Cards of the Egyptian Gods

Wakanda Research Center

Nebula was strapped to a Vibranium experimental bed, dozens of thin data cables connected to her head, each shimmering with a faint fluorescence. Tony and Shuri stood in front of the holographic projection, their brows furrowed as they stared at the constantly flowing alien code.

"This thing is more complicated than I thought." Tony rubbed his temples, looking somewhat tired. "Thanos's encryption technology is practically stolen from the future."

Shuri's fingers flew across the holographic keyboard, and the data stream projected by the Kimoyo Bracelet kept changing. "Her memory storage structure is completely different from ours. We need to crack the basic language logic first before we can read the useful information."

Tony sighed. "So we're essentially deciphering a diary written in an alien script, and this diary even has a self-destruct mechanism?"

"More or less." Shuri nodded, a defiant glint in his eyes. "But even the most complex systems have flaws. Give me some time."

Tony glanced at the unconscious Nebula; her mechanical face twitched occasionally under the onslaught of data, as if struggling in a nightmare. He pursed his lips and suddenly asked, "Does she feel pain?"

Shuri's fingers paused for a moment, then continued, "Theoretically, her pain receptors have been modified by Thanos into a signal feedback system, not true 'pain,' but... if the data stream overloads, her consciousness may produce a stress response similar to pain."

Tony was silent for a moment, then said in a low voice, "Then take it slow."

Shuri glanced at him, a slight smile playing on her lips, "I thought you'd be eager to pry her head open as soon as possible."

Tony shrugged. "I do want to, but... I don't think Chen Tian would want me to become that kind of person."

The lab door slid open, and Steve and Natasha walked in. Steve's gaze swept over Nebula, then he looked at Tony: "Any progress?"

Tony shook his head. "We're still cracking the basic language layer. The alien code is harder to crack Wakanda's Vibranium."

Natasha walked to the lab bed and looked coldly at Nebula: "How long has she been unconscious?"

"Six hours," Shuri replied. "The effects of your poison on her are waning; she could wake up at any moment."

Natasha's red lips pressed into a thin line. "If she wakes up, call me, and I'll give her another injection."

Tony raised an eyebrow, a rare smile returning to his face, "Wow, Black Widow is unusually irritable today."

Natasha gave him a cold glance. "Chen Tian's fate is currently unknown, and she is the only clue. Do you think I'm in the mood for jokes?"

Tony raised his hands. "Okay, okay, I was wrong."

Steve walked up to the holographic projection, frowning as he looked at the flashing code. "So, we have absolutely no idea where Chen Tian was teleported to?"

"So far, yes." Shuri sighed. "Her memories are only fragments of the mission; Thanos never told her the complete plan."

"It seems this Thanos is extremely ruthless," Tony sneered. "To everyone, they're just pawns."

Not long after, the automatic door to the laboratory slid open silently, and 2B's slender figure appeared in the doorway.

"Master is safe now." 2B said, glancing at everyone, her tactical visor slightly tilting towards the bound Nebula. This gesture conveyed the unspoken message to everyone—some things were inappropriate to say in front of this 'Thanos's pawn'.

Natasha's red lips curled into a cold smile. She lightly tapped Nebula's nape with her slender index finger, causing Nebula's body to twitch a few times before falling silent again.

Shuri's fingers swiped rapidly across the tablet, and a holographic projection showed that the entire laboratory was enveloped by Vibranium- grade electromagnetic barrier.

2B then reached out, and a chip emitting a faint blue light appeared in her palm. Tony practically snatched it and stuffed it into the reader, and Chen Tian's holographic image immediately unfolded in the center of the laboratory.

"Hey everyone, missed me? I've suddenly disappeared again, hahaha." Chen Tian laughed heartlessly in the projection.

"I'm on Xandar now. That damn Purple Potato Monster teleported me here, but luckily I wasn't affected by the spatial portal, so you don't need to worry too much," Chen Tian shrugged and spread his hands.

Tony breathed a sigh of relief. "This guy, everyone's worried about him, but he's still so carefree."

In the video, Chen Tian continued, "I can't go back for the time being, but I'll try to retrieve some alien technology to upgrade the Arbitrators's technology, so," Chen Tian sat up straight.

