Journey to Japan

Ten minutes later~

Tony sat on the couch, looking at the bald man in front of him, feeling a bit speechless.

"So, you're asking me to join forces with you to take down Umbrella Corporation?"

Charles nodded.

"Yes."

He had only woken up yesterday.

After waking up, he learned about what had happened from Jean. Erik had been captured, and the Brotherhood was disbanded.

This marked the downfall of the radical faction among the mutants.

Although he was worried about his friend, he knew that imprisonment might be the best outcome for Erik, so he didn't say much.

However, he was determined to rescue Ororo. That's why he had come to New York City early in the morning to find Tony.

"Why should I help you?"

Though he wasn't fond of Umbrella Corporation, why would he cooperate with a stranger in a wheelchair?

"Obadiah managed to oust you from the board and strip you of your rights with the help of Umbrella. I believe Umbrella is our common enemy."

"Then you're mistaken."

Tony shook his head.

"Umbrella helped Obadiah as a business move. Capitalists are always after profits. Even without Umbrella, there would have been another company stepping in."

Hearing this, Charles was momentarily stunned, unsure of how to respond.

While he possessed extraordinary wisdom and a wealth of life experience, he was not Tony and didn't understand the man's pride.

Furthermore, Tony's top priority right now was to go to Japan and investigate the insect humans. As for Umbrella and Obadiah, he planned to leave them to Pepper to handle.

At this moment, Jean, standing behind Charles, suddenly spoke up, "Mr. Stark, don't you want to know what exactly Umbrella is researching?"

"No, I don't. Please leave; I have other matters to attend to."

Seeing Tony trying to usher them out, Jean grew anxious. Just as she was about to say something else, Charles raised his hand to stop her.

"If Mr. Stark isn't interested in helping, then we'll take our leave."

At that moment, a sound of footsteps echoed from upstairs.

"Tony, do we have guests?"

Soon, Pepper appeared from upstairs, wearing a light blue nightgown.

Upon seeing Charles, she paused in surprise, "Professor Charles, what brings you here? Did you come to see me?"

"Pepper? It's been a long time."

After a bit of conversation, Tony learned that Charles had once been Pepper's professor at Columbia University.

With this connection, Tony found it hard to continue being rude.

However, seeing that time was passing and fearing he'd miss his flight if he delayed any longer, he quickly excused himself and left.

.............

Meanwhile, Tokyo~

Due to the time difference, it was currently nighttime there.

"Boom..."

A sudden flash of lightning illuminated the city, signaling an impending thunderstorm. Pedestrians on the street quickened their pace, rushing home.

In a deserted alleyway, a man clutching documents was running.

"Whoosh!"

Suddenly, a deep purple tentacle reached out from a nearby alley, grabbing the man and pulling him in.

"Nakamura Yuya, where do you think you're going?"

Thrown to the ground, Nakamura Yuya winced in pain and looked up to see the tentacle retracting back into the arm of a man.

Beside the man stood a balding middle-aged man in his forties.

This sight terrified him!!

"T-Tanikawa Masanobu, I... I'm just heading home after work..."

Tanikawa Masanobu stepped forward, revealing a sinister smile, "Really? Then what's that you're holding?"

As he spoke, he snatched the briefcase from Nakamura's hand and opened it. Upon seeing the contents, a cold gleam flashed in his eyes.

"These are all confidential Umbrella documents, and you dared to steal them!"

Realizing he was caught, Nakamura decided to speak his mind.

"Tanikawa Masanobu, you dare to experiment on live humans! You'll face divine retribution! You'll die a miserable death! You'll be struck by...!"

Before he could finish, Tanikawa's left arm transformed into a deep purple tentacle, tightening around his throat.

"Without human experiments, how would we gather data? How could we improve our products? Everything I do is for the rise of the Great Japan Empire!"

With a sickening crack, Nakamura's neck snapped, his eyes bulged, and his tongue lolled out—a look of eternal anguish on his face.

"Boom..."

A thunderous crack sounded from the sky, followed by a torrential downpour.

"Clean this up."

With that, Tanikawa's arm returned to normal. He calmly walked out of the alley, letting the rain drench him.

At this moment, a subordinate who had been standing guard outside came running over.

"Boss, Mr. Yashida Shingen requests your presence."

Tanikawa nodded, wiping the rain off his face, "I'll tidy up and be there shortly."

............

The next morning~

At Tokyo International Airport in Ōta, Tokyo, a plane slowly landed.

Half an hour later, Tony emerged from customs, carrying a metal suitcase. Breathing in the fresh, post-rain air, he felt a wave of refreshment.

"Mr. Stark, over here."

A well-dressed woman with a ponytail approached quickly.

She looked to be in her early twenties, about five foot three. Although she was from Japan, she had fair skin and a cute face.

To be honest, if Tony hadn't committed to Pepper, he probably would have tried to get her into his bed.

"Welcome, Mr. Stark. I've arranged your car and hotel. Please follow me."

Stark Enterprises also had a branch in Japan, so before arriving, Tony had Pepper make all the arrangements.

Although he was removed from the board, he still owned shares.

"What's your name?"

"Ando Miyun, Mr. Stark. My name is Ando Miyun."

In her excitement, Ando Miyun repeated her name twice.

"Alright, Ms. Ando Miyun, let's go."

Two hours later...

Tony experienced what real congestion was like. Even New York at rush hour wasn't half as bad as this.

In two hours, they had only managed to drive ten kilometers from the airport, making him feel quite frustrated.

Ando Miyun, sensing Tony's impatience, subtly moved closer, "Mr. Stark, that over there is our famous Mount Fuji. Isn't it beautiful?"

She then used her not-so-large, but ample chest to brush against his arm.

Tony frowned and pulled his arm away.

"Ms. Ando Miyun, I'm here on business and don't have time to see Mount Fuji."

Seeing Tony's reaction, Ando Miyun was puzzled. Wasn't he supposed to be a notorious playboy?

Why wasn't he showing any interest

Could it be that she wasn't his type?

As she pondered her next move, a distant explosion suddenly rang out.

"Boom!"

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