy without a ninja dog."
He looked at Pakkun. "I promised you a lifetime of luxury food, Pakkun. Where should I send it once we're back?"
"The Shiranui Agency will do just fine, sir," Pakkun replied, having secured himself a billionaire's meal ticket.
Tony made a mental note to investigate this "Agency" thoroughly once he hit American soil. He stepped into the frame of the armor. "Yinsen, help me with these bolts."
Yinsen began tightening the fasteners and securing the plates. Once the physical assembly was done, Tony gave the next command. "Yinsen, start the power sequence."
"Tell me what to do."
"Function key 11. Tell me when you see the progress bar."
Yinsen tapped at the rugged laptop. "Okay, it's up. It should be booting now."
"Control key I, then Enter," Tony instructed.
Hayate stood back, watching the progress bar fill up. As the Mark 1 whirred to life, the sun began to rise over the desert horizon outside. The toxic mist was dissipating, and the hundred-meter-long Blue Snake remained coiled at the entrance, its golden eyes watching the dawn.