"Your first task is to eliminate any threat from Thanos's remnants on Blue Planet. 2B and Dante will be Blue Planet to support your operations."

"Secondly, it's about quelling the conflict in the Black Continent and addressing the changes in surveillance methods."

"I'll go back as soon as possible. If possible, I'll try to eliminate Thanos's threat outside of Blue Planet. Oh, and by the way..."

Chen Tian suddenly remembered something. "Tony, find a way to contact Thor and ask him to check if the Reality Stone, Space Stone, and Mind Stone are missing from Odin's Vault. If they are not missing, have him give them to Bayonetta."

At this point, Chen Tian leaned back lazily in his chair again, "Tony, take good care of Blue Planet. I don't want to go back to find it in complete chaos. Also, I've left you a surprise; 2B will be in your care."

Chen Tian winked at everyone, "Don't miss me too much, okay? Love you all, sending hearts~"

The video projection slowly dissipated into the air, and the tense atmosphere in the laboratory finally relaxed.

Tony spread his hands exaggeratedly. "This kid's having so much fun in space, he doesn't even want to bring his Uncle Tony along?" He deliberately dragged out the words, "My 'Eclipse' suit can fly in space too."

Natasha's tense shoulders finally relaxed. "I knew that kid wouldn't get into trouble so easily." She toyed with a strand of red hair with her slender fingers. "But when he gets back, I'll have to teach him a lesson on how not to worry his sister."

Steve shook his head and smiled helplessly, "Chen Tian's personality has been corrupted by Tony."

Ignoring Tony's protests, he looked at 2B and asked, "What's this 'surprise' he's talking about?"

2B walked up to Shuri, took Shuri's tablet, and placed his finger on the tablet, watching the data stream flow through the tactical goggles.

A holographic projection unfolded in the laboratory, displaying the words 'Arbitrator Recruitment Plan' in large letters.

Tony stared at the 'Arbitrator Recruitment Plan' on the holographic projection, his eyebrows raised high. "This kid... secretly set up an HR department behind my back?"

Steve carefully examined the files of Daredevil, Cyclops, and Iceman, lost in thought, "Scott and Bobby, I fought alongside them, and they are indeed reliable Warriors. But what about the X-Men..."

"Charles indeed in a difficult situation right now," Natasha continued, tapping the Mutant Academy logo on the projection. "After the United Nations Security Council collapsed, Mutants lost their last official protection. Although they cooperated with the Arbitrators once before, which eased their situation somewhat, discrimination against Mutants by ordinary people still exists."

"Selecting a few X-Men members to join the Arbitrators isn't difficult; Charles won't refuse. He's eager to demonstrate Mutants justice to the public." Tony turned to 2B. "What other instructions did Chen Tian leave? What's the specific implementation plan for this recruitment?"

2B's tactical visor flashed. "Master suggests prioritizing contact with Daredevil. His solo fighting has already angered the major gangs in Hell's Kitchen, who are now trying to deal with Daredevil."

"Matt Murdock?" Natasha chuckled. "That stubborn lawyer? I bet he frowns at the word 'organization'."

2B spoke again, "Master, I specifically mentioned that Professor Charles's Xavier Institute also has some potential candidates, but they haven't matured yet and need to be included in long-term evaluation."

After listening to 2B's words, Tony clapped his hands. "In that case, let's get busy!"

He turned to Shuri, a signature Stark smile on his face, "Little princess, how about considering becoming a lab technician at the Arbitrators? I'd love to work with Wakanda's brightest mind."

Shuri crossed her arms, a slight smile playing on her lips. "Stark, I can cooperate with the Arbitrators in Wakanda just the same. Besides..." she winked mischievously, "I don't want to listen to your narcissistic speeches Tenten."

"Hey!" Tony exaggeratedly clutched his chest. "That's a really hurtful thing to say. But..." He shrugged. "Wakanda's labs are actually not that much worse than mine."

2B timely interrupted their bickering, "Master specifically instructed that Stark and Mr. Rogers would jointly serve as the examiners for the recruitment program."

