Chapter 086: Delicious Ramen
As J.A.R.V.I.S. carried out Tony Stark's instructions, negative information about Charles Doyle on the internet began to be quietly deleted.
Soon, in a secret network, J.A.R.V.I.S. found a file containing information about Charles Doyle. In line with Tony Stark's command, J.A.R.V.I.S. promptly deleted Charles Doyle's file from the database of the Strategic Defense Attack and Logistics Bureau.
…
At the Continental Hotel, Iruka followed Charlie to the hotel's crematorium. Upon Iruka's arrival, Winston, the hotel's manager, greeted him with respect. "Welcome, Adjudicator."
Iruka nodded and said, "Lead the way."
Winston guided Iruka to the crematorium where a massive furnace stood. Charlie pushed a gurney inside, and on it lay the body of Madame Gao. Winston recognized her as one of the Five Fingers of the Hand, and he was impressed by Charles's audacity.
Iruka glanced at the body to confirm there was no switch or trap. Then he spoke slowly, "Let's begin, and make sure to separate the ashes for me."
Charlie found it strange that someone would request cremation in this manner, especially for an enemy leader. However, considering Iruka's identity as the Adjudicator, he didn't question it further and proceeded as instructed.
Iruka watched as Madame Gao's body was pushed into the furnace and turned into ashes, leaving only a pile of bone fragments. Charlie prepared a wooden box and placed the ashes inside, handing it to Iruka.
Iruka accepted the box containing Madame Gao's ashes and immediately made a phone call. "Please come to the Continental Hotel in New York and take Madame Gao back for her final resting place."
The voice on the other end quickly agreed. In less than an hour, a young Asian man arrived at the hotel.
Iruka remained seated in the lobby, motioning for the man to approach. The man looked puzzled as he took the box, not sure what to make of the situation.
Iruka spoke calmly, "These are the ashes of Madame Gao. She wished to return to her homeland. Please take care of it."
Without waiting for a response, Iruka placed the box in the man's hands and added with a hint of pity, "I hope you're not affiliated with the Hand, and I hope you can safely deliver this to her island."
As soon as the word "Hand" was mentioned, the assassins in the hotel's lobby paid full attention to the Asian man, as if they were looking at a walking bag of a hundred thousand dollars.
Having completed Charles's request, Iruka left and returned to Charles's Agency.
As for the fate of the Asian man and whether Madame Gao's ashes were safely delivered, it remained unknown.
…
The next day, Charles Doyle woke up early and immediately accessed the system interface.
Time to check in!
Ding! Check-in successful. Reward: 300 Ninjutsu Points!
Seeing the reward as Ninjutsu Points, Charles remained calm, neither happy nor disappointed.
It wasn't something he needed immediately, but he knew it would come in handy once he activated the artifact. However, when that would happen, Charles had no idea.
Exiting the check-in page, Charles Doyle turned his attention to the Task Gathering Hall. Upon entering, he noticed one lonely A-rank mission that still showed as incomplete, indicating that it couldn't be claimed at the moment.
He clicked on the mission details and found that it remained unfinished because not all members of the Hand across the United States had been eliminated yet. It seemed like he would need to wait a while longer.
Leaving the Task Gathering Hall, he looked at the meager 22 gold coins displayed at the top of the interface and then murmured to his unweakened Ninja Card, "It won't be long now. Once we dig up the Dragon Bones, you'll be able to make your appearance."
After a simple wash-up, Charles headed to the agency's lobby, where he found everyone gathered.
He retrieved five bowls of delicious ramen from his storage space and placed them on the table in the lounge area, then smiled and said, "Delicious ramen, everyone, come and enjoy."
Hearing about the delicious ramen, Iruka and the others quickly appeared at the table in the lounge area. Iruka spoke, "Ah, hometown ramen. I've missed this."
The three of them immediately took their seats, and Ginny, who had arrived later, approached the table as well. She looked at the delicious ramen and said, "Boss, is it okay to eat this powerful stamina-replenishing ramen so early in the morning? Isn't it a bit of a waste?"
As Ginny voiced her concerns, the three who were already seated turned their attention to Charles.
This ramen, though it appeared to be Ichiraku Ramen, was not quite the same. It had the special ability to rapidly restore one's stamina, making it a valuable strategic resource. It was even more effective than soldier pills, and it tasted delicious.
Charles chuckled and replied, "Go ahead and use it without worry. I have plenty more of this stuff, and besides, I closed a big deal yesterday, so consider it a reward."
Upon hearing Charles Doyle's words, Lee exclaimed, "Thank you, Lord Charles!"
After everyone had taken their seats, Lee couldn't contain his excitement any longer and declared, "I'm going to dig in!"
They all began enjoying the delicious ramen.
Charles also started savoring the ramen. A warm energy flowed into his body, making him feel even more energetic, which was a perfect way to start the day.
…
Meanwhile, at the villa, Tony Stark had completed the creation of his new Arc Reactor. He lay on a medical chair with a heart rate monitoring device attached to his body.
Upstairs in the living room, Pepper Potts was watching a news conference where the host was discussing Tony's latest invention when Tony's phone rang.
Pepper Potts walked downstairs to Tony Stark's lab upon hearing the call.
Seeing Pepper Potts enter, Tony Stark greeted her, "Hey, come over and take a look."
Tony beckoned with one hand and gestured, "Come here."
Pepper Potts extended her hands toward Tony, walking closer to him.
Tony observed Pepper Potts' hands and praised, "What delicate hands you have."
He then showed her the new Arc Reactor he held in his hand and said, "I'd like you to help me with a little favor."
Pepper Potts reached Tony's side and noticed the reactor on his chest, exclaiming, "Oh my goodness, what's going on? Are you relying on this thing to stay alive now?"
Tony gestured to the new Arc Reactor he held, explaining, "Yes, but this thing is outdated. This new model is what I'll rely on for the future."
"I need to replace the old one, but I've hit a minor obstruction."
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