Chapter 69 Tony Return

Los Angeles, Stark Industries Branch

Press Conference

Eddie and Phil squeezed through the crowd, holding their cameras steady to capture the first images of Tony Stark, who had been missing for three months.

From presumed dead to a dramatic return, everyone was eager to know:

What had Tony Stark experienced during those three months?

Why had he returned to hold a press conference?

What would he say?

The curiosity wasn't limited to journalists.

News of Tony Stark return had already gone viral online, and the public was abuzz with speculation. This genius inventor, playboy, billionaire—an undeniable winner in life—was bound to make waves with whatever he had to announce.

Anton and Betty stood on the outskirts of the crowd, watching as a black car pulled up to the entrance of the Stark Industries building.

"He here," Anton remarked, his voice calm as he spotted the figure in the front passenger seat.

Betty focused her gaze.

Tony Stark, arm in a sling, stepped out of the car, greeted by an older bald man.

He still sported his signature goatee and wore a tailored suit. On the surface, Tony first public appearance since his disappearance showed little change from the man he was three months ago.

But Betty, observant as ever, noticed an intangible shift in his demeanor—a profound change in his aura.

"I have a feeling he about to say something extraordinary," Anton said, arms crossed, as he watched Tony ascend the stage.

At that moment, a familiar voice interrupted Anton thoughts.

"Anton, we meet again."

Turning his head, Anton saw Phil Coulson of S.H.I.E.L.D.

Coulson didn't seem surprised to see Anton at the event, and Anton, in turn, wasn't shocked by Coulson presence.

"Can we talk in private?" Coulson asked, glancing briefly at Betty before adding, "There something I need to confirm with you."

"Of course."

Anton signaled to Betty and followed Coulson to the edge of the crowd.

"What do you want to discuss?" Anton asked.

Coulson got straight to the point.

"Regarding Obadiah Stane, we haven't found direct evidence linking him to Tony Stark attempted assassination. However, we've discovered that Tony disappearance is connected to an organization called the Ten Rings. They wield significant power in the Afghan region and maintain covert ties with various underground groups..."

"What your point?" Anton interrupted, growing impatient.

Coulson asked directly, "Do you know anything about this organization called the Ten Rings?"

Anton stroked his chin, shaking his head. "No idea. Can't help you there."

He wasn't lying.

The Ten Rings, as portrayed in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, remained shrouded in mystery. Outside of the name "Mandarin," the early phases of the MCU revealed little substantial information about the group. Even in Iron Man 3, the Mandarin who appeared turned out to be a fake.

Anton knowledge of them was limited to bits and pieces from the comics—a shaky foundation at best.

"Fair enough," Coulson said, not pressing further. "If you come across anything, let us know."

Anton nodded.

He watched as Coulson entered the venue and approached Tony assistant, Pepper Potts, exchanging a few words with her.

Meanwhile, a collective gasp erupted in the hall.

The crowd went wild as reporters swarmed the stage, surrounding Tony Stark.

Clearly, Tony had just made a major announcement.

Tony Stark stood on stage and made the announcement that shocked the world:

He was shutting down Stark Industries' weapons manufacturing division.

For a company that had built its empire on the arms industry, this was nothing short of earth-shattering. Stark Industries was effectively withdrawing from its most profitable and iconic business sector.

The news sent ripples of astonishment through the crowd.

Betty, standing among the press, took in every word Tony Stark said, remembering Anton earlier prediction:

"He going to say something extraordinary."

Exhaling deeply, she murmured to herself, "This really is extraordinary."

The sound of footsteps snapped her out of her thoughts.

She turned to see Anton approaching, his calm gaze fixed on Tony as he continued speaking on the stage.

"Anton, you were right!" Betty exclaimed, still visibly surprised. "But you'll never guess what Tony Stark just announced."

"Shutting down Stark Industries' weapons division?" Anton replied with a knowing smile.

"You heard it?" Betty asked, startled.

Anton shook his head and explained, "No, but it was an easy guess."

Betty face still bore traces of shock. "Do you realize how monumental this is? A giant like Stark Industries exiting the weapons business—it a catastrophic blow to their operations. The board of directors won't let Tony get away with this. But Tony Stark is the heart and soul of Stark Industries. By making this statement, it means..."

Anton crossed his arms. "It means internal chaos for Stark Industries. Outsiders will lose confidence, and tomorrow the company valuation will drop by at least 40 points."

"Exactly."

Betty nodded, her voice tinged with admiration. "That guy has guts. I can't imagine what he went through in Afghanistan to make such a bold decision."

"It his story, not ours," Anton replied with a faint smile. Then, as if making a casual remark, he instructed, "Starting tomorrow, keep a close eye on Stark Industries' stock. Buy as much as you can at its lowest point, using every resource we have."

Betty stared at him, wide-eyed. "What? You're planning to buy Stark Industries stock now? Aren't you afraid of losing everything?"

"You said it yourself—Tony Stark is the soul of Stark Industries," Anton said confidently. "I'm betting on him."

"You're insane!" Betty protested, utterly baffled.

In her view, this was nothing short of a reckless gamble. With the amount of capital Anton could mobilize, losing would mean catastrophic financial ruin.

"Betty, the more you don't understand now, the more impressed you'll be with me later," Anton said with a laugh.

Meanwhile, on stage, Obadiah Stane stepped up to the microphone to take control of the situation after Tony dramatic exit.

"The purpose of today press conference was to inform everyone that Tony has returned and is in good health," Obadiah said, his forced smile betraying his frustration. "As for his earlier statements, we'll be discussing them internally and will provide updates as soon as possible."

Obadiah attempt to reassure the press was met with skepticism.

By this time, Tony had already left with Pepper Potts and Happy Hogan, climbing into the same black car that had brought him there.

As the car pulled away, Tony caught sight of Anton standing by the entrance.

Their eyes met, and Tony, visibly surprised, gave Anton a slight nod before driving off.

"Looks like he not as arrogant as he used to be," Anton mused aloud, recalling the brief exchange.

As the press conference ended, Anton and Betty made their way out. Anton couldn't help but reflect on Tony Stark transformation.

The man who had walked out of the Afghan desert was no longer the carefree playboy with countless accolades to his name.

Soon, all those titles would be overshadowed by a single one: Iron Man.

"Anton, what are you thinking about?"

On the way back, Betty broke the silence, snapping Anton out of his thoughts.

"Nothing," Anton replied nonchalantly. "Just that today press conference was... interesting."

To witness the birth of Iron Man was like witnessing history in the making.

And Anton found that profoundly fascinating.