Tony's mood instantly darkened at Peter's words.
At this moment, his blood was filled with a high concentration of palladium.
These heavy metal elements had spread throughout his body, flowing through his veins, into his heart, and back out again.
If this issue wasn't resolved, the Iron Man who had just made headlines worldwide would soon exit the stage of history in a farcical manner.
Peter didn't hesitate to rub salt in Tony's wounds.
He was a complex person.
The friendly, helpful, and loyal-to-his-loved-ones side was him.
The ruthless, cold-blooded killer with a scheming mind was also him.
He simply chose to present his friendly side to those close to him.
But when facing others as Gellert Dante, his darker tendencies inevitably surfaced.
Tony forced a smile and glanced at Natasha behind him.
"Don't tell Pepper about this."
He still didn't know Natasha's true identity. He knew she wasn't ordinary, but he hadn't realized she was from S.H.I.E.L.D.
"Understood, Mr. Stark," Natasha replied, though her gaze remained fixed on Gellert.
This cold man had sparked a long-dormant curiosity in her.
She wanted to know everything about him.
She stared at Peter, and Peter stared back.
"I must remind you, Miss Natasha, not to make eye contact with a psychologist. Otherwise, your secrets might be exposed."
Since Peter had decided to let Gellert interact with these superheroes, he needed to add more depth to this persona.
Being a psychology expert was a good choice.
After all, Peter knew most of the Marvel and DC storylines.
He knew the entire history of every superhero.
Interacting with them under this guise added a touch of mystique.
Natasha didn't look away, continuing to stare at Peter.
It had to be said, this was Natasha's prime. Her face was full of collagen, glowing, and her figure was impeccable.
You staring at me like this is making me uncomfortable...
Peter felt a bit awkward, but he was wearing the Gellert persona. Peter had defined this identity as sharp-tongued, cold, and ruthless.
So, he had to act accordingly.
"Miss Natasha, it seems you're eager for a psychological consultation."
"My fee is quite high—one million per hour."
"I can tell you're not someone who likes to reveal your inner thoughts. Even with your boss, Tony, you remain guarded."
"But that's normal. No subordinate truly sees their boss as human, especially when that boss is a playboy."
Tony quickly interrupted Peter.
"Watch your words. Don't let Pepper hear this. I've already stopped mingling with those models."
Peter turned to Tony.
"Mr. Stark, not only can I see the heavy metals in your blood, but I can also tell your kidneys are starting to fail."
"A word of advice: try not to overindulge. After all, that reactor in your chest can't recharge your kidneys."
Tony immediately retorted.
"Shut up!!"
"What's your name again?"
"Never mind, you white-haired mobster. That's slander! My kidneys are fine!! They're healthy and strong!!"
When it came to male pride, Tony couldn't stand this man any longer.
His words were sharper than Tony's own!
Almost every sentence he uttered was designed to provoke anger.
"Gellert Dante," Natasha reminded him from the side. Then, the curvaceous beauty couldn't hold back any longer.
She asked Peter:
"Mr. Gellert, are you really that confident in your analysis?"
Peter remained expressionless.
"Many people have doubted me before, but they all ended up apologizing for their skepticism."
"Miss Natasha, I don't mind continuing your psychological analysis, but whether you can handle it is another matter."
Natasha put down the file in her hands, her expression seeming to say, Go on.
Peter chuckled lightly.
"Where were we? Ah, yes. You're guarded against everyone."
"That's not hard to deduce. From the moment I walked in, you've kept your arms crossed. In psychology, that's a defensive posture. Unless, of course, it's because your chest is too large."
"Thank you for the compliment," Natasha replied with a slight smile.
Clearly, Peter's blunt words didn't faze her.
"Don't rush. I'm not done yet."
Peter continued:
"A person's personality stems from their childhood. If a child isn't suppressed during their formative years, they're likely to grow up confident."
"Similarly, Miss Natasha, I can tell your childhood wasn't a happy one. Your parents might have passed away early."
"Or perhaps, everything you had in your childhood was a lie."
Peter's words caused Natasha's expression to shift.
Yes, he had hit the mark.
