Chapter 5: Choices

Colonel Rhodes frowned as another thought struck him. "By the way, who are those two people who came with you?"

"Dr. Yinsen is a renowned surgeon—I've met him before. As for the other one..." Tony Stark's thoughts shifted to Garus and his enigmatic abilities. "I just met him. I don't know much about him, but he helped me. Doesn't seem like a bad guy."

Colonel Rhodes gave him a wary look. "Tony, you've got a lot of eyes on your company and inventions. Be careful."

"Alright, I'll be cautious," Tony acknowledged, not wanting a repeat of his recent ordeal. "For now, let's go talk to them and see what their plans are."

"Fine by me."

When Tony and Rhodes arrived, Garus and Dr. Yinsen were lying idly on the beds. Hearing the sound of the door, Garus sat up and saw the two walk in.

"Tony, can you take me with you to America?" Garus asked. He had just received a main quest directing him to New York.

"Sure," Tony replied, then turned to Yinsen. "What about you, Doctor? Want to come along?"

Yinsen shook his head. "No, I'll return to my old hospital and continue my work as a doctor."

As a billionaire, a private jet was a given. Garus couldn't help but admire the spacious, luxurious plane. In his previous world, he had spent all his time pursuing power, never indulging in such comforts. Yet, in the end, the Lich King had defeated him in one blow—a truly unlucky fate.

"Garus, what's your plan once we get to America?" Tony asked.

"I'm not sure yet. Is your company hiring?"

Tony hesitated. He didn't know Garus's true background, but the man seemed oddly familiar with everything about him. It made him uneasy. "Not at the moment."

"Alright. How about helping me find a place to stay, then?"

"That, I can do."

After a brief pause, Tony asked, "Garus, are you a magician?" As a scientist, Tony had always dismissed magic as mere sleight of hand.

"You could say that," Garus replied ambiguously.

The flight was quick, and soon they arrived in New York City. The plane touched down at a private Stark Industries airstrip. As they disembarked, a woman's voice called out from a distance.

"Tony, thank goodness you're okay!"

A blonde woman, her face filled with relief and joy, ran toward them. This must be Pepper Potts, Tony's girlfriend. Though Colonel Rhodes had called her earlier, she hadn't felt at ease until she saw Tony safe with her own eyes.

Pepper fussed over Tony, inspecting him from head to toe with a mix of worry and exasperation. "I told you there was no need for you to go to such a dangerous place personally."

"But I made it back safely," Tony reassured her, trying to ease her concerns. "Sorry for worrying you."

Pepper huffed, her tone half-serious. "I was more worried about the company's stock crashing because of you."

Garus cleared his throat pointedly, interrupting their playful banter. Tony turned, suddenly remembering their guest.

"Pepper, I need your help with something," he said.

Straightening her clothes, Pepper asked, "What is it, Tony?"

"I wouldn't have made it back without this man's help. Please find him a place to stay. Also, I need someone to prepare for a press conference."

Pepper sighed. "You're finally paying attention to the company's operations?" She sounded half-joking, half-relieved. "Ever since your disappearance, the stock price has plummeted. If this continues, the board will revolt."

"Don't worry," Tony said confidently. "Stark Industries is under control." He then turned to Garus. "Garus, go with Pepper. She'll take care of everything for you."

Pepper handed Garus a bank card. "Here's a card with $500,000. It should cover your expenses. If you want a house, I can arrange that too."

[TL/N: Damn, give that to me. This poor soul need that. Huhu!]

Before Garus could reply, a system notification chimed in his mind:

[Main quest activated: In the Marvel universe, choose your path. Will you become a superhero or a supervillain? The system will assign tasks based on your choice.]

Superhero? Garus thought of the characters in the movies—constantly saving the world, risking their lives, and often unappreciated. Even the government and public sometimes turned against them. It seemed like a thankless job.

As for supervillains, he had no desire to spend his days on the run. At his core, he wasn't a bad person.

"System, do I have to choose? Why define everything as good or evil? I'd rather follow my own path. Even Hydra's not entirely bad; they just have... unconventional methods."

[Host, are you sure you want to forgo choosing a side?]

"Yes."

[Side neutral. System tasks will be assigned randomly. New task: Eliminate the Kingpin, New York's most powerful crime lord, or protect S.H.I.E.L.D. Director Nick Fury. Difficulty: C. Reward: 7,000 exchange points. No time limit.]

Garus didn't need to think long. Kingpin was a powerful but mortal man, while Nick Fury's cunning made him far more dangerous to deal with. The choice was obvious.

"Hey, Garus, you alright?" Pepper's voice snapped him back to reality.

"Yeah, I'm fine," he replied, then added, "Miss Potts, is there a place in Hell's Kitchen?"

"There is, but are you sure? It's the most chaotic part of New York. Honestly, I don't know why Tony bought a property there."

Hell's Kitchen was a turbulent neighborhood, dominated by Kingpin's iron grip. Even the U.S. government and S.H.I.E.L.D. struggled to handle him. Killing him could cause even greater unrest.

If I take out Kingpin, Garus thought, will Fury come after me? No matter. Maybe I can take over his network instead. I've never been one for solo work; I prefer directing others from behind the scenes.

Besides, I'll need people to man the Burning Legion's warships, Mimiron's mech, and the Skyfire. All of that requires resources and manpower.

"It's settled," Garus declared. "Hell's Kitchen it is."

Pepper handed him a set of keys. "I'll have Happy take you there."

"Thanks. Let me know if you ever need a hand," Garus offered, aware that Tony would soon face trouble. Helping now might pay off later.

Pepper gave a polite nod but seemed unconvinced that this young man from China could be of much help.

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