Steve raised an eyebrow upon hearing this. "That Chen Tian... he certainly knows how to make arrangements." He looked at Tony, "Looks like we'll have to cooperate well."

Tony made a face. "Don't worry, old man, I'll take care of you." He turned to Natasha. "As for you, how about we go meet that Daredevil?"

Natasha elegantly tossed her red hair. "That's exactly what I was thinking. Matt Murdock isn't someone who's easily persuaded; it takes some... special negotiation skills."

"It's settled then." Tony snapped his the Snap. "Steve, you and Banner will contact Xavier Institute. Natasha and I will go to Hell's Kitchen." He looked at 2B. "As for you..."

2B nodded slightly. "I will remain at headquarters to monitor any unusual situations globally in conjunction with JARVIS. Dante and Madara Uchiha have already gone to the Black Continent war zone."

Shuri suddenly interrupted, "Wait, you're just leaving like that?" She pointed to Nebula on the lab bed, "What do we do with this 'spoils of war'?"

The lab fell silent. Tony stroked his chin, pondering for a moment. "Keep her for now. Some of the alien technology she possesses can still improve our technological level." He looked at Natasha. "Could we give her another injection? Make sure she doesn't wake up before we get back."

Natasha had already pulled out a syringe. "Sure thing." She skillfully placed her fingertip on the injection port in Nebula's neck. Poor Nebula was being injected with an even more potent toxin; who knows if she'll become an idiot when she wakes up.

"Alright, everyone," Tony clapped his hands, "Let's begin this 'talent recruitment fair.' Hopefully, when Chen Tian returns, he'll see an even stronger team of Arbitrators."

Steve picked up his shield, a smile playing on his lips. "At least this time, we don't have to worry about him suddenly disappearing."

Tony walked towards the lab door, then suddenly turned back. "By the way, Shuri, although you declined my invitation, the lab door is always open for you. After all..." He winked, "Geniuses always appreciate each other."

Shuri rolled her eyes, but couldn't hide the smile on her lips, "Let's go, Stark. Your narcissism is seriously off the charts."

The moment Tony and Natasha boarded the Silverwing Fiendstar, the fighter jet's AI system automatically activated, and a dark blue holographic projection lit up the cockpit. Tony had just fastened his seatbelt when 2B's voice suddenly came through the communicator. "Stark, Master has prepared a special gift for you, inside your 'adorable' suit of armor."

Tony's finger hovered above the control panel, his brow furrowed. "Wait, what's that little bastard up to now..." He suddenly stopped, his expression turning strange. "Could it be..."

Natasha, already buckled in her seatbelt, raised an eyebrow at the question, "What? Has our genius inventor suddenly lost his memory?" A slight smile played on her red lips. "I remember someone had a particularly 'cute' suit of armor..."

"Shut up, Natasha." Tony gritted his teeth and pressed the communication button. "2B, you better tell me that suit of armor has been destroyed."

2B's voice remained calm. "The original Mark-2 unit is currently stored in your armory. Master specifically instructed that the gift is located under the left foot of the armor."

Tony slapped his forehead. "I knew it! That kid's too vengeful! He hasn't forgotten the prank he did at the Stark Charity Gala."

Natasha finally couldn't help but laugh out loud, "Tony, are you sure that was just a prank? You know, that car was repeatedly shown on major media outlets and online platforms the next day, along with Chen Tian's bewildered face."

"That's art!" Tony retorted stubbornly, while quickly inputting a command to bring up the hangar monitoring. The holographic screen immediately displayed the Mark-2 armor painted with a Hello Kitty theme—a pink body with exaggerated cat whiskers and a pair of fluffy cat ears on top.

Tony's expression was as if he'd swallowed a lemon whole. "F.R.I.D.A.Y., activate the armor self-destruct sequence immediately!"

"Sorry, Boss," F.R.I.D.A.Y.'s voice rang out, "Mr. Chen has modified system permissions; this command requires biometric verification."

Natasha was laughing so hard her shoulders were shaking, "Need me to take a picture for us? The Arbitrators' group chat will definitely love this photo."

Tony glared at her fiercely and said reluctantly, "Fux! Fine, I'll go see what that little bastard is up to now!"