Natasha did have an unhappy childhood.
She was born in the Soviet Union before its collapse. Her parents died early, and her adoptive parents were both spies. All the happiness she experienced was a lie. Later, she and her sister were sent to a place called the Red Room for spy training.
Inhumane training!
"Miss Natasha, I don't think I need to analyze further."
"Your micro-expressions are enough to confirm that I'm right."
Natasha smiled faintly:
"Mr. Gellert, who would have thought that beneath your cold exterior lies such a perceptive mind."
With that, she left, brushing past Peter and lightly tapping his shoulder as she went.
Tony couldn't help but feel a twinge of jealousy.
"She's been working here for two weeks, and she's always kept her distance."
"But you? She's only met you once, and she's already getting handsy. If I weren't here, she might have asked you to write your number on her shoulder strap."
Peter sat upright, continuing to speak to Tony in Gellert's tone.
"I must remind you, Mr. Stark."
"People deserve basic respect."
"And Natasha made the right choice. After all, Miss Potts is now her superior."
"Besides, if Miss Potts found out her boyfriend was eyeing other women..."
"Stop!" Tony quickly interjected.
"I've turned over a new leaf. Do you know how many women have tried to get into my bed these past few months?"
"I ignored all of them."
Do you really need to share this? Peter thought to himself.
Then he replied:
"You don't need to share your private life with me."
"You'd be better off figuring out how to solve your palladium poisoning."
"You don't need to reach 100% palladium concentration in your blood. At 70%, you'll be dead."
Tony grew more frustrated.
"You think I don't know that?"
"Do I seem like the type to sit back and do nothing when I know I'm dying?"
"I've tried. There's no solution. No element in nature can replace palladium."
Peter sighed:
"You haven't tried everything."
"Your father left you an important legacy, but you haven't uncovered it yet."
"Don't worry, you won't die. There are people who don't want you dead."
S.H.I.E.L.D. had already set their sights on Iron Man. They would intervene when necessary.
The idea of forming a superhero alliance had been around since the days of Captain America.
Unfortunately, Captain America had been frozen for years, and the plan was shelved.
Now, with the plan revived, Iron Man was one of the primary recruitment targets.
Peter had reason to suspect that he and Gwen were also on the recruitment list.
It was possible that Tony's invitation to Stark Industries was orchestrated by Nick Fury.
Peter stood up from the couch, his expression serious.
"So, why did you call me here?"
Tony sighed:
"As you can see, I'm dying. The palladium in my body will soon make me dizzy, pass out, and die."
"But Stark Industries is the culmination of my father's and my life's work, especially after I invented this."
He pointed to the glowing reactor in his chest.
"Many people want this, including those within my company."
"But I don't trust them."
After being betrayed by Obadiah Stane, Tony Stark had become distrustful of everyone.
Especially after seeing his weapons used to kill innocent civilians.
He was worried that after his death, Stark Industries would fall into the wrong hands.
"So, Mr. Gellert, I want you to protect Stark Industries."
"Although the media portrays you negatively, I know you're a good person. You've never harmed civilians."
"You want me to be your bodyguard?" Peter said coldly.
"You don't know me, nor do you understand what kind of person I am."
"I do what I want, and I don't do what I don't want to do."
"I have no interest in protecting your empire."
"Let's end this here. I won't waste any more time."
With that, Peter flew out of Stark Tower, disappearing into the city's night sky.
That evening.
Natasha met Nick Fury in a hidden S.H.I.E.L.D. facility in New York.
The one-eyed, bald Black man was reviewing a file.
It contained information about Gellert Dante.
The file was only one page long, with just one line of text.
Gellert Dante, suspected alias???
Nick Fury sighed and tossed the file onto the table.
Natasha glanced at it.
"Don't bother. There's no information. I even suspect the name is fake."
"You've interacted with him. What's your impression?"
Nick Fury asked, his single eye fixed on Natasha.
Natasha sighed:
"He's impressive. I can't read him. He claims to be a psychologist, and he accurately deduced my childhood."
"In short, I think he meets the criteria for the Avengers Initiative."
Nick Fury rubbed his bald head.
