Short selling was a very common strategy in the stock market, especially in U.S. markets. The concept was simple in theory. If an investor expected a stock's price to fall, they could sell shares at the current market price, wait for the value to drop, and then buy them back later at a lower price, pocketing the difference as profit.
But Ethan Blake had no intention of making a small, cautious move. With such a perfect opportunity appearing in front of him, simply making a modest profit would be a waste.
Using his position and connections, Ethan had quietly opened dozens of bank accounts under different identities. The five hundred million dollars Wilson Fisk had transferred to him was quickly distributed across those accounts and funneled into the stock market.
Then Ethan activated financial leverage.
Ten times leverage.
That meant the original five hundred million dollars instantly became the equivalent of five billion dollars in market power.
Of course, the risk increased proportionally. If Stark Industries' stock price rose by more than ten percent instead of falling, Ethan's entire five hundred million would vanish instantly.
After setting everything up, there was nothing left for him to do except wait.
…
Exactly as Ethan expected, the news of Tony Stark's disappearance broke that very night.
The following morning, the moment the U.S. stock market opened, Stark Industries' stock price began falling sharply. The decline was immediate and brutal, dropping like it had fallen off a cliff.
By the end of the day, the stock had plunged fifteen percent.
Before Stark disappeared, the market value of Stark Industries had been hovering around two hundred billion dollars. A fifteen percent drop meant the company had lost thirty billion dollars in value in just a single day.
And that was only the beginning.
At that moment, the person happiest about this situation—aside from Ethan—was probably no one.
Because he had just made seven hundred and fifty million dollars.
"Ethan, you seem really happy today," Wanda said curiously after returning home from school. She saw Ethan lounging comfortably while humming to himself, clearly in an unusually good mood.
"I made a lot of money," Ethan replied with a grin. "Of course I'm happy."
After thinking for a moment, he added casually, "Wanda, starting next month, your allowance is doubling."
"Really?!"
Wanda's eyes lit up instantly. She jumped up in excitement, ran over, and hugged Ethan before planting a quick kiss on his cheek. Only after doing it did she realize what she had done, and her face turned bright red.
Ethan could only sigh helplessly.
This girl was getting more and more bold.
Meanwhile, Pietro had been sitting on the couch watching television. The moment he heard the words "increase allowance," he practically teleported in front of Ethan.
"Ethan," Pietro asked eagerly, "what about me?"
Since Wanda's allowance was increasing, it was only natural Pietro expected the same treatment. Ethan had always tried to treat the two of them equally.
After pretending to think for a moment, Ethan spoke.
"For you… I'll increase it by fifty dollars a month."
"F-fifty dollars?!"
The hopeful expression on Pietro's face froze instantly. He stared at Ethan in disbelief.
"But Wanda's allowance doubled!" Pietro protested. "She already gets a thousand dollars every month, and I only get five hundred!"
Ethan raised an eyebrow.
"What's wrong? Too little?" he asked calmly. "Would you rather have fifty knives instead?"
"…I'll take the fifty dollars."
Pietro immediately wilted like a vegetable left out in the cold. All the energy drained from his face as he slumped back toward the couch.
Ethan chuckled and decided to stop teasing him.
"Relax," he said. "You're getting the same deal as Wanda. Your allowance doubles too."
"Really?!"
"Of course."
"Yeah!"
Pietro instantly sprang back to life, celebrating his sudden financial victory.
At that moment, Wanda looked at him and said with a sly smile, "Don't forget, Pietro. Your allowance next month belongs to me."
Pietro blinked in confusion. "What?"
"That's your punishment," Wanda reminded him smugly. "Your entire allowance next month goes to me. That means I'll have three thousand dollars next month."
"No way!" Pietro protested loudly. "I only owe you five hundred!"
"No," Wanda replied firmly. "Ethan said your punishment is losing your allowance for next month, not just five hundred dollars."
Pietro immediately tried to negotiate.
"I think we should have a proper discussion about this, Wanda."
"No discussion," she replied confidently. "Unless you call me big sister."
"No way!" Pietro shouted instantly. "Even if I never get allowance again, I'm not calling you big sister. I was born twelve minutes before you!"
Wanda snorted dismissively.
"It's only twelve minutes."
"Twelve minutes is still enough," Pietro argued stubbornly. "That makes me the older brother."
"Hmph. Then enjoy having no allowance next month."
…
For the next two months, Stark Industries' stock price never rose even once.
The company's market value dropped from its peak of two hundred billion dollars all the way down to one hundred and ten billion.
A forty-five percent collapse.
That meant Ethan had earned two point two five billion dollars during those two months.
It was safe to say life had been treating Ethan extremely well lately.
Not only had he made a massive fortune, but his training with teleportation and telekinesis had finally been completed as well.
Now his teleportation ability required no preparation at all. With a single thought, he could instantly move to any location within his sight or to any place he had previously visited.
His telekinesis had also reached a terrifying level of control.
With a maximum force equivalent to five hundred tons, he could manipulate objects as easily as moving his own arm.
…
In Washington, D.C., more than three hundred kilometers away from New York.
At the headquarters of S.H.I.E.L.D., inside the massive Triskelion building.
Director Nick Fury sat behind his desk in his office.
Across from him stood his trusted deputy, Maria Hill.
Looking at her seriously, Fury asked, "Any progress on Tony Stark's disappearance?"
Hill shook her head slightly.
"Not yet," she replied. "According to our investigation, Obadiah Stane is very likely connected to the incident. However, we don't have any concrete evidence. Stane has deep ties within the military, and without solid proof we can't take action."
Fury frowned, clearly dissatisfied with that answer.
Tony Stark was extremely important.
Not only was he the son of Howard Stark, one of the founders of S.H.I.E.L.D., but Tony himself also held enormous influence within the U.S. military. Since his disappearance, the Pentagon had been putting heavy pressure on S.H.I.E.L.D. to conduct a full-scale search and rescue.
More importantly, Tony Stark was a genius scientist.
Over the years, Stark had contributed significantly to many of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s technological developments—even though he himself didn't fully realize how many of his inventions had been quietly incorporated into the organization's projects.
"Director," Hill continued, "there's another person connected to Tony Stark's disappearance who seems extremely suspicious."
Fury's remaining eye narrowed slightly.
"Who?"
"An agent from the FBI's New York field office," Hill replied. "Ethan Blake."
She placed a file on Fury's desk.
"On the very day Tony Stark disappeared, Ethan Blake began aggressively shorting Stark Industries' stock. He used ten-times financial leverage and ultimately made a profit of two point two five billion dollars."
Hill paused before continuing.
"What makes it suspicious is the timing. The Jericho missile demonstration in Afghanistan had been extremely successful. Under normal circumstances, Stark Industries' stock price should have risen, not collapsed—unless Tony Stark disappeared."
Nick Fury leaned back in his chair, deep in thought.
After a long moment, he looked up at Hill again.
"Did we run a background check on him?"