When Dragon Balls Descend Upon Marvel

With both hearings concluded, Smith Dole and Tony walked out of the conference hall. Just as they were about to part ways, Tony spoke up.

"Hey, buddy, I'm planning to take part in the Monaco Grand Prix. Want to come along?"

Smith glanced at Tony, who had just extended the invitation, and patted him on the shoulder.

"Didn't we just sort out your chest issue? Why are you still itching to join such a dangerous race?"

Tony grinned.

"This was planned a long time ago. Besides, racing is fun, isn't it?"

"We might be superheroes, but we shouldn't forget to enjoy the world."

"Come on, buddy, let's go together."

Seeing Tony's enthusiastic invitation, Smith shrugged, then smiled.

"Since you put it that way, I guess I'll reluctantly agree."

Tony waved his hand.

"OK, I'll let you know when we leave. We'll head out together."

Tony then got into his car with Pepper Potts and drove back to his seaside villa.

Once they were home, Tony noticed Pepper's serious expression.

"Something wrong?"

Pepper, who had been holding it in all the way back, couldn't restrain herself any longer.

"Why did you donate all our modern art collections to the Boy Scouts of America?"

Hearing this, Tony slapped his forehead. It was a decision he'd made a few days earlier when he thought he didn't have long to live, figuring he'd settle some of his affairs.

Now, though his problem wasn't entirely solved, death was no longer imminent. But since the donation had been made, there was no backing out.

"The Boy Scouts are a meaningful organization," Tony said, forcing a smile. "But I didn't personally check the crates. Did you send everything?"

Pepper raised her voice.

"Yes. All of it. Eight thousand and ten pieces in total."

"It took me ten years to curate that collection. I don't understand why you'd give it all away — there's sentiment in those pieces."

Tony's mouth twitched involuntarily. That much art… yeah, it stung. But he could only keep up the act.

"Don't worry about it. At least it's tax-deductible. We needed to do it."

He knew full well that if he tried to backtrack, it would be front-page news, and he couldn't take that hit to his pride.

Pepper sighed. "Fine. Since it's done, I won't press it. But what about that chest issue Smith mentioned outside the hearing? How's your chest?"

In response, Tony unbuttoned his shirt, revealing a completely unblemished chest.

"Oh my God. Where's the arc reactor? And the shrapnel near your heart…?"

Pepper, stunned, reached out to touch his chest. After confirming it was real, she still couldn't believe it.

"How… how is this possible? Is this what Smith meant about your chest?"

Buttoning his shirt again, Tony said,

"Pepper, you wouldn't believe the treatment pod they have over there — it's light-years ahead of anything in modern medicine."

"I feel ten years younger. The shrapnel's gone, and my chest wound is completely healed."

"But it's not cheap — three hundred million dollars per use. Make sure you transfer the money once you're back at the office."

Pepper smiled.

"That's worth every penny. Now you'll never have to worry about shrapnel killing you. Was this also developed by that scientist Bulma?"

"But it wasn't on display at the expo."

Tony nodded.

"Other than that young woman, I can't think of any other top-tier scientist around Smith."

"If word gets out about that pod, you can't imagine how insane the older billionaires will get."

"Pepper, I think you should try it too. It restores your body to peak condition — to put it bluntly, it extends your life."

Pepper gasped, covering her mouth. If that was true, the world's wealthy — especially the aging elite — would go mad for it.

Then she thought about the expo.

"The expo's a waste of time. Shouldn't we shorten it? A whole year is way too long."

Tony shook his head.

"Nothing matters more to me than the expo. It's what I care about most."

Pepper frowned.

"I don't get it. The expo is just your vanity talking. And Stark Industries is a mess right now — you've been absent for too long."

As they headed toward the basement lab, Tony said,

"You know my stock price is through the roof, right?"

"From a management perspective, the company's a mess," Pepper insisted, following him.

Tony opened the lab door.

"Let's talk about something else."

"I wanted to tell you we landed the wind farm contract," Pepper said.

Tony, distracted by the lab's interior, muttered,

"Don't talk to me about wind. Too much hot air."

"And the waste treatment plant contract — that was your idea," she pressed. "They're all taking their salaries, but you're not making decisions."

Tony turned to her.

"All my ideas, yes. But I'm done caring about those liberal agenda projects — too boring."

"I'm going to give you a boring warning," he added.

"What's that supposed to mean?" she asked, confused.

"I just thought of something — right now," Tony said.

"You run the company."

"I am running it," Pepper replied.

"No, no, no. Not try. Not temporarily. I mean you run it — completely."

(End of Chapter)

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