As the two arrived at the Arbitrator Tower's armory at breakneck speed aboard the Silverwing Fiendstar, the comical suit of armor appeared even more glaring under the lights.

" On F.R.I.D.A.Y., activate the armor's isolation barrier."

"Sorry, Boss, the barrier has been set with a biometric voiceprint password by Mr. Chen, and I cannot activate it."

Tony shrugged at Natasha, "Nobody told me the password, so let's just forget about it."

Tony was having second thoughts, but 2B's voice rang out again, "Stark, please approach the barrier. After your pupils are scanned, the password will be displayed automatically."

Tony didn't want to do it; he knew Chen Tian was definitely going to play a trick on him. But Natasha pushed him closer to the barrier.

Tony stood before the isolation barrier of the armory, his expression shifting between anger and uncertainty. He took a deep breath, slowly approached the barrier, and let the scanning beam sweep across his pupils.

A line of flashing pink text appeared on the holographic screen:

"My name is Tony Stark, I'm a billionaire, and also a little princess who loves Barbie and Hello Kitty, Pinky Pinky, Sparkly Little Pink Star~ Princess Tony~" (Now, please follow my instructions, Pinky and sparkly, Sparkly Little Pink Star~ Princess Tony ~)

The entire armory fell into a deathly silence.

Natasha suddenly covered her mouth, her shoulders trembling violently. "I... I need... the recording..." she shakily pulled out her phone. "F.R.I.D.A.Y.... could... could we play it again?"

Tony's face went from red to green, then to an eerie purple. "That little bastard..." he said through gritted teeth, "I swear, when he gets back..."

"Stark," 2B reminded him at the right moment, but if you listened carefully, you could hear that 2B was barely suppressing a laugh, "You need to repeat the password in full to remove the barrier."

Tony closed his eyes, took a deep breath. "Okay. I am Tony Stark, a billionaire, a little princess who loves Barbie and Hello Kitty~ Now, by my command, pink and sparkly little pink stars~ Princess Tony ~"

As the last syllable faded, the isolation barrier emitted a soft 'ding' and slowly rose. Even more devastatingly, the entire armory suddenly erupted with the upbeat background music of "Barbie Girl," and pink lights flickered all around.

Natasha was already squatting on the ground laughing, her red hair shaking with her movements. "Tony... I never knew... you had such... interests..."

Tony, his face ashen, yelled at F.R.I.D.A.Y., "F.R.I.D.A.Y., disable all recording functions!"

2B's laughter rang out. "Sorry, Stark, Master specifically set it up so that recording would automatically start as soon as you said those words. The recording of you saying the command is currently saved in Master's 'Tony Stark's Treasured Memories'."

"Ugh~ Damn it!" Tony clutched his head, looking utterly devastated.

Natasha was laughing so hard she fell to the ground. Tony was a notorious troublemaker; the Arbitrators had all been pranked by him at parties to varying degrees, and this was reaping what he sowed.

Tony kicked the armor hard, and the armor plate on the left foot suddenly popped open, revealing a small projection device. Chen Tian's holographic image popped up, with Tony's familiar wicked grin on his face.

"Congratulations, Princess Tony!" Chen Tian laughed heartily in the video, clutching his stomach. "I knew you'd do anything for a gift!"

Tony rolled his Byakugan in annoyance. This was a recording Chen Tian had set up beforehand, and he couldn't possibly take his anger out on the recording.

"Isn't it incredibly introverted? Haha!" Chen Tian in the holographic image laughed so hard he almost fell over, but quickly composed himself. "Alright, I'm just teasing you. This gift was originally a backup plan because I was worried that something might go wrong if I suddenly wasn't by your side."

Just as Tony was about to lash out, a card shimmering with golden light suddenly popped out from a hidden compartment under his armor. The material was neither gold nor solid, with patterns resembling liquid sunlight flowing across its surface, emitting a soft hum in the air.

"This is...?" Tony bent down to pick up the card, feeling a burning sensation on his fingertips.

The front of the card is engraved with a golden divine bird with outstretched wings—its wingspan is so vast that it blots out the sky, and its feathers are made of pure gold, each one shimmering with the flames of the sun. The bird's head is shaped like a pure gold eagle, its beak open as if about to spew flames, its eyes shining with red light, and a huge blue gem on its forehead, from which the eternal flames of the sun dance.

