📍 Location: Malibu – Stark Residence, Laboratory No. 3
🗓️ Date: October 7 – 08:34 AM
---
The sun was rising slowly over the Pacific Ocean. Golden light hit the glass walls of Stark's residence, revealing an almost surreal landscape — clear sky, calm sea, artificial silence.
But beneath the surface… a storm was brewing.
He was no longer a fugitive.
No longer a monitored ghost.
Naruto Uzumaki had become a strategic partner of Stark Industries. Officially labeled "Consultant in Non-Conventional Energy Security." Unofficially, he was co-architect of a new model for global defense, alongside Tony.
He lived within the lab walls like a heartbeat in a technological system. He had his own space, his own plans, and chakra-infused schematics embedded in private databases.
Over five months, he had:
– helped Tony stabilize the core of the ARC reactor,
– integrated heat-dispersion seals into the new Mark VI prototypes,
– designed an anti-intrusion barrier network based on chakra, capable of detecting intent shifts.
And yet… something felt off.
Tony smiled. Joked. Dazzled.
But his eyes… were growing dimmer by the day.
---
On the morning of October 7th, Naruto entered the main laboratory.
Tony was waiting, safety goggles on his face, a screwdriver in one hand — and a glass of whiskey in the other. At 8 a.m.
"I thought we agreed: no booze before noon," said Naruto.
"Rule temporarily suspended," Stark replied, spinning around.
Naruto raised an eyebrow. He walked over to the digital board displaying the new Mark VII schematics.
"You're moving too fast on the front plating. If you want it to absorb chakra pulses, you need a resonating metal."
Tony snapped his fingers.
"Exactly. Vibranium. I know SHIELD's got some. And since you're officially a 'neutralized unpredictable entity,' maybe you could acquire it for me."
"No."
Tony sighed.
"Why did I expect any other answer?"
"Because you're hiding something. And you're trying to distract me."
Naruto had noticed it already.
The black stains under the nails.
The disguised tremors.
The unstable heartbeat when Tony thought he wasn't looking.
But he hadn't confronted Stark.
Not yet.
Tony turned away, activating a holographic sequence of an upcoming giant concert.
"The Stark Expo," he murmured. "You'll see. It's my rebirth."
Naruto stepped closer.
"A rebirth for what? To hide the fact that your heart's giving out?"
Tony said nothing. He stood there. Frozen, facing the screen.
"I gave you a part of my chakra. You have access to healing no one else on this planet does. All you have to do is ask."
Tony closed his eyes.
"It's not that simple."
"Then tell me why."
He turned. And for a moment, Naruto saw the man — no armor, no wit. Just tired. Worn down.
"Because if I tell you what's happening… you'll want to save me. And I don't know… if I deserve it anymore."
Naruto didn't reply.
He didn't argue. Didn't push.
He simply placed a hand on the incomplete armor, and etched a protective seal into it — infused with his own life chakra.
A silent gift.
"You don't have to deserve it.
You just have to want it."
---
Two days later, the Stark Expo opened in grand fashion.
Naruto stood in a private box, quietly watching the Iron Man dance in his suit, soaked in theatrics and fanfare.
No one saw the cracks.
No one… except him.
But he respected that choice.
Until the truth came crashing down.