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Chapter 202 - Chapter 202: Visitors

[Third Person's PoV] 

After school, Tony and Melissa were at home organizing everything when they heard the doorbell ring.

"You have visitors, boss. They're your classmates," Friday informed Tony.

"I'm aware, Friday. Thanks…" Tony replied as he and Melissa went to open the door.

Tony was surprised to see the first group to arrive. In fact, he was taken aback by the strange combination of people—it was Midoriya, Bakugo, and Todoroki.

"What an odd mix. Did you all plan to come together or something?" Tony asked, raising an eyebrow.

"No," all three of them answered simultaneously, each with a different tone—Bakugo snarled, Todoroki remained indifferent, and Midoriya looked a bit wary standing between them.

"We just ran into each other at the front gate," Midoriya clarified.

Tony shrugged, not particularly interested. "Well, come inside. You guys are the first ones here."

The three entered and gave customary Japanese greetings as they stepped inside—something Tony found odd coming from Bakugo.

Noticing Tony's amused look, Bakugo scowled. "What? Just so you know, I'm only here to check out your training equipment. You better not disappoint me, you rich bastard."

Tony rolled his eyes and called out, "Melissa, can I leave you to greet the other guests when they arrive?"

"No problem! Leave it to me," Melissa replied.

Tony gestured for the trio to follow. "Alright, come with me."

He led them down to his basement, where a spiral staircase descended into his private lab. As they stepped off the last stair, the sight before them was straight out of a sci-fi movie.

The lab was lined with various gadgets and inventions, each with an unknown purpose. Holographic blueprints hovered over workstations, and along the walls, hollow duplicates of Tony and Melissa's suits were encased in sleek display cases.

"You just can't help but show off, can you?" Bakugo grumbled.

"You're absolutely right," Tony said, placing a hand on his chest dramatically. "It's my favorite pastime."

"Salutations!" Master Splinter greeted from one of the workstations, sitting comfortably with a plate of cheese beside him.

Midoriya and Todoroki both gave respectful bows in greeting—Midoriya, of course, being much more enthusiastic.

Bakugo, meanwhile, buried his face in his hand, questioning whether coming here was a mistake.

Midoriya, however, was captivated. His eyes sparkled as he examined the suits. "Are these really all the suits you've made?"

"No, these are just hollow replicas for decoration. The real ones are in space, waiting for deployment against any threats," Tony replied casually.

Midoriya's excitement soared as he bombarded Tony with questions about his suits, while Todoroki glanced at them, recognizing some from the Hosu incident.

Tony soon led them into an empty white room. "This is where everyone will be training," he announced.

Bakugo's eye twitched at the unimpressive space. Just as he was about to complain, Tony spoke.

"Friday, double the gravity."

Their eyes widened as they suddenly felt the crushing weight of increased gravity. Grunts escaped their lips as they hunched over, struggling to adjust. Tony, unfazed, stood calmly, already used to the effect.

'The gravity core I took from my time in the MCU really paid off,' Tony mused. 'Thanks to my studies on Uraraka and this core, I managed to increase the gravity of a localized field.'

"Don't judge the room by its looks alone," Tony said, snapping his fingers.

The gravity vanished, causing them to rise slightly off the ground. He snapped again, and the force returned to normal.

A dangerous gleam flashed in Bakugo's eyes as he grinned. "What else can this room do?"

Tony smirked and waved his hand.

Instantly, the pristine white walls transformed into a war-torn city. The air filled with the distant sounds of screaming civilians, crackling fires, and explosions. The ground trembled beneath them, making the simulation feel eerily real.

With another wave of his hand, villains materialized around them. Tony punched one, and instead of dissipating like a normal hologram, its torso shattered into glowing green pixelated fragments.

The same villain retaliated with a punch, which Tony blocked with his palm. The solid impact made it clear—these were no ordinary illusions.

"Yeah," Tony said with a smirk. "Be careful. These guys aren't just holograms—they can actually fight back and hurt you. And the longer you battle, the more they'll adapt to your fighting style."

Explosions cracked from Bakugo's palms. "Now that's what I'm talking about! This is exactly what I signed up for! I can finally go all out without worrying about killing anyone!"

Everyone stared at him in disbelief. Tony tilted his head slightly. "Has that been a concern of yours before?"

Bakugo froze, realizing he had let something slip. Clicking his tongue, he looked around, expecting mockery or judgment—but none came.

With a scoff, he held out his palm, small pops of explosions crackling in his hand. "I'm not bragging when I say this, but my quirk is extremely lethal. If I'm not careful, I could actually kill someone by accident. That's why I've focused on control more than anything else. I can never truly train my quirk on someone without worrying about hurting them—except for someone like Red Spiky Hair…"

Tony hummed, genuinely surprised by Bakugo's admission. "Huh. The more you know." Midoriya, who had known Bakugo the longest, was even more shocked to hear him open up.

"Anyway," Tony said, waving his hand. The simulated battlefield disappeared, returning them to the plain white room. He gestured toward a wall, which split into two sections with neon signs indicating male and female changing rooms.

"These are the changing rooms and showers. Inside, you'll find suitable training gear made from unstable molecule fiber. They're extremely durable, resistant to wear and tear, and can stretch to accommodate your size and quirk."

Tony turned to Todoroki. "For example, your quirk—no need to worry about burning or freezing them. They'll adapt to whatever temperature you generate, meaning you can finally use your quirk freely from any part of your body."

Todoroki nodded in gratitude without saying much.

"Now move it," Tony ordered.

As the three headed toward the changing rooms, Melissa arrived with a group of new arrivals. They all wore mystified expressions, as if they had just stepped into another world.

Tony's eyebrow twitched. "Yeah, I'm not repeating myself. Friday, take care of it."

While Friday launched into an explanation, Tony leaned against a wall, pulling out his phone. His fingers tapped rapidly on the screen, selecting a contact labeled: Sugar Daddy—decorated with various money emojis.

---

Tony: Do you guys mind if I come over tonight? I need to discuss something important.

Howard: What? What's wrong?

Tony: I need help with something. No need to worry about it.

Howard: Tony, you telling me not to worry about it is making me worry about it more. Is it really something you can't text or call about?

Tony: ...

Tony: I want you to promise me you won't laugh. I want a signed contract and everything.

Howard: …

Howard: I swear, I will not laugh. —Signed, Howard Stark.

Tony: … I'm having relationship problems, and I don't have anyone to talk to about it.

---

Tony waited, blinking at the screen. When the reply finally came, tic marks formed on his forehead as an endless stream of laughing emojis bombarded his messages.

"That bastard! He swore he wouldn't laugh," Tony grumbled.

---

Howard: Your mother just smacked me because I scared her by laughing too hard.

Howard: I demand compensation for the damages.

Tony: I should be the one demanding compensation! You broke the contract! And might I remind you, you signed it with your full name!!

Howard: *More rows of laughing emojis*

Howard: Anyway, you know you don't need to ask to come over.

Howard: Stop being weird about it and just come.

Howard: Your mother—who is reading over my shoulder—is now anxious because you and Melissa are having relationship problems.

Howard: Fix it.

Howard: Your mother just smacked me again for saying she was reading over my shoulder.

Howard: She smacked me again for saying she smacked me.

Howard: Do something jashshajdasjfjsgaht

Howard: Send help.

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