Chapter 33

"Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu!"

Leo formed hand seals and spat out a massive fireball, hurling it at the pile of weapons stacked like a small mountain in front of the cave.

A deafening explosion ensued as all the explosives ignited in succession, sending flames skyward. Moments later, the entire valley had collapsed completely.

This act wasn't just to attract the attention of the military search and rescue team looking for Tony; it was primarily to erase any traces of his presence.

"Mission to kill Raza and destroy his base complete. The reward has been added to the mission space."

As the explosion ended, a pleasing task notification sounded in Leo's ear.

Tony and Yinsen, standing beside him, were wide-eyed in shock.

"Have I been out of the sun too long, or did he just spit out a giant fireball from his mouth?" Tony stammered.

"Actually... I saw it too," Yinsen replied.

They had just witnessed Leo spit out a fireball from his mouth. If Leo's earlier abilities were surprising but understandable, this fireball trick was completely beyond their comprehension.

Tony thought maybe Leo's shape-shifting could be explained by advanced holographic technology. Initially, it surprised him, but he later considered it might be a high-tech gadget. 

Eliminating an entire base of terrorists alone was frightening but plausible, showcasing extreme combat prowess. But spitting out a human-sized fireball from his mouth defied all scientific explanation.

"Maybe he's a robot with a built-in flamethrower, using gasoline as fuel?" Tony mused, though he knew this was absurd.

"The rescue team will likely arrive soon. I hope you can keep my abilities a secret. I don't want to be hounded by S.H.I.E.L.D. or Hydra; they're both a hassle," Leo said, noticing Tony and Yinsen's stunned expressions.

"Of course, we won't tell anyone. But Hydra was destroyed during World War II, and what is S.H.I.E.L.D.?" Tony asked, nodding but puzzled.

Most Americans knew about Hydra from Captain America's cartoons, movies, and plays, where it was the main villain. It was even in textbooks. Tony often heard his father, Howard, talk about Captain America, who was a close friend and comrade. Hydra was supposedly destroyed by Captain America, who sacrificed himself.

Leo, feigning surprise, replied, "You don't know about S.H.I.E.L.D.? Your father founded it."

Tony was even more shocked. "My father?"

"Let me explain briefly. S.H.I.E.L.D., or the Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement, and Logistics Division, was founded by your father, Peggy Carter, and Chester Phillips. It's now a global organization tasked with protecting Earth, primarily against terrorist threats, superpowered individuals, and potential extraterrestrial invasions.

People like me with special abilities would be captured and monitored for life, even if we haven't done anything wrong, losing all freedom," Leo explained.

Tony frowned. "That's incredibly authoritarian. No one has the right to control someone's freedom like that without breaking the law."

Having been kidnapped and held captive for nearly a month, Tony was vehemently against any form of restriction on personal freedom.

"That would be tolerable if that were the only issue. But from what I know, Hydra has infiltrated S.H.I.E.L.D. extensively. Several high-ranking agents are actually Hydra operatives, unbeknownst to their director, Nick Fury. If I were discovered, I'd likely be transferred secretly by Hydra agents for dissection and human experimentation," Leo said, spreading his hands.

Tony's expression grew serious. "Don't worry, Leo. We won't reveal anything about you."

"Thanks, but don't be so serious. If they come after me, they'll find I'm not easy prey," Leo said with a cold smile, making Tony and Yinsen nod instinctively.

Leo had deliberately shared this information with Tony. Though he hadn't acted against Hydra when Garrett and his men troubled him, he wasn't planning to let it go.

He had considered alerting Nick Fury about Hydra, but doubted Fury would believe him over his own trusted agents. Moreover, exposing himself would make him a target, an unnecessary risk. 

An anonymous tip using the Transformation Jutsu to leave a note at S.H.I.E.L.D. headquarters seemed feasible but might not be believed. Worse, it could lead to Hydra preemptively attacking the few real S.H.I.E.L.D. agents.

Leo preferred letting S.H.I.E.L.D. and Hydra fight it out while he quietly strengthened his position. He'd relay information through Tony to alert Fury without exposing himself, causing internal conflict between S.H.I.E.L.D. and Hydra.

This way, Tony wouldn't fully side with S.H.I.E.L.D., remaining cautious.

"Your rescue team is here. I'll be going now," Leo said, spotting dots in the sky indicating the approaching rescue team.

"Thank you, Leo," Tony said, watching Leo leave. "We owe you our lives."

As Leo made his way out, he thought about his next steps. Strengthening himself while S.H.I.E.L.D. and Hydra battled it out would be advantageous.