This Is Also Magic

Returning to the studio, Pepper quickly found the First Generation Miniature Arc Reactor she had gift-wrapped for Tony, the one he built in the cave.

She carefully reinstalled it into Tony's chest, and his complexion improved significantly. His first words upon recovering were a teasing remark to Pepper:

"Not bad, you're much more skilled at installing this than last time!"

"Tony!"

Seeing Tony finally back to normal, Pepper finally breathed a sigh of relief. Tears welled up in her eyes as she hugged him, showering the Feeney beside them with affection.

To prevent the couple from continuing to exude the stench of love, Feeney fully embraced his role as a third wheel, reminding them, "Hey, hey, there's someone else here. And what happened to you? How did you end up like this?"

Hearing Feeney's voice, the two came to their senses. Pepper's face instantly flushed crimson. She quickly let go of Tony and stood up, saying, "I'll go pour some tea."

Tony, being a seasoned Playboy, had an unimaginable thickness to his skin. He was also somewhat displeased with Feeney playing the third wheel: "You ruined a beautiful atmosphere, you know?"

"Give it a rest. You almost lost your life, and you're still talking about beauty?"

Feeney pouted, looking speechless.

"It's precisely because I almost lost my life that I should cherish it more!" Tony replied earnestly. Then, he shakily stood up and formally said, "Thank you!"

This "thank you" likely encompassed both finding Pepper and opening a Portal to save him.

However, his solemn demeanor made Feeney slightly uncomfortable, much like his earlier apology; it didn't seem like Tony's usual personality.

"It's okay. It might have been partly my fault."

Feeney awkwardly turned his head, then felt that his words could be misunderstood, so he explained, "If I hadn't come to see you before, perhaps none of this would have happened."

Tony didn't understand the meaning behind these words, but Feeney knew that without his involvement, Pepper might not have been captured, and while Tony might still have been in danger, he would have eventually found a way out.

But fortunately, Tony didn't press the issue. He was more concerned about something else: "Obadiah took my Arc Reactor. We absolutely cannot let him decipher the technology. We need to find him as soon as possible."

Just then, Pepper returned with a pot of tea. Upon hearing this, she immediately said, "Tony, he was also the one who ordered your kidnapping. And, under the Arc Reactor Project, he established a new hidden Sector Sixteen, which seems to be related to your battle armor."

"I have to go check it out."

Tony struggled to stand up, wanting to put on his battle armor, but still not fully recovered, he swayed even as he walked.

"Alright, you focus on recovering first. I already know about Obadiah," Feeney stopped Tony. After a moment's hesitation, he finally explained, "He obtained the wreckage and blueprints of your First Generation Battle Armor from terrorists and modified it into a larger one."

"But he was missing the most crucial energy source from you. Now that he has it, he'll probably go test it. No need to rush."

Seeing Tony's surprised and confused gaze, he further explained, "Although I can't actively predict the future like my Master, I do know some things, provided I don't participate or change them."

At this moment, Tony finally began to believe Feeney's earlier words about predicting the future and felt a sense of awe towards the Ancient One.

"Here, have a Sumire's Fried Chicken Roll to recover!"

Feeney casually summoned two 'Sumire's Fried Chicken Rolls' and handed them to Tony and Pepper, startling them both.

"When did you make these? Where did you get them?"

Tony scanned Feeney's body. He hadn't seen Feeney take the 'Sumire's Fried Chicken Rolls' from anywhere. Pepper was equally curious.

"Magic! This is also magic!"

Feeney then summoned another one in front of them, leaving them dumbfounded.

Pepper, in particular, had her worldview shattered by the day's events, from the bizarre armor to the astonishing Portal, and now the Sumire's Fried Chicken Rolls.

"It's not made of some weird, strange stuff, is it?"

Tony temporarily put Obadiah out of his mind and examined the fried chicken roll in his hand. If he hadn't felt unwell, he would have wanted to analyze it. However, he then remembered that when he investigated Feeney's background, Feeney had a small shop that specialized in selling fried chicken rolls.

"Just take a bite, and you'll know."

To gain their trust, Feeney took a bite of the one in his hand. A rich aroma wafted out, making Tony and Pepper swallow.

Having experienced what had just happened, the two trusted Feeney quite a bit. They exchanged a look and took a bite of the fried chicken roll.

It could be said that food from the Spirit of Poisoning was indeed worth it. After eating, Pepper's face showed a look of bliss, her breathing becoming heavier, and she unconsciously uttered two words:

"Delicious!"

Tony's expression wasn't as exaggerated, but he showed a look of careful consideration. Finally, he looked at Feeney and commented, "Hmm, it's indeed good. If you can't find a job in the future, you can apply to be my chef."

Feeney rolled his eyes and ignored Tony's joke, continuing to eat the fried chicken roll.

After finishing one, they weren't satisfied and had two more until they were full before stopping. By this time, Tony had also mostly recovered, looking much more energetic.

Having recovered, they began to formally discuss how to solve the problem.

"Do we really not need to notify the police about this?"

Pepper still wanted to resolve the issue through official channels, but the two people beside her disagreed.

"Their slow pace will only mess things up." Tony knew the power of the battle armor and was worried about the harm Iron Monger could cause. He didn't want ordinary people involved, so he spoke with disdain.

"I, for one, don't want to interact with people from that organization yet."

Feeney shrugged, looking helpless.

"That Strategic Bureau?" Tony was curious about Feeney's reason, especially after knowing that Feeney might actually be able to predict the future.

"Mm." Feeney nodded but didn't seem inclined to explain. Just his brief interaction with Tony had caused such a significant impact. If he let slip anything else, Captain America might not even be discovered.

"Alright, two to one. We'll go deal with Obadiah's matter now. You go find Rhode. I've already asked him to send people to protect you," Tony concluded the discussion and said to Pepper.

"Is your energy alright?"

Feeney looked at Tony's chest and asked. After all, this was the first generation built in the cave, and its exquisiteness and energy output were inferior to the meticulously crafted second generation.

He casually tapped his chest, producing two clear dings. Tony said proudly, "The armor is what matters. The energy has been replenished, so there are no problems."

"Alright!"

Feeney nodded and watched Tony head to the machine to equip his armor. He felt a sense of anticipation. He had initially thought he wouldn't get any experience from Iron Monger, but unexpectedly, things had taken a turn, and now he had another chance.

"The battlefield might be at Mount Everest later, be prepared!"

After reminding Tony in advance, Feeney also equipped 'Possessed by Evil Spirit' and opened a portal to Stark Industries' Sector Sixteen.

Under the cover of night, two figures clad in armor of different styles appeared in New York, intending to meet a third.

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