"The Sun God's Winged Dragon..." Tony murmured the name that came to mind.

The Winged Dragon of Ra on the front of the card seemed to sense Tony's call, changing its posture and turning its head to look at Tony.

[The elven song, the ancient power governs all things! Its life, its soul, even its bones. When heaven and earth meet, the ritual to summon the sun god begins! Descent, Sun God's Winged Dragon!]

Chen Tian's image suddenly turned serious like never before. "Tony, this isn't some toy, nor is it an ordinary weapon." His projection suddenly enlarged, clearly displaying the details of the card, "The creature in this card is a true divine beast—a being countless times more powerful than those two dragons of the Himalayas."

The crimson patterns on the back of the card suddenly lit up, forming an ancient sealing array. Chen Tian's voice had a metallic quality. "See these divine blood markings? Each summon consumes one unit. But that's not the point..." The image suddenly flickered violently, "The point is, if this guy is fully unleashed, he can even confront Dimensional Demon God head-on."

"So, keep it safe. Although only you and I can use this card right now, it's a gift from me, Tony. I hope you'll try not to need to use it."

"Remember, Tony, if you encounter something you can't handle, let Dante and the others solve it. You know they're incredibly strong. Don't use this card unless absolutely necessary, after all, the Winged Dragon of Ra of Ra's attacks are extremely destructive."

Chen Tian's video projection smiled at Tony before disappearing completely.

Tony and Natasha stood in the armory, the pink lights and the background music of "Barbie Girl" continuing, but the two fell into a long silence. The golden card in Tony's palm was slightly warm, as if it were pulsating with life, and the patterns of the Winged Dragon of Ra shimmered with a sacred light under the lamplight.

Natasha stared at the card, her red lips slightly pursed, and after a long while, she spoke softly, "This guy... he's not even this nice to his sister."

Tony paused for a moment, then chuckled softly, his fingers gently tracing the runes on the edge of the card. "This kid..." He shook his head, his tone tinged with helplessness, yet unable to hide a hint of satisfaction, "He always argues with me, but he always manages to think things through to the long term."

Natasha crossed her arms and leaned against her armor, a slight smile playing on her lips, "What, are you moved?"

"Touched?" Tony raised an eyebrow, feigning disdain with a snort. "I was just wondering where this kid got his hands on something of this caliber." He stared down at the card, the Winged Dragon of Ra's eyes seemingly staring back at him, golden light reflected in its pupils. "But..." he paused, his voice lowering slightly, "It is indeed a nice gift."

Natasha chuckled and patted his shoulder. "Alright, stop being so sentimental, Princess Tony."

"Hey!" Tony glared at her immediately. "Don't mention that word again!"

Natasha shrugged, her smile widening. "Too late, I've already recorded it."

Tony rolled his eyes, but his expression quickly turned serious. He looked down at the reactor in his chest, paused for a few seconds, then looked up and said, " On F.R.I.D.A.Y., contact Dr. Wu and have him arrange the removal surgery."

The AI's voice immediately announced, "Dr. Wu's surgery has been scheduled for you, Boss."

Natasha raised an eyebrow slightly. "What, you've suddenly come to a realization?"

Tony tapped the reactor on his chest lightly with his fingers, a relieved smile playing on his lips. "Yeah, maybe... it's time to take it off."

Natasha gazed at him, her eyes softening slightly. "If Chen Tian knew, he'd probably be smug for a long time."

"Hmph, let him be smug." Tony chuckled, patting the reactor on his chest. The nanoparticles inside the reactor gathered in his left chest. He carefully stored the card in the inner layer of his armor. "Anyway, I'll settle the score with him when he gets back."

Natasha smiled and shook her head, then turned and walked towards the fighter jet. "Let's go, we still have Daredevil to see."

Tony glanced one last time in the direction of the armory. The pink lights gradually dimmed, and the music stopped, but the golden card seemed to still radiate warmth from his palm. He took a deep breath, followed Natasha, a faint smile playing on his lips, a sense of pride that 'my child has grown up.'