Can't get enough? Why not read ahead?
Visit my P@tr3on or K0‑fi ''Isopuff'' page and unlock +20 extra chapters and daily updates!
Your support means the world to me. Check it out and enjoy the story even more!
⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘
Malibu, the Stark Luxury Villa.
"JARVIS, tap into the military network," Tony Stark said casually, never once looking up from his workbench.
His hands continued moving with practiced ease, assembling and disassembling glowing digital components midair. "I want a full report on what actually happened at the Ninth Air Force base."
An entire air force base had vanished. Not damaged. Not crippled.
Erased.
According to the rumors circulating in certain circles, out of the massive Ninth Air Force personnel stationed there, only five people had survived. Everyone else had been wiped out completely.
In the modern era, an incident of that magnitude was no different from a nuclear explosion. Even with the government enforcing the highest level of secrecy imaginable, information like that couldn't be contained forever, at least not from people who knew where to look.
And Tony Stark was definitely one of those people.
After all, Rhodey, his closest friend, came from the Ninth Air Force.
On top of that, Stark Industries had maintained deep, long-term cooperation with the U.S. military. Tony's influence and connections ran through the armed forces like an underground web. There was simply no way something this massive could happen without at least brushing against his radar.
That said, what he'd heard so far were only fragments, disturbing whispers without any solid details. The government wasn't incompetent, and a secrecy order personally signed off by the President carried real weight.
Tony knew only one thing for sure: Something catastrophic had happened to the Ninth Air Force.
As for the specifics? Those were still a mystery. But for Tony Stark, uncovering the truth wasn't exactly a challenge.
In front of JARVIS, most military firewalls were little more than fancy window dressing.
"Sir," JARVIS responded promptly, his calm, artificial voice filling the lab, "All data related to the Ninth Air Force incident has been sealed under the highest level of military encryption. Would you like me to proceed with decryption?"
Tony's hands paused, just for a fraction of a second. 'Highest-level encryption, huh?'
That was all the confirmation he needed.
His instincts had been right. Whatever had happened wasn't just serious; it was earth-shattering. And if there was one thing Tony Stark couldn't resist, it was a mystery on that scale.
"Do it," Tony said without hesitation.
"The military's encryption protocols are… somewhat complex," JARVIS replied after a brief analysis. "Estimated time to breach: approximately five minutes."
"Five minutes?" Tony arched an eyebrow, finally glancing up. "That's a bit slow, don't you think? JARVIS, remind me to upgrade you in a few days."
If anyone else had overheard that exchange, they would've probably fainted on the spot.
The highest-grade military encryption, considered the pinnacle of modern cybersecurity, was being cracked in five minutes.
And Tony Stark still wasn't satisfied. Ridiculous.
But to Tony, this was just another day in the lab.
After giving the order, he pushed the matter aside without a second thought. He returned to his work, sparks of light reflecting off his sunglasses, utterly unaware that what he was about to uncover would force him to reassess just how dangerous one man named Rosh truly was.
Not long after...
"Sir, decryption complete," JARVIS reported calmly. "Would you like to review the files now?"
"Of course," Tony replied without hesitation.
*Whirr! Whirr! Whirr!*
At his command, a cluster of holographic projections burst to life in the air before him. Layers of data unfolded, written reports, audio logs, tactical summaries, and, most importantly, video footage.
Tony didn't even glance at the rest. He went straight for the video.
*Crackle! Crackle!*
The projection stabilized, and the scene appeared.
Rosh.
The Shopkeeper.
He hovered high above the battlefield like a descending god, bathed in radiant light. From his body poured endless torrents of golden photons, falling like divine punishment from the heavens. The Ninth Air Force base didn't stand a chance; it was obliterated almost instantly, crushed beneath overwhelming power.
"It's the Shopkeeper!" Tony's eyes widened in shock, his usual composure cracking for the first time. Even he was visibly shaken by the sheer scale of Rosh's power.
'So this…' Tony thought, a chill running down his spine, 'This is his real strength? Jesus! That's terrifying.'
Rosh had rarely acted so openly before. Tony had always known the owner of the Home of the Devil Fruits was no ordinary man, no one who sold reality-breaking power like candy ever was, but this…
This was on an entirely different level.
One man, casually wiping out a military base and doing it all in just a few minutes. That level of power was beyond frightening.
Although Tony still didn't know why Rosh had destroyed the base, he instantly understood why the incident had been buried under the highest level of secrecy imaginable.
Simply put, the government was scared and not just afraid but truly terrified.
Based on what he was seeing, Rosh could walk straight into Washington and slaughter every top official in the country without suffering so much as a scratch.
And no one could stop him.
As insane as it sounded, the truth was unavoidable: Shopkeeper Rosh alone possessed the power to bring the world's strongest nation to its knees.
Faced with strength like that, what choice did the authorities have?
Compromise wasn't weakness. It was survival.
"No wonder he's the Shopkeeper," Tony murmured quietly, awe creeping into his voice. "That's… absolutely unreal."
The more he pieced everything together, the heavier the truth became.
"Sir," JARVIS suddenly interjected, "Miss Potts has arrived."
Tony reacted instantly. He spread his hands outward, wrists flicking sharply.
In a heartbeat, every holographic projection related to the Ninth Air Force vanished as if they'd never existed.
He had no intention of letting Pepper see any of this. Nothing good would come of it, and knowing this much could only drag her into a level of danger no one should have to deal with.
Some truths, even in a world full of monsters and miracles, were better kept hidden.
*Beep! Beep! Beep!*
The sharp sound of keypad inputs echoed through the lab as Pepper keyed in the password, pushed the door open, and hurried inside. The moment Tony saw her, his expression shifted.
Pepper's face was deathly pale. A fine sheen of sweat glistened on her forehead, and her breathing was uneven, as if she'd just been hit by something overwhelming.
"Oh my God… Tony," she blurted out as she rushed toward him, voice trembling. "You won't believe what I just found!"
"Hey, hey...Pepper, slow down," Tony said quickly, stepping forward to steady her shoulders. "What happened?"
He searched her face, concern creeping in despite his usual confidence.
"Whatever it is, we'll deal with it, alright?" Tony added calmly, forcing a reassuring smile. "I'm Tony Stark. There's nothing I can't fix. So take a breath. Everything's going to be fine."
"Tony… this is crazy. I just...give me a second," Pepper said, waving him off weakly.
She turned away and took several deep breaths, clearly trying to pull herself together. Tony didn't interrupt. He simply waited, watching her with quiet concern.
After a few seconds, Pepper finally looked back at him. The panic in her eyes hadn't faded, but now it was mixed with something heavier.
Something grim.
"Tony," she said slowly, carefully, "what I'm about to tell you… It's going to be hard to hear. You need to prepare yourself."
"Well," Tony replied, trying to lighten the mood, "now you've officially got my attention. My heart's pretty tough; I don't scare easily. Go on."
Pepper swallowed, then spoke without hesitation.
"It's Obadiah."
Tony's expression froze.
"Everything," Pepper continued, her voice steady but strained, "everything was done by Stane. Your kidnapping in Afghanistan wasn't an accident."
She met his eyes directly.
"It was arranged by him."
⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘
Next Chapter: Tony Stark Strikes Back
Next Next Chapter: He Has to Kill Tony Stark with His Own Hands!
Next Next Next Chapter: The Munch-Munch Fruit vs. S.H.I.E.L.D.
Visit my P@tr3on or K0‑fi ''Isopuff'' page and unlock +20 extra chapters and daily updates!