"We'll need to observe him further. After all, Mr. Gellert's reputation isn't exactly stellar. In the past few months, countless thieves and criminals have died at his hands."
"Also, a few months ago, he destroyed the New York branch of Vought International."
"Both A-Train and The Deep died by his hand, and even Homelander couldn't defeat him."
"But that's a good thing. I've never liked Homelander and his ilk."
"Superheroes? More like super actors."
Natasha frowned upon hearing this.
To her, it was unbelievable!
As a trained Red Room operative, Natasha was skilled in combat, capable of easily defeating ten men.
But compared to someone with superpowers, even A-Train was out of her league.
After all, that guy was just too fast!
And yet, he was killed by Gellert!
Did that mean Gellert was even faster than A-Train?
It was hard to believe!
She had to admit, this powerful and mysterious man had deeply piqued her curiosity.
"Have we investigated him?" Natasha asked.
Nick Fury looked somewhat helpless.
"We have, but it's been futile. Our agents can't even track when he leaves or returns home."
"In short, investigating someone with such incredible speed is extremely difficult."
Suddenly, he paused, then continued:
"But we did find something."
"Through our investigation, we discovered that this cold and ruthless Mr. Gellert has some connection to a high school student."
"Perhaps we can start from there."
With that, Nick Fury pulled out another file.
This one was Peter Parker's profile.
Natasha took the file and skimmed through it.
Top of his class at Midtown Tech, recipient of a million-dollar grant from Stark Industries, and later, for some reason, Tony Stark transferred a villa worth millions in Queens to his name.
According to gossip, Tony Stark might have unofficially adopted Peter.
The file included a small photo of Peter Parker.
Natasha glanced at it and placed the file back on the table.
"The kid's good-looking, but too skinny."
Nick Fury chuckled:
"That's an old photo. He's much more muscular now."
"I suspect it's the Punisher, or rather, Gellert, who gave him some kind of serum."
"Otherwise, there's no explanation. If working out could give you that kind of body, I'd be a muscle-bound hulk by now."
"Please, you're just lazy," Natasha retorted, rolling her eyes.
"So, what's your plan?"
Nick Fury said:
"Tomorrow, I'll go meet the kid myself."
"As for Gellert... that's your task now."
"Me?"
Natasha was taken aback.
That night, in Queens.
Peter's villa.
Gwen had gone home, so Peter was alone for the night.
It had to be said, life with a girlfriend was great.
Especially when money wasn't an issue.
But men also needed their alone time.
Peter prepared a glass of red wine, two sausages, and a steak.
He had considered making Chinese food, but it was too much trouble.
He turned on the TV, leaned back on the couch, and was about to enjoy his meal.
Suddenly, he perked up.
A few kilometers away from the villa, in the house Kingpin had provided,
Peter had set up several Night Crows.
They provided near-total surveillance of the area.
Through the Night Crows' eyes, a slender, auburn-haired woman in a tight-fitting outfit appeared near the villa.
"Damn it! You ruined my entire evening!"
"Couldn't this wait until tomorrow?"
Peter grumbled.
He quickly left home, donning the Gellert Dante persona, and appeared at the villa within moments.
He adjusted his posture, leaned back on the couch, and turned on the TV, which was playing a cheesy soap opera.
Just then, there was a knock at the door.
"Miss Natasha, don't you know that nighttime is personal time?"
Hearing Gellert's voice from inside, Natasha was startled.
How did he know I was here?
Did he install surveillance cameras nearby?
Natasha pushed the door open and saw Gellert Dante leaning back on the couch, facing away from her.
"Sorry, I just wanted to ask for a psychological consultation."
"There's nothing wrong with your psyche."
Peter turned around, glanced at Natasha, gestured for her to sit, and then walked to the wine cabinet to pull out a bottle of red wine.
It had to be said, Kingpin was quite thoughtful.
Despite his tough talk, he had gone all out to accommodate Peter.
Not only had he provided the house, but it was fully furnished.
The wine cabinet was stocked with expensive bottles.
"I told you, my consultation fee is high. Three million per hour. Can you afford that?"
Natasha pursed her lips:
"I can pay with something else."