Tony turned his back and removed the armored piece from his arm, holding it in his hand.
That simple act showed he had let go of the intent to kill Bucky.
Of course, this wasn't because he suddenly had a change of heart and forgave the man who murdered his parents. The word "forgiveness" didn't exist in Tony's dictionary.
Having Bucky live meant he intended to balance the scales somewhere else.
"For everything you've done, ending your life with just a single repulsor blast would be far too easy. You're not only responsible for my parents' deaths. You're also responsible for every person who died under your hands over the past fifty years. So, you'd better be ready to put your life on the line."
He hadn't finished speaking, but Bucky and Steve already looked relieved. No matter what Tony asked them to do, they would agree to it.
Besides, they had a vague idea of what his next demand would be.
"Hydra hasn't been wiped out completely. Even under LexCorp's pressure, with no sign of them resurfacing, they're definitely still operating in the shadows, waiting for the right opportunity to strike."
Tony spoke as he turned his head slightly to glance back at Bucky.
"I want every single Hydra member in hell. That's not too much to ask, is it?"
He had shifted all his hatred for Bucky onto Hydra. Letting go of the man meant that anyone tied to Hydra, once exposed, would face only one end—death.
In the past, in the old America, Tony might have worried whether such a ruthless move would lead to uncontrollable consequences. But now, with the country under LexCorp's control, he had no reason to worry about what killing Hydra might cause.
What he wanted to do was exactly what the company wanted as well. The difference was that LexCorp preferred strategy, using agents to complete their objectives quietly.
Tony didn't care about their methods. Destroying Hydra had been his goal from the moment he learned the truth. Even without LexCorp's influence, he would have made the same decision. In fact, they had even created the perfect environment for his revenge.
"That's only natural," Steve replied.
Neither of them objected to Tony's demand. They valued human rights, but even to someone like Steve, those who chose to side with Hydra had forfeited any claim to that.
"In that case, go find Richard and Mary. They're just like you. Hydra must be destroyed before they can return to their family."
Richard and Mary were still staying within Stark Industries. They hadn't gone back to LexCorp. Even though Hydra no longer had the power to retaliate against them, they chose not to reappear publicly. Staying hidden allowed them to make full use of their skills and focus on destroying the organization that had once tried to tear their family apart.
"Richard has made progress with his brain research. You should work with him. Maybe he can pull something useful out of that brain of yours that's been brainwashed and hypnotized."
Tony's tone toward Bucky was still cold. But anyone who knew the man understood that this was as much as he could manage. His mother had been beaten to death by Bucky's fists. Expecting Tony to greet him with a smile was as impossible as expecting Thanos to give up his population control plan.
* * *
Steve and Bucky left Tony's office. Guided by J.A.R.V.I.S., they soon found Richard.
At this time, Richard stood quietly in the crowd with his wife, Mary, watching the boy who was shining under the spotlight.
Peter Parker.
One of Stark's researchers had been informed in advance by Richard, so when the time came for questions, more attention was given to Peter. His performance, however, went beyond what the couple had expected.
Their child had inherited their intellect and talent, a true genius in the making. Despite being at an elementary school age, he could easily answer questions that high school students might struggle with.
"Peter's grown… and stronger too," Mary whispered softly.
No matter how bright his talent seemed, to his parents, the most important thing was that their son was growing up healthy. Seeing the rosy color in his cheeks, they finally felt at ease.
"I heard that it's not just Benjamin and May who care for Peter deeply, but LexCorp has also been giving him special guidance," Richard said.
"When we return, we must thank Mr. Luthor properly," Mary replied.
Richard nodded with relief. LexCorp had erased their last concern. Now, they would do everything they could to destroy Hydra as quickly as possible. It wasn't only for LexCorp; it was for the chance to return to their child's side.
"Mr. Parker."
Steve and Bucky approached them. Richard, already informed by J.A.R.V.I.S., knew why they had come. He gave a slight nod.
"I understand. But the technology isn't fully ready yet. I'll need both of you to cooperate. For now, please wait a moment."
The elementary school tour had reached its end. Now it was time to present the outstanding students with the gifts Stark Industries had prepared: cutting-edge biological creations.
Since the theme of this visit was biology, the gifts were specially bred small animals created using Stark's latest genetic engineering technology. For ordinary children, these little creatures only had superior physical traits and resistance to disease. But the one given to Peter was different. It was prepared personally by Richard: a genetically enhanced spider created by combining his own DNA sequence with spider genes.
Richard understood what kind of world this had become. A world of superhumans. In the future, even the most brilliant scientific minds might also carry the burden of being a hero. And with that role came danger. He couldn't change the era they lived in, but he could make sure his child had the ability to survive in it.
Under his arrangement, a spider with unusual markings was placed in Peter's hands. The boy seemed to sense something about the creature. He loved it instantly, holding it with care instead of reacting with the fear most children would show toward a spider.
But there was one exception.
Harry Osborn, who had been given a lizard, stared intently at the spider in Peter's hands. His eyes were locked on it, as if he knew something others didn't